//------------------------------// // 6. Aftermath // Story: Cheated Dreams // by Kodeake //------------------------------// Cheated Dreams Chapter 6 Aftermath Rainbow Dash never once looked back as she made her way quickly through the rapidly-darkening town. The sun was almost completely hidden by the horizon as Luna's moon began rising into the sky, signifying the beginning of night. She watched as the building's shadows grew longer and longer, extending out further onto the empty street she walked down. The occasional bit of golden light would spill out onto her from a window or from within a late-night shop as she continued her hasty journey through town, but she was the only soul visible on the road. The escorts had dropped them off in the middle of Ponyville, and her house was on the far side of the town's limits. Her wings ruffled at her sides, begging her to fly the remaining distance, but she ignored their silent pleas. Every feather and muscle in her wing had been trained and refined for one day becoming a Wonderbolt. Her entire body was built and conditioned for a dream she could never achieve. The feathered appendages were now nothing more than a painful reminder of that fact. The sky she once loved mocked her; she'd never be able to truly call it her own if she wasn't the best. And how could she be the best if she wasn't with the best? How could she call herself the best if the best had denied her? So she walked. She walked to forget the pain and the heartache. She walked to leave the world behind her as she made her way through the deserted street in the sleepy little town that she had called home for such a long time. The shadow's began blending into the blackness of the approaching night, the light from within the buildings becoming more frequent and even brighter in contrast to the dark world outside as ponies began lighting their lanterns in preparation for the encroaching night. Some few houses were totally dark for those who liked to go to bed early. Rainbow Dash knew she would be lucky if she got any sleep at all that night. Slowly the houses became farther and farther apart as she approached the edge of the town, eventually stopping altogether. The cobbled road became a dirt path as she crossed the hills outside Ponyville, her cloud house becoming visible in the distance. Before long she was directly underneath it, too lost in equal parts shock, rage and sorrow to fully comprehend the world around her. With a pained grimace she opened her wings, taking off quickly and flying up to her house. Wishing to spend as little time in the air as possible, she opted for a more direct route into her house than a door; through the floor. Extending her hooves out in front of her she shot through the layer of clouds holding her house aloft, the white fluff dissipating as she punched a hole clean through it. The cloud instantly curved back into the space, filling and erasing the hole from existence. Rainbow ignored the hole closing behind her as she landed on the floor, her wings instantly closing into her sides as she began walking through her house. It wasn't big or fancy, but it was home. It was empty and lonely, but it was home. It was high in the sky that she could never again call her own, but it was home. She walked through the cloud structure slowly and solemnly, one goal in her mind; sleep. The day had been one big event after another, and the emotional and physical fatigue had finally caught up to her. The sun's light was fully replaced by the moon's silvery glow as she reached her bedroom and slumped down on her bed, burying her face in the soft cloud pillow. Her eyes clenched shut as she struggled against her own body and mind's desire. She lost the fight; a few solitary tears leaked through her eyelids, and that was all it took for her to lose control. She cried. She cried openly and freely into her pillow, the cloud instantly absorbing her tears only to be fed more as she wept on her bed. She fell into a fitful sleep holding her pillow against her face. -_-_-_- Twilight stumbled through the front door of her home, the darkness of night being banished by the bright interior as the various lit lanterns and candles let loose their light around the front room of the library. Her mind was blurred with thoughts, too blurred to recognize the purple dragon looking at her worriedly from the kitchen door. “Twilight?” He called curiously, watching as the unicorn walked begrudgingly into the tree, shutting the door behind her and promptly falling to her haunches, leaning her head and back against the solid wood. “It just doesn't make any sense,” she mumbled, eyes reaching up to the ceiling as if searching for some all-powerful answer in the rings of the tree. “Twilight?” Spike called again, a little louder as he walked out into the main room and approached the distracted unicorn. Twilight shook her head forcefully, clearing the mental fog of thoughts, and turned her eyes away from the ceiling, focusing them on the purple and green dragon looking at her curiously. “Hey Spike,” she greeted quietly, a weak smile adorning her lips as she pushed herself away from the door and onto her hooves. “What happened?” Spike asked, motioning for Twilight to sit on one of the cushions in the living area of the tree. “There were two stallions in black suits here a few hours ago looking for you. Then, a little while later, they came back, saying you and Rainbow Dash had been taken to Cloudsdale for questioning regarding the Wonderbolts and they started asking a whole bunch of questions about the necklace she's been wearing almost constantly.” “It's...” Twilight trailed off, unsure of how to explain her situation as she obeyed Spike's request and sat down on the plush, purple cushion. “What is it?” Spike asked, egging her on as he took a seat next to her on the floor. “Complicated,” she finished slowly, cringing as she saw the deadpan glare