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// Lost Confidence 
// Story: Self-Defeat 
// by HeartGramHorse 
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	A couple of days had past since the fate of Rainbow's dream dashed right out the door of not being able to maintain and stay in the Wonderbolts and reach captain. She got up and walked and paced around her home. She was getting more and more nervous about the surgery of the new wing that was going to be performed in the next 3 days. She heard a knock at the door and opened it up to see Fluttershy, and Twilight with a chariot to give her a ride down from Cloudsdale to Ponyville.
"Do I have to go down there? I... I'm not sure I'm comfortable doing this Twilight." Rainbow was feeling less and less confident about the journey to the town full of ponies.
"Why not Rainbow? Surely you want to see the others and spend some time and get out for a while?" Fluttershy asked her, trying to snap her friend out of the stupor she was in.
Rainbow just kind of glanced away with a slight frown on her face and looked at the bandaged side again. It was still making her feel depressed. 
"Rainbow I know you are nervous about the other ponies that are going to be looking at you, but that doesn't mean they will treat you any different than before, they all still are your friends. Why would anypony even dislike you just for not having a wing at your side?" Twilight asked curiously.
Rainbow just glared and sighed at her. "Because, Twilight, my wings mean everything to me, and to a great number of the Equestrian ponies who would come to the Wonderbolt shows, and just see me flying around all over the place. They won't even want to talk to me, like me is gone, awesome, what does that even mean anymore?" Rainbow broke down in tears again. Fluttershy looked at Twilight and walked up to the cyan Pegasus.
"Now, Now, Rainbow, don't be upset or cry everything will be okay. We'll just go down to Sugar Cube Corner, go inside and sit with the Cakes and the others, and enjoy some nice conversation time." Fluttershy reassured her.
With Rainbow being a little more comfortable, she got into the carriage and laid down on the back seat as Fluttershy and Twilight, put the harnesses on and took the chariot down to the town below. When they landed, Twilight made sure They were on the back step of the building so that Rainbow could easily just walk in without being seen by the Ponyville residents. The three of them walked in and the first thing that happened was Pinkie, tackle hugging Rainbow straight into the ground.
"Dashie!" She shrieked with delight
Although Rainbow was not in the most available mood for hugs, she still let her friend continue. There is nothing that that pink pony cannot do to make you feel at least a little better about yourself. Rainbow slowly pushed Pinkie off of her and walked over to the table and sat down. Rarity sat down next to her as well as AppleJack, and the others followed suit taking a seat around the table. 
"So darling, how have you been? Rarity asked.
"Yeah, Sugarcube, it's been a quite ah few days." Applejack followed suit.
Rainbow just looked around, and messed with the spoon on the table, spinning it around and around.
"Rainbow?" Twilight asked.
"What? Like why do you all even care about me still? I mean I feel completely useless here in front of all of you, I don't even feel like you gals still like me and are just trying to keep me around just to make me feel better." Dash said with a hurt tone.
The other 5 just stared at her, neither one of them acted shocked or upset about it. They knew Dash was going through a grief period, and yes her wings were a special thing to her.
"Why would you think we wouldn't like you?" Fluttershy broke the silence. "You are our friend no matter a wing or no wing, in the Wonderbolts or not, rainbooms or no rainbooms, It does not matter how different you look on the outside,  you are still one of our best friends."	
At that moment Scootaloo walked in with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, and walked right past them up to the counter. Rainbow seeing Scoots, moved Rarity out of the way, and wondering what just happened, the 5 watched her quickly trot out the front of the shop, and AJ and Twilight walked out keeping the other 3 back for the time. Rainbow went and laid down inside the chariot and started just hurting inside her heart deeply.
"Rainbow, what was that all about?" AJ asked.
Twilight, who was curious as well, remained quiet with a slight puzzled look on her face.
"I...I...Scootaloo...Just...She'll never like me at all! What kind of young sister-fan wants her hero and idle who can't fly, and is damaged to even be around her?" Rainbow said sobbing.
"Oh..." AJ could not describe the feeling of the hurt that Dash had just stated. This was a rough feeling. "Now Sugarcube,  why would she still not love you? Because of a missing wing? That's a bunch of rotten apples if you ask me. From what I've seen Scootaloo loves you as a sister and a fan because of how strong you are and how much courage you gave her to not give up. Remember the Equestrian games flag? She almost lost herself, but she stayed in it because you gave her the heart and courage. Or what about the time we took the trip to Rainbow Falls? And the fears she had at night and how you told her to never be afraid, that you are still here? I reckon she still loves you no matter what Rainbow, because you taught her to not give up and have heart." AJ just sat and looked firmly at her friend with the honest smile she always carried.
Rainbow sat up. "You really think so?" She asked, wiping her tears.
"I know so." AJ said.
"As do I." Twilight started in. "Trust me you've been her strongest influence to keep going."
Rainbow stopped crying and, although her friends helped her a little, she asked Twilight to just teleport her home.
"Rainbow stay strong and I'll swing by again in a day or two." Twilight said as she transported the Pegasus with her magic back up to her home in the clouds.

Rainbow walked into her home and, took off the bandage. She looked at her scars and the point of where the wing was once attached. It broke her to keep seeing it like this, she wished her wing could just grow back, or that she was never called into war in the first place. she walked over to her bed leaving the bandage off and also looking in the mirror on her dresser stand and seeing the scars across her cutie mark. It made her question what her purpose even was anymore. She climbed into bed and cried herself to sleep.