Dear Princess Celestia,
I haven't finished my lesson for today. I hope to show
Rainbow Dash a way to realize that she has more left
to accomplish in her life. "A friend in need is a friend
indeed." I can't stand by as a friend of mine is hurting.
Wish me luck on the task at hand.
Your Faithful Student,
Twilight Sparkle
* * * * *
The day was giving way unto night; very few ponies were left in the dimly lit bar. Rainbow Dash sat hunched over the counter on a stiff bar stool. She hung her head low to hide her shame. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face wet from the steady stream of tears.
"How could I have failed such a simple test?" Rainbow Dash thought to herself. She pushed the thought away when her eyes began to tear up again. She quickly wiped her eyes and nose then lifted a mug to her mouth and downed the rest of her cider.
"I'll have another..." Rainbow Dash said slowly. The bartender eyed her suspiciously, then proceeded to slide her another mug of cider. The door to the bar opened letting in what was left of the daylight. Rainbow Dash didn't bother to turn and look, she was too busy drowning her failure. The new customer sat down on the stool next to Rainbow Dash.
"I'll take a water." they said to the bartender.
The voice was familiar to Rainbow Dash--Possibly an a acquaintance of sorts. It sounded muffled and it proved difficult to hear through all the beverages in her system.
Unable to put a hoof on it, she tilted her head to catch a glimpse of the speaker. To Rainbow Dash's surprise, it was Twilight.
Rainbow Dash didn't bother to acknowledge her until she realized her friend wasn't going to leave anytime soon. "What do you want?" Rainbow Dash muttered as she turned back toward her mug. There was a long pause...
"I can't watch one of my friends throw their life away." Twilight stated. The bartender brought over a glass of water.
"Well I don't need--" Rainbow Dash replied as she took a big swig of her drink. "--anyone to help me right now."
Twilight seemed a bit taken back. She let out a sigh. "Dash... you need help from your friends, you just need to let--"
"NO!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she slammed her hoof on the counter. She quickly quaffed her cider and set the mug down with a thud. "Cider!" She yelled at the bartender. Her shouts distraught the other customers and they got up and left while murmuring under under their breath. Twilight put her hoof on Rainbow Dash's shoulder.
"You've had enough Dash." Twilight said to her friend. She didn't want to see her Rainbow Dash drink herself to death.
Rainbow Dash shrugged her hoof away. "Who are you... to t-tell me when I'm done?" She stammered.
"Look at you, you're completely inebriated!" Twilight scolded.
Rainbow Dash thought for a minute and blinked lazily. "Don't call me things I don't know the meaning of when I'm drunk." She finally replied. She looked back at the bartender. "Where's that cider!?" She called out. The bartender shook his head and proceeded to wipe down the counter.
"See Dash? You've had enough..." Twilight said, trying to speak calmly.
"Would you just leave?" Rainbow Dash gnashed as she tried to point her hoof at the entrance--it was pointing at the wall.
"I'm not leaving unless you walk out of here too."
"Just go..." Rainbow Dash said as she set her face on the counter.
Twilight picked up her water, waited a moment. "This is going nowhere fast" she thought to herself. She looked at her friend and contently replied. "no."
"yes!"
"no!"
Rainbow Dash was fed up with the argument. "Would you just leave me alone? Buck!" She yelled as she put her hoof around her mug and in her rage swung at her friend.
Twilight didn't even have time to react. The wooden mug struck Twilight across the temple. The wood cracked and let out a sickening crunch. Twilight fell backwards, her glass was let free of her hand, smashing across a table. Twilight's body slammed onto the hard ground and her limbs were tossed wildly. "mph..." Twilight groaned, as she became completely still. Rainbow Dash stood there breathing heavily. She waited for Twilight to get up, but her friend didn't move.
Blood began to pool around her friend. Rainbow Dash never meant to take it this far, she just wanted her friend to leave her alone. Rainbow Dash continued to watch in disbelief. "Get up Twi' !' She yelled at Twilight who only stared at the ceiling.
Rainbow Dash was getting very dizzy. She wasn't sure if it was from the drinks or all the thoughts that raced through her mind. She had just killed her best friend, and now she was going to be a... wanted mare. Rainbow Dash bolted out of the bar leaving the bartender in complete shock.
Rainbow Dash took flight. She could hear shouts from the bar in the distance. She dared not follow the main road in fear of the consequences that would ensue.
As she flew she could tell her normally flawless flying wasn't at its usually grace. Her vision was blurred and her flight drifted in its course. She was surprised she could still fly at this point.
The shouting was accompanied by more voices. She knew she had to leave, and fast. She turned toward the forest, it was the only place that nopony would dare to look for her. There was no time to think about what lie beyond the wall of trees. Rainbow Dash quickly turned toward the forest.
"Flying Feathers!" Rainbow Dash cursed as she entered the dense foliage. At the speed she was going she feared she might lose her life if she hit a tree head on. She continued dodging the thick branches. The light began to fade as she delved deeper into the forest.
Turning around to check for pursuers, Rainbow Dash was relieved to see that there were none. She turned her head back in time to see a branch clip her left wing, a sharp pain shot up her side as she was flipped around. Frantically she tried to regain her direction, but she was flung headlong into the forest floor below...
...Darkness.