//------------------------------//
// They Say I Need a Hero 
// Story: Cursed Eclipse - Manehatten 
// by AImostpure 
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The entire night passed as I battled my self over the decision. I don't think I fell asleep but with how the voices in my head fought I wouldn't even have known. The sun's warmth told me that it was day time, early morning to be precise. My body had not moved from when I came to lay besides her all night. The wing closest to Eclipse stayed around her and the blanket joined us together. I have my decision though after the war raged with my thoughts. I was going to kiss her while she slept! No pony would know what I did except for me. I leaned forward from where my head rested, puckering my lips in the slightest to press to the other mare's. Odd, I thought her lips would be soft and gentle as a new flower blooming to life. Instead, they felt cold and scaly. Cold and scaly? It was then that I realized I was more zoned out then I had previously thought for I was now kissing the largest serpent I had ever seen in my life. 

Wait, a serpent of this size shouldn't be in this forest. It had to be at least twenty hooves long, with jaws that could devour a manticore. I scrambled to get to my feet and reached up lowering my goggles. Luckily, the blanket seemed to have been gone and I hadn't noticed Eclipse just yet. The serpent coiled back then lunged its massive jaw at me. I was a super heroine so something like this shouldn't be a problem at all! My right hoof struck first against its nose followed by my left, then right, then left. I fly upwards into the air only getting halfway up before it grabbed onto my orange tail. Buck you serpent! I stiffened my wings making them parallel with my body. Speed over such a short distance could cause injury if I struck someone, and this was just the idea. My hind hooves dug into the serpent's face imprinting my horse shoes into its scales. It released my tail and hissed recoiling away once more to retreat into the forest. Victory!

With dust surrounding me when I landed down, I pumped my hooves forward then back. “Yes yes yes yes! I am the greatest! I am Color co... I am Rainbow Dash!” Darn it I almost blurted out my real name again. I am Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash! I stomped my hind legs down then dropped to all fours. This was a tiring effort to keep up the facade for so long. Normally I'd only take on a role for a few days to make bits but not this long. I took this time to glance around the camp site. With the serpent gone it all seemed to be abandoned until I noticed Eclipse by the hushed fire staring at my with wide, inquisitional eyes. “Um... Hey Eclipse!” I spoke waving a hoof in her direction. She looked beautiful in the morning sun as she did in the afternoon sun, evening sun, and evening moon. I raised my goggles back onto my forehead so ensure I had no obstructed view of her. 

Eclipse had two apples near her, separated one at one side of the fire and the other in front of her. “You were hugging the snake so I didn't want to wake you. I'm sorry but I wanted to see the sunrise but you looked so sleepy. I'd never seen someone sleep with their eyes open before.” She didn't seem troubled that I had kissed and perhaps about to adult kiss a massive serpent. Eclipse was there on her haunches watching me battle. “It was am..am..amazing how you de..de..defended your self, though, you truly are a Su..su...super heroine.” I was on Cloud Nine with the compliment. I felt I could challenge Celestia herself and win. My wings fluttered on my back gradually taking me across from Eclipse as my body hung limp. 

I finally settled down and put some life into my self to sit up straight. I leaned forward taking the apple between my two hooves. “Didn't mean to scare you like that. Knowing that the serpent would want something warm, I kept still to lure it into a false sense of security.” Why did I suddenly smell bull excrement? “Taking down a beast like that is no problem when I know I am protecting a pony as your self.” I flexed my right foreleg to show off my meek muscle. My eyes closed, my head tilted back giving Eclipse a side profile of my face and muzzle. I could hear her 'Oooo' and 'ahhh' at me. Her hooves stomped the ground in applause of my bravery. My yellow cheeks would have turned red if not for the intensity of the dye. The dye. It occurred to me that it should begin to wear off soon. I glanced down at my once blue, now green hoof finding specks of white breaking through. “Well, shall we get a move onto Manehatten?” I quickly spoke to make sure she didn't catch what was happening.

It seemed that while I was focused on my decision making of kiss or not to kiss, Eclipse had been preparing for our departure. The blanket was folded neatly besides her, her saddlebags replaced on her back, and the flint stones I tossed away when I purposely set my self on fire were neatly stacked next to the circle of stones. That's right I purposely set my self on fire last night, got a problem with that?! “Well, now that we're done eating let's head right that way. If we get hungry I'm sure there are some wild fruit trees around. After all it's said that Pony Appleseed used to walk these very trails!” 

