Episode 5:
Tanks for the Memories
In Equestria, cooler weather has started to kick into gear during the middle of this year’s warm fall season. And a good thing too, since the Pride Landers were on the verge of cracking under the stress from the ongoing heat that is still going strong with the dry season still a ways to go even when sent away to the magical and cooler climates in the pony world.
Thanks to the magic from the Equestrian world the breeze and the cooler temps flowing into the other world via the portals allowed things to ease down enough that Pride Landers can live comfortably as they patiently await the wet season that still a ways away. And they can spend the following days basking in the cooler temperatures thanks to an early snowstorm blowing through Ponyville courtesy of the Peagsus ponies from Cloudsdale.
At that moment, Rainbow Dash was flying at top speed with her pet tortoise, Tank. He wore a helicopter propeller on his shell so he could keep up with her, and wore flight goggles over his eyes. He spun around when Rainbow approached him. She smiled as she held her pet close and pointed towards the white snow clouds forming around Cloudsdale close approaching their hometown.
"Look at that, Tank! Cloudsdale's here! That means Ponyville is next up for winter!"
She released Tank once she noticed a group of ponies galloping their way across the forest, causing the autumn leaves to fall. Like always it was that time of the year, the annual running of the leaves.
Rainbow flew over them and shouted over to them from above. "You're doing awesome, everypony! Keep it up! We need those leaves off those trees!" But then a thought occurred when she noticed someone in particular wasn’t there. “Wait…where’s…”
Suddenly a big whoosh blew right past her and Tank and then a second later over passes by the entire competition and knocked all of the leaves off of the trees.
“Huwezi!”
That answered her question to what the defending champion is doing right now.
“Great job Fuli!”
“Thanks!”
Rainbow then flew up and landed on a nearby cloud, where Tank awaited for her. What she didn’t notice was that Tank was getting sleepy.
"Once we get autumn cleared away, it'll be hello, winter! Man, it came a lot quicker this time, hu? Guess that's what happens when you're now connected to a world with a different season changing system. I mean, it's like I've got this new instinct telling me when winter is suppose to come. I've never had that before. Normally I just get word from the other ponies. Not that I'm complaining, I'm totally looking forward to it!"
Then, Tank let out a yawn, to which Rainbow did notice and wasn’t pleased to hear and see it. "Was that a yawn I just saw?" she asked suspiciously, only to have Tank yawn again. "How can you be tired when the most exciting time of the year is right around the corner? And don't forget the best part – our first winter together!"
He tried to happy for Rainbow’s excitement of the upcoming winter, but just can’t quite find it in himself to share the same energy as her. He was too exhausted to be able to keep close on Rainbow’s tail today.
"Come on, wake up!" She tried hard in showing Tank the group of Pegasi who were pulling fluffs of clouds. "Once those ponies bring in the big, fat clouds full of snowflakes, we'll have a ton of snow for our extreme sledding!" She moved to direct Tank’s attention to the nearby lake. "And over there, we can play horse hockey, with no shoulder or arm pads!"
Tank smiled, but it wasn’t enough to stop himself from being too tired. This really worried Rainbow Dash.
At that moment Ono came flying by.
"Hey, Rainbow Dash!"
"Hey, Ono."
“Just got done scoping Ponyville and boy, there sure is quite some weather coming our way.”
“Sure is.”
“I mean an early winter snowstorm is just like really hard to believe. I mean that shouldn’t be possible for cool wet season weather in the Pride Lands at this time of the year.”
“I mean hey…” Rainbow shrugged. “…at least the Pride Landers living there now have a little breather to look forward to. Otherwise who knows how many more tempers could have flared without it.”
“Quite a few…” Twilight spoke up to them as she flew towards them. “…and a good thing we’re having this early winter storm. Everything here's looking great, don't you think?"
"Almost everything.” Rainbow admitted while directing her and Ono’s attention towards her pet tortoise. “Does Tank look alright to you?"
Twilight rubbed her chin as she examined the hovering, sleeping tortoise with Ono squinting to get a better feel for what Tank needs. "Well, he does seem to be moving slowly."
"I know, right?"
"And he looks kind of sleepy…" Ono pointed out.
"Totally!"
"…just like he always does." Twilight shrugged, feeling that there really was nothing unusual with Rainbow's pet leaving Rainbow to feel the same way.
"Yeah, ha ha, I'm sure you're right."
Seeing that Rainbow was still feeling a little unsure she turned to the white egret still studiously looking at Tank. “Ono, why don’t you stick around and make sure there is nothing out of the ordinary with Tank. I’ll fill you in when I’m done scouting Ponyville.”
“Will do, Twilight!” Ono turned and saluted to her request before she moved to fly away on towards to Cloudsdale.
As soon as Twilight left Ono turned back to the still yawning tortoise and could tell from a close look that something isn’t quite right here.
“What do you think, Ono?!” Rainbow asked sounding a little worried.
“I think I know what Tank needs.” He answered before flying ahead. “Come with me.”
He led Rainbow and Tank on over to Fluttershy’s cottage where the butter colored Pegasus examined the latter herself.
She used a stethoscope to listen to Tank’s heartbeat while Rainbow anxiously paced around awaiting for a clear answer. "Well?!"
"I suppose his heartbeat could be a teensy-weensy-eensy bit slower than usual…"
"Okay, so give him a vitamin or something!" Rainbow urgently suggested as Tank began to snore.
"I don't think he needs that." Fluttershy calmly replied.
"Maybe we're just staying up too late. Uh, too many Daring Do stories." Rainbow petted Tank's head, making him smile as he woke up briefly before falling back asleep.
"Oh, that's not it either."
"Well, what's wrong with him then?!"
