Chapter 4:
Tanks for the Memories
On another fine, Cloudsdale is settling its skies over Ponyville which means that it is the beginning of the winter season. Ponies’ participating in the Running of the Leaves all get to shake all of the leaves from the trees they run by while Twilight is flying by overseeing the Pegasus ponies pulling clouds in tow in preparation for winter’s arrival. While flying by she sees Rainbow Dash flying around with his pet turtle Tank close behind.
“Everything's looking great, don't you think?” Twilight happily asked Rainbow Dash as she approached her.
“Almost everything.” Rainbow Dash answered while sounding a little unsure at the moment. “Does Tank look alright to you?” She asked Twilight as she pointed a hoof at the turtle that had just yawned looking very sleepily as well.
“Well, he does seem to be moving a little slowly.” Twilight answered after observing him while rubbing her chin in an observantly manner.
“I know, right?” Rainbow Dash agreed as she placed both of her front hooves in Tank’s direction.
“And he looks kind of sleepy...” Twilight added as she further examined Tank.
“Totally!” Rainbow Dash agreed again.
“...just like he always does.” Twilight finished adding while shrugging in an attempted reassuring tone as she raised her hooves up as if it’s probably nothing too serious.
“Yeah, ha ha, I'm sure you're right.” Rainbow Dash somewhat nervously agreed as Twilight flies off.
As Twilight flies off, Twilight herself begins to think more about her knowledge of turtles she begins to think that there is something very abnormal with Tank if he is sleepier than usual.
Later that day, she meets up with her friends so they can all rake leaves together in order to do their part in preparing for the beginning of winter. While Applejack racks up the leaves, Twilight uses her magic to gather all of the leaf piles so she can bag them. At the same time, Fluttershy and Rarity are giving beavers winter hats which were made by Rarity herself.
“It’s nice to see that the preparations are all going smoothly in time of winter.” Twilight positively commented as she bagged up another bag of leaves.
“Speaking of which….” Twilight continued to speak as she turned to Fluttershy. “Is Rainbow doing okay because last time I saw her she seemed a little stressed over Tank’s well-being?”
“I don’t know.” Fluttershy responded unsure herself. “Even though I told her that Tank will be perfectly fine as long as he hibernates through the winter and it’s perfectly normal for tortoises to do so.”
“Well, I just hope Rainbow will come to see and accept that.” Twilight spoke sounding a little worried for Rainbow Dash. “Last thing we need is her doing something she might regret.”
“You mean like shattering the Crystal Heart?” Fluttershy asked while trying not to bring up old wounds for her friend.
“Yes.” Twilight solemnly answered at having that memory brought up again. But before she could further speak they were all interrupted by the commotion Rainbow Dash was making when she and Tank landed nearby.
"Don't say that word!" Rainbow shouted as she held Tank close, shielding him from Pinkie Pie.
"Which one? "Snuggly"? "Wuggly"? "Tankie"? "Hibernate"?" Pinkie asked.
"That one!" Rainbow answered while covering Pinkie’s mouth to keep her from saying anything else.
"I was just saying how cute he—" Pinkie tried to speak only to be cut off by the angry Pegasus.
"If you think hiber... – you know, that napping thing – is so cute, why don't you go do it?! Somewhere far away from here?!" Rainbow Dash yelled at Pinkie who quickly trots away.
Rainbow would then turn to the rest of her friends who are all watching in surprise seeing Rainbow yell at her like that.
"What are you looking at?! Pinkie Pie and I are just having a conversation!" Rainbow Dash angrily yelled at them.
"Look, Rainbow Dash, we all know how upset you are about Tank hiber—" Twilight stepped forward in an attempt to reason with her only for Pinkie to cut her off mid-sentence.
"Shhhh! Don't say that word! That's what started this all!" Pinkie warned Twilight as she hugged her for protection.
"We all know how upset you are about Tank. But you shouldn't take your anger out on your friends." Twilight further attempted to reason with Rainbow while avoiding saying hibernation.
"Who said anything about anger?!” Rainbow screamed in Twilight’s face. “I didn't say anything about anger! I'm not upset! And I am not angry! Do I look angry?!"
