//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - The Best of Us // Story: Tamed // by PiercingZen //------------------------------// Act 1 - Broken Chapter 1 – The Best of Us ***** I know this all must be very sudden to you...You must listen carefully to my words...there may not be another moment left to share them... Silence and secrets share a love/hate relationship. Combating values sway the couple in their affection for one desire or the other. ***** It was pouring that night. A lavender unicorn, Twilight Sparkle, could feel the library rattle with the amount of wind blowing and screeching past. Spike, her dragon assistant, had already fallen asleep. Twilight was propped up in the bed with a book about weather ponies titled Taming the Storm. The purple mare had pondered how weather worked before there were Pegasi moving the clouds. To her, it seemed too manipulative of nature. These ponies also dictated the changing of seasons. Why is it that they control so much? Wouldn’t it be harmless to let nature run its course? She pondered this possibility and she wasn’t finding any answers in this book. Frustrated, she closed it and tossed it aside. The book tumbled off the bed and hit the floor with a mere thud. The unicorn let out an exasperated sigh and fell back against the cushions of her bed. She stared restless at the ceiling. She could never seem to sleep during rainstorms. The sound of rain pitter-pattering against the nearby window assaulted her ears and mind. She wished she could just mute the whole world for one measly night to get some well-deserved sleep. Crack! Twilight yelped from the sudden lightning strike. She shot the window a begrudging glare and groaned. Boom! She jumped again, but her eyes caught something odd outside during the brief illumination. She leapt up and trotted over to the window. The mare could barely make out a pony on the other side. It was propped up against the window and the darkness of the night didn’t help in deciphering who it was. The unicorn’s horn flared as she slid the window open. Twilight had just then briefly forgotten that the figure had been propped so a pony suddenly tumbled into the house with a water-splattering crash…and this one was of a rainbow variety. “Dash?” She placed a hoof on her shoulder. Rainbow Dash jerked away and scrambled to her hooves. She wasn't looking her usual peppy self. She was soaked to the skin. Her eyes were swollen as if she’d been crying and her mane was a complete mess. “What are you doing out there?” The unicorn shut the window to bar the unforgiving elements. “Hey, Twi…” The pegasus sniffled and shivered. She looked exhausted and down in the dumps. How long had she been out there? Was she sleeping or waiting this whole time for Twilight to let her in. Before she could ponder it further, Dash suddenly perked up with a wide smile. The unicorn blinked and took a step back. “What’s up?” Her odd switch was a bit startling. “You tell me.” The unicorn levitated a blanket over to her and wrapped the soaking pony tightly. “You’re the one sleeping against my window at three in the morning during a rainstorm.” She could tell the pegasus was extremely grateful for the blanket as she sunk in it with a sigh with relief. Rainbow perked back up again, “I was uh…keeping watch! You never know when those changeling things could strike again! I couldn't leave my pal alone in this dusty place!” Twilight was not amused by her weak attempt at dodging her question. She could easily guess the situation and didn’t hesitate to speculate. “Let me guess…napping, right? I thought you could tell when it was going to rain, Rainbow Dash. Never thought I’d see you like this.” With this, she saw the pegasus starting to tear up. Frustration crossed her features as she let out a sigh. “Look! I can tell when it’s going to rain, all right?! I just…fell asleep and lost track of time! That’s all! I thought your windowsill would be a nice place to nap. Ha! Was I wrong…” Twilight rolled her eyes and giggled. Ah, you’re a riot. You just got suspended from the weather team recently because you assisted in the destruction of town hall a few months back. I guess they still haven’t forgiven you or Ditzy for that mess. It’s more apparent than ever that your absence from work has taken a toll on your weather awareness. I’ve never seen Rainbow get caught in the rain. Twilight tilted her head slightly and examined the pegasus further. Her searching eyes made Dash a little uncomfortable. She avoided making eye contact with the unicorn. Was her mane longer than usual? Not that I’d keep track with something like that. Her eyes…she’s definitely been crying. How long