//------------------------------//
// Chapter 10 - The Truth 
// Story: The Lost One 
// by thedarktome 
//------------------------------//

Pencil continued drinking her wine from the staircase while the others stared at her expectantly. Waiting for answers. The answers the needed. Buff was just smiling at her from the bottom.

Starting it off, Twilight took a small step forward and whispered, "Where have you been, Rainbow? We were downhearted when Celestia declared you deceased."

Pencil rolled her eyes and answered, "Here, duh." She went back to swirling her glass and smiling at Buff who was giving her googly eyes. "It was yes, the answer was yes. Would you like more wine?"

"Yes please, Ms. Sketch." She teleported the bottle down below onto the table in front of Buff in a puff of smoke. He swiftly grabbed it and poured himself some more. This wine was sweet to the tastebuds.

"And what is with this Pencil Sketch nonsense?!" Applejack yelled. She walked steadily towards the staircase. "You're not a painter, you're a Wonderbolt."

"DO NOT COME ANY CLOSER!" She yelled. The group backed up in alarm with widened eyes. She slammed her drink down on the stairs and stood on her four hooves, staring in anger. "I AM NOT A WONDERBOLT! I WAS NEVER A WONDERBOLT, AND I WILL NOT BE A WONDERBOLT!!" She crawled down the stairs, creating unease. They moved to the left, getting in front of the corridor to the next wing before she stopped beside Buff.

Fluttershy gulped and whispered, "Rainbow—"

"AND I AM NOT RAINBOW DASH! Rainbow is dead. And you all killed her. I told you that already, Ms. Sparkle." 

Twilight gasped before pointing an accusing hoof at her. "You were the one who attacked me!" She announced.

"Correct." Pencil took another sip of the wine straight from the bottle.

"And before that when you destroyed the Cloudominium! You destroyed your own house!"

"Correct again. Are you done yet?"

"Far from done."

Carefully, Rarity asked, "Darling, why did you leave Ponyville?"

Pencil calmly pulled back from her drink and faced them. After a few seconds of silence, she yelled, "Seriously?! Did you really just ask that question?! Let me spell it for you. It starts with 'Y', and ends with 'U'. A big, fat, YOU!" The glass left on the staircase suddenly shattered, spilling the drink, and startling everyone. "When I was first made fun of, it was in Flight Camp. Not a happy time. I was bullied and humiliated. And I pushed it back in their faces when I did the Rainboom."

"Wait..." Buff looked over in confusion. "You did a what?"

Pencil chuckled and patted his chest. "I'll tell you about that later. But after that moment of glory, do you think the teasing stopped? NO! It got WORSE when I discovered my amazing skill in painting. I actually did that more than flying, which is what my cutie mark stood for, and was teased because of it. I put up a tough front, but inside I was breaking apart. Cracking. That's when I left and met you five. Thinking you were my friends, my family away from family. The last things I had left. I was obviously deceived. They say that you speak what you have always thought from your heart in the heat of an argument. And when you said I was no friend of yours, and the rest of you agreed, Rainbow shattered. She shattered and died."

"Rainbow, we're—"

"It is NOT RAINBOW DASH, FLUTTERSHY!!!" She yelled. Then began approaching the group slowly. "She died in that library, you ignorant ponies! And if you think an apology is going to work, then you are greatly mistaken. I have created an empire where ponies adore me and look up to me. And I will not be leaving them! The young foals will now have a voice to speak for them when they want to defy the limit that is the cutie mark and I am a prime example of the success that it brings. That is my true calling, and I won't be leaving it."

Stomping a hoof down, Applejack ordered, "Pencil Sketch, ya' need to come home. I will tie you up and drag you there myself if I have to." Pencil widened her eyes before they narrowed and she turned towards Applejack's steel face., sneering at her.

"Oh? Well go ahead, Applejack. Grab your lasso and tie me up. See if you won't get... This." She thrust her hoof out and sent a bolt of black magic that hit her in the chest. Applejack yelped and flew over her surprised friends. Then landed and slid along the marble floor.

