• Published 28th May 2015
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Ciderholic - twilightsparkle3562



Rainbow Dash turns to an Alcoholic Cider for comfort following Tank's hibernation

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Behavior Unbecoming of a Wonderbolt

Author's Note:

Disclaimer: I do not own "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic," or its characters. They are property of Hasbro Studios and DHX Media.

"Ciderholic"

By TwilightSparkle3562

Chapter 1

"Behavior Unbecoming of a Wonderbolt"

It had been several days since Rainbow Dash had allowed her pet tortoise, Tank, to hibernate for the winter season. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't keep winter away and prevent the hibernation from happening. It took a while for her to accept, but Rainbow Dash had come to her senses after bawling her eyes out and watched as Tank dug himself in the ground. In the few nights since Tank began hibernating, all Rainbow Dash could feel was that she was alone, with no one to keep her company.

"I sure miss you a lot, Tank," Rainbow Dash thought as she slept one night at her home in Cloudsdale. "If I could only accept the fact that you had to hibernate, then I wouldn't be feeling like this."

Rainbow Dash began to miss the days when she would read Daring Do stories to help Tank get to sleep. She missed the joy in laughing at Tank when he got scared at the frightening parts. Ever since Tank hibernated, Rainbow Dash could no longer read Daring Do books and she couldn't do so, not without her friend and pet by her side.

"Oh, boy," she sighed to herself. "What I wouldn't give for a sense of relief right about now? I should be happy for Tank, happy that he chose to do this, but I'm not. It's all right, Tank will be back when we do winter wrap up. If only winter wrap up would come sooner. Ugh! I need something to calm my nerves down."

So, Rainbow Dash got out of bed and walked down to her refrigerator, pulling out what appeared to be a large glass bottle with a picture of the Flim Flam Brothers on the front. Looking at the bottle, Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and drank whatever liquid was inside. It seemed that the liquid was calming her down as she smiled warmly at the bottle.

"Bottle of Flim Flam Brothers cider," she laughed, talking in a strange and much too happy kind of voice. "You are my one true friend and I will never let anypony take you away from me."

So, Rainbow Dash fell asleep and for the rest of the night, she slept soundly, not thinking of Tank, but of herself and the two brothers who had made the cider that soothed her thoughts.

The next morning, Rainbow Dash was supposed to arrive at Twilight's castle for their weekly pancake breakfast. However, much to the surprise of her friends, Rainbow Dash was nowhere to be seen.

"Has anypony seen Rainbow Dash this morning?" asked Twilight. "She's been acting strange lately and now, she's not even showing up for anything."

"I wonder why she still can't accept the fact that Tank is gone," remarked Applejack. "I mean, I thought she allowed him to hibernate. There is something she is hiding from us and we need to find out what it is."

All the other ponies agreed with the matter and it was at this moment that Fluttershy rose up and spoke. After all, she had practically grown up with Rainbow Dash and was the only pony who knew what Rainbow Dash liked and disliked.

"Perhaps maybe I could ask her," she said, timidly. "She will listen to me, of course."

"If that's what you want," said Twilight. "Go and see what Rainbow Dash has been up to lately, if you don't mind, Fluttershy."

Just then, a loud knock was heard at the door and Twilight immediately flew over to the door, opening it wide and quickly. Standing in the doorway was Spitfire, the captain of the wonderbolts and Rainbow Dash's biggest idol.

"Where is Rainbow Dash, Princess?" she cried, a look of anger on her face. "I don't know what she is doing, but I want to know what she is doing and I want to know now."

"We are trying to figure that now ourselves, Spitfire," said Twilight. "We haven't seen Rainbow Dash this morning for anything."

"Well, when you find her," snapped Spitfire. "Tell her that she needs to help clean up the mess she had made at the Cloudsdale weather factory. Her behavior lately has now started to become clear to me that she is no longer wonderbolt material."

A hushed gasp came among the ponies as the realty of Rainbow Dash no longer becoming a wonderbolt had started to creep in. This was a sign that perhaps they had to do something and fast. Just then, a loud noise was heard and everypony looked up to see a rainbow-maned Pegasus flying down in a disorderly fashion, going in a zigzag formation and landing on her stomach, into the deep packed snow.

"Rainbow Dash!" cried Fluttershy, as she raced over and pulled Rainbow Dash out of the huge snow. Rather than thanking Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash gave her a stern glare and went about making loud noises and ramblings that no pony made sense.

"Rainbow Dash, what's wrong with you?" cried Twilight, trying to talk to her. "You've been acting weird lately."

"Weird?" remarked Rainbow Dash, slurring her words. "Who's being weird around here? Not me!"

Rainbow Dash then began walking in a funny manner much to the disbelief of her friends and idol, who was starting to grow cross.

"Rainbow Dash, I don't know what you've been taking in, but I want you to stop right now!" barked Spitfire, trying to gain Rainbow Dash's attention.

"Stop?" slurred Rainbow Dash. "Why should I stop? We are all having a good time, aren't we?"

This pattern of ludicrious behavior was starting to make Fluttershy feel uncomfortable and sad at the same time. She knew that this wasn't the Rainbow Dash that she knew, nor that anypony knew for that matter.

"Do you know who you are talking to?" snapped Spitfire, growing more and more crosser. "I am your superior officer and I want you to respect me now!"

The angered Wonderbolt captain flew up and grabbed Rainbow Dash, shaking her like a ragdoll, trying to get her to stop acting like a childish foal that didn't get what she wanted.

"Oh, you're hopeless," sighed Spitfire. "I don't know if I am even looking at the same Rainbow Dash anymore."

Instead of responding, Rainbow Dash fell on her side and it had to take Applejack and Rarity to haul her into the castle. It became clear that Rainbow Dash had been taking something and that everypony wanted to know what it was.

"Tell her that when she stops this inappropriate behavior," cried Spitfire. "That I want to see Rainbow Dash in my office at the Academy. She has explaining to do for the display that she gave us today."

Watching Spitifre take to the sky, Twilight and Pinkie Pie followed Fluttershy into the castle, where Rainbow Dash had been taking into the throne room and sat down on her throne. By now, Rainbow Dash had fallen asleep and was no longer rambling.

"Something tells me that is not the Rainbow Dash that we know and love," remarked Rarity. "Why is she acting this way?"

"I don't know," sighed Twilight. "I dealt with the loss of the library but not by acting what Rainbow Dash is doing now. She could be taking something that she claims is helping her deal with Tank's hibernation."

"What do you think it could be?" asked Fluttershy. "Please, Twilight, I need answers."

"We all need answers!" pleaded Rarity and Twilight began to think of a way to find out the truth.