“Clearly yes.” Twilight bravely spoke as the others watch looking uneasy with Rainbow’s fury. However instead of further yelling at her Rainbow Dash turns away in a huff.
“Come on, Tank! Let's get out of here!" She spoke as she flew away at top speed with her pet, leaving the others in a mix of feeling conflicted, worried, and terrified for some.
“You don’t think she’s gonna do anything crazy do ya?” Applejack asked the others after seeing Rainbow’s outburst.
“Even though I think she needs time to come to terms with reality…” Twilight mentioned in response. “…I have a pretty bad feeling she is going to try everything she can to try to stop winter.”
Fluttershy grew horrified at the thought as she speaks up.
“But that would make things worse!” Fluttershy frantically exclaimed. “Animals hibernate because of the winter and their bodies have grown used to this every year. It wouldn’t be bad for just Tank. It would be bad for every animal that hibernates.”
“This is assuming that Rainbow Dash does try and stop winter. But I don’t think she’d be crazy enough to do that.” Applejack lightly commented as she continued raking up leaves.
“And I think those assumptions will happen and this is coming from somepony who used to be willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants.” Twilight brought up her past as Midnight to tell her that she thinks Rainbow would be crazy enough to try it.
“Well, Rainbow is not like Midnight and you are not like Midnight too.” Applejack once again dismissed the possibility of that to which Twilight didn’t take kindly to as she glared at Applejack. “In the meantime, let’s get back to work.”
With that said Twilight reluctantly decided to drop it in favor of getting the rest of Fall cleaned up in time for winter.
“But still, I think I’d better check up on her to make sure she doesn’t.” Twilight spoke up as she continued bagging up the rest of the leaves with her magic.
Even though Applejack thinks Rainbow Dash won’t, Twilight from her past experience as Midnight knows that Rainbow Dash is going to through with resorting to attempt to stop winter no matter what the cost is.
Later after finishing up cleaning the leaves she flies up to Cloudsdale where Rainbow Dash’s home is trying to get Tank to still awake.
"I need you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, not sleepy-eyed and scaly-tailed! Which... is exactly what you are. But get up anyway!" Rainbow Dash told her turtle pet as he yawned again.
Twilight having just arrived arrives at the door but then decided hide by a nearby window just out of Rainbow Dash’s sight
"You can't hiber– you know. What about all the primo things we're gonna do together this winter? Building snow ponies, starting snowball fights, sipping hot cider by the fire." Rainbow Dash further tried to reason with Tank who snores in response.
"Don't you wanna do those things with me?!" Rainbow Dash pleaded sounding like Tank doesn’t want to be with her anymore.
Tank awoke to briefly smile at Rainbow before going back to sleep.
“Of course he does Rainbow Dash.” Twilight spoke her thoughts to herself as she secretly eyes Rainbow heading towards her mirror. “You’re just going to have to accept the fact that he has to hibernate for the winter and it is only until the spring you spend time with him again and do whatever you want to do together.”
"Think, Rainbow Dash, think!” Rainbow Dash spoke to herself. “Tank's only hibernating because it's cold, right? Well, I'd rather have him awake in the heat than asleep in the cold..." She thought to herself as she then gasped as an idea came to her mind. A wonderful idea she thought as she evilly smiles and rubs her hooves together. Rainbow Dash has got a wonderful, awful idea up her hooves as she speaks.
“Oh, no.” Twilight spoke to herself as she ducked out of sight knowing that Rainbow Dash is indeed thinking and planning to try to stop winter from coming.
The following day, the Pegasus ponies were hard at work moving clouds in the sky. A female Pegasus with a blue mane and tail and yellow coat flew by, placing the clouds in a specific location in the sky as another male Pegasus with purple mane and tail and a dark teal coat approaches with another cloud in tow.
"So where do these clouds go?" The yellow Pegasus asked him.
"Over by Clear Skies." The male Pegasus answered.
"But there's clear skies everywhere." The yellow Pegasus pointed out as she stretched out her arms.
"Yo, Clear Skies right here!" The pink Pegasus pony with a purple mane told her as she flew up between them.
"But there's clear skies over there, too!" The yellow Pegasus responded while pointing to her left.
