Rainbow's Redemption

by AstonMartinLover

Freedom

Chapter 7: Freedom

Dark clouds continued to form around Cloudsdale. Whoever had taken over as weather manager was not doing a very good was a knock at the cell door. She turned around. It was Princess Luna.

Rainbow Dash mock bowed. "Princess Blowhard."

The guards immediately charged up their horns. "We'll punish her for her insubordination Princess."

Luna put up a hoof. "That won't be necessary."

"I guess you want me to confess too?" Rainbow Dash inquired.

Luna shook her head. "No. I'm here because you need me."

Rainbow Dash arched an eyebrow. "Who said I need you? I love this place. It's like a summer home. I mean it's a bit bland but who needs color...or ventilation? Or privacy? Or freedom not to be beaten up by your ex best friend who somehow got a job as a prison guard. I tells ya this place is great!" She collapsed onto the bed. "Just needs a couple clouds and it'll be just like home."

"I understand you're upset..."

"Upset? No. I'm not upset. I'm fine! This place was built for me! The water, the stale bread, the complete lack of cleanliness. Were you planning to keep me here ahead of time? Because I tell you it's like a hotel that's been prepared for my needs! It's so convenient!" Every word dripped with sarcasm.

"Rainbow Dash I understand..." Luna was listening to the tone in Rainbow's voice. It was mostly that of anger. But a hint of something else. Fear. She was afraid. No. She was terrified. This prison had even the fearless Rainbow Dash terrified.

Rainbow smiled. "And you know what the best part is? I am going to spend the REST OF MY LIFE! In this beautiful little room they made for me. Where I have so very much room to MOVE AND STRETCH MY WINGS!!" She gestured to her restrained wings.
"Every time I want to eat, I get to walk in and get my flank kicked by much bigger ponies than you have EVER SEEN! And I'm never going to see the light of day ever again. Except through this little window here. Oh yeah and my "friends" hate me! And my hometown thinks I'm some kind of freak! But other than that NO I AM NOT UPSET!"

Luna shook her head. "They don't hate you. No one hates you. They may fear you..."

"Oh well that's okay." Rainbow Dash snapped. "I've always wanted my best friends to fear me. "

"Rainbow..."

"Shut up alright? I know you're trying to make this better. But ponies aren't supposed to fear me. They're supposed to love me! They're supposed to be impressed by me! They're supposed to be amazed by me! You're the one everypony fears, not me!"

Luna backed off, hurt slightly by Dash's words. Rainbow Dash saw it and relented quickly.

"I'm sorry princess. This place is just...it's changing me. And I'm..." She trailed off. "Well..I'm scared."

Luna shook it off. "It's okay Rainbow Dash. I understand."

"Just...please...please believe me." Rainbow Dash pleaded.

Luna leaned down next to her. "I believe you Rainbow Dash. I don't think you are capable of this. I don't think Celestia thinks that either. But she's under a lot of pressure right now. The ponies in town feel safe with you locked up in here indefinitely."

Rainbow Dash punched her pillow viciously, causing feathers to fly everywhere. "I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! HOW CAN NOPONY UNDERSTAND THAT?"

"I'm sorry Rainbow Dash. I promise you. Celestia will not keep you here for life. Maybe a couple months more..."

"A COUPLE MONTHS? I WANT OUT NOW!" Rainbow shouted. She threw the ruined pillow to the ground.

Tears of frustration came to her eyes. "I can't believe this. How did all this happen?"

Luna leaned down to her. "I'm going to find out Rainbow Dash. Have faith. I'm working on it."

With that she turned to leave.

"Princess wait."

Luna turned around. "Yes?"

"Thanks for visiting." Rainbow Dash stammered through panicked tears.

Luna nodded and turned to the guards. "Get her a new pillow."

Weeks and weeks went by. Fluttershy had come by to visit. But she wasn't able to cheer up the angry Dash.

The sky seemed to get darker and darker every day. And the great prison was changing Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy had been nice. As always. She had treated Rainbow Dash with more kindness than she could remember.

But none of it brought her comfort. A piece of her was dead while she was inside.

Every day, the raw, powerful rage she had contained for the last seven years came closer to bubbling to the surface.

She looked out through the bars one day. And it happened. The Wonderbolts flew overhead.

