5. Pain
Rainbow Dash sat at the table outside Sugarcube Corner, listening as her friends chatted about what had been going on in their lives lately. She smiled as she sipped her milkshake, the one Twilight had paid for. She didn't like the idea of being treated, but it was how they did things when they met up for lunch: one of them would pay for everyone's meal each time, taking turns. ...idly, Rainbow wondered when it would be her turn, since - for some odd reason - it hadn't been her turn since she adopted Scootaloo.
Pinkie Pie babbled on - and on and on - about the latest recipes at Sugarcube Corner and the party she'd thrown for the Cak twins for their 2nd birthday. Rarity talked about the dresses she'd been designing, and about how they had been selling well. Applejack talked about the latest thing Apple Bloom had attempted at the farm for her Cutie Mark...trying to build an automated apple bucker. It hadn't ended well, as the device couldn't seem to be able to differentiate between living trees, dead wood...or living ponies.
Fluttershy talked about her animals...although very quietly. It was a strain to hear her at times, but a strain they all made willingly. Twilight talked about the latest magic she'd been researching, involving a book she'd found in the library she'd never seen before. Given that it had turned up under mysterious circumstances, she wasn't about to try any of the spells in it - no matter how interesting they were - without researching elsewhere, especially since most of them seemed dangerous. Spike talked about the latest news from Canterlot involving Celestia and Luna. Apparently, Celestia and Luna had declared war on each other, sending the nobles into a panic...only to have it turn out they were talking about playing Risk.
Listening to all of this, Rainbow took a closer look at each of her friends. The circle had a different distribution since Spike's last growth spurt, pushing him to adolescence. He now was about the size of a pony, and could stand comfortably on his hind legs or all fours. He hadn't grown any wings yet - and Twilight's research indicated that there WERE species of dragons that didn't - and his long neck allowed him to tower over ponies even when on all fours, though he generally kept his head low out of consideration. Rainbow couldn't help but notice that Spike and Rarity kept glancing towards each other and smiling...nor could she help noticing that no one else seemed to notice.
As Rainbow stretched out to sip her drink, her wings flared on their own, causing her to gasp in pain as the burn on her right wing was pulled badly. All discussion immediately silenced.
"Rainbow, darling, what's wrong? Are you alright?" Rarity was immediately checking on her.
"Did ya pull a muscle, Sugarcube?" Applejack put her forehooves on the table for a better look.
The others expressed concern with their gazes...save Twilight, who took a look and saw the burn. "Rainbow, what happened to you?"
She shrugged her shoulders as she tried to close her wings. "Got to close to a thaumic discharge," she mumbled.
Twilight put her horn to the burn. "Where were you that got you close enough to a magic blast to be burned like this, and how come you haven't had anyone see to it?" Her horn began to glow.
As healing magic flowed over ehr wing, Rainbow sighed in relaxation. "I was working on the Shore Wall."
Fluttershy gasped. "Why would you be doing something so dangerous?"
The others - save Twilight - glanced at her in confusion. "Shore Wall?"
Fluttershy explained. "There's a solid wall of weather magic surrounding the entirety of Equestria. It's how pegasi can control the weather throughout the country without being disturbed by other weather patterns from beyond. While the Land Wall is rather sturdy and only needs to receive maintenance every decade or so - short of really bad weather on the other side - the Shore Wall needs to be mantained at least once a year, as it has to hold back ocean weather, which is much stronger and much more dangerous."
Twilight stepped back as she finished healing Rainbow's wing. "I read about it while I was studying in Canterlot. Some of the strongest pegasi magic in history went into constructing the wall, and it's anchored in unicorn enchantments and bound to the land by Earth Pony workings. It's some of the oldest magic in Equestria." Twilight bounced a little. "Celestia said in her last letter that she might let me go with the pegasi crew that mantains the Land Wall next year to examine the workings!" She let out a happy squeal. "But why were you working on the Shore Wall, Rainbow? Like Fluttershy said, it's incredibly dangerous."
