//------------------------------// // Chapter Two: Reasoning // Story: Rise of the Razorwing // by ChaosKnightMatthew //------------------------------// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chapter Two: Reasoning ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Later that day at the hospital Twilight, Rarity and Fluttershy walked up to Pinkie Pie's room. With the ok from the Nurse Pony watching over her the three entered to visit her. The three gasped at the sight. Pinkie Pie was covered from head to toe in white bandages with red stripes where the cuts littered her body. “According to the nurse she almost didn't make it.” Twilight explained, as she was the first to arrive. "She had lost so much blood she was close to not having any at all." “Who... who could have done such a thing?” Fluttershy asked. She moved over to Pinkie Pie's bedside. “Whoever did looked like he or she didn't waste any time...” Rarity said sadly as she walked next to Fluttershy. Twilight Sparkle stood on the other side across from them. “Where is Applejack? I thought she would be here with us.” “You didn't hear?” Twilight asked, surprised. “Pinkie wasn't the only one attacked, Apple Bloom was too. Applejack ran ahead of me when we were coming so she may be with her.” “Is she-” Fluttershy was interrupted by a painful moan from Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie Pie! You're awake?!” Fluttershy exclaimed lightly. The three could hear her talking a little in her sleep. They leaned forward to listen. “Why... are you... doing... why... why...? Rainb... Rainbow... why... why...” Pinkie continued to say 'why' between each painful moan a couple more times before panting lightly. The three gasped. They couldn't believe what they just heard. “Could this mean... Did Rainbow Dash have something to do with this?” Rarity asked Twilight. Before Twilight could respond she heard the handle to the room just hit the wall as Applejack rushed in. “Did ya'll find out who was responsible for this, who did that to Apple Bloom?” Applejack asked, tears still in her eyes, but mixed emotions of sadness and rage ran through her like a poison. “Ah heard ya mention Rainbow Dash. Did SHE do this?” Applejack shouted, wanting answers. “Please be quiet, there are other patients sleeping nearby.” A Nurse Pony said to Applejack. The angered apple pony growled at the Nurse Pony and almost went off on her next. “Calm down Applejack.” Twilight said as she walked toward her friend. “We don't know for sure if Rainbow Dash is involved or not. Pinkie mentioned her name but it could mean anything.” She said in an attempt to calm Applejack down. “Then maybe that sky bound filly might know more on what's going on.” Applejack said to Twilight, her face in a snarl as she turned to leave. “Maybe Spike will lend me that balloon for a bit...” “Applejack! Wait!!” Twilight called out to her before being shushed by the same Nurse Pony once more. “Come on girls, we need to catch up to her.” Twilight leaving first, Rarity following but Fluttershy stayed behind for a moment. She gave Pinkie Pie a kiss on the cheek. “Get well soon friend...” She said meekly before following the two outside, sniffling a little as she held back her tears. /---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Meanwhile, in Cloudsdale... As Waver was just about home, he had noticed a few lines of dried blood across one of the clouds that appeared to go in the direction of Rainbow Dash's house. He still doesn't want to believe she has had a part in it, so he started to head in that direction himself to check up on her. He may have only said hi once in a while to her but he did attend to all of her races and was a fan of them. Dash being a murderer didn't add up to anything. He approached her door and just in front of it was more bloodstained hoof prints. They lead inside and under the door. “Rainbow? Rainbow Dash? Are you here?” Waver called out. There was no response. “Rainbow Dash?” He gave the door a slight push and it opened. A bad feeling came over him as he entered. There was a trail of blood leading to the back of the main room. He followed it slowly, one step at a time. The trail made a sudden turn to the right. Taking a deep breath he looked over the edge of the doorway. “Go away... go away...!” Rainbow Dash was mumbling to herself, sitting with her back to the wall, front legs over her back ones. She was a mess to see. Her once beautiful blue hair and rainbow mane and tail were covered in now-dried blood. Waver slowly approached her. “Rainbow?” He lightly called to her. Dash jumped, realizing she wasn't alone. “Who are you? Get out!!” Dash shouted, glaring at him. She met eye to eye at Waver for just a moment but it was enough for the male Pegasus to understand. There really was something wrong with her and she needed help. “I