"Nothing! He's perfectly fine." Rainbow released a sigh of relief in response, until Fluttershy added… "He's just going to hibernate."
Rainbow's eyes widened in shock before looking at her Pegasus friend incredulously. "You do realize he's not a bear, right?"
“Of course not.” Ono said before moving to explain it to her while Fluttershy fetched a book from her shelf and opened it. “It’s like this. When the weather grows cold and less food is available, many animals hibernate to conserve energy." Fluttershy flipped through the pages, to show Rainbow pictures of animals, sleeping during the wintertime. "It's like taking a really long nap during winter, and then they wake up in spring. And see? Even tortoises do it! When the time comes, Tank will leave and dig into the ground."
Rainbow looked at the image of the tortoise sleeping in a hole, before turning to Tank when he yawned again. The reality that she was going to have to spend her entire winter without her pet was sinking in and she truthfully wasn’t feeling good about the idea itself.
"But don't worry." Fluttershy moved to assure her that it won’t be the last time she’ll ever see Tank. "He'll reappear when the spring sun warms the ground back up."
Rainbow Dash scoffed and rolled her eyes in response, refusing to believe this. "Come on! Tortoises don't hibernate! Somepony put that picture in there as a joke." She angrily slammed the book, no longer wanting to see the image anymore.
"It's not a joke." Fluttershy gently insisted otherwise.
“Yeah!” Ono agreed. “If it wasn’t I would be able to say otherwise but that’s clearly not the case here.”
"Well, then your book and your knowledge must be wrong!" Rainbow snapped before strapping Tank's propeller back onto his shell as she prepared to leave. Fluttershy understood what Rainbow is going through, yet she is heavily in denial that she refused to accept the truth even when she is aware of it herself. So she once more tried to reason with her. “Rainbow Dash, Tank needs to hibernate. It's healthy for him, just like sleeping is healthy for us. Besides, I know that you know it's the truth."
Rainbow Dash still refused to listen. "Whatever. Okay, thanks. Come on, Tank." She spun the propeller, to make the sleepy Tank fly. But since he was still deep in sleep, Rainbow and fly back in so she can get him to accompany her.
"Where are you going?" Ono asked.
"To get a second opinion from a real reptile expert."
Ono shook his head and grumbled in annoyance at his friend’s stubborn attitude while Fluttershy looks on in worry.
Sometime later, Rainbow went to Spike, hopeful that he can say otherwise that Tank doesn’t need to hibernate the whole winter.
"I told you, Rainbow Dash, I'm a dragon!" Spike crossed his arms in annoyance while Tank slept beside him. The young dragon now had a room all to his own in the large castle.
"Come on! You're practically twins!" Rainbow insisted of him.
Spike briefly looked at Tank before looking back towards Rainbow with no helping words to share. "I'm purple."
"But if you don't have to hibernate, why should Tank?!"
"Because he's a tortoise and I'm a dragon!"
"Same family though, right?"
"No!"
"I'll take that as a yes."
Spike groaned in annoyance and jumped off of the table so he can set the record straight. "Ugh! Look, if Fluttershy says tortoises hibernate and if Ono can confirm it, then I guarantee tortoises hiber—"
Rainbow cut him off mid-sentence not wanting to here the word hibernate again. "Well, what would you know?! You're a dragon!" She left the room while slamming the door behind her leaving Spike stunned with how hard she is taking this.
Once outside the castle, Rainbow continued to assure herself that Tank will stay awake throughout the upcoming winter season no matter how inevitable it will be otherwise.
"Nopony knows you like I do, Tank. All you need is some hard work to get the old blood pumping." She furrowed her brows as Tank repeatedly snored and collided with the door forcing Rainbow to pull his pet friend again through the door. "Come on!"
Sometime later the Lion and Pony Guard sans Rainbow were all gathering while the Pegasus herself is busy helping the other Pegasus ponies move the clouds around all in preparation for winter.
"Well, they're pretty heavy. Chock full of snowflakes! Tank and I are gonna have such a killer time in the snow." Rainbow once more said to her pet. However she saw that Tank was no longer by her side. "Tank? Tank!" She groaned upon seeing that Tank is making a hole in the ground to sleep in.
Pinkie Pie came on by and upon seeing Tank aweing at the sight. "Aww, look at the cute wittle Tankie, all snuggly-wuggly, getting ready to hibern—"
"Don't say that word!" Rainbow angrily shouted as she quickly picked Tank up and held him close.
"Which one?” She asked confused. "Snuggly"? "Wuggly"? "Tankie"? "Hibernate"?"
"That one!" Rainbow covered her friend's mouth, keeping her from saying anything else.
"I was just saying how cute he—" She innocently said before being cut off mid-sentence by the furious pony.
"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?" Kion spoke to get her attention wondering what’s gotten into her.
The pony turned her head to see the rest of her friends, looking at her with surprised and very concerned expressions. Fluttershy and Rarity were helping the animals prepare for their winter nap, while the others helped in raking the fallen leafs.
"What are you looking at?! Pinkie Pie and I are just having a conversation!"
Kion wasn’t convinced. “Are you sure? Because what I heard was you screaming at Pinkie over the well-being of Tank.”
“He is fine! I am fine!” Rainbow shouted in response right in the lion’s face. “Do you got a problem with it!”
“I do, so back off!” Twilight stated literally getting in between them in Kion’s defense. “He did nothing wrong and neither did Pinkie!” She then calmed down so can try to gently emphasize with her pet dilemma. “Look, Rainbow Dash, we all know how upset you are about Tank hiber—"
"Shhhh!” Pinkie shook her head against it while clinging onto her for protection. “Don't say that word! That's what started this all!"
Twilight rolled her eyes before continuing going along with Pinkie’s word of advice. "We all know how upset you are about Tank. But you shouldn't take your anger out on your friends."
