A Fire for Tomorrow

by maxxxxxx

Deicide: Part 2

The harsh, acrid smell of ozone hung heavily in the air, only seeming to become stronger as they approached Canterlot. Rainbow Dash's wings were energized, fear and anger made her want to fly as fast as she could to get to the swirling vortex of lightening that surrounded the castle, still, she had to ignore the impetus in her wings, urging her to fly faster, Twilight lagged behind her, struggling to keep up. The damage she sustained from earlier from the lightening had taken a terrible toll on her magic and her body.

I can't believe this is happening… What hell could be behind this? Is there even anything we can do about it?

“Twi, you hanging in there okay?” Rainbow Dash called back, slowing her flight to an easy glide, letting her marefriend catch up to her. Aside from the distant crackling of massive fires and dull roar of the swirling ball of magic ahead of them, the world seemed deathly silent. The loneliness of her words made every moment she awaited Twilight's response incredibly unsettling.

“Yeah.” She took a deep, labored breath, her throat was parched and her voice trembled. “I- I'm okay...”

“We're almost there, just a bit further.” Despite her words being directed at Twilight, Rainbow Dash was trying just as hard to comfort herself. Flying through this seemingly unending sea of darkness made her uneasy.

“I- I hope everyone is...” Twilight mumbled in a hoarse, grave tone. Her mind was elsewhere, it took so much of her strength to not look back, back to her home, to Ponyville. Images of the horrific blaze that engulfed the once peaceful and idyllic town flashed through her mind. She could barely force herself to go on. What am I doing here? H-how could I just leave them alone? How can they expect me to try and solve this without them? While two of my closest friends are fighting for their lives in that med tent? For all I know they could be… I- I shouldn't be here, I can't do this, I can't do this without them!

“Twilight, It'll be okay.” Rainbow Dash placed a tender hood on Twilight's side, navigating her body by the movement of air off of her wings as to not impede Twilight's flight. She felt warm drops fall into her fur, the air pulling her marefriend's tears from her cheeks. She could feel Twilight begin to tremble furiously.

“How will it be okay?!” Twilight snapped. Coming to an immediate stop she spun around to face the general direction her marefriend was. “How will any of this be okay!? Do you understand what's happening!? Two of our best friends are fighting for their lives! Th-they could already be dead for all we know!”

“Twilight don't say that...” Dash's voice cracked as her own tears began to flow. She picture Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, in agony from their terrible burns. For a moment, she imagined going to back to a life without them. A profound emptiness and heartbreak permeated through her chest.

“You know it's true! Our home is burning, our friends are fighting for their lives, searching for their families and where are we?! We should be with them, not here, what kind of friends are we to leave them all alone at a time like this!?”

“I know! I know damn it...” Rainbow Dash could hardly speak as she sobbed. “I know...”

“Rainbow, we have to go back, we can't do this...” She was sobbing, her breaths were now rapid and shallow and her voice was high pitched, weak and strained.

“Applejack and Rarity are counting on us…” Dash knew that was true, but to her it only felt like a weak rationalization. Still, she continued her friends assuring words were her only guiding light in the darkness of her feelings. “They're counting on us… We have to make things better.”

“And what will we go back to?! Our home is destroyed, our friends are dying… Everything is burning.” Twilight had a hopelessness in her voice that Rainbow Dash and never heard from her before.

I don't blame her… Rainbow Dash admitted to herself, her own feelings of helplessness she had tried to ignore began bubbling to the surface. This is a nightmare, I keep hoping I'll wake up… No matter what we do, nothing will ever be the same again. No, no, this isn't it! Suddenly, she felt a wave of resolve and courage overtake her.

“No Twilight, this isn't it! We still have plenty to go home to, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie will pull through, and we can rebuild our home. Right now, we're the only ones who can make this right. Applejack can keep everything together while we're gone and Rarity is taking care of as many ponies as she can. We need to be here for them now, you need to be here for them now!” She tried to sound as certain and confident as possible, but she knew the horrors they had witnessed, she knew this was unlike anything they've ever faced and that more then likely, only more horrors awaited them. She felt terrified, and sick to her stomach, but her friends needed her to be strong. And Twilight needs me to be strong. She needs me, Applejack and Rarity need me, Scootaloo needs me and Ponyville needs me! “Our friends need you Twi, and I need you. I can't do this on my own. Please, I'll be here for you no matter what, I know you can make things right, so please, let's keep going.”

Twilight couldn't see a thing, she couldn't see her lover's face, her expression, but somehow, she could feel it, she could feel that confident but loving smile, those eyes filled with strength. She let Rainbow Dash's words reverberate within her mind. She focused on them, quelling the screaming and turmoil in within her, tuning out the memories or death and destruction that plagued her. She let her reasoning mind take over. She took a long, deep breath, her trembling body relaxed and hear flowing tears ebbed. I know… I know she's right. I know it but, they're suffering right now, they're hurting and afraid right now! Oh Celestia what can I do? Suddenly, she felt a warm, affirming pressure around her hoof.

“You can do this, and it'll all be okay.” Rainbow Dash gently stroked Twilight's foreleg. “Trust me.”

“Y-you're right.” Twilight's voice sounded calm and collected. She released a heavy sigh, expelling her fears and doubts. “You're right.”

“Come on,” Rainbow Dash said gently. “We're almost there.”

“Yeah, let's keep going.” Still holding each others hooves, they began to fly towards the bright light shining in the darkness.

As they flew, the words she had spoken echoed through Rainbow Dash's mind. Trust me… If only I believed myself too…

Comments

[Okie Brony]

Wow, this story could've been epic. It's still cool, and worth reading, even if it could use some editing. I'd write "Tis a dead one, sire," but I checked the author's blog, and I think she may be dead.