Tamed

by PiercingZen

Chapter 13 - Wayward Souls Divide

Act 2

Chapter 13 – Wayward Souls Divide

*****

Fate has its twisted fingers around the frail idea of destiny. A gentle squeeze will drain the lifeblood of all those naïve enough to follow it. Fate feels no remorse…never has…never will…Remember this…because one day…I won’t be there to remind you.

*****

That night, Dash waited for the unicorn to fall asleep. She was ever vigilant about watching for more nightmares. However, her mind was clouded with thoughts about Midnight Sun. Their night together was permanently etched in her mind. She was surprised Twilight hadn’t picked up on it through her telepathy. Maybe she knows…she’s just not sure how to approach it. Maybe I should just tell her…what’s the worst thing that could happen? She leaned in to give the pony a kiss, but Twilight shivered and turned away from her. Rainbow bit her lip and turned away as well. She sighed. Twi talked about her cold “aura” or whatever…did something happen before I walked in that door? Twi was acting a bit odd when I showed up.

Rainbow slipped out of bed and stretched. She approached the nearby window and stared into the beautiful night sky. She rested on the window sill and propped her chin up on both hooves. “Midnight…I can’t stop thinking about you…” Everyone wants to antagonize you…the world just seeks to smother you…

“Dash…” She heard a whisper behind her. She whipped her head around.

“Hello?” She whispered back. “Twi?” She could still see she was sleeping in bed.

“I’m here…” The voice…felt like it was in her head much like when Twilight used telepathy. Dash walked over to the door and left the unicorn alone in her room. She approached Scootaloo’s room and saw it was closed. “Rainbow…the study…” She descended the stairway as quietly as she could.

Meanwhile, Twilight felt the warmth of her covers leave her and she shifted around uncomfortably. She turned onto her back and opened her eyes as she slowly awakened. Once she got glimpse of what was looming over her…a gasp barely escaped her lips. A hoof gently pressed against her chest. “Hello, Twilight…” It was Midnight. “I have quietly waited for this moment for so long…” Her voice was deep and threatening. Twilight couldn’t move…her whole body frozen like ice under that cold hoof. “I wanted to tell you the rest of my story…”

Twilight breathed in as much air as she could. “W-Who are you?” She whispered out.

“Don’t struggle now, Twilight Sparkle. No being can escape my grasp…it’s been this way for over a thousand years…” Twilight’s eyes widened. “My true reason for being…” She grinned. “Is death…” She pressed harder on the mare’s chest and stared deeply into her eyes. “Your friend is very naïve. Her loyalty swayed by respect and adoration for her weaknesses.”

“No…it was swayed by your…evil!” She clenched her teeth and tried to flare her horn…proving unresponsive.

Midnight giggled. “You need to relax, Twi. Embrace the darkness…” She placed both hooves on her chest. “Just as I have…” Twilight was completely frigid…she could barely breathe. “When I learned you defeated both the returns of my mother and father…I felt it only fair…to show you the same courtesy!” Her attitude shifted suddenly to one of anger as she sent some kind of shock through the mare’s body. Starting at Midnight’s hooves, Twilight’s body slowly began to turn to stone.

The pegasus calmed back down and smiled. “You’re probably wondering where your love has run off too. You’re probably wondering why she’s so infatuated with me…and why she defends me so much.” She leaned in closer to Twilight and exhaled her chilly breath against the mare’s face. “Ever since the loss of her wings…she’s been craving her own demise. She just couldn’t stand to live in a world in which she would be never be able to fly again. You managed to sway her heart just a little with your cheap magic trick, but once any pony has given me permission to take their lives…there’s no escaping it!” She chortled in her throat.

“Midnight?!”

The pegasus gasped and turned her head towards the doorway. “Rainbow Dash!” She smiled. “Just in time. Twilight was having trouble sleeping…I just wanted to help.”

Dash quickly took in what’s happening. “What are you doing, Middy?! Let her go!” She stepped closer.

“Oh, but Rainbow…isn’t this what you wanted all along? To shed the burden of this weak, little unicorn…so that you may forever be with me? A pegasus who loves you and wishes nothing more for you than to succeed…” The petrification slowly reached all of Twilight’s legs and began crawling up her neck…it would only be moments before it has completely encapsulated her. Dash was hesitant…she didn’t know what to think or do. “I can see you’re torn…”

“Rainbow…” Twilight managed to let out.

