//------------------------------// // Street dreams // Story: Homecoming // by seeker9709 //------------------------------// 13 days remaining... The wonderful smell of assorted fruits and vegetables fill the cool, crisp air. Both were punctuated by the happy chatter of dozens of ponies filling the market, smiles adorning their faces as conversed and milled around the and communed whilst they went along their way. The weather teams had woken up extra early to clear the winter skies so the sun could shine down, providing the ponies with a warmer day and brightening the gloomy, grey clouds. Nothing to worry about on a beautiful Sun's Day. And why should it be any different, Canterlot life was easy after all. But there was one pony amongst all the others who felt quite differently. Two ponies accompanied each other. One, a deep grey whose mood was as bright and cheerful as the sun that shown down on her. The other with a mesmerizing coat of gold and bright yellow colors, but her mood was barely affected by the warmth of the sun and the joy of the crowd. Beneath her vibrant colored coat, her mind was clouded just as the sky had been the previous day. Accompanied by Octavia, Twilight roamed the market. Octavia had been right when she said it would help Twilight feel less claustrophobic and stir-crazy, but she still was concerned about what Octavia had told her the previous night. Even with all the events of the other day and the news she had received, she had fallen asleep almost immediately that night, much to her and Octavia's surprise. But the moment she had awoken her mind raced back to her mother. The pair had gone about their morning tasks to get ready for the day. Twilight for the most part had been attentive throughout the day, while in some small part of her mind she was away, lost in thought. Once they had left, she made sure to change her colors just to be on the safe side. She didn't want to take the risk of being noticed. Though she was distracted she tried not to focus entirely on her own thoughts. After all, Octavia wanted to be with her. It was her idea to come to the market place, and she knew it Twilight’s favorite place in Canterlot. She didn't want to spoil the day her friend and lover had worked hard to get her to. 'I am a bit stubborn after all' She mentally noted. She turned toward Octavia, meeting her eye and giving a small smile as they walked together. 'It's a beautiful day. Best to not ruin it.' The morning after she had left the palace she headed to the army barracks and spent the whole day training. It always helped clear her mind, even on the worst days. She worked and fought until her sweat started to freeze around her from the cold. She fought until her bandages bled through. She trained until tears squeezed through her eyes. And once all that had happened, she kept going. Once she had stopped, the bandages dominating her body were an ugly, dry red and brown. She flew home as fast as she could, not even bothering to use her front door and went through her window instead. She stripped herself of the bandaging and practically threw herself into her shower, all the while ignoring Fluttershy's knocking and pleading at her door. She changed her bandaging and fell onto her bed, not even remembering that she hadn't had anything to eat the entire day. But she didn't care. And yet, after the whole day she had gone through, sleep evaded her. She only stared forward at the ceiling above her, memorizing every scratch, divet, and knot in the wood. And still sleep did not come. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to think to find a distraction. She, Fluttershy, and Scootaloo living out in the countryside, Luna comforting her with a wing over her back, Twilight Sparkle defeated before her, ANYTHING. She felt a hot, dry wind filled with dust trike her in the face like a slap. Her eye shot open revealing the picture before her. Pain, agony, misery, death, chaos, torture, horror, sadness, grief, and carnage dominated the land she once called home. Streets engulfed in flames, fields turned to graves, homes turned to prisons, and rivers turned to red. The Canterlot castle was in ruins, collapsing in on it self. The streets were lined with mangled corpses and bodies still bleeding. Homes and buildings were collapsed, caved in, burning, or just destroyed. The stars were blacked out as the black night was choked with smoke. The heads of Celestia and Luna hung on stakes. Rainbow could only stare in horror and when she had finally found the power to move, she found her body stuck. Something pinned her down. A shape moved in front of her, two black orbs only inches from her face. Her eyes adjusted to see Twilight Sparkle's eyes locked with hers. The unicorn cocked her head before backing away from the now terrified pegasus. From behind the monster that is Twilight Sparkle, a silver knife appeared. Grasped in her magic, it moved toward Rainbow, who fought against whatever pinned her down, keeping her from moving. “Stop moving Rainbow dear.” A chilling voice spoke from behind her. A voice all to familiar. She turned her head to see a buttercup pegasus holding her down with impossible strength. Her eyes solid black and a twisted smile domination her features. “This is your fate. Except it and it will come all that much quicker.” Rainbow felt cold steel push against the bottom of her neck. “AIIIIIIII!” She screamed, launching herself from her bed. She tumbled across the floor for a moment before flipping onto her back, staring at her bed. She dragged herself into the corner and held herself as she took in slow shaky breaths as she stared out of the window. Canterlot was fine. The sun was up and the sky was clear of clouds. It had all been a dream. Only now, however, did she hear the thumping of hooves coming towards her door. “RAINBOW? WHATS GOING ON?” “BIG SIS? ARE YOU OKAY?” The panicked voices of her friends shouted, followed shortly by a tapping on her locked door. The door handle rattled, but to no avail. “Rainbow?” The normally meek voice of Fluttershy called. “Are you alright? We heard a scream.” “Yeah. Are you hurt.” Scootaloo seconded. There was a long silence as Rainbow's head dropped down as she stared at the floor. Her mouth hanging open, trying to speak words which she couldn't find. She wanted to say she fine, but at the same time say exact the opposite. After a long silence Fluttershy spoke again. “Rainbow,” She said, her voice hard. “I'm coming in. Scootaloo, stand back.” A moment of silence went by before the door shuddered by a resounding thump. Another kick caused the door to splinter and crack. After the third kick the door swung open. The two pegasus rushed in and found their cyan friend huddled in the corner. Scootaloo started to run to her big sister, but was stopped by Fluttershy's hoof. She looked to the buttercup pegasus. She shook her head wordlessly before moving to Rainbow. Kneeling down on her to front hooves she tried to meet her friends eyes. Rainbow's head still hung towards the floor. “Rainbow.” Fluttershy began. “Look at me.” She said to her as you would a small, scared child. Rainbow didn't move from her position, except to draw her hooves in even tighter. Seeing this Fluttershy got even closer, her face growing serious. “RAINbow.” She commanded, causing Rainbow to flinch. She never flinched. “Look. At. Me.” Slowly Rainbow's head lifted, meeting Fluttershy's eyes. The pair stared intently at each other before Fluttershy abruptly stood. Rainbow resumed her previous position as the other turned away. “Scootaloo? Could come out here for a moment?” Fluttershy said motioning to the door as she herself approached it. Her voice calm and not willing to take no for an answer. The orange pegasus followed her out. As soon as Fluttershy closed the door behind them she turned to Scootaloo speaking in a hushed tone. It did not, however, escape the ears of the soldier on the other side of the door “Scootaloo, something is wrong with Rainbow Dash.” The smaller pegasus started to speak but was silenced by Fluttershy's hoof. “I'm going to get the princess. I need you to stay here and watch her. If she does anything. Anything strange or odd, run. Run away, no matter what. Do you understand?” Scootaloo was scared now. “But whats going on, Fluttershy? Whats wrong with Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy began moving towards the stairs. “I'll explain once I get back. Stay here Scootaloo.” And with that she rushed down the stairs and out the door. Scootaloo turned back, entering the room. She turned towards her friend who was staring her in the eye from the corner. Scootaloo froze unable to tear her gaze away from Rainbow Dash. The cyan mare's head was cocked to one size, staring down the smaller pegasus. But there was something else which petrafied her. Rainbow's eyes were solid black.