Rainbow’s anger increased to the point she brazenly got right up in her face with a face that could terrify anypony. "Who said anything about anger?! I didn't say anything about anger! I'm not upset! And I am not angry! Do I look angry?!"
“Yes you do!” Twilight calmly asserted while returning a glare of her own to force Rainbow to back off.
“Come on Rainbow Dash, I get this hard for you to accept, but it’s nature. You’ll see Tanka again when spring comes around.” Beshte tried to assure to her.
“But what if I never do? What happens then huh?” Rainbow retorted before turning to fly away. “Come on, Tank! Let's get out of here!" She flew away from the others whole leaving them with mixed feelings, from conflicted, worried, or terrified.
“Okay…” Bunga said still stunned with shock upon seeing Rainbow’s outburst.
“…Should one of us go after her and try to reason with her?” Kion asked turning to Twilight.
“Not right now.” Twilight shook her head much to his surprise. “Not while she’s still processing the early stages of grief.”
“When do you think she’ll be ready to listen?”
“I’ll let you know when she is ready.” Twilight advised before moving to fly after her. “And judging from the way she is acting it’s going to be a while until she’s finally ready to accept what is going to happen next.”
“In the meantime what is next for her before then?” Kion curiously asked out of concern of where this is headed.
"Bargaining...meaning things are going get to hot." She sarcastically added before flying away. “This should be fun.”
Just after Twilight flew away, Kion turned to Ono who sighed knowing what he is going to say and ask of him. “Will do, Kion.” He then proceeded to fly after the alicorn while calling out to her. “Twilight! Wait for me!”
Back at her home, Rainbow is trying her hardest to get Tank to stay 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!” Tank yawned once more as he dropped his legs to the ground. "You can't hiber…” She stopped herself mid-sentence. “… 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." Tank snored in response. "Don't you wanna do those things with me?!"
Rainbow’s desperate voice was enough to wake Tank up. He smiled at his owner and nuzzled her leg before resuming his sleep. It was pretty clear the truth is right in front of her and that this was natural. But she still refuses to accept it and was now desperate wanting to stop the inevitable.
"Think, Rainbow Dash, think! Tank's only hibernating because it's cold, right? Well, I'd rather have him awake in the heat than asleep in the cold... and the weather only changes here, not in the Pride Lands, so…" she gasped as an idea came to her mind. An awful idea. The devious pony rubbed her hooves together, smiling evilly when she got a wonderful, awful, idea in her head. "I just have to stop winter!"
Unbeknownst to her, her private scene was secretly witnessed by two of her flying friends from just outside her front window.
“Hapana…” Ono quietly uttered before being whisked away from the window by Twilight when Rainbow set out to try to carry out the impossible.
At the same time, Starlight who was observing the scene from the back windows smirked deviously before teleporting away so she can personally report this to Scar in the Outlands Volcano.
While Scar himself was currently working out and working in regaining his magical strength outside of Equestria and the Pride Lands, he splits his energy whenever he needs to get in contact with his followers there. By meditating and focusing his magic, he is able to concentrate his magic left in the lava pit inside the volcano so he can appear as a fiery spirit.
That being said he was currently overseeing Zira, Chrysalis along with their followers training in action while working his claws and magic on a multiple set of punching bags when he got Starlight’s call.
“Scar!”
Knowing that she has valuable information that could serve as an opportunity for their cause he moved to meditate so he can have his fiery spirit meet with Starlight face to face.
“Yes, Starlight?”
“I got something that might be of interest.”
“And that is?” Scar hoped that it was something worth hearing.
“Rainbow Dash, the Pony Guard’s Fastest is trying to stop winter from happening.”
That indeed got the lion / alicorn’s interest as he smirked evilly in response. “This is indeed worth reporting to me, Starlight. There is nothing like a pony trying to do the impossible to create more chaos in their wake. Something that maybe could lead to something unfortunate to happen to Rainbow through her futile efforts to trying to do so.”
“Oh, I hear what you’re putting down.” Starlight sported a wicked smile herself. “And I’ll gladly see to it that it happens the way you want it.”
Before Starlight set out to carry out her task, Scar spoke up with one final and very crucial instruction for her to follow. “And Starlight…” She turned back to face him. “…do not get caught no matter what. I don’t want them catching on to us…yet.”
“Understood.” Starlight nodded before she was allowed to leave and Scar’s spirit disappeared from the volcano.
Back in Ponyville, the Pegasus ponies were hard at work moving clouds in the sky. Sunshower, a female Pegasus with a blue mane and tail and yellow coat flew by, placed the clouds in a specific location in the sky. During which she spotted a male Pegasus with a purple swept up mane and tail and a dark teal coat. "So where do these clouds go?" She asked.
"Over by Clear Skies." He replied.
"But there's clear skies everywhere."
At that moment a pink pony with a purple similarly styled mane, styled similarly to the male pony appeared with a smile. "Yo, Clear Skies right here!"
"But there's clear skies over there, too!" The yellow pony said pointing to the right.
"That's Open Skies!" The pink pony pointed out.
"There's open skies everywhere!" The yellow pony pointed out.
"I'm not everywhere. I'm right here!" The male pony said thinking they meant him.
Sunshower sighed, understanding what’s going on. "Wait. So you're Open Skies, and you're Clear Skies. Then what's all that?"
"Open, clear skies!" The two ponies answered together much to the third pony’s annoyance.
"Hey, where'd our fluffy clouds go?" Open Skies asked, upon seeing that the clouds there were close to them were whisked away while their backs were turned.
"Fluffy Clouds? He's over there!" Clear Skies pointed to a tall and skinny male Pegasus, with a blue coat and an orange bow tie and fittingly fluffy hair style.
