//------------------------------// // Rainbow Dash // Story: The World Beyond Her Dreams // by Foals Errand //------------------------------// The children pushed the one in a wheelchair forwards. The girl’s bright, purple hair was a mess, but didn’t hide the pure, raw excitement that shined in them as she looked to the Olympic gymnast/runner who had been so kind as to visit the hospital today. Scootaloo had been watching Rainbow’s progress, and was a long term fan, and simply had to ask her question before the chance to left. “So, you think we can achieve what we want, as long as we don’t lose our dreams?” Rainbow grinned at the child as she nodded. “Of course. If you stop dreaming, how are you going to find the next way to be as awesome as I am? However, don’t forget about reality. I had to work hard to get where I am, and…” she took in a deep breath, the letter from Celestia flashing into her head before she opened them back up, “I once knew a girl with all the promise in the world, but right now, she is lost to her dreams, and seems to have forgotten all about the world.” Her hand’s grip on her arm tightened, and she had to make sure not to lose her grip on the rafter as she recomposed herself. “Because of that, those who could help her make those dreams a reality, and make her happy can’t do that. Don’t ever let that happen to all of you, okay? Remember that no matter what reality throws at you, it’s just another step towards your dreams, and that you will find a way to overcome the obstacles with the help of your friends, families, and of course, hard work.” She smiled at the children’s cheers, happy to have been able to make the sick kids feel like they could make it out, even though she had days where her own faith in such thoughts were failing. That was the exact opposite of why she was here though. “Well said words, Miss Dash.” Rainbow’s smile brightened to a more genuine one as she bent upwards, gripping into the bar above her before slipping the one foot that had kept her in place off, and landing perfectly on the floor, to the excited gasps of those in front of her. She then spun around to her favorite nurse, Celestia, one hand on her hip, the latex of her blue and yellow gymnastic suit pressing against her nimble fingers. “Thanks. They come from a pretty personal place, like a lot of what I say.” Celestia nodded for a moment. “It’s only a shame that your method keeps attracting trouble for you. Though,” she said as she looked back to the reporters, “I would say they would love you to say something more… profane than what you just did.” A bark of laughter escaped Rainbow as she thought to less than flattering articles about her interviews and opinions, not that she cared. The only rules she followed were her own, and the ones she absolutely had to stay an Olympian, and even those had to bend for what she had to do. Hence why she had spent the last forty eight hours since receiving Celestia’s email on a plane to get here. “Yeah, well, they won’t be getting anymore material, right Sven?” The weasly looking man rolled his eyes before nodding. “Of course, as we agreed.” Celestia raised an eyebrow as Rainbow’s manager began telling the reporters the fact that the ward that Rainbow now had to go to was for family and close, personal friends only, and that they weren’t allowed. Anyone, including Rainbow herself, knew the manager was giving up big time publicity because of this. A shot of Rainbow being vulnerable would have been worth millions. “You have a pretty loose manager.” Rainbow shook her head. “No, he just didn’t like your email, or the idea of having to spend so much time on a private with a me that was ready to punch him for merely breathing. I think he chose the right option.” Celestia chuckled for a moment as she nodded. “I’m sure he did.” Rainbow was about to begin following Celestia, when she felt an arm touch her own. She looked back to the purple haired girl that had asked her the last question, and gave her a large smile. “Yeah?” Scootaloo gripped her own arm, and she cleared her throat so loud that even Celestia could hear it. “Well, I was hoping if you might stop by again. You know, before you have to leave.” Sven opened his mouth, but didn’t get a word out before Rainbow gave her a large thumbs up. “Of course kid. Why wouldn’t I?” Celestia put a hand to Sven’s mouth as Rainbow stepped out of the ward, making sure the manager didn’t say anything stupid while they walked. Rainbow wanted to thank her, but knew the older woman probably knew. She had a way of doing stuff like that, having caught on to her feelings towards her bookworm even before Pinkie. She only hoped that Celestia was right this time too. “So, you said she’s getting better?” The nurse beside her slowly nodded as they made their way through back halls of the hospital, just to make sure they shook any remaining reporters that may try to get into the coma ward. “I believe so. While she did suffer a relapse in the afternoon that I sent you the letter, we hope that it was simply momentary.” Rainbow sucked in her lips as she took in a deep breath, before placing her hands on the back of her head and beginning to stare at the ceiling while they walked. “It’s better than nothing I guess.” Celestia nodded. “As well, I wanted to grab you when I did, as you seem to have gotten into some sort of accident.” Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “Was it during my tryouts for the Wondercolts?” “It’s Wonderbolts, and no, just practicing something you shouldn’t have, from what I could collect.” A small grin spread over Rainbows lips as she let her arms flop back down to her side, just before they crossed into the ward. “Well, I guess I can’t blame her. She was always worried about me hurting myself.” “And yet, little did she know that every day you waited, you hurt a bit inside from your inaction.” Celestia earned her a glare for that one. “Don’t try to be poetic about that shit. I’m not the romantic type to fall for it, and while I do still kick myself to this day for never telling Twi how I felt, I didn’t ‘hurt’ because of it.” The older woman rolled her eyes as they passed empty room after empty room. “I suppose you would know best.” She then spun on her heel, and looked straight at Sven, who had continued following them. “So, shall we