The two of us stood up near the same time, trotting to come together at a spot near the fire. I watched the blanket become entwined with magic, raise and lower down across her flank. I felt envious of that blanket just then. Before the blanket dropped, I did notice something. It did not occur to me the night before but when the sun was out her cutie mark was white, in black, circled by white. At night the colors had changed opposite, and now they were back again. I cocked my eye brows and went to ask but her turning and swaying her tail just right caused my wings to shoot upwards and stiffen. Damn you appendages! Stop betraying me! Fortunately, she did not notice. I had never felt like this for any mare before. I mean, I've certainly felt things for mares but never this strongly! Celestia help me. 

It would be a five hour trek of casual trotting to reach Manehatten. If I had a watch I would have said it was close to nine in the morning, but sadly I had none. If I was going to win this mare over I had to learn more about her. There were ways to get information and to learn the past. I just had to figure out which route to take. My thoughts went back to the previous night and how Eclipse hugged the two dolls. I looked over to her on a sideways glance. “So, I noticed you really hugged those dolls. The Celestia one is limited edition but they never sold a Nightmare Moon one that I know of. You said your mother gave them to you?”

“Ye..ye..yes. When I turned five she ga..ga...gave to me as a present.” Eclipsed tilted her head down staring at her hooves. “She left me I think twelve years ago. Daddy said she had to leave.” This must have been painful for her to talk about. “Daddy to..to..told me she wasn't re..re..really my momma. That a mean mare was.” Eclipse sniffed back a tear glancing in my direction then back forward. “I wou..wou...wouldn't believe it...” The filly forced a smile on her lips looking at me again. “She was too ni..ni..nice not to be my mo..mo..momma.” 

My mother is a school teacher. She took a few classes on how to tell if someone was being abused or not. It isn't talked about openly, but Cloudsdale often has problems with foal abuse due to the Pegasus determination for sports, weather teams, and the Wonderbolts. She used me as a study aid acting out flash cards of different signs to look for. Eclipse could have been a poster child for abuse if I had ever seen one. I wanted to grab a hold of her and tell her things would be better, that I would take care of her. “What is her name?” I inquired feeling a ping of guilt for forcing my self to overlook her sadness. I needed more information, as selfish as it was. 

“Blueberry Pie. She had a pie for a cutie mark. She said that my name was half a lie. That Cursed wasn't very nice to give to me. She called me her little Eclipse.” The sad smile was replaced with something brighter. Her glowing eyes turned to me, the left covered by her hair but still shinning through, were merry and bright. She must have been recalling fond memories of her foalhood. The name struck somewhere in my memory banks. I didn't know where I had heard it from but it seemed something important to me. No matter.

“She sounds like a nice mare...” My words were cut short when I heard the distinct cry of a foal in the distance. I looked at Eclipse and nodded my head before we both charged towards the sound. I would get my second chance in one day to impress her. After, I would ask her about her father. If I knew who he was, then for sure I could see a clearer picture. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Several minutes of straight galloping brought us before a large tree of unidentifiable nature. It loomed before us casting a dark shadow over its self that made seeking between the thick, heavy limbs impossible. I swear to Celestia I had never seen this tree before. If I had I sure didn't notice how horrifying it looked. At the base of the tree a young unicorn foal filly was staring up. Her front legs pressed against the tree trunk steadying her as she stood on her hind legs. 

Being the heroine, I motioning for Eclipse to take the back seat as we came closer. I reached with my hooves back to my neck drawing the hood of my costume down across my face and letting my red mane flow out the top of it. “Never fear, young lady, for Rainbow Dash will help you. What seems to be the matter?” I asked in my most regal, stern, yet kind voice. “How may I assist you?” 

The foal turned her head and with her eyes I could see she was accusing me of something. What I had no clue. “That's a terrible Wonderbolts costume.” Stupid brat. She resumed staring up in the tree as my right eye brow twitched. How dare she! I worked hard on this outfit. “My kitty went up in the tree and hasn't come down yet.” 

