Chapter 05
“Sometimes the same item must be perceived from two different views in order to be fully understood. Like water, which may be perceived as a vapor or as a chunk of ice, a journey can be viewed also from both the beginning and the end.”
-Star-swirl the bearded
Rainbow-dash sat on a stool in the Apple Family’s new barn, where she sat wallowing in a keg of hard apple cider, her seventh to be precise. It wasn’t because of her fondness for the cider, but rather to aid with her sorrow, a sorrow that only the alcohol seemed to sate.
“Hi Rainbow-dash,” A familiar voice said to her right. Turning to her right the blue Pegasus saw a purple dragon with green dorsal spikes. The dragon resembled someone she had known a couple years prior. However this dragon was much larger about the size of an adult pony. He also had two small wings growing on his back.
“Oh hello,” Rainbow-dash spoke dryly, “who *hic* are you?”
“It’s me Dash,” the dragon responded, “Spike!”
Rainbow-dash looked the dragon up and down. There was indeed a resemblance to the baby dragon she had once known.
“I guess you *hic* are,” Rainbow-dash said taking another swig of cider, “You have grown since the last time I saw you. Come to*hic* think about it that was the last time I *hic* saw Twi.”
“Yeah those were some good times we had together,” Spike spoke, “Back when the seven of us used to perform various activities around Ponyville together.”
“It is a shame that Applebloom decided not to come to the celebration.” Spike thought aloud, “I wonder why?”
Rainbow-dash muttered something under her breath and went back to drinking.
“So I heard *hic* that this *hic* awesome party *hic* is because of you?” Rainbow-dash inquired.
Spike seemed to shrink a little at the remark, “Well, yeah. I suppose you could say that. I accidentally burned down the old barn. Since I was responsible for destroying it the least I could do was to aid in rebuilding it. But the party is really just a celebration for the barn being rebuilt.”
“Oh *hic* whatever.” Rainbow-dash downed the rest of the cider in her keg.
“Ah Rainbow-dash are you okay?”
The blue Pegasus slammed the empty keg down on the counter, “I’m *hic* fine. Never been *hic* better. Hey! Macintosh! Give me *hic* another keg *hic* will ya!”
The red earth pony looked disapprovingly at Rainbow-dash, clearly having kept count on how much she had drunk, “Nope.”
“What!” Raindbow-dash yelled, “how dare you *hic* refuse me a drink! I’m the biggest fan of your *hic* cider. Come on just another drink!”
“Nope!”
“Ohh! Coommme on!” Rainbow-dash moaned, “Hey! Applejack! Tell your *hic* brother to give me some more *hic* cider.”
“No Dash!” Applejack spoke as she walked over to stand by her brother, “I know why yer doin this but it ain’t goin to help you with yer problem.”
As enraged as she was the blue Pegasus didn’t notice as the purple dragon stood up from his chair and quietly walked away. Nor did she notice the mare that sat down beside her.
“Comme onn!” Rainbow-dash moaned once more, “Just one more drink. Pleeaase.”
Applejack sighed, “Fine Dash! One mor drink. But that is it. No mor after that!”
“Sure! Whatever!” Rainbow-dash said as Macintosh reluctantly slid another keg of cider across the counter. As soon as the cup was in front of her the Pegasus began to drink, still oblivious to the pony beside her. Macintosh signed and walked away.
“So this is your solution,” The mare spoke, “what a shame. I expected much more out of you Rainbow… crash!”
After spraying the contents of her mouth Rainbow-dash spoke, “Excuse me!”
Rainbow-dash looked at the other pony besides her. She wore a black hoodie that concealed most of her features. Her fur was a pale green, a strand of her contrasting yellow mane slipped out from under her hoodie. She looked back at Rainbow-dash with a wicked grin on her face.
“Oh you heard me,” The hooded mare spoke, “I suppose it is a fitting title considering what happened at the incident.”
“Shut up.” Rainbow-dash mumbled as she returned that the hooded pony wasn’t done taunting the rainbow manned Pegasus.
“Not that it really matters,” The green pony spoke, “I am fairly certain you weren’t a good flyer before the incident anyway.”
“I *hic* said shud up!” Rainbow-dash growled. The other pony continued to ignore her protest.
“Or you will do what!” The hooded pony said, putting her mouth up to the Pegasus’s ear, “Rain. Bow. Crash.”
Furiously the rainbow manned Pegasus grabbed her keg and slammed it into the side of the green mare’s head knocking her and the stool she sat on to the floor. Rainbow-dash jumped off her stool and landed on top of the hooded pony. As she started slamming her front hooves into the mare’s face, Applejack yelled at a couple cowponies to step in. The two stallions grabbed Rainbow-dash pulling her off the green pony.
“Take ‘er out to the trough to cool off!” Applejack yelled at the two cowponies. As they took her outside Rainbow-dash struggled as much as she could. However despite her best efforts the cowponies maintained a good grip on the blue Pegasus.
After a few minutes Rainbow-dash thought she must have wriggled free of the cowponies’ grasp because she was suddenly free. Reality hit her hard as she found herself splashing around in the water trough. Rainbow-dash yelled out a list of insults before realizing that the two cowponies had already gone back inside.
After minutes of yelling Rainbow-dash calmed down and her mind wondered as she gazed at her reflection in the water. How had it come to this? Once Rainbow-dash had been a respected pony, a pony whose dream was to fly the best she could. Her efforts were so great that she made it into the Wonderbolt reserves, and had moved up the ranks until she was an official member of the Wonderbolts. Then the accident happened and that dream came crashing down around her.
It was then that Rainbow-dash had started drinking cider. Not the standard stuff but instead the harder ciders that the Apple family had reserved for special events, rare occasions and as refreshment after a long hard days work. They seemed to dissolve her depression and everything almost felt like it had never changed. However a lot had changed, many of her friends had left her due to her new habit.
Rainbow-dash signed. It was her fault everything had been her fault.
A noise drew the Pegasus’s attention from her reflection, to notice the hooded pony that was watching her. The green pony just stood there, her face still stained with some of her own blood. Blood from the injuries Rainbow-dash had inflicted upon her while in a drunken rage. The hooded pony’s eyes shoot daggers of anger at the rainbow manned Pegasus.
“Sorry about that,” Rainbow-dash said stepping out of the trough, “I shouldn’t have let my anger get the best of me back there.”
The hooded pony merely smiled back at Rainbow-dash, her facial features more clear as they were illuminated by a strange green glow. Somehow the pleasant grin seemed sly and cruel. Before Rainbow-dash could respond a sharp pain shot through the back of her skull causing her to fall to the ground.
While still dizzy Rainbow-dash could still feel the green pony’s hoof as she pushed the Pegasus over so that she was looking upward. The green mare pulled off her hood revealing a horn with some strange metallic device encircling the base. Magical energy moved out from the device in a wavy manner. A wooden board levitated in the air beside the green pony.
“Ready to have some fun Dash!” The green unicorn said as she brought the board down hard on the Pegasus’s head.