get coffee at the Nurse’s station while Rainbow talks to her friend.” Sven frowned, but honestly had no leverage here. Heck, all the positive buzz her visit with the kids would generate meant this was only a positive, especially with the cameras now only having speculations on what sort of scandals may be going on here. Of course, Rainbow knew all of this, having learned the tricks using skills Twilight had taught her, and a year of experience with the weasel. “I suppose I could use a cup.” Celestia nodded. “Good.” She then turned to Rainbow and squeezed the athlete’s shoulder “We’ll see you later, okay?” Rainbow gave them a thumbs up, and waited patiently as she watched them turn the corner. The moment they were out of sight, she let out a long sigh, and reached for the door with a trembling hand. She could barely wrap it around the knob as she heard her heart as clear wedding bells. Still, she had to open it. “Hey Rainbow. I hope you’re feeling okay.” Rainbow froze in the doorway, staring at Twilight. It was a familiar scene by now. Her bookworm had her hair flat against the bed as she stared straight into the ceiling, her blanket tucked around her torso so as to allow her arms to meet the air, but covering everything else. The familiarity extended to her eyes, specifically, how they were closed. She shook her head, wondering why she expected anymore as she walked in. “I’m okay. A little down, but that’s pretty normal during stuff like this.” “Do you know what always gets me down when I’m feeling so blue? And yes Pinkie, cake can help, but that’s not what I was about to suggest.” Rainbow swallowed hard as she heard her stomach rumble. “I would love to share some cake with you, or Pinkie, if you want.” “Ignore the cake Rainbow! I was going to talk about reading. I even brought one with me. It’s from my favorite series, Daring Do.” Rainbow leaned back, her body finally beginning to rest as she listened to exactly what she wanted. She whispered to herself, “If they’re anything like Ranger’s Apprentice, I know the pony me will adore it,” before actually saying- “This is the first one. I know how little you like to read, but give it a shot, for me.” Rainbow paused, before shaking her head. She shouldn’t have expected Twilight’s dream to pause for her musings, and wasn’t going to fall behind this time. “Fine, but why don’t you stick around and read the first paragraph with me?” Twilight didn’t respond for a few moments, before saying more softly, “Alright Rainbow Dash, I’ll go. You get some shut eye and recover quickly.” Rainbow froze this time, before her hands curled around a bar on the side of the bed. She had been lucid before. She was not about to accept that she had just gotten lucky, but that Twilight had known she was there, and had heard her. The idiot had to. She was too smart not to! “But I’m not tired! I’d rather have the company.” “So Pinkie, is there a reason you brought up the cake?” Rainbow Dash leaned over her, tears coming to the edges of her eyes as she began to whisper. “You were supposed to be getting better. You were going to hear me and respond back. Please don’t make Celestia have been lying to me. Don’t just build me up before you-” “Rarity wants to make a dress for me? I guess I could stop by her place soo-” Crash! Rainbow looked at the vase that used to be on the table beside the bed, now smashed under her fist. The young woman could feel splinters and shards stabbing into her hand, but only squeezed tighter as she brought the hand to her forehead. She was so stupid, so fuccking stupid. She slammed the door shut behind her when she finally left. She didn’t know how long she had been there, though she knew not too long. She couldn’t allow her sleeping beauty to ever break her down. She had vowed that when the news first reached her that Twilight might never kup, and she wasn’t about to break that promise, no matter how much it hurt. Still, she couldn’t just ignore the quite active bleeding that flowed from the side of her hand, and thus made her way back to Celestia. The nurse gasped at the sight of the mare. Rainbow only now became a ware of her tears as Celestia brushed one away from her face at the same time she grabbed some gauze from the desk. Sven’s eyes were snapped wide open, but neither mare paid him too much attention, as there were more pressing matters. Celestia only hesitated upon seeing the shards, before bringing out a set of tweezers so as to clear out the wound once Rainbow was sitting. The young woman wished she could get her hand to stop shaking, but the pain, both physically and emotionally, made it damn near impossible, and she was overjoyed that Celestia was as good as she was. “I-I’m sorry. I know that vase was probably yours.” Celestia shook her head as sweat came down her brow. “It’s perfectly fine, as such things can be replaced. However, I do need to know if you’re okay, and I don’t mean your hand.” Rainbow hung her head low and took in a deep, quaking breath. “... I don’t know, but I haven’t been certain for a good while now. I only feel actually okay training, and that’s because it makes me simply forget. Makes me not think about any of this stuff, or what others want from me.” Celestia softly shushed the girl in her arms as she grabbed the gauze. “How about with the kids? If you wait here for another hour or so, I’m almost certain they would let you reprise your role, just like you told Scootaloo you would.” Rainbow was silent for a few moments, before the smallest hint of a smile came over her lips. “Yeah… yeah, I think that would be nice.” The hour before though, as she waited for her body to decide if she had enough blood, the scene in Twilight’s room kept replaying itself over and over again. The dead eyes of Twilight as they stayed shut, never registering Rainbow once, even when she shattered the vase. Rainbow was nothing to her in this world, and even her ‘pony’ version couldn’t get the attention she wished for in her dreams. And all she had to respond to that was that it made sense. These were Twilight’s dreams, not hers, and thoughts like this, that she was nothing to the goddess that was Twilight, was the exact reason she had never said anything to her before the accident, and why she had sought so hard to improve herself afterwards. Apparently, it still wasn’t enough.