//------------------------------//
// Hopeless 
// Story: Rainbow's Quest 
// by Zetriax 
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Chapter 13- Hopeless
Rainbow blinked open her eyes to see morning light streaming through a window. She was lying on the couch in Scootaloo’s living room, a blanket draped over her. She didn’t remember going to sleep. She didn’t even remember anything after Dash destroyed the stone.
Rainbow sighed. How could Dash do this to her? Even more importantly, how would she get home? Rainbow was stuck here, ten years in the future, with doomsday nine days away. She sunk her head back to the pillow and stared at the ceiling. She didn’t want to think about the end of time anymore. She didn’t really want to think at all. But the undeniable truth lurked at the edge of her mind like a dark cloud, waiting to unleash its fury. Why did this have to happen to her?
A solitary tear slid down her cheek. It was overwhelming. The fate of the entire world rested in her hooves and the only hope she had clung to was snatched away from her. What could she do now? She missed her old friends. She missed Pinkie’s over-ecstatic view of life, and Rarity’s over-exaggerated reactions. She missed Applejack’s playful banter, and Twilight’s boring lectures. She even missed Fluttershy and how she would suddenly grow bold when it really counted. But what Rainbow really missed was how simple all that was. It made her miss the days when nothing exciting was happening and her only worry was finding something to do. That was what she wanted now, more than anything in the world.
“How are you feeling?” said Scootaloo from the other side of the living room.
“Hopeless,” replied Rainbow, still staring at the ceiling.
Scootaloo nodded sympathetically. “I know the feeling,” said the orange mare. “When me, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle were looking for our cutie marks, we tried everything. No matter what, we couldn’t find our special talent. I thought we were doomed to be blank-flanks forever. But we never gave up. And neither should you.”
Rainbow shook her head and turned to gaze at the pegasus. “This is totally different, Scoots. You see, I came from…”
“… The past. I know. Shadow told me everything. And if you don’t go back the world might be destroyed. I know it must be hard, but just sitting here doing nothing isn’t going to work. Come on! We should go outside and enjoy today. Just forget about it all for a while. Sometimes, you have to take a break, even from saving the world. Nopony accomplished anything wearing themselves out.” Scootaloo trotted up to the couch and pulled Rainbow to her feet. Rainbow reached for her hood and watch, but Scootaloo stopped her. “It’s okay. You don’t have to hide today. Dash is supposed to train with the Wonderbolts all day. You can be yourself.” Rainbow nodded in appreciation and left the disguise behind.
Together, they left the cottage and strolled outside. The sky was clear and Celestia’s sun shone brilliantly with morning light. The day reminded her of the day she left her time. Was that really only four days ago? So much had happened since her arrival that the days inched by at an agonizing pace. She shook her head to clear it. She wasn’t going to let her thoughts trouble her today.
“What do you do now, Scoots?” Rainbow asked mostly to distract herself.
“Well, I do stunts and things along those lines. I do daredevil shows from time to time, but I mostly just apply my skills where I can,” she replied.
“That’s cool,” said Rainbow.
“What is it like, seeing the future? Is it weird? I mean, I know it has to be scary since the world might end, but besides that,” the orange pegasus queried.
“Well,” said the cyan pony after considering for a moment, “It feels the same in some ways, but in others, it is totally different. Like you. I didn’t even recognize you when you found me on that cloud.”
Scootaloo smiled as realization dawned on her, “So that wasn’t Dash. I knew something was off about you. Guess I’m a little slow to catch on.” She flicked her magenta mane and giggled.
Rainbow grinned. “So, where to?” she asked.
“Let’s go to Fluttershy’s place. She has a new pet you’d probably like,” Scoots suggested.
Rainbow shrugged, “I don’t know. It doesn’t sound all that exciting.”
Scootaloo gave Rainbow a sly grin. “That’s because you don’t know what it is.”
“Well, if you insist,” the blue pegasus conceded.
