Loneliness Reborn

by Alexander-Crossover

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Packing for a permanent move was different than preparing for a three month long camp. Mostly it was because Rainbow Dash wasn’t taking papers for autographs and short term snacks instead she was preparing to move her entire life with her. Granted Dash didn’t keep many things she would want to keep with her over a long term: a blanket sewn by her mother, a picture of herself and her five closest friends, a stuffed Wonderbolt doll she’d gotten when she was just a filly and perhaps most importantly a photo booth picture strip that had three pictures of her and Pinkie Pie, one with them smiling, one with them hugging, and the last with the two of them kissing. Rainbow Dash paused and snickered at a drawing she’d come across; it was a crude crayon drawing of herself in a Wonderbolt’s uniform with the words “RAINBOW DASH THE WUNDERBOLT” written in big capital letters. She drawn that picture, bad spelling and all, after the very first time she’d seen the Wonderbolts perform; from that day onwards it had been her lifelong dream to join the elite team of stunt flyers and by tomorrow her dream would be coming true.

Rainbow Dash finished packing her saddlebags but left them on her bed as she turned to leave: “Just two more things to do,” the Pegasus sighed, clearly not looking forwards to what she had to do, before taking off towards the Ponyville Hospital. Dash still hadn’t gone for her medical check-up nor had she told her friends the good yet sad news. Rainbow Dash had always been a horrible procrastinator and the fact that she could do most of her jobs in “ten seconds flat” meant that she often felt she could leave many tasks not related to her job until the very last minute. So far this hadn’t come back to bite her too badly but she knew that once she joined the Wonderbolts procrastination would no longer be an option.

Dash flew rather lazily in the direction of the hospital, she still had to work up the nerve to tell her friends that she was likely going to be absent from their lives for the next several years not to mention she still hadn’t submitted the resignation forms to her boss at the weather patrol. As she flew onward, Rainbow Dash spotted Pinkie Pie walking slowly away from the hospital, her face downcast but her hair still curly and happy.

Concerned, Dash flew in to hover over Pinkie and spoke up to get her attention: “Hiya Pinks. Are you feeling alright?”

“Oh, hi Dashie,” Pinkie’s voice was lacking its usual excited edge which was yet another cause for concern, “I just got back from the doctor.”

“Is something wrong?” Rainbow Dash landed, giving her marefriend a worried look.

“Oh no, nothing’s wrong,” Pinkie reassured her.

“Are you sure?” Rainbow Dash pressed.

“I’m just fine, ask Doctor Cardiac,” Pinkie managed to change the subject quickly: “So why are you going to the hospital?”

Dash sighed, she’d hoped to delay having to tell Pinkie a bit longer but she couldn’t leave Pinkie in the dark any longer: “Well I’ve got a tryout for the Wonderbolts tomorrow and they need me to have proof that I’m in fit condition to join them.”

“Oh Dashie!” Pinkie suddenly grabbed the Pegasus in a tight hug, “I’m so happy for you. We’ve got to have a going-away party for you!” Pinkie released Rainbow Dash, “Oh can you come by my house later, I have to show you something, bye!” and with that, Pinkie took off.

Rainbow sighed in relief and then smiled, well that was the biggest hurdle for her departure out of the way, but still Pinkie’s mood when she was leaving the hospital concerned her, “I guess the doctor will have to tell me then,” Dash said aloud before turning and flying towards Ponyville Hospital.

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“Yes, Pinkie Pie did just leave the hospital,” Doctor Cardiac was a relatively young unicorn with a tan coat, a brown mane and tail and a heart monitor for a cutie mark.

“Well what’s wrong with her?” Rainbow Dash was doing her best to keep her voice calm but the possibility that something was wrong with the pony she was in love with greatly worried her.

“Well normally I’m not supposed to share records with anypony,” Doctor Cardiac replied, which caused Dash to tense up, “but considering the results and that you two are marefriends there would be no harm in it. Nothing.”

“Nothing? What do you mean nothing?” Dash was both confused and irritated that the doctor was giving her the same answer that Pinkie Pie had.

“I mean nothing,” Doctor Cardiac kept a level voice as he replied, “She came in for a standard check-up and she seemed disappointed when I told her that everything was normal.”

“Why would she be disappointed?” Rainbow Dash was relieved but not less confused.

