//------------------------------// // Chapter 2- Generosity and Advice // Story: Quelling A Nightmare // by Pyrefly_91 //------------------------------// Quelling A Nightmare Generosity and Advice The next time I woke up was to the sounds of roosters crowing at the rising sun. I rolled over in bed and found that Dash was not laying beside me. No big surprise there. "Rainbow," I called out,sliding out from under the covers, "you ok?" "Yeah," I heard her call out from her bathroom, which, again, not that big of a surprise. "I'm just washing up, give me a second and then we can get going." "Don't rush, alright. We don't even know what we're doing today for work anyways." Just as nearly every night had Rainbow waking up, screaming bloody murder, the following mornings always can around with her in the bathroom, washing away dried tears and sweat from her face. And to make matters worse for me, I had to always pretend I didn't notice, but how in Equestria could I not, I loved her, and all this just ate away at me. It was just that RD and that stubborn pride of her's would always brush me off and shut me out the moment I would ask what's wrong. I had started to walk towards the bathroom to check on Dash when someone started banging on the front door. "Rainbow Dash!" yelled a certain googly eyed mail-pony. "You home Rainbow Dash! Hello! Rainbow Dash! Are you in there Rainbow Dash! Heeeeelllllllooooo? Rainbow Dash!" Instantly knowing who was at the door, I started to head downstairs, calling back to RD, "I go see what it is she wants. You just focus on getting ready." As I reached the bedroom door leading to the hallway and the stairs going down, I turned around to see Dash sticking her wet face out of the bathroom. Her eyes looked looked more sleep deprived than I have ever seen them. "Thanks," she simply replied. "I'm almost ready." "No problem, I'll be right back." With that, I casually flew downstairs and up to the front door. Once I got there, I cracked the door open just enough to let Derpy stick her head in, but not her whole body. "Oh, hello Pyrefly, is Rainbow Dash here? I have her assignment for the day." "Sorry, RD is busy. You can tell me and I'll let her know." "Oh, ok then. Can you tell Rainbow Dash that a request for a shower over Sweet Apple Acres has been issued. Applejack wants it to start at 10 o'clock sharp." "Thanks, how about me? What do I got today?" I asked the cross eyed pegasus. "Just a few drifters from over the Everfree Forest that needs breaking up. Should be easy for somepony as fast as you, ha Pyrefly?" "Yeah, cake. Thanks Derpy. Oh, and next time, three knocks and a two call maximum. We can't have you waking everypony up around here, alright?" "Ok, I'm sorry Pyrefly. I'll see you later, have a good day." After Derpy had left, I closed the door and started back upstairs, but I didn't make it far, cause Rainbow was on her way down. As she cantered down the stairway, I couldn't help but notice her sad, beaten down expression, which she quickly shook away when she saw that I was watching her approach. She put on a saccharine smile, hoping I failed to notice her previous expression of shear despair. "What did Derpy want?" She asked in a voice filled with forced happiness. "She was just giving us our assignments for the day. You got a rain shower to start over Sweet Apple Acres. AJ wants it to start at 10 sharp. I, on the other hoof, have cloud busting over the Everfree border to do," I answered. "Wanna switch?" "Nah, I got this," she said, trying desperately not to force the confidence she was currently lacking in. "Are you sure? You really shouldn't over exert yourself, Dash." I pressed, hoping she would reconsider. "No, no. I can handle it. Enjoy your easy day." "How bout I come help you when I get done with the cloud busting? I'll be finished in no time flat. Then I can lend a hoof so we both can have the afternoon to relax, maybe we can grab a cloud and take a nap. How about it?" "I said I can handle it, Pyrefly!" Rainbow snapped back. I Instantly felt like I was the size of an ant. "Pyrefly," she said more softly, clearly sorry for her outburst. "Thank you for the offers, but I'm fine. This is really no big job. Ok?" "Ok," I said, feeling beaten down. I began to hover off the floor while I turned away from my marefriend. I turned and looked back at Rainbow, sorrow in my eyes, and tears threatening to start flowing. "I guess I'll see you later. I hope you have a good day. I love you, RD." As I said those last four words, I flew out of the house, my heart burning with a pain unlike anything I've ever felt before. Busting the clouds was even easier than I thought it would be. I glanced at the town hall clock and saw it was quarter of ten. 'Maybe I should go check on Dash,' I thought to myself. 'But she might get mad at me again.' My heart began to burn again with thought. 