“Quiet, Twilight!” She sent another shock through her, speeding up the process. Dash gasped and furrowed her brow. Midnight bore a toothy grin…showing enjoyment of her revenge. “Die nobly...”

Rainbow cringed and spread her wings. “I can’t believe this…I trusted you! Why would you do this, Midnight?!” Midnight only answered her with a menacing chuckle. Rainbow stomped her hoof. “I won’t say it again, Midnight!” Her eyes and wings glowed…that familiar power surging through the mare’s body. “Hooves off my pal!” She snorted and clenched her teeth. She crouched down ready to attack.

Twilight began to feel a warmth in her chest…Rainbow was finally on her side. Be it the love they shared sparking once more or some other reason…she began to feel some control once more. Midnight realizing Rainbow’s betrayal, she dropped her kind facade. “It’s too late! Goodnight, Twilight!” The mare sent a final shock through the unicorn’s body.

Twilight felt the last tiny breath of air she had escape her. There was a sudden ringing in her ears as they became petrified. The world fell deaf to her…fell cold to her…then finally everything fell dark…

*****

“No!!!” Observing her friend’s last whimper, Rainbow charged Midnight and tackled her. The two mares tumbled briefly before Dash bucked her hind legs against her chest and sent the pegasus crashing outside through the window.

Midnight recovered in mid-air and saved her fall with her wings. She shook her head of her dizziness. Before she could do anything, she was tackled again by Rainbow from behind. Dash slammed the pegasus against the outside walls of the house. Crack! Midnight felt her chest cave and screamed. Rainbow continued by head-butting the back of the mare’s head, and then gripping her mane with her teeth and throwing the mare behind her. Midnight tumbled along the ground outside the house briefly before ending up on her back. She could taste the blood in her mouth from her injuries.

Before there was much chance to recover, Dash was already on top of her. She swung a hoof towards Midnight’s face, and then another one towards one of Midnight’s exposed wings. The pegasus screamed and tried to kick the mare off of her. Dash remained steadfast and unstoppable as Midnight’s feeble kicks and struggles did not even phase the mare.

Rainbow swiped again at her face, and then began repeatedly stomping on her wing. The air resounded in various crunches, screams, and squishing noises as she broke the poor thing to pieces. Midnight yelled. “Stop!! Please! I’m sorry! No more!”

Dash wasn’t satisfied. Saliva dripped from her snarling muzzle as she lifted her other hoof ready to deal the same punishment to her remaining wing. “Give her back, Middy! Or I’ll crush the other one!” Midnight only responded with pathetic sounds of pain. “Give her back!!” Without giving the mare a chance, Dash slammed her hoof on the wing and snapped it as well.

Midnight reared back and screamed. Tears flew from her eyes. She had no chance against Dash…Midnight’s power over her had completely diminished. “I-I can’t!! She’s already gone!! Stop it!!”

Dash’s eyes widened. “Liar!!” She yelled in the mare’s face. She head-butted Midnight’s nose adding more to list of the mare’s broken body parts. “I saved you! I trusted you! I brought you here and this is how you repay me?!” She placed a hoof on Midnight’s neck and began to gradually press. “Rrrrr!!!” Tears from Dash’s eyes pattered against the mare’s face. “You made me betray her!! I should have listened to her!!” The force of her hoof growing and growing…Midnight let out various sickening, choking noises as she struggled to get loose. “I loved you…”

“Dash!! What’s going on?!” Rainbow turned her head to see Scootaloo. The filly was shocked.

Dash gasped as her eyes and wings went back to normal. Midnight saw this was her only chance and bucked her hind legs. Rainbow was launched away and she came crashing down on top of the filly. Midnight climbed to her hooves coughing and ran towards one of the edges of the clouds leaping off.

Rainbow fumbled to get off of Scootaloo. “Stop! Come back here!!” She took to the air and gave chase. Rainbow went straight downward but couldn’t see Midnight anywhere. Once she was able to see the ground, she looked all around her and couldn’t see a single thing other than moonlit trees and grass. It was far too dark. A seething rage enveloped the mare. “Coward! You coward!! Come back and fight me!!” She wept…breathing heavily. She sucked in as much air as she could and roared out a final scream into the night.