Rainbow Dash smiled deviously as she shoved the clouds into a hole inside a hollow tree. "Hah! Stopping winter is gonna be a breeze!" This was just the start. From there she plans to graduates to even bigger and more desperate measures and she won’t stop until she succeeds.
After what happened during Scar’s campaign in his quest to takeover, she was not about to see to it that she loses someone close to her, even with the plan itself being futile due to the fact that winter will still come one way or another.
While she sang as she was blissfully aware that both Twilight and Ono were both closely tailing her to stop her from doing something she’ll regret.
“When life gives you lemons
You can make lemonade
But life gave me Tank here
And my choice has long been made.”
She jumped on the already frozen ponds, breaking them as she skipped. Along the way Twilight used her magic refreeze them after she had left.
“No winter will come to Ponyville
I'll do it on my own
I will keep you by my side
So I will not be alone.”
Using a fake duckbill, Rainbow directed a flock of geese in the opposite direction. North instead of south.
Seeing this had Ono quickly fly after them once Rainbow had left in order to guide them in the proper direction.
“And I'll fly, and I'll fly
Until the end of the sky
So I'll be the one who doesn't
Have to say goodbye
I'll clear the skies forever
So we won't be apart
I'll keep the weather warm for you
And the winter will never start.”
After clearing the clouds, Rainbow Dash created a small beach-like area, placing Tank on a beach chair and placing sunscreen on his shell which did little in waking him up fully. She then looked up and noticed the Pegasus ponies kicking the clouds, to make snowflakes fall. Rainbow smirked as a plan came to her to counter that.
“Weather-makers Pegasi
You make the seasons in the sky
I don't want to sabotage you
But you see, I've got to try.”
Rainbow smiled deviously as she watched the ponies move the snowflakes back onto the clouds, thanks to her tricking them into sending them in that direction.
She them used a giant magnifying glass to warm up Tank, using the rays of the sun. Initially it worked upon getting him to wake up. But it was short lived when the ponies covered the sun with clouds with Tank falling asleep again, much to Rainbow's annoyance.
“No winter can come here now
I'll keep the warmth and the sun somehow
I'm sorry, ponies, this has to be
For I need my friend and he needs me.”
But Rainbow still wasn’t about to give up. She placed the leaves back onto the trees and spun around, creating summer-like areas where the snow was supposed to be, thus confusing many ponies.
She kept making the clouds disappear so the sun can reappear all while holding Tank closely.
“I know it's wrong, but what does it matter?
'Cause nothing's gonna stop me now
I'll change it all, it's only the weather
And nopony's gonna bring me down
I'll keep the sunlight shining free
And I'll bust the clouds apart so you can stay with me
And I'll fly, and I'll fly
Until the end of the sky
So I'll be the one who doesn't
Have to say goodbye
I'll clear the skies forever
So we won't be apart
I'll keep the weather warm for you
And the winter will never start!”
But predictably, nothing made an impact still the winter weather is still coming and Tank is still falling asleep.
"Here comes the next shipment!" Sunshower said to the weather team, "Move those clouds over!"
All around, snow was continuing to fall, more leaves were being raked up, and worse, even the Pride Landers were helping out. Most of the flock decided to pitch in by using their wingpower in assisting the weather team in their efforts to prepare for winter. Down below, Rainbow saw Hadithi guiding ponies in the right direction.
“All right everyone, keeping it coming…” He spotted some birds struggling. “…watch your form! Watch your form!” They were able to quickly correct it. “Good!”
“Hadithi?!”
“Ah, why if it isn’t the Fastest and Bravest Rainbow Dash!”
“What are you doing here?!”
“Just doing my part in proving myself as a true hero to everyone here in Equestria. I’m here helping out in preparing Ponyville for the upcoming winter season.”
“And King Simba approves of this?!”
“Why of course. After all this ongoing dry season is sure having everyone feeling uncomfortable and dehydrated and who am I to say no to a chance in helping bring cooler temperatures so nobody should have to suffer over there.”
“No one.” She admitted glumly which clued the bird of what’s truly bugging her.
“Ah, cheer up old friend. I get that it is cold and that they are friends you don’t want to say goodbye to for the following months but it’s natural for that to happen. Before you know it three months goes by like a breeze.” Just then a literal breeze came blowing right at him. “Aah.” He winds up flying into a nearby pile of snow. Briefly when his beak and eyes appeared, he looked like a snowman there. “No, no, no, no, no…” He turned back to the ponies and birds spreading the breeze. “…all around everywhere, not all on one bird.”
“Sorry, Frosty.” One the birds spoke on behalf of the flock.
Clear Skies taking notice of this moved to greet him excitedly. "“Frosty.” “Frosty?" As in Frosty the Snowman?! Hey everyone…!”
Before anyone could sing the lyrics, Hadithi quickly spoke up to get them to stop. “No, no, no!” He shook the snow off of his head. “Please just get back to work.”
“Of course.”
During the distraction as every bird refocuses their attention in working with the weather team, Rainbow had took Tank towards another cloud feeling increasingly in despair and distraught that none of her efforts are working.
"Ugh! For every hoof step back, they go three hoof steps forward! And now the whole flock's making things move faster! What are we gonna do?"
To add insult to injury, the clouds the ponies were pulling began to release snowflakes. It is pretty clear now that winter is only a few days away now and that there really is nothing she can do to stop it. Just when it seemed all was lost, Rainbow got another idea when she watched the ponies work and where then looked upon the area where they were coming from.
"Cloudsdale. That's it, Tank! If I can't stop winter in Ponyville, maybe I can stop it at the source!"
With Tank on a leach, Rainbow snuck her way into Cloudsdale towards the weather factory with Twilight and Ono proceeding to continue tailing her. In addition, Starlight also keeping tabs on all three members of the Guard proceeded to tail them too.
