//------------------------------//
// 08: The Fortune of Rainbow Dash 
// Story: The Tyranny of Queen Twilight Sparkle 
// by Gherkin 
//------------------------------//

After all this time, it might be finally happening. After all the death, and destruction. After all the mayhem, and the crazy alternate universe, I might finally be going home.

Or, I might be dying. I might be being dragged down to the depths of Tartarus for everything that I've done. All the ponies I've killed, who were likely just following orders out of their own fear. Does killing them make me a monster? I mean, it's not like I wanted to. The whole time, I didn't have a choice.

Did I?

The light here is blinding, It's all I can see; all I can feel. No matter where I look, all I can see is this bright, white light. Maybe this is some sort of Purgatory, and I'm doomed to rot away here forever. It's a very real possibility at this point, but I try not to think about it. I just sit and pray that the Element of Harmony is, somehow, finally sending me home.

My friends. That's what I've been fighting for this whole time, I realise. My friends are important to me, and I know that I am important to them. Even in Queen Twilight's world, it was Applejack who helped me along. I would have probably been caught the first night had she not been there. In the end, what are we without our friends, right? We support each other.

Heck, if I am getting home, I think I'll need quite a bit of support, as much as I hate to admit it. Everything that's happened has been too much. All the killing, all the death. It's scarred me. 

Something catches my eye, just at the corner of my vision. A blotch of colour, in this never ending, depressing sea of white. I have no idea what it actually is, though. It's like a drop of paint on a blank canvas, but moving, expanding, and getting closer towards me. Is this some sort of portal to take me back home. By Celestia, I hope so. The... whatever it is, is changing. I think I can make out some sort of image, but its too blurry to see exactly what it is. By now, however, I don't even care. I force my broken body to move, galloping towards it with all of my effort. Praying to Celestia that this will work, I leap forward, and brace for impact.

My ears flatten back against my head instinctively as a deafening screech pierces them. I cry out in pain, barely noticing that I tumble across the floor in the process. My ears are still ringing, and my vision is fuzzy. But I'm definitely somewhere now. I can feel the floor beneath me. It's... carpet, I think. Could it be?

"Rainbow Dash? Is that you?"

Despite the biting pain, I roll onto my back, recognising the familiar voice. I blink a few times, and my vision clears. I'm back. Back at the castle library. How long I've been gone here is anypony's guess. I look up, and see an orange mare standing over me, concern and worry all but written across her face.

"RD?" she repeats. "Can ya hear me?" She pauses for a second, noticing the state I'm in. "And what in tarnation are you wearing?"

I try to say something, anything, but no words come out. I only look up into the eyes of my friend. Sitting up, and with tears welling in my eyes, I give in. I lunge forward, clutching my friend in a fierce embrace, finally releasing the tears I've been holding for so long. I bawl and cry, hugging her as she returns the favour, albeit confusedly.

"Gracious? What's gotten into ya, girl?" she wonders, looking to the rest of my friends for some clarification. Unsurprisingly, they're as stumped as she is. "What in the world happened to ya?" I don't say anything, and simply cling to her like a foal clinging to its favourite stuffed toy. Though the tears blur my vision, I can make out the rest of our friends surrounding us, each as confused and worried as the next. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Spike, and...

Twilight.

The newly-crowned princess takes a step towards me, and I flinch backwards without thinking. She pauses, a hurt look spread across her face, and I manage to look up at her. 

"Rainbow Dash," she says, soothingly and gently. "You've only been gone for a few hours. What happened to you in there? Where'd you get that costume?"

Taking a deep breath, I manage to stop blubbering and shaking and sit up properly. "I..." To be honest, I have no idea what to say. I look up at her again, and find myself overcome with an irrational fear once more. "By Celestia, you killed her!" I spurt out, clutching Applejack once again.