*****

Dash’s scream pierced the night’s solace. Midnight was a fair distance away from the pegasus…luckily her wings weren’t her only means of saving herself. She sat down against a tree and groaned in pain. I never expected this…What was that power in Dash? How did she break free of my spell? No being has ever done that…Was she even under it to begin with? Did she…she really have affections for me? She scoffed. “It doesn’t matter…what she wouldn’t do now to have her hooves on me.” She tried to chuckle, but just ended up coughing up blood.

Midnight stared up into the night sky and sighed. She closed her eyes. “Father…I succeeded…I’ve killed her. I wish you weren’t stone yourself…so you could laugh in that unicorn’s face.” She laughed quietly for a bit…opening her eyes to look at her busted wings. Her eyes began to water at the sight...the damage was irreparable. “I…I really hope you’re pleased…” Midnight closed her eyes one last time before she passed out.

*****

After about half an hour of a useless search, Rainbow returned to the house. Scootaloo was waiting for her. She rushed up and hugged the mare…unsure of what just happened. “Dash! Are you okay?! What happened?!”

The mare didn’t answer. There were still tears running down her cheeks. She shrugged the filly off of her and went inside. Scootaloo followed her up to Dash’s room. There she discovered a petrified Twilight. She gasped and flew over to her. “What’s wrong with her?!” She had seen this once before…in the Everfree forest. “Did a cocka-thing get her?”

Dash gave her a confused look and then ignored the filly. She approached Twilight and pressed her nose against Twilight’s stone cheek. It was freezing to the touch…feeling more like ice. “Wake up, Twi…you’re having another nightmare.” She shook her shoulder with a hoof. “Come on, Twi…I need you.” She placed a kiss on her cheek. “Stop kidding around, babe…”

“Dash…I don’t think uh…” Scoot whispered. Dash knew what she was going to say and she gritted her teeth.

“Shut up!” The filly jumped back and cowered. “She’s fine! She’s just being stubborn!” She kissed Twilight’s lips…multiple times. Tears welled in her eyes. “Wake up, Twilight! I demand it!” She shook her harder. “Midnight’s gone! I beat her to a pulp! Isn’t that proof enough that I don’t love her! I never did! It was always just you…only…you.” Dash stared at the frozen mare for a reaction…none. She slipped off and collapsed onto the ground, bursting into tears.

“Rainbow?” Scootaloo brushed up against the mare and pressed her nose against her cheek.

“I’ve lost another one…” Dash whispered. “Mother…father…and now you, Twilight…does it ever end?” She squeezed her eyes shut. “I’m so horrible!”

“No! You’re a great pony! It wasn’t your fault!” The filly hugged the mare’s neck. “Please stop crying!” Dash fell silent with the occasional sniffle. Scoot’s words weren’t enough to quell the guilt in her. “Let’s go tell the Princess! I’m sure she can bring Twilight back! There has to be a way to do it!” Rainbow pushed the filly off of her.

“Kid, please…I’m sorry…but I think it’s time I took you home…the fun’s over…”

Scoot sunk in disappointment. “But we have to do something, Dash! We can’t just leave her like this!”

“Please, Scootaloo…I’ll handle it. It’s not safe here anymore…I don’t want to lose you too.”

“Okay, fine! Let’s go back to Ponyville and tell the…”

“I’m not going to risk any other ponies’ lives, Scootaloo!” Dash interrupted her. The filly was beginning to annoy her. “She’ll come for me…and when she does…I’ll be more than ready. I don’t want any other pony to be in my way…She’s my problem.”

Scoot stomped her hoof and looked away. “You’re the one being stubborn, Dash…” The filly ran off to her room.

Rainbow tried to move Twilight’s body. It was incredibly heavy. She examined her...she looks so frightened…so helpless. If only I was there…if only I hadn’t hesitated…I want to move her out of here…but without her magic…she’ll just fall right through the floor. I won’t be able to catch her this time. Dash sighed. I guess I’ll leave her here. She looked out the window. I think I’ll rest up a bit…take the kid home…and come back. I’m going to devote every day to finding that mare…I don’t care about the Wonderbolts anymore…nothing matters now…

*****

Next morning about half past five, Scootaloo had packed and Dash was flying her back to the library. For time’s sake, she made the filly ride her back. Scoot was enjoying the ride as she always did, but couldn’t help but feel empty. Her idol had lost all of her spirit and wouldn’t even answer anything the filly asked.