Rainbow shrugged her shoudlers, flipping her wings to her sides. "That's why the assignment comes with hazard pay, Twilight."
"Hazard pay?" Applejack asked suddenly. "Rainbow, have you got a problem we need to hear about?"
"No, nothing like that! Just gotta start saving up for Scoot's college fund, you know?"
"College fund?" they all asked her, shocked.
"Yeah, I know what you're all thinking!" Rainbow began, swaggering again. "Scoots really been hitting the books - brought home nothing but straight A's since I took her in - and of course, she's nearly as awesome as I am, so she should be a shoe in for every scholarship program out there!" She looked at them all seriously. "But this is my little sister we're talking about. I'm not taking any chances."
As most of the others were rather slackjawed, Rarity was the first to respond. "Rainbow Dash, that is very forward thinking and responsible of you. I'm very proud of you." She chuckled. "I think most of our shock was that we thought we'd have to talk to you about starting it up, since you'd never talked about saving before."
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Hey, I've always looked towards the future, Rarity...even if it was kinda shallow before I took in Scoots. I just have more important goals now. Speaking of looking at the future, though...think I could speak with you privately on the way to pick up Scoots?"
"Certainly, Darling. I'm watching Sweetie Belle for my parents this week, so I can surprise her by picking her up."
"Aw, shoot," Applejack said. "Ah just remembered, ah need to get back to the farm pronto. It's comin on Applebuckin season, and I need ta make sure everythangs ready. Say, Rare's..."
"I'd be happy to pick up Apple Bloom and see her home while I'm getting Sweetie Belle."
Applejack smiled. "Thanks, Rarity. Catch ya all later." With that, she turned to head home at a gallop.
With that as a signal, everypony - everyone, Rainbow had to count Spike - went their seperate ways. Rarity glanced at her as they walked. "So, what was it you wanted to talk about?"
Rainbow thought for a bit. "Would you prefer I was blunt or tactful?"
"To be perfectly honest, Rainbow Dash...blunt. You haven't quite mastered tact, and I'd like to actually know what you're trying to say."
"Alright. I was hoping to talk about you and Spike."
Rarity lifted her head, trying to supress a blush. "I'm sure I don't know what you are talking about."
"I'm talking about the fact that every night I left before dawn to handle Canterlot's weather while Fancy Feet was off duty, I saw you and Spike cuddling up on that hill just outside the town under the moonlight."
Rarity looked straight at Rainbow. "You...you were spying on me? On us?"
"Not intentionally!" Rainbow hastened to assure her. "It's just that that's the fastest flight path between Ponyville and Canterlot. Although I did wonder how come you haven't told the rest of us about you two getting together."
At first Rarity looked conflicted...but then she sighed. "It was Spike's idea. He was worried that if it got out about...us...it might affect my career, given how...judgemental about such things upper class ponies - my primary clientele - can be. I didn't really care, I wanted to tell everypony...but Spike was adamant. I've been trying to talk him around for weeks."
Rainbow chuckled. "Maybe you should just have him send a letter to Celestia asking for her advice on the matter. Bet that would shut him up."
Rarity shook her head. "No, we need to settle this between us. We'll work past it."
"Okay...but how come that meant not telling us?"
"Well...it's mostly Twilight and Pinkie, I'm afraid. Twilight...doesn't exactly have the best track record for keeping secrets, and Pinkie..."
Rainbow sighed. "Is Pinkie. The moment you told her, she'd want to throw you a party and invite all of Ponyville."
"Exactly." Rarity grew pensive for a moment, then sighed. "So...why did you ask? I assume it wasn't gossip mogering, as that's MY specialty."
Rainbow hesitated for a bit, then blurted out, "What's it like?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Having someone so special to you, and knowing you mean just as much to them...falling asleep wrapped up with them like that. What's it like being in love?" Rainbow bit her lip, having trouble believing she was actually asking this...but her last discussion with Luna had left her thoughtful.