"Applejack!" Twilight cried out before the whole group all ran towards her shivering form in worry. "What did you do to her?!"

"Not much, just knocked out her magic for a week... Hmmmm... Does that remind you of something, Ms. Sparkle? Because it rings a very important bell in my head." She started tapping her chin in thought. "Oh! I know! That was that same spell you killed Rainbow Dash over! But instead of it being the cause of an inaccurate casting, it is the reason for the whole spell!"

"Why... Are you doing this?" Applejack groaned as she got to her hooves, shivering.

"Because you lied to me for years, not even caring that my heart was already broken. This is just spending not even a penny of my frustration. My built up anger. I thought I spent most of it on the Draconequus... But I wasn't even close."

"We did care!" Pinkie yelled.

"Did you?! Did you really care when you were throwing that party across from the farm pony's home? I was there! I was sitting on the clouds watching every last one of you! Just having a JOLLY OL'......" She sighed and turned around, walking back to Buff. "Just get out of my house."

"Rainbow, we're-"

"Twilight," she stopped and shot an angry glare over her shoulder at Twilight. "Get out of my house. Get off my property. Do NOT come back. I do not want to see you again." She pointed her hoof at the door, which somehow flew open. Twilight stared at her sadly, hoping for a reinstatement before sighing and walking towards it with a head held low and everyone else following behind her. "And one more thing." They stopped and looked at her. She looked over her shoulder and gave them the most evil look that King Sombra, Nightmare Moon, or even Discord couldn't even do. They shivered to the bone while she talked. "Rainbow Dash is mad. Extremely mad. So mad in fact that I had to lock her in a cage. And she is trying to break free. One day she will break out. And she will want revenge. The look I am giving you right now can't even compare to what she will give you. Good day, Elements of Harmony. And good luck." Pencil's magic shoved them all out the door before it closed behind them.

She continued to stare irately at the door for a moment, thinking about the repercussions of them finding out until a blue wing draped over her back. "It's okay," Buff whispered. He planted a nuzzle on her cheek, growing a smile and blush. "You just told them that it hurt you to a great amount and an apology just won't do it."

"I know," she whispered, nuzzling back. "It's just....they never give up. They'll be back and they'll bring reinforcements. I have to be ready for them. Now, I...have a story to tell you."

Buff chuckled before looking around. "Let me clean up that glass first. Do you have a broom?"

She turned around and pointed at a door by another hallway beside the staircase. "It's in there. I'll be in the studio, the west wing when you're finished. Thank you, Buff." She went back to the room to continue painting while Buff went to grab the tools.



The train ride back home was quiet, the atmosphere as thick as Rainbow's voice, which continued to echo around in their minds. Like a horrible scream.

"Rainbow is dead! And you all killed her."

Twilight closed her eyes as a small tear rolled down her cheek.

"We... We really messed up," Fluttershy whimpered. "We find out she's still alive... But she doesn't want to come home. Because of us."

"We drove her away," Rarity inputted, holding Applejack who was still shivering. "We drove her away and over what? A magic knockout that technically only fully affected three of us for a week. It wasn't that big a deal. She was obviously suffering more than we were. For a long time."

"And we didn't even care," Pinkie whispered, her straight and sad mane covering her right eye. "We're horrible friends, horrible!"

"That m-magic she hit me with," Applejack stuttered, still shivering and cradling her body with the white unicorn. "It was...s-s-so cold. Lifeless. It crawled all over my body and... It was so... Dark. It's like she put her emotion into it."

"We have to tell Celestia," Rarity concluded, catching Twilight's attention. "No one else but the princesses. Maybe they can help. And what she said at the very end... It gave me an uneasy feeling."

"I don't know...but I'll give it a shot," Twilight coalesced. She directed her gaze back to the window. "I don't think we should tell her parents. At least not yet."

"We should let Celestia make that decision," Rarity suggested as the train stopped st their station. "It could possibly make things worse if they do find out."

"Maybe."

