Chapter 1...Be Her Rainbow
Nopony could ever predict the world turning out this way...
But who possibly could when even the most powerful beings in Equestria couldn't.
Since the sky was covered with murky polluted clouds...
Since the toxic wastes turned the rivers to muck...
With no clean water to use to tend the fields...
It just got worse and worse.
It hit us hard and the magic of the world seemed to fade out of existence...
The lowland pegasi found it harder to fly through the thick air... not to mention the constant dust makes it impossible to spend too much time out of shelter.
That is what hit me the hardest I think...not being able to do what I was born to do....what I loved doing....
Though it hit us all hard....in some way....
whether it be AJ not being able to grow her crops....
or Rarity not being able to get new gems...
or Pinkie not being able to make anyone smile...
Fluttershy struggling to take in too many animals....
the hardest to watch was Twilight.....she tried so hard to find a way to fix the world...
but....in the end....she gave in to the sadness, its hard to watch her even when we are living together...she took me in when I couldn't reach my house anymore....
I see the sun through the window trying to fight through the smoggy sky, in the distance the factories continue to add to it...how could Celestia allow this to happen.....she of all people should have fought against it...
I sigh softly and get up from where I was sitting, my wings aching from the lack of use, I doubt that I could even fly to the top of our library.....'our library' it feels strange to say that when Twilight spends most of the day in her bed....mourning over what we couldn't change...but it's time for me to go to the market...I need to get what little food we could afford for dinner and I don't want to ask Twi to go....
I put on my old pair of flight goggles....along with a scarf to keep from coughing, not that it could help much anyways...I walk to Twi's bed....those stairs up to it seem to take forever to climb...I place a hoof on her back...I can feel her head nod giving me the sign that she understands...well it's time for me to go....I can feel the silence...its a painful sting to my soul...
I make my way to the front door, taking one last glance to the upper level....wishing more and more everyday that Spike was still around...I think a piece of us all died when he decided to leave...I know it hurt Twi more than anyone though...but that’s enough thinking on bad memories...I have two bellies to fill tonight...I finally open the door realizing I have been staring at it now for a few minutes...the silence makes me lose track of the time once in a while....
I head out into the brown fog my goggles getting covered in ash and muck...I flap my wings once in a while to keep the build up of the gunk down...glad I am covering my hair...even though faded my rainbow mane is all that reminds me of what I once was....that and my cutie mark...
I soon find myself standing at the market...it was moved into Sugarcube Corner after the cakes moved away....the four salespony inside always smile...though I still don't know how they do it....not many smile these days...well maybe the Flim Flam brothers....after all their factories are making enough money to put Manehattan to shame...that’s all those two ever cared about...money... but I shouldn't think about them...nothing I can do to change it...
as I reach the food salespony I point at the usual items I buy and she gets it ready for me....the orange pony is far to familiar to me for me not to know her.... and seeing what Scootaloo has become...with all the potential she had....makes me sadder than most things....but I guess she and the other two are at least making money....however much they get being salesponies at this makeshift market.
After my sack is ready I put what little bits I have for it onto the counter....she knows how bad we are struggling....taking way less than what the food is worth...I reach over the counter and pat her on her shoulder....she smiles wider...guess I am still her hero...even without my flying....
I wave as I get ready for the tread home...it always seems easier to return than to leave....and my heart beats hard with every step...I just want to be back home....home with her.....the only one of us I still am in contact with....
as I enter the library I see Twi has gotten up...waiting in the center room for me, her eyes meeting mine as I shut the door taking the ash assaulted goggles off and setting them on the side table. Her eyes are dull but still....I like seeing them...even in this state...and though she doesn't show it right now..I can tell she is happy I am home...but right now I need to start dinner...I take my scarf off and brush the dust and ash from my wings....they were covered....now wonder they felt so heavy...
I make my way to the kitchen and start preparing the food I had gotten us...occasionally glancing to see Twilight...she moved to the window and was looking out at the sun easing its way towards setting...I just want to see her smile...like when we practiced her flying....she was getting better at it too...then this happens.
A few hours pass and I set the bowls at the table...the usual stew...or what I think is stew....still not good at cooking....but she accepts it....and doesn't complain...I know its not the best but its all I can afford....we sit in silence while we eat...my eyes on her....watching her as she stares blankly into the want-to-be soup...