“She didn’t say, she just thanked me and left. Now are you here for any other reason, Rainbow Dash?” Doctor Cardiac moved smoothly into the topic currently at hand.

“Oh well, I need a check-up too and the forms filled out to say that I’m healthy,” Rainbow Dash answered.

“Any particular reason?” Cardiac asked.

“I’m joining the Wonderbolts!” Dash’s shout brought several shushes from those in earshot forcing the Pegasus to lower her voice, “Basically they need a form to say that I’m healthy and fit to join them.”

“Ahh yes, this won’t take too long as long as you don’t mind me taking a blood sample,” Cardiac spoke as he levitated a blood extraction needle and tube with a vial for collecting the blood.

Rainbow Dash gulped: “O-OK, go ahead.” Dash winced a bit as an elastic band was magically tied around her foreleg and had to avoid flinching when the needle was stuck in to extract the blood sample. Thankfully the process was over quickly and Rainbow Dash was able to relax while Doctor Cardiac levitated the blood sample to a waiting nurse who took in carefully in her teeth before exiting the room.

“There, now we’ll just wait for the blood test results and take care of the rest of your check-up,” Doctor Cardiac began the less invasive tests: checking Dash’s breathing, her pulse, shining a light into her ears, nose and eyes and testing her wings to make sure they were in good condition.

Rainbow Dash was hardly nervous as she sat on the exam table with her legs curled underneath her. Normally she would have been anxious to get her results and get out but in all honesty she was still trying to work up the nerve she’d need to tell the rest of her friends the good news/bad news about her going off to join the Wonderbolts. Thankfully Pinkie’s planned going away party would give Rainbow Dash the perfect opportunity to tell them all at once and get the tearful farewells and well-wishes all over and done with at one time.

Eventually Doctor Cardiac left for a minute to retrieve the test results before returning to the room with a bemused look on his face.

“So doctor, am I ready for a career in the Wonderbolts?” Dash asked both eagerly and arrogantly.

“Well that’s a bit difficult to say,” Cardiac couldn’t resist a chuckle.

“What? Why? What’s wrong?” Dash’s breath caught in her throat.

“Well there’s nothing wrong with you Rainbow Dash,” Dash sighed in relief but the doctor continued, “However I feel I must congratulate you.”

“Yep, you should. In a few days you’re going to be hearing all about the newest Wonderbolt, Rainbow Dash!” Rainbow’s arrogance had returned and she walking past Doctor Cardiac when his next statement stopped her cold.

“No, congratulate you because you’re pregnant.” Rainbow Dash froze in place while the doctor continued: “About four months along actually.”

Rainbow Dash blinked a couple times, letting the words sink in before answering: “WHAT!? That’s impossible! How can I be pregnant!?”

“I must admit that I am a bit confused, I thought you were with Pinkie Pie-“

“Don’t you dare say it!” Rainbow Dash was suddenly in Doctor Cardiac’s face, having knocked the report aside in her haste, “I would never cheat on Pinkie Pie! She’s the only pony I’ve ever had sex with!”

“Alright Rainbow Dash,” Cardiac managed to back away from the Pegasus’ angry stare, “So you’ve never had sexual relations with a Stallion.”

“No!” Dash shouted, then paused, “Well, sort of…”

“Sort of?” Doctor Cardiac was understandably confused.

“Well a few months ago, before I went to that three month training camp with the Wonderbolts…”

“Ah yes, the three months where the weather wasn’t nearly what we were expecting,” Doctor Cardiac smiled bemusedly.

Dash just glared at the doctor before continuing: “Well there was a funny thing and, Pinkie was a stallion for one night but she said that Twilight told her that I couldn’t get pregnant from that!”

“Well I don’t know as much about magic as Twilight Sparkle,” Doctor Cardiac confessed, “but the results clearly show that you’re pregnant Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow just stared at Doctor Cardiac for a minute before taking off. The doctor briefly wondered just what was going to happen but it wasn’t his place to pry and he returned to his office to await the next patient.

Rainbow Dash flew up high enough to spot Sugarcube Corner, “I need to see Pinkie about this,” she muttered to herself as she flew down to the street entrance, not feeling like just flying directly into Pinkie’s room for once.

The bell tinkled to signal Rainbow Dash’s entrance, Cup Cake was at the counter and she smiled at Rainbow Dash: “Welcome to Sugarcube Corner, Rainbow Dash! If you’re looking for Pinkie she’s up in her room.”

