The Paths We Choose
It was clear skies over Canterlot as Rainbow Dash performed her usual warm-up routine.
“Perfect weather for a show!” she proclaimed aloud. No one heard her; the rest of the team was getting ready elsewhere, and Dash preferred to warm-up on her own anyway. It helped clear her mind.
She looked up and noticed light wisps of cirrus clouds floating high above like little wayward feathers, slaves to the ever changing winds. But these were at a high enough altitude as to not hinder the view from the ground. In fact, Rainbow Dash mused, they would provide an excellent backdrop which the spectators could use to distinguish the sky from the Wonderbolts in their blue uniforms.
Below her a massive crowd had gathered on the fairgrounds to see the Wonderbolts perform their 1000th Anniversary show. The slogan this year was “One Thousand Years of Joy and Inspiration”. Personally, Dash thought that choice was particularly cheesy, and it irked her that, despite being captain of the Wonderbolts, she had no say in ‘publicity related’ matters such as this. Oh well.
Her superiors wanted nothing to do with her suggestion of “Come See Rainbow Dash Be Awesome! Oh Yeah, and the Other Wonderbolts Too”. Though this wasn’t even submitted in writing (it was a forthright suggestion to the Wonderbolts’ board of directors), it was promptly rejected with the shaking of heads and sighs of exasperation.
Perhaps her ego was a bit out of control, even if she did mean it jokingly... nah, the board was just made up of those snooty government types who would do anything to crush a little fun in the name of politics. It also didn’t help that last month she was awarded “Flier of the Year” by the board, confirming her status as the greatest flier in Equestria (as if she even needed the recognition to affirm what she already knew). I mean, how humble could they actually expect her to be?
“Hey Dash!” called Stratus Sphere, another Wonderbolt. He was at a lower altitude, and flew up to meet the blue mare.
“What’s up Stratus? Time already?” asked Rainbow Dash as he approached her.
He beamed. “You know it! Ready to kick some serious flank?”
Stratus was a relatively new face among the Wonderbolts; he was only officially inducted a few months ago. Dash couldn’t help but be amused at the stallion’s enthusiasm. He was still able to get excited over a simple routine show. Yeah, just wait until you’ve done it two hundred times. Fortunately she was able to hide her amusement behind her goggles.
“Stratus, please,” Dash replied with a friendly scoff, “I’m always ready.”
Stratus could not contain himself. “You got that right Dash! You’re the best flier in all of Equestria, probably the greatest who ever lived!”
Although this was not an unpleasant thought, Dash highly doubted that. She supposed the young stallion was somewhat of an admirer, much like she herself, who went speechless at even the sight of the former Wonderbolt, Spitfire. Not surprising in the least.
“Whoa, whoa. I wouldn’t go that far...” Her sarcasm was all too evident. “Tell the others I’ll be right there.”
“Will do!”
Stratus turned and flew down to the hangar where the Wonderbolts were preparing.
The rainbow-maned pony took one more look at the landscape beneath her before heading back down to earth herself.
***
It was time. The show was nearly over, and the grand finale was only minutes away. The Wonderbolts had just finished a low altitude pass in front of the stands in V-formation, with Rainbow Dash in the lead. At the end of the pass, they pulled off into a vertical climb. The others continued into a full loop while Dash shot straight up, soaring higher until the altitude caused the air to become uncomfortably thin. No one could see her up here.
From this height, Dash could see nearly all of Equestria. Canterlot sat below her with its high walls and elegant castle, and further away the Everfree Forest loomed with its endless expanse of trees and its dark, ominous glow. Fillydelphia was barely visible on the horizon. Even Ponyville could be seen in the distance, a cluster of buildings bordering the sprawling orchards of Sweet Apple Acres. It looked so small and insignificant, yet she was able to take comfort in its familiarity. As she gazed upon her old home, Dash’s thoughts turned to her friends, and everything she left behind...
No! She couldn’t get distracted, not here. This was her favorite part of every show; what made it exciting every time. All the spectators had forgotten about Dash high up in the sky and were now focused on the other Wonderbolts performing a simple formation routine. What they didn’t know was that she would soon shoot down from above, seemingly out of nowhere, and perform her signature move, the Sonic Rainboom. It was a classic. That stunt had not once failed to bring the spectators to a standing ovation.
