Mare Do Well: As The Sky Falls

by ShadeJak

Motivation

Guess being a superhero isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, is it?

Like any so-called hero, you’ve got a serious problem with self-esteem, and being some kind of superhero is the only way you can get any sense of value. No matter how talented you are, you still feel something missing, don’t you?

A pony whose ego is so fragile she has to sponge off your praise to feel alive, who spends her time showing off because she’s afraid of being laughed at again. How’s that for loyalty?

Enjoy the taste of failure, hero… while you can.

Razorbeak’s words tore into her like hungry parasprites as Rainbow Dash drifted in an endless abyss.

Failure… the one thing Rainbow Dash feared over anything else. The one fear that had been more of a motivation in her life then she wanted to admit. Those jerks who always laughed at her as a filly when she kept crashing, who called her a loser who’d never be even half of what her mother was… eventually Rainbow Dash had found a way to cope with it by being the best she could be, a pony who never lost, who never quit, and was always awesome. Yet there still existed that hole in her heart that never seemed to get filled, and made her always need to prove herself in another way, any way that got her appreciation, that made her needed. Was this all her ‘loyalty’ really was? A bunch of desperate cries for approval?

“No… the element chose me… I care about my friends and family… I’d do anything for them!” She cried out in her mind. “How can the Element of Loyalty be wrong about its bearer?”

Maybe then it wasn’t… but what about now? I lost… I failed everypony in Cloudsdale...

She saw the Element of Loyalty in front of her, then it began to fade away.

Rainbow Dash jerked up screaming, then cried out in pain from the bruises she’d suffered.

“Rainbow Dash! Calm down, you’re still badly hurt!” A unicorn nurse protested, using magic to make her slowly fall back onto the hospital bed. Taking a few breaths, the cyan pegasus looked around and realized she was in a hospital room.

“Where am I…?” She asked, coughing from the pain in her chest caused by her outburst.

“You’re in Manehattan General Hospital.” The nurse told her. “You were out for awhile.”

Rainbow looked out the nearby window, the sky was filled with dark clouds, a storm raging outside, and the memories of her defeat, and Cloudsdale’s capture all returned to her. “How did I get here?”

“Your friend here found you, you both came down on a cloud.” The nurse said. “She refused to leave your side the entire time.”

At that moment, the nurse nudged something on the floor, and a yawn was heard, and up rose a familiar orange filly.

“What…” Scootaloo began, then looked over, seeing her idol awake. “Rainbow Dash! You’re awake!” She said, hopping on the bed with her.

“Hey, squirt…” Rainbow answered weakly, then looked away in shame.

“Rainbow?” Scootaloo asked, putting a hoof on the older pegasus’.

“So you saved me, huh… why bother?” Rainbow asked as the nurse left to give them time alone.

“That’s easy! Because you’re my hero, you’ve always been, Rainbow!” Scootaloo insisted, but the mare just snorted.

“How? How can I be? I’m no hero!” Rainbow protested. “I got my flank kicked by that griffon! I lost, and now Cloudsdale’s gonna pay for it! And it won’t stop there, with Cloudsdale gone, Equestria’s weather’s gonna become a mess that’ll destroy everything, so there’s another thing you can thank your ‘hero’ for.” She realized how her outburst was upsetting her admirer, and sighed. “Sorry, squirt… but you may have picked the wrong pony to call your hero.”

“Now Rainbow, we both know that’s not true!” Another voice said. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo turned and saw Twilight there in the doorframe, and behind her stood Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity, the last of which immediately trotted over, a cross look on her face.

“Now, Darling, I can overlook the fact that you modeled for me just to steal one of the Mare Do Well costumes… especially since you left me extra bits that got my work done faster, but STILL…” Rarity explained. “I won’t stand for such a defeatist attitude from you, Rainbow Dash, especially towards a filly who still believes in you!”