“I'll get her down for you!” I exclaimed nodding back to Eclipse for her to sit down and watch how I was going to do this. My hooves went to my goggles bringing them down over my eyes. I didn't think I would need protection from a small cat but if a tree limb breaks or a branch flies in my face I'll be happy to wear them. Weightlessness took over with my wings picking up speed to raise me up along the edge of the tree branches. I was stopped briefly when I heard the foal speak again.

“Your goggles look cheap. Did you but them at Barnyard Bargains?” Keep calm, Rainbow, keep calm. 

If a tree branch above me hadn't rustled and move, I wouldn't have had much help on where to begin looking for the stray pet. Even in broad daylight I couldn't see in between the lubriciously large tree's limbs, branches, and leaves. It wasn't long to reach the spot I saw the tree move. “Here kitty kitty kitty.” I whispered extending both hooves forward to offer to take the cat against her. Easy as pie and twice as delicious to impress Eclipse. Something felt off though. A warm breeze blew out from the tree's inner sanctum. It smelled fishy, literally, and was probably something I should have been weary of. Twin eyes of yellow glared in my direction. I gulped down my courage against a parched throat. Jaw tightened and I continued to motion for the kitten to come out. “It's okay, come out.” No. It wasn't okay. A kitten didn't come out. A panther did. 

First came its forward paws. Jet black fur covered each talon tipped appendage. The wood from the limb the beast stepped out from curled outwards into tiny ribbons. Next I saw its head. I could have fit my head inside of its jaw. The teeth resembled jacked rocks at the bottom of a crag you see before plummeting to your doom. A pink tongue licked at its lips while hungry eyes staring at me looking for a snack. I gulped again. If I flew upwards for my own safety I knew it would go down to find the two ponies below for a snack, but if this was the kitten for the little girl they maybe fine. It didn't matter what I thought at this point. It lunged at me.

I had an advantage with speed and agility but it had the advantage of strength in its legs. The panther took claw swipes at me. I did the only thing that came to mind and got in close enough so its superior reach would be a disadvantage. My front hooves and my back legs bucked, kicked, punched, and slapped at the beasts muscular body. My head went against its neck working to keep those powerful jaws from finding their way against me. I looked down for only a moment. There was a chance to survive but only if I did it soon. 

Knocking my hind legs against the panther's hind legs, I let us go into a free fall. My wings acted as I wanted them to keeping me on top of the beast and letting it break our fall. We managed to hit every tree branch and limb directly below us. “Take that! And that! And that!” The shouts seemed to come from some other pony before we struck the ground in a storm of dust and leaves. The 'pet' was still alive, and only I came to stagger and stand. “There...” I mumbled puffing out a few feathers. Where did  the feathers come from? 

“That's not my kitten.” The foal spoke up. My eyes shot wide behind my goggles. What the buck did she just say!? The panther could have killed me and she couldn't have said something before I brought it two stories down from the tree!? I wanted to wrap my hooves around her neck, but the stomping of applause from Eclipse kept me from my desires. The unicorn foal raised her hoof up the tree again. I tilted my head back to follow where she pointed. 

Up a bit higher from where I was, a white kitten sat at the edge of a limb. Wings wanted to have their rest but that wouldn't happen until I made this blasted foal happy. Gradually I came back to raise along the tree's edge and came from below the kitten. If I caught if off guard I could try the snatch and grab again to bring it down with me. Buzzing. I heard buzzing the closer I got to the white pile of fluff. Squinting my eyes I took notice to where the sound originated. A hive. A bee hive hung directly below the kitten. Without warning, as I was just below it, it looked down at me with malicious glee. Its paw raised with talons that should have only been on the panther popped out one at a time. Dear Celestia no.

In one swipe it freed the bee hive from the tree. There was no time to fly out of the way, and like out of an old cartoon, it landed right on my head. “THE BEES!!” I screamed aloud as the swarm went into attack mode. My hooves grabbed onto the hives sides trying desperately to be free of the stingers, honey, and embarrassment. I maintained my height of flight but the kitten had other ideas to use it for. With those panther sized claws it landed on my back and latched onto my uniform down through my fur and into my skin. I hate cats. Howling at the magnitude of pain, my wings gave out and I began my decent downwards. This time, it was my turn to hit the tree limbs and branches. I cursed my hollow bones praying that none broke with the damage I was sustaining. My fall would be broken in the end. By the ground.

