Act V
The white pegasus filly soared across the night sky, feeling drawn closer and closer to her destination.
I wonder who lives there? Maybe nopony lives there. Maybe I could live there? she thought.
A few moments later she arrived at the soft surface of the cloud. She peered at the immense structure. The lights were off.
What if somepony does live here though? I don't wanna be attacked by somepony thinking I'm a thief. That would be horrible...
Roseheart gulped and took a deep breath before slowly opening the door to the dwelling made of clouds. She closed the door behind her. The entire house was engulfed in darkness. At best, she could only see about thirty centimeters in front of her.
"H-h-hello..? Is anypony home? I don't mean to be rude or anything I just—I need somewhere to stay."
She waited for a moment. Suddenly she heard a loud series of noises:
zzzzZZZzzZZZZZzzZzzZZzzzZZzzZZz...zzzzzzZZZZ!
The filly turned around and made a run for the door, tripping over a leg of a table in the process. This also made a rather intense sound.
"Oww!" Roseheart said.
zZZZzzZZz— "Hmm? What? What was that?"" A voice called out from above.
"I'm really, really, really sorry. I just—I need a place to stay."
Roseheart heard some sort of a commotion that stopped at the very top of the stairs.
"It isn't too smart to just walk right into a stranger's house when they're sleeping."
The voice had a feminine sound to it. She most definitely sounded like a mare, not a filly.
"I know, and I'm sorry, but I just can't be alone anymore." Roseheart replied.
"What'd you do, run away from home? You sound too young to be off on your own, even for our kind's standards."
"I don't want to sound rude ma'am, but could you turn on a light or something... please?"
"Uh, no, sorry, can't do that. I'm... all out of matches," the unknown mare replied, "You still haven't answered me, why are you here?"
"Do you have the time to listen to the whole story?"
Sigh. "Well you woke me up from a pretty good dream, but sure, go for it. What more do I have to lose other than sleep?"
"Okay well, it all started when I was practicing my usual flying routine..."
Roseheart told the mysterious mare everything: From her unfortunate encounter with Solace, to her recent nightmare.
"Wow it sounds like you've been through more than most fillies your age. You mentioned at the end a dream about Rainbow Dash, huh?" The mare said, "She's a pony that everypony knows."
"Yeah, she's great. I used to dream about flying with her. Before all of this happened."
"I feel sorry for her, myself."
"Why?"
"The life of a star, kid. Being a Wonderbolt on top of all that she's done, it can't be a very easy one."
"Maybe, but..."
"But nothing, kid. Life has a way of making everything good turn bad. End of story."
"How would you know?"
"That's enough talking for now. You can sleep here tonight."
The mare flew over to Roseheart and picked her up, somehow managing to navigate her over to what seemed to be a chaise longue. She tried to get a good look at the mare who was letting her stay in her home, but she couldn't.
The mare spoke once more: "Sleep, you need your rest. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, thank you."
"Don't mention it."
The mare flew back up the stairs and went back to her bedroom. Roseheart, now even more exhausted from the day's events, took the mare's advice. She quickly fell asleep.
The morning sun poured in, at long last. The light coming in from the window slowly eating away at the shadows that filled the home. Centimeter by centimeter, it was also creeping up on Roseheart's face. As soon as it hit her eyes, she woke up. She got up and took a look around the room.
"Well, she definitely seems to like Rainbow Dash." she said, looking at a wall covered with various poses of the famous mare. "I wonder how much more she has in her house."
She traveled to the second floor via the stairs and entered the master bedroom.
"Wow... she's even got a giant version of Rainbow Dash's cutie mark on her sheets and everything! She's gotta be her biggest fan!"
She then noticed a picture frame on the nightstand. In the photo there was Rainbow Dash, and then 5 other mares.
Okay... maybe she's a... creepier kind of fan, she thought.