had she been out there? I feel horrible for not noticing her earlier. “Stop staring at me already.” Rainbow snapped. “I know I’m awesome, but I’d really prefer you wouldn’t see me like this.” She covered her face with her hooves and sunk into the blanket, pulling it over her head. “All right.” The unicorn smiled and looked away. She pondered for a second before her face lit up. She advanced on the pegasus. “Hey, I’ll let you sleep in here tonight! I have that spare bed I used for my slumber party. It’ll be no problem at all.” She began leaving to go fetch it. She usually kept it stored away, but she was always eager to pull it out for guests. Twilight stopped mid-trot and looked at Dash. “We can talk later if you’re feeling up to it.” She continued towards a nearby closet. She wondered how she managed to fit the mattress in it…but she always found a way. As she began pulling it out along with lavender sheets, covers and pillows, several thoughts ran through her mind. I wonder if you can answer my question about weather ponies. You’d be the perfect pony to ask actually. Oh, but I don’t want to ask you questions in this state. Maybe tomorrow. I just hope you don’t leave in the morning. You’re not exactly the easiest pony to find…no matter how flamboyant you are. Twilight looked back at her. She hasn’t moved from out of the soft confines of her blanket, but the unicorn could catch a little glimpse of a magenta eye looking at her. This was very uncharacteristic of the pegasus. So still and contained. It seemed like she would burst into flight at any moment, but she never did. Twilight levitated the bed and its components onto the empty floor next to Dash. She set it up nice and perfect for her. She was even thoughtful enough to peel open the covers so she could just climb right in. “There you go!” “Thanks, Twi…” Rainbow’s usual braggart demeanor and tone absent from her voice. “I really appreciate this.” Twilight watched as the cyan mare climbed out of the blanket, took slow steps towards the bed. She was still partially soaked. The blanket hadn’t done much for her. The unicorn began to feel guilty. She hadn’t done enough to help her friend in need. What was she doing? Twilight leaped over and extended a hoof to stop her. “Stay right there, Dash.” Twilight commanded as she descended the stairs to the main floor. Rainbow was a bit dumbfounded as she eased her haunches onto the wooden floor and watched as Twilight dashed down the stairs. ***** Twilight returned a few minutes later with a towel and a warm drink. Much to her surprise, the pegasus hadn’t moved an inch. She just stared blankly at Twilight with glazed eyes. Rainbow’s gloomy attitude was getting to her. She lifted the towel with her magic and began drying the mare off as quickly as she could. Dash gave out a series of grunts and squeaks, but she didn’t protest. After she was done, the pony’s coat and mane were comically disheveled, which got a small giggle out of the unicorn. Twilight levitated the drink she over to her. The pegasus stared at the cup for a few seconds. Her eyes watered a bit and she gave Twilight a half-hearted smile. “Thank you, Twi…” She reached up and gripped the cup in both hooves. She proceeded to drink the warm fluid which Dash discovered was simply tea. Twilight could see Dash was pleased and the feeling made her beam. Finally, she knew she was doing something right. Perhaps this would open her up a little. “Want to talk to me, Dash?” She sat beside her, giving the pegasus a warm smile. “Want to tell me what’s going on?” She tried to be as forceless as possible in her queries. “You don’t have to…” She stopped as Rainbow looked at her with those dopey, innocent eyes. This was it. “I failed, Twilight.” Those words weighed heavily on Twilight’s chest. What could she have failed in? She could see this wasn’t about town hall, her suspension or anything trivial like that. There was something deeper that was troubling the mare. “I…failed someone.” “Failed who, Rainbow?” The question was simple and straightforward. Yet, Dash gave a sorrowful look that could make a grown stallion cry. This was something serious. Dash began to break up and she jumped on the unicorn, burying her face into her mane with a deep embrace. Twilight was unsure on how to react as she slowly wrapped her forelegs around her. A musty aroma clouded the unicorn’s senses. It was a pungent, salty, wet mare smell. She had been out there for a while. The pegasus’s grip wasn’t something to laugh at either. She felt the air being squeezed out of her like a bellow. Twilight stole a glance at the window and noticed the rain getting worse. It’s as if the sky had been