The bee hive shattered once I was back down to the ground. The bees eventually gathered together and fled off to make or find a new home. The kitten however was grabbed by my self once it released its claws from my tender flesh. It seemed to just want to wander away as if nothing had happened. That wasn't going to happen. I pushed my self onto all fours and lunged to grab the kitten between my front hooves. As it tried to fight back, the snarl I let out in its ear calmed it down enough for me to hobble on my hind legs to the foal. The prize was offered as I tried to keep my best smile when I wanted to cry out. 

“Oh wait I don't have a kitten!” The unicorn foal said before merrily skipping away. Sanity was close to breaking. The kitten found an opening in the defenses that held it in place and lunged at my face. After numerous more scratches riddled my complexion I tossed the kitten away and watch as it ran off in the foal's direction. 

“Are you al..al..alright?” The peaceful voice brought me back from homicides delicious temptations as I turned to look at her. She was scared, I could tell in her eyes, at what it wasn't immediately known. “You're hu..hu..hurt.” Eclipse stuttered motioning for me to follow her. I assumed it was best to leave this area right away. The panther was still there, unconscious but still there. 

My companion had learned of a pond nearby by the foal. I was hesitant to go near the clear liquid since the dyes on my feathers and coat would easily wash out. Even permanent dyes never lasted long on me for some reason. It was both a blessing and a burden. The pond wasn't that far down the road in the direction we needed to go. Eclipse led the way this time and was first to go to the pond's edge. She leaned down sipping at the water a moment. I felt my tongue hang from my mouth now envious of the water as I was the blanket. Her magic took the blanket from her flank then began to rip shreds out in short and long lengths. “Hey, don't do that, you'll need that later.” I protested. 

“N..n..no. It's fi..fi..fine. If we don't tr..tr..treat your wounds then it may get wo..wo..worse.” Were they that bad? Myh eyes didn't lie when they took a moment to scan over my body. The uniform was close to being in ribbons. Places that should have still been yellow were either fading back to white or splotched with red. Bee stingers and bumps were in random places, including ones that would have been more pleasant not to have them, and needle like branches tangled in my fur. 

When I went to sit next to her, Eclipse didn't waste time to dip the torn cloth into the water, ring it out with magic, then begin applying it to the worst of the wounds. As she did this, she leaned in and begin plucking the stingers out with her teeth. With her teeth. Which were behind her lips. Behind her soft, majestic, magical lips. My wings shot up on my back causing her to back away for a startling moment, but returned soon after to go back to her mending. My face burned a inflamed inferno. I never told Eclipse what it meant when a Pegasus wings did that, and by Celestia I was glad she didn't. “So.. Um... I wanted to ask about the Nightmare Moon doll. It was specialty made you said? I think?” I hope.

Eclipse spat out a few of the vile bee stingers and came back to her haunches. Her magic finished bandaging the worst of my cuts and went to work removing the stingers where her teeth had not reached yet. If only she was doing it a little longer. Bah! Rid bad thoughts! “Ye..ye..yes. Momma said she had to co..co..contact a lot of makers to get one ma..ma..made.” She turned her head a moment to look at the left saddlebag eying the lumps. “I've kept it sa..sa..safe since I got it.”

My tail swayed across the ground happy she hadn't asked about her stiffened wings. “It's very nice. Both of them are.” The medical treatment ended, I raised back up to stretch my sore limbs. “Well, let's get back on the road. I don't want to waste anymore time and wind up in Manehatten in the middle of the night. It's not the safest place to be, ya know.” What remained of the blanket was magically placed back on Eclipse's flank when she raised with me. We began our journey again despite my limbs telling me to rest longer. “What do you plan to do in Manehatten? Have family there?” Ah! This was the perfect question to ask. There must be some reason to go to one of the largest cities in Equestria. 

“No. I just tho..tho..thought it would be good to go to.” 

“So, no family? Any siblings?” 

