A New World, A Fresh Start

by drnkntst

Chapter 6

Chapter 14

As Rick was walking through a field on his way toward Ponyville, he heard a noise overhead. “A jet? That’s impossible, they can fly and from I can tell, they’ve never even heard of an internal combustion engine here let alone a jet engine.” He looked up into the sky to identify the source. What he saw shocked and amazed him.

“I’ve never seen a rainbow move like that. Wait, I think I know that rainbow. HEY, RAINBOW DASH!! IS THAT YOU UP THERE?!” He waved at the roaring, dancing streak of spectral art.

“Rick!? What’s up?!” Rainbow Dash came swooping down and stopped a few feet from Rick’s head. “You just leave Shy’s place?”

“Yeah, I had lunch with her and her critter friends. I managed to not crack my skull open trying to run from the bear. I hit my head on her doorframe.” Rick grinned and rubbed his head.

“Hahahaha, I wish I could’ve seen that.”

“So, what were you doing up there? It was pretty amazing.”

“Oh, that? I was just getting some practice in. One day, I’m gonna join the Wonderbolts!” She somehow took a poised stance in midair with one front hoof on her barrel, her eyes closed and her chin raised.

“I had heard of them, I hope to see them someday. Also, Pinkie said you could do something called a sonic rainboom. I would love to see it.”

“Oh, yeah? I’m the only pony who can do it ya know.” Dash puffed her barrel out in overwhelming pride.

“That is amazing. And you live in a house made of clouds? On Earth, people had always dreamed of touching the sky, dancing between the clouds and throwing off the restrictions of gravity. We can only do it with special vehicles. Not exactly the same as what you do.”

“I’ll say. And you said you can’t control the weather?” Dash had finally landed. “Here, that’s what pegasi do every day. Care for a demonstration?”

“Sure. I would like that.”

“I can clear the sky in ten seconds flat.” Dash darted from the ground effortlessly. She was merely a multicolored blur. He watched her push the clouds away, she kicked some that vanished without a trace and she even made a small tornado that sucked up the remaining few clouds and disappeared into the nothing.

“Amazing…” It was all Rick could say, he was truly awe struck.

Dash touched down in front of Rick. “What‘cha think about that?”

“It was truly awesome, Rainbow. Absolutely amazing.” Rainbow Dash beamed, bathing in the admiration. “I suppose a sonic rainboom would be too much to ask?” Rick grinned, knowing full well it was.

“I would like to show you one but they’re not an exact science, so I can’t just pull one off whenever.” Dash kicked at the dirt and gravel in the road.

“I understand completely it took more than forty years from the first flight to the first sonic flight on my world. The fact that you can do it at all is beyond incredible.” That brought the smile back to her face.

“So where were you headed to?” Dash floated back up to eyelevel.

“I was headed back to the library. I’ve been gone since before breakfast and I was getting a little tired. Feel free to walk… or fly with me if you like.” Rick gestured toward town with a slight bow and a wave of his hand. Rainbow Dash gave and exaggerated nod and accompanied Rick the rest of the way to the library maintaining a six foot elevation the whole time.

They talked about weather control and airplane designs, pegasus derbies and skydiving, all the while Rick was careful to avoid the topic and dogfights and bombing runs. Not that he was afraid of how Dash would react, just that from what he could tell, Equestria was peaceful. He’d be damned is he was going to be the one to ruin that.

Chapter 15

Rainbow Dash and Rick reached the Golden Oaks Library just before sunset. “Twilight, I’m back and I brought a guest. Dash walked me home,” Rick held the door for Rainbow and ducked in after her.

“Hey, Twilight, what’s up? Uhh, what’s with all the books everywhere?”

“Well, it is a library,” Twilight said, then giggled.

Rick couldn’t help but chuckle as he picked up a book at random. “ ‘A brief history of Equestria,’ Twilight?”

“I thought, since you’d be staying with us, you’d like to know more about your new home.”

“Good idea, Twi. Can’t have him bumble through everything, freaking out over even Fluttershy’s critter friends.” Dash jokingly nudged Rick in the ribs. To his credit, he almost hid his twinge of pain.

“A bear is an exception. A large carnivore is not something you’d expect to see inside a cabin. Besides, it’s not my fault the doorframes here are so short.

Twilight looked at Rick in confusion and then she noticed the new colorful lump on his forehead. “I see. Did you manage to stay awake this time at least?” Rick crossed his arms, jutted out his chin, turned his head and let a loud short hum. “So that’s a no,” Twilight giggled.