The two landed a few hundred yards from the library. Rainbow wasn’t interested in meeting with anyone at the moment. Scootaloo climbed down and looked at the mare. Dash spread out her wings to take off. “Wait!” The mare obeyed…almost as if she wanted to be stopped. “I know how it feels…to lose those you love. My mother…she’s gone too.” Dash just stared gloomily with no reply.

“When I first came to Ponyville…it was with my Mom. We traveled from Cloudsdale, because she said she no longer felt welcome there.” She hung her head and dragged her hoof against the ground. “Ever since I was old enough to understand her…she never stopped talking about how she failed somepony. She never told me who she failed…I always just assumed it was my father. She was always down in the dumps…till the day she got sick. That’s why I didn’t tell you two before…that’s why I didn’t care if I went with you…”

Rainbow sighed and approached the filly. She sat down right in front of her and brought Scootaloo into a hug. To Scoot it felt more like a squeeze. Fortunately, Dash let up in a few seconds and kissed the filly on the forehead.

“You got a good future ahead of you, Scootaloo. Spend that time with your friends…learn new things. Have fun.”

“Aren’t you going to return to Ponyville?”

She shook her head. “Not yet. I still have to finish things in Cloudsdale. Don’t worry though. I’ll see you in a couple months…who knows?” She smiled. “I just might come back a Wonderbolt.” Just saying that lifted her spirit a little even though she wasn’t planning to go back to class. She set her down and spread her wings once more. “Tell me…one more thing before I go…what were the names of your parents?”

Scootaloo was hesitant, but she felt Dash deserved to know. “My father’s name was Raven Lockheed…” Dash’s eyes grew wide. “…and Golden Gale was my mother.” The filly began to walk towards the library.

Dash was in shock. “Wait!” Scootaloo stopped. “You don’t mean the Raven? As in…the single fastest pegasus in Equestria? The former greatest Wonderbolt?”

“I-I told you I didn’t really know him that well.” Dash approached the filly with an intimidating glare. Scootaloo stepped backwards.

“You…you’re the filly they had…You’re the reason I got kicked out of flight school in the first place!” Dash was furious.

“What? What are you talking about?” Scoot was trying to understand her confusing accusation.

“I can’t believe this! Under my nose the whole time…the very thing that brought me here to Ponyville.” Scootaloo shook her head in bewilderment. “Raven Lockheed…he took me in after my parents died in a horrible accident…he taught me everything I know. He’s the stallion who made me want to become a Wonderbolt in the first place! He was a true father…then…” She glared at the filly.

Scootaloo was having a tough time taking it in. “Wait a minute…so you’re my sister?”

“No…never!” Rainbow looked away from the filly…torn. I would have never left if they didn’t have her…They never told me…they never cared about how I felt! She looked back at Scootaloo…she was saddened and backing away. They always told me how many times they wanted a kid of their own…they told me that I was the answer they were looking for. Then…

“I’m sorry if I did something to upset you, Rainbow. I…”

“Shut up…it’s…it’s perfectly fine. To be honest…It’s them I should be mad at…not you. I never thought I’d meet that filly they had…I figured she disappeared along with them. It’s just part of me wishes that you were some rotten…spoiled brat, but you’re not. You’re a cool kid with a big heart…much like me when I was young. I always regretted it…I was stupid back then. I was so selfish and big-headed. Only when I met Twilight did I realize that…she’s humbled me so much.”

“Well, I forgive you…I’m sure they would too, Dash.”

Rainbow scoffed. “Yeah, I hope so. They’re gone now…I guess I should just forget about it. But you said Raven left you, right? Couldn’t that mean he’s still alive?”

“I guess? Why? Do you think he is?”

“Hm…I don’t know.” She smiled at the filly. “Thank you, Scoot…for telling me this. Maybe…maybe now I can concentrate on what’s important. You don’t know how long that moment in my life has left a hole in my heart. I finally now can apologize for it…and move on…despite Twilight. She wouldn’t want me to be this way anyway!”

“Yeah!” The filly flew up to her. “Go knock’em dead, Dash! Uh…not for real though.” She and Dash giggled.

“I know what you meant…thank you. I’ll see you later…Scootaloo.” She felt like saying “sis”, but couldn’t bring herself to say it.