“I'm told I have a bro..bro..brother but I ca...ca..can't go to him.” Another sad look. I seemed to keep swinging misses with these questions. I at least got some more information about her family. She had a segregate mother of sorts, her father possibly abusive as her mother was, and she can't go see a brother. I bit against my lower lip and turned the subject down a different route. 

“Anyway, what did you think of my amazing methods of combat back there?” I entered a bragging mode quickly giving my right hoof a fist pump. “I gotta say, a giant snake and another a panther in one day. I truly am Equestria's greatest Super Heroine.” 

Eclipse didn't seem as enthusiastic as after I just had thwarted my enemies attempts on my life. This time she held a solemn gaze, her eye brows knitting together causing my stomach to feel a weight press to my abdomen. “You sh...sh..shouldn't put your self into su..such trouble. Sometimes it's be..best to ru..run.” The filly nodded thoughtfully at her wise words. Yeah I should follow such a thing but when you're trying to impress someone danger isn't something you consider! 

Caution was thrown to the wind. I stopped on our trail and moved my hooves to suddenly take up one of her's. Bringing it to my lips, I set the most gentle of kisses to the tip of her hoof. My smile was gallant, suave nature taking over. A spontaneous act turned into a chance to woo her. “Never fear, my dear Eclipse, I will always protect you. No matter how much I may scream for help, no matter what danger I maybe in, you do not need to worry. Do not come to my aid, ever, I will find my way back to you.” I tilted my head forward closing my eyes. Let's see how she reacts to this. 

Waiting for her to react. Yep. She has to say something at some point, won't she? I couldn't wait any longer. I looked back up at her to find not the look of happiness. No tears in her eyes as she realized her love for me after knowing me for barely a day. Much to my disappointment she looked confused. The pony was confused by what I said. I released her hoof quickly and went right back to standing next to her. She chuckled when I coughed into my hoof. “Thank you fo..for those words but I'm af..afraid I don't understand.” Her tail swished lightly coming into contact with mine. “But th..thank you.” 

Maybe she's just not into fillies I figured. Not everyone is like me and it would make sense. Then again, she didn't seem to mention that fact at all. Where she came from was a complete puzzle to me. Ya know the kind of puzzles. Two thousand pieces and you can't even find the edges and your unicorn best friend is using her magic to mess you up further by mixing up the box. What was I thinking about again? I faded back to reality as Eclipse started trotting ahead of me. I hurried to catch up coming back to my thoughts. She was naïve and falling for my lies so that had to say something about how much she knew. Bah! The sudden silence was driving me nuts. Time to get more pieces of the puzzle. “So, what do you like to do for fun?” 

Eclipse inclined her head back looking up at the clear, blue sky. “I only was able to re..read and play with my do..dolls.” Only able to do those things? 

“No friends to play with or go outside and explore?” Bzzzt! Again I struck a land mine. A side ways look showed me the gloom once more drifting over her face. Dear Celestia what couldn't I say that wouldn't make her get sad! “So! What kind of books do you like to read?” 

An immediate flip of the coin for her attitude let us enter a conversation about literature, self teaching, and love of books thicker than Prince Blueblood's ego. I could only pretend to understand the philosophical ideas or ideas behind magic. The thickest book I've ever read was a Daring Do comic I used to hide in text books. Eclipse was ecstatic to talk about the one hobby that made sense at her age. Who plays with dolls being as old as she was? How old was she again... 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Eclipse had spent the next two hours of our trip walking about the books she's read and re-read. The library she had wasn't extensive as some of the ones I was forced to visit at school. I began to imagine where she lived in my mind. She was fearful of her parents, had a nanny or surrogate mother take care of her, and was surrounded by books. It wasn't a typical life style. The strangeness of the situation reminded me of wealthy life style soap operas they showed at the movie theaters. 

“Ca...ca..Can you tell me about your se..self?” The question came out of the sky. She wanted to know about me? Yes! Another step towards our long romantic life together. 

“My life? Well I was born in Cloudsdale.” My tale was starting but it wouldn't reach its conclusion or even go past the first detail before I heard another pony's cry for help. Ever get that feeling of Deja Vu? Something occurs similar to something else in the day and you just knew that it would be a string of events ruining the rest of the day? This was that sign for me. Eclipse and I stopped looking in the direction of the call. It was a mare this time, not a foal, but I wasn't sure to rush off. When I looked at Eclipse for permission, well hoping she would stop me, she was awaiting my rise into the air to thwart the newest danger. Stupid life style. 