Just then, the fan entered the room. She said: "Excuse me, kid, but if I were your guest would you expect me to go snooping around your house and your bedroom, looking at things you didn't say I could look at?"
Roseheart, instilled with fear, couldn't even turn herself around to look at the mare. "I'm really sorry, I didn't know, I—" she said.
The mare replied: "You can't even turn around and apologize to my face. Why did I even let you stay here?"
Roseheart lowered her head and turned around.
"I'm really sorry I didn't mean any har—"
She stopped as she looked up and glanced at the mare for the first time.
"Wait. No. Huh? No, it couldn't possibly..."
This mare, she looked exactly like Rainbow Dash. She even had the same cutie mark.
"Yea, I'm Rainbow Dash. It's not a big deal." she said.
"What do you mea—"
Just then, something clicked in Roseheart's mind. There was a reason that Rainbow Dash didn't want her to know who she was. She now had a good idea of why, too.
"The fame... it got you everywhere and everything you wanted, but you lost something much, much more valuable. Something happened to you and your friends?"
"I'm not the type of pony to lie. You hit it right on the mark." Rainbow Dash replied.
"Um, what happened? If you wouldn't mind telling me..."
"That picture you were just looking at, we took that the day after I was accepted into the Wonderbolts. It was also one of the last times I could consider any of us friends. The thing is, I let it go to my head. I wasn't what my Element of Harmony stood for anymore. I started letting them down more and more. They got into more arguments because of me. And then there was this one night..."
Rainbow Dash looked down at the floor, paused, and then looked back up at Roseheart.
"This one night, we all got into a big argument. I don't even remember what it was about anymore. I just know that none of us spoke again after that night."
She sniffed.
"It's a night I've been trying to forget."
Then, There was an eerie silence in the room. Suddenly, Roseheart replied: "Why not try to apologize to them? Maybe they'd forgive you?
"Are you crazy? You don't know what it was like. Soon I'm going to announce that I'm retiring from the Wonderbolts."
"Would it hurt you to try...?"
"Who even knows where they are? I haven't been to Ponyville in what feels like forever. What would you expect, me to find them all at home?"
Again, something clicked into Roseheart's mind.
Home. Home! That's it!
"Yes." Roseheart said.
"You're funny, kid, good luck with that."
"If you try this, I'll go back home."
"How about I just kick you out now?"
"You'd lose another chance to fix your old friendships, and you'd lose another friend."
"Alright, fine, we'll do it your way, pipsqueak. But don't expect this to work out like those books you probably read."
Roseheart smiled, "You won't regret it."
With that being said, the two pegasi started on their journey to Ponyville. An hour or so into the trip
"Rainbow Dash, I have a question."
"Yea yea, what?"
"Why is your house so far from where you—never mind."
"Glad I could answer your question." She said with a smirk.
A short time later, they landed on the upper deck of a house carved out of a tree.
"Wher—" Roseheart said, before being interrupted by Rainbow Dash.
"Shh, I hear something. Let me take a peek inside."
She did just that.
"You won't believe this, but all five of my ex-friends are in there fighting with each other."
"Then we need them to stop." Roseheart replied, before jumping down into the center of the room on the floor below.
The five ponies stopped their bickering.
"Who are you?" Pinkie Pie said, "I've never seen you in Ponyville before, so that must mean you just got here!"
Rarity spoke up: "Oh Pinkie, as subtle as ever."
"Well howdy there young'n... whoever ya are." said Applejack, "Why did ya jus' drop on in all us here."
Roseheart said: "Rainbow Dash... could you come down here?"
The whole room gasped as Rainbow Dash entered the room.
"Rainbow Dash told me everything... and she's really, really sorry. Why are you all fighting now anyway?"
Everypony looked at each other quizzically.
"Well..." Twilight Sparkle said, "...I forgot why, but I know it must have been important or else we wouldn't be."
The other four nodded in agreement.
"If you can't remember what, then how do you really know?" Roseheart said.