Dash performed a final check while floating in mid-air. Ensuring that her goggles were secure, she dove headfirst into a nosedive. It was her time to shine.
The wind rushed past her as she picked up speed. Colors began to blur around her. It was essential to maintain constant control of her velocity as she barreled down to earth. Too fast, and she would not be able to level out. Too slow, and she wouldn’t have enough initial velocity to plow through the sound barrier.
To her, this was all second nature.
The ground was approaching fast, and it was time to adjust her angle of descent so that she would be flying horizontally by the time she reached the stands. She outstretched her wings and–
Hold on. Something wasn’t right.
Her right wing shot out, but her left was stuck. No... It was tangled on a loose thread from her flight suit. The wind must have wrapped the thread around the wing! Rainbow Dash looked at the tangled mess on her left side with utter disbelief.
Horseapples.
What she failed to take into account at this point was that having only half a wingspan, even for a second, had greatly altered her course and speed. She turned forward to see that she was now headed for the stands, and at a much steeper angle.
Even the advanced classes she had taken in single wing flying did not prepare her for this situation. Dash knew this wouldn’t end well for her, but it was her responsibility to avoid civilian casualties at all costs. She improvised. With her good wing she managed to significantly alter her course, narrowly missing the highest stands, but remaining unsuccessful in dampening her speed. At this distance, the faces of the spectators who were not fleeing were clearly visible. Rainbow Dash saw fear in their eyes.
Her mind was numb as she saw the hangar come into view. She was headed straight for it.
The last thing she remembered was the cries from the crowd that could only look on in horror.
***
Rainbow Dash opened her eyes. Well, she tried too, at least. Her eyelids felt glued together. After much exertion, she managed to crack open her left eye. It itched terribly, and she tried to bring a hoof to her face to relieve the sensation. Her left foreleg refused to move, and neither would her right, she soon discovered. Her other eye shot open of its own accord in sheer terror when Dash realized that her forelegs were strapped down.
She lifted her head to look around and realized that she was, in fact, in a hospital room. She recognized the uniform, light blue color of the walls and the sickening, sterile smell of the air from her last visit to a hospital long ago, back when she lived in Ponyville.
Then it all came rushing back to her. The trapped wing. The missed turn. The over correction. The crash. At once her mind was filled with an endless stream of questions. Where was she? How long had she been unconscious? How bad was she hurt? From the look of things, it was pretty bad.
Her wings were splayed out, extending beyond the edges of the bed onto modified tables. Rainbow Dash was hyperventilating. The room started to shrink. She struggled to free herself, but stopped abruptly when an incredible pain shot through her back. It felt like someone had stabbed her with fiery hot daggers.
She could only lay there, pinned down, unable to move, like some sort of animal prepared for vivisection.
Dash heard talking outside the door to her room. There was a deep voice that was speaking in lengthy sentences. A higher voice was answering with curt responses.
She heard the door handle rattle, followed by the silence of well-oiled hinges as her door slowly opened. In the doorway stood a grey earth pony wearing a long, white coat that covered his cutie mark. His greying, black mane was combed back, and he wore glasses that were too small for his face. He exuded an air of impeccable cleanliness, matched only by the hospital that surrounded them.
“Ah, the infamous Rainbow Dash,” the stallion started. “You are awake.” He spoke with a slight accent that she couldn’t place.
“Who are you? And why am I strapped down?!” Dash noticed her voice was hoarse. That’s odd; she didn’t recall screaming lately.
“Please, please, Miss Dash, do calm down.” The stallion approached her bedside. “My name is Clean Slice, but you can call me Doctor Slice.”
Dash took no comfort at this introduction.
The doctor continued, “I’m a surgeon at Canterlot General – which is where you are, by the way, in case you hadn’t figured that out. You put on quite the display at the Wonderbolts’ show the other day. You are lucky to be alive. Do you remember what happened?”
She looked to the ceiling as she thought. “Yeah,” she said, “I crashed?”