I took to the sky with my imaginary theme music playing in my mind. Scanning over the forest from above I finally found the call of distress after moments of looking. It was from a clearing not far up the road. What I could see at this distance was an odd green, sparkling monster, and a white mare huddled down in terror before it. Before ascending, I glanced back to ensure Eclipse was following. She ran up the road on hoof yet why she didn't fly in turn I may have to ask later. It didn't matter now, thee was heroism to perform! 

It was a dragon! Why in Luna's Grace would a dragon be in the forest now? First a giant serpent, a killer panther, and then a sinister white kitten, but now a dragon? It looked a bit odd, I had to say. Jewels were imbedded into various parts of its scales. Its tongue, long and red, hung out the side of its mouth. The eyes wobbled, yes they seemed to wobble, as it moved towards the pony. It was two ponies in length and two ponies tall. Not big for a dragon but it could prove dangerous. Yet, I was attracted to look at the mare. 

The mare was someone I knew, after all I had a pinup poster of her on my bedroom wall at home. A slender pony with the graces of a super model. Light pink hair with a dash of white streaks. A unicorn of grace and elegance with two purple symbols and one gold symbol cutie marks. I could never remember what those things were. Jasmine eyes stared in horror at the beast approaching her. “Oh help me! Help! Wont some pony save me!” She called out while laying on her side, one foreleg holding her upper body up while the other held across her brow. I saw many times in gossip rags how she was around some rich and important pony names Prancy Plants or something. This was a double chance for me. Impress Eclipse and maybe impress the one and only, Fleur-De-Lis. 

“No need to worry! Rainbow Dash will help you in a hurry!” I prepared my patented Sonic Kick; left hind leg curled back, right hind leg kept straight, wings hugged against my sides for an air slicing free fall. “Hiiyah!” I yelled in excitement striking downwards at the middle of the dragon's spine. It crumbled beneath me like so much paper. The momentum when I bounced from it let me perform three solid spines then land gracefully on two legs. I pointed a hoof to the sun, the other hoof against my hip. “Justice prevails again!” Too easy. Little too easy. My hoof pointing sunward was lowered down to Fleur to give her a chance to hook ankles with me to aid her in standing.

“Um... Thank you, good mare, but I don't quite thing you understand what you've just done.” She replied with a dignified, kind tone. She raised up to stand on her hooves her self and aimed one hoof to the dragon. The dragon? Yeah not so much. It was three headache suffering ponies in a dragon costume.  Then she pointed behind me. Why?

“Cut! Cut! CUT!” I heard the shouting of a furious, annoyed voice. Twisting about to see who caused the commotion I saw a short, stubby pony with a monocle, a red beret, khaki pants, black boots, and a blue button shirt. “What do you think you are doing on the set of my movie! You just ruined the take!” Yes, it was a movie. I noticed how the ponies with cameras, sound equipment, and the other actors and actresses staring at me. My cheeks would have flared once more today if not for the dye in my coat. “Your moron!”

For the next forty five minutes I was verbally assaulted by the director of this movie. He threatened law suites, beatings, bad make overs, and performing manual labor to work off what I had done. He insulted my hair, goggles, torn uniform, my wing size, and even decided to accost me for my choice in boots. Somewhere along this time Eclipse caught up with this. Since the movie was on hold she spent the time I was being yelled at to talk to the other ponies around. They offered her her choice at the catering table. At least she got to eat, I'd probably starve until we hit Manehatten. Something else happened that caused me to think in ways I never thought before. Some of the stallions marveled at her wings. She extended them at their request and each took turns feeling her bat wing then her Pegasus wing. Jealousy tore through me. I hadn't even had the chance to do that yet! 

When I was about to go over there and knock some sense into the ponies fondling Eclipse's wings, one of them called for the director to come over. The pork of a pony waddled towards the group and began to examine Eclipse. His eyes were fondling her body taking in everything from her mismatched wings, broken horn, and finally her plot. How dare he! “Well, Miss! I think it was a destiny act that brought you to this set. You are perfect for my movie! Stunning looks, unique features, and spectacular aura that would bring in the audience from all around!” The director whipped around his hooves back and forth trying to convey through body language the things Eclipse would be able to do. 

