Missing Dreams
Chapter 7
Rude Awakenings
“She what!?”
“I know!” Spike shouted, waving his arms and pacing furiously. “It's insane, right? I can't be the only one who thinks so!”
Rarity rubbed a hoof against her forehead slowly, nursing a cup of steaming tea. “You didn't actually send it, did you?”
Shaking his head, Spike held out his claw with the crumpled letter. “Of course not! I came here as soon as she sent me out. I'm really getting worried about her, Rarity. I mean she's trying to resign from the Wonderbolts and everything. On top of everything else... with Twilight... gone...” he trailed off sadly.
“Oh, Spike,” Rarity whispered sympathetically, slipping a hoof around his shoulders and guiding him onto the couch next to her. “You've been so strong since Twilight disappeared.”
Spike sniffled, burying his head in her coat as he whimpered. “She's been gone two days now, Rarity, and we're hardly anywhere near finding her. I just...” he trailed off into quiet, muffled sobs as the unicorn slowly stroked his spines, barely giving a thought to the slowly worsening state of her normally pristine coat.
“Shh, it's okay, Spike.”
“I-I just... I don't know what to do...” He whimpered, continuing to cry.
Rarity sighed quietly, leaning down and gently nuzzling the top of the dragon's head as a few tears of her own slipped down her cheeks. “It's okay, let it out. You don't have to do anything; we're all going to work together and bring Twilight home before you know it.”
They sat for a long while on the couch, with Spike crying quietly into Rarity's coat as the sun travelled slowly across the sky. Eventually, when Spike's shoulders stopped shaking and his cried petered out into quiet sniffles, Rarity drew back and smiled down at him. “Feeling any better?”
Spike rubbed at his eyes, sighing. “A little. Th-thanks, Rarity. I guess I really needed that.”
“Think nothing of it; what are friends for?” Rarity asked with a kind smile. “Speaking of friends, however, we have to do something about Rainbow Dash; we need to keep her focused on finding Twilight and not on the 'what if's.”
Sighing, Spike gently removed himself from Rarity's embrace and fell backward onto the couch. “But how? I don't see this getting any better until we find Twilight. For any of us.”
“Well we'll just have to think of something. And I think I know where to start.”
“Oh?”
Rarity stood from the couch with a flourish. “Come along, Spike! We have an intervention to stage!”
“Uh...” the dragon shifted uncomfortably, motioning to the damp, matted hairs on Rarity's chest. The unicorn looked down, cringing slightly.
“Alright, I need to go get cleaned up. But after that, it's time for an intervention!”
Rainbow Dash once again found herself pacing anxiously, thoughts and feeling whirling about her head. In the centre of the tornado sat a stunning purple unicorn with a blinding smile and sparkling eyes. Looking up, Rainbow gazed longingly out the window, catching a glimpse of the mail pony flying away from Ponyville with a bag full of letters, heading towards the sunset. She sighed shakily before taking in another deep breath and turning away to resume her pacing.
If all went to plan, by tomorrow she'd have 'officially' quit the Wonderbolts, and they'd be one step closer to bringing Twilight home safely.
“Rainbow?” Spike called, opening the front door. “You here?”
Rainbow's ears perked up and she ran out of the study, barrelling down the stairs and nearly ramming into Spike as she skid to a stop in front of the door. “Did you send it!?”
“Uhh...” Spike trailed off, scratching his arm nervously. “About that... listen, I-”
“You sent it, right? Please tell me you sent it! It has to get there by tomorrow!”
“Y-yeah... yeah, I sent it... listen, Rainbow, on the way back I stopped at Rarity's and we-”
“We thought you could use somepony to talk to,” Rarity cut in gently, stepping forward from outside and placing a hoof on Spike's shoulder.
Rainbow bit her lip nervously. “Look... I'm fine, alright? I thought about this, and I decided it's what I need to do. You know I'll do anything to get Twilight back, and I would hope you'd all do the same.”
“Of course we would!” Fluttershy insisted, drawing Rainbow's eyes away from Rarity and to the rest of her friends gathered around the front door outside. “But you didn't have to do this!”
Rolling her eyes, Rainbow stepped back from the door. “You guys too? Look, I'm fine, alright? Twi... Twi's going to be fine soon. Trust me, okay?”
Applejack shook her head. “Not this time, RD. We're all torn up about Twilight, but you don't have to quit the Wonderbolts. What would Twilight say?”
