//------------------------------// // Three: No More Dreams // Story: Rain without Rainbows // by Leoshi //------------------------------// Rain without Rainbows Revised: 9.25.11 !Disclaimer!: Trust me, if I actually DID own ponies, they would be on a flat of farmland in North Texas, somewhere near the Red River. You know, the kind of ponies that eat oats and have coat colors that aren’t part of the rainbow spectrum. Thank you, everypony, for being here bright and early! We’re going to need every single pony’s help to wrap up wint- *Cough cough* Ahem, excuse me. Welcome back to the story. If you’ve been following the  tale up until now, you’ll know that Rainbow Dash took part in tryouts for her dream team, the Wonderbolts. However, something went wrong, and she never found out what. Well, in this chapter, we find out what, and see Rainbow make a life-changing decision as a result! Let’s get rolling! ACT I- The Paragons Chapter three: No More Dreams The world was shaking. A storm was raging, its’ occasional blasts of thunder rocking Equestria to its’ very core, tearing it apart piece by piece. Rainbow Dash looked around – she stood alone on the lip of a sheer cliff. Behind her, a wall of dark fog blocked her vision of seeing where she had come from. But she wasn’t looking backward. It’s what was happening before her that held her attention. The sun, the sky, the entire world was thrown into a dark haze. Storm clouds hung low over the land, assaulting the ground below it. Bolts of black lightning splintered forests, boiled rivers, and burned meadows, leaving only a shadow of what once was. Down further, the skeletal structures of buildings were collapsing. The sound of their cracking foundations went unheard beneath the dreadful bedlam of the storm. Not a single pony was in sight, yet screams still rang out between the claps of thunder. Rather, it seemed like one, single scream – agonizing, unending, unrelenting. Rainbow gazed upward. Through a single hole in the clouds, a giant mass could easily be seen. A mighty black orb with a fiery corona dominated the afternoon sky where the sun should have been. Despite the fact that the storm had lasted for hours, the eclipse had not moved an inch. Far above the skyline, the power of the eclipse seemed to invigorate the black lightning that scorched the land. Finally, Rainbow forced herself to look down at the bottom of the cliff. There, she saw, seemed to be the source of the breathless scream. At the foot of the cliff, a single pony could be seen. Cyan coat, pegasus wings, a rainbow mane – she saw herself at the bottom. This double of her was lying still, her body broken on the rocks, blood seeping out of innumerable wounds. Her wings were bent at impossible angles, their feathers roughed and missing in several spots. Her eyes were wide and locked with Rainbow’s, and her mouth hung open. From that mouth, the scream originated. Rainbow Dash lifted one hoof, and found it covered in a thin material. A dark blue cloth covered her hooves, and ran up her leg to cover her body. The blue was broken only once, and it was by a zig-zag yellow pattern near the end of the legging. It reminded her of the uniforms for the Wonderbolts- Realization hit her like a tidal wave. The Wonderbolts. The tryouts. Something had appeared during her flight that had attacked her and the team. Rainbow’s eyes widened – on the end of the legging, blood began to sprout. It seeped through the cloth, discoloring the uniform to a hideous black. The warm liquid spread around her hoof until it finally grew too heavy. Drops of blood formed and fell onto the rock, pooling beneath her. The blood that fell caught her attention. When it contacted the rock, it pushed some of the dirt around it to its’ edges, looking like a black orb with a golden halo - not unlike the total eclipse above her. She stared at the blood in wonder. The longer she gazed at it, the louder the unending scream became, until at last it overtook the cacophony of the storm. Rainbow’s own shriek woke her up, and when she opened her eyes, all she could see was the image of the pooling blood. She blinked, and she saw the eclipse once more. Rainbow continued blinking until at last she saw where she really was. She was lying on a simple bed, white sheets made slick with her sweat. A bedside table had been brought with water and a towel, but the towel was wrinkled, clearly used. Her gaze drifted to a nearby window, where