Doctor Slice pulled his glasses further down his nose and stared at Dash with a serious countenance. “You most certainly did. Quite hard, in fact. You were a mess when they brought you into the emergency room. Let’s see,” he looked at a clipboard hanging at the foot of her bed. “Several fractures in the left and right wing, five fractured ribs, a left shoulder dislocation, and a severe concussion.” He pronounced the final word ‘can-cush-een’. “Today is Wednesday; you have been out cold for four days.”
Her eyes widened at that revelation.
“Your forelegs were immobilized when we transferred you from the ICU to this room,” explained the stallion. “You were not exactly conscious, but you were screaming incomprehensibly and lashing out at any nurse who approached you. Perhaps a reaction to the painkillers we were giving you. Anyway, you were a danger to yourself. Your wings are strapped down to promote healing.”
The doctor waited patiently as Rainbow Dash absorbed the information. “But, how long do I have to stay here?”
Clean Slice consulted the clipboard and thought for a moment. “By my estimation you will be flight worthy in about three days. Until then, we must keep you in the hospital. Even with magic, the process of healing bone is slow. I suppose now that you are conscious we can remove the leg harnesses.”
He did so. After exchanging a few more words, Doctor Slice left the room, shutting the door just as quietly as when he came in.
Great.
So she was stuck here for three whole days. No wings. No flying. No nothing. What in the hay was she supposed to do with herself? At least last time she was in this situation Twilight had found her some reading material. Dash remembered with a smile how reluctant she was to read at first. That Daring Do story had turned out to be not half bad. Anyway, she was determined not to settle for boredom.
Dash supposed she could just ask the nurse for some books. She pulled the call string that was conveniently located on the wall to her right.
After a few minutes, a nurse pony appeared at the door to her room with a concerned look on her face.
“Miss Dash? Is everything okay? Are you in pain?”
“Um... yes,” Dash replied hesitantly, “I mean no! I mean, I’m not pain, and yeah, everything’s okay.”
“What can I help you with?” asked the mare nurse.
Dash could see the white-clad figure before her relax slightly. “I was wondering if you maybe had some, uh, I don’t know...” she thought about how to properly phrase this, “...stuff to read?”
Close enough.
The nurse’s expression changed to a friendly glow. “Why of course, my dear! The hospital has stacks upon stacks of old magazines just waiting to be read! I’ll fetch some for you.”
“Magazines?” Dash questioned, “Do you have any books? Like... Daring Do?” It had been a while since she had picked up a novel; Daring Do was the first thing that popped into her head. It was hard to find time to read when you were a Wonderbolt.
The nurse frowned. “Daring Do...? Oh, I’m afraid we don’t have any children’s books like that, dear. Or really any books, for that matter.” When the pegasus visibly deflated she quickly added, “But I’ll certainly look around!”
The nurse left the room and shut the door, throwing Dash’s room into an eerie twilight. It was still light outside, but the curtains were drawn, and the only source of light was a small candle on her bedside table. Motes of light escaped from where the curtain didn’t quite cover the window, partially illuminating the crisp, white sheets on the bed. Copious amounts of dust were clearly visible within these beams. So the hospital wasn’t so clean, after all.
She didn’t understand why a hospital wouldn’t have any actual books for patients. The Ponyville hospital had plenty of books, if she remembered correctly.
Dash looked down at her figure beneath the covers. Although she now had use of both forelegs, they presently lay idle at her sides. She was tired. Or more like exhausted. She closed her eyes, but she knew the dull ache in her back would prevent any form of sleep. And this stiff bed was nothing compared to the comfort of clouds.
So she looked straight ahead, mindlessly counting the flowers painted on the wall. The nurse returned shortly thereafter.
“Miss Dash? Like I said, I wasn’t able to find any novels, but here...” She pushed a massive cart full of magazines into the room. “This should keep you occupied.”
Dash stared blankly the cart, which must have been at least the size of a full grown pony.
“Can I get you anything else, dear?” asked the nurse.
“Nah, I’m good. Thanks.”
“Not a problem!”