Rarity smiled, her eyes shining as she was clearly looking at her own memories. "It's...it's...it's so hard to describe. Every morning, he's the first thing on my mind, and the last every night as I fall asleep. I dream of being with him, and every moment I'm with him I feel electrified. His every glance sends shivers through me, and..." Here she blushed. "When we kiss, it's...it's..."
Rainbow smiled. "The best possible thing?"
"Exactly! And when I fall asleep wrapped in his loving arms, I just...well, let's just say this next week watching Sweetie Belle is going to be especially hard, since I can't leave her alone at night, and I can't really see anyway I could have SPike over without raising suspicions, you know what I mean?"
Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, I can see why that would be hard...unless you were to host a sleepover for Sweetie and the other CMC, and asked Spike to help you watch them since their getting to be such a hoofful as they grow."
Rarity's eyes widened. "THANK YOU, Rainbow Dash! That's brilliant. I don't know how I'll be able to thank you properly-"
"Just work things out to the point where you tell the others about you and SPike...and make sure I'm there to see their faces!" Rainbow Dash grinned wickedly. "Can't wait to see how they react. Oh, and don't let Scootaloo catch you and SPike curled up together during the sleepover without a good explanation ready. I DON'T want any awkward questions I'm not ready for."
Rarity chuckled. "I'll be sure to do that."
Rainbow smiled as the three fillies raced up to them, and their excited response to the sleepover idea was music to both mares ears.
--------------
Rainbow Dash stared at the pile of bills and financial paperwork on her desk, wracking ehr brain to see how she could make the numbers add up. She sighed fitfully as she leaned back in her chair, rubbing her sore neck.
Gentle hooves rested on her neck, kneeding the sore muscles as Rainbow sighed in pleasure. "Thanks..." she whispered quietly.
"Thanks are unneccessary Rainbow Dash," a familiar voice responded, and Dash's eyes flew open to see it was none other than Princess Luna massaging her neck.
She blinked a bit. "Luna? Am I dreaming?"
"You are."
"Oh...are you really here, or am I just dreaming you?"
Luna chuckled. "A very strange question, Rainbow Dash. How would you tell the difference? Do you normally dream of me?"
"Uhh...not sure how to answer that."
Luna smiled. "I am only teasing you, my friend.It is the real me. I noticed your dreams this night were disquieting, so I thought to ease your slumber...but these dreams are not oens I can so easily banish."
"Yeah...this is something I need to work through." She rolled her head. "Where'd you learn to be so good at massage?"
Luna smiled widely. "I ruled alongside Celestia for a long time before I became Nightmare Moon. Since I had little else to do as ponies had not yet learned to embrace the night and my Night Court was rather empty, I spent my night in study. I have quite a dew skills that have no bearing on rulership...although my sister avails herself of my 'magic hooves' whenever I have the time."
Rainbow grinned. "I can see why." Rainbow relaxed. Then she turned back to the papers...before pushing them aside. "Well, I can't get any work done when I'm asleep...even if I did fall asleep at my desk. ...I wonder what Scootaloo's dreaming about at Carousel Boutique?"
"She is not yet asleep," Luna said impishly. "What did you expect of those three at a sleepover?"
Rainbow chuckled. "It's like when I was a filly at sleepovers...the first rule of sleepovers: no one sleeps."
Luna giggled. "Indeed. Although I admit I have never had such an experience, given my nocturnal nature."
A lightbulb appeared over Rainbow's head. "Then maybe sometime you should come by when the six of us are having a sleepover! We'll have to hold it at Applejack's barn to have room, but I'm sure we can manage!"
Luna smiled. "That would be most wonderful." She touched her horn gently to Rainbow's mane. "Pleasant dreams, Rainbow Dash."
With that, Luna left Rainbow's dream and returned to her duties as Princess of the Night. Rainbow slept on, her dreams no longer troubled.
------------------
Rainbow flew up to her supervisor's desk, her expression nervous. "Say, Boss...can I have tomorrow off, by any chance?"