crying for the pegasus. It was a strange sensation to hold the helpless, emotional mare. She felt a sense of motherly care for the pony, coddling her and telling her everything’s going to be all right…except it wasn’t apparently. She was still squeezing her. She wouldn’t give up the situation. It felt like the embrace would last forever. Twilight’s patience was incredible, however, she couldn’t breathe properly anymore and she slowly pushed the pony off of her. “Dash, you’re suffocating me.” She barely let out. Rainbow immediately let go of her and returned to her initial position. She was staring intently at the ground with a heavy silence that seemed to beg for forgiveness. “Sorry!” She quickly whispered. Twilight could see several tears hit the ground. This was incredible. How could a pony so strong-willed and so boastful be reduced to sobbing openly in front of me? I have never seen Dash so blubbery in my entire time living in Ponyville. I can’t fathom it. I wish she would tell me what’s going on so I could help her already. “This will seem…so silly to you, Twi.” Finally, she was going to tell her. “I appreciate you…pampering me during my moment of weakness. It’s just that…” She trailed off. Not again. “Just tell me, Dash.” Twilight was soft in her request. She didn’t want to upset the pony further in fear that she would just further delay her answer. The unicorn glanced at the clock. It’s been thirty five minutes since she’s been here. “I killed it…” That word hit Twilight like a rock. Killed? Did she kill something? These questions immediately crossed her mind. “I…killed my chance to become my dream.” A cloud of worry immediately lifted from Twilight. Nopony was hurt…good. The unicorn blushed at her own radical speculations. The pegasus dragged a hoof across the ground. She looked up at Twilight and she could see the unintentional smile that crept on the unicorn’s face. Rainbow furrowed her brow and scoffed. “See?! I knew it wouldn’t matter to you!” Her change in mood was so sudden. It caught Twilight off guard. Before she knew it, the pegasus was flapping her wings and making a bee-line for the window. “Wait! Rainbow! Don’t go!” She lunged over to her and managed to catch her tail in her teeth. It was surprising to see how simple it was to pull her back. She was so light. The pegasus didn’t seem to have the energy to fly anyway. She immediately fell to the ground and began openly weeping. How could I be so thoughtless? I was so relieved to hear no one was hurt that I didn’t notice the injured pony right in front of me. “Hey…” Twilight released her tail and walked over to Dash’s side. She knelt and embraced the pegasus. She placed a hoof on her mane and stroked it gently. It was working. The mare calmed down and returned to a silent sobbing. “Rainbow, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking straight. It is pretty late. Maybe you just need some rest. I think need some too. We’ll talk it over during breakfast tomorrow morning. All right? How’s that sound?” “A-all right, Twilight. Sounds good.” She managed between sobs. The pegasus was such a mess. Twilight helped her up and guided her slowly to the bed. With a few encouraging words, she managed to get Rainbow settled in and in a few moments she was sound asleep. Obviously she was exhausted from all that crying, and fortunately this had exhausted Twilight as well. She made her way to her own bed and plopped on it. She rolled over and noticed the weather pony book on floor. She brought it close and stuffed it under her pillow. She plunked her head on the cushion let out a sigh of relief. She failed her dream? Wasn’t it to become the fastest pony alive? Or join the Wonderbolts? I wonder if she’s ever broken down like this before…was she really this fragile? I’d hate to see anything very serious happen to her…Well, I’m grateful she’s in one piece. I just hope I can get to the bottom of this. I hate seeing her like this. She glanced briefly at the other bed. A noticeable snore rose from beneath the sheets. Like a foal she thought. This was a rare, eventful night for her. Twilight took another glance out the window and she could see that the rain had calmed down to a barely noticeable shower. Just as she had tamed the sorrowful pony, it seemed, she had tamed the storm. How fitting… ***** “Hello…?” Twilight could hear this annoying voice ringing in her head. It was cracking at her dream…a dream she desperately didn’t want to leave. “Twilight…?” She groaned and shifted. Reality was slowly coming to form as she looked straight up at the ceiling….or… “Waaaaa!!” Twilight screamed as she came face to face with a brown, scary masked