"That's Open Skies!" The pink pony told her as unbeknownst to the three of them Rainbow stealthily sneaks through the clouds and pushes one of the clouds away from behind their backs.
"There's open skies everywhere!" The yellow Pegasus exasperatingly spoke as she raised her hooves up again.
"I'm not everywhere. I'm right here!" The male pony told her sounding confused of what she means by that as Rainbow Dash secretly moves the second cloud away.
The yellow Pegasus sighed as they thought she was referring to them as opposed to the skies as Rainbow Dash moves away the third pony from behind their backs.
"Wait. So you're Open Skies, and you're Clear Skies. Then what's all that?" The yellow Pegasus told both ponies as she points to the direction of the skies around them.
"Open, clear skies!" the two ponies, Open Skies and Clear Skies said in unison much to the third pony's dismay.
"Hey, where'd our fluffy clouds go?" Open Skies asked wondering where the clouds they have just pushed disappeared to.
"Fluffy Clouds? He's over there!" Clear Skies responded as she pointed to a tall and skinny male Pegasus, with an orange bow tie and fluffy hair style and a goofy smile.
Rainbow Dash smirked as she shoved the clouds into a hole inside a hollow tree as Tank remains in flight by her side.
"Hah! Stopping winter is gonna be a breeze!" She smugly spoke as she and Tank flew off as one of the ponies nearby who was pushing a pile of leaves ended up coming across the clouds that exploded into a pile of snow on top of him leaving him surprised as Twilight who was secretly spying nearby melts the snow with her magic as she secretly trails Rainbow wondering how she is going to get through to her before she does something drastic.
As she watches Rainbow Dash trying her hardest to stop the inevitable from happening as Twilight could only roll her eyes at Rainbow’s attempts to stop it as she sings to a sarcastic tune.
“You're a villain, Rainbow Dash
You really are in denial
You're as cunning as a villain
You're as devious as a schemer
Rainbow Dash
You're an angry girl
With fiery tempered anger.”
She sang as she watches Rainbow Dash observes the Pegasus ponies make the clouds below them snow.
“You're sinking deeper, Rainbow Dash
You’re trying to bargain a way
You’re trying to prevent the inevitable
In your attempts to sabotage
Rainbow Dash
I wouldn't support you
Even if your plan actually succeeded.”
She sang as she watched Rainbow Dash break the ice off of the puddles as she skipped across and poor attempt to hide the skis underground.
“You're in denial, Rainbow Dash
You have anger clouding your judgement
You are just as stubborn
As an arrogant and rich Canterlot pony
Rainbow Dash
Given the choice between the two of you
I'd take the arrogant and rich Canterlot pony.”
She sang as she watched Rainbow bump the lead bird out of the way with a very poor disguise of a fake duke bill as she tricks the flock into going north instead of south for the winter and clearing all of the skies herself.
While Rainbow Dash was trying to clear the skies Twilight managed to quickly correct the flock’s flight direction back to south just as they were flying off north.
“You're a fowl one, Rainbow Dash
You're a nasty, wasty skunk
Your heart is full of uncolored rainbows
Your soul lacks of color
Rainbow Dash.”
She sang as she clears a spot for her and Tank to relax like its summer outside on the beach before focusing on the Pegasus ponies making it snow from above by giving them false instructions.
“The three words that best describe your plan
Are as follows and I quote, "Horrible, Horrid, Horrific."
She sang as she watched Rainbow Dash try to put the leaves back onto the trees one by one.
“You're a bargainer, Rainbow Dash
You're the queen of bad ideas
Your plan is doomed to fail
Inevitably with flying colors
Rainbow Dash.”
She sang as Rainbow used her quick speed to change a winter scene into a summer scene with nearby ponies much to their confusion.
"Your plan is terrible from start to finish
Filled with the most poorly thought out ideas possible
That are beyond impossible to achieve
Moreso than hatching an egg.”
She sang as Rainbow Dash is trying to dissipate every cloud in the sky.
"You‘re depressing, Rainbow Dash
With a depressing sense of self-assurance
You're still have yet to accept the inevitable
That you can’t stop winter.
Rainbow Dash.”