I open my mouth....desperately wanting to say something....but...no words come out....it feels like I have forgotten how to speak...but then....what would I say....'I love you'?....'wish your castle hadn’t been replaced with a factory.....' there was nothing I could say...nothing I could convince myself to say.
I close my mouth in defeat...I don't want to bother her mind any more than it is...nopony should have lost what she did....because of a couple greedy brothers....but we can't change that now....not even Celestia and Luna can....and since Cadence shut off the Crystal Empire....to keep it protected from the new Equestria.....she is not able to change it....not to mention its far to gone....
After I finish my soup I wait....in that mind numbing silence for her to finish....before getting her bowl and mine and placing them in the sink....I sigh glancing out the window to the now setting sun...it will be dark soon...and the candles will need to be lit... guess I should get to it...
As I start to light the candles I can see Twilight slip back up to her bed...I wish to join her....but my blanket in the corner is enough for me...complicating things would just make it worse for Twi I think....no matter how bad my feelings want to be with her.
With the candles lit...I swallow my fears and head up those stairs...the fears of rejection or simply being ignored swimming freely with my tired mind...I soon find myself at the side of her bed, she is facing so she is looking out the window....the gray smog now being seen with the rising moon....
My heart pounds in my chest as I open my mouth once more, waiting and hoping for something to come out....
“hey...”
I see her ear twitch with my coarse voice...its been forever since we have spoken to each other....but to my surprise after a few moments of silence she shifts to look at me...causing my heart to only pound harder in my chest...
“Thank you....”
her words echoed in my mind as I smiled ever so slightly at her....did she understand....was she meaning what I thought she was....my fears clouded my mind....and I found that I was now thinking for far to long on what to say next...
“...for what?...”
I ask....even though it hurts my throat a little when speaking I wait for an answer wanting to put my stupid thoughts away once and for all, my eyes meeting hers...pity....among other things are in her eyes...but there’s more than was there earlier....
“...everything....”
I stand there getting my answer....my body stiff as I feel a tear run down my cheek....my eyes still locked with hers before I hear her sigh....
“...all I have now....is you Rainbow....in this harsh unforgiving world....”
Her words hit me like daggers...and I understand even more how she feels....its not pity....but regret....for not being able to do anything else to save our home....
“I....I will always be here Twilight.....to whatever end...”
my words sound hollow....but I mean every one...and she knows it....I can tell by the glint of happiness in her eyes....I finally notice she has been crying a little...obviously since I spoke to her....then....she hits me with what I have hoped...the words I wished to hear for....what feels like a lifetime now...breaks the silence....
“...I love you Rainbow Dash....”
My heart soars...the first time in Celestia knows how long...I gulp....a ball in my throat as I feel my legs wanting to give way...but its been to quiet...at least 5 minutes have passed since her words....and I see that she has....shes.....smiling....
“...I...Love you too Twilight Sparkle.....”
I close my eyes holding in my tears....but before I know it I feel her forehooves around me...pulling me into her embrace onto her bed... I dare not open my eyes wanting to feel and not see....and I soon feel her soft muzzle against mine...we are kissing.....We are kissing!....I still can't believe it....but Celestia knows I love it....
I break the kiss and hold her tightly in my return of the embrace....
“....we have to keep going on....find something worth living for....”
once again my words are cheesy....and hollow sounding...but she still knows I mean every word....and I open my eyes to see her still smiling, her eyes gazing into mine.....with...a glint of hope and happiness I have not seen in far to many moons....and we stay that way for a few...the silence no longer something bad...but one showing that we are choosing words from far too many feelings....
“....I found mine....what about you?”
her voice is soft....and rings through my ears as I wrap my wings around her...my tears being held back as I gulp smiling at her.
“...I found mine long ago...”
and in that moment....from the moment those words left my lips...
she knew that I would not leave her.....that even in this world...
our love will be strong when nothing else could be....
and its this moment that I will remember...the moment where we hold each other...and finally let our feelings out....
from this moment...we are each others....she will be my Sparkle in the dark
...and.....and I....
well I will be her Rainbow....in a Harsh Unforgiving World....