creature. She kicked all four of her legs upward and propelled the creature into the air…where it stayed. “Hahahah! Morning, sleepyhead!” That familiar voice belonging to the one and only. “I got you good!” Twilight sat up and sighed furiously, “Hilarious.” Dash removed the wooden mask she was wearing and smiled at her. A very different Dash than the one she talked with last night. Twilight chuckled and threw her pillow at her. “Look who’s all perky.” “Hey, I was getting bored waiting for you to wake up. You sleep forever, Twilight! How do you get anything done?” She nagged the groggy pony. The irony in her statement made the unicorn chuckle. Rainbow’s spark had returned it seemed. As if last night was just a nightmare to her. The rainy ordeal still lingered in Twilight, however, even if it didn’t hang on Rainbow. “How are you feeling, Dash?” The question seemed to dig into the pegasus as the pony realized she couldn’t avoid talking about it. “Hey, I’m sorry about last night. It wasn’t a great day for me yesterday.” She hung her head a little, but then she immediately perked right back up. “But it’s in the past! Let’s have breakfast! I’m starving!” Her giddiness appearing forced. She could see in those eyes the hurt pegasus from yesterday still trying to communicate with her. “Breakfast sounds great.” Twilight emphasized each word. She hopped out of bed and yawned. She hadn’t nearly gotten the sleep that she wanted, but she knew she probably would have only a few chances to find out what’s eating at that pony. Her stomach growled…speaking of eating. Well, she’s hiding her emotions now. I wonder if this will make it any harder to figure out what’s wrong. I don’t want you hiding this from me, Dash. The two mares descended to the bottom floor where they would meet an unprepared dragon. “Hey, Twi, I was wondering if…” Spike was suddenly silenced as he rested his eyes on the second mare accompanying her. “Well, hello, Rainbow! Didn’t expect to see you here. Did I miss a second slumber party?” Spike’s assumptions were rather clumsy, but tolerable. Twilight shook her head and smiled. “No, she flew in last night. She finished the last of Daring Do and wanted to return them.” Her lies were also clumsy… She probably could have thought of something better. Understandably, Dash shot her a head tilt and a furrowed brow. “Oh! She couldn’t have just waited until this morning?” He rightfully asked. This was going nowhere. “Yeah, she could have. Heheh…anyway, we’re both pretty hungry, Spike. What’s cookin’?” Twilight quickly diverted the conversation and Rainbow spoke up. “Yeah! I’m starving. Just realized I didn’t eat dinner.” Dash licked her lips and gave a big grin. She’s acting so happy. I’m so confused. Is this…how you always were, Dash? A mare behind a mask of forced happiness and fervor? It’s amazing how one night can change your entire outlook on a pony. I can’t help but feel for her. I’ve put on several masks myself…but who doesn’t? Rainbow Dash. She’s always been so strong, courageous, and diligent. But yesterday, she seemed to break that four inch brick wall of charades and open a window into her true nature. “Twi?” A voice broke her from her thoughts. It was Spike’s. She straightened up and smiled. “Yes?” She asked in her prettiest voice, trying to hide her thoughts. The dragon, who had suddenly appeared in an apron and chef’s hat, and held a spatula, sighed and asked again, “Are waffles all right for you?” The unicorn nodded in agreement and noticed the rainbow-colored figure next to her had vanished. She turned in a small circle looking for the pony when she spotted Dash sitting against a stack of books near the library’s entrance. With a small sigh of relief, Twilight approached the pegasus and noticed she was reading her weather pony book. “The Rainbow Dash I know would flee in terror at the thought of reading.” She jested. She knew Rainbow had picked up reading earlier, but only fiction. Fiction that usually contained death-defying antics and one-liners. Dash looked up from the book and snickered. “I found this on your bed this morning. Were you studying me or something?” Dash chuckled. Twilight rolled her eyes and wanted to chuckle with her, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the failure. What’s running in that mind of yours, Dash? “Nah.” She decided to be honest. “The storm was keeping me up and I was just curious about how you pegasi love to control the weather.” Rainbow Dash acted like she took some sort of negative connotation from this and glanced down at the book with a sigh. “You know it really isn’t up to the weather pony team when it should rain. It falls on the needs of the