She sang as she watched Rainbow Dash embrace Tank who is still sleepy.
“And pretty soon you will have to come to accept it
With flying colors.”
She finished singing as Rainbow Dash landed on the ground with Tank who sees that her efforts in her vain as more snowy clouds are coming in and many of the fallen leaves from the trees are getting quickly raked up.
"Here comes the next shipment!" The yellow Pegasus instructed the other Pegasus ponies "Move those clouds over!"
Rainbow Dash took Tank to a cloud as she watches her attempts to stop winter have failed. "Ugh! For every hoof step back, they go three hoof steps forward! What are we gonna do?" She said as she laid her neck down on the cloud in defeat while Twilight watches from a nearby cloud.
“I’m afraid there is nothing you can do other than accept that winter is inevitable and that Tank is going to have to hibernate until spring.” Twilight answered from afar while trying to be sympathetic for her as possible.
Although when Rainbow Dash looks up at the many clouds being pulled by the Pegasus ponies from Cloudsdale as snow sprinkles down onto the ground she then gets another idea.
"Cloudsdale. That's it, Tank! If I can't stop winter in Ponyville, maybe I can stop it at the source!" Rainbow spoke up seeing there is another idea she can try as she flew in Cloudsdale’s direction.
“Another wonderful and awful idea that will never work.” Twilight commented to herself as she continues to secretly follow her.
Rainbow snuck her way into Cloudsdale towards the weather factory with Tank leashed up and with Twilight secretly following her from behind. She stealthily flew through asking her way through Cloudsdale’s clouds in order to avoid being spotted while making sure Tank was out of view as well as he yawned again. Twilight did the same from a distance.
At that moment a whistle from inside the factory building blew off and the pony workers exited the building all of them ready to take a break.
"Lunch hour! Perfect!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed seeing this plays out perfectly for her as she quickly ducks under the cloud they were hiding in as the Pegasus ponies walk by. Rainbow Dash quickly makes her towards the factory as she makes her inside.
Once everypony made their way outside, Rainbow made her way in. She snuck inside through the air vents and entered the locker rooms as she kicked a vent open after loosening the screws. Before she could venture forward she spotted two workers enter the lockers. She quickly hid inside one of the nearby lockers as the two entered the room. Once the coast was clear again, Rainbow Dash emerged wearing the uniform a white lab coat and a hard hat and so did Tank who conveniently had a uniform his size courtesy of the locker room somehow.
Once they were fully dressed the two made their way out of the locker room as Twilight continues to spy on them as she watches them from the locker room as she looks around until she sees a door with a picture of thunder, lightning, and rain pictured and approaches the room seeing that’s where she will try to stop winter there. She quickly dons a uniform as she teleports out of the locker room seeing what Rainbow Dash is going to attempt to do.
Once Rainbow Dash checks to see if the coast is clear she quickly makes her way inside and closes the doors after her only to have to quickly open the doors again realizing that she shut them without bringing a leashed Tank inside the room with a yank of the leash.
“The winter lab!” Rainbow Dash spoke outloud as she observes the room “We’re in Tank. Now we just got to figure a way to shut it down.” She added as she is ready to fly off to go on about it after she ties Tank to nearby snowflake-inspecting magnifying glass.
But, before she could figure out how to go on about it, Twilight appeared in front of her after teleporting inside.
“I’m afraid the only thing you’re figuring out is a way to figure your way out of here.” Twilight firmly told the blue Peagsus with her arms up.
“Twilight!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
“Stopping you from making the biggest mistake of your life.” Twilight responded still firm with her stance. “Do you not realize what you are doing?”
“Uh, stopping winter so me and Tank won’t be apart. Duh.” Rainbow Dash uncaringly responded.
“Rainbow Dash, I know you don’t want be apart from Tank but winter will happen regardless of the fact that winter is still going to happen even if you do shut this factory down.” Twilight still spoke firmly yet sympathetically to her trying to reason with her.
“So everypony comes to see that winter will never come so, big deal?” Rainbow Dash shrugged off as if this isn’t a big deal as she flies by and approaches the snowflake machine until for Twilight to quick teleport in front of her again.
