III: And Follow
FASTER
by Einhander
Pre-read and edited by SpaceCommie and Cola Bubble Gum
New edits by Sharp Spark
Additional edits by amacita
Part III: And Follow
Soaking wet, Fluttershy stepped through her cottage doorway to find Dash sobbing on the couch. Fluttershy sprinted over to her. "Rainbow! Did you get caught in the storm too?"
"The princess, she..."
Fluttershy held her. "It'll be alright, Dash," she cooed.
Dash buried her head in pink mane. The pink butterfly she had given Fluttershy pressed against her cheek. "She said I'm..." She couldn't make the truth come out, so she tried half of it. "Sick. She said I'm sick."
"Well, um, that's good news."
Dash momentarily lost her sadness in confusion. "How?"
"Nursing sick creatures back to health is what I do." Dash stared at Fluttershy, who hid a little hopeful smile. "All I have to do is figure out how to cure you, and you will get better."
Dash laughed in spite of her nerves, or maybe because of them. "That's just it... I know how to do it, I just don't know if I can." Fluttershy waited, stroking Dash's mane. After a few shuddering breaths, she went on: "I didn't get my ears plated in Manehattan.”
Fluttershy stopped stroking her mane.
"Or my hooves. It's my condition." She stretched out her front left leg and looked at the metal on her hoof. "The princess says, the more I push myself, the more of my body becomes like, you know, this."
Dash felt Fluttershy's body tense up. But it was too late to turn back.
"It doesn't hurt, though. In fact, I'm faster, I can hear better. It's like, freaky, I admit, but also, cool?" Silence. She pressed on: "The only way to make it stop or go away is to not push myself. To fly at a 'normal' speed." She sighed, burying her head in Fluttershy's mane again, lost in the smell of jasmine. "In fact, the Princess said the only guarantee that it goes away is for me to not fly at all for awhile."
Fluttershy's voice was full of steel. "Then that's what we're going to do."
"What?"
She pulled away from Dash and looked her in the eyes. "You're going to march into that Spitflame's office, and tell her you’re ill." She stood up and started gesturing. "You’ll say, 'I am sick. I have a note from the princess.' Did she give you a note? Never mind, we'll get Twilight to get it for you. And you're going to say, 'Ma'am, I can't fly until my doctor says I can, so give me a desk job or I quit!'"
All was quiet, except for Dash's ragged breathing and the rain outside pounding on the roof. Fluttershy's determination drained away as a new thought washed over her face. "Oh. Do the Wonderbolts even have desk jobs?”
"I guess so. Spitfire sits at a desk half the day." Dash shook her head. "I don't know how she can stand it. I know I couldn't."
"Rainbow Dash!" She gasped. "You can't be serious!"
"I went a week without flying and I almost lost my mind. I can't imagine going for months." She reached out and took Fluttershy's hoof. "I'll slow down at work. I won't push myself, I'll hang back. I promise. Just don't ask me not to fly."
Dash had heard about Fluttershy's stare, but she had never actually seen it before. She was seeing it now, two determined eyes boring into her own, and everything else that she was. "You’re sick, Dash. If not flying will make you better, why in Equestria would you not do everything in your power to stop it?"
Dash shook her head. "I don't think I’m exactly sick, though. It... I think it's making me better. Stronger."
Fluttershy's voice dripped with fire. "Are you listening to yourself? Do you need to look in a mirror? It. Is. Killing. You!"
Dash's voice quivered. "I'll slow down. I'll take less flights. I promise, less flying, as little as I can, but—don't make me stop flying." She hugged Fluttershy fiercely. "Don't ask me to stop flying.”
"Rainbow—"
“Don’t ask me to stop flying.”
"Well?"
"Hold on."
The clock ticked onward as Dash sat still in the Library, with Twilight hovering around her and making notes.
"I've been really good this week."
"We'll see."
Rain pelted the roof above them, and made for a gentle soundtrack of soft thumps as Twilight floated measuring tape up to each side of Dash's metal ear.
".... Well?!"
Twilight frowned. "I just started measuring, Rainbow."
Dash huffed and turned her eyes toward the ceiling. She'd learned the hard way not to turn her head, as it would destroy the entire measuring process. She was stubborn, but Twilight could be more stubborn in her role as doctor. After a few weeks of failed appointments, Dash learned to control her impulses for the five crucial minutes it took Twilight to determine how much of the metal had receded from her ears.