Eclipse was uneasy. This was making me mad. I flew over at a speed that made me wonder if I had used magic to teleport. Placing my self between the Director and Eclipse, I stared down the pony this time uncaring what threats or actions he may take against me. “I'm so..sorry but I don't thi..thi..think I want to.” I heard Eclipse speak up glancing around me to the director. He wasn't amused.

“Do not let this hoodlum try to change your mind through her brutish tactics like this!” He accused trying to push me aside with his head. “It seems you two know each other but I know that I can lead you to success!” 

“Look you fat toad, she said no.” I growled between gritted teeth peppering his face with bits of saliva. We were now forehead to forehead pushing against each others strength of body and will power. I felt Eclipse inch back and away from the two of us fearing what conflict would come next. Something forced the two of us to pull away from each other. A soft voice, one of peace and understanding picking through.

“Director,” It was miss Fleur-De-Lis who put a stop to the director's forceful nature, “I will handle any costs these two put up personally. If she says no we have no reason to hold them now.” Kind and beautiful just like my Eclipse! “And I do believe that our chief financier would want us to stay on the proper level for ponies during the making of this movie. If Fancy Pants were to hear how you blackmailed a pony, especially one with a broken horn, into this movie...” She let the last word trail off. It appeared Fleur hadn't noticed Eclipse's wings like the other did. Her focus was on calming the director.

“Fine!” He seemed to know when he was beaten. “Go to Ponyville at once and get this costume fixed by that Miss Rarity. Chop Chop!” He clapped his hooves together. 

“Thank you for that.” I said once the director had found his way away from us. 

“It is no bother. But I would recommend leaving soon before he gets some other ideas.” A diamond pure smile was given to Eclipse and I. 

I took this suggestion, wrapped an ankle around one of Eclipse's and pulled her with me to get away form the set and back to the road. She smiled, gave a thanks her self, and let her self be tugged behind me. With this over I was certain now the day couldn't get any worse.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“So my mother is a teacher and my pappy is a manager at a cloud factory.” We had gotten once again back on the proper trail to Manehatten and I was able to continue my life story for her. I would have been either making something up or using information based on another certain pony of a similar current name, but I felt compelled to tell her the truth. “I have two sisters, the youngest is still in High School and the oldest works for the weather team directly out in some small, desert town. I dunno the name. We don't get along.” Eclipse was hanging on my every word. 

“I think I re..read about Cloud Factories. The Pegasus wo..work there, right?” What kind of question was that? A first grader would know that sort of thing. Eclipse was intelligent with how she spoke on her books and text books but this seemed... odd? 

“Yeah, only Pegasus, or unicorns with strange magic, can work on the weather. My mom and old man make good money. They always complain about me still living there but what the hay? It's hard to find work with a cutie mark that's only the outline of a mask with no eyes but a mouth!” I tossed a hoof in the air. “Some ponies just don't respect ponies who are different than the usual fold!” 

Uh oh. I did it now. I spilled more than I had wanted to do to Eclipse. I gazed at her trying not to act suspicious to see if she understood my over blabbing or if she passed it off and figured my cutie mark had something to do with being a masked heroine. She didn't react at all; just continued to listen, nodding her head every so often. I was in the clear for now. 

“And so I decided that being a heroine was the way for me!” Add that in for good measure. “Plenty happened between my decision and meeting you but meeting you has been.”

“Help! Oh help! Wont some pony please help me!” That sounded familiar. Awfully, terribly, familiar. “Ah buck it!!” I shouted soaring into the air again. Eclipse had gotten used to the routine and galloped after me. I flew towards the sound of another endangered pony. Every time I get closer to Eclipse something happens. Today sucks. And I was about to find out how much more it would. 

Not a minute ahead of where we were I saw where the cry of distress came from. On a bridge over one of three rivers before Manehatten, an earth pony guiding a cart behind him was being assaulted by a... A... “Why Celestia! Why!?” I shouted up at the sky shaking my front hooves in sheer disbelief. It was a giant squid. Nearly the size of the dragon earlier attached right onto the cart and trying to drag its owner into the murky depths of the river's bottom. The rapids of the water crashed below the pair taunting that any pony caught within would be dead. Nervous. Yes that was one of the things that came to thought. Afraid, concerned, and knowing I was about to get my plot handed to me. 