she saw a sky covered in grey storm clouds. Torrents of rain were falling on Ponyville, accompanied by white flashes and low rumbles. Instinctively, she looked at her hoof, and found it wrapped in a bandage. The underside was marred by a red spot, but it had long since gone dark. A dull sting was registering from the area. As Rainbow considered it, she shifted to wrest comfort from the dampened sheets, and a sharp pain jolted her system from her midsection. She looked down. Her midriff, just below her rib cage, was wrapped in the same bandages as her hoof. Only these wraps were thrown on more callously, clearly rushed. A dark area seeped through the cloth, but not the dark red of dried blood. It took on the color of dark blue, almost black. As Rainbow gazed at it, she realized something. The dark spot wasn’t staining the bandages. It wasn’t even a liquid. It was a glow. The bandages were meant to cover whatever was glowing on her body, and were failing at doing so. The truth of this caused adrenaline to seep into her system, which was already running hard from her vivid nightmare. She noticed that she was breathing short, shallow breaths, but she made no attempt to calm them. A nearby door flew open. Rainbow instinctively flinched, lowering herself on the bed, trying to make herself as small a target as possible. “No!” she cried. “Please!” “Rainbow Dash! I heard screaming – what’s wrong?” Rainbow gasped and opened her eyes. Fluttershy stood in the doorway, her eyes locked on the shivering creature before her. Without turning around, she closed the door with a hind leg, softer than what was necessary. She trotted forward. “I’m so relieved to see you finally awake. The doctors were unsure as to what they could do to wake you! How are you feeling? Is your hoof hurting at all? They left some medicine in case there’s any pain.” Rainbow Dash tried to sit up, but the bandages on her stomach irritated whatever they were hiding. A sharp pain jolted through her system, and she grabbed at the area with her injured hoof. She grimaced, beads of sweat sprouting anew. The pain had rendered her stunned for a moment, and all she could do was remain still and wait for it to pass. “Oh, please try not to move too much,” Fluttershy said. “That, ah…bruise you got is like nothing I’ve seen before. It’s going to take a long time to…heal.” Rainbow looked into her friend's eyes. It was clear she was lying, trying to reassure her. With bad news, no less. Which meant, whatever the truth was, it was much worse than what Fluttershy dared to say. Or maybe she didn’t even know what it really was. As the pain eased away, Rainbow finally breathed a question. “Where are we?” The question came out raspy. She swallowed to moisten her parched throat, and asked again. “Fluttershy…where are we?” “Po…Ponyville urgent care.” “It’s storming outside…just how long have I been…out?” Fluttershy blinked. “Just over a day now. There was a mild rain scheduled for today, but without your help, it looks like the weather ponies overdid themselves-” She was cut off by a sudden thump at the door. Both pegasi snapped their gazes toward the doorway, expecting it to open. Instead, they heard voices coming from the other side. There were two, and they seemed to be arguing. It was impossible to tell behind the door – the sounds came in muffled and quiet. Fluttershy walked over and, either by curiosity or concern, opened the door a crack, just enough to let the sound come in clearly. “…an’ as Ah told you before, Ah’ll come find you when she’s awake an’ well. Not before.” Rainbow blinked. “Applejack?” The other voice shot back. “You heard that scream, too. Don’t try to tell me you didn’t. It seems pretty obvious that she’s awake, and well enough to talk if she can scream that loud! Let me through!” “The fact that she’s screamin’ means she ain’t well at all. One of our friends is in there now, checkin’ on her. So long as she’s inside, you won’t be. Understand?” The second voice groaned, then laughed. It was a laugh that barely concealed rage. “You’re still going to keep me from her? After all that she’s done?!?” “That’s right.” “Tell me why!” “It’s ‘cause you ain’t in yer right mind, Spitfire.” Rainbow Dash couldn’t hold back her shocked gasp. Fluttershy opened the door another few millimeters, trying to see the celebrity, but to no avail. The most she could see was the right half of an apple – Applejack’s cutie mark. She was blocking the