“She'd say I did the right thing,” Rainbow muttered, grabbing the door and attempting to close it. “Look, thanks for the concern, but I'll be fine. Goodbye now.”
Pinkie shoved her hoof into the door before it close properly. “Please, Dashie? Let us help you.”
“You can't help me right now...”
“Rainbow, please,” Spike urged. “We just want to talk.”
A moment of silence passed as Rainbow stared at her hooves, warring within her own head. She looked up finally, sighing. “You girls aren't going to let this drop are you?” Upon receiving a round of shaking heads, she sighed again and opened the door. “Fine, you can talk.”
All six filed into the library, hurriedly guiding Rainbow to the sitting room and easing her back onto the couch. They took their positions, sitting in front of her on the floor in a loose semicircle. For a minute nopony spoke, each thinking of how exactly to say what they wanted to.
Against all odds, it was Fluttershy who spoke first. “We're worried about you, Rainbow, and none of us believe you when you say you're fine, because you're really not.”
Rainbow groaned. “How many times do I have to say it? I'm-”
“If you were fine, then why would you quit the Wonderbolts!?” Pinkie demanded, stomping a hoof against the ground. “After how hard you worked? How hard Twilight worked? That's not right, Dashie. You wouldn't do that if you were okay.”
“Why wouldn't I!?” Rainbow yelled. “I'm supposed to be loyalty, aren't I? How can I be loyal if I leave Twilight with those crazy ponies while I go off and play Wonderbolt? I can't do that to her, not while she's still out there somewhere.”
Applejack shook her head slowly. “We'll find her, Rainbow. You do know that, don't ya?”
“Of course I know that! But can you promise me we'll find her before I go back on tour? No; I didn't think so. Unless you can prove to me we'll find her in a couple days, you can leave.”
“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity scolded firmly. “You can't think we'll take more than two weeks to find her, with everything and everypony we have helping us?”
Sighing, Rainbow stood from the couch. “I know, but just in case. I'm fine, guys; really.” She paused, glancing up and noting the sun setting out the window. “I'm gonna go get some sleep; hopefully by tomorrow the guards will have a lead. You had all best go home as well.”
Pinkie jumped into the room, carrying a sleeping bag and a bowl of popcorn. “We're not leaving you, Dashie; we need to stay together. Which means it's time for a Slumber Party!”
“Seriously?”
“I recon Pinkie's right,” Applejack agreed. “We all need to stay together, and no matter how many times you say it we ain't gonna believe you're fine 'till we see you run out the door and beg for your Wonderbolt slot back.”
“We're all here for you, Rainbow,” Fluttershy whispered. “You just need to let us help you.”
Rainbow ground her teeth together, eyeing all of her friends one by one. By the looks they were giving her, they were absolutely convinced that this was what they needed to do. Which meant there was little chance of getting out of it. Her friends could be just as stubborn as she was. “Fine, do whatever you want. I'm going to bed.”
Frowning, Pinkie's eyes narrowed, and before Rainbow could make it to the stairs she was blocked by a pin blur standing in her way. “When was the last time you ate something?” She asked accusingly, already knowing the answer.
Sighing, Rainbow resigned herself to her fate. At the very least, she could rest easy in the knowledge that her letter would soon be delivered.
Spitfire's lips held themselves in a pensive frown as she glared out her window bast the Wonderbolts training grounds at the rising sun.
“Captain?”
Her eyes didn't even flicker. “Yes, Soarin?”
The stallion shifted slightly, biting his lip nervously. “The mail came. I collected it myself as you requested, but I'm afraid there aren't any letters from Rainbow Dash.”
Spitfire's brow furrowed. “Nothing at all?”
“No Ma'am... and, if I may, this all seems very strange. Even if Rainbow had sent a letter, how would you have known?”
Finally, the fiery orange mare turned away from her window, her piercing eyes switching from the horizon to Soarin himself, sending a a withering scowl his way. “I suppose you'd also like to know why I sent you, personally, you collect it?”
Hesitantly, Soarin nodded.
Returning it, Spitfire sighed. “Check the hall, make sure nopony's there. Close the door and lock it,” she instructed, reaching behind her with a wing and drawing the blinds shut on her window.
As confused as he was, Soarin obeyed, sticking his head out a moment to find an empty hall before closing the door. With a soft click it was locked, and an infinite weight seemed to lift from Spitfire's shoulders. “Good... we shouldn't have to worry too much about unicorns up here, but best to keep our voices down.”
