Iris Rising: Dreamfall (retcon planned)

by hujan86

HER WORLD SLIPS AWAY (PROLOGUE) - revised

Author's Note:

1. The idea of a human Rainbow Dash not managing to live her dream job came from this fancomic by Garretthegarret. Unfortunately, his DeviantArt account was deactivated as of mid-2014.
2. Human Rainbow Dash as a brunet idea also came from the aforementioned artist's fancomics.
3. Iris = Rainbow Dash; Twilight Sarah = Twilight Sparkle; April-Jeannette = Applejack; Dorothy = Rarity; Felicity = Pinkie Pie; Vanessa = Fluttershy; Skyler = Scootaloo.
3. Gensville = Ponyville; Canterbury = Canterlot; Paragon = Crystal Empire; Skydale = Cloudsdale

Iris Dashiell, or Dash as she preferred to be called, exited the gate to the Equestrian Royal Army’s Paragon base. The dejected brunet looked back at the place one last time, knowing that she will never return to the air force. Only in her early twenties, Dash joined the air force for a mere few years until she was discharged for disciplinary misconduct.

Later on, Dash went on to rent the cheapest apartment she could afford. For some unknown reasons, she refused to return to Gensville, the place where she had spent her whole teenage years. For days, she just sat huddled on the bed fully depressed, whimpering until her eyes were swollen red. The air force was supposed to be her ticket to join the Thunderbolts. Now that dream was shattered because she did something horribly wrong. With no other goals in place, she was completely lost on what do to with her life.

***

Back in Gensville, someone has intruded into the Dashiell residence. Within the semi-darkness, the unknown intruder picked up one of the many envelopes piled under the mail-slotted door and opened it. The envelope was addressed from the Equestrian Royal Air Force. In it was an error-corrected copy of Dash’s military discharge certificate.

Later, the same intruder studied a row of framed photographs on a desk in the living room. A ten-year old Dash, whose look was so different back then- a mousy and gawky kid, and perhaps a bit underweight, appeared together with several different people. One of them is Garrett, her deceased father. He and Dash looked so much alike. In a way, Dash is the female image of Mr. Dashiell.

In another photo, Dash is seen with the Peters. The mother and daughter, the latter named Skyler, are close friends to the Dashiell family, even before they moved to Gensville. Both families originated from the same hometown- Skydale.

The rest depicts her schoolmates and ‘Best Friends Forever’: Twilight Sarah Parkeigh, April-Jeannette Appleby, Dorothy Sparklett, Felicity Diane Hart and Vanessa Kedrick. They were always together with Dash on many occasions, in and outside school.

The last photograph showed Dash posing in front of a F/A-6 Griffin Strike Fighter. Scribbled at the bottom corner of the photo is Canterbury Air Show 2010 in Dash’s own handwriting. The locally-built canard, delta-winged fighter jet is standard issue for the Equestrian Royal Air Force and the Thunderbolts Team. This is what Dash would have learned to pilot had she not screw her chance.

After looking at the last photos, the figure went upstairs. In the bedroom where Dash used to sleep in, a framed poster of the Thunderbolts was seen hung up on the wall. It depicted three blue colored F/A-6s, with stylized yellow thunderbolt emblem on its tails and wings, soaring behind a rising sun in the background.

The intruder moved to examine the bookcase. The shelves are filled with various aviation magazines, Adventurous Abby novels, flight simulation game DVDs and some Thunderbolts merchandises. One particular shelf caught the intruder’s interest- Dash’s personal diaries, all secured by a tiny lock.

***

Dash stood at the ledge of a vertical rock cliff, gazing down into the gorge. At the bottom, she could see a raging stream, thick woodlands lining its stony banks. She had second thoughts on what she is about to do next. She inhaled sharply then shut her eyes to put herself in deep thought for a few seconds. Finally reaching a resolution, Dash opened her eyes.

“This is it,” she muttered. “I’m gonna make the jump.”

Comments

[Muranuse]

Wow... That escalated quickly!

[Titan Commander Sebaste]

No Dashie, don't do it!
Also, you have my attention!

[Shadow Quill]

You have my attention. I look forward to reading more, so I will be adding this book to my libraries.

See you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.