But that didn't mean she had to be quiet about it.
"This isn't magical physics, Twi."
"You're right." Twilight glanced down at her scroll. "It's much harder than that. Hush."
Dash groaned without moving her head, a trick she'd picked up in the past few weeks.
"Did I tell you? Fluttershy wants to ask you to be a bridesmaid, but she's too, um. Shy."
"Rarity's all over it. Don't you worry, I said yes without her having to ask."
"Good."
Small talk exhausted, Dash tried to find her inner calm. It was only three and a half more minutes, but she felt each and every of the two hundred ten seconds.
Finally, Twilight nodded her head and smiled. “All done!”
Dash cracked her neck and stretched her wings. “So?”
“Well, I think it’s good news.”
Her eyes were big and she practically glowed with hope as she leaned into to Twilight. “And?”
“The metal’s gone down seven percent from last time!”
There was only silence, punctuated by the increased rain falling on the windows as Dash stared at her friend. “Seven percent?” Her voice was so flat it was barely a question.
“C’mon, Dash, it was five percent last week. You gotta take your wins where you can find—”
She was interrupted by a scream, as Dash took off from the ground and bellowed to the skies in frustration.
“WHY IS THIS TAKING SO—”
Except in her current situation, the sky was a very real roof, which she slammed into and fell back to the ground with a thud. Books and papers flew around as Twilight jumped to get out of the way.
Twilight breathed heavily as she tried to get her heart back to a normal rate. “You can’t. Keep. Doing this.” Dash’s breathing was low and shallow. She said nothing in reply. Twilight pressed on. “I know it’s frustrating. But. This isn’t the way.”
“You don’t know.”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Okay, so I can’t empathize, exactly, but I can sympathize. I can imagine how you feel.”
"Imagine, huh?" Dash stood and looked up to the second story where Twilight’s bed was. The rain slammed against the window in waves. “Twi, what do you see?”
Twilight followed Rainbow's glance. “An unplanned storm. Probably from the Everfree. They’ve been happening more and more.”
Dash was silent. She turned and opened the front door, standing in the frame. The wind howled in, and the rain began to splash up on her hooves.
“How about now?”
Twilight got closer. She looked up and down. “It’s a lot of rain, Dash. And other than you getting it in my house, I don’t—”
“I can see every drop.” Dash sounded strangely cold. “I feel, I smell, I hear, I see every individual bit of water hit the ground. That’s how my mind works now.”
The words and weather hung in the air. A shiver ran through Twilight. “Because you’re trying to slow down?”
Dash shook her head. “No, that’s just normal. That’s every moment I’m not flying. The only way it feels like rain—real rain, the kind you, I don’t know, run to avoid or dance in if you’re Pinkie—is if I go fast.”
Twilight’s face was neutral. “What does it feel like then?”
It was Dash’s turn to shiver. “Better than anything. Better than a sonic rainboom. It’s like a path carves out just for me.”
Twilight bit her lip. “What does it feel like now?”
She turned to her friend. “Like I’m drowning.” With a small, sad smile, Dash walked out into the rain.
Twilight called after her. “Aren’t you going to fly home?”
She shrugged. “Can’t. Doctor’s orders.”
“Hey!" Twilight shouted. "Can I at least give you an umbrella?”
Dash stopped to look up at the skies, then slunk her head back down and walked away without another word.
Dash stood in front of the door to Spitfire's office, adjusting her collar. She took a breath, sighed and knocked.
"Enter."
She opened the door and walked in. Spitfire was at her desk, reviewing a file. Dash closed the door and stood, expectant.
"Have a seat."
Spitfire didn't look up or say anything more, so Dash did just that. A full minute of silence ticked by. Dash could feel every second. In fact, she could hear it. She could also hear her muscles straining to stop her hoof from tapping on the ground.
Finally, Spitfire broke the stalemate. "I've got your speed run times here."
"Ma'am?"
"In all my years, I've never seen anything like it." Spitfire licked her hoof, and flipped through the file. "Three months ago, all steady improvement. Better times, increased control. Not one bad thing to say about you, other than a tendency to go too fast.. Then, the week after your engagement—congrats by the way—everything slows down. Flatlining. Dipping, even. Today, your times were... unacceptable." Spitfire looked up. "Explain yourself."
