//------------------------------// // Hurt/Comfort // Story: A Broken Mare // by DJ Variety //------------------------------// Rarity walked while in deep thought. Her heart pounding, mind racing, she pushed through the brush in the direction Discord had told her Rainbow Dash was.  Paying no attention to the twigs getting caught in her main or scraping against her flank she was racking her brain hoping she would find the right words to comfort her friend. As she progressed forward her ears were met with the sound of soft sobs.  Just on the other side of a few bushes Rarity could make out her friends trademarked rainbow main.  Slowly passing through the bushes and entering a small clearing she softly announced her presence.  “Rainbow Dash?” “Leave me alone,” Rainbow answered without turning towards her friend.  Pain was evident in her voice.  “Please,” she pleaded before continuing to sob. “I can’t darling.  Discord told me you tried to…”  Rarity couldn’t finish the statement.  The thought alone started to make her own eyes water, but she swallowed deeply to regain composure.  She must remain strong for Rainbow Dash.  “I can help Dashie.  So can the other girls but you have to talk to us.” “I told you only Pinkie can call me that,” Rainbow replied, “it’s weird when you do it.” “Darling please, I’m worried about you, everypony is.  What happened?” Rarity slowly approached and walked around to face Rainbow Dash.  Slowly raising Dash’s chin so that their eyes would meet Rarity added, “I’m here for you Dashie, for as long as you need.” Once their eyes met Rainbow Dash fell into an even deeper sob.  “Oh Rarity,” she cried while pulling her friend into a hug.  Rarity returned the embrace and patted her friend on the back, letting Rainbow’s tears roll down her back.  “I’m sorry Rarity.  I didn’t mean to cause everypony to worry so much.” “It’s okay darling.  Just promise me you’ll never try to leave us again.  Promise?”  Rarity was trying her hardest to stay poised but she could feel the tears forming in her eyes and the lump building in her throat. “Okay,” Rainbow said shakily, “I promise.”  The two sat there awhile just embraced in each other’s hooves.  Soon the heavy sobbing of Rainbow Dash subsided and the two slowly separated.  Rarity continued to sit quietly staring at her friend waiting for Rainbow’s next action.  Rainbow Dash, who hadn’t looked up at her since Rarity had lifted her chin before the hug, finally broke the silence.  “I think I’m ready.” “To meet up with our friends?  They will be so relieved, though I’m not sure if any of them no what you were trying to…” “No, not that,” Rainbow interrupted.  “I’m ready to tell you what happened.” Rarity felt a chill run through her whole body.  This is what she had initially been wanting to know but now that the time had arrived she felt frozen.  A pressure built in her chest.  She knew what ever had happened to Rainbow Dash must have been extremely bad.  After all, it was bad enough for her to consider suicide. “Do you remember how a little while ago I went to Canterlot?” Rainbow asked. “Yes,” Rarity answered slowly. “And I had that,” Rainbow paused mid sentence then closed her eyes before continuing, “date?  With that royal guard?  The one Shining Armor set me up with?” “Yes, of course darling, I remember,”  Rarity was unsure where this was going but could tell she didn’t like it.  Rarity waited for Rainbow to continue, but the only noise coming from Dash were quiet sobs as the mare started to softly cry once again.  “Darling, it’s okay.  I think we should meet up with the others.  They’ll be able to help too,” Rarity offered while placing one hoof on Dash’s shoulder. “No,” Dash said sniffing while taking Rarity’s hoof off her.  “Only you.” Rarity sat there for a second not really sure of what to do or say.  Realizing that she’d have to comfort Dash alone she repositioned her self so that she was sitting next to Dash.  Putting her hoof around Rainbow’s shoulder, Rarity said, “Like I said before, I’m here for as long as you need me.” Rainbow then took a deep breath and continued, “At first I thought Flash was a nice colt.  I was enjoying his company.  Not like when I was with Soarin but like Thunderlane.  I told him right from the start that I only wanted to be friends but…”  Rainbow took another pause and forced herself to contain her sobs.  “He took me to a secluded place in the castle.  Told me he liked it because nopony ever went there and it was quiet, far away from everypony else.  Then he tried to kiss me.  I pushed him away.”  Rainbow started to breathe heavier and heavier, increasing the pace of her words.  “I told him I didn’t like him like that but he kept coming at me.  I pushed him away and tried to leave.  He said the fun wasn’t over and blocked the exit.  I… I was yelling for him to move.  I tried to force my way past him.  He hit me.”  Rainbow was crying loudly again.  Rarity’s heart broke.  “I was dizzy.  He got above me.  Lifted up my dress.  I tried to yell for help but he said it was useless, nopony would hear me.  Then he… he,”  Rainbow broke down into an uncontrollable wail filled with pain from the memory.  Quickly she turned and re-latched herself to Rarity, burrowing her head into Rarity’s chest. Rarity returned the embrace and cried as well.  “Oh Darling.  I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”  Rarity was at a loss for words and decided to just hold her friend tightly and let her cry.  “It’s okay now.” “I felt so… so.  Weak.”  Rainbow said through her tears “Your not weak darling.  You’re the strongest mare I know and you’ll get through this, we’ll get through this,” Rarity comforted her hurt friend.  “I will be here for you Rainbow Dash, always.” “Promise?” Dash asked still crying loudly. “Promise.” The two mare’s sat there for a long time, just holding each other close. Rainbow  Rainbow Dash had told her story and Rarity could say nothing to end her friend's pain, so instead she just sat there letting the mare cry in her forelegs.  After several long minutes Dash’s cries started to calm back down.  “Dashie,” Rarity started,  “I think we should go meet up with the others.  They’re probably worried sick about you.” “Are things ever going to go back to normal?”  Rainbow Dash asked. “I don’t know darling.”  It hurt Rarity to say it but she couldn’t lie to her friend, not now. “Do I have to tell the others?”  Rainbow was trembling in Rarity’s chest. “Only if you want, once you’re ready.  You know they’ll be there for you,” Rarity stated. “I got a lot of complements on the dress you made that night,”  Rainbow said while pulling herself away from Rarity. “That doesn’t matter right now. Come on, let’s get back to town,”  Rarity responded, standing up, extending her hoof to Rainbow Dash. The two got up and proceeded to head back towards Ponyville.  “You look like a mess Rarity.  All those twigs in your hair, you’ve really let yourself go these last few day.”  Rainbow teased, trying to act like her old self. “Yes, well, something more important then my mane has kept me preoccupied these last few days, Dashie.”  Rarity answered, glad to see a small smile on Rainbow’s face.  The pain was still there, behind the smile, in her eyes, but Rarity knew Dash would get through this.  Dash was strong. “Something more important then that precious mane of yours.  Never thought I’d see the day,”  Rainbow chuckled forcibly.  “And I guess you can continue to call me Dashie,”  Rainbow added quietly, quickly followed by, “as long as nopony else is around to hear you.”