After five minutes of walking back to the library, Twilight sent out the letter with URGENT on it, making sure Celestia got there ASAP. Which she did. A flash of light appeared in the middle of the library not even five minutes later, capturing the saddened ponies' attention. "Hello, Twilight," Celestia greeted, appearing with Luna beside her. She immediately noticed their somber mood. "What has happened? You all seem down."

Twilight sighed and sat down in front of Celestia. "We have discovered...that Rainbow is alive."

"What?!" Both princesses exclaimed in surprise, the same emotion in their eyes.

"Where is she?" Celestia asked urgently.

"It's more like WHO is she and we all know her," Rarity inputted from the kitchen. "She just did an art exhibition here."

"Pencil Sketch is Rainbow Dash?!" Luna yelled. "Why are we not at her home at this very moment?"

"Because she doesn't want to come back," Rarity answered, bringing some cocoa to Applejack. "She made that clear to all of us, especially Applejack who threatened to tie her up and drag her back. She hit her with dark magic."

"She said she was no longer Rainbow and that she was dead," Twilight continued. "And that we... We killed her." Her face scrunched up before she started sobbing. Celestia walked over and pulled her in for a much needed hug. "She doesn't want to come back to Ponyville. At all. We aren't allowed back at her house either."

The princesses sighed before turning to each other. What to do?



"...and that was the sonic Rainboom," Pencil finished the story around the paintbrush in her mouth. "The first highlight of my life. Of course my paintings are the second and best. I'm selling this one to another Museum in Cloudsdale."

Behind her with the eyes on the painting, Buff stated, "That's of the Mystery Mare in Ponyville. It's almost finished?"

"It is completely finished... Now." She brushed one more area with black paint. "What do you think?"

"Beautiful like always. How were those model paintings?"

"Amazing," she answered. She looked up at Buff in awe. "Fleur De Lis is surprisingly a natural at poses. I would show you, but she has the painting, so...." Buff laughed before he looked over the painting some more.

"I am truly amazed at what you can do with a paintbrush, ink, and... 'Pencil Sketches'. It is truly inspiring."

"That was a horrible pun," she chuckled, pointing at the stallion accusingly. "And that's why I'm never leaving it. Ponies look up to me to give them hope in the worst of times. So I'm staying this way and there's absolutely nopony who can make me do otherwise. Except..."

"RAINBOW DASH!" Both of the ponies in the house looked towards the door that led to the Foyer. Princess Luna was anxiously looking around, walking around with a lit horn, obviously upset. "Come out this instant!" Looks like someone snitched.

"Seriously? In my house?" Pencil muttered. She groaned and rolled her eyes before she walked out the door, followed by Buff. "Princess Luna, what a surprise to have you popping INSIDE my house without my permission," she said getting the Princess' attention. "Let me guess. Twilight told you?"

"Rainbow Dash, you are to come back at once!" She yelled down to her. "We need all the Elements in case of another attack, and you are the only Element that went rogue!"

"Sorry Princess, but that's not happenin'," she argued, waving her hoof and shaking her head. "I have a duty to fulfill and I just told Buff here that nopony will make me abandon it. NO...pony. That goes for you as well."

Princess Luna gasped before lighting her horn at the mare who just sat there relaxing. "Listen here, Rainbow-"

"NO! YOU LISTEN PRINCESS LUNA! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR ROYAL BARGES AND DEMANDS! I AM NOT GOING TO PONYVILLE! I AM NOT AN ELEMENT! AND I AM NOT ON YOUR TEAM! I AM ON MY OWN! AND IF YOU FIRE ONE SINGLE SPELL IN HERE, I WILL TELEPORT YOU AWAY FROM EQUESTRIA!"

Luna looked at her surprised, trying to see if she was bluffing. It definitely didn't look like it. "Fine." She turned off her horn and relaxed for a second. "But you are going to explain your reason for leaving." She lit her horn again and teleported herself, Pencil Sketch, and Buff all the way back to Ponyville right in the middle of the Golden Oaks Library,  surprising the group already in there.