Rainbow Dash watched them loop over the Prison.

Her hopes. Her lifetime aspirations. She had dreamed, yearned to one day join them. It hit her now how small her chances had become. She'd never slip on a Wonderbolt flight suit. She'd never spin and twist through the air to thunderous applause. The dream was dead.

She started to shake. Tears of rage came to her eyes.

She began assaulting the bars. She punched and kicked and bit at them.

Gilda came into the cell. She opened it and tried grabbing Rainbow.

But Rainbow was too angry to be contained. She turned and punched the griffon in the face.

Gilda was temporarily stunned. Upon regaining her senses, her face contorted in fury.

"You didn't."

"I did." Rainbow Dash smirked.

Gilda took a swing at her. Rainbow dodged and threw her to the ground. Gilda was surprised at the sudden resistance.

"You're gonna regret this." She hissed.

"Make me." Rainbow taunted. Gilda got up. This time she got in a hit.

She knocked Rainbow back. Rainbow got up on her hind legs and began viciously attacking her old friend. Hooves landed with concussive force against Gilda's body. Gilda tried blocking, but Rainbow Dash was far too enraged to have her hits deflected.

Gilda was thrown back onto the bed. She got up, truly rustled now.

Rainbow Dash paused. Her anger had taken over. She hesitated for a moment, relenting her decision.

Gilda picked her up and hurled her against the cement wall. Rainbow grimaced as she fell to the floor.

"Knock it off!" Gilda crowed.

Rainbow Dash winced as she got up. She felt a strange sensation in her back.

Gilda reached down and pulled Rainbow up by the mane.

"If you were anypony else, I'da killed you. So don't you dare lay a hoof on me again." She shoved her head down.

Gilda left the cell and slammed the door shut. She hadn't noticed.

Rainbow Dash turned and grinned. The straps. They had broken. Her wings were free.

Rainbow Dash looked at the concrete wall. It was all that stood between her and freedom. She set out strategizing.

Gilda continued on her rounds. She figured she'd check on Rainbow's cell. She needed a good laugh at her expense. Mocking inmate's lack of freedom had become a joy of hers.

"Hey Rainbow? Didn't see you at dinner today. You scared? I'm not gonna bust you up yet loser..."

She saw a cyan blue hoof. It was up against the bar. Gilda arched an eyebrow. "Hey Dash! What are you doing?"

Dash had her wings extended through her prison uniform. Her leg was there to provide leverage.

"How did you...no! NO!"

Rainbow Dash smirked. She extended her body, flexing all her muscles in her wings and legs.

Her leg kicked back, causing the bar to buckle. Her entire body shot forward rapidly.

There was a rainbow colored flash and a sonic rainboom exploded inside the cell. Gilda was blown back by the force of the blast.

She got up as the smoke cleared. The first thing she saw was the ruined bar where Rainbow had pushed off.

The smoke revealed the second thing. A gaping hole in the cell wall.

Gilda groaned. "You've got to be kidding me. EVERYPONY ALERT! WE HAVE A BREAKOUT!"

A single ray of sun seemed to shine on Rainbow Dash at that one moment. She was bathed in a warm glow. She laughed weakly.

Freedom.

The sun quickly fell behind the clouds again. The sky became grey. Rainbow Dash shuddered. Then she sped towards Ponyville just as an alarm went up inside the prison.

She grabbed her prison uniform, and summing up all her anger from the past month, she tore it off her body. Her cyan coat seemed to shimmer as it was once again became visible to the elements.

Her velocity built as she thundered downwards towards Ponyville. By the time the prison had gotten Pegasi in the air, Rainbow Dash was long gone.

Rainbow Dash landed in Sweet Apple Acres. Her wing cramps had forced her to make a landing. She hadn't flown in a month. Her wings now ached from being called upon after so much inactivity.

But this was the last place she would've chosen to land. She wanted to avoid the other ponies, and get some supplies together. Then she would be off, searching for a new home, far away from Equestria.

She ducked around trees, making sure to avoid the occupants of the farm.

She dove behind a log as she spotted Applebloom in the distance.

She stopped to catch her breath. It hit her how ridiculous her situation was. She was hiding. From a filly. She shrugged. It was necessary.