“Bye, Rainbow.”

Dash took off into the air…she never thought she’d smile again. I can’t let this get to me…Midnight knows she can’t fight me head on. I think I’ll still attend classes…I don’t want to let this opportunity go to waste…but when I’m off…Middy better be hiding. She stopped in the air as she realized something. She knows about Scoot…what if she goes after her…what about the others? Dash wasn’t aware of Midnight’s motives…she wasn’t sure if Twilight’s death would be the last. She turned around and flew back to Scootaloo.

“Hey, kid!” She called out.

The filly jumped in surprise. “Oh, I thought you were…”

“Listen to me…you were right. We might need some help…tell Spike to send a letter to Princess Celestia. Tell her about Midnight Sun.”

Scoot smiled. “You got it! What should I tell her?”

“You know how she looks. Tell her to send some guards to protect my friends here in Ponyville. Say she’s attacked the library or something, but don’t say anything about me or Twilight.”

“Okay, but what if Spike doesn’t believe me?”

Dash stomped her hoof. “Then make him believe! I’m counting on you, Scoot.”

“A-all right. I’ll do it.” The filly saluted.

“Thank you…sis. I gotta go…I have to meet the Dean in a couple hours.”

Scootaloo was embarrassed by the name. “Just be careful…and good luck!”

*****

“I’m glad you could make it, Dash.” Jet was speaking with her in his office.

“Of course, sir. I wouldn’t let you down.”

“I want you know that…we know about what happened to Grinder.” Dash’s heart sank and she gulped. “Two eye-witnesses and even Grinder himself testified to your assault.”

“I was just protecting a friend, Jet! Honest!” She couldn’t believe she called Midnight her friend…

“Your friend? Who? Twilight Sparkle?”

Dash’s eyes shifted slight. “Y-Yeah! She was on her way home from uh…watching me in class. She got caught in the alleyway when I heard her screaming…Jet, I only did it to protect her!”

“Look, Dashie…It’s okay. I completely understand.”

“But…wait, you do?”

“All of the necessary actions have been taken to make sure you have no fault in it. It was purely self-defense. The damage isn’t permanent and it’s been paid for. You’ll be fine.”

Dash just stared in amazement. “I’m…‘fine’?”

“Yes! Now, I hope that lifted that obvious ten ton boulder off your shoulders. I want you to enjoy your time here and get your training done. Just please try not to cause more trouble. This old stallion has a lot of important things to think about than tiny scuffles in alleyways.”

He’s…so…weird! Why is he helping me so much? Telling Zephyr to brush off any fights I get into…saving me from going to jail…personally giving me attention and protection.

“Now, run along. Your classes should be starting soon. I wouldn’t miss them if I were you.”

“Okay…thank you, Dean, but…I just have to ask…do you know me?”

“Well, since that you walked in carrying that personal letter from Wonderbolts I have. You’re no stranger around here, Dash. Your presence here is an honour.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

“Huh…all right. I’ll catch you later then, Dean.”

“Please…you can call me Jet.”

“Jet…”

*****

“Listen up, you pathetic pack of pegasus ponies!” Zephyr was being a little unusual today. His tone wasn’t as harsh with the line. “We have a special guest today. One of the greatest pegasi in the world and makes her living being a total showoff! We have the captain of the Wonderbolts…Spitfire!”

The entire line gasped as lightning streak arced across the sky, twirled, and then landed right in front of all of them. Spitfire, clad in her Wonderbolt uniform and goggles, wowed the crowd of pegasi. “Total showoff, Z? We do other things in addition to air shows, you know.”

“Well, it’s the only thing you do well.” Spitfire pulled down her goggles to look at Zephyr. “It’s the truth.”

Spitfire sighed and rolled her eyes placing the goggles above her face. “Anyways, hello everypony! I’m pretty sure you know me so there won’t be a need for an introduction! I’m here to assess the quality of our next generation pegasi! I’m here to see…if Z hasn’t been slackin’ off himself!” She shot a grin at the pegasus. “You will continue your class like normal except…in the last fifteen minutes I will ask all of you to partake in a simple race! As a professional racer myself…I know that competition is the fuel for fervor and determination! The winner will receive a personal recommendation from me to Princess Celestia herself…and be added to the possible list of candidates of being…a future Wonderbolt!”