The nurse pushed the cart beside the bed before leaving the room again. Dash continued to stare at the stacks of magazines before picking one up off the top at random. The title read Pony. The large head of a mare fashionista partly covered the ‘o’. This issue was dated four months ago. Dash glanced at a few of the excerpts on the cover that screamed in her face.
SUMMER’S HOTTEST STALLION
Celestia at Home! EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS
What’s Hot! What’s Not! New Ways to Update Your Look!
She tossed the magazine back onto the cart. She didn’t bother to pick up another.
With plan A unceremoniously demolished, and with no plan B, Dash began to think that resignation to boredom was inevitable. She should be flying! She should be training! This was complete nonsense. How could she have been so stupid. She always checked her flight suit to make sure there was nothing that would get in the way. What had so profoundly distracted her to the point where she put her own life on the line?
Then she remembered. The view. The pristine landscape that had stretched before her eyes. Dash was no stranger to awesome visuals; everything always looked incredible high in the sky.
No... It couldn’t have been.
Ponyville...?
That all was behind her. She’d had good times, but moving on was inevitable.
The Elements of Harmony.
The Element of Loyalty. From another life...
Her thoughts turned to her friends, now living lives of their own all over Equestria. Twilight had completed her studies of friendship in Ponyville not long after Rainbow Dash was inducted into the Wonderbolts. On her last day in town, Dash talked with Twilight and asked where the Princess was sending her next. Twilight replied that she was being stationed in Manehatten as the head librarian. Quite the honor, according to her. Dash giggled to herself as she imagined her friend in a cramped, dark library, reading away. She was probably studying right this very minute. Doing what she loved.
Then there was Rarity. Dash knew for a fact that Rarity was right here in Canterlot; she saw her sometimes when the Wonderbolts performed here. The unicorn had received a massive break with one of her more obscure clothing lines. She owned her own shop now, making custom designs for the higher classed members of the city. Canterlot ponies had a thing for haute couture, Dash guessed. It was Rarity’s dream come true.
Fluttershy still lived in her cottage at the edge of the Everfree Forest. Though apparently she left home quite frequently these days. Dash had recently read an article about her in the newspaper. The yellow pegasus was now an Equestria-renowned zoologist and veterinarian. She travelled all over the map researching new and exotic species, developing groundbreaking treatment methods, and helping those in need. Even to this day, Fluttershy’s heart was as pure as gold.
Pinkie Pie. Oh, Pinkie Pie. Dash honestly had no idea where in the world she was. Hay, she might still even be at Sugarcube Corner, devising ever more creative ways to launch her blood-sugar through the ceiling. In all likelihood, Dash was missing one of her legendary parties this very instant. For whom this party might be, Dash had no idea. Then again, Pinkie Pie never did need a reason to celebrate. To her, it seemed life itself was worth celebrating. The last Pinkie Pie Party Dash had attended was her “induction to the Wonderbolts / moving away” party, hosted at the Ponyville library. She hadn’t seen her since. There was little time for partying these days.
She supposed Applejack was healthy as ever at Sweet Apple Acres, continuing her family legacy. Working hard every day, no doubt. That pony drove herself into the dirt, and still managed to see the good in everything and everypony she met. And, of course, her honesty was unmatched. Dash still ate Apple family apples; they were a staple in her diet. Whether the apples were bucked by Applejack herself or not, she had no idea. It was nice to think that they were.
They all had chosen their paths. And she had chosen hers. Life goes on. Ponies drift apart.
The pegasus shifted her gaze to the curtained window. She could tell it was getting late by the way the light was fading around the corners of the pane. So day one was almost over. The doctor said today was Wednesday. Wednesdays were normally her weekly break from training and shows. She would usually spend the first half sleeping until the early afternoon, and the second leisurely flying out to the nearest mountain by herself, to get away from it all. It was peaceful on the mountain. No crowds, no autographs, and certainly no ponies to answer to.
Dash rubbed her eyes, which had become dry from staring at the curtain for so long. There would be no flying tonight.
No flying. What an alien concept. When you spend your life in the air, you tend to forget that there are ponies who don’t even have wings. That was fine. They could still do awesome things. But they couldn’t do the awesome things that she could do.