doorway, standing firm. Spitfire spoke again, feigning calm. “Not in my right mind…yeah, you’re probably right. My mind is a total wreck right now. I have all this anger, all this hatred, and it’s all for that little blue mare you’re protecting!” “Exactly mah point.” “So it doesn’t matter if she’s awake and well or not. You’re saying you won’t let me in until I appear calm and in control. Is that it?” “Yep. That’d be it.” “Damn you!” A loud bam was heard, accompanied by a sudden force that rocked the door on its’ hinges. Rainbow thought it was a lightning strike at first, but when the sound of shattering glass invaded her ears, she knew it was something else. Spitfire, in her anger, had kicked the hallway wall with all her might, bringing down an assortment of pictures. The frames shattered on the wooden floors, sending glass and splintered wood scattering. Spitfire continued to shout. Her voice dripped venom. “You must be a real good friend to be defending somepony like her. Don’t you know what she’s taken from me?!?” “Of course Ah do, and I’m sorry for yer loss, but it don’t change-” “Oh, you’re sorry? You’re sorry, and you still won’t let me in to make things right?!?” “It don’t change nothin’. That’s right.” “You know you can’t protect her forever, right?” “Ah don’t have to. Just long enough for you to calm down an’ get yerself in order.” Spitfire’s voice was growing quieter. She was walking away. “And you also know it’s a crime to shelter a murderer?” Rainbow’s eyes widened. “M…murderer?” she whispered. Fluttershy quickly pushed the door closed, but Applejack’s final comment of “Yeah, Ah know” came through clearly. The pale yellow pegasus held on to the knob with both hooves, not daring to look back at her injured friend. She could feel her gaze boring into her. After a full minute spent in tense silence, Rainbow finally spoke. “Fluttershy…” “It’s nothing!” Rainbow blinked. Fluttershy finally turned around, wearing a smile that barely covered her fear. “It’s nothing at all!” she repeated. “I’m sure Spitfire’s just upset because it’s raining…yeah, that’s it. She and the, ah…the Wonderbolts were supposed to have been at…at Fillydelphia by now, but the storm has…has grounded them!” The lies fell short. The rainbow-maned pony pried once more. “Fluttershy, stop…” “I’m sure that’s what it is!” she cried. A tinge of panic shone in her eye. “You…you think so too, right?” “No, Fluttershy…I don’t.” The two of them locked gazes. The longer they stared, the less Fluttershy could take. She started to tear up, and began to plead. “Don’t…don’t make me say it…please…” Rainbow shifted, forcing herself to ignore the excruciating pain that shot from her side. “Please, Fluttershy…I have to know. What exactly happened to me? Why is Spitfire so…furious? Please tell me.” Fluttershy lowered her head, trying to hide herself. “No, I…I can’t…” “Tell me.” “Please, Rainbow, I…don’t make me say it, I…” She was crying. “Tell me!” she pleaded, slamming her hoof on the bed. The impact, though soft, sent a minor pain up her foreleg, but she didn’t register it. Fluttershy looked up at her friend. The memory was welling up inside her, aching to be let out, but she was frightened of what would happen. Finally, she sighed in defeat. She looked at the floor, took a breath, and began in a whisper. “It all happened…right after your warm-up. We couldn’t see clearly, but…something was following you.” The sun was bright and warm, a perfect contrast to the cool cloud wall at Fluttershy’s back. She stood with her four friends, watching Rainbow Dash zip across the sky with the legendary flight team, the Wonderbolts. Their turns were gentle at first as they prepared their bodies for the more arduous feats that were sure to come. A minute passed before the Wonderbolts launched their signature storm cloud wake. As they gained speed, Rainbow’s own multi-colored wake trail could easily be seen, lines of dazzling color against the power of the manifested clouds. Around her, Fluttershy’s friends began cheering and whooping. She stayed silent, watching in wonder. Rarity was the first pony to notice something was amiss. “Say…” she began. “Is it just me, or is Rainbow’s streak getting…darker?” The group of five focused on the rainbow trailing behind their friend. Sure enough, the colors seemed to be going duller, and the faster she flew, the darker they appeared. Eventually, it was impossible to discern her trail from those of the