The early morning rays of the sun had always had a mesmerizing effect on the cloudominium. Because of its structure, the light of day would pierce through the vapor-based walls of the house, making it seem like it was glowing. This was especially evident in the morning, where the rising sun hit the house at just the right angle.
On this particular morning, sunbeams shone through the window in Rainbow Dash’s bedroom, gently stirring the pegasus from her sleep. Rainbow groaned as she rolled over in bed, eventually sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She eased her eyes open, looking out the window to the clear blue sky of Equestria.
It was then Rainbow realized that it was morning. Her eyes widened. It was morning time.
She had managed to sleep for the entire night. No waking up in the middle of the night. No nightmares. No sounds. Just a single, prolonged, dreamless sleep.
Rainbow almost let out a cheer, stopping short because of her sore throat. Instead, she began to laugh. The first heartfelt, genuine laugh she had made in a while. A joyful laugh that came from a place of disbelief.
Was it over? Was it finally over?
Whether it was just for a moment or if it was forever, Rainbow didn’t care. She hugged herself, she could rest, she could forget about the whole thing.
“Tank!” Rainbow yelled out, climbing over the bed banister, “I didn’t have any nightmares! I think it's finally over!” She stopped. The place where he usually sat in her room was empty. The tortoise was nowhere to be seen.
Rainbow paused for only a moment. Tank had probably gone back downstairs as the preceding night went on.
Her body rejuvenated and her wings renewed, Rainbow took no time to speed downstairs, taking extra time to perform a series of loops in the front entrance, before dashing over to Tank’s little nook.
However, it was empty too. Rainbow’s jovial attitude began to fade away as quickly as it came as the realization began to hit her. Tank’s blanket lay crumpled on the ground. The lettuce Rainbow had placed the previous night remained untouched in his food bowl. Even his little propeller remained untouched, leaning against the cloudy wall.
Rainbow looked around the nook, “Tank? You here buddy?” She looked underneath the blanket, underneath the food bowl, but still nothing. “Is this about the other night?” Rainbow asked, her voice getting a bit shakier.
Was he holding a grudge? She had assumed he had forgiven her; he had even remained at her bedside that entire night. And in the ensuing day, Rainbow had made sure to give him extra treats, even one of the pies that he loved to munch on.
“Tank?” Rainbow called out again, sweeping into the front entrance. There was, of course, no response.
A growing sense of unease began to flutter in Rainbow’s stomach as her casual concern began to steadily grow. She flew through every room of the cloudominium, looked under every chair, sofa, and trophy. Slowly but surely, her search became more desperate as Rainbow began to errantly knock over objects, looking for her beloved pet.
Soon whatever happiness Rainbow might have held was gone. The cloudy walls of the house, which glowed in the morning sunlight, which mere minutes ago had been a sign of brighter days ahead now seemed to mock her.
Tank. Who had remained a steadfast presence for Rainbow’s entire plight, the loyal tortoise who was Rainbow’s source of companionship.
Tank was gone.
Like with the other occasions when Rainbow had visited a friend, she remained still, spread out on the couch in the living area. She glanced up at Fluttershy, who, like the others previously, was preparing a spot of refreshments for their rainbow maned guest.
Rainbow had gone out to Fluttershy’s cottage for multiple reasons, to inform her friend about Tank’s disappearance, to find comfort in someone familiar, but mainly just to cope with the sudden lurch in her life.
“Don’t worry Rainbow,” Fluttershy said reassuringly as she gently flew up to Rainbow’s side, “I’m sure Tank is fine. The others are out looking for him right now, we’ll find him in no time!”
Rainbow grumbled, looking away from Fluttershy. The others were helping to look for Tank outside. Fluttershy had also offered to have Discord come and help, but Rainbow refused.
“What if he doesn’t want to be found?” she said.
“Pardon?”
“You know!” Rainbow waved her front hooves in the air, “That whole thing! Where I- ugh. I mean that- what if he didn’t forgive me for it? What if he ran away on purpose?”
“You know Tank isn’t like that, he wouldn’t leave you for an accident during this- um, emotional time for you. Maybe he just needed some time to himself, like if he needed to hibernate again.”
“Hibernate?” Rainbow suddenly blurted out, “Do you even know what time of the year it is? He would not be hibernating now!”
Taken aback, but remaining collected, Fluttershy brushed aside her mane, “I know, I was just trying to make you feel better.”