Suddenly Applejack kicked the tree right in front of her. The apples fell to the ground. She gathered them in her basket. She looked up and locked eyes with Rainbow Dash. The apples dropped.

Rainbow Dash darted away. Applejack dashed off after her. "Hold up their trigger!"

Rainbow Dash kept running. She couldn't handle facing her former friend. Not now. But just as Rainbow Dash dominated the skies, Applejack dominated the earth. She dove and tackled Rainbow to the ground.

"Alright. You're gonna talk. Why did you do this? Why'd you leave us to those rock people? And where in Equestria in Spike?" She pinned Rainbow hard to the ground.

Rainbow Dash growled. "I didn't do it AJ. Why can't you get that?"

"Because I saw you. I saw you with my own eyes. I saw you sell us out. Now you're gonna tell me why."

Rainbow Dash kicked, sending Applejack sprawling back. "I don't have time for this. I gotta dash."

She extended her wings to take off. Applejack bit her tail and pulled her back to the ground.

"Oh no you don't. You're gonna sit right here, and you're gonna explain to me why you destroyed my...I mean, OUR home."

"Read my lips Applejack. I. Didn't. Do it."

She turned to trot away. She prepared to take off.

Applejack grabbed her again. This time, Rainbow's rage got the better of her.

She turned and punched Applejack in the face.

Applejack blinked and looked around, shocked at what had just happened. Her face hardened up again. "I don't want to have to fight you RD."

"Then leave me alone." Rainbow Dash snarled. "I'll leave. You'll never have to deal with me again. Just leave me alone. Let me be on my..."

"No you're not. We're gonna talk this out. Or you're going back to jail."

She grabbed Rainbow's leg. Rainbow lashed out, hitting her again.

This time Applejack roared, and kicked Rainbow Dash with her rear legs.

Rainbow was sent sprawling back. Her eyes rolled around a bit from the concussive force.

"Please Rainbow Dash. Come with me. We'll work everything out..."

Rainbow Dash grabbed Applejack. "Look at me. I swear on our past friendship. To Celestia. To Luna. To my father. I didn't do it. Nopony else believes me. Please...believe me Applejack."

Applejack looked at her friend's pleading face. "Alright Dash. I-I..."

"Do you believe me?" Rainbow Dash demanded.

"I-I'm trying to." Applejack conceded. "It's just...I saw you Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow Dash felt like she had been punched in the heart. This was becoming pointless. Attempting to reach out to friends who were no longer friends.

"Goodbye." She said, throwing Applejack back. "If it means anything...I'll miss you. And I hope you find Spike."

Applejack didn't try to stop her this time. Rainbow Dash took off for her cloud home.

The cloud home seemed untouched. Of course. Whoever had set Rainbow Dash up wouldn't destroy her house.

She slowly trotted through the door. At the end of the hall was her bedroom. She flew into it and immediately went to the closet.

The Wonderbolts suit was still there. And so was the element. They hadn't taken it from her.

She slowly lifted the element of loyalty out of it's case. It sparkled in front of her. A red lightning bolt. So much history involved in this little necklace.

She placed it around her neck. She felt it's warmth immediately. It felt so natural, here, being worn by it's guardian.

But suddenly it became cold. The red lightning bolt lost it's color, and the necklace suddenly began falling apart. It turned into golden dust, the red lightning bolt cracking to pieces.

Rainbow Dash looked at it in shock. It had disintegrated. She shook as she sifted her hoof through the remains.

"No. No. This isn't happening. I am the element. Why would it...?"

She considered whether her treatment of Applejack had caused her to lose her element. This element gave her such a sense of purpose. She remained in shock as she lifted up the red fragments of the lightning bolt.

Suddenly there was movement all around her. An alarm had gone off during her escape. The town knew now.

Pegasus ponies surrounded the house. "Come on out Rainbow Dash! No point running!"

"Who said anything about running?" Rainbow muttered under her breath.

She blasted through the roof and burst into the daylight.

She accelerated towards the clouds. The other pegasi followed. She smirked. The speed. The adrenaline. It was all back.

She swerved through the cloud and was bathed in sunlight. She put her two hooves forward and prepared for a sonic rainboom.

Suddenly another Pegasus appeared in front of her. Thunderspark.

She let out a yell of alarm. She ducked to avoid colliding with him. "What is wrong with you?" She shouted.