“It is a big deal if it causes the factory to be destroyed and hurt many ponies all for the sake of trying to prevent the inevitable.” Twilight tried again to reason with her with her hooves up still up.
“And that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make. Surely, you of all ponies would understand.” Rainbow Dash again flew by uninterested by her attempts to reason with her as she sees the giant water storage container while referring to her past as Midnight that she had no problems of doing the same. “Slam dunk! With no water, they can't make clouds or snow! They can't make winter!”
“That’s not the point!” Twilight exclaimed in exasperation that Rainbow Dash does still not understand the consequences of what she is doing and what her actions are about to inflict on Ponyville. “Even when being the pony I used to be I still had all of Equestria’s best interests at heart while you are only thinking of yourself.” She told her as she flew up to her again. “This is not the Rainbow Dash I know and befriended. Why should you be that pony?”
“I hate to do this to those weather ponies, but desperate times call for desperate measures!” Rainbow Dash again scoffed off Twilight as she turns the valve and releases the pipe attached to the water tank causing water to pour out of the tank and onto the floor.
“Oopsies!” Rainbow said with faux innocence as Twilight looks on dismayed by her behavior. “Looks like these were a little loose!”
She would then fly over as she kicked off another pipe attached to the tank causing more water from another end to fall out.
“And there goes winter down the drain!” Rainbow triumphantly spoke with an added pun as she pats herself on the shoulder for a job well done as Twilight gives her a disapproving look as she notices that Tank in his state of heavy drowsiness wanders off and accidentally flips a switch turning on the fans to which Tank gets sucked into.
“And a turtle down the tank.” Twilight seriously commented as she points to the fan Tank is about to fly into.
“What?” Whoa!” Rainbow Dash confusingly responded before reacting in shock seeing at what is happening.
Rainbow Dash quickly took notice and flew over to save him only for the magnifying glass to fall into the fan jamming it and to crash into a barrel filled with snow covering Rainbow in it with coal blocking his eyes.
“Uh, I can't see!” Rainbow Dash spoke as she tries to get the coal off of her eyes.
As a result of the impact Tank was sent flying across the room and accidentally opens a door resulting in a massive stream of wind being blown into the room sending Rainbow Dash flying into another room while Twilight was able to protect herself with a magical force field around her.
“Aaaaaah!” Rainbow screamed as she flew into the room as the door slammed shut after her.
“Well, I’m out of here.” Twilight spoke up with her hooves up in the air as she grabs ahold of Tank and teleports herself out of Cloudsdale.
Inside she rubs her head and groans as she immediately tries to recover from the impact as she sees she is in a room full of glass jars filled with lightning bolts as one of them rocks over and breaks sending Rainbow Dash flying out of the room through a lightning explosion that accidentally presses a big red button that leads to the clouds and lightning spewing up covering the factory room in smoke greatly worrying Rainbow Dash.
“I got to get out of here!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed seeing that this room is going to blow but to her surprise can’t find Tank anywhere. “Tank? Tank?! Where are you? Rainbow Dash frantically shouted as the magnifying glass broke off of the fan and sucked Rainbow Dash in causing her to be sucked in pipes into a steam vent as every pony from afar watches as the chaos just as Twilight teleports herself and Tank back down on the ground in Ponyville.
“What in the name of Celestia's goin' on up there?” Applejack asked Twilight as she points a hoof in Cloudsdale’s direction.
“Prepare yourselves, everypony! Winter is coming!” Twilight worriedly warned her and the rest of their friends as a giant snowball emerges from the factory.
“Everypony, look out!” Twilight further warned everyone pony to run as the snowball falls down towards their direction as Rainbow Dash is screaming as she flies down in high speed inside of the snowball as it lands onto the ground causing a huge explosion resulting in all of Ponyville being covered in snow.
As everypony emerges their head from the blanket of snow the Mane Six all groan as they recover from the impact as they rub their heads.
“Rainbow Dash! Are you alright?” Twilight asked Rainbow Dash out of concern as she lays her head onto the back of snow she was on in sadness.
“No...” Rainbow Dash depressingly responded as the rest of the Mane Six look at each other in concern for her well-being as Twilight places Tank right next to her who snuggles Rainbow in his attempted effort to comfort her even when he is more sleeper than ever.