“Thanks,” Rainbow Dash nodded as she walked rather slowly up the stairs. Pushing open the door she saw Pinkie sitting on her bed, immersed in a book of some sort.

“Hi Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash spoke up to get her marefriend’s attention.

“Oh, hi Dashie,” Pinkie shut the book she was reading and slid off her bed. She was hardly depressed but at the same time Pinkie wasn’t in her normal bubbly mood, “So how was the trip to the doctor?”

“Well, that’s the funny thing, Pinks,” Dash chuckled nervously, “Ya see somehow I’m pregnant and the only time I’ve had sex that could get me pregnant was with you and you said that couldn’t happen.”

Rather than being shocked Pinkie seemed to be processing what Rainbow Dash had told her. Suddenly Pinkie’s eyes lit up and she grinned before shouting: “That’s it! That’s where that little ghostie went!”

Rainbow Dash was used to Pinkie’s randomness but this was just too random even for her: “What? Ghostie? Where?” Dash asked, extremely confused.

Pinkie turned form Dash and began digging in a drawer as she continued talking: “Remember Loneliness, the ghostie that tried to hurt us that Twilight saved me from and I save you from?”

“How could I forget,” Dash rolled her eyes, “I mean that was only the most important day in both of our lives.”

“Well Loneliness has been living inside me since that day but that little ghostie wanted to live again,” Pinkie stuck her head into the drawer, her voice becoming slightly muffled, “Twinkie told me that it had to borrow my body for a while.”

“Wait, Twinkie?” Rainbow Dash’s confusion was getting worse and she had to hold her head.

“It what I call my inner foal, she was playing with Loneliness all this time but she said that the ghostie was going to be reborn soon,” Pinkie finally pulled the brown paper bag that Rainbow Dash had seen her carrying earlier that week, “I went to see Doctor Cardiac because I thought it meant I was pregnant with that foal but I wasn’t, that’s why I was feeling blue earlier.”

“Wait, pregnant?” The pieces were starting to fit together and Dash’s eyes widened: “Wait, did something happen that night when you were a stallion?”

“Well I was supposed to be the mom but I guess that was the night that it was supposed to happen so, yeah it’s you,” Pinkie turned and set the bag down.

Dash’s eye twitched as anger began to rise in her: “So that thing that nearly killed me is hijacking my body?” she asked.

Pinkie could see Rainbow Dash’s shock and anger so she did her best to remedy the situation, upending the paper bag and dropping a small box onto the floor.

Dash just stared as Pinkie spoke: “Dashie, I know this is all a lot to take in and I know you’re probably going to leave for the Wonderbolts soon, but there’s something I’ve wanted to ask you for a while.” Pinkie took a deep breath and opened the box, inside were two earcuffs meant to hook onto a pony’s ear without the need to get it pierced; one of the cuffs was made of silver with a replica of Pinkie’s cutie mark made of topaz and sapphires and the other was made of gold with a replica of Dash’s own cutie mark made with ruby, topaz, and sapphire to form the lightning bolt and white gold for the cloud.

Pinkie took one of Dash’s forelegs in her own and asked the big question: “Rainbow Dash, will you marry me?”

Rainbow Dash just stared, all the information mixing up in her head, whirling around and around until it all bubbled up and Dash just screamed, wrenching away from Pinkie and shooting out the window at top speed.

Pinkie was shocked but ran to the window in a vain attempt to stop the Pegasus: “DASHIE WAIT!” She cried, but Dash was already out of earshot. “Wait…” there was the sound of a deflating balloon as the party pony’s curly mane and tail deflated becoming entirely straight as she began to cry.

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Rainbow Dash flew high and fast until she finally slowed and came to rest on a stray cloud, sorting out the confusing events and emotions now that she was alone. “I’m pregnant with Loneliness, Pinkie wants to marry me but she said I should join the Wonderbolts. I can’t join if I’m pregnant and now, what did I just do?” Rainbow Dash sighed, this was too complicated.

“Pinkie said I should join the Wonderbolts,” Dash’s voice carried less conviction than she thought it should have, “but I can’t join if I’m pregnant,” she repeated, “I guess there’s only one thing to do.” Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and took off towards Cloudsdale.

Dash’s first destination was the Cloudsdale hospital. Rainbow Dash just stood there, staring at the doors: “This is the only way,” her voice trembled and she managed to force herself to enter. In a little while everything would be alright.