Pencil growled and got onto her hooves, staring menacingly at the Princess of the Night. "Seriously, Luna? I am really itching to use this spell." Her body started glowing dark and seeping out black tendrils that were about to shoot towards them, making the company fairly uneasy before it diminished. "But... Seeing as no harm has been done, no physical threats from you have been made, and my work is untouched, I will not hurt any of you in here. Now. What do you want, I already told you everything." She got up and walked around the library, looking at the books.

"We want to know why you ran away," Celestia answered. Pencil sighed and rolled her eyes. "The Rainbow Dash we know—"

"—is gone," Pencil interrupted, picking a book off the bookshelf. "The Rainbow Dash you know is gone. And she is NOT coming back. Ask all you want, she isn't." She turned towards a bookcase and opened the book, reading an excerpt.

"Pencil, look," Fluttershy said, cautiously approaching her. "I know we were mean to you and we're oh so sorry. Can't you forgive us?" Pencil slammed the book shut. Fluttershy yelped and flew back.

"No." She put the book back on its shelf and swiveled back around with anger in her eyes. "I won't. Because all you did was lie to me. For years. Actually, now that I think about it, I want the truth right now from you five. What was I to you? Really? Because the last time I checked, I wasn't your friend, but for some odd reason you still let me hang around. Was I just a tool to you?"

"Rainbow, we-"

IT IS NOT RAINBOW DASH! MY NAME IS PENCIL SKETCH! RAINBOW DASH IS DEAD! NOW ANSWER ME!! She stared angrily at the elements, not leaving a bit of them out of her eyesight. Buff was laying on the ground by the door with his wings expanded, in case things got violent.

The group was silent, just staring at her as her breathing slowed down. Pencil sighed and relaxed, already knowing the answer. "So... I WAS just a tool. A fast speedy tool that you used for your victories." Pencil slowly nodded before turning around and walking towards the door. "Buff, we're leaving in a puff of smoke. Do you get nauseous?"

"Don't know what that means, but no," the big pegasus said, relaxing and standing up. "I don't get sick easily from a jumpy ride."

"Good." She opened the door and walked out, nearly bumping into three familiar fillies.

"Eep!" Sweetie Belle yelped, jumping to the side after nearly being stepped on by Buff.

"Oh sorry, kid," he apologized.

The tiny unicorn only stared at him with her mouth wide open, intimidated by his size. "Y-you're big."

"Really big," Apple Bloom agreed, nodding her head. The little pegasus on the far left was too busy staring at Pencil Sketch, who was calmly smiling down at the fillies.

"You look familiar," she said, poking Pencil's hoof and getting her attention. "Do I know you?"

"I'm Pencil Sketch, Equestria's most famous pony?" She said, trying not to say 'Scoots'. Only one pony really called her that besides the other crusaders. 'At least she's moved on....sort of,' she thought.

"Not that....you remind me of somepony. It's a mare. I can't remember her name though."

"Huh. Well, I don't know what to say to that. Have a good day, kid." She turned around and faced the inside of the library, obviously still upset. "Remember what I told you. Do NOT come to my house. Do NOT tell my parents who I am. And do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT....tell anypony else. This is a warning, Elements of Harmony. Or Equestria will be open to trouble once again. Maybe even by Chrysalis, who knows. Or possibly....the mare herself. Just don't test me." She jumped up and landed on Buff's back. He looked up in surprise.

"I thought we were teleporting."

"We have eyes here, no teleporting. We're just gonna fly. Hold on." She grabbed him tightly, getting a firm grip before she opened her wings.

"Wait-wait-whaaaaaaa!!!" Pencil flew away towards the mountainside at the speed of Rainbow Dash, a familiar gray trail behind her, which Scootaloo recognized right away. She gasped and pointed at it, a smile on her face.

"She was the mystery mare! I knew it!"

"Scootaloo?" Rarity called walking up to her quickly. "Do not tell anypony about her, okay?" The little filly stopped dancing around and stared at the older pony in confusion.

"Wh-why not?"

"It could ruin Ponyville. And all of Equestria. Just keep it a secret, okay? Pinkie Promise." The little pegasus sighed and did the signs.