Later back in Cloudsdale, Rainbow Dash has fallen into a state of depression as despite her best efforts she could not stop the inevitable from happening as winter has finally arrived in Ponyville as she lying on her bed with Tank by her side both wearing pajamas as the Mane Five all enter the room hoping to comfort her as Fluttershy opens the door being the first to enter her room as Pinkie enters by walking through the cloud wall.
“Knock, knock.” Pinkie cheerfully announced.
“How are you feeling, Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy kindly asked.
“Whatever...” Rainbow despondently responded not even looking at her earning a confused look from Twilight.
“The poor thing looks so sad! Just what are we going to do?” Rarity worriedly commented as she turned to face Twilight.
“I don't know what we can do. “ Twilight answered. “As for Tank there is nothing we can do.”
“Buck up, Sugarcube. You just ain't yourself these days.” Applejack tried to her hardest to comfort Rainbow as she walks up to her bed.
“Whatever...” Rainbow Dash responded in the same tone and manner.
“Uh, how can I say this tactfully...?” Rarity struggled to find the right words as she speaks. “You've lost your sparkle, Rainbow Dash.”
“I hate to say this, but, well...” Pinkie hesitantly spoke as she changed her tone into a hushed one. “…you've become...! A party pooper!”
“Didn't you hear me? I said 'whatever'.” Rainbow Dash responded as she finally turned to face her friends. “I don't know if you're here to cheer me up or what, but I'm fine.” She spoke up before turning away as Fluttershy turns to the other girls.
“Let me handle this.” Fluttershy told the girls as she approaches Rainbow Dash “Rainbow Dash, your winter is going to be pet-less.” She bluntly told her which causes Rainbow’s eyes to widen up who cries uncontrollably while holding onto Tank apparently not taking this very well.
“Whatever did you do that for?!” Rarity asked Fluttershy surprised at her approach.
“Because she'll never get past this until she lets it all out.” Fluttershy firmly answered as Rainbow Dash continues crying her heart out.
With a surge of magic Twilight pushes Applejack forward urging her to console her as Applejack glares at her to which Twilight responds with a look that says “Go On.”
“Uh... it's okay.” Applejack awkwardly tried to reassure her. “Tank'll come back in a few months.”
Unfortunately it did little wonders to help as Rainbow Dash can’t calm herself from her sobbing.
“Months?! I don't want him to go!” Rainbow continues sobbing feeling like months will turn into the rest of her life. “Not again.”
“Again?” Applejack questioned in surprise. “What do ya mean like that?”
“I don’t want to lose Tank I like lost her!” Rainbow Dash answers in between sobs.
“Who?” Applejack again questioned as Twilight steps forward having a pretty good idea of what she is talking about.
“Me?” Twilight answered as she got up onto her bed to sit right next her and placed a hoof on her shoulders. “That’s why? You feel that if Tank leaves it’s like when I left you to become Midnight and nearly lost my life from defeating Tirek.”
Rainbow Dash continued sobbing as the flashback from Twilight’s fight with Tirek played through her mind.
The Mane 5 had just rushed over to Twilight just after she lost consciousness after defeating Tirek.
“Twilight?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she flew over her. “Twilight?! Please wake up?!” Rainbow Dash pleaded as grabbed her by the head only to get no response resulting in her starting to panic. “She’s not responding.”
“It looks like that magic surge has taken a greater toll on Twilight than we realized.” Rarity answered as she placed a hoof on her forehead sounding just as worried as Rainbow. “She’s on the very verge of dying!”
“No!” Rainbow Dash cried in horror at this. “Why? Why?!”
“She did it to send Tirek away.” Fluttershy responded as she teared up. “She gave her life to save us.”
“She saved us. But who’s saving her if she is about to die?” Pinkie questioned as she teared up.
“Maybe there’s a way to save her.” Applejack hopefully brought up there is maybe a way to save her. “If we can get her to the hospital as quickly as we can before it’s too late maybe we can bring her back to life.”
“Well what are we waiting for?!” Rainbow Dash responded in determination as she lifts Twilight up holding her on one of her arms. “Come on, Fluttershy!” She commanded her to help her lift Twilight so they can her help before they truly lose her for good.