Scootaloo merrily led Rainbow across Ponyville to Fluttershy’s cottage beside the Everfree Forest. The place hadn’t changed in the slightest over the ten years Rainbow had skipped. Scootaloo cantered up and rapped on the door a couple times. The door creaked open and Fluttershy timidly peeked out.
“Hello?” Fluttershy asked in a measly fashion.
“Hey Flutter!” Scoots greeted. “I wanted to show Rainbow that new animal you found.”
Fluttershy perked up. “You mean Dapple? Oh, yes! Please, come in!”
Once Rainbow and Scootaloo came in and made themselves comfortable, Fluttershy called, “Come here, Dapple! Come here, girl! Some friends want to meet you!”
Rainbow watched the staircase as something came slinking down. Scootaloo bounced excitedly as the animal came into view. Before the three pegasi stood a lithe, elegant cheetah.
“Wow!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Where in the wide world of Equestria did you find her, Fluttershy?” She flew in a circle around the wildcat. Dapple watched her without moving in a curious, but friendly way.
“I found her in a field not far from here. Poor thing had sprained her ankle in a gopher hole. I brought her here and made her all better. Now, she can run as fast as ever,” Fluttershy answered.
“Can I race her? That’d be so awesome!” Rainbow asked excitedly.
“Of course you can,” said Fluttershy. The yellow pegasus and Scootaloo exchanged glances and smiled as if something unspoken had gone between them; as if they were hiding something.
“What?” Rainbow asked. Surely, these two couldn’t be plotting against her.
“Nothing, nothing,” said Scootaloo quickly, glancing around guiltily.
Rainbow narrowed her eyes. “Okay then,” she said slowly. She knew something was up, and she planned to get to the bottom of it. However, there would be time enough for that later. Today was her day to get her mind off suspicions and looming threats.
She led Dapple out of Fluttershy’s house and instantly, the lithe animal tore off.
“HEY!” Rainbow exclaimed.
“Catch her, Rainbow!” Scootaloo shouted.
Rainbow zoomed after the wildcat at full speed. Just when she was about to catch the animal, Dapple sharply veered towards town. Rainbow corrected her course and followed suit. Dapple ripped through crowds of busy townsfolk, leaving Rainbow to duck and dodge the alarmed pedestrians. She would lose the cheetah for a second only to see a glimpse of her glossy pelt. Then, she would be lost from sight again. Rainbow followed the creature around Ponyville until she was exhausted and getting frustrated.
She slumped against the wall of a building to catch her breath. As she leaned there, she spotted Dapple making a run for the opposite side of town. Rainbow quickly gathered herself up, and shot like a bullet after it. Dapple bolted over the hills outside town and into the countryside. Rainbow chased it all the way to Sweet Apple Acres, where she saw the tip of the cat’s tail whisk into the barn. Rainbow grinned. The cheetah would be trapped inside.
Rainbow crept into the entrance of the dark building. Suddenly, lights illuminated everywhere, momentarily blinding her. “SURPRISE!” howled a chorus of voices. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she could make out the shapes of seven ponies and party decorations.
Rainbow laughed. “Wow! I am surprised!” she said, “What’s all this for?” She could now see clearly. Fluttershy, Scootaloo, Shadow Flare, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, and even Twilight was there. Dapple was also lying on the ground, panting.
Pinkie Pie bounced up to her, “It’s a ‘Get your mind off of the depressing’ slash ‘Welcome to the Future’ party. Shadow Flare planned it all. He told us about you coming to the future and how the world’s gonna end and how Dash became a giant meanie and how your rock was broken into a bazillion pieces and…” Rarity jabbed the pink pony in the side. Pinkie giggled guiltily, “Hehe. And how we were supposed to get your mind off of all that.”
Applejack trotted up to Rainbow. “Don’t you mind her none. You know how she is,” the orange earth pony apologized for Pinkie.
Rainbow smiled, “Thanks guys. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
“Actually, you should really be thanking Shadow,” said Queen Twilight, “He’s the one who came up with the idea. I guess he’s finally taking my advice to make friends.”