Rainbow flew in and out of the clouds to avoid being seen, pulling Tank in and out quickly to avoiding being seen too. Her secretive spies followed the same pattern too just when the whistle blew off signaling for the pony workers to leave since it was now lunch time.
"Lunch hour! Perfect!"
Once everypony had left, Rainbow made her way in. She snuck into the air-vents and entered the locker rooms. She quickly ducked inside the nearby locker when a couple of ponies walked by before emerging with the worker’s uniform on along with one for Tank to wear too. Once the coast was clear, she made her way towards the doors leading to the factory itself.
Seconds later, Twilight and Ono were appearing right on the opposite side of the room.
Before Ono could even speak his thoughts of the extreme methods that Rainbow was about to employ in there, Twilight quietly stated a command for him to listen to. “Go! Warn the Lion and Pony Guard! I’ll take care of Rainbow Dash!”
“Twilight?!” Ono was left very confused and worried of what she was going to do.
“I need you prepare everyone for the upcoming wave of snow that she’ll create should my attempts of talking her down fails.”
“Oh…” Ono realized and felt relieved. “…I see. Affirmative.”
In an instant Ono was teleported away from Cloudsdale and back in Ponyville where he carry out her orders without further question.
Back inside the factory room, Rainbow was now marveling of how big it was and how much damage she could do in here while tying her pet tortoise to a nearby lamp to ensure he’ll stay put. “The winter lab. We're in, Tank! Now we just gotta figure out a way to shut it down.”
“Or find a way out of here while you still can, Rainbow Dash.” Twilight’s voice spoke to her as she closed the doors behind her. Like Rainbow even while irrational, she too is following safety protocol by wearing a coat and hard hat.
“WHAT?! Twilight?!” Rainbow exclaimed in shock upon seeing her. “How the hay did you get in here?!”
“How is not important. What’s really important is stopping you from making the biggest mistake of your life.”
“More like biggest save of my life. If I don’t stop winter then Tank’s going to leave me!” She attempted to fly away only for Twilight to seize her tail with her magic to stop her in her tracks.
“Rainbow, I understand that you’re upset and know that you don’t want to see to it that Tank hibernates for the winter, but I must advise against this.” She calmly yet firmly insisted.
“Like your one to talk miss Midnight Sparkle, the pony of vengeance, maker of widows, following Scar’s paw prints to get what you want.” Rainbow moved to yank her tail out of her grip before flying off…
…But only for a few seconds before being seized by Twilight again in a magic bubble. “Maybe I haven’t made myself perfectly clear when I said that…when I said advise I meant firmly say you are not doing this. Of all of the most reckless and dangerous stunts you have ever done this is the most foolish and dangerous of them all. What if you’re caught?!”
“Oh, please. Everypony and everybody will understand why I did what I had to do if that meant keeping everyone from losing someone they love.”
“You’re giving them too much credit! Not everyone here along with the Pride Landers are the understanding type.”
“Maybe that’s because they have yet to understand why I need to do this. Not just for me, but Tank!”
While they were busy arguing Starlight peeked her head through the door and quickly sent a quiet burst of magic to undo the knot holding Tank to the ground.
“At the expense of everyone around you, trying to ruin winter is really worth it?!” Twilight pressed of the stubborn and brash pony.
“Yes it is! And with winter never to come, then Tank and I will be together forever! Right Tank?” She moved to turn to him but found he wasn’t where she left him. “Tank. Tank. Tank! Where are you?" She managed to spot Tank, sleep flying on over to an open fan due to still being tangled up with a magnifying glass. It got tangled on a lever which lifted up and released yellow sparks of electricity when the open fan activated.
Acting quick, Rainbow rushed on over to save him in the nick of time before he could get sucked, but the magnifying glass got caught and tangled up inside the fan. Rainbow accidentally slammed into a barrel of snowflakes, which then fell on her, covering her with snow and two pieces of coal landed on her eyes.
"Uh, I can't see!"
Twilight moved to remove the coal remove her eyes just when Tank landed on the floor, hitting another door. When the door opened, a powerful gust of wind blasted the snow off of Rainbow Dash and Tank into another room, which was filled with jars, containing lightning inside. One of them began to tumble and moved to hit the floor. Luckily for her, her friend was there to catch it.
“Phew!”
Just then another tap of magic knocked into another jar to which Twilight couldn’t move fast enough to catch it in time.
“Uh-oh.”
“Brace yourselves!”
Twilight managed to create a force field that protected themselves from the lightning explosion that ensued and sent the two ponies and pet turtle flying out of the room unharmed. The lightning then hit a booth, which began to send shock waves all throughout the lab, and created multiple clouds at rapid speed. Clouds and lightning filled the room, with one of the strikes hitting one of the water pipes, causing the water to spill and flood the place.
"Let's get out of here!"
Without another word, the alicorn princess worked her magic in teleporting themselves out of here before any of them could get sucked inside an air shoot, and caught up in the chaotic explosion that was accidentally created.
From outside, the Pegasus ponies could see the factory overloading, as evident by the massive lightning spewing all around, much to their horror. From down below, the rest of the Lion and Pony Guard could see what was happening.
"What in the name of Celestia's goin' on up there?" Applejack asked.
Just then Ono had arrived on the scene to alert them. “Prepare yourselves, everybody! Winter is coming!"
Inside the factory, the worker ponies tried their hardest to keep the factory under control, but the power of the winds was far too strong for them to handle. Nothing they did could get the machines to stop going out of whack. It wasn’t long until a gigantic snowball shot itself from the factory from Cloudsdale and was hurling down onto everyone nearby down below.