“Unicorns?” Soarin echoed. “Spitz, what's going on”?
Spitfire ran a hoof through her mane, smoothing a few stray hairs back into place. “I'm telling you this only because you're the pony I trust most on this base, Soarin, and this conversation never leaves the room, understood?”
“Of course.”
“Good... I trust you heard the news about Twilight Sparkle?”
Soarin's eyes shot up in surprise. “Y-yeah... I heard. To be honest, I'm still not sure what to think. I mean, she's just gone-”
“She's not dead,” Spitfire cut in quickly. “It'll likely be in the paper this morning, if what Luna told me is any indication, but she's been pony-napped.”
“Pony-napped! Who would even try to pony-nap the Princess's student?” After a moment of thought, he added, “How would you even know that?”
Glancing around suspiciously, as though the walls themselves were listening, Spitfire leaned forward. “A little known ability of Luna's is, apparently, dream walking. She spoke to me last night and explained what's going on. Apparently, the ponies who took Twilight are actually after Rainbow Dash – for some reason, they want her to quit the team. It's... complicated, but we've arranged it so Dash should have sent us a letter resigning, and we'd publish the story without officially removing her from the team.”
Soarin raised his eyebrow. “So why can't we just run the story and cut out Rainbow sending the letter?”
“Apparently, she's being watched. We might be, too, so be very careful what you say out there. These ponies have proved themselves quite resourceful, from what I've heard. They're the same ones who framed Rainbow for cheating on the Next Wonderbolt Competition.”
“And you heard all this from Princess Luna? In a dream?” Soarin asked, receiving a single nod from his captain. He frowned. “And... could it be possible that this was just a dream? I've never heard of such a thing as dream walking.”
Spitfire shook her head. “No... I knew it was real. It's hard to explain, but... I just know it was real. I don't know why we didn't get Rainbow's letter, either lost in the mail or delayed until tomorrow, but we have to run the story as soon as possible.
“Call a press meeting. They can't have possibly tracked that letter. We can pretend we got it in the mail.”
“Are you sure about this, Spitz?” Soarin asked. “It all sounds pretty far-fetched.”
Spitfire hardened her eyes into a glare. “Call the meeting, Soarin.”
“Right! On it!”
“Good morning Dashie!”
Rainbow groaned, pushing her muzzle deeper into her pillow.
“Aww, c'mon. No need to be such a sleepyhead. The sun's shining and it's a brand new day!”
“Go away, Pinkie,” she muttered. She peaked one bloodshot eye open to give the mare a glare, but stopped when she saw the frown on Pinkie's face.
Pinkie Pie gave a fragile smile as she rested a gentle hoof on the pegasus' shoulder. “Please?” She asked, softly. “I...” swallowing, Pinkie glanced around before leaning closer. “I heard you, last night.”
“Heard what!?” Rainbow snapped, shifting a hoof beneath her blanket and clutching at the dual pendants around her neck. She didn't remember much of last night after going to bed. Except crying. At some point she must have fallen asleep.
Pinkie recoiled as though her hoof had been bit, and she hung her head slightly. “We're all super worried, Rainbow, and wee all miss her.”
“I...” she stopped to take a shuddering breath, pressing her pendants into her chest. “I know, Pinkie. But we'll have her back, soon enough.”
“I hope you're right, Dashie,” Pinkie said with a sad smile. A moment of silence passed, and she giggled quietly. “How can you always been so positive? I always thought that was my thing.”
Forcing herself upright in her bed, Rainbow chewed her lip thoughtfully. After a few seconds, she reached out and laid her hoof on Pinkie's shoulder. “Because Twi would want me to be, and I'm not gonna find her if I'm moping around.”
“Then why'd you quit the Wonderbolts?”
Rainbow bit her cheek as her breath caught in her throat. A sudden anger started boiling in her gut and she forced her voice to stay level. “I had to.”
“But Twilight wouldn't have wanted you to,” Pinkie shot back, her voice just as tense as Rainbow's had been. “It's like you've given up.”
“I haven't given up!” Rainbow shouted as her anger pushed past her self control. “You don't understand!”
Pinkie's eyes watered as she practically begged, “Then tell me why! The Rainbow Dash I knew wouldn't have given up the Wonderbolts unless she'd given up all together!”