The class gasped and whispered among themselves. Rainbow caught Spitfire looking at her for a few seconds. Zephyr cleared his throat. “This doesn’t mean you’ll get any special treatment from me or any praise. I will continue to hammer into those thick bird-skulls of yours the fine art of flying!”

“Such a buzz kill, Z.” Spitfire jabbed his shoulder which got a mean glare from the pegasus. “But…this is your territory. You may begin.” She smiled sheepishly and took off.

Wow, Spitfire…why don’t I feel as excited as I should be? Dash tried to hold back the grief she was still feeling. She felt like bawling in front of everypony almost constantly…it was eating at her heart, but thankfully she was an expert at hiding these sorts of things. She wanted to return home to her very badly. This is important! I have to show Spitfire what I’m made of! I can’t…let everything Twilight has done for me be in vain!

“Rainbow!” Zephyr called her out. “Stop being star-struck and start your forty laps! No make it fifty!” Dash just nodded and took off.

She began her laps, but everything felt so empty. Her head was constantly in the clouds and couldn’t stop thinking about everything that happened last night. I can’t believe she got away…but…would I have killed her if Scootaloo hadn’t interfered. I would have killed her…what am I thinking? I have I completely lost it? It was all such a blur of fury and resentment. It felt like before…in that alleyway.

“Hey, Rainbow.” A voice to her left spoke. She turned her head…Spitfire was flying beside her. “You look awfully chipper.”

“Spitfire…” She said in awe. She shook her mind of the daze. “Uh…what’s going on?”

“What happened to your wings? I don’t remember them being so…glassy.”

“I don’t really want to talk about it right now…it’s a long, painful story.”

Spitfire was wearing her goggles so Dash couldn’t see any reaction in her eyes. “I understand. I want to wish you good luck in the little race...I know you won’t need it since you’ll trash all of those other pegasi…right?”

“Of course! I wasn’t even worried about it.”

“Good! Good. You know, I’m actually surprised you took up our offer. I figured you too proud to go back to pushing pencils and doing what others tell you.”

“You really underestimate how much I want to be with you guys. Though it seems, you never take me seriously anyway.”

“But we do, Rainbow! In fact…it’s one of the reasons I came here.”

Rainbow shot her a shocked look. “You don’t mean…”

“I’ll talk to you after the race, Rainbow.” She zipped away into the clouds.

A tiny spark was set off inside her. I have to prove myself to her…now more than ever! She sped up tremendously to finish her remaining laps.

*****

“Okay, whelps! I guess it’s time for you to participate in Spitfire’s fruity little race. So I’ll let her take over.” Everypony was back in line…all panting and exhausted from the workouts.

“Fruity, Z? Is that the best you got?” The two ponies glared at each other before she smiled at the line. “All right! Simple rules! It will be a four lap run around Cloudsdale which is about five miles per lap. Make sure you follow the special markers I’ve placed because if I see any of you try to cheat…well, you’ll be less than disqualified. Just remember to play fair, do your best and most of all…have fun with it!” She reared. “Okay! Follow me!” She took off into the air in a flash.

Everypony followed her to the starting line which was a gate with two lightning bolt-shaped clouds as poles. It was pretty big and easy to see. “Here we are! Look closely everypony. This is the marker.” She pointed a hoof to a cloud with a flag on it bearing the Wonderbolt symbol. “I trust you can see these. I placed one about every half-mile.” She looked at watch she had on. “Okay! This is a ten minute race…if none of you can finish in time…well, it would be disappointing. Everypony line up!”

All of them placed themselves at the starting line which had enough clouds to support them. This is easy…too easy. All of the pegasi were crouched ready for flight, but Rainbow was calmly standing there checking her hooves.

Spitfire lifted her hoof. “All right! Ready! Set…” Dash sighed and smiled. “Go!!” The Wonderbolt swung her hoof. Whoosh! Every pegasi including Dash zipped away in an instant. “Wow!” Spitfire chuckled.

Rainbow knew she couldn’t care about any of the other racers…she had to focus on those markers. She zipped past the first one and saw the next one dipped a little. It wasn’t going to be a completely horizontal race thankfully. She saw the next one dip even further. She tucked her wings slightly to her sides and dove straight down towards it. Next to this marker was an arrow pointing upward. She’s going to make me a Wonderbolt, I know it! This is it! Finally…finally. In the dive downward, she could feel the air bend around her in that familiar way. Before she could do a rainboom, she zipped back upward towards the next marker.

