Rainbow Dash stared out the large window, resting her chin on her crossed forelegs upon the egde. Gone were the hues of pink brought upon by Discord, replaced by a sky of the purest blue and a shining sun. The weird patchwork covering the landscape had disappeared, leaving grassy plains and hills spreading all around the castle, along with forests, mountains and more.
Cries of joy rose up from the city beneath, Canterlot, joining the sounds of celebration coming from the throne room she had left a long time earlier. She had no doubt the streets of Ponyville boomed with glee as well; she could even see some particularly large balloons floating above the town from where she stood.
Rainbow Dash cast a glance at a large set of voluminous clouds, hovering leisurely in the distance, and sighed.
Clousdale.
Her home.
She sighed again.
A weighty choice is yours to make. The right selection or a big mistake. If a wrong choice you choose to pursue, the foundations of home will crumble without you.
Just how much was Discord forcing his will on her and how much was her own choice?
Her ears perked up when a soft tinkling echoed behind her.
"Are you alright?" a gentle voiced asked. "Your friends are worrying about you."
Rainbow Dash's shoulders just slumped further as she heaved another sigh.
"I told them I'd look for you so that they may keep enjoying the celebration," Celestia continued as she walked to her side. She folded her legs underneath herself. "Are you alright?" she repeated.
Rainbow Dash merely shook her head.
"What's the matter?"
Rainbow Dash pushed herself from the window edge with a long inhalation. She held her breath for a few moments as she looked one last time at Cloudsdale before exhaling. She pushed further on the wall until she sat on her haunches, and slowly turned her head toward Celestia.
Pink eyes stared back at her, full of compassion and concern. Rainbow Dash summoned all her willpower not to look away, but failed. Her resolve crumbled and her own eyes drifted to the floor before closing themselves.
"I fear I might have betrayed you."
She didn't see Celestia's reaction, and she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to. Her stinging eyes opened again only when she felt something hard and cold lift her chin. She didn't let anypony see her cry if she could help it, but she refused to hide anything to her princess.
"What do you mean?" Celestia asked gently.
Rainbow Dash blinked a few tears away and swallowed a lump in her throat. "Discord made me choose between Cloudsdale and Equestria..." She gave a little sob despite herself. "I chose my home..." She sniffed. "...but I don't know how much of it was Discord and how much was me..."
Celestia's eyes softened as the corners of her brows gave a faint droop and a sad smile tugged at her lips. "I understand."
She let go of the pegasus' chin and lowered her foreleg back underneath herself while Rainbow Dash wiped her eyes with a forehoof.
"Hard decisions are a lesson I wish no one had to learn," Celestia went on as she looked toward Cloudsdale and pure venom seeped into her voice, "a lesson Discord loves to teach for his own amusement."
Her face hardened, and Rainbow Dash couldn't repress a small shudder when she saw hatred flash into Celestia's eyes. She'd never thought about how much Discord had hurt Celestia, directly or indirectly, nor for how long.
Celestia abruptly turned back to her. "I'm certain you'd have made the right choice with your free will intact, Rainbow Dash." She smiled again.
Such a declaration of trust would have normally swelled Rainbow Dash's ego, but instead she bit her lower lip as shame brewed in her heart. "I should have fought him harder. I should have chosen Equestria from the start," she replied with a choked sob. "I should ha-"
Celestia interrupted her. "Don't blame yourself, Rainbow Dash. It's very difficult to give up what's close to your heart, even for the sake of others." She turned her head to look out the window, remaining silent for a few seconds. "It certainly was for me."
Disbelief swept over Rainbow Dash. She'd always pictured Celestia never to make mistakes, though she did know the alicorn could be rendered powerless by Equestria's foes.
Celestia glanced at her from the corner of her eye. "Tell me, Rainbow Dash, do you know what the eternal night wished by Nightmare Moon implied?"
Rainbow Dash blinked. "Uh... Dark and cold?"
Celestia nodded. "And starvation as well, since nothing could grow."
Silence fell upon them again.
Rainbow Dash didn't dare break it and instead looked up once again in Celestia's eyes. It was then that, for the first time, the alicorn looked her age. Centuries of regrets shone dully in her eyes.
"The first victim I was made aware of," Celestia finally said, "was a very young filly, barely older than a foal. Named in my honor." She closed her eyes and lowered her head. "I could have saved her." Her eyes fluttered open as a single tear rolled down her cheek. "Instead, she starved to death, because I chose to indulge my sister even when it was painfully clear she was no more, twisted into the hateful Nightmare Moon."
She turned to Rainbow Dash with a clouded gaze. "I regret having to banish my sister, but if I could change the past..." Her face hardened, sending a slight chill down Rainbow Dash's spine. "I'd choose Equestria over her as soon as she proved unreasonable."
Once again, silence came to reign upon the room as they looked away from each other.
Rainbow Dash stared at her home city one more time, lost in thoughts. The pain in her heart hadn't lessened and yet she felt more at peace.
She lowered her legs until she lay down and leaned her head against Celestia's foreleg. "Do these choices ever stop hurting?"
She felt feathers brush against her back and side as Celestia answered, "no. But you're not alone."
Rainbow Dash smiled.