//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: Mending a Broken Rainbow // by malikvamp //------------------------------// Mending a Broken Rainbow- Chapter Eight Rainbolt sat alone in her room at the Wonderbolt Stadium, as she had grown accustomed to over the last several days. She was there, at the very center of her dreams, so why... why had she spent the last several hours laying in her bed, with a photograph laid out before her. A photograph of a perky orange earth pony, showing off a pearly smile. "Rainbolt?" the door to the star's room creaked loudly, allowing a bright stream of light to pierce the lair's darkness. "Rainbolt, can I come in?" "Yeah." Spitfire didn't hesitate to push her way through the doorway, and flip on the closest light switch, forcing Rainbolt to cover her eyes as they adjusted. The dark yellow pegasus approached the bed cautiously. "What's up with you lately?" Spitfire continued forward. "I've hardly seen you outside practice. Are you doing alright?" "I... I don't know," Rainbolt, eyes adjusted, pulled back her hooves to reveal a set of teary eyes. "I'm confused." "About what?" the fiery pegasus lifted herself onto the bed, and scooted up beside Rainbolt. "Maybe I can help?" Rainbolt remained quiet for a moment, continuing to stare at her picture of Applejack. However, she knew that nothing good could come of simply sitting there silently. She had to say something, anything, or Spitfire would never leave her alone. With a heavy sigh, the athletic half of Rainbow Dash spoke. "I'm here. I'm a Wonderbolt. It's everything I ever wanted, so why..." Rainbolt placed the photograph in front of Spitfire. "Why do I still miss her? Why do I still wonder how she is doing?" Rainbow turned her gaze upward, expecting a look of understanding, or support from her hero. Instead, a full-toothed grin filled the captain's face. "Awww," Spitfire giggled. "You're in love with her!" "What?! No, I'm not!" "Yes," Spitfire punched Rainbolt's arm to shut her up. "You are. Maybe not with being with her, or spending time with her, but you love her. She's part of who you are." "But..." An image of Dashie floated into Rainbolt's head. It was Dashie who was supposed to be in love with Applejack, not Rainbolt! No, she was to become the next amazing Wonderbolt, and lead a life separate from the farm girl that still haunted so many of her thoughts. Why was nothing going as planned... Spitfire spoke up again, pulling Rainbolt from her thoughts. "Did I ever tell you why I joined the Wonderbolts? Or Soarin? Or the rest of our team?" "No," Rainbolt questioned where this was going. "Why did you join?" "I wanted to join to show the world what I'm made of. I wanted to prove that nothing could stand in my way. Soarin? He did it for his family; wanted to prove that even a young filly from a poor background could rise to the top." "I don't see what this has to do with me though," Rainbolt sighed. "My dream," Spitfire continued, ignoring Rainbolt's statement. "Is based in my love for performance. Being a Wonderbolt would mean nothing to me without the audience! The cheers, and the smiles, and all of the little fillies out there who want to grow up to be just like me one day. Soarin's dream is based on his family. He loves what he does because he knows his family comes to every show, and he strives to make them proud." "So..." "So," Spitfire nudged Rainbolt in the ribs. "Let me ask you, why are you here? Who are you trying to impress?" "I-" Rainbolt stopped, her eyes falling upon the sweet emerald orbs in the photograph before her. "Oh." It wasn't that Rainbolt was in love with Applejack; that much she was sure of. The reason the cyan pegasus wanted to see Applejack so badly was something deeper, and more profound. She didn't want to hold the farm pony tight, or lock lips romantically under a setting sun. It was never Rainbolt's dream to hear Applejack say that she loved the pegasus. All that Rainbolt wanted was to hear the simple words, 'Good job, Sugarcube.' After all, it was true that Dashie and Rainbolt represented two separate loyalties, but the one thing they forgot was that both Dashie's dream of living a happy, romantic life, and Rainbolt's end goal of being the most beloved flier in all of Equestria, originated from the same place. Wanting to make Applejack proud. --------------------- The Wonderbolt's stadium exploded with excitement and cheering one hour ago, and not once had it faltered since. If anything, the roars and cries only grew in volume with each passing minute. The open-roofed stadium had happily accepted the glossy blue sky above for quite some time, allowing sunlight to filter about the audience, though the vast sky had just begun to morph into darker shades of the night. With one final explosion of fireworks, and fancy aerial maneuvering, the performing pegasi pulled their show to an end. As the crowd began to disperse, two ponies remained seated. One an orange farm pony, hidden beneath the brim of her signature stetson; the other a cyan pegasus that mimicked the newest addition to the stadium team. Quietly they waited, watching as one by one those around them disappeared, until only they remained, basking in the moonlight. Applejack spoke first, a worried scowl visible. "Are ya sure ya want to do this, Sugarcube? Ah understand that it's a lot for me t' ask..." "Not at all," Dashie rose, erecting her wings into the chilly night air. "If you feel this will give us a better chance at saving the complete me, then I'll do it. Although, it would probably be better if you weren't here when it starts, just in case." "Ah know," Applejack sighed. "Ah'll be at the palace, waiting. Just promise me you'll come back okay, Ah couldn't stand loosin' the both of you." "Promise." With a quick peck on the cheek, Applejack made her departure. The stadium suddenly felt very lonely. Dashie patiently waited, eyes scanning all around her, waiting for the last of the audience to disappear behind the stadium wall. Once they were all gone, Dashie made her move. Her heart beat picked up quickly in anticipation of what was to come. The pegasi's plan, carefully plotted and even more delicately put into motion, sat on the balance of the tip of a knife. One wrong move, and she was doomed. Slowly Dashie began to rise into the air, distancing