'I guess I'll just head home for a bite to eat and check on Ice. She's probably back from her overnight with the CMC.' But I didn't go home. I didn't eat or check on my sister. I had no where to be and no desire to be anywhere either. I just wanted to help Dash, I wanted her to talk to me about her dreams. As I wandered, the temperature grow colder and colder, but I just continued to wander aimlessly. Eventually, I made my way to Carousel Boutique, just as Rarity was walking out of her shop. "Pyrefly, darling, how are you?" She said when she saw me. "Oh, hi Rarity. I'm good. How about you?" I asked through my suddenly chattering teeth. "I'm fabulous, but, if I may, why are you walking around in such terribly cold weather?" She asked me. "No idea really," I answered. "I was just walking around, thinking. And in truth, the cold didn't bother me till just now." "Well then my dear, come on inside and let me get you a cup of tea and make you a wonderful new scarf, free of charge, of course." she said as she turned around as she started to walk back to her door. "A cup of tea would be nice, but I couldn't possibly accept a free scarf." "Oh but I insist," Rarity pressed. "Besides, I can just tell you need to get something off your chest." "Well.... if you insist." I said as I walked into the shop behind the alabaster unicorn. "Hear, have a seat Pyrefly." Rarity said as she levitated a cushion over to the big, round table in the middle of the room. "Make yourself comfortable while I go get you that cup of tea. Then we can chat while I work on your scarf." "Alright." I sat down, and suddenly began looking around the shop nervously. My mind began to fill with doubt about telling Rarity about whats been going on. 'Should I really tell her about Dash? She is one of RD's best friends,' I began to think. 'But what if she justs laughs at me? What if she tries to tell me there is nothing wrong with Rainbow, that there is nothing to worry about? No! I know that something is wrong.' "I just know there is!" "What is it that you know, Pyrefly?" Rarity asked me, coming back into the main room holding a cup of tea in her magic. "Please tell me I didn't just say that last part out loud." I said as the posh pony placed the cup on the table in front of me. "Yes, dear, you did." She said with a little giggle. "So tell me what it is that you know." I took a second to try and mentally articulate the words I would be using, and while I did this, Rarity had begun working on my scarf. "Well, it's about Rainbow." I started to say. "And what about her has you so troubled?" The fashionista asked, glancing back at me, both to examine me to make the best scarf she can, and so she can hear what i was about to say a bit better. "Well, umm, you see," I stammered, taking a sip from the cup in front of me, trying to desperately will the words out of my mouth. "For the past couple of months, Rainbow has been waking up in the middle of the night, screaming in terror. And I know it has nothing to do with me, because i would sense it happening when we're not sleeping side by side. There have been nights I'd wake up to the feeling she woke up, and when I would get to her place, I'd find her curled up in a ball in the shower, crying, begging, PLEADING for it all to stop. I've tried to comfort her, to get her to tell me what the dreams are about. But no matter what, she just refuses to let me in. She wont let me help. Just this morning, she was given more work that me to do. So I asked her if she wanted to switch, and she turned me down! Rainbow Dash Turned down a chance to do LESS work! And then when I suggested going to help her when I finished my work, she snapped at me. I just don't know what to do. Im scared all this stress she's putting on herself will drive her to do something terrible. What should I do?" By the time I finished talking, I was in tears. All the emotions I had kept bottled up just came flowing out of me. Rarity walked up to me and wiped the tears from my face with a napkin and she draped something over my shoulders. It was the scarf she promised me. It was incredible. The colors matched my mane perfectly. The main color was a dirty blond with fringe that was cut to look like dancing flames with jet black tips, exactly like my mane cut. "Darling," Rarity started, "I can't begin to try and sympathize with you. But I know, with out a shadow of a doubt that whatever it is that is bothering our friend Rainbow, you can get her to talk about it." "What makes you so sure i can?" I asked, more tears threatening to start pouring out again. "What makes you so sure that I can get her to tell me?" "Because you love her Pyrefly. I need no other reason than that." She said with a smile. "Now I believe that you have a certain rainbow maned mare to talk to." "Thank you Rarity, for the advice, and the scarf." "Anytime, darling. Now you should get going." And so I thanked her again and walked out of Carousel Boutique, determined to get Dash to tell me everything. I continued to think to myself as I started to walk towards the home of my marefriend. But suddenly my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a familiar scream filling the air.