"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."



The pegasus landed right back in her front yard, a shaking bodyguard right underneath her. "P-P-Please don't do that again, Ms. Sketch."

She giggled and jumped on the ground in front of him before turning around to face him. "Hey. I'm your girlfriend, just call me Pencil, okay?"

The shaking stallion stopped quivering and looked towards her with a smile on his face. "Sure, Pencil. But......I have to ask....do you really loathe those ponies?" Pencil sighed through her nose and looked towards the sky, seeing a few butterflies flying towards the house behind her.

"No. I don't hate them. I just can't be around them right now. Maybe in the future. But for now.....I wanna get myself together. Although they were sincere. When Fluttershy said they were really really sorry.....I could feel it. I could feel their sadness. But it wasn't even close to what I felt. Rainbow on the other hoof....loathes them completely. If she sees them again.....prepare for the worst. Until that time comes....I'll be in Manehattan working on my paintings, doing my shows, going to my exhibits, and managing the studios I am creating all over Equestria." She turned around and walked back towards the house with Buff right behind her. "I will not be loyal to them......but I will be loyal to Equestria. I bluffed when I said I was going to bring Tartarus on this land. I paint for Equestria and for the foals that live in it." She opened the door to the foyer and walked inside, going back to the studio to check on her painting while Buff closed the door behind her.

She sat down and looked at it carefully before grabbing some sunlamps and turning them on at the picture. "Stupid Luna didn't even let me dry my paintings. Anyway, Buff.......what are your plans for tomorrow? I have a very special......task for you."

The body guard took a seat where he was before they were rudely interrupted earlier. Right behind Pencil and incredibly close to her flanks. "Well......nothing except being here with you. I AM your body guard."

"Is that why you're trying to 'guard' my flanks?" She teased, smirking at him over her shoulder. "I will buck you into the wall, rough stallion."

"No you won't." She raised an eyebrow and lifted her left rear hoof. He yelped and flew back to avoid that golden hoofshoe covered leg. "How rude! You wanted to buck your boyfriend?"

"Because he was staring incredibly hard at my flank. Instead of focusing on what's up here—" She pointed her hoof at her face. "—he was drooling at the area down there. Try not to get spit on yourself." Buff chuckled before he got up and walked over to her.

"You're a mess. You're just gonna stare at the paint all day or are you doing something else?" Pencil smirked and turned around, looking back at the paint.

"I think when the paint is drying, it is the most inspiring—HEY! PUT ME DOWN!" Buff had picked up the obviously lying artist and threw her over his shoulder before making his way out of the room.

She was bucking around trying to get him to put her down, but found it a futile effort as he found a strong grip on her waist. Sighing she just lay limp and let him pull her along. "Hey......where are we going?"

"Where's your kitchen?" He asked, looking around the foyer and the grand staircase.

"Straight ahead, dolt." He mumbled something about her being a dolt and walked forward while she just laughed and tapped his back. "What do you need in the kitchen?"

"MMMM......you'll see." He walked in and set her down in a seat. She giggled in interest as he walked away "I........am going..........to cook my best dish."

"You cook? My bodyguard can cook?" She teased.

"Hey, I'm still a pony who lives by himself, I have to cook sometime." He walked over to the fridge and pulled out some eggs before turning on the stove, spraying the pan, and setting it on an eye. "Now watch how your stallion makes a meal. You will not be disappointed."



"I am very disappointed," Pencil said, shaking her head at the food that she was chewing on while Buff just stared at her in disbelief. She glanced up and laughed when she saw his facial expression.. "I'm kidding, Buffy, just try not to make such a mess in here next time. The omelet was really good, I greatly enjoyed that."

He breathed in relief and buried his face in his hooves while Pencil continued laughing and eating her omelet. After a a while, she sighed and set down her utensil, then walked over to his side of the table. She grabbed his face and pulled it over to look in his eyes. "I loved it. Thank you." She leaned into him and gave her a kiss where he pulled her close and deepened it.

'Yeah... I definitely like this guy,' Pencil said in her mind.