herself from the stadium seating and making her way to the centre of the green field of grass below. As she neared the soft earth, the flood lights that had kept the performers illuminated after the sun fell clicked off, one by one. Within seconds Dashie was surrounded in darkness, her ears filled only by the sound of a beating heart. By now Rainbolt would have made it back to her room, and upon her return discovered a small message, written in cyan ink and left on her bed. The note, of course, hoof delivered by Dashie herself during the show, would demand her quick return to the stadium, where Dashie now awaited. Statue still the fearful pegasus waited, contemplating the consequence of her actions. "Dashie?" the voice echoed through the stadium, accompanied by silver rays of moonlit as they penetrated the cloud cover. "What are you doing here? Where is Applejack?" The voice came from behind the now shaking Dashie, who hastily turned to the one addressing her, eyes focused to her own hooves. "Rainbolt," Dashie made eye contact. For a moment neither moved, the two halves of Rainbow Dash mirroring each other. Two wide sets of glassy eyes, challenging the other to so much as blink. "Look," Dashie put a hesitant step forward. "We need to talk. Applejack sent me to-" "Applejack sent you?" Rainbolt spoke acid, making her own hasty advance into the stadium field. "Why not just come herself!" "B-because you and I need to talk." "Yeah," Rainbolt quickened into a trot. "We do!" The Wonderbolt closed the distance between the two faster then Dashie anticipated, and in a single deadly swipe Rainbolt swung a hoof at her blood sister, the weaker pegasus just barely rolling out of the way. Coming out of the dodging tumble, Dashie shot Rainbolt a horrified expression. "What are you doing!?" "You ruined everything!" again Rainbolt swung, this time connecting cleanly into Dashie's side, sending her skidding across the stadium floor. Dashie's plan was not going as well as she hoped. Struggling, the cyan pegasus stood, coughing heavily several times. "What are you-" A second crack of pain erupted through Dashie's rib cage as she once again tumbled across the grass. Definitely not going as planned. "Two loyalties," Rainbolt spat as she approached the limp silhouette in the night. "Two separate paths. So why, why do I still love her! Why did Applejack choose you over me!" As Rainbolt neared for her third assault Dashie's wings blasted out from her sides, carrying her into the sky. The air felt colder then before, forcing Dashie's muscles to fight just to stay airborne. "Wait!" Dashie pleaded. "Listen to me!" "I hate you!" Rainbolt exploded into the air, quick after her target. It was true that words could hurt worse then wounds, especially when it was one's other half saying them. Dashie's heart twisted inside her chest, the very idea of fighting with Rainbolt causing her to feel sick. Dashie looked up to the Wonderbolt, and loved her as she did herself. Rainbolt didn't seem to share the feelings. With a sickening crunch the two collided, Rainbolt capturing Dashie in her grasps. "Dammit, 'cough', listen to me!" Dashie swung out instinctually, slamming three consecutive hooves into Rainbolt's chest, forcing the Wonderbolt to the ground. "You're wrong!" "It," Rainbolt struggled to a standing position. "Is," her wings shot out like bullets into the cold night air. "On." "Uh-oh." Dashie turned quickly, propelling herself into the sky, and away from the bloodthirsty Rainblot. Immediately Rainbolt fell into pursuit, her powerful wings gaining speed with each consecutive burst until the wind began to cone before her. Several times the Wonderbolt fired in Dashie's direction, each time Dashie dodging by only a hair, all the while gaining altitude. Finally, as Rainbolt prepared for another assault, Dashie stopped, and began a free fall. "You're not getting away from me!" Rainbolt's threat echoed through the stadium as she turned, and fired herself down towards the Earth. Faster. She just had to go faster. A little faster, and- A thunderous explosion filled the night as Rainbolt broke into a Sonic Rainboom, deadly and hate filled. And yet, it wasn't enough. Seeing only red, she attempted to keep excelling, to capture her prey. Then, at the last moment, just as Rainbolt's hooves were about to close in around her twin, Dashie turned and dodged out of the way, just in time to avoid being caught... And to avoid hitting the stadium floor. Rainbolt, in her rage-filled burst of speed, was not so fortunate as to have the time to stop. CRACK!! Rainbolt's form liquified against the ground below, with enough force to blast away the dirt and create a small crater. By the time the dust cleared, it was clear that Rainbolt wasn't getting up again. Dashie stood still several hooves away, her heart having stopped for a moment. Before recognition of what had happened fully registered, stream of salty tears already ran hot across her cyan cheeks. Her body seized, un-able to move, her thoughts rushing by too fast to be tangible. It seemed as if a lifetime of pain and fear flashed through her mind before she was finally able to move, and yet she had made it to Rainbolt's twisted form before the dust had settled. "NO!" Dashie crashed against her other half, forcing Rainbolt into a strong embrace. "NO! YOU CAN'T DIE!!" The pegasus's cries rang out through the stadium, begging, demanding an answer, but none came. "Rainbolt?" Dashie whispered between heavy sobs into the Wonderbolt's ear. "Please... Rainbolt... Answer me!!" Her mind buzzing and eyesight blurred with tears, Dashie didn't know what to do. She rose from her spot, and began shaking her twin's corpse violently. "You can't die!" she screamed, her voice cracking in pain. "You can't die! You can't die!" Her words slurred as she yelled, transforming into incoherent blurbs of a broken heart. Rainbow Dash had seen many a deaths in her life. It was a part of life, coming and going, and many a times she had been burdened to bury a friend. But this was different. It wasn't just a loss of life... It was like watching herself die, and knowing there was nothing she could do to stop it. "You..." Dashie's voice fell to a whisper as her body fell onto Rainbolt's like a blanket, keeping the icy night it away. Keeping her warm. "...can't die..."