“Hey, Twilight, I got that book on omnivores that you asked for. Why did… oh, hey Rick. Rainbow Dash, are you staying for dinner?”

“If it’s alright with, Twi. What are you cooking? It smells good.” Rainbow Dash sniffed there air and hummed her approval.

“I made a salad with nuts and some of Applejack’s apples. I figured Rick could use something hearty to help him heal faster.”

“Thank you, Twilight,” Rick said as head patted Twilight on the head.

That night, the four friends, one human, two ponies and a dragon, Enjoyed their dinner, had a near comical conversation about Rick’s day and his near brain injury and, eventually, called it a night.

“Goodnight guys, I’ll see you later.” Rainbow Dash waved at the group while hovering a few feet off the ground, she then turned and rocketed toward her cloud home.

Rick watched for a moment, “She really is amazing. I even got to see her practice some moves earlier,” Rick ducked back into the library, “it was incredible. People on Earth have always wanted to fly and now, I’ve got two friends who can fly with barely a thought. I really do like it here.”

“You should see her sonic rainboom. It’s awesome,” Spike said as he cleared the table.

“So I hear. You are another amazing thing in this world. Humans have also dreamed of dragons since the very beginning. Some cultures thought they would be impossibly huge, benevolent creatures who controlled the ancient elements. Others thought they were just giant fire breathing monsters who would eat or destroy anything in their path. I’m glad they were wrong little buddy, you are way cooler than any of those mythical things.” Rick leaned down and petted the baby dragon.

“You bet I am. Right, Twilight?”

“You certainly are my favorite dragon.” Twilight giggled. “Now c’mon Spike, it’s time for bed. Goodnight, Rick.”

“Goodnight, Twilight. See ya tomorrow, Spike” Rick waved to the two as they went upstairs. He then grabbed the book on Equestrian history and settled in for the night.

“…when you two get back. We’ll have a party.” Rick was reluctant to release his wife and daughter. They were only going to visit Hanna’s parent’s for a week, but it would be the longest week in Rick’s life. If only he had managed to get out of working so he could go too.

He waved the whole time they walked down the tunnel until he couldn’t see them anymore. He walked over to the large bay windows that overlooked the tarmac. Rick even waved at the plane as it went down the runway, he knew they couldn’t possibly see them, but it didn’t matter, he waved anyway.

Something was… off. Rick felt like he was being watched from… Rick turned on his heels. “What are you doing here?!”

Chapter 16

“Rick, please don’t be angry. You were screaming in your sleep, you were calling out to Hanna and Annie again. I couldn’t bear to see a friend hurt that much. I had to come and…”

“Twilight! What are you… how did you… why…?” Rick was seething. “You had no right to…” Rick was cut off by screams. The screams weren’t aimed at the small, talking, purple, horse creature; they were aimed at the window. “Well, now you get to see why. That plane up there, the one that’s on fire. That plane is holding my wife, Hanna, and daughter, Annie, and now…”

Twilight screamed in horror. The large windows blew in; glass hit Rick but passed right through Twilight. Rick half turned and looked at the smoldering wreckage. The fire trucks were rushing in to save whomever they could; Rick knew it would be fruitless.

“There now you know why I scream in my sleep. I haven’t had a peaceful night’s rest in over a year. My wife, my daughter, my whole world came down with that plane. You want to know more?!” Twilight was crying and hiding behind her hooves. “The day I came here, I had tried to kill myself. I couldn’t take the loneliness anymore and drove my truck off a bridge! I was happy. I was so glad to get to come here and make friends. I finally had someone I thought I could trust. So much for that!”

The terminal faded into a wavy blackness, the two were in the library. Rick sat up in his makeshift bed. He glared at Twilight, she was still crying. “Rick, I-I-I’m so sorry. Please…”

“ ‘Please,’ I asked you please before.” Rick walked over to the door, opened it and started to duck through it. “It didn’t mean anything then either!” Rick slammed the door behind himself. He heard the glass of the window shatter, he didn’t slow down.

Rick didn’t stop walking when he heard Spike call for Twilight. Rick didn’t slow down when he saw the ponies step out of their homes to see what was going on. None of it registered. None of it mattered. Rick just wanted to leave, he followed the road out of town, it was the only thing he could see through his tears.

Comments

[The Slending Angel]

Awwwww... Poor guy. I know what it's like to lose someone close.

[damnaion]

6# Awwwww

[Shadowblade019]

A traumatic loss, is something that no one could get over with not even with time.

[Fluttercry12]

😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