ponies. We just sorta direct it where it’s needed. Cloudsdale is really in charge of how much rain or snow we get a year.” She turned the page and scanned. It was odd how the pegasus adopted such a serious tone when it came to her work. Well, it certainly doesn’t fall on my needs. The pony rubbed her eyes with a hoof. If they were so good at directing those rain clouds, why couldn’t they just have it rain where it really is needed instead of the whole town? I could be making a bigger deal out of this if I wanted, but Dash’s problems are more important right now. Rainbow randomly shut the book which made the unicorn jump. The cyan pegasus had a big grin on her face. “I think you should come with me to work one day. This book doesn’t explain a whole lot.” How could she know that? I doubt she read more than three pages. “I think it’ll be fun, Twi. Not many land ponies get to see us behind the scenes.” The opportunity had certainly nabbed the interest of the unicorn, but she couldn’t help but think about the pony’s suspension or about the incident last night. Was she the only one thinking about it? Dash was deliberately hiding whatever or whoever she had “failed”. The scene kept replaying in her mind like a broken record. Twilight had to bring it up. It seemed to be bothering her more than Rainbow. The unicorn grabbed the book from her and placed it on the floor. “I’d love to, Dash…” Twilight trailed off and was staring down at the book whose cover bore a line imprint of a lightning bolt. Twilight worriedly looked up at the pegasus, who had a semi-disappointed frown. But before Twilight could ask anything, Rainbow spoke up, “You still on about yesterday, huh? Is it really bothering you that much?” Rainbow was speaking in a whisper as the unicorn nodded. “Look, I still don’t want to talk about it.” Twilight could see the gears turning in the pegasus head as her eyes darted from side to side. “Hey!” An unexpected voice from the kitchen erupted and caused the two ponies to jump. “Are you going to eat these? They’re getting cold.” The mares smiled at each other and blushed. “You bet!” Rainbow flew up and toward the kitchen. The unicorn followed suit. ***** It wasn’t moments after eating when Dash was heading out the door saying something about stopping by Pinkie’s for an errand. Twilight caught up with her and stopped her ascent. “Hold on, Dash!” The unicorn was desperate. She wanted to make sure they’d meet again to talk some more. “Will I see you again sometime today?” The pegasus turned her head to answer. Rainbow could see that pleading look in Twilight’s eyes. It was beginning to get to her. “Come on, Twi. I’ve got other things to do than hang around here all day.” The unicorn conjured an alternative, “Can I go to your place then? I’ve always been fascinated by your house. You have to tell me how you did it.” Even Twilight was beginning to hear the begging in her voice. She flushed red and cleared her throat. “Well, jeez, egghead, if it really means that much to you…” Dash’s head dipped slightly and she closed her eyes. She was busy calculating the events for today, looking for an opening. “How about…around three? Five hours from now? I could use some help with something anyways.” Twilight squeed. She sat and clopped her hooves together. “Great! I’ll see you then…oh, will you pick me up though? You know…no wings and all. Plus the hot-air balloon isn’t exactly the easiest thing to set up.” Why was she so excited? And was this conversation sounding more like she was courting her? When realizing the disturbing connotation in her request, the unicorn’s excitement died a little and her cheeks tinted red. “Ah, don’t worry about that, Twi. I got you covered! Just meet me below my house. I’m not gonna carry you all the way from here.” Twilight nodded in agreement. It was good couple miles from the library. She wouldn’t expect her to do that. “I’ll bring a book or two just in case. I know how you love to dawdle, Dash.” Twilight was well aware of Rainbow’s tendency to randomly crash on a cloud for a couple hours. She worked solely on an internal clock which proved problematic time and time again. “Hey! I’ll be there! You have little faith in me, Twi.” She unfurled her wings and bent down. “See ya!” In a flash, she was gone. A rainbow trail pathing her getaway. Why was I acting so desperate? I wanted to see her again and convince her to stop hiding her problems from me. At this point, I would do anything to get that pony to spill the beans. Twilight’s face reddened once more. Ugh, why is she so secretive? If she had just told me that night, it wouldn’t have been such a big deal. Dash was dragging this out…but why?