There was a pause. Dash, shifted in her seat, miserably. “Doctor’s orders, ma’am. Have to… ease off the throttle, as Soarin put it.”
Spitfire arched an eyebrow. "Are you injured? Or sick? I don’t have any reports.”
“It’s not… it’s sort of a grey area. But I can’t push myself too much, or fly too fast for awhile.”
“Well, whatever a ‘grey area’ is, this isn’t going to cut it.” Spitfire shook her head, “You were on track to be Canterlot Team Leader. Now, you’re on a track for… well, middle of the pack, I suppose.”
Dash blinked and rubbed her face. "Oh." She suddenly felt very tired. The voices in her head were pushing at her to fly, to go, to move, and she couldn’t focus.
"'Oh?'" Spitfire repeated. Then she leaned over and glanced down at Dash’s hooves. One of them was tapping. "Am I boring you, Ms. Dash?
"If I may, ma'am, if I’m not cut out for this, maybe you should just let me go? Or I can just quit. Whichever.”
Spitfire sat back, dumbfounded. “Just like that? Are you feeling alright?”
Dash looked down at her tapping hoof that would not stop as her mind reached critical mass. What’s next? C’mon, just get out of here. Go. Leave. You don’t need this. Go. Fly. Fly. Fly.
“No,” she finally said. “No, I’m not.”
Spitfire stared at her for what felt like forever. Dash had nothing more to offer. Finally, Spitfire closed the file and crossed her hooves, staring at Dash. “Your uniform isn't just for faster speed and safe flying. It's who we are, and what we hope to accomplish." Dash said nothing. Spitfire continued. "You once told me being a Wonderbolt was your dream. You need to seriously consider if this is your dream anymore. But not like this."
She stood up from her chair. "I refuse to accept your resignation, at least for now.” She walked around her desk and headed for the door. “Take the weekend off and get your head straight.”
Dash followed, rubbing her head. "Yes ma'am. I just need to... fly on my own for a bit."
“Don't fly. Think."
“I can only think when I fly.”
"Then fly.” Spitfire opened the door. “A massive storm system is incoming. We've grounded all runs for the next two days, starting tomorrow. Then come back and tell me what you are prepared to do."
Dash hesitated at the door. “Do?”
"Where you want to go. Forward or backward, you can’t stay here."
She had taken off her uniform and put it in her saddle bag. She wasn't sure if she'd be wearing it again, and she wanted to get used to flying without it.
Dash flew home, feeling naked as the air. But not as fast she could have, or wanted to.
What is this? Why are you moving so slow?
She gritted her teeth. Usually this speed would quiet the voices. Not this time.
Your pet tortoise is faster than this. And you know it. What’s next?
She could see storm clouds rolling in from the Everfree. Spitfire was right, nopony should be flying after sunset. Why didn’t the weather team deal with it? Or at least send out warnings?
Faster. Must go faster.
Dash felt hot and cold all through her body, rage combined with the chill of increased speed. She knew she shouldn’t. She promised Fluttershy. She—
Go.
Her eyes caught a rogue storm cloud ahead. She started to change direction—
Go!
She screamed, “Alright, fine! You wanna go?!” She pulled herself back on course for the storm cloud. The chill overpowered her anger. “Let’s see if this’ll shut you up!”
GO!
She hit the storm cloud like a freight train, and it exploded. The impact threw her spinning through the air, and the lightning hit her on her right side, from her eye on down.
Electricity ran through her body. But she didn’t feel pain.
She felt alive.
Dash stumbled in through the door, wind howling. Her whole face and body was burning up, but half with heat, and half with cold. She felt drunk. And pain. And… ecstasy.
“Rainbow, please close the door!” Fluttershy’s voice sang from the kitchen. “I’m trying to keep the wind out, the little critters are all soaked from the storm!”
Dash was able to process enough information to close the door, then turned around. Most of the creatures that Fluttershy had ever cared for were in her cottage, and she had all of their attention. Some were baring their teeth. Some were cowering. Some simply gaped.
But they were all looking at her.
“Hey… hey guys.” Dash croaked, uneasy. Her voice was sounding weird. “Some storm, huh?”