“Everybody, look out!" Kion shouted to everyone as he focused his eyes with the storm clouds forming so he can use the Roar on it. When the snowball was just seconds away from landing, he unleashed it’s power on it. The Roar managed to stop the giant snowball in it’s place but not without gently and evenly spreading it’s snow all over Ponyville.
Unfortunately, for Twilight and Rainbow just when they arrived by their friend’s side, Kion’s breath gave thus leaving the still big snowball hurling down and crashing down upon them, creating a gigantic bomb-like explosion that left everything around with a big white blanket of snow all across Ponyville.
Thankfully, nopony was hurt. The impact left no damage, after all it was all just harmless snow that had covered their entire town. Ponies and Pride Landers popped out of the snow, shaking the flakes off of their heads, completely unharmed.
The Lion and Pony Guard all popped their heads up as well, and while they weren't injured, the impact left them feeling pretty dazed, thanks to the snow itself being soft. Both Kion and Twilight popped their heads first, groaning with the others following suit, starting with Bunga and Pinkie Pie.
“Oh, ouch! I hit my head on something.”
“Me too!”
Just then two more heads appeared which happened to be both the cheetah and lioness’s.
“Yeah my head!”
“And mine too!”
Pinkie giggled while Bunga chuckled.
“My bad.”
“Sorry.”
Rainbow emerged from the snow, shaking the snow off of her body before turning her attention to her pet after doing a little digging around. She managed to find him and is thankfully unharmed since he managed to duck his head and legs under his shell.
"You okay, Tank?"
Tank yawned once again, which only served as a painful statement from reality. Winter is here, Tank is going to have to hibernate and there is nothing she can do.
"Rainbow Dash!" Kion and the others rushed over to her just when the blue Pegasus starting feeling ill inside with her vision blurring out from the hard impact of snow she took to the head. "Are you alright?"
“No.” She replied rather devastated and defeated before passing out from her injuries.
Sometime later, thanks to her friends, she was able to recuperate in her home in Cloudsdale. She is now wearing her sleeping robes, where all she could do was snuggle with Tank in her bed. The tortoise was getting sleepier and sleepier by the minute. Winter had arrived in Ponyville and winter was already happening, and there was no stopping it, no matter how hard Rainbow tried, she knew that now. She tried to fight off her natural instincts, but it was to no avail.
The door opened and her friends walked in with the sole exception of Pinkie Pie who literally walked through the wall with Bunga deciding to follow in after her.
"Knock, knock!"
“Enter, enter!”
“Oops!”
“We’re already in!”
“Anyways…” Fuli said before moving to stand beside the depressed pony in bed. “…How are you feeling, Rainbow Dash?"
"Whatever…" She responded still with her back turned.
In an attempt to cheer her up, Fuli continued speaking. “In case you’re worried, they were able to fix whatever damage was done back there.”
“Yeah! They cut you some slack! No harm, no foul!” Bunga cheerfully added. Sadly it didn’t even get much of a reaction from the despondent pony. "Really! Nobody’s got a feather to pick with you.” Still didn’t get an upbeat reaction from the blue pony.
"The poor thing looks so sad!" Rarity commented as she turned to Beshte. “Just what are we going to do?”
“I don’t think there’s anything we can do.” Beshte could only say in response before giving it a try himself. “But I’m sure that you can find it in yourself to cheer up. It’ll be okay. Really.”
Applejack agreed before moving. “Yeah, buck up, Sugarcube. You just ain't yourself these days.”
But even with the strongest support still got the same despondent response in return. “Whatever...”
“Uh, how can I say this tactfully...?” Rarity said before sticking with… “You've lost your sparkle, Rainbow Dash.”
Pinkie chimed in with regretful choice words herself. “I hate to say this, but, well... you've become...!” She then said in a hushed and pained tone. “A party pooper!”
At that point Rainbow finally turned and responded rather angrily. “Didn't you hear me? I said 'whatever'. I don't know if you're here to cheer me up or what, but I'm fine.”
Twilight felt herself sigh inside before turning to Fluttershy, who knew what had to be said and one.
"Rainbow Dash, your winter is going to be...pet-less." Fluttershy said firmly and very bluntly to her friend.
Rainbow moved to sit up and looked at everyone in the room…then she ended up sobbing uncontrollably while holding pet close catching everyone by surprise. She wheezed, wailed, and cried all together, something that none of her friends ever seen before. Fluttershy, Kyoga and Twilight all remained perfectly unfazed as they watched Rainbow let out her bottled up emotions she had spent the entire day buried within.
“Gee Fluttershy, was that necessary?” Beshte asked feeling very surprised of her for doing so like that.
"Yes it was because she'll never get past this until she lets it all out." Fluttershy firmly replied.
“Truer words have never been spoken.” Kyoga agreed haven been there before as they watch their distraught friend sob and cry loudly. Seeing that she needs some gentle consoling Kyoga used her magic to move Applejack on over in her direction.
"Uh… it's okay." She started off trying to be tact with her choice words. "Tank'll come back in a few months."
"Months?!" Rainbow cried even louder as she held Tank closer, "I don't want him to go! I don’t want her to go!" she cried out loudly like a child, sobbing and crying even louder than before.
It was at that moment, Twilight realized there was a deeper meaning by what she meant by that, though Applejack was confused.
“By her as in who?”
“You know who!”
“Who?”
“Me…” Twilight said softly as she walked on over to sit beside Rainbow. “…this isn’t about just Tank. You’re also talking about me too aren’t you? The moment I crossed over to the dark side to the day I ran away and left all of you. That’s where it really hurts, isn’t it?”
Rainbow sobbed even harder thus proving that her deduction was correct, the silent look of regret from the alicorn’s face says it all with how much she hurt her friends from when she turned on them back then.