My mind wanders back to my final moments in that horrifying alternate reality. They were all dead. The final stab that fell Queen Twilight was an exclamation mark to everything that had led up to that point. I know I shouldn't be scared or upset with Twilight here. I know that she's not the same pony. But still, I can't help it. I'll have to tell them all about what happened, at some point. I can't just leave them in the dark. Having calmed down slightly, I release AJ once again, and look up at Twilight. She looks mortified, and on the brink of tears, no doubt over what I just said. I quietly apologise, and hug her as well.

After releasing her, I notice her horn light up with magic, and the old dusty book containing the spell comes floating over. "I don't know what happened in there, Dash," she says to me quietly. "But it can't have been good. Perhaps it's best to leave this spell alone for a while." I nod slowly, and she levitates the book back onto one of the bookshelves.

Sighing, I look down at myself. I'm covered in dried, flaking blood, no doubt that some of it is my own. Despite this, however, my eyes fall to the hidden blades strapped to my forehooves. I stare down at them, contemplating all that I've done, before pulling both off, one at a time. I inspect them for a moment, thinking about all of the lives I've taken with nothing but a pair of tiny blades. Then, I simply let them fall to the floor.

No more.


***


You know, Ponyville looks a lot better when the ponies living here can move around town freely, without fear of oppression.

No, Dash, stop it. Remember what they told you. You can only move past it once you stop thinking about it, okay? That's what Twilight said. Now get a grip.

Still, I think it's going to be pretty hard not to think about what happened only a few days ago, considering what I'm doing right now. I try not to think too much about it, though, and instead try to relax. Not at all hard to do, when you think about it. Ponyville's back the way I love it. The sun is shining in the mid-afternoon sky, cheerful ponies are greeting me as I glide past them. Everything's finally back to normal, and normal is exactly what I need right now.

The chirpy sound of a young colt's voice draws my attention. "Rainbow Dash!" I glance to the side, and see Rumble galloping towards me, having broken away from playing with his friends. "I heard you were looking for my big brother," he informs me, smiling as I set down in front of him. 

"Heh, sure am," I say, ruffling the kid's mane. "Just need to talk to him about a few things to do with the weather team." I'm lying, of course. If Rumble could tell, he didn't show it. "Is he at home?"

The little guy nods earnestly. "Yeah, he's just lazing about." Heh, no real surprises there. "Said he didn't have anything to do today so he was going to lie in. Maybe his captain can make his lazy flank get out of bed." He giggles, and I roll my eyes and smirk.

"Why, that lazy little buck!" I announce, smirking towards Rumble playfully. "I don't have time for pegasi who sit on their flanks all day!" He giggles a bit more, and I find myself joining him. Huh, haven't done that in a while. Glad to see I'm lightening up a bit. "Heh, alright, kid," I say to him, ruffling his mane again. "Catch you later!" 

He waves goodbye, and I flap my wings, waving back before taking off back down the street.

It's only been a few days since I got back, but its still taking some getting used to. I was only in that alternate reality for... what was it? A few days? A week, tops. Even so, its hard adjusting back to regular life in regular Equestria. I find myself getting jumpy, freaking out over the slightest noise. I know its not the same, and I keep trying to tell myself that, but its still hard.

Right now, though, I'm not worrying about that. I'm off to see that cocky stallion on my weather team, Thunderlane. Since my most recent memory of the guy is of him bleeding out from a stab wound, I think its best that I catch up with him. Maybe get to know him a bit better. Sometimes you take things, and ponies, for granted, you know?

I soon arrive at his house. Briefly, I remember the lifeless bodies of the guards I killed here, in alternate Ponyville, but I quickly push the thought back. It's all behind you now, Dash. Instead focusing on the future, I move forward and, with a deep breath, knock on the door.

"Ugh, gimme a minute," I hear him groan from somewhere inside. Yep, Rumble wasn't lying. I snicker slightly, and wait patiently. I give my wings a stretch, and sigh contently. I think everything's going to be just fine from now on.

The door opens suddenly, and I'm greeted by the dark gray pegasus, completely disheveled and ungroomed. In other words, the universal look of "I just crawled out of bed" was standing before me. He notices me, and his eyes widen. He runs a hoof through his messy mane in an attempt to tidy it, and chuckles nervously. "Oh, hey cap," he says, smiling sheepishly. "Did we get a new weather schedule for today, or something?"

