The next few days were agonizing for Rainbow Dash. She never had feelings for any pony else before. She didn't even know that she was capable of falling for and loving some pony. She was never the romantic type. She was always used to being independent and living a tom-boyish life. She never knew there would ever be love inside her heart, and when that love was shattered to pieces, like a delicate glass vase being smashed against the hard ground, it hurt her more than anything she had ever experienced before. She refused to eat or drink for a while, and when her friends sent Fluttershy to check on her, she refused to talk. Every pony was feeling concerned about her, but all she wanted was the stallion of her dreams back. She felt a little guilty and her mind was racing with all kinds of false ideas. "Maybe I just didn't spend enough time with him or I wasn't good enough. Maybe if I just go visit him and see if he wants me back, it will prove to him that I truly do represent the element of loyalty and he will love me again." Rainbow Dash's emotions were wild and she decided to go out and visit Rapidfire. She felt so wrong doing this, but he was all that she ever knew and loved and just maybe she could turn things around for him. She knocked on the door.
Rapidfire opened the door.
She could hear another mare’s voice far off in the background.
He looked sternly at Rainbow Dash and asked "Rainbow Dash, what do you want from me?"
Rainbow Dash felt a lump in her throat like she was about to cry. "I just wanted to tell you that I still love you and that I'm sorry if I didn't turn out to be all that you expected me to be. Will you please give me another chance? I'm here to prove to you, that I am loyal to the one I love and I just don't feel right without you."
Rapidfire let out a mocking laugh. "Take you back? I've had enough of you! You’re not even attractive to me anymore! I have found some pony much better looking than you anyway. Don't bother me again! I never really meant it when I said I loved you anyway. Get lost!" He slammed the door in her face.
Defeated now, Rainbow Dash flew back home. If this is what true love felt like, then she never wanted to love again. "It's not worth the hurt. I don't care who asks me to be their mare, I won't ever risk this kind of hurt again."
Days went by and she had refused to leave the house.
Derpy, the mail mare, forgot what the front door meant and left a pile of mail that was stacking up in Rainbow Dash's chimney.
Rainbow Dash only saw the letters that began falling into the hearth. Most of the letters were from her friends who were deeply concerned with her well being. One of the letters was from the Wonderbolts. It made her sick to her stomach. She didn't want to open it now. What she really wanted to do, was to set fire to all the mail in her hearth, but somehow, she managed to get the strength to open it.
It was a letter from Spitfire. The letter read, Dear Rainbow Dash, It has been a good week now and we still haven’t seen you at practice. You have missed many performances and if you miss anymore, I'm going to have to ask that you retire from the Wonderbolts. I don't know exactly what's wrong with you, but rumor has it that you and Rapidfire aren't seeing each other anymore. If this is true, then I am deeply sorry. I tried to warn you about him, but you wouldn't listen. I hope to see you at practice tomorrow at thee O' clock in the afternoon. Yours Truly, Spitfire.
Rainbow Dash crumbled up the letter and sobbed. How would she be able to fly with Rapidfire after what had just happened between them. There was hardly a moment that went by when she wasn't thinking about what had happened, and every thought of Rapidfire that popped into her mind, caused a flood of tears. There was one thing that she could do to escape the pain right now, and that was to sleep. She slept the entire day away.
Rainbow Dash was no push over. She might not be as strong and as tough as Applejack, but she sure as heck is no quitter. She had decided not to let Rapidfire ruin her career and go to practice the next day. She tried to keep eye contact with Rapidfire to a bare minimum.
He seemed to not even notice that she was there with them anyway.
Rainbow Dash forced herself to concentrate on her goals and she still performed everything beautifully. She was back to performing at shows and doing what she does best. The crowds loved her. All was going well, until a few days later, she realized she had a cough. She didn't think it was a big deal. Probably just a cold or something.
"Hey Rainbow Dash! Are you ready for your signature finale?" Spitfire called out across the skies to her fellow team mate.
"I sure am! Let's do this," the blue mare yelled back. Rainbow Dash zipped upwards toward the sun. Higher and higher she went as she prepared to dive down at supersonic speeds. By now, she had performed hundreds of sonic rainbooms all across Equestria with the Wonderbolts. She hovered over the clouds and took in the beauty of the pink and purple sky. She then hurled herself towards the earth with great speed. "Something’s not right," she thought to herself. "I don't feel like I'm picking up enough speed." Time was running out. She was nearing the earth and still no sonic rainboom had occurred. She flapped her wings as hard as she possibly could. She made a miscalculation and didn't realize that she indeed was much closer to the ground than she had predicted. A loud bang had occurred. However, it wasn't the sound of the sonic rainboom. She had lost control and crash landed into the bleachers where the fans were cheering her on. Rainbow Dash was instantly rushed to the hospital.