Shadow Flare shrugged and stared down as he scuffed his hooves across the floor. “I-it was nothing,” he said modestly.
“Well thank you anyways for the wonderful surprise,” said Rainbow. Shadow smiled but said nothing.
“Come on guys! Let’s get this party started!” Pinkie Pie yowled.
It was a classic Pinkie Party. They played outrageous games, ate mountains of food, and danced for hours on end. It was dark when the friends were finally calming down.
“So Twilight?” Rainbow asked, “When did you become queen?”
Twilight took a sip of punch before answering. “Well, a year ago, Celestia and Luna disappeared. I tried contacting them but could never reach them. They simply never came back. So, since Cadence is busy taking care of the Crystal Empire, I took charge over Canterlot. I even had to learn how to raise the sun and moon.”
“Wow. Did you try to get Spike to send a letter to them?”
“No, he grew up and went to live somewhere else. He simply couldn’t stay in the castle with his huge size, nor could he live nearby because of all the smoke when he snores. We still write each other often enough though. However, he is currently two years into a five year nap.”
“Geez. I knew the guy liked sleeping but five years is a tad bit excessive isn’t it?”
Twilight shrugged, “Not for a dragon.”
“What do you think happened to the princesses? Do you think Discord is behind it?”
“No. Discord is reformed, remember?”
“Call him what you may, but I still don’t trust him,” Rainbow said with a flick of her tail.
“Darling,” Rarity joined the conversation, “Discord has helped us a lot the past ten years and not once did he pull anything more than a harmless prank. Well, mostly harmless. Anyways, if he was going to do something, wouldn’t he have done so before even that next year was up?”
“I guess,” said Rainbow.
Twilight smiled and said, “They’ll return soon enough. I know they will. They’ve been here since the foundation of Equestria. There will be a day when they return.”
“Yeah. You’re right, as usual. Becoming a queen sure didn’t change that.”
Twilight nodded, “Well, I have a busy day tomorrow. I should probably be going. Visit any time you want.”
“Okay. I’ll do that,” said Rainbow. Fluttershy soon left with Dapple and, one by one, the other ponies followed until it was just Rainbow, Shadow Flare, and Applejack.
“I’ll be up cleaning all night,” Applejack grumbled to herself.
“I’m sorry but we should be going now,” Rainbow said.
Applejack nodded, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine.”
With that, Rainbow and Shadow left. They walked side by side through the starlit night.
“It sure is beautiful out here,” Rainbow said.
“I agree,” replied Shadow.
“Thank you for the wonderful day.”
Shadow laughed, “Hey. I said it was nothing. I just got the people together. Pinkie’s the one who threw the party.”
Rainbow smiled, “Whatever you say.”
“So where are you staying tonight?” he asked.
Rainbow considered for a moment. “I feel safer at the library. Plus, Scootaloo’s place will just keep reminding me of the shattered stone.”
“Sounds good,” Shadow said.
Rainbow halted in her tracks. “I almost forgot! My cloak and stopwatch are still at Scootaloo’s.”
“Oh, should I go with you?” Shadow offered.
Rainbow shook her head, “That’s fine. I’ll meet you back at the library soon.”
Shadow shrugged, “Suit yourself.” He continued walking along the path and Rainbow flew in the direction of Scootaloo’s house.
The night suddenly grew colder around her. The sky grew darker. What was going on?
“This time you’ve gone too far,” a menacing voice said.
“Who’s there?” Rainbow asked, fighting panic.
“You think you can just waltz here into my time and steal my friends. I was always loyal to them and now you are turning them against me!”
“Dash?”
“No. Because of you, I am not who I once was. I am Dark Rainbow!” A flash of lightning illuminated the pegasus. She had black fur, her mane was dark grey, and her eyes were deep red.
“I don’t care what Chrono says!” Dash yowled, “I’m gonna get rid of you if it’s the last thing I do!” The black pegasus lunged at Rainbow. She now knew it was a mistake to come alone.