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“She did what?!” the voices of Applejack, Rarity and Twilight Sparkle mingled together in Pinkie’s room following her explanation of the events earlier that day. Fluttershy was there as well but she had simply gasped in disbelief rather than joining in with her friends’ shouting.

Pinkie just nodded in response, finding it difficult to speak and with her hair still imp.

“That is just the most ghastly thing I’ve ever heard!” Rarity continued: “Running off from a marriage proposal, does Rainbow Dash have any sense of romance?”

“Ferget romantic sense she seems ta lack common sense,” Applejack added, “Ah mean she shouldn’t have just left ya Pinkie.”

“I could go and get her if you want,” Fluttershy offered.

“Or better yet we should all go to Cloudsdale and drag her back here, just give me-”

Pinkie, however, interrupted Twilight: “No girls don’t try to go after her.”

“Don’t go after her, but Pinkie…” Twilight tried to protest.

Pinkie shook her head as she continued, her voice forlorn and far away: “Rainbow Dash has a chance to join the Wonderbolts and I almost ruined it for her, she should have a chance to pursue her dream.”

“Does doesn’t it hurt, her refusing your proposal?” Rarity asked.

“Not ta mention what’s she’s probly gonna do about that Loneliness baby inside her,” Applejack added.

“I know, and it does hurt,” Pinkie admitted, “but I told Dash that she should follow her own dreams if she had the chance, and I meant it.”

“Are you sure you’re alright Pinkie Pie?” Fluttershy pressed.

“I’ll be fine,” tears began to drip from Pinkie’s blue eyes, “Just fine…” Her voice began to crack.

Twilight was about to speak up when Rarity put a hoof on her shoulder and shook her head, whispering: “She needs to be alone.” The others agreed silently and turned to leave, but Pinkie had one more thing to say.

“Don’t be mad at Rainbow Dash, this is all my fault not hers. Please Pinkie promise me that you won’t get mad or take it out on her if she comes back,” Pinkie’s pleading teary face was too much for the other four ponies and after a quick exchange of looks they all recited the motions of the binding promise.

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

“Thank you,” Pinkie managed a weak smile before her friends departed, shutting the door behind them, a click indicating that Pinkie had locked the door as soon as they left. Twilight, Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy waited on the landing outside Pinkie’s apartment for a moment and sure enough they heard Pinkie break down and start crying on the other side. If Pinkie hadn’t locked the door then they would have turned around and went back inside to comfort her, as it was all they could do was leave and hope that Pinkie would recover, somehow…

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Rainbow Dash exited the Cloudsdale Hospital, hanging her head and with visible tear streaks under her eyes. The blue Pegasus took a deep shuddering breath before she spoke aloud to herself: “Alright Dash, no regrets, no crying. I just need to go see Spitfire now.”

Rainbow Dash flapped her wings a few times, getting a couple hooves off the clouds before landing again; she tried again with similar results, once again failing to get airborn. Finally Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and forced herself into composure, taking off and flying towards where she knew the tryouts were being held the next day.

Spitfire surveyed the Pegasus workers setting up the obstacle course. Every year they had to make the tryouts different so that the Pegasus who showed up every year wouldn’t be able to just coast through this part of the tryouts.

The sound of flapping wings behind her caused Spitfire to turn around, and smile when she saw who it was: “Hey, Rainbow Dash, come to get a sneak peek at the challenges? You know you get to skip this part right?” Spitfire chuckled as Rainbow Dash landed in front of her. It was a moment before the Wonderbolt Co-Captain noticed the rather melancholy look on the blue Pegasus’ face.

“Is something wrong Rainbow?” Spitfire became instantly concerned.

“I’ve had a rough day Spitfire,” Rainbow Dash’s voice was very downcast as she spoke; her entire body seemed droopy, even her wings hug rather limply rather than being folded nicely at her sides.

“Want to talk about it?” Spitfire asked.

“Actually yeah, I would…”

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Pinkie Pie didn’t leave her room for the rest of the day and anypony who came near the door could hear her sobbing brokenheartedly. Several times the Cakes tried to comfort her but were either met with a polite request to leave or just more sobbing. The last attempt was done by the entire Cake family right after Sugarcube Corner closed for the day.

“Pinkie dear, please just let us talk to you,” Cup Cake pleaded through the door.