And just like that both Rainbow and Fluttershy with the latter managed to keep up with Rainbow Dash as they fly their way back to the Canterlot Hospital as fast as their wings would let them with Rainbow Dash trying to fight the urge to cry as tears fall through her eyes as she looks at Twilight in her unconsciousness state. “Hang on, Twilight! Don’t die on me. I don’t want to lose you. Not again!” She cried out in pain as the flashback scenes fades back to the present day as Rainbow Dash is hugging Tank in her arms.
“Not again.” Rainbow Dash repeated between sobs as Twilight pulls her in for an embrace allowing her to cry into her chest as she continues placing a comforting hoof on Rainbow’s back.
“Alright, alright. There, there.“ Applejack tried to comfort Rainbow again before facing Fluttershy and Twilight. “Nice going, Fluttershy, Twi.” Applejack sarcastically remarked in a hushed tone. “How do we get her to stop?”
“She's got to be about done by now. Can't be too much left in there.” Fluttershy responded as she got up on Rainbow’s bed and sat beside her. “Feeling better?” She asked as Rainbow Dash seemingly has calmed down.
“Uh-huh.” Rainbow Dash answered as she turned to face her. But then immediately she suddenly resumes crying burying her face into Twilight’s chest again as she calmly pats her on her back in comfort and continues hugging her.
“Oh, you poor, poor thing... “ Fluttershy sadly spoke unable to stand seeing Rainbow like this as she starts crying and hugged onto to both Rainbow Dash and Twilight who spreads her right wing open to bring her in on the embrace.
Rarity watching this starts to tear up herself.
“I can't bear to see Fluttershy cry!” She sadly spoke as she walked up.
“It's just heart-wrenching!” Pinkie tearfully added as she and Rarity join in on crying hysterically as Twilight moves her wing so they can join in on the group hug except for Applejack who bends her hat down in sorrow for her. While everypony was sobbing, Twilight herself silently sheds a few tears as she closed her eyes. She wasn't bailing hysterically like her friends well expect for Applejack but was still crying feeling very sorry for the pain she caused Rainbow Dash.
“You too?” Twilight asked the farm pony as she turned her attention to Applejack as she noticed she was the only pony not crying.
“Nope, I'm good.” Applejack calmly answered as Twilight turns her attention back at Rainbow Dash.
“Applejack cries on the inside, Twilight!” Pinkie tearfully responded to a confused Twilight.
“It's true.” Applejack confirmed with a nod.
“It's alright, Fluttershy. It's alright.” Rainbow Dash reassured her as she started to settle down a bit as Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie giving her space as they back up smiling once they knew she was now calming down as they wiped away their own tears. Applejack, on the other hoof, was still concerned.
“You think she's done or just getting a third wind?” Applejack asked Twilight who is still sitting by Rainbow’s side as she pokes her head up out of Twilight’s chest.
“I don't know...” Twilight answered unsure at that moment before turning to Rainbow to find out. “Rainbow Dash? Are you okay?”
“I think so. I feel better. Really, I do.” Rainbow answered as she calms herself down more as she faces Twilight who still has her wing on her back.
“I’m so sorry, Rainbow Dash.” Twilight apologized as she sheds tears of remorse. “I should have known that’s what this is all about.”
“No, I’m the one who should apologize.” Rainbow retorted that she is not at fault while she herself is ashamed for what has done. “I should have listened to you when tried to stop me from attempting to stop winter which was futile from the start. For I was so focused on trying to prevent the inevitable I ended focusing on what only I wanted instead of everypony else and became the villain myself in the heat of the moment. At least you had good intentions, Twilight, while I was looking out for myself.” Rainbow Dash tearfully added as she barely looked at Twilight before looking away as she cries while Twilight herself couldn't help but tear up too and barely look at her in return.
“Well even so I too wasn’t right as I did something much worse than blowing up a factory and that resulted in nearly dooming all of Equestria with a never-ending winter storm.” Twilight acknowledged the good in Rainbow’s intentions while at the same time acknowledging that even though her intentions were well-intended more so than her friend she was no better in fact was much more evil and heartless in the heat of the moment there and had no problems of potentially hurting a huge number of ponies with her attack at the Equestria Games as Rainbow gets up from her bed and places Tank onto the bed as both ponies get off of the bed.