don't know if you remember me or not, but I attended a few of your races. My name is Waver. Lunar Waver.” Waver said, introducing himself but keeping his distance. “You looked like you needed help...” “I don't need any help... no one can help me now... not after what I did...” Dash said looking at her blood stained hooves. Voices continued to ring through her head, one in particular drilling a little deeper, telling her that he was here to report her. “You... need to leave...” She said, before starting her 'Go Away' mantra once more. “You need a friend to talk to-” Waver started to say. “I JUST KILLED ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS!! New friends I don't need... I'm far too dangerous around anypony.” Rainbow Dash said to him, turning her back away. Waver was stunned a little at the response. Not believing it for a moment he continued. “For one, your pink friend is recovering over at the hospital, as in still alive. Same for the little one too. For two, this doesn't sound like the loyal, confident Rainbow Dash I've heard about. Did something happen for you to do what you did?” Waver asked her, taking a few steps closer to her. Rainbow Dash was stunned to hear that the two she attacked were alive. She broke down and collapsed to the floor, crying loudly in despare at what she did. Waver placed a hoof on her shoulder. “These... dreams... and voices I keep hearing... I feel as if they're eating me from the inside out.” Rainbow Dash said. Her right eye twitched a little. “I... I enjoyed slashing her... striking with a blade... watching the blood fly through the air...” She looked up, her eyes half open in a daze as she recalled what happened before. Seeing stream after stream of blood flying as she struck the pink pony with her own blade. Pink pony... Feeling ashamed she hid her face back in her hooves. “I don't deserve any friends.” “If it was a dream that was causing this, then talking to your friends is exactly what you should be doing.” Waver said. “It could help more than you think.” “It... could...?” Dash asked slowly, looking up to Waver. “Yep it could. I could come with you for your support if you like.” Waver said with a smile. Dash pushed him away. “I said I don't need a new friend.” She said. “But... they should understand it wasn't my intention to attack Pinkie like that... or Apple Bloom...” “You did that to the filly?” Waver asked, surprised but not thinking before saying it. “Sorry, I wasn't thinking when I asked.” He said when he got a glare from Dash. “Then how about I don't come with you as a friend, but as an ally wanting to help a hero?” Waver asked with a smile. “A hero...?” Rainbow Dash asked, now surprise. “You forgot? You're a hero to just about everyone in Cloudsdale, if not Equestria. Bad dreams can't change that.” Waver said to her. That seemed to cheer her up a little better. The voices of doubt and betrayal died down considerably. “Ok... I'll go see the others as you said.” Dash said, standing up. “Thank you...” “No problem, but you should get cleaned up first. I should too myself.” Waver said with a chuckle. “When this is over I'll come by again and help clean your place up too.” “Don't push it blue boy.” Dash said with a poke as she went to clean herself up. It's a trap... “Stay out of my head...” Dash said lowly as she ran upstairs to her bathroom. She looked into the mirror and saw a silhouette of a straight-hair mane pony in its reflection behind her image. The others will kill you for what you've done... you will see... kill them first... The voice continued in her head. Rainbow Dash quickly turned behind her, but there was nothing there. Dash ignored it the best she could as she showered, cleaning the remains of a day best forgotten. When she came down she saw Waver was gone already. Sighing deep, she built up what little courage she had left along with her sanity, which wasn't much on either one, and left her home to fly back down to ground level. A thought struck her. Maybe she could make something to show how sorry she was for what she did? Taking a detour to the Cake's bakery Shop once more she thought a new batch of cupcakes would help Pinkie and Apple Bloom's feelings improve least one of the things she could do. The kitchen hadn't been cleaned up yet since the attack. Two circles of dried blood as well as splattered blood littered some of the counter and half the floor. The memories and feelings tried to erupt once more but she continued to do what she came here to do. She even had to fly around to try to keep any more blood from getting onto her. After putting what she thought was decent into the oven there was a sound that came from outside. “Rainbow Dash! Ah know you're in there! Come out this instant!” It was Applejack. Fear came over Dash again but she knew this confrontation had to come sooner or later.