When Rainbow awoke, it was nighttime. The moon had a fantastic place in on the horizon and, as the mare observed, it filled nearly half of it. She understood very well the science behind refraction and conditions involved for such an event, but nevertheless she still felt awe. Oddly enough - upon remembering prior events - she felt no headache. The moon was bright enough to illuminate her surroundings, and she quickly made out the rock from earlier. It did not have the shades she had observed previously.
Cautiously she stood, wobbling for but a second, before realizing that she could once again move her wings. She squealed in excitement, happy to be able to fly again, before becoming extremely disheartened. She had not been able to find her friend. Her eyes downcast, she felt an overwhelming sense of guilt overtake her.
“Hello my little pony,” greeted a voice to her side. It was very familiar and, to her surprise, very motherly.
Rainbow looked up, “Princess Luna?”
The Princess of the Night had somehow managed to appear undetected. It was not a surprise to the pegasus mare, but what was the surprise was how caring her expression was - and how the alicorns eyes bore into her own. Rainbow could not maintain eye contact for long. Luna stopped just a few hoofsteps from her, leaning down to nuzzle gently.
“Feeling guilty, are we?”
“Yes Princess,” Rainbow said. Tears began to form in her eyes.
“Do tell us why,” Luna gently inquired.
Rainbow sighed. She finally managed the courage to look up at the Princess - albeit from the corner of her eyes. “I overslept, and-” she choked on her words, sniffling, before drawing a hoof over them “-and I lost my friend Fluttershy! I failed her!”
She could have mentioned the rock, but that would have been weird. Not to mention that it was an excuse. Nevertheless, the Princess of the Night seemed to take pity of the Element of Loyalty, granting another nuzzle before saying, “There, there,” in an attempt at comfort. After a few moments, Rainbow stopped crying, her sniffles dying down. She glanced up at the Princess like a lost puppy. Luna smiled back.
“What have you learned, my little pony?”
Rainbow sniffled, looking down. “To keep my promises, no matter how I feel. I promise to never oversleep again.”
“Good,” Luna said, comfort in her voice. “Now, wake up Rainbow Dash!”
“Wait wh-”
“RAINBOW DASH!”
Rainbow gazed up, bewildered. The voice that came from the Princess of the Night was none other than that of Twilight Sparkle. She caught a wink coming from the Princess before, once again, her name was called. Her mouth hung open. Past events until present weighing heavily upon her.