Fluttershy replied: "We don't."
Rainbow Dash laughed, "You guys are telling me that you're all still fighting over this? Oh, this is just too good!"
Roseheart glared at Rainbow Dash.
"I mean... I'm sorry, for the way I acted... so many years ago."
Twilight said: "You mean, you're not mad with us either?"
"You guys thought I was still mad?"
"Well... yeah." Applejack replied.
Roseheart then said: "So you don't know why you all are even fighting, and you all aren't mad at anypony for anything?"
"That makes it sound so silly." Rainbow Dash said.
"That's because it really just is." Twilight Sparkle replied.
"Aww, C'mon, lets all give each other a hug!" Pinkie Pie said.
The six friends warmly embraced one another. However, something strange happened. A maroon-hued glow encompassed the six ponies, and lifted them up into the air. It pulsated three times and then a brilliant flash of white light occurred. They were back on the ground.
"What just happened?" Roseheart said.
"Roseheart, look at your flank!" Rainbow Dash said.
"M-m-m-my cutie mark?! But how?" Roseheart replied.
Her cutie mark was a red painted heart, with some strange shape behind it. It appeared to be some sort of creature, bird-like in appearance.
Just then Princess Celestia made an entrance into Twilight's library.
"I can explain everything." Celestia said.
"What does it mean, Princess?" Twilight Sparkle asked.
"I've been watching this little filly silently and in the same way I had watched you when you were a young filly, Twilight. However, that's not important. What's important is the lesson in friendship and love that you have all learned today. You see, Roseheart has discovered the magic behind what is truly love. Yes, she is not a unicorn, however she does possess her own unique magic in this gift that she possesses."
"What gift?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I think my gift is simply showing others what love is all about. It's for everyone, not just specific ponies."
"Indeed it is, Roseheart, indeed it is." Celestia replied.
"Is... my mom still in Cloudsdale?" Roseheart asked.
"Yes, and I talked with her after she learned of your escape. Would you like me to take you home now?"
"Can I say bye to Rainbow Dash and her friends first?"
"Of course."
Roseheart turned to the six ponies standing behind her.
"Thanks kid, I owe you one." Rainbow Dash said.
"You don't owe me anything Rainbow Dash. I did it for you, and that's it."
"Maybe you and I can fly sometime together, then."
"That would be great."
"I believe I speak for all of us when I say that we thank you, and that even though we just met you, we're going to miss you." Twilight Sparkle said, as the other ponies nodded in agreement.
"And next time I'll have to throw you the biggest party ever!" added Pinkie Pie.
Roseheart giggled, "Of course, Pinkie Pie, of course."
She left Twilight's house with Celestia, and they traveled all the way back to Cloudsdale, where Roseheart's mother was waiting. Solace and her mother were also there. As soon as the chariot touched the ground, Roseheart jumped out and flew toward her mother.
"Mom!"
"Rosey!"
The flew into her mothers hooves.
"I'm so sorry mom, I've missed you so much! I'll never leave again!"
"I'm sorry too, Rosey, I should have never said some of those things."
"That's okay, I forgive you."
The mother and daughter exchanged a heartwarming hug.
"Roseheart..." Solace said, "I felt really guilty after everything happened at my house, and so I ended up telling my mom the truth about everything. I'm really, really sorry and I hope you can forgive me. I'm sorry for being such a jerk."
"I forgive you. Do you forgive me for hitting you?"
"Of course. Uh, and maybe, if you wouldn't mind, I thought we could start over. You know, be friends instead of enemies."
"Okay, sounds good to me." Roseheart replied, with a smile.
Celestia watched from her chariot. She smiled and laughed, and took off back towards Canterlot Castle. The four ponies headed back to their homes, finally feeling a sense of relief.
"So, Roseheart," Her mother said, "how about you tell me about your cutie mark and how you got it?"
"Okay," Roseheart replied, "but it isn't a very short story."
The End