Eclipse came up to the bridge first. A bit of her magic encircling various stones around her throwing them at the monstrosity laying siege to the pony's cart. I couldn't let her get hurt, no matter what, I just couldn't. I reeled back bending my forelegs back, my left leg straight and my right leg curled then firing off like a bullet down against the doughy, slimy flesh. “Take this! Take that!” I shouted at the creature lashing at it with my tail, punching and bucking at the flailing tentacles. 

“Rainbow watch out!” I heard the voice somewhere in the distance although it was only twenty hooves away. My head turned a moment too late to see two tentacles latch themselves onto my mind legs. I was at the beast's mercy now. I wouldn't stop fighting though. My wings swept back and forth trying to gain some leverage in the air but all this did was tip the squid off balance plunging us both into the rapid waters below. It's weight far too heavy for me to be able to lift into the air with me. Water swirled around beating against my tiring body. The rapids were unforgiving giving the squid strength but causing mine to wither. 

“Help! Help me! Wont some pony save me!” The similar line now escaped my lips as I flailed my limbs. The strength of the water was not only my enemy it seemed. The squid was being dragged by the earth moving water pulling us away from the bridge down stream. “Help!” I called out again. I know Eclipse would help me. With a heart as big as her's there wasn't any way she wouldn't! I stared up from the water's surface, using my strength to gaze at Eclipse and what she was doing to help me.

Nothing. She stared from the edge of the river bank watching me. She had a smile on her face that told me that I was going to hate my self in just a moment. She was waiting for my victory against the squid as she had waited three times before. Why wasn't she coming to my help? I was calling out but she was doing nothing at all! Before the squid dragged me under the water to do battle there, I remembered what was my greatest mistake of the day. The word returning back to me like a kick in the flank. “No matter how much I cry for help, do not come to my aid. I will find you.” No! This isn't what I meant! Eclipse! Eclipse!

~*~*~*~*~*~

Eclipse watched the squid drag her friend against her will beneath the water's grasp. She believed deep inside that Rainbow Dash? would be returning to find her soon. She would do what she felt Rainbow would have wanted her to do; continue on to Manehatten. Twinkling hair cast a blue gray glow across her face when she looked up to the sky again. If she could make it in Manehatten she could make it anywhere! 

“That there was a mighty brave thing ya friend did fer me.” The earth pony moved in from behind Eclipse pulling his cart along with him. He gave a toothy grin in her direction, except every other tooth was missing. “Ah believe ah can offer ya a ride on my cart for the help your friend gave to meh. Hop on.” He motioned with his head back to the empty, wooden trolley. “Ah reckon she'll be just fine if ya got that much faith in her. Ah can see it in your eyes.” 

The filly's glowing eyes set out across the raging rapids once more then turned to the kind pony. “Th..Thank you, sir.” She said coming back to the back of the cart. She raised her fore legs up first, taking one last chance to gaze down the river, then pulled her self up with the aid of her wings. Sparkling tail thrashed a moment then settled wrapped loosely around her ankles when she sat back to rest and enjoy the short trip to the towering city. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Further down river, on a sandy bank, a pony washed up after being dragged for what felt to be an eternity. Red dye washed from her mane, orange dye from her tail, yellow dye from her coat, and blue dye from her wings revealing an almost pure, perfect white coat, mane, and tail. On either side of her flank was a cutie mark of very simple design; a white mask without eyes but an emotionless set of lips. This was Color Copy in her true form. Sand clung to the matted, wet fur giving a rough texture to once soft coat. Her once prized uniform torn to shreds leaving her naked as most ponies were. 

The squid had long returned to whatever Discord spawned place it had come from. Perhaps it would attack another pony or perhaps not. The rivers were safe for now thanks in no part to the efforts of the pony formerly known as Rainbow Dash. As the heroine returned to the blissful grasp of fatigue induced unconsciousness, a final thought brought a handful of words to her. 

“Eclipse... I'll save you...”

Sproing!