“Maybe you missed the part about me, as I put it, Rarity, ‘getting my flank kicked by that griffon’ and the part about what’s gonna happen to Cloudsdale?” Rainbow asked flatly.

Twilight frowned. “If Cloudsdale gets destroyed, Equestria loses its source of weather stability. Rainbow, something’s gotta be done!” She said.

“Well that’s great and all, but how am I supposed to stop Razorbeak? Need I emphasize the part where I lost to him? BADLY?” Rainbow asked.

“So what if you lost, Dash!” Applejack said, slightly irritated. “Ya try again. Ya always did! It’s part of what makes ya the Bearer of Loyalty!”

“That was then. This is now…” The pegasus muttered, then she felt a hoof whack her. She turned and there was Fluttershy, giving her an angry stare normally used to discipline troublesome animals.

“Rainbow Dash… I’m surprised at you.” The normally timid yellow pegasus said. “Remember how you always stood up for me in flight school? All those times I felt like crying whenever those colts made fun of me… you were always there for me. And then when we needed to gather water for Cloudsdale, you were hard on me but you always believed in me and supported me when you could have gotten others for the job!” She said, then her fierce look quickly faded and she looked downcast and embarrassed by her outburst. “I’m sorry, I just… I wanted you to know that and wanted you to listen.” She said, her tone soft again.

“Fluttershy… this is different—“ Rainbow Dash began, but then Pinkie Pie intervened.

“No it’s not, Dashie!” Pinkie insisted, a serious look on her face for a change. “When Gilda lashed out at me when I threw that party for her, you stood up to her right away! She was ready to beat me into a pink pulp and probably would have if you didn’t stop her! Even if she’d been your friend, you were ready to protect me from her!”

Rainbow sighed, discovering one of her long-time friends was a cruel, selfish bully behind her back all along had hurt pretty badly too.

“And what if Gilda decided to beat you up instead when she learned the truth?” Twilight pointed out.

“I’d have loved to see her try…” Rainbow Dash remarked.

“See? That’s the Rainbow Dash we know.” Twilight said with a small smile, causing the pegasus to sigh again, she felt a little better, but it still didn’t seem like it’d do much, this wasn’t some lowly bullies she was dealing with. Twilight placed a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder. “We all have our flaws, Rainbow, but you’ve always deserved the Element of Loyalty.”

“Besides, ya really gonna just quit’?” Applejack asked. That last word made Rainbow Dash turn her head, glaring.

“What’d you say?” She asked.

“Ah asked if you were a quitter, Dash.” Applejack said, smirking. If there was one surefire way to reignite Rainbow’s spirits, this was it, as she knew the one thing Rainbow Dash hated more then losing was the idea of quitting.

“I’m no quitter!” Rainbow Dash instinctively yelled, startling the orange filly still present on her bed. “Take it back, right now!” Quitting was the most shameful thing Rainbow Dash could ever imagine doing. Losing when you tried your best hurt, she realized that now, but quitting didn’t just hurt, it proved you were a coward, and Rainbow Dash was no coward.

“Not till ya prove you’re not.” Applejack replied, knowing it was working. Rainbow sat herself up completely, then groaned in pain.

“If I wasn’t in so much pain, I’d prove it right now!” Rainbow said, her voice strained.

“Here, let me.” Twilight said. “If you’re not going to give up.” She added, a stern look in her eyes.

“Do it, Twilight. I’m not letting Cloudsdale down.” Rainbow said, now determined again. The unicorn’s horn glowed brighter, and Twilight’s magic engulfed the pegasus. In seconds, all the pain faded and the bruises disappeared. Moving her legs and her neck, Rainbow felt much better. “Thanks, Twi.” She said, then looked at the others. “Thanks, all of ya.” She said. “Can’t believe what a moron I was acting like back there…” She said, then looked over at Rarity. “Look, Rarity—“

“Save it, Rainbow. We’ll discuss all of that later.” Rarity answered. “In the meantime, shall I be correct in assuming you might want these?” She asked, and her saddlebag opened, and the Mare Do Well costume emerged from within. “Used to be Applejack’s you’re about the same size. I added the wings on for you. The old one was hardly in a state I can let you leave this hospital in!”