Ono looked on irritated when he glanced at both Twilight and Fluttershy. “Way to go you two! Now how do we get her to stop?"
"She's got to be about done by now." Fluttershy assured. "Can't be too much left in there." And while Rainbow Dash kept on crying, her sobbing was starting to tone down a little. "Feeling better?" She asked while sitting beside her just when Fuli moved to get off the bed so she can do so.
Rainbow sniffed. "Uh-huh." She stopped briefly before resuming her crying.
Twilight moved to embrace her friend by opening her arms. “Come here.” She offered her friend. Rainbow without hesitation buried her head into her chest while bawling her eyes out while Twilight rested her head on hers and rubbed her back with solemn closed eyes.
Fluttershy began to feel her own tears swelling up and forming her eyes too, due to having been reminded of the heartbreak from having to say goodbye to those who had to hibernate throughout the winter and various critter friends she lost along the way for her friend. "Oh, you poor, poor thing…" She ended up crying loudly much like her childhood friend.
Bunga’s eyes started to tear up too. "Ooh, I can't stand to see Fluttershy cry!" He said before joining in on the embrace.
Rarity began to tear up as well with her lips quivering, "Me neither!"
Pinkie was tearing up too. "It's just heart-wrenching!"
Even Ono couldn’t help teared up, "Aw, dang it! Now you got me doing it too!" He cried out before joining in on the group hug.
Everybody else was sobbing loudly minus Twilight, who was secretly shedding a fed small tears of her own, having already been there before.
Kion and Beshte looked on sadly while Applejack lowered her hat to her chest, and both Fuli and Kyoga looked on at the sight solemnly.
“What about you guys?” Kion asked while looking on sympathetically.
“We’re good, Kion.” Fuli said with no tears forming in her eyes.
"Same here." Kyoga shared feeling the same way.
"Nope." Applejack shook her head also in agreement with the two girls.
Kion moved to speaking to the crying cast. "Look, everybody, I know how hard it is to say goodbye—"
"I'm mostly sad because you're not sad!" Pinkie Pie sadly returned.
"Me?! What about them?"
"Applejack, Kyoga, and Fuli all cry on the inside, Kion!"
The country pony crossed her front right foreleg over her left, while both Fuli and Kyoga all kept straight faces.
“It’s true.”
“No question about that.”
“Same here.”
Rainbow Dash started to calm down now. "It's alright, Fluttershy. It's alright."
Everyone who was crying released Rainbow, giving her space, and smiling once they knew she was getting better while wiping away their tears too.
Applejack, on the other hand, was still a bit concerned. "You think she's done or just getting a third wind?" She asked Fuli.
“Judging from the way she looks, I’d think it’s safe to say she’s just about done.” She replied before turning to her speedy friend. “Are you, Rainbow Dash?”
Twilight was the only one who remained beside her even after breaking apart from the group hug. "I think so. I feel better. Really, I do." She looked towards the friend still by her side. "I'm sorry I didn’t listen to you, or Fluttershy, and Ono."
“It’s okay.” Twilight accepted it before returning it in kind. “If anything I should be the one saying I’m sorry. I should have known."
“No, what happened wasn't your fault. I knew that given what Scar put you through that you would need time to sort out your emotions, it was just I wasn’t so sure of if and when you’d ever come back. And when I came to see that Tank would be leaving, even for a few months, it just all was too much for me and I just overreacted and did what any desperate bad guy would do there.”
Twilight placed a hoof on her back. “Believe me when I tell you from personal experience, that’s understandable and I probably would have done the same thing if I was in your hooves.”
“Really?”
“No. At least not when comes to trying pulling things that are definitely impossible.”
“Well you know what they say…” Rainbow nervously chuckled. “…that there are times that the impossible is possible.”
Twilight nodded accepting that response. “True. True.”
Rainbow then managed to get out of bed. "Thanks, everybody and everypony. I don't know what I'd do without you." She turned to her pet who was now smiling at her. "Or him…" Rainbow and her beloved pet shared one final nose kiss as she finally accepted of what was to come no matter how heartbreaking it is for herself. "Oh, Tank... I'm sure gonna miss you."
With the first day of winter in Ponyville already here, many ponies were already enjoying what the new season has to offer. From snowboarding, ice skating, playing hockey, and having snowball fights, everyone was having a good time having fun together.
As for the Lion and Pony Guard (minus Rainbow Dash), they were all also in on the fun as Fuli, Kyoga, and Bunga all joined Spike in on ice-skating while Kion and Beshte were all having a snowball fight with Applejack and Pinkie Pie, while Ono watches from above.
Applejack tossed a snowball at Pinkie Pie, "Yee-haw!"
Pinkie landed on the ground and started making snow angels. "You think we could mess up winter every year? It's way less work!"
"Uh, I don't think Rainbow Dash could handle it." Twilight shook her head while turning to said pony arriving.
"Riding that entire season from Cloudsdale to Ponyville was pretty awesome." Rainbow Dash admitted while carrying Tank in her saddle bag. "I thought you guys might like to say goodbye to Tank. He's ready to hibernate."
Pinkie Pie gasped in delight. "Ooh, you're using the word! Oh, she's using the word!"
Twilight briefly turned to Ono. “Now she is ready.”
“Ready for what?”
“Ready to accept what is to come.”
“Oh.” Ono blinked upon realizing he just walked right into that. “Right. Coming to terms with the nature of tortoises for the winter season.”
Pinkie Pie smiled at Tank as she took this chance to say her goodbye. "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!"
"And I'll design him a very special suit just for the occasion, whichever one it ends up being." Rarity added.
“I’m sure he’ll like it.”
“I’m glad you’re feeling better.” Kyoga expressed with a warm smile.
“Me too.”