A few growls and whimpers was all she got in response. She looked with her right eye, and instantly determined there were five snakes, four skunks, a warren of rabbits, a duck and an eagle all in the room. Then she wondered how she knew that, or why she was so sure of the information.
She shook her head. Taking a step forward, the animals scattered to get out of her way. She had to lie down. This was too weird. She tried to fold her wings, and felt an odd coldness against her coat. She turns to see that it was because her metal wing was rubbing against her flesh. When did her right wing turn metal?
“I made some hot cocoa, do you—” Fluttershy screamed and dropped the tray. “Dash! What happened to you?”
“What are you talking about?” she asked. There, again. Her voice didn’t sound right. It had a strange rasp.
“Look!” Fluttershy grabbed a mirror and held it up to Dash.
Most of the right side of her face was… the same metal as her hooves. And her right eye was now a series of metal circles, with a red glowing orb where her magenta eye used to be.
It wasn’t just her face. All up and down the right side of her body, metal had replaced flesh haphazardly like a paint splash. Beads of sweat were rolling down the parts that were still flesh, only to cool in an instant on the metal.
“You’ve been flying again, haven’t you?” Venom dripped from Fluttershy's voice. “You promised you wouldn’t, and you did it anyway.”
Dash blinked, her old and new eye in tandem. “I had to think. I had to fly. I had to go faster.”
“And then what?!” Fluttershy threw the mirror down. “You keep going until there’s nothing real about you at all?"
"But I am real." Dash insisted.
"How can we be together, Dash?” She choked, trying to stop from sobbing, “How will we raise a family?”
The words hung in the air.
“I have to be me, Fluttershy.” Dash looked down, feeling very tired again. “Otherwise, who am I?”
Fluttershy grabbed Dash's head, tears rolling down her face. "This is you," she stroked the side of her face that was flesh, "Not this." She pointed at Dash's metal eye, not able to look at it.
"Fluttershy,” Dash kept moving her face until they were looking at one another. “It's all me."
Fluttershy’s eyes quivered, and then her lips tightened.
There was a frantic knocking.
Fluttershy walked away from Dash, and opened the door to reveal a small hedgehog.
“Hello, Mr. Hedgehog.”
The little animal burst forth with noise and gestures.
“I see. Yes, of course. I will be there right away. Come inside and warm yourself.”
The hedgehog did just that, and Fluttershy grabbed her raincoat with her teeth. “The beaver family needs help, they’ve got young stuck in a dam and it’s flooding.”
“Here, I’ll help.”
“I don’t think we should be in the same place right now.” Fluttershy flicked another glare at Dash.
Dash took a step back at her tone. “What do you want me to do?”
“What do you care what I think?” Fluttershy took the diamond butterfly out of her hair and placed it on the living room table. Dash looked at it, and then at her.
“Go. Fly. Play in the lightning. Do whatever you want.” Fluttershy opened the door. She didn’t turn back. “Please don’t follow me.”
The door slammed. Dash looked around. All the creatures had left the room for other hiding places. She was alone.
“She’s been gone three hours.”
Angel Bunny had his back to her.
“That’s not good.”
Angel said nothing.
“I know she said not to follow her, but, aren’t you worried? That storm’s getting bad.”
There was a knock at the door. Dash’s heart sank. A knock meant it wasn’t Fluttershy, and possibly worse.
Dash opened the door. Three very wet beavers were on the doorstep, chittering and pointing. Angel’s right ear drooped. Dash looked at the bunny.
“It’s Fluttershy, isn’t it? Something’s wrong with her.”
All the animals started screeching and hollering. The mother beaver was crying, clutching one of her babies. She was pointing at the Everfree. Dash followed her claw, and her eyes narrowed.
Dash reached for her saddlebag, and pulled her uniform out of it. “I’m going after her.”
That made Angel turn. He shook his head, pointing over at the other creatures. The thunder was getting worse and worse, and most of them were cowering and whimpering.
“There’s no time. Go get Twilight. Bring her here. We might need help.”
There was a giant crash of thunder, and a tree fell within five hooves of the house.
Angel stomped his feet, pointing again at his fellow creatures, when Dash reached down and grabbed him. She held him up to her metal eye.
“Do it. Now. There is no time.”