her draconian assistant was giving her. “Really Twilight? You've been gone all day, a pair of black suited stallions ask a whole bunch of weird questions, and all you have to say is that it's complicated?” He asked rhetorically, “I already figured it was complicated. I want to know what was going on, not how convoluted it was.” Twilight sighed, crossing her forelegs and resting her chin on them as she laid down. “It's been one big misunderstanding after another today. Somepony claimed that Rainbow cheated in the Wonderbolt competition, and that I helped her do it. And from there it just went... downhill,” Twilight explained, looking over to see Spike's wide eyes. “They thought Rainbow Dash would cheat on something like that?” He asked incredulously. Twilight simply nodded in response. “What would you have to do with that? Did they think you enchanted that necklace for her?” Spike asked through a chuckle at the shier absurdity of the notion. “There... was an enchantment on the necklace...” Twilight admitted quietly, so quietly Spike almost didn't hear her. His laughter died in his throat as he gaped at Twilight. “You didn't...” he gasped, staring wide-eyed at the unicorn before him. “I didn't!” Twilight protested loudly, shooting up from her prone position on the floor. “But... somehow there was a level three flight enhancer on that necklace,” she continued with a sigh, laying back down to the floor. “Well, if you didn't place it, then it must have been the pony she got it from,” Spike deduced, scratching his chin with a claw thoughtfully, “so who gave it to her?” “That's just it!” Twilight groaned, rolling over onto her back and staring at the ceiling, “I gave it to her! There certainly wasn't any kind of enchantment on it when I had it! And to make it even worse even she believes I put it there!” Spike opened his mouth to respond, but slammed it shut a second alter, regarding Twilight with a skeptically raised eyebrow. “Did you just say that she believes you put it on the necklace?” Twilight sighed, long and low, as she closed her eyes. “Yes; even Rainbow Dash thinks I placed that enchantment. When they dropped us off in Ponyville after questioning us she sounded like she wanted to kill me, before throwing the necklace into the fountain and storming off.” “She can't seriously believe you'd try to sabotage her shot at the Wonderbolts can she?” Spike asked, a little surprised that Rainbow Dash would believe some ponies in fancy suits over her friend. Twilight's solemn nod, however, confirmed it. “The last thing she said to me was that she never wanted to talk to me again.” Twilight finished quietly, frowning deeply as her mind brought her back to the exact moment in time. Her eyes grew wet as she remembered the look in Rainbow's eyes; the burning hatred mixed with a sorrow deeper than the deepest ocean. Despair was written clearly across her features, and Twilight hadn't been able to do anything to help. In the pegasus's mind, she was the one who caused that hurt. “What!?” Spike yelled, “how could she say that to you!?” Twilight sighed again as she rolled back over onto her hooves. “Because of the enchantment on the necklace she was kicked out of the Wonderbolts and told she'd never be able to try to enter again. As far as she knows, I ruined her only chance at achieving her dreams.” Spike frowned thoughtfully, silently mulling over the information he'd just been given. He was getting nowhere as he heard a long, tired yawn from beside him. He looked over, seeing Twilight struggling to keep her eyes open as she laid in the soft embrace of her cushion. “Well unless you have any better ideas, we're not going to be able to do anything about this tonight. Why don't you go to bed?” He suggested. Twilight looked up at him, smiling gently. “I thought I was supposed to tell you when it was time for bed,” she joked, eliciting a chuckle from the dragon. “You used to, but right now you need sleep more than I do; you look like you've just come back from fighting a hydra.” “Yeah, I guess,” Twilight agreed, yawning again as she forced herself up from her cushion. “I just don't know what what I'm going to do about any of this. Even if I convince Rainbow I didn't place that enchantment, she'll still be out of the Wonderbolts.” “Don't worry; I'm sure we'll figure something out,” he assured with a gentle, caring smile, before motioning to the stairs, “But you're no good if you're half asleep. Rainbow will come to her senses and realize you wouldn't do anything like that.” Twilight nodded, walking over to the staircase to the second floor. She took the first few steps before turning, looking down at the dragon locking the door for the night. “I hope you're right, Spike.” “I know I am,” He assured with a cocky grin that would suit Rainbow Dash more than himself. Twilight found herself smiling at the little dragon. “And... thanks. I'm glad I didn't have to work through this on my own.” Twilight said gently before resuming her ascension to the second story and her bedroom. “It's what I'm here for. Oh hey! Wait a second!” He called suddenly, running to the base of the stairs and looking up at the unicorn at the top. “Yes?” She asked, curiously cocking her head to the side. “You said you gave Rainbow Dash that necklace, right?” He asked, making her even more confused. “I did...” she trailed off, unsure of where he was going with this. “Why?” “For good luck in the competition,” she answered quickly. Spike's interest only seemed to grow as he looked up at her. “Really? And she actually wears it?” He watched as Twilight nodded slowly, “huh. I figured she'd only wear something like that if it were from her special somepony or something; she doesn't strike me as the jewelry type.” Twilight shrugged, “I guess she liked it. Anyway, goodnight, Spike.” “'Night Twilight!” He called as the unicorn, oblivious to the blush on her cheeks, went up the stairs and to her bed.