I chuckle at his nervous reaction, and step forward. "No, nothing like that," I tell him, relaxing him a little. "I just wanted to stop by and say hi."

My reply throws him off a little. "Oh, okay." He steps aside. "Come in, please. Sorry, the place is kinda messy."

He's not lying, that's for sure. I thank him anyway, and step inside his house. 

"I heard something happened when you went up to Canterlot the other day," he comments as he closes the door. I stop dead in my tracks and sigh, before turning to face him. "Did you want to talk about that?"

I go to reply, but instead step forward and hug him. Harder than I really intend to, I think. He's obviously surprised by the sudden display of affection, but quickly returns the favour. "Yeah, something happened," I murmur, pulling back. "But I've talked enough about that with all of my friends. No, I just wanted to..." I pause, and look up at him. He looks me in the eye, waiting patiently for me to finish, and I blush slightly. Maybe he noticed, but I don't care. "I just wanted to talk."

The stallion nods and smiles silently, before inviting me to sit down on the couch. Yeah, I doubt I'm being very subtle at this point. He doesn't seem to mind, though.

Heh. Yep, everything's going to be just fine.


***


"Are you sure you're okay, RD?"

I snap out of my inner thoughts, and look up. Applejack is staring back at me, a bottle of Apple Family cider in her hands and concern all but written across her face. I stay silent for a second, and she continues.

"After what you told all of us, I can't help but think that you went through Tartarus itself."

I smile, and nod slightly. "I'm fine, Applejack. Really, I am. It's been a few weeks now, after all, and you've been here for me."

She chuckles, sitting back and sipping her drink. "Don't y'all give me all the credit now, ya hear?"

I raise my hooves and shrug. "Okay, you and everypony else. Honestly, though, thank you."

My friend grins and claps me on the shoulder. "Don't you mention it, Rainbow Dash, Heh, what else are friends for, anyway?" I grab her hoof and pull her into a hug, and she giggles. "Darn, you goin' all sappy on me again?"

Pushing her away playfully, I roll my eyes and say, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Excuse me for pouring out my heart." I stick out my tongue, and she giggles again, before offering me a bottle of cider. I gladly accept, popping off the lid and taking a swig.

"So, I gotta know." AJ leans in closer to me. "Just what was I like in that crazy reality you visited?"

Oh, you don't even know the half of it. "The same mostly," I tell her. "You were angrier, though, on account of some..." I pause, thinking for a way to put her brother's death lightly. "...family losses."

She grimaces, and sits back. Yeah, I think she got my point. "Oh. On second thought, I don't think I want to know," she mutters, looking away. I kind of feel bad for merely putting the thought of losing one of her kin inside her head. I know how the Apples appreciate family, above all else.

All this talk about the Apple Family in alternate Equestria reminds me of something, though. There's something I need to go and check out. I tap Applejack on the shoulder and make up some sort of excuse to go and use the filly's room, before trotting out of the living room and through the kitchen. The idea I had was unlikely, but I wanted to check anyway. Making sure nopony else is around, I make my way past the staircase, stopping to face a familiar painting hanging on the wall underneath. It's the same painting, that's for sure. An old, tacky piece of art, probably a gift from some distant family member.

Tentatively, a reach out with my hoof to touch the fading picture. I'm almost scared to touch it, for some unknown reason. I trace my hoof along it, before gripping onto the frame and tilting it to the side.

The painting tilts, and promptly falls off the wall and onto the floor. Well, that was anti-climactic. Feeling kind of stupid, I pick it up in my hooves carefully, and hang it back on the wall quickly, before anypony else notices. No, Rainbow Dash, this painting is not a hidden doorknob to a hidden basement for a group of secret Assassins. Not in this universe, at least.

I take one last look at the old thing, before turning and walking away, ready to start anew. No more Assassins. No more evil, crazed queens possessed by ancient artifacts. No more psychotic alternate realities. Just life. Regular life, in Ponyville, with my friends.

I can't wait.