“Fluttershy!”
The rain was coming in sideways. Trees were down, parts of the Everfree were on fire, and everything was wind and wet and sound.
“Fluttershhhhhyyy!”
Her pony eye couldn’t see anything, but her metal eye could.
She found her fiancée crumpled on the ground next to a tree, scuff marks on its bark next to her. The tree lay on the smashed remains of a beaver den, now completely flooded. The tree must have collapsed mid evacuation. There was a gash on Fluttershy’s head, a bloody branch tangled up with her mane.
“Oooh, no, no, Celestia, no…” Her voice was cracking between metal and pony. “Please, no…”
Dash put her ear to her mouth. She was breathing. It was very shallow. Then she heard a mewling sound.
Kneeling by Fluttershy’s body, she saw a tiny beaver cub underneath the scuff marks. It was trapped, stuck in a knot in the tree. It was alive, but the mud was rising.
It was crying. Then it saw Dash, and it started screeching, and trying to get away. There wasn’t anywhere to go, but that didn’t stop the cub from clawing at the sides.
Dash looked up, into the angry storm. Nature was conducting a symphony. Lightning was the strings. Thunder was the percussion. All was chaos. But she could see the order in it. It was beautiful. It was deadly. And if she closed her pony eye, and stared with just her metal one…
It was a straight shot, if she went right through the middle of the storm. There would be no way to get through without getting hit, but, that's what the uniform was for. Wrapped around her cargo, it would protect her love. And if Dash went fast enough, maybe. Maybe Fluttershy lived.
And the possibility was worth the risk.
She looked down at her fiancée. Fluttershy was so beautiful, even covered in mud in a storm. She kissed her forehead. “I love you.”
Then she punched a hole in the tree with her metal hoof. The beaver cub stared out of it, frozen in fear.
Dash knelt down and looked at the animal, giant metal eye to tiny brown eye.
“I’m saving you.”
There were only fragments left after she took off into the rain.
Her uniform wrapped around her hooves. Fluttershy’s unconscious body in her grasp. Lightning striking near and around her in the air. The cold beaver cub’s little bleats.
Lightning finally found its mark, electricity flowing through her body, but stopping at the uniform, keeping her passengers safe.
Everything turning cold. Only her heart was warming, beating furiously, fighting off the chill.
What’s next?
Not yet!
Memory became more splintered as she rocketed out of the storm. She smashed through the door of Fluttershy’s cottage. She remembered dropping Fluttershy to the ground, straining her ears to make sure she was still breathing. She saw the beaver cub running away towards its family. She vaguely recalled Twilight asking her something. A lot of things. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Nothing in the glimpse surprised her. Twilight asked her more questions.
What’s next?
Save her!
It was all she could say out loud. “Save her, save her, save her…”
As the chill reached her heart, she saw Fluttershy gasping, and spitting up water. That was good. That meant life.
She was content. She let the cold come.
As her vision started to fade, the question came one last time.
What’s next?
Nothing.
"Rise."
She opened one eye and saw a white alicorn staring at her.
"I am sorry to disturb you, but you have slept long enough."
She blinked assent and slowly came awake, piece by piece. Every part of her body began responding individually, and as one. And every part of her metal, interlocking and connecting, humming with magical energy. Every part had purpose. She had total control. She understood the design and function of every part of her, save her 'mane', which she realized was thousands of tiny metal strands molded into sharp angles. It momentarily irked her, but she let it pass, deciding that it was satisfying an unknown variable she classified as 'cool.'
Uncertainties remained. She didn’t have enough information.
"What is my purpose?"
The alicorn hesitated. "It's been a week since your funeral. The doctors pronounced you dead, but Luna suspected that you were simply... cocooning."
She opened and closed her eyes, tested her ears. Yes, she was hearing the princess perfectly, and knew exactly how many hooves were between her and the nearest window. She analyzed the room. Hospital. Bed. Machines tied to her. Mirror. Window. Everything made sense, but she was still having trouble processing the alicorn’s information.
One word in particular was giving her trouble. "Funeral?"
"Twilight informed me of what happened first, after she stabilized Fluttershy. We took you away to our private royal hospital.”
She tilted her head right and left, as if the words were sloshing around in her head. “A lie, then.”