Boss - that was the pony's actual name, or the shortened version of it at any rate - looked up at her. "I'm afraid that's quite impossible, Rainbow Dash."
"Aw, come on!" she begged. "It's the Sisterhoove's Social at Sweet Apple Acres tomorrow, and I promised Scoots I'd be there!"
From behind her, Fancy Feet guffawed. "Still babying the dodo?" he asked loudly.
As Rainbow Dash tensed up at his laughter, ready to act on it this time, a quiet voice silenced the entire compound. "What was that you just said?"
Rainbow smiled, as she recognized the voice. As she turned, she saw nearly every pegasus in the compound standing to attention, sweating bullets...save for Fancy Feet, who was cowering away from the pegasus who gazed upon him with displeasure from his single eye.
He was large for a pegasus, about a hoof taller than Big Mac and leanly muscled, making him about half again as large as any pefasus there. His golden coat was only just beginning to go silver with age, although his red mane and tail were as bright as they were in his youth. Numerous scars crisscrossed over his body, the two largest ones being the one under his eyepatch and the one that completely encircled the base of his right hind leg. His right eye was a steel gray, and his Cutie mark was a yellow starburst against a red starburst, with speckles of red across it. He carried a nearly overpowering air of command about him.
He glared down at the cowering pegasus. "I asked you a question...I'm waiting for an answer."
"N-n-n-n-n-n-nothing Admiral! I didn't say nothing!"
The Admiral's voice gave the Royal Canterlot Voice a run for its money."YOU MISERABLE EXCUSE FOR A PEGASUS! I'VE SEEN HUMMINGBIRDS WITH MORE GUTS AND WING STRENGTH THAN YOU, YOU WORTHLESS PILE OF FEATHERS! DROP AND GIVE ME 200 AND THEN GET OUT OF MY SIGHT, YOU ROTTEN BIGGOTTED SCUM, AND RETHINK THAT ATTITUDE OF YOURS BEFORE I SEE YOU AGAIN, OR I'LL TEACH YOU THE REAL MEANING OF DOD WHEN I KICK YOU OFF THE CLOUDS WITH CHAINS ON YOUR WINGS! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"
"Y-yes-"
"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"
"Sir, yes sir!" Fancy Feet immediately started doing push ups.
"WITH YOUR WINGS!"
"Sir yes sir!"
The Admiral turned his back on Fancy Feet disdainfully and approached the desk. As he approached, Rainbow Dash stood at attention and saluted. After the Wonderbolts, there was only one pony Dash recognized as being more awesome than herself: Admiral Quickhoof "One-eye" Bloodmane, retired commander of the Equestrian Armada.
"Rainbow Dash, reporting for inspection, SIR!"
Bloodmane examind her for a moment. "At ease, soldier!" he barked.
Rainbow put her hoof back on the ground, smiling at him. "What brings you here, sir?"
"I'd hear something disturbing through scuttlebut, and I wanted confirmation from the source." He went right up to the desk. "What's this I hear about a Level 3 storm scheduled over Ponyville tomorrow?"
"WHAT?" Rainbow Dash demanded in shock.
Boss nodded. "As I was about to explain to Rainbow Dash, due to some weather problems in other regions, we need to release a level three storm over Ponyville tomorrow afternoon in order to balance the country's weather system. It's where the wheather patterns are focusing the magic, so we need a large storm there to ablance things out, which is why you can't have the day off, Rainbow. We need every senior weather pony on duty there tomorrow to keep the storm from tearing the town apart."
Rainbow Dash nodded. "Got it. Okay if I go alert the town officials regarding the change?"
Boss nodded. "I was about to tell you to do that."
Bloodmane stepped forward. "I'll go with you. This old flier's still got a few fights lef tin him."
"I've no doubt!" Rainbow said happily. The two of them began the gentle glide back down to Ponyville.
The Admiral spoke up. "So I heard you adopted young Scootaloo?"
Rainbow smiled. "Yeah, I did."