No wings. Rainbow Dash imagined herself as a unicorn. What would her special talent be? Or would she be good at all types of magic, like Twilight? No, that was unlikely. Twilight’s gift was rare among unicorns. Was there a magical equivalent to a Sonic Rainboom? She most certainly wouldn’t have lived in Cloudsdale. Maybe she would have been raised in Ponyville. Even if she had been, what friends would she have? Would they be the same, or would she not even know her former best friends? Perhaps she was destined to be an Element of Harmony, regardless of her tribe.
An earth pony. Wow. Grueling days in a field or endless hours in a kitchen were not Dash’s idea of a good time. Food was important and all, but Dash couldn’t see the appeal. Earth ponies were good at plenty of other things, though. Of course they were. The same questions arose in her mind. Where would she live? Who would she love? What would she inspire?
It was then that Dash came to a realization. She realized that any of those lives she had imagined could have been any other, and they would have had just as much meaning. In a world where the lives we live are determined by the choices we make, there could be a near infinite amount of possible outcomes! So many possibilities, but only one end result.
So why this one?
And what about the choices she had no control over, like the fact that she was born a pegasus in the first place? Flying was her passion, her spark; the flame that kept her going when things seemed forever lost. Even when hopelessness reared its ugly head, she could always take comfort in the fact that she could fly. Now, strapped to this hospital bed, unable to do that which defined her very being, Dash couldn’t help but imagine those lives.
Tears formed in the blue mare’s magenta eyes as she breathed a heavy sigh laced with frustration, confusion, and guilt. She had been taking for granted the most fundamental thing in her life. Without her wings, she was nothing. She wouldn’t have been a Wonderbolt, she wouldn’t have been a weather pony, and she wouldn’t even have been a Pegasus. If only she had come to appreciate that before that stupid crash!
It was time she took advantage of the fact that she was still young and healthy. Her dream was realized, but somewhere life seemed to have slipped into monotony. Maybe she should contact her lost friends, plan some sort of reunion. Reminisce on old times. Remind each other that the small things in life were often the most under appreciated. Yeah. That was a good idea.
At last, Rainbow Dash’s lips formed a small smile. The corners of her mouth tilted up ever so slightly at the conclusion of her musings. Perhaps this break was exactly what she needed.
***
The end of the third day arrived, and Doctor Slice returned with some aids to prepare her for discharge. The straps and casts on her wings were removed, and a final examination was performed. The doctor took a few minutes to lecture Dash on the nature of bone injuries and some necessary care procedures she would need to perform in the coming weeks. He used a lot of big words like ‘ossification’ and ‘periosteum’. She tuned him out. She had her wings back; that was all that mattered.
As she approached the hospital doors, Rainbow Dash noticed a picture placed just above the exit. Enclosed within the frame was a near blank piece of parchment. Trotting closer, Dash saw that printed on it was text in an elegant script. She struggled to make out the words.
“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.”
Below the quotation was a name.
-Ralph Waldo Hooferson
Ugh, what a lame quote. And Hooferson? Who was he? Whoever he was, Dash was certain she had never heard of him. Likely some fancy, high-class Canterlot pony, by the sound of it. Besides, it wasn’t her job to know fancy ponies; it was her job to rule the sky. (Dash would later recall this moment when she caught herself staring at a similar picture, now hanging in her own home).
Rainbow Dash burst through the hospital’s double doors, took a few steps, and tentatively outstretched her wings. She took a deep breath. It was the middle of fall, and the air had a slight chill to it. A small breeze blew through her mane, blowing hair into her eyes. She inhaled again. The stale, sanitary stench of the hospital was now replaced with pure, crisp air. Looking up, she saw large cumulus clouds glowing bright with the reflection of the sun on the horizon; majestic, amber mountains radiating warmth across the heavens.
It was the most beautiful thing...
And then she was gone.
A pony on the ground paying close attention may have been able to make out distant cries of extreme and unadulterated delight.
And, if she strained her eyes, she may have been able to see a small, light blue dot with a rainbow tint, contently chasing the last tendrils of light through the sky as Celestia’s sun set into oblivion.