The alicorn leaned over and whispered, “Everypony — except myself, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight — thinks Rainbow Dash is dead. Better to stay that way."
"That was my name?"
"How much do you remember?"
She shook her head. "Fragments. Images. A pink butterfly diamond. A crying yellow pegasus."
The alicorn nodded. "Fluttershy. She weeps for you still. They all do, even Twilight, who must keep this secret."
She flexed her wings, trying to think. The names sounded familiar, but the memories were incomplete.
"We can talk more later, if you wish. But now I must ask your help. The weather—"
"Yes," she said, turning to the window, "it's out of balance. Storms over the desert, dry spells in the lakes region."
"We knew about the dry spell, not the storms. How did you know?"
"I can feel it. I can feel every raindrop, and how fast they are falling, and how long it will take me to get there. Every shift of air, every gradient of temperature, every warm draft and cool breeze."
She tried walking around the room. She stopped in front of a mirror and stared. Her entire body was white with a light blue tinge. Except her wings, which went from light blue to solid blue, and her eyes, which were dark red. She looked further with her eyes, which could tell her every detail of what she was looking at.
She said, "I remember from before, a male told me, 'Nopony can outrun the wind.'" She turned and looked at the alicorn. "I think, though, that I am no pony."
"Not anymore." The alicorn walked up and put a hoof on her shoulder. "You might say you are the wind itself. I wouldn't be surprised if you were the fastest creature in Equestria."
"Equestria," she repeated, rolling the word around in her brain, blinking.
"Indeed. I am its ruler, Celestia. Well, one of its rulers. And I am asking for your assistance to restore balance to the skies."
"And the forest. There are creatures there that are important to..." She blanked. The name eluded her, but she was sure it was important. It came after a moment. “Fluttershy.”
Celestia swallowed. "Yes, the forest and the creatures and the towns that house all of my little ponies. It is my home, and yours too, if you wish it."
Home. She smiled at that. "I'd never abandon my home." She headed for the window. “Call my name if you need me. I’ll hear it.”
"Wait. What am I to call you? Your old name…" Celestia sighed. "That pony is gone."
She nodded. That was logical. She stared around the room. There was a burnt, formerly blue piece of fabric down at her hooves. "Celestia... What was this?"
“Rainbow Dash’s uniform. She was a Wonderbolt, the fastest fliers in Equestria.” There was a bittersweet tone to her voice. “It was her dream.”
She glanced at the mirror, into her red eyes. It was an elegant word, an accurate word. but it was lacking in the unknown variable. It needed to be 'cooler.'
"Bolt. Call me Bolt."
Fluttershy and Tank walked through the Everfree. It was a clear night, several weeks after Rainbow’s funeral. The pink diamond butterfly Dash had given her was tied around her neck, and she wore a black veil.
Tank was floating along next to Fluttershy, keeping at her walking pace. She hadn’t flown since she had woken up to a world where her beloved had died saving her.
She still couldn’t believe the story, even though it was confirmed by not just Twilight, but her Princesses as well. They said Dash had dropped off Fluttershy at Twilight’s house. Twilight said Dash had gone back into the forest to save more creatures, but had never come back out. The Princesses told her how they had searched all through the Everfree, and found nothing. Then they ordered that a funeral be held, over Fluttershy’s objections.
They told her it was time to move on. She died a hero, saving her and the forest creatures. Fluttershy knew she was a hero, but she didn’t believe that her beloved was dead. Not like this. Not with last words spoken in anger.
So she had retraced her steps through the Everfree, to the Beaver’s den. Follow the river, navigate the broken trees, stay off the timberwolves’ paths and…
She arrived. She stopped at the base of the tree as Tank hovered.
There was the tree that took out the beaver’s home, which was now simply a dried mud hole. There were the scuff marks as she had tried to lift the tree. She placed her hoof on the tree, holding back tears.
Tank landed on the tree trunk, nudging her hoof with his head.
She glanced at Tank and whispered, “I wasn’t strong enough.”
Tank blinked in reply.
“I wasn’t strong enough to lift the tree, or save Rainbow, or... accept her as she was, what she wanted to be.” She pounded her hoof down on the tree. “It’s my fault, Tank.”
Tank shook his head.