Wonderbolts. “What’s goin’ on?” Applejack asked, looking at Twilight. “I have no idea! Is…is Rainbow alright?” Nopony had an answer. They remained still, watching more with concern now than awe. The seven pegasi swooped low out of a loop-de-loop, speeding from one end of the cloudiseum to the other. But something else was left behind from Rainbow Dash – a small black mass had appeared at the crux of her turn, partially obscured by the cloud wake. It moved forward, following the trail that was left behind from the pegasi. The further it moved, the faster it went and larger it grew. It appeared to be chasing the unsuspecting flight team. The dark mass boiled, bulbous, growing from an apple-sized orb to something larger than the chariots used in the capitol. It sped along the wake left behind from the pegasi. Grey jolts of power lined the outside, and as it grew nearer, six spots began to glow. The glowing spots on the dark mass flashed once, and thick bolts of black lightning sped forth. Each bolt contacted the Wonderbolts, sending the two farthest fliers – Spitfire and Soarin’ – falling toward the ground. The other four weren’t so lucky. The bolts enveloped them, stopping their movements mid-flight, holding them in the air. Applejack and Twilight stepped forward. They, along with their friends, began screaming at Rainbow Dash, pleading her to not stop, to keep flying, to get as far away as possible. But their pleas had the opposite effect. Rainbow forced herself to stop and turn, finally seeing what was behind her. The sight stunned her for a moment, just long enough for the dark field to get closer and loose off a seventh bolt. Fluttershy felt herself screaming, but she couldn’t hear it. All she could see was the bolt arcing toward her friend. She remembered thinking ‘Get away, get away! Hurry!’ The lightning made contact, sending Rainbow spinning through the air as the energy surrounded her for a split second. Time seemed to slow for the five ponies on the ground. They watched her fall, clearly seeing the expression of pain she wore. She hit the ground hard, bouncing once. Immediately after launching the final bolt, the entire mass faded from view, leaving behind no trace that it was ever there. The four Wonderbolts it held dropped like stones, contacting the grassy ground beneath them. They didn’t move. Applejack was the first to spring into action. She ran out onto the field, not stopping until she reached Rainbow’s shuddering form. After making sure she was still breathing, the blonde earth pony grabbed her foreleg with both hooves, twisted, and lifted her body upward. She moved around beneath the blue pegasus, settling her across her back. “Applejack!” Twilight was calling from across the field. She and the others had rushed out to the fallen flight team. Spitfire was standing up on her own, through clearly struggling to do so. Applejack yelled back toward them. “Get them all outta here! Ah’m taking Rainbow to the care center! Meet me there!” “But Applejack, wait!” “No! Meet me there, Twilight! Ah’m goin’ ahead!” She didn’t wait to hear any further arguments. Applejack barreled out of the cloudiseum, ignoring the concerned glances she was cast by passers-by. She didn’t see Spitfire drag herself over to her teammates, calling out to them. She didn’t see her receive silence for a response. She didn’t see her kneel down next to them and beseech them to move. She didn’t see her begin to despair, or hear her shrieks of agony as she cursed the Steed. Fluttershy was forced to stop recalling what had happened. She choked up on her internal sobbing, sinking to the hospital floor. Hot tears stung behind her eyes, and no matter how many escaped to roll down her cheeks, the stinging didn’t relent. She stayed there, shuddering, trying to picture happier times, but was only able to see the still bodies of ponies being warmed by an innocent sun. Rainbow Dash was certain she should be blinking or breathing, yet the only thing she could do was hear the constant pounding of her own heart. She stared at the door behind Fluttershy, unable to form a thought. She tried to speak, but her throat had gone totally dry. The meek voice of the yellow pegasus rose up once more. “After you were…were brought here, the rest of us arrived. Between us and Spitfire, we were able to bring the…Wonderbolts…here as well. The doctors told us that Soarin’ would be alright, and Spitfire was lucky to be as far ahead