She continued to follow the markers…not once see anypony pass her. She couldn’t tell how far she was ahead, but in only a few minutes she had reached the finish line for the fourth time. It was too simple.

“Congratulations, Dash!” Spitfire commended her. “I would expect nothing less. You got here…” She checked her watch. “Five minutes and three seconds. Not bad!”

“It was nothing really.” Dash tucked her wings and pushed her mane out of her face.

“I feel bad for the others. Having to race against you of all ponies. I actually expected you to do a sonic rainboom at some point.”

“I was going to, but I didn’t…” Whoosh!

“Great job, Gray! Second place at five minutes and thirty seconds!”

She continued to call out names and times as each passed through. The last pony got close with only twenty seconds to spare.

“I want to congratulate all of you on an awesome race. I hope you all had fun…Rainbow Dash is our winner!” Everypony had mixed reactions. Some rolled eyes, some sighed, some cheered, and others didn’t react at all. “She’ll get the recommendation and be added to the list of candidates. Now we only have a few seconds left of your class so I won’t hold you any longer. I want to thank you all for playing…it was fantastic!”

After she was done, a couple of them left, but a lot of them stayed for autographs and whatnot. Rainbow remembered the promise of a talk and waited patiently for everypony to leave. I wish you were here, Twi… Every time she thought about it…it crushed her heart. She lied down on a nearby cloud as she waited. Her victory was empty…she buried her face in the cloud and did her best to hold back her tears.

A few minutes later, somepony tapped her shoulder. “You all right there, hotshot?” She recognized Zephyr’s voice. She pulled her head out of the cloud and nodded. She saw two others with him…Spitfire and…Jet?

“Good job on the race, Dash,” Dean Jet spoke. “It was much too easy for you, wasn’t it?”

“Uh…yeah, way too easy.” She perked up and tried to look confident.

“Dash…” Spitfire began. “Z told me about your wings as did Jet…They’re magical wings?” Rainbow nodded. “I’ve never seen it before…it’s truly amazing. Never before have I seen you go so fast with so little effort. I would be foolish to say I was faster than you…even Fleetfoot would have a tough time keeping up.” Spitfire approached the mare and place a hoof on her shoulder. “After the race…” Jet smiled at Rainbow…he seemed to know as much Dash what was coming. “I was going to make you into a bona fide Wonderbolt…” That smile faded quickly…Spitfire looked away and sighed. “But I don’t think I can…now.”

There was an awkward silence…Jet was the first to speak up. “What?! What do you mean?”

“I can’t make her into a Wonderbolt now that I know about her wings! Her speed is not her own, Jet!”

Zephyr was next to say something. “Spitfire…you can’t be saying that because she has magic wings that she doesn’t qualify!”

Dash was silent…she simply observed the three fight as she felt her whole soul sink…an eye constantly on her wings.

“Can you imagine the controversy? Many pegasi and unicorns still have a deep-rooted hatred for each other. The Wonderbolts are a pegasi-only tradition…to reveal that a unicorn was what got her in…”

“You can’t be serious…” Jet sighed. “You can’t just come out and crush her like this! Not again!”

“Jet! It’s not like that!” Spitfire was getting angry, but so was another mare. Rainbow felt it boiling in her chest. Dammit…Dammit! “I want her to be in more than anypony…”

“There’s always some excuse isn’t there, Spitfire?!” Dash yelled. She got the attention of all three ponies. They could see that glow in her eyes. “I’m too sloppy…I’ve got magic wings! It’s because of you that Twilight Sparkle now lies dead in some old dusty house! If you would have just taken me in before…and not sent me back home a wreck! She would have never offered to help me! She would still be alive!” Tears flung from her eyes as she vented. The three ponies didn’t know how to react…they couldn’t tell if she was being truthful or delusional.

Zephyr whispered, “Twilight’s dead?”

“Screw this! Screw all of you! I knew it was a stupid idea in the first place. I knew I should have just stayed in Ponyville…I knew I should have appreciated what I had…instead of chasing after some stupid goal!”

“Dash…you have to understand…” Spitfire tried to explain.