Bloodmane nodded. "Good of you. And how are other things in Ponyville?"
"You know, the usual."
"Is the town still standing?"
"Barely!" Dash laughed. She noticed the Admiral's tension. "Still no sign of Slick Shades, huh?"
Bloodmane shook his head. "No. He seems to ahve a made a clean getaway from the hospital I put him in. Even after all these years, I was SURE I'd have sniffed out his trail by now!"
"Sir, it's okay. He probably high tailed it right out of Equestria after what you did to him."
"After what he tried to do to you, can you blame me?"
Rainbow shook her head. "Not at all." They glided down to Fluttershy's cottage. "I'll let you alert her, shall I?"
He smiled. "I hope her guest bed's not in use." He went up to the door and knocked.
Fluttershy opened the door. "Yes, can I help-OH!"
Few ever got to see this side of teh Admiral, as the fierce gleam left his eye and his entire expression became...goofy. "Who's the little shy one who sets my heart a flutter?" He lunged in and began to tickle Fluttershy. "It's my Fluttershy!"
Fluttershy giggled helplessly for a time, then threw her forelegs around the Admiral's neck. "Hi Daddy!" she said happily.
Rainbow took that time to fly off to Sweet Apple Acres. Seeing Applejack in the field, she swooped down. "Applejack, you need to reschedule the Sisterhooves Social!"
Applejack glanced up at her. "Couldn't get time off, huh?"
"It's not that! A Level 3 storm's been scheduled for tomorrow afternoon!"
"Umm...not sure what that means..."
"The storm that left you and Rarity stranded at Twilight's for a slumber party was only a level 2."
"Great Galloping Grannies! Will it be safe to go out in?"
"Probably not, so you need to make sure everyone's inside and all the doors are locked. I'm gonna go warn everyone else."
"Okay, sugarcube...but what about you? You're gonna be right out in the middle of it, aren'tcha?"
"Afraid so. I'll make sure Scootaloo knows to be home by noon. She should be safe enough there."
"Right. I'll go make preperations for any fixing up that needs to be done afterwards."
Rainbow nodded and flew off to warn everyone else. With the warnings delivered, she flew home, where Scootaloo waited. She listened carefully as Rainbow explained about the next day, and promised she'd be home by noon. Her worries put aside for the time, Rainbow curled up to sleep, cuddling Scootaloo.
--------------
"Easy now, Cloud Chaser! We need to be careful with this storm!"
Rainbow carefully guided the pegasi that held the mystical container which carried the Level 3 storm. Given the potency of such storms, they couldn't be assembled like other storms, they had to be released all at once. As such, one of the most dangerous parts of the job was transporting the storm, as the container was suspended from several pegasi by mystic chains. In the distant past, such containers had once carried such storms as weapons.
Rainbow Dash fretted over the transport, not wanting anything to go wrong. When they were halfway to Ponyville, however, she noticed something odd. The seals on teh container were glowing, which meant they were weakening. "This can't be good," she said, flying down to examine it.
Before she could reach it, however, the seals suddenlyburst, and the storm came boiling out, filled with rapid bursts of lightning and gale force winds, and streamed straight for Ponyville.
"What in Tartarus?" Rainbow shouted out, charging after the storm.
The storm followed the flow of weather magic and settled over Ponyville, lightning striking rapidly as furious winds and pouring rain lashed the town. Rainbow managed to catch up, but she knew several things had gone wrong and lives could be in danger. The storm had gotten here much too soon - most of the other pegasi were still miles away - and the storm was much too strong.
She flew up to the clouds, noticing the Admiral joining her and a breif plume of smoke leave the library window. That meant help was on the way. As she flew around, doing what she could to keep the storm under control, she passed over her house. She glanced down to make sure Scootaloo had made it home safely-
There was Scootaloo, desperately fluttering her wings as she hung onto a grappling hook launched from her scooter embeded in the very edge of the cloud runway...which was already beginning to fray in the storm's fury.