as she was…” Rainbow’s voice finally produced a sound. Words grated up her throat, burning her. “What about the rest of the team?” Fluttershy drew herself in tighter. Her sobbing grew more grievous, her tears flowing without impediment. She couldn’t answer. “…Fluttershy?” Silence, save for the barely contained sobs. It was quite possibly the worst reply she could have given. A long breath escaped Rainbow Dash’s lips. Something inside her seemed to snap, and a myriad of thoughts began to spring forth. She wasn’t able to keep track of them. In a daze, she looked at her bandaged hoof, absent-mindedly examining the spot of red. Her gaze travelled up her leg, until she saw the edge of the dark glow seeping through her stomach’s bandage. It looked like the glow had intensified. A sound came out of Rainbow’s throat, totally unbidden. “No…” She pushed herself off the bed – her midriff sent scorching pain through her body, but her mind had grown numb to the feeling. She dragged herself over to the window, where she was barely able to make out her reflection. “No…” she repeated. “I…this can’t be…” She gazed at her reflection, trying to make out all the details of her face. The reflection was like a ghost, staring back with eyes gone totally white. There was no blinking, but the raindrops on the window made it look like it was crying. “What do you…the Wonderbolts are…” The ghost-like reflection seemed to grin as it stared into Rainbow’s soul. “…dead?” The word fed panic into her system. She began breathing hard, and she tried to think, but couldn’t hold on to her thoughts. She looked down, staring at the glowing darkness that rendered her bandages useless. She put her weight on her hind legs, and began to push at the wrapping with her hooves, suddenly desperate to see what was hidden. Fluttershy looked up, and panicked. “Rainbow, don’t!” “What happened to me, Fluttershy? You still haven’t told me!” she shouted, her words punctuated by a lightning strike outside. The rain began to fall harder. “We don’t know!” she finally admitted, rising to all fours. “Twilight thinks it’s something to do with magic, but it’s like nothing she’s ever seen!” Rainbow still worked on the bandages, finding purchase beneath her right wing. She dug in and pulled. The ties loosened. “Please don’t, Rainbow! We don’t want anything to happen before the princess arrives!” Rainbow Dash stopped her efforts for a moment. She looked up with panic-stricken eyes. “The…princess?” “Yes, Princess Celestia. Twilight believes that if anypony can tell us what’s wrong with you, it’s her. She should be here soon after the storm breaks.” “But…but ponies have died! And you said this magic, whatever it is, came out from me!” Fluttershy backed up a step, looking away. “We…we don’t know anything yet…” “I don’t want to hurt anypony, Fluttershy! I never wanted to!” She redoubled her efforts to remove the bandages. The entire line of cloth became loose, dropping a few centimeters. “No, please don’t! Please, just wait for the Princess! She can help you, I’m sure of it!” Fluttershy stepped forward, reaching out with one hoof. A new feeling entered Rainbow’s mind. Something akin to a white-hot lance shooting across her vision, bring with it new feelings of pain, feelings of a different sort. Her vision went blank for a moment, and she could feel herself moving, struggling against another force. Just as suddenly as the feeling entered, it vanished following a loud ensemble of crashes and thumps. Rainbow opened her eyes, still breathing heavily. Fluttershy had been pushed aside, squarely hitting a nearby case filled with plastic tools and glass cups. Shards of glass covered her body, but not a single one had cut her. However, her contact with the case itself had left a deep mark in her skin, sure to develop into a long-lasting bruise. She shuddered, silently whimpering. Rainbow Dash stared at her, utterly stunned. Her hooves were extended outward, still rigid from when they had violently shoved her friend away. In the cleft of her uninjured hoof, the wrinkled bandage from her midriff dangled low. It was the purest white. She gazed down, finally seeing the dark area that frightened her so. Along her left side, a growing spot of black and blue was shining. Telltale patterns danced across the surface from edge to edge, never staying still. It was the size of an eggplant, and still it expanded across her front bit by bit. A rumbling came from outside