“Thanks, everypony. I don't know what I'd do without you.” Rainbow gratefully thanked every pony especially Twilight for helping her through this as they all smile proudly at her as she turns back to facing her smiling and sleepy pet with tears still in her eyes ”Or him... “ She sniffled a bit as she placed her hooves onto her bed. “Oh, Tank... I'm sure gonna miss you.”
“Everything’s going to be okay, Rainbow Dash.” Twilight reassured Rainbow it’s not forever and it’s only until its spring again as they held each other’s hands for one final nose kiss and goodbye as she wipes away the remaining tears of her face.
A short while later, everypony is now enjoying themselves and having fun in the snow from sledding, to ice skating to which Spike is joining in on, to playing hockey, to throwing snowballs at each other as the Mane Six minus Rainbow Dash are now wearing their winter clothes are speaking to each other.
“Well, guess we're starting winter with a bang.” Twilight positively commented seeing everypony is having fun in the snow.
“The fun's come early!” Applejack happily agreed as she tosses a snowball up with her rear hooves as she bucks it. “Yee-haw!” She happily exclaimed as Pinkie barely dodged the snow ball as she feel onto her back.
“You think we could mess up winter every year? It's way less work!” Pinkie asked as she made snow angels on the ground.
“Uh, I don't think Rainbow Dash could handle it.” Twilight answered in a way that says no as the aforementioned pony arrives with Tank in tow.
“Riding that entire season from Cloudsdale to Ponyville was pretty awesome.” Rainbow Dash told her friends as Tank yawned. “I thought you guys might like to say goodbye to Tank. He's ready to hibernate.”
“Ooh, you're using the word!” Pinkie happily exclaimed noting that she is now calm with the very word being spoken again as she approaches Rainbow and Tank from behind. “Oh, she's using the word! And when Tank finishes hibernating, I'm gonna throw him the biggest welcome home party ever! Or wait. Should it be a 'welcome above ground' party? Or a 'happy wake-up' party? Maybe an 'it's about time!' party!” She happily added as she contemplated on what the party should be named.
“And I'll design him a very special suit just for the occasion, whichever one it ends up being.” Rarity warmly offered as she approaches them.
“I'm glad you're feelin' a little better, Rainbow Dash.” Applejack complimented on the improvement.
“Yeah, me too.” Rainbow agreed as she steps forwards and digs up a hole in the snow for Tank to hibernate through the winter to which Tank happily walks into and covers himself with dirt to make himself comfortable as her friends look on proudly. “So, you really wanna do this hibernating thing, huh?” Rainbow asked her pet one final time as she leans in to his eye level who nods in response.
“Goodbye, Tank.” Rarity told him.
“Happy winter.” Fluttershy said
“See you later, little feller.” Applejack said as she placed a hoof on her hat.
“Have a good sleep, Tank!” Pinkie happily wished Tank a happy winter.
“Goodbye, Tank! We'll miss you!” Twilight gave her farewell positively.
With all of the goodbyes all said and done, Tank smiled one last time before moving the dirt and hiding underneath it as the snow covered it up as Rainbow Dash tearfully watches as Twilight steps forward to place a comforting hoof on her shoulder to reassure her again that it’s only until the spring. Rainbow Dash then smiles and wipes away the tears as she silently thanks Twilight for her gesture as Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy all walk off ahead so they can enjoy the fun winter has to offer.
“Well? Ready for some winter fun?” Twilight cheerfully asked her.
“Uh, I'm gonna hang here and read to him a bit.” Rainbow Dash politely declined for the moment as she walks up to Tank’s sleeping place and pulls out a book from his bag. “That little guy can never get to sleep without a bedtime story. I'll be right there.” Rainbow Dash reassured her she will join them in a little bit.
Twilight understanding and accepting her reasons goes off ahead to join her friends on the winter fun while happy that she was able to help Rainbow through these painful memories and times the best she can. Happy that, she was able to get her to come to senses before she even started the descent to villainy like she did.