“It’s not healthy to just stay shut up in your room all day,” Carrot Cake added, nodding along with his wife’s statement.

“Please come out!” Pumpkin Cake begged.

“It’s no fun with you like this!” Pound Cake hoped he could get through to her, yet all four Cakes could hear was more sobbing; it seemed that Pinkie wasn’t even bothering to acknowledge anypony at the moment.

“Well we did our best, sugar plum, but it looks like there’s nothing else we can do,” Carrot cake sighed defeatedly.

“Alright, let’s go children, we should get the shop cleaned up for tomorrow,” Cup Cake edged her twins downstairs, leaving Pinkie to her sorrow.

Pinkie’s loud crying eventually died down as she buried her face into her pillow, gasping slightly as she tried her best to fall asleep. A slight creaking noise came from the windows as a set of hooves landed softly on the floor, yet Pinkie was too consumes by her own grief to take any notice. The steps approached Pinkie’s bed but then stopped, as the owner of the hooves looked into a trash can at a small box that had been thrown in there hastily. A mouth carefully extracted the small box and set it on the table.

By now, Pinkie had noticed that there was somepony else in the dark room, yet she had to muster up all her will to just try and turn as the figure shuffled in the darkness.

“Whozzat?” Pinkie asked, her words slurring together as though she’d been drinking. Pinkie reached for her bedside lamp and fumbled to switch it on, but when it did her breath caught in her throat: “D-Dashie!”

Rainbow Dash was standing here, a weak smile on her face and her rose colored eyes weighed down by a mixture of guilt and yet relief.

“Hi Pinks,” Rainbow Dash answered.

Pinkie slid off her bed and walked carefully over to Rainbow Dash, prodding her with a hoof: “Am I dreaming?”

“No, it’s really me,” Rainbow Dash replied.

“But why are you here, what about the Wonderbolts?”

Rainbow Dash sighed at Pinkie’s question: “I had a lot to think about at the Cloudsdale hospital and,” Dash paused for a moment, as if trying to force the words out, “I changed my mind.”

“About what?” Pinkie asked.

“Everything,” Rainbow Dash suddenly grapped Pinkie into a tight hug, finally letting the tears she had been holding back flow out of her eyes, “I’m so sorry Pinkie, I should I have stayed, I’m supposed to be the element of loyalty damnit!”

Pinkie just stood there for a moment before returning Rainbow Dash’s hug her closed eyes moistening up again. After a moment, Pinkie opened her eyes and spotted a shiny silver something attached to Rainbow’s ear. She lifted a hoof and prodded the small metal object, catching a glimpse of jeweled blue and yellow balloons set into the band.

“Dashie, does this mean?” she prodded the silver ear cuff, again trying to make sure it was real.

Rainbow Dash chuckled, “Of course it does, Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash released Pinkie and went to pick up the small box she’d fished out of the trash, extracting the gold ear clip and attaching it to the pink pony’s ear, “to answer your question earlier, yes I will marry you!”

Pinkie began trembling then suddenly her mane and tale poofed up into their happy curly state again. Pinkie grabbed Rainbow Dash into a tight hug, kissing her over and over as tears of happiness and joy flowed from her eyes in a river. Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but smile, leaning back as Pinkie assaulted her with affection. Eventually Pinkie calmed down enough for the both of them to make their way to Pinkie’s bed, while Rainbow Dash wiped the tears from both of their eyes.

Once they were in bed Pinkie snuggled up close to Rainbow Dash letting the Pegasus’ body warm her own. As Pinkie stroked her fiancé’s fur she felt a bulge on Rainbow’s middle. She opened her eyes and did her best to get a good look at the bulge her hoof had just ran over.

“Rainbow Dash, what happened with Loneliness?” She asked.

“I’m still pregnant,” Dash replied, “I said that I changed my mind about everything and I meant it.”

“Oh Dashie, thank you thank you thank you!” Pinkie gave Rainbow Dash a deep kiss on the lips and then began to nuzzle her, “We’re going to be a big happy family now, you me and our foal.”

“Yeah, we are,” Rainbow Dash smiled as she nuzzled her fiancé and snuggled close against her. Today had been rough but she knew somehow that things were going to be alright.

Comments

[Derpy Mooves]

I think you part of the description.

[Alexander-Crossover]

320965

Oops, yeah that's wierd, I'll fix it...

Fixed!