Rainbow sighed, rubbing her sore throat, “I know I know, I just- It’s just that I’m a freaking mess right now.”
“Oh Rainbow,” Fluttershy cooed, ”You’re not a mess, you’re just going through a difficult time right now. Everypony has one sometimes.”
“Yeah, but you seem fine now,” Rainbow responded, “And I don’t see anypony else freaking out or having nightmares or any of the other crap I’ve been dealing with!”
Fluttershy raised an eyebrow, “Rainbow, you of all ponies should know that I’ve been through some emotional times as well. And you know that I ‘freaked out’ as well,” she paused, taking hold of Rainbow’s hoof, “I seem fine now because I had my friends to help me, and that's what I’m asking you now. We’re your friends Rainbow, we’re here for you, no matter what.”
Rainbow straightened up. She blinked, contemplating for a moment, “Yeah, you’re right Flutters. You all keep saying I should accept your help, that you're here for me. But I keep ignoring you, and I don’t even know why! It's time I stop putting it off and tell Twilight myself.”
Fluttershy gave Rainbow a confused look, “Um, I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
“I mean this,” Rainbow corrected, pulling out the silver mirror, “Twilight gave this to me, and I told her I would use it, but I just haven’t. And with the way things are going now, and with what you said, I realized I should actually use this.”
“So, what does it do?” Fluttershy asked, sitting down next to Rainbow.
A weak precursory smile crossed Rainbow’s lips, “It can contact Twilight,” she pressed the large, purple gem embedded in the handle, “Like this.” The purple gem began to glow in a faint pink color much like Twilight’s. The glow then spread across the whole body of the mirror.
Fluttershy reacted with intrigue as the glassy face of the mirror began to glow and shake. The shaking made Rainbow unwittingly retract her snout, in case the mirror would explode. But it didn’t explode, instead the pegasus saw her reflection disappear from the glass, replaced with the image of a room in Canterlot castle.
Both pegasi leaned in to get a better view through the magical mirror. It was like looking through a window, where the view was into another place. And in that place was Twilight, who was, of course, busy doing more princess work, sitting in a chair, huddled over a large, ornate book.
Twilight didn’t seem to notice them in whatever method the mirror was contacting the castle with, leaving Fluttershy and Rainbow looking through the mirror in silence for a few moments, the only sound being the princess’s rummaging through the book. It was an odd situation, for the sound was slightly muffled, further reinforcing the sensation of watching someone through a glass window.
Eventually, Spike walked into view, entering the room from the side. He took immediate notice of the mirror.
“Uh Twilight?” He leaned in close to the mirror, tapping a claw on the glass, “Somepony’s here to see you.”
“Hm?” Twilight slightly turned to look behind her. Her eyes widened as she noticed the mirror, or more specifically, the ponies behind it. Twilight jumped out the chair to attention, “Oh! Rainbow! How long have you been there?”
Rainbow snickered, “Long enough to know that you’re not used to magical communication.”
“Well, I didn’t know you’d contact me at this time!” The flustered alicorn answered, spreading her wings. She stopped and turned away for a second, “I really should have added some kind of warning mechanism for it.”
“Like stomach gas!” Spike suggested.
Pretending she didn’t hear him, Twilight turned back around, flattening her wings to regain her composure, “Anyways. Hello Rainbow Dash. Hello Fluttershy. How are you two doing?”
Fluttershy gave a timid wave. “Hi.”
“First of all, I’m sorry I didn’t contact you earlier, I just- I’ve just been having a hard time and all. And secondly Twilight, I have both good news and bad news.”
Twilight’s expression shifted to one of concern, “Bad news? Did you have another dream?”
“Actually no,” Rainbow corrected, “that’s the good news. Last night I had no bad dreams. I think nightmares won’t be a problem any longer!”
“That’s great Rainbow!” Twilight exclaimed with a series of hooftaps, “I’m happy that you’re okay.”
“I’m not entirely okay,” interjected Rainbow, “That’s the bad news. You see,” she stopped, pausing to force the words out of her throat, “Tank’s missing.”
“What? Tank’s missing?” asked Spike, who was crouched on the ground and leaning into the mirror, for wherever the mirror led, it seemed to be close to the floor.
Meanwhile Twilight took a step closer to the mirror, “That’s terrible! Do you need help? I can come over to Ponyville if you want- I’m sure I have a spell that can help.”
“No, no,” Rainbow politely declined, rubbing the bridge of her snout with her wing, “You have important princess stuff to do, and the others are already helping.”