“Then then Rainbow Dash you knew is gone!” Rainbow's wings flared and the covers were thrown from the bed as she rose a foot in the air on instinct alone.
Even with the formidable figure of Rainbow bearing down on her, Pinkie didn't so much as waver. “Where did she go?”
“She's gone, Pinkie! She... she was taken when they took Twilight...” Rainbow trailed off and her wings went slack, letting gravity take over and pull her down onto the bed with a thump. “I... I'm not me without her anymore. Half of me is with her now, always.” She stared down at the pendants around her neck as a few watery tears rand down her cheeks. “And she's gone...”
Taking a breath, Rainbow wiped the tears from her eyes. Pinkie was too stunned by the sudden outburst to do anything besides shed a few tears of her own. “But it'll be okay soon... we... we'll find her. And everything will be okay again.”
“Dashie...”
“I'm fine, Pinkie,” Rainbow said, flashing a cocky smile. “C'mon, let's get the rest of the girls and have some breakfast.”
Pinkie sniffled and rubbed fruitlessly at her own dampening cheeks. “M-more like brunch,” she giggled weakly, pointing out the window at the sun as it rose ever closer to its zenith.
Just then a loud bang rang through the library and Applejack's voice rang out, loud and clear. “Rarity! Spike! Take a look at this!”
Rainbow raised an eyebrow and glanced to her pink friend, who merely shrugged.
“Must you be so loud, Applejack? Rainbow's still asleep,” Rarity's voice called in a smooth, almost condescending tone.
The sound of stomping hooves travelled across the main floor of the library. “Well how about you take a look!”
After a moment's pause, Rarity's voice came again; “Yes, it's a newspaper darling. What of it?”
“Read it!” Applejack demanded, her eye roll almost audible.
Another stretch of silence before a gasp. “What!?”
“I thought y'all said her letter hadn't been sent?”
Rainbow's eyes narrowed suspiciously and she started making her way over to the door as the voices grew quieter.
“It hasn't! Spike showed it to me himself. It's still at my boutique!”
“Them how did the Wonderbolts get it? They booted her off the team, Rarity. We were supposed to have stopped this!”
With a shove Rainbow slammed her bedroom door open and flew down the stairs, finding her two friends arguing in the man room of the library. Both of them turned to her, matching looks of surprise on their faces. In Rarity's magic hovered a newspaper, on the cover was a picture of the Wonderbolt's insignia. Below that large, bolded letter announced the title of the article; 'Rainbow dash; Wonderbolt dropout?'.
“I'm out?” Rainbow asked, almost eagerly. She dashed forward and snatched the paper out of the air, her eyes rabidly scanning over the article. “I'm off the team!” She cried victoriously.
After a moment of stunned silence from her friends, Rainbow's eyes hardened slowly. “Wait... what were you just saying about them not getting a letter?”
Applejack's hooves shifted nervously. “Uh...”
“I was more referring to the mail ponies, Rainbow,” Rarity stepped in, smoothly covering Applejack's stammering. “I didn't think your letter would reach them until tomorrow, is all.”
Rainbow's eyes narrowed and she marched past Rarity, glaring down Applejack from her slightly-shorter perspective. “Applejack? Did you do something with my letter?”
“Uh.... n-n- maybe?” A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead. Rainbow's glare didn't relent, and neither did her own urge to be honest – especially with her friends. Another second of hesitation and she cracked. “Fine; Spike said he didn't deliver your letter. Went to Rarity with it instead. As far as I knew your letter was never even sent.”
“It wasn't!” Rarity insisted. “I don't know how they got it!”
Rainbow's teeth ground together. “You girls... stopped... my letter?”
“We couldn't just let you throw away your dreams!” Rarity protested quickly. “You're not thinking straight right now, rainbow; you're... distracted, grieving. You-”
“I was trying to save Twilight!” Rainbow shrieked. “This was my only shot! And you... you...” Her entire body shook with rage at her friends and her fear for what would happen to Twilight now. “I can't believe you!”
Suddenly, a the sound of shattering glass filled the room and all eyes turned to see what looked like an ordinary pebble sitting in a pile of broken glass from a window. The pebble sat silently for a short few seconds before it seemed to almost twitch and light up. With a flash of light, a pony formed above it, with a red coat and dull blue mane.
“Hello, Rainbow Dash,” Neon Lightning greeted with a grin.