Scootaloo looked over at Rainbow Dash, who gave her a sheepish smile. “Sorry I lied to ya, squirt.” Rainbow said.

“Aw, Rainbow, superheroes always gotta keep their identities secret! Besides, you’re like, the coolest Mare Do Well ever!” The orange filly said, giving Rainbow a hug.

“Well, let’s see if I earn that title after I get back to Cloudsdale.” Rainbow answered, and Scootaloo gasped.

“Wait, how will you get back in? The place is surrounded by storm clouds, it’s, like impossible to get through!” The filly said, but Rainbow smirked the cocky smile she was known for once again.

“I’m sure I can manage.” She said. "I'm no quitter, after all."

“YAY! That’s the Rainbow Dash we know!” Pinkie Pie said excitedly, bouncing in place. “You win, and make it back, I’ll be sure to have a hero party for you, with like a cake and everything!”

“I’ll look forward to it.” Rainbow said, hopping off the bed. “Now let’s get outta here, I’m already feeling cooped up.”

~

After checking out, Rainbow Dash lead the others outside, the saddlebag with the costume on her back.

“Alright, I know you’re a great flier and all but those storm clouds are gonna be real dangerous, even for you, Dash.” Twilight explained, craning her head up and squinting as the rain continued to pour. Closing her eyes and focusing her magic, a white cloud materialized in front of her and Rainbow Dash. “I can use the cloudstep spell to ride up with you. Once we’re close enough, I’ll teleport you in.” Twilight explained.

“Awesome. I’m ready for this.” Rainbow said, hopping onto the cloud.

“Rainbow!” Scootaloo said, trotting over. “Promise you’ll come back, okay?” She asked.

“Don’t worry, squirt. I will. Right after I kick some griffon flank!” Rainbow said proudly with a laugh, hopping onto the cloud and pulling the costume from her saddlebag. “Let’s go, Twi.”

Moments later, the two mares were quickly rising up into the sky, Rainbow Dash had just finished putting the costume on, sans hat and mask. Twilight kept focused as she guided the cloud around the lightning bolts that occasionally crackled from the thick black clouds surrounding the pegasus city.

“Where do you want me to send you, Dash?” Twilight asked.

“Just help get me near the entrance. I gotta find the Wonderbolts first if I’m gonna stand a chance and get these clouds under control.” Rainbow ordered. “Twi, I’m sorry about… all this.” She explained as they drew closer to Cloudsdale. “I just needed to be a hero again. I didn’t want ponies to know who I was, though. I figured that way I wouldn’t let it get to my head again.” She explained.

“Rainbow Dash, if that happened, you didn’t learn anything from when we created Mare Do Well.” Twilight explained. “If you want to be a hero, be one. Ponies can appreciate you, and you can appreciate what you can do for them. Just remember what we all told you.”

“Thanks, Twi.” Rainbow said, sliding the mask on and topping it off with the hat. “Alright, I’m ready. Just… take care of Scootaloo, in case for the tiniest and totally unlikely reason I don’t make it back.” She said.

“I promise." Twilight answered. "Now, just picture the entrance, and give me a second.” Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, ready for the spell, and with a soft popping sound, she found herself within Cloudsdale’s now dismal streets. The once-majestic city of pegasi was now a dark, dreary ruin. Winds swept about, lightning crackled in the clouds that swirled around just outside the city, and the costumed pegasus could see some griffons flying about.

“Well… it’s now or never.” Mare Do Well said to herself.

Comments

[Alchemystudent]

Cue Comeback

[BenRG]

As always, it is the power of Friendship that makes the difference. Friends always make you stronger. Going back to the fight even when you're hurt and scared? That's the sign of a true hero.