Rainbow moved to find a nice tree for Tank to hibernate, and once she found the perfect tree she dug a hole for her pet to sleep in. Everybody watched as Tank slowly approached the hole and made himself comfortable inside it.
"So, you really wanna do this hibernating thing, huh?" Rainbow asked. Tank who nodded in yes response. Even though it was tough, Rainbow too knew this was for the best. Everyone’s health comes first. As Tank got ready to sleep, all of his friends wished him well.
First Rarity. "Goodbye, Tank."
Next up Bunga. “See ya in the spring and don’t let the snow bugs bite.” Ono shook is head in response even when it was just a joke.
Then Fluttershy. "Happy winter."
Then Fuli. “Sleep tight, Tank, and be strong.”
Then Applejack. "See you later, little feller."
Then Ono. “Sleep well.”
Then Beshte. “Have a good winter’s sleep.”
Then Pinkie Pie. "Have a good sleep, Tank!"
Then Kyoga. "Look forward to seeing when you wake up, champ."
And then Kion. “Goodbye, Tank.”
And finally Twilight, "We'll miss you!"
The turtle smiled one last time before moving the dirt and hiding underneath it with the snow covered it up. His long winter sleep had just begun.
Twilight and Kion reassured Rainbow Dash as she cried some more that it’s not for the rest of her life. Rainbow by then had finally come to terms with it and she has learned to be happy for her pet no matter how hard it was for her to let him.
Once Tank had gone to sleep, everyone continued having fun in the snow together. But Twilight noticed that Rainbow was not accompanying them.
"Well? Ready for some winter fun?"
"Uh, I'm gonna hang here and read to him a bit. That little guy can never get to sleep without a bedtime story." Rainbow politely declined as she sat beside Tank's hole and took out a book. "I'll be right there."
Twilight smiled proudly as she left with her friends, Kion smiled in agreement. "It won’t be long until spring comes around.”
“It sure won’t.” Twilight nodded before thinking of something that came to mind.
“What is it, Twilight?” Kion asked curiously wondering when she stopped smiling.
“I don’t know, Kion. It’s just something didn’t quite seem like an accident back there.”
“At the factory?”
“Yes.” She thought back and recalled to how Tank wound up causing the explosion back there and remembered sparks of magic responsible for that.
“You sure it wasn’t just one of the lightning jars getting loose on its own?”
“I’m sure.” She remembered said jar that had a blue lightning bolt matched one to an aura of magic she had seen once before. “We should probably keep an extra eye while on patrol.”
“Good idea, Twilight.” Kion agreed without hesitation taking her word for it, having the same gut feeling that his alicorn friend is having. “Rainbow and Ono would be more than happy to especially since Starlight is lurking around.”
“And is out for our blood.” Twilight added while trying to understand her motives from stripping cutie marks and talents off of others to be willing to commit murder.
Surely, there has to be more to it because if Starlight wanted her dead then she would have already done it by now and there would be no way she just suddenly decided to sink to malicious new lows.
But for her it is to be discovered in time before she and the others moved to join their friends playing in the snow along with making a snowman.
Unbeknownst to her the answer to that question is true given with the unicorn herself is currently meeting with Scar in the fiery flesh himself.
“Twilight just managed to escape along with Rainbow Dash. My apologies Scar.” Starlight said with a humble and somewhat fearful bow with Ushari and the skinks standing by her side awaiting their master’s response.
Scar however was willing to let it slide given she was told not to personally engage back there. “Don’t worry Starlight, there will be more chances later on, but for now we can our eyes open and prey upon the next opportunity that comes to us. Keep reporting alongside the skinks and there is bound to be another chance to pounce on our enemies soon enough.” Starlight respectfully bowed before taking her leave with Ushari and the skinks sticking behind so they can speak with Scar themselves.
“So Scar, what may I ask what’s coming next?” Ushari curiously asked.
“Something that’ll ruin Princess Twilight’s life both here in Equestria and the Pride Lands. Something unfortunate. Something big. Something that is…plainly unforgivable.”
Ushari still remained dubious about the unicorn himself. “And you really think she’ll go through with it? I mean it’s not like her to be a willing accomplice for murder.”
“Yeah.” Njano spoke up in agreement. “I mean don’t get me wrong but, we’re talking about scorched earth here, literally. We’d be hurting her really bad. And by the end of it nobody would ever see her nor want to associate with ever again.”
“And not to mention that one simple order is the only thing standing between her and being on her deathbed.” Shupavu added. “Think maybe it’s better that one of us goes over and do it ourselves?”
“I’m sure.…” Scar assertively stated his stance on the matter. “…because if we were to do it now, then everyone would rallying against us after assuming one of their beloved heroes death is our doing. Thus setting us up for war that we are unprepared for.”
“Right, of course.” Ushari now understood the pragmatic reasons behind it. “Without our close followers, you would be powerless to take action.”
“Correct, Ushari.” Scar nodded once more. “And by hitting her where it really hurts, she won’t be able to want to rule Equestria or be allowed to show face around here ever again without drawing everyone’s attention towards us.”
“So you want to destroy Twilight’s reputation before we decide to go after her?” Shupavu asked after figuring where he is heading with this.
“Along with helping keep an eye on the situation at all times?” Njano added.
“Yes. And since I already planted the seeds in Kion’s mind, this is only the beginning.”
“Including our murderous ally?” Ushari asked referring to Starlight.
Scar remained certain in his faith towards her. “Of course, Ushari. Of course. With all things considered, I’m pretty sure that I can convince Starlight into helping us. And knowing her I pretty sure she’ll want to ensure that one of their valuable allies is a disgraced figure to be obscured, permanently!”
As Scar smirked ready to continue putting this plan in action the others also smirked ready to follow him every step of the way.