“If I wasn’t so weak, she wouldn’t have had to come out and find me!” She kept pounding the tree with her hoof. “She’d still be alive! She could have gone back to normal! She’d still be with me!”
Tank flew up next to her, nudging at her with pleading eyes, but Fluttershy would not stop slamming the tree, screaming, until she finally drew blood. She cried out, clutching her hoof and collapsed next to the tree. She started to cry, muttering to herself,. “Stupid Fluttershy… weak Fluttershy…”
She closed her eyes.
I wish I was stronger.
There was an explosion of light. Fluttershy shielded her eyes.
Yellow pegasus.
She peeked through her hooves. It was a brilliantly bright ball of energy, crackling with magic, floating before her eyes.
Rise.
Tank cried out a warning, but Fluttershy wasn’t listening. She gazed at the orb in wonder, and held her breath.
Rise, and follow.
Three things:
1) This amounts to a 'director's cut', as there's extra lines and one scene that was NOT in the submission to the writer's group contest.
I had another deleted scene that I liked but I also had to cut for wordcount, but, I'm going to use it for the sequel.
So, yes, this story is longer than what I submitted. No refunds.
2) After that last line, I want you to imagine the camera zooms out and...
Only, you know, with the appropriate credits.
3) Yes, there will be a sequel(s).
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BRAVO!
That ending.
Oh my god.
Just...
Oh my god.
~Skeeter The Lurker
Rainbow Dash having the full transformation is sort of unexpected, but okay I guess. Her memories being scrambled to the point where there's almost no difference between that and remembering nothing, I disagree with.
And then the same thing will happen to Fluttershy..
Why?
3365288
You'll just have to read the next part to find out.
Or not! It's a free FimFic.
.... for now.
3365316
Just checked your profile to follow you for the sequel, then I saw you were going to make five..
You better have Dashie remember everything properly again, and have the rest of the mane six have their memories left intact.
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I can only promise epic-ness.
Also, the tragedy tag will never be used with this series. Take from that what you will.
3365343
It gives me hope that the rest of the mane six won't have a fate as worse as Rainbow's, and that perhaps Rainbow's memories will be unscrambled.
Sorry if I seem a bit pissed off, but any story that just seperates the mane six like this rather ticks me off.
Well-played, Einhander. Hit me up when you have the next one written? I like editing these.
Oh I really hope with the others you're going to reveal what happens to the Elements of Harmony when their bearers get ... I don't know what verb to use in this situation
I beat you to make the squel from 20 chapters a very very long sequel
So... they're all going to become... monsters? Is that what this is? Sacrifice your sense of self to become a monster? And for WHAT? Just to accomplish a lost goal?
I've seen gods rise and fall.
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I've seen warriors that carry on even through their own demise.
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I've seen people throw away their humanity in order to protect those closest to them.
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But to become a monster... and give up what you once were, for a vain task... there is something wrong there... That creature's wishes are the embodiment of doom... I shall hunt it down and destroy it... with my own two hands... for the sake of all those lost to its power... Rainbow Dash, you shall be avenged.
3365439
I appreciate your enthusiasm and gifs, but... there's a larger game going on here. I assure you.
Some call her a monster. Others might call her a god.
3365284
This is going to be a masterwork, when it's done. I know most of the broad strokes of the rest of the series and I'm telling you "epic" is so appropriate it hurts.
This is why I thought it was better than mine, and still do.
... Dat cliffhanger
That was an awesome story, can't wait to read the sequel(s)
*Reads the bit where Fluttershy leaves Rainbow*
*Reads the bit where Rainbow has fully transformed into someone different and has almost no recollection of her lover*
*Reads the bit where Fluttershy's guilt overwhelms her as continuously batters the tree over the cause of Rainbow's death*
So anyways, however short this story seems, it is a truly fantastic read and I had feeling this just going to be a really long story but then again I should have payed attention to the chapters titles
1 Blue Pegasus
2 Rise
3 And Follow
So Sequels huh, I hope that greatness awaits me in those.
Dash went full machine. Never go full machine. Hell of a cliffhanger, I might just stare at my computer until the sequel and transform into a reading machine.
*Finishes reading story*
"All hope is lost...."
*Reads author's note.*
"NOT ALL HOPE IS LOST!"
Aww, you killed Rainbow Dash in 3 chapters and made it more painful than most stories can pull off in 30.