the door, and it flew open. Applejack barreled in, eyes darting across the scene. She saw Fluttershy first, gasped, and then finally took stock of Rainbow Dash. Their eyes met, concern and panic clashing in their expressions. Applejack stepped forward. She was slow, deliberate – wary of what her pegasus friend might do. She opened her mouth to speak. Rainbow didn’t bother to hear it. The feeling of the white lance pierced her mind again, and she felt herself running harder than she had ever run before. The excruciating pain from the glowing area on her body did not register. All she felt was the shock of her hooves hitting the floor and the panic devouring her every thought. Sounds of cracking glass invaded her ears – she was in the hallway, stepping on the few telltale shards of glass remaining from the fallen picture frames. The whiteness left her once again, and she saw the hallway leading toward a doorway. A long-stretching meadow was seen outside, decorated with pelting raindrops and another flash of lightning. She pushed herself harder, spreading her wings, ready to take flight as soon as she felt dirt beneath her hooves. The door was just yards away. “Rainbow Dash!!!” She didn’t need to look behind her. The shout had clearly come from Spitfire, roused to the hallway after hearing the commotion. The sound of another set of hooves told her that the Wonderbolt captain was giving chase, and was catching up very quickly. She leapt and tilted herself, slamming into the doorway with her shoulder. It gave way, opening into the grey world beyond. Rainbow touched the ground, waited a beat, then launched herself up into the air. Fat drops of rain stained her coat and weighed down her wing feathers, but she didn’t dare stop. She only cared about getting as far away from the ponies she cared about, if only to keep them safe from her. “You can’t out-fly me, Rainbow Dash! Don’t even try!” Spitfire took to the air right after Rainbow had, and was closing the distance between them. Rainbow began to twist and weave through the air, trying to shake her pursuer, but to no avail. Spitfire matched her movements perfectly, growing closer to the fleeing pegasus. Rainbow was shouting, her words barely heard above the storm. “Please, don’t! I don’t want to hurt you! I don’t want to hurt anypony!” “You’re too late!” came the reply. “You must answer for what you’ve done! You won’t get away from me!” Spitfire closed the gap between them. She reached out with both hooves, grabbing on to Rainbow’s hind leg with a vice-grip. The feeling of the hold sent yet another white lance through Rainbow’s mind. “No!!!” she cried. The air was rent with lightning. As soon as Spitifire gripped the leg of the fleeing pony, Rainbow twisted, bringing her other hind leg around. Her hoof contacted Spitfire’s temple, sending stars across her vision. But still she held on, her seething anger the only thing on her mind. Rainbow kicked again, this time hitting her foreleg. Spitfire felt her grip loosen, about to break. She pulled downward, forcing Rainbow’s body toward her. She brought one hoof back, about to punch forward, when she saw the eyes. Two blank areas of the purest white where the eyes used to be. They stared forward, unseeing. They unnerved Spitfire, causing her to hesitate in stunned silence. A sudden kick from Rainbow Dash finally broke the grip Spitfire held. She was knocked away, breathless – the kick forced the wind out of her. Rainbow flapped her wings hard, spinning herself up and around. One final kick slammed into Spitfire’s temple for the second time, jolting her senses. She fell to the muddy ground, staining her coat and mane with the filth. She shook her head to clear her daze, snapping her eyes toward the sky. A telltale streak of a darkened rainbow was just vanishing from sight, heading toward a group of distant mountains. A flash of lightning outlined the form of the fleeing pegasus for a moment. She held her bandaged hoof against the dark area of her body. Tears were falling, completely assimilated into the heavy rainfall. Spitfire looked on, unwilling to continue the chase. Rainbow was too far away. She stood, gazing at the spot in the sky where the outline had been. Her anger boiled inside her, threatening to spill over. “Spitfire!” She turned her head. Twilight, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie had followed them out of the door. They gathered around the fire-maned pegasus, all