She gritted her teeth. “Just shut up!! It doesn’t matter what I do, does it?! The world will always be unsatisfied with me!” She crouched as a magical aura surrounded her. She shot directly upward into the sky. Boom! In about two seconds, she flew fast enough to scar the sky in brilliant colors.

*****

“Nurse?”

“Yes, what is it, Grinder?”

“How long am I going to be stuck here anyway?”

“It’s going to be a few weeks. You got pretty banged up. We don’t want you flying with those things for a while.”

He groaned. “I’m going to lose it!”

“Well, next time don’t pick a fight with one of the elements of harmony, all right?” The nurse rolled her eyes as she left him.

“Elements of Harmony…pfft!”

“That’s what I said…” Grinder heard a voice from the other side of the room.

“Huh? Who’s there?” He scanned the room for anypony…then he saw her. “Y-You!”

The mare who approached him laughed softly. “Yeah…me…I just came to pay my respects…”

“Get away from me, you freak!”

“Is that how you talk to the lover of Rainbow Dash? You don’t want her to break those precious wings of yours again, do you?”

“Lover? You sick little…gah!”

“I think it’s time for you to sleep…forever.”

End of Act 2

Comments

[Lelouch Vi Britania]

well damn.....that got dark real fast. so midnight's discord and nightmare moons child? thats got to be one of hell of a grudge. heres hoping that twilight can be saved, if not.....

[Sirius Dreams]

I see you pony killing, and raise you one suicide pill! lol, jk
Great chapter and all, but not really the emotion that I would see Rainbow with. Then again, that's just me. Can't wait for Act 3!

[Pwnytown]

well i was enjoying it until Twilight died....was getting good too.

[PiercingZen]

840797 Aww, disliked too? Story's not over yet.

[repivemag]

Oh hey look that massive cliff has a hanger. Only thing I have to say is that Dash seems sort of emotionally bipolar at times, which is understandable considering all that's happened to her, however it makes her rather inconsistent as a character. Or maybe that's just me not liking conflicted Dash cause it makes me sad. Looking forward to Act 3.

[Pwnytown]

Heh I tend to get biased when it comes to Twilight. Here's my thumbs up on the hopes for an awesome next chapter from your intriguing comment

[PiercingZen]

841210 Twilight's my favorite...I wouldn't let her go out like that. I knew I would stir something with this chapter, but there's still time to make things right.

[Lostzilla]

twilight's death doint make me cry but tear me up,....oh god
i'm really sad right now..
...
...
keep the good work, updade soon please..
...
...oh god..

[Grif_Bladefeather]

does midnight really think the lelement of magic went down so fast? should she learn that her power pales to the moon or the sun?

[Cursed Ship]

There's a fairly obvious clue Twilight is still alive: Dash still has wings...

[∀]

Alright, hold on, let me make sure I have this right. Twilight gets turned to stone and is considered dead, while the perpetrator escapes, injured but alive. Rainbow then drops Scootaloo off at Ponyville and... goes to class like normal? Really? Not gonna, I don't know, tell anyone about this, or try to get help, or hunt down the killer, or anything? Really? Really? She's not even gonna move the body?

[PiercingZen]

842085 ...okay yeah good point. I guess that is pushing it a little. That is pretty sloppy on my part. I think I'll have to rewrite this.

[PiercingZen]

All right. As a response to ∀'s comment, I made some changes to raise the chapter's believability a little. I added more the ends of two sections: After Dash/Scoot return home and after Dash leaves Scoot at the library. Hopefully it covers some plot-holes and makes Dash less dense (actually maybe more dense but we'll see).

[tubaguy]

Well, you actually did it. You actually got me to shed a tear. And it wasn't at twi's death, it was when dash was rejected. Also, you opened a MONSTER plot hole. Twilight was fueling dashes wings. How are they still there?

[PiercingZen]

842699 Hm...

[sum41stoner]

842756
*hops around in a circle saying 'Twilight's still alive!' repeatedly*

[Pleaseworkforonce]

silly midnight one does not simply kill the most powerful unicorn there is (i always wondered where she scales against Luna and Celestia)
now you may have opened a window for her to be corrupted by the nightmare (if the authors using the nightmare and a entity that is)

[Daring Cammie Do]

Ya know, I don't really care that Grinder is going to die but Twilight...