"Touch down. Now." Thunderspark said as seriously as he could manage. Rainbow Dash smirked.

Then she did a barrel roll through the clouds. She was back in the darkness.

The other ponies had lost sight of her.

She was inside the clouds now. She fought off the water and moisture that tapped against her coat and face.

She turned. Thunderspark was still on her tail. She banked left, out of the clouds and screamed towards the ground. A sonic cone began to form in front of her.

She felt a tugging at her tail. Thunderspark.

"You just don't quit do you?" Rainbow shouted.

"I learned from the best." Thunderspark shot back. "Touch down in town center."

Rainbow Dash laughed. "That a joke?" She kicked him off her tail and kept accelerating towards the Everfree Forest.

Thunderspark was still gaining on her. She turned and yelled at him to back off. He made a forward gesture.

Rainbow Dash looked ahead. A tree. Right in her path. She turned to avoid it but it was too late.

She slammed into the tree full force. The tree was uprooted and hurtled through the air. Rainbow Dash felt her wing compact as she made contact. She bounced off and crashed to the ground.

The pain was excruciating. Rainbow Dash tried her best to hold it in, but she began moaning from the intense pain.

Her left wing had broken. She winced as she got up. Thunderspark touched down behind her.

Before she could think, he had shoved her behind a bush. "Listen to me. You've got to be quiet."

But this warning was still not enough to shut Rainbow Dash up. She whimpered in pain. Thunderspark put a hoof over her mouth.

"Shhh! I'm here to help you. But you have to shut up."

Rainbow Dash tried to stop moaning. Two more pegasi landed where she had crashed. They looked around and noticed the uprooted tree laying about twenty feet away. They looked around a bit more, then left.

Thunderspark took her hoof off of Rainbow's mouth. "Okay. You're hurt."

"NO KIDDING!" Rainbow Dash hissed through gritted teeth.

"I'm going to make it better. But you need medical attention."

Rainbow Dash grabbed Thunderspark's silver mane. "No. I'm not going back to Cloudsdale Pen."

"I didn't say you were going back to Cloudsdale pen." Thunderspark snapped. "You jump to conclusions too quickly."

"Just shut up and make it better!" Rainbow Dash growled.

"Alright. I need you to roll over."

Rainbow Dash obliged, uneasy about what was going on.

Thunderspark reached into his saddlebag and pulled out some medical tape.

"This is going to hurt. I'm sorry. But if you want the wing to heal this has to happen."

He picked up the broken wing, feeling around for the bones, and slowly maneuvered it back into it's socket.

Rainbow Dash shoved her hoof into her mouth to keep from screaming.

The pain was too much to bear. She began squirming.

"I'm sorry. I'm doing this to help you." Thunderspark insisted.

There was a pop and the wing went back into the socket. Rainbow Dash let out a pained roar. She continued growling as Thunderspark wrapped the medical tape around her midsection, pinning her wings to her back.

"Why'd you do that? So I can't fly away?"

"No. So you don't try to fly away and cause permanent damage to your wing. Once again, I only did this to help."

Rainbow Dash took in deep breaths. She relented. "Thank you. Thank you Thunderspark. You didn't have to do that."

Thunderspark shrugged. "Well, believe it or not, I do care what happens to you."

There was an awkward silence between the two, both trying to avoid showing genuine emotion. "So what are you going to do now?"

Rainbow Dash looked back at Ponyville. "I don't have a home here anymore. I have to run away. Find someplace else that will take me. Somewhere far from Equestria."

Thunderspark seemed strangely saddened by these words. "I see. I'm sorry it had to be this way. If it helps...I don't believe it was you. I know you too well."

Rainbow Dash nodded. She looked into Thunderspark's eyes. "Well I should probably get going."

"Wait. I have something for you." He reached into his saddlebag and pulled out a map. "This forest is very dangerous. But considering all the attention that's on you, it's probably the only way out of Equestria. There is a path here. It's clearly marked."

"Who marked it?" Rainbow asked.

"My father. We used to take this path all the time. Stick to this path. You'll be safe. Do not deviate from the path."

Rainbow Dash nodded, remembering to force down any strong emotions. "Alright."

"Hey. Take care." Thunderspark pulled Rainbow Dash into an embrace, taking care to stay away from her wing.