"SCOOT!" Rainbow cried as she dove, her cry lost in the storm. She managed to catch hold of Scootaloo just as the grappel lost its purchase. She then struggled against the winds to the open window and shoved the filly in, slamming the window shut. However, as she flew back to try and get to the storm, a cart flew up in the wind and caught her. The last thing she saw was Scootaloo's scared expression before she hit the ground wings first and everything went dark.
--------------
-Beep- -Beep- -Beep- -Beep-
Rainbow groaned as that sound heralded her return to conciousness. Before opening her eyes, she took stock of her situation. She was on a bed, stomach down, and there was pain throughout her body, but especially in her wings. The beeping indicated she was in the hospital. She opened her eyes.
Standing before her was Princess Luna, Spitfire, and Miracle Marx, Ponyville's premiere emergency doctor/comedian/philosopher. Rainbow blinked for a time. "It's bad huh?" she said quietly.
"Could be worse," MM said quietly. "Although...I wouldn't reccomend looking over your shoulders."
"As if I could move..." Rainbow blinked. "Luna? Spitfire? What are you doing here?"
"When Twilight's letter reached Celestia, we immediately departed," Luna said quietly. "We made all possible haste."
"The Wonderbolts were able to get the storm under control," Spitfire said calmly. "There's an investifation underway as to how a level 5 storm wound up in a level 3 container."
"Level 5?" Rainbow said shocked. She shuddered. "That's a wepons grade storm."
Spitfire nodded. "You can see why we need to get to the bottom of this, and why we need you back on your wings ASAP."
Rainbow blinked. "Scootaloo! Is she okay?"
Luna smiled. "She is with Twilight and the others. They are tending to her. Thankfully, damage to the town was minimal."
Rainbow nodded. "So doc, how long until I'm out of here?"
MM looked at the chart. "A month bare minimum, I'm afraid."
"WHAT?" Rainbow tried to sit up but it hurt too much. "It can't be that bad, can-" She looked over her shoulder. "-it...?"
Her wings were suspended at full extension on a complicated rope and pulley system. She could plainly see that her wings had been seriously mangled, with no less than three breaks in each bone and several feathers torn out completely. She shuddered, making herself look away.
"I'm afraid it is that bad," the doctor said calmly. "While the rest of you will heal rather rapidly, your wings took the full brunt of your fall."
"But...but I can't miss a month's work!" Rainbow said desperately. "I only adopted Scoots six months ago! It's still the probationary period! If I miss that much work - if I leave her alone that long - they'll take her away from me and I'll never get her back!"
MM sighed sadly. "I'm afraid there's nothing I can do there. It's the only way they'll heal-"
"Can't you rig up a walking cast or something, so i can do Earth Pony work-"
"Absolutely not!" the doctor interrupted. "Young lady, this is the only option. Even magic can't help your wings heal at this point. If your wings don't remain immobilized for the next month, they will not heal right, and you will never fly again!"
Never fly again...
Never fly again...
The words echoed in Rainbow's mind as she stared at the doctor. Luna was staring in shock, and Spitfire had taken a couple of steps back. Rainbow thought about this, seeing all ehr dreams of being a Wonderbolt, the joy of flight, her life as a pegasus...
Against this she weighed her promises to Scootaloo, the filly's joy at having a home, how much she loved the little squirt...if they took her away, who knew what would happen to her?
There was only one decision she would accept.
"Then take them off," she said, her quiet voice unaccountably loud in the silent room. Luna put her hoof to her mouth in shock. Spitfire looked like she'd been punched in the gut.
Miracle Marx spoke up. "A-are you sure, young lady?"
"You heard me, doctor. Take them off."
"A-alright." The doctor was obviously quite shaken. "It will take a couple of days to prepare-"
"You've got one," Rainbow snarled out. "Then I take them off with my own teeth."
As the doctor left, Rainbow buried her face in her pillow as she felt the fall of all her dreams...and never saw Spitfire flee the room, a trail of tears in her wake.