Fluttershy snapped to attention, “Oh yes! The others are already looking for him. Applejack’s looking all over Sweet Apple Acres, Rarity’s combing the edge of the Everfree Forest, and Pinkies covering everywhere else in Ponyville! I’m certain we’ll find Tank in no time!”
“See? It’s all handled here, nothing to worry about. It’s just unfortunate timing. That’s all.”
“If you say so,” Twilight answered with uncertainty, “I just hope that this combined with your dreams isn’t having a negative effect on you.”
“Nah!” Rainbow scoffed, plastering a nonchalant smirk on her face, “I already told you, the dreams are over. In fact, I’m already feeling better! Better than ever! I’m the calmest pony ever!” Rainbow spread her wings, blocking out Fluttershy’s face.
Fluttershy pushed the wing out of the way, “Relax Rainbow, you don’t need to prove anything to anypony.”
“I know that!” Rainbow declared, “I’m just saying that I’m like- super chill. Chilled out. The chillest I’ve ever been.” As she said this she leaned back on the couch, crossing her legs in a smooth motion. Fluttershy narrowed her eyes, uncertain of what to think about the pegasus’s sudden mood change, before turning back to the mirror.
“So uh, Twilight, how’s it going? Doing anything interesting?”
Twilight sighed, “Not much. Unless you find adjusting the tax rates of subsections of Whinnyapolis interesting.” She magically floated a paper document full of tables off the pile on her desk and through the air.
Spike grabbed the paper, adding it to another identical pile of papers, “Spoiler, it isn’t.”
Fluttershy smiled, “Well aside from the whole Tank business, nothing much is happening back here. So um, I guess we can call you if something more important happens.”
Twilight nodded, “Yes, contact me if you find Tank!”
Fluttershy nodded as well before she turned to Rainbow, who had spread herself across the couch like a spilled drink, “Um, Rainbow, how do you turn off the mirror?”
“You simply just press the gemstone again,” answered Twilight, pointing a hoof indirectly at the mirror.
“Wait!” Rainbow bolted up, making Fluttershy leap back in alarm, “Before you go Twilight, I have something else I want to say.”
Twilight looked at Rainbow through the mirror expectedly.
Rainbow sighed, her mood shifting to that of shame, “So Twilight, I would like to apologize.”
“Apologize for what?”
“How I acted the other day. In the castle I mean. I shouldn’t have lashed out at you like that and left so suddenly. I just- I don’t know.”
Twilight nodded, “It’s okay Rainbow, I didn’t know the rainbow plague made you feel that way. I wouldn’t have taken you down there if I knew it would cause you distress.”
Rainbow waved a hoof, “Well I’m the one who insisted on going down there. So let me take the blame for that whole thing and forgive each other.”
After a moment, Twilight let out a reassuring breath, giving Rainbow a sympathetic smile, “If that’s what you want Rainbow. Well, me and Spike have things to do, so I guess this is goodbye. But be sure to update me if anything happens!”
Rainbow pressed the gem, making the mirror shimmer and shake yet again. The image of Twilight and Spike waving goodbye vanished, replaced by the silvery reflections of the two pegasi once more.
Fluttershy leaned over to Rainbow, “So, are you feeling okay Rainbow?”
Rainbow blew a raspberry as she collapsed back on the couch again, “Yeah. I’m feeling a lot better than before.” Rainbow thought to herself. She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to feel.
Better? Worse?
The mixed emotions clogged up her already backed up brain. Eventually she sat up, flapping her wings affirmatively, “Speaking of feeling better, I should get going back to my place. Catch up on some shuteye and all that.”
“If you want to,” agreed Fluttershy as she flew back over to the kitchen area of the cottage, “I’m not going to stop you.”
Rainbow looked back as she walked to the door, “Thanks Flutters. Don’t forget to tell me if anything comes around with Tank.”
“Certainly. And Rainbow?”
Rainbow stopped and looked back again. Fluttershy glanced over with an almost embarrassed expression, “The next time you call Twilight, could you ask her if she could make some more mirrors. It was nice being able to talk to her.”
Rainbow replied with an appreciative smile, “Sure thing.”
Rainbow Dash opened her eyes.
She was on the ground. The familiar feeling of soreness in her body had returned. And looking around, she saw that she had returned to the place she had never wanted to go to again. All around her was a darkness, a black void like in many of the other previous dreams. The landscape of her mind.