I think it would kind of hurt the emotional hit in this story if she is "redeemed" somehow in the next one though. It really beats you in the face really well with how her (its?) entire way of thinking completely changes to a robot, and how the last thing to go is her heart.
It seems kind of unnecessarily cruel that Proteus only (from at least what Ch1 tells) took the mortality of Celestia and Luna, and the gift to Chrysalis was a curse that she thought was a blessing. Did he take their memories and past selves? Even then, they still at least have hearts and emotion, all RD wanted was to be faster. But she isn't even faster! Shes gone! And now its going to do worse to Flutters!
I'd call it a fate worse than death, at least for the princesses and Twilight. At least if she had just died there wouldn't be a machine walking around as a constant reminder of the friend they lost. And who will be the element of loyalty now? If Discord goes evil, now they don't even have the friendship cannon to fight it with!
(liked, favd, followed, need part 2 nao)
Well there is no way that I couldn't be following you after this, it was a master piece of godly proportions. Your characters were beautiful and believable and the way you wrote Bolts ascension to godhood was perfect.
I can't wait for more.
...I don't even know how to respond to that ending. Unless she recovers in the sequel(s), I will not be continuing. Bolt is NOT Dash. Dash is who I perceive to be best pony, and the ending is cruel. I'm sorry, it was a good story, but it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth that might just force me away.
Oh shoot -- yellow pegasus is going in for more than a facial.
Goddammit, not Fluttershy too! D:
Anyway, cool story, glad it's not actually over yet. :)
Oh, bloody 'ell.
How dark. like... normally I look at the reveal of sequel after a downer ending like this as a sign of a happy ending in the future, but this story...
I just see the horrifying ending of a lifeless immortality. That's impressive. I will be reading the sequel, but I am looking to see how far deep and twisted this is going to get. If the story somehow pulls out of the nosedive and gains a happy ending, I'll be shocked. Maybe Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash will both become robots and have artificial romance.exe forever while the rest of their friends die missing them, but thats about as happy as I see this story ending right now. I don't like tragedies but this is such a be careful what you wish for story, that I'll continue reading it for that alone. well, that and the good writing.
3365284took words right from my mouth
Oh, now I'm dying to know what Proteus has in store for Fluttershy. Actually I'm just outright interested in reading more Proteus. You've made me very happy by writing this story and even happier by letting me know that this is not the end. Thank you.
I have read many a story in my day. Never have I found one as poignant and well written as this. Congrats -- you have earned a follower.
This is a good story. It has parts that make you go
and parts that make you 
and parts that make me 
. I have SO MANY FEELS.
And Fluttershy...
That ending
Ohhhhhh shiiiiiiiii-
Interesting that "Rise and follow" could be a metaphor for "Transform into something greater, and then follow the path I once took, which takes you away from your old life."
I wish I could favorite this twice! Hanging on the edge of my seat, can't wait until the next update
Why must you be so good at this?
No really, this was really awesome. I was into it the whole way through
well good riddance to flutter dash. worse. pairing. ever! otherwise the story was good
3369277 prepare for disappointment.
So... good....
/
I'm pleased to give this story my first five out of five mustaches.
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That ending chapter was just so much better than the rest of the already good story.
Kudos to you.
~Leonzilla
Well, that was fairly awesome. Not sure what's up with FlutterDash stories, though, they almost always leave me ticked off at Fluttershy.
Much improvement in the second and third chapters. Keep it up!
feeling
Masterfully done. Can't wait for the sequels!
Well done, sir. A very well put together plot with a satisfying conclusion that was open enough to merit a sequel. Continue.
My god...you deserve everything.,.
MOUSTACHES GIVE THE APPLUSE TO THIS WONDERFUL AUTHOR!!
You deserve it all...
I'll say it again.
Goddamn genies.
What is Fluttershy gonna turn into? The Hulk?
One feel more!
My emotions throughout the end of the story
That was a cool story! Excellently written, too.
This gets a fave from me.
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Well, as the plot-kink-iron-outer on this series, let me tell you: There is a lot more Proteus. This is one of the deeper fics I've seen, and I think the series as a whole is going to epic. Ein's already got the major arcs laid out for all the characters and the worldbuilding and stuff.
Sequel?