looking worried. Pinkie stepped forward. “Are you alright?” she asked. Spitfire’s rage blinded her for a moment. She swung around, hitting Pinkie with all her strength. Her hoof cut into the pony’s cheek, sending droplets of blood flying. Pinkie cried in pain, hitting the soaked grass. Tears stung her eyes, and she held the bleeding spot with one hoof. She didn’t rise, reduced to grunts as the pain skewered her senses. “Hey!” Applejack stepped forward. Spitfire did the same, bringing her hoof around for another punch. Applejack was quicker, blocking the hoof with her foreleg. “Stop that right now!” she shouted, barely containing her fury. Spitfire paused. Her mane, wet and muddy, fell over her eyes like an overturned fire. She gritted her teeth, glaring at the blonde earth pony. Her eyes burned holes into Applejack’s own, daring her to make a move. “That’s the last time you ever lay a hoof on mah friends.” Spitfire grinned sadistically, laughing once. “You wanna be angry with Rainbow Dash, you go right ahead,” Applejack continued quietly. “Feel free to hate her as much as you want. But you do not take out yer hatred on us. If you try to hurt us again, then even bein’ a famous showpony won’t stop me from coming after you.” Despite Spitfire’s pride in her ability, the tone in the mare’s voice made her believe her words. They stared for a moment longer, their tense silence broken by thunder, Pinkie’s groans, and Twilight’s words of concern over her. After a moment, Spitfire turned her head away. She spat on the ground, walking past Applejack. She looked ahead, avoiding the gazes of the two other ponies as they watched her. She paused a few feet away, tilting her head slightly to speak. “That friend of yours took everything from me. I’ll never be able to forgive her for it.” She turned her head some more, finally locking gazes with the three mares. A genuine glint of despair shone behind her eyes, which she calmly buried beneath controlled rage. She held the gaze for a moment before lowering her head, and turning away once more. “I have to go check on Soarin’,” she murmured, walking away. She felt the stares of the three ponies behind her, but she didn’t dare lock gazes again. Applejack stood in the rain long after Twilight and Pinkie had returned to the care center. She stared at a horizon marred by rainclouds, unwilling to accept the new reality she had been forced in to. Her best friend had just run away because her life-long idols were utterly ruined. Applejack couldn’t comprehend it. She didn’t even consider it a nightmare. Such nightmares could never be this bad, could they? After an hour, she finally grew aware of her discomfort in the rain. She turned and walked back to the care center, feeling every drop along the way as a reminder that no rainbow would grace the sky tonight. End chapter three Author’s comments: I had a LOT of fun writing out this one. This chapter has been playing in my mind for the last month, and it feels so good to finally let it out. Especially since the entire story is so huge, and this chapter is such a key part to the plotline. Revision note: Document underwent minor revision to correct mistakes in wording, and to strengthen detail all around. Changes won’t really be noticed unless you have this chapter memorized (like me), and that’s a scary thought. New version saved 9.25.11. Co-author’s comments: Ahh~ It's so good to be back. What did I mis- Oh... Oh my... Dramatic, isn't it? I couldn't agree with you more. I actually didn't help out as much in this chapter due to my absence, but I have helped more on the second half. I also missed my time to speak for the last chapter, but that's okay. I know I did my fair share of work in that one too. Spitfire's personality can be a hard nut to crack, considering how many lines she has in the show, matching with the events that have happened here. I'm assuming Aaron had her angry the whole time for two reasons: One, four teammates died, and two, her name has "Fire" in it. This included near the end of the chapter when Aaron couldn't decide whether Spitfire should have apologized to Pinkie when hitting her or not. Seeing how angry she's been in the whole chapter, I mentioned how a simple punch wouldn't be enough to remove that anger bottled up inside her that easily. I think the choice chosen was the right one. Next chapter: Interlude one of three. The cast adapts to the absence of their friend over the years.