A numbness trickled up her legs as Rainbow began to fret. The last thing she remembered; she had sat down to read more of the The Iris Infestation. When had she fallen asleep?
Rainbow looked around. “Tank? You around here somewhere buddy?” She was in denial. She thought it was over. It was over. She was sure of it.
But these ideas were quickly disproven when a sound rang out through the inky void. A raspy, cold laugh that sent chills down Rainbow’s spine.
It was the voice. It didn’t sound quite the same as before, but Rainbow had no doubt of who it belonged to. The queen, the thing who plagued her dreams previously.
Rainbow whirled around, looking for the queen’s presence in the darkness, where she usually lurked in these dreams. “You. Where are you?”
“You didn’t think it’d be that easy, did you?” declared the queen, “That a few friendly talks and turtle cuddles would get rid of us?”
Rainbow glared into the void, “Well yeah, I don’t even know what this is, what did you expect me to do?”
“Tsk tsk tsk,” clucked the queen, “Foolish Rainbow. It isn’t time for you to know what I am. You have to accept help first. Help from us.”
Rainbow didn’t know where the queen was, not this time. Now the voice seemed to mockingly swirl around her head. But Rainbow ignored this. Gritting her teeth, Rainbow sneered at the shadows, “Why do I even bother talking to you? You’re not even real! You’re just a thing in my head! My imagination! I don’t care what you do! Throw your stupid hallucinations at me! I can take them!”
“Maybe. But you know that I know that you can’t handle them. Even though they’re just your own memories. Nothing real, all in your mind, including me. After all, I am a memory myself, wouldn't you agree?”
Rainbow scrunched her nose, “What are you talking about?”
“My dear Rainbow; don’t be dense. If you accept that I’m not real, you do realize what that means about Tank.”
“What? He’s gone on his own. He’s just lost or something. Unless- you. What did you do to Tank?” Rainbow’s words filled with fervor as she looked around into the unchanging void.
“I know deep down you know it as well,” the queen’s voice got close, hissing right into Rainbow’s ear, “If I am not real, then that means it’s your fault. It’s all you. You’re the one in charge, but you’re out of control. Tank is gone because of you.”
Because of you.
You.
It was her fault.
Rainbow gasped, hitting her head on the chair as she bolted awake. Wiping away the drool from her mouth, she looked down. On her lap was the book, it was open to a page depicting a diagram of an iris grub queen.
Rainbow sniffed, beginning to breath heavily as the what the queen said cemented itself in her brain.
Her breathing was the only sound in the silent house. Tank was still gone. Rainbow was alone, alone with her thoughts, or memories, or whatever was in her dreams.
And whatever it was, whatever the queen was or doing, she was right. Rainbow knew, deep in her gut, that the queen was right. That’s how she felt.
And this made Rainbow angry.
She was angry that her dreams weren’t over, angry at the queen for being right, angry at herself for being a complete fool this past week, angry at Tank for leaving, angry at her friends for reasons she couldn’t even say. Rainbow was tired, tired of dreaming and definitely tired of the rainbow plague.
The stupid plague that she’d been obsessing over for no reason, that she had let herself dream about constantly. Rainbow looked down at the book. “Why did I even get you?” Rainbow muttered to herself as she looked over the page once more.
The illustrated queen on the page looked out at her. It seemed to mock her. Rainbow narrowed her eyes in disgust at the queen, “Why’d I do any of this?” With a swift motion, Rainbow clenched a hoof on the page, tearing it out and crumpling it.
She tossed it across the room onto the floor. “Why?” Rainbow snarled as she tore out another page. And another. And another. “Why?” Rainbow repeated as she tore out more and more pages from the book. The yellowed papers flew into the air as Rainbow attacked the book.
Why did she get it? What was she doing?
A flurry of emotions came out of Rainbow’s mouth as she let out a final scream of rage, hoisting the book over her head and heaving it across the room. The leather-bound book split down the middle as it collided with the floor, setting loose all the remaining pages within in an explosion of paper.
“Why?” Rainbow asked herself one last time, her blinking eyes stinging with tears as she looked vacantly at the book pages that slowly fell down and settled on the cloudy floor like freshly fallen snow. Breathing heavily, she collapsed on the ground, surrounded by the yellowed pages of the book she’d destroyed.
Rainbow felt dejected, tired, and refused to move her body. As papers began to rest on her back, Rainbow had no other option except to fall asleep once more.
And that night, she dreamed of the void, of the voice, of her memories, and the sound that went tch tch tch.