Rainbow Dash nodded and patted him on his shoulder. She heard sniffling.

"Are you...crying?"

Thunderspark quickly shook his head. "Nah. Of course not. Are you?"

"Pffft. Look, Sparkbrains, I didn't get where I am now by crying." Rainbow said, doing her best to puff out her chest despite the pain.

Thunderspark laughed. "Well where are you now?"

Rainbow paused and nodded slowly. "Good point Sparky. I guess...it's been fun. Maybe I'll see you around someday."

Thunderspark nodded, sniffling again. Such words rang false. They knew they'd never see each other again.

She turned and trotted off down the path. Thunderspark watched her go, then turned and flew back towards town.

Rainbow Dash didn't know what to make of what had just happened. Thunderspark being nice to her. It was odd. I guess that's what saying goodbye forever does to somepony, she thought.

"So. We going on an adventure?"

Rainbow Dash jumped five feet in the air. She turned to see Scootaloo trotting up behind her.

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "No. You go home."

"But Rainbow Dash!"

"No. No buts. This is a trip I have to make alone squirt."

Scootaloo sat down on the ground. "I'm not moving."

This resistance raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? You're not moving? Well goodbye then."

She turned around and kept walking. Scootaloo ran after her. "Hey wait!"

"Why are you following me?" Rainbow Dash demanded.

"No reason." Scootaloo said. "I just thought you were going on some adventure. And you know how I want my cutie mark right? Well I heard your chances of gaining a cutie mark go up 20% if you go on an adventure! So here I am."

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "No. No. You gotta go squirt. This is a grown up adventure."

Scootaloo looked down at the ground. Rainbow Dash turned to leave. Scootaloo decided now was the best time to speak the truth.

"I don't have anywhere else to go." She whispered.

Rainbow Dash stopped, her ears flattening. She turned around. "Come again?"

"I don't have anywhere else to go. The foster home got destroyed in the attack. I've been staying at AJ's for the past few weeks."

Rainbow Dash sighed. "There has to be some place. Some family..."

"I don't have any family. You're...kinda the closest thing I have to a...family."

These words made Rainbow Dash pause. "I...I don't..."

"Nothing against AJ. But she's got her hooves full repairing the farm and taking care of Applebloom. She doesn't need an extra filly to look after. Especially a hooffull like me."

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and looked away, remembering the time she used this word to describe Scootaloo. "This might be a dangerous trip."

Scootaloo jumped up in her face. "Oh no I don't mind! Danger is my middle name!"

Rainbow Dash smiled and puffed out her chest again. "You mean MY middle name? Rainbow Danger Dash?"

Scootaloo nodded enthusiastically. "Of course Rainbow Dash!"

Rainbow Dash winced and looked away again. "Alright squirt. I guess I need a sidekick now. I can't fly."

"Oh that's okay, neither can I!"

Rainbow Dash smiled again. "Well we better get moving Scoots. You bring any food?"

Scootaloo shook her head. "No. Sorry RD."

Rainbow shook her head dismissively. "Great. We'll just have to find our own food now. Let's get moving."

And so the two pegasi set off deeper into the Everfree forest. Rainbow Dash thought it over in her mind. The sun was setting now.

She looked back at Ponyville. The town she had lived in for almost a decade. She looked at Cloudsdale, hovering above it, the place where she was born and raised. And she knew she had to say goodbye.

But it felt unfair of her to tell the youngling that they would never see it again. So she simply nodded at it, holding back the tears, and continued on into the forest, her young accomplice in tow.

Comments

[shardfff]

The element of loyalty turned to dust because her "friends" betrayed her.

[Gylden Glor]

And I should be doing homework right now...
PAH!

[tubaguy]

HOW IS THIS NOT ON EQD YET

[edgelesspigeon]

I'm with shardfff on this. I don't think the rest of the mane cast are bad ponies, just misguided, but I think their betrayal caused Rainbow Dash to lose her sense of loyalty towards them. Then again, I could be wrong. We'll just have to wait and see. Keep these quality chapters coming, this fic is one whose updates I await most eagerly.

Oh, and tubaguy's right too.

[Yubella]

I was hoping the element would see her loyalty at least. But what I was wanting was for Dash's emotions to change it into another element