//------------------------------// // Restoration // Story: Dashed Trust // by NightmareDash //------------------------------// Heads had never turned faster in Ponyville. When Zecora showed up, ponies were startled. When Princess Luna returned on Nightmare Night, shock was an appropriate term for their reactions. But nopony would have expected to see the trio entering town square: a cyan-blue pegasus thought to be in self-exile, alongside a griffon who might as well have been exiled, and a tiny, orange pegasus tompony to complete the group. A recluse, a foreigner, and a flightless filly certainly made up a motley crew, not to mention the fact that they were acting as close as sisters. Some gasped, some snickered, but all noticed. This included a certain five ponies, none of whom felt ready to see them. Applejack, the first to spot the group, galloped into the dense orchards of Sweet Apple Acres, pretending to be occupied with work. Rarity quickly closed all the curtains inside the Carousel Boutique, and flipped a sign on the door to say "Sorry, we're closed". Pinkie Pie stared blankly away into space, as if somepony were watching her, then promptly fainted. Fluttershy "flew" (if it could even be called that) away, sobbing. Twilight was about to gallop back into the library and bury her nose in a book, but she was frozen in place as Rainbow called out to her. "Twilight, wait. I want to talk to you." Twilight stared back at them, with a clear deer-in-hornlight expression. They looked serious, but not angry. She would just have to handle the situation as best she could. She replied sheepishly: "Hi, Rainbow. We haven't seen you here in Ponyville lately." "I know. I've been needing some time to think. Can I talk to you inside?" "I...I guess so. Come inside, everypony." Gilda cocked an eyebrow at her. "Oh, yes, and everygriffon, too." About an hour later, a knock came at the library door. Outside stood four very fearful ponies. Applejack was still panting, but was the first to speak. "Twi, ya gotta help us. Rainbow's back, and none of us know what to do. We're really worried, and..." Twilight, now calm and somewhat cheerful, stopped her. "I know, girls, I know. Come on in. There's somepony or two here who wanted to see you." They entered, looking towards the darkness where Twilight had motioned. Rainbow Dash stepped out of the shadows, Gilda and Scootaloo following close behind her.The four were silenced in fear, and Fluttershy immediately tried to retreat back outside, though to no avail. They were stuck there, forced into a confrontation each had hoped to avoid for as long as possible. "Rainbow came to me, and we talked about what happened. I think you all should hear it, too." They stood there stoicly, ready to accept the verbal lashing they each knew they deserved. But Rainbow's voice came to their ears gently, though it lacked its usual cheerfulness. "Yeah. Girls, I'm not going to say what you did didn't hurt me, because we all know it did. When I yelled at you that night, I was venting my anger about Mare-Do-Well. I was letting my emotions rule how I acted. But I've figured out that I'd rather control my feelings than lose you all as friends." "Sugarcube, don't act like this is your fault, now..." "I'm not, Applejack. At least not everything. What you all did as Mare-Do-Well wasn't my fault, but how I reacted was. I shouldn't have just run off like you didn't exist anymore. If I had alienated you all just because I was too bitter to try and solve the problem, I would have had to live with it my whole life. And I never would've forgiven myself for it." "Rainbow, we're the ones to blame for all of this..." "Stop it, Rarity. We all make mistakes. If I hadn't been such a showoff in the first place, none of this would've happened. And I shouldn't have let how I felt about it all ruin our friendship. The fact is, I care about having you all as my friends a lot, and If that means I have to control myself a lot more than I have before, I'm willing to do it." Twilight broke in, trying to voice the sentiments of the others that had been cut off. "Rainbow, we should be the ones apologizing. We were so focused on how to teach you a lesson, we completely forgot about how you would feel. We forgot you were our friend. We never thought that we would end up causing all of Ponyville to ostracize you, or you to strike back at us. If I had known what would end up happening, I never would have suggested the idea in the first place. And I promise I won't let anything like this happen again; Mare-Do-Well is gone for good. Can you forgive us for being so insensitive to you?" "You don't even have to ask. But I do. Can you guys forgive me for being so harsh on you?" Everypony already knew the answer; a reply was not necessary. There was a short silence in the room, as the wounds of the past were mended in everypony's hearts. Twilight was the first to break the quiet of the warm-fuzzy moment. "We missed you very much, Rainbow, and we're happy you're back. And now that Mare-Do-Well's gone, I think the rest of Ponyville will feel the same way." "That's good to know. I'm glad to be friends with you all again." "I'm glad to hear it, Rainbow. And I think the Princess would be, too. Spike, did you get any of that?" "It's all on paper, Twilight. And it's sending... now!" The baby dragon blew a puff of emerald fire, and the letter became a cloud of smoke which whizzed off towards Canterlot. Having lifted a great weight off her chest, Rainbow smiled at the old and new friends surrounding her. "I love you guys." The Mane 6 engaged in a group hug, with an affection that each of them had been missing for a while. Gilda and Scootaloo, retaining their tomponyish attitudes, looked at each other with mock disgust. Secretly, they were just as happy as the others. ~~~~~~ "Hey, Rainbow Dash! Gilda! Look at me! I'm flying!"