End of the Beginning: Darkness Falls

by NerdyByrd

Mysterious Sickness

Beep... beep... beep.

Those were the sounds that Rainbow Dash heard just moments before opening her eyes. She shivered. She never understood why the hospital was so cold. Rainbow Dash sat up to get a better look at her surroundings. White walls and bright lights. Common. Rainbow Dash tried to stand up, but then she heard voices.

"Well Felix, what's wrong with her!"

Mom, she thought.

"I don't know. Some mysterious sickness."

Felix.

"Rainbow Dash gonna be alright."

Lighting.

"Of course."

Dad.

"I really hope she's okay."

Spitfire.

Rainbow Dash stood up, and began to slowly make her way to the door. She cracked the door open. Her family was there, so was Spitfire. Rainbow Dash stood there watched them for a moment, then she began to return to her bed. As soon as she looked at her bed, a shiver went down her spine. Rainbow Dash was still in bed.

But how?!

She turn back around and a young colt stood in front of her. Mane, tail, and coat was almost completely black, except for a strip of rainbow. He was also an Alicorn.

"Run Rainbow Dash, run", he cried.

Rainbow Dash looked up and saw a black wave coming straight for her. She couldn't help it. She froze. And the wave slammed down on top of her.

***

Rainbow Dash jerked up, almost falling off the bed. She was in the hospital. And somepony was their with her.

"Rainbow Dash", a young stallion said kindly," It's me. Twister."

Rainbow Dash looked up and found the light brown Pegasus standing over the bed. His dark brown mane and tail with a purple tint was in it's usual unkempt hairdo, sticking up every which way. His cutie mark was a tornado. He had grey eyes, but they weren't stone grey eyes. They were a soft grey. A kind grey. Rainbow Dash smiled up at him.

"Hello Twister", she whispered.

"Hello Dashie", Twister replied in the quite tone.

Rainbow Dash immediately try to get out of the bed, but Twister stopped her. She gave him a very confused look.

"You're sick", Twister whispered. He suddenly grew very serious," They don't know what's wrong with you."

Rainbow Dash let out a whimper. That was something you didn't want to wake up hearing. To comfort her, Twister sat her up and wrapped his wing around her. Twister's wing felt more like a blanket; covering almost every part of her. His wings were much bigger than normal Pegasi. Rainbow Dash was pretty sure his wings were as big as Celestia's. So how, he manages to compact them when he folds them up, making them smaller then they really were. This baffled Rainbow Dash. She could never figured out how he did it.

"So what now", Rainbow Dash asked curiously.

"You go back to Ponyville", Twister said,keeping a quiet manner," But I'm coming with you. The doctors wanna make sure that you don't overwork yourself."

"What about my family?!"

Rainbow Dash just saw them, she didn't want to leave them right away.

"Don't worry. You know how the next Grand Galloping Gala is coming up", Twister said while a huge grin spread across his face.

Rainbow Dash nodded.

"Well, they're going. In fact, all your friends and family are going!"

"Really", Rainbow Dash asked excitedly.

"Really", Twister confirmed.

A smile spread across her face. The Grand Galloping Gala was in three days. Three days! That wasn't long at all. Rainbow Dash couldn't wait! Then sudden sorrow filled her heart. Before she could see her family again she had to leave them first. She wasn't quiet ready to leave them, not yet anyways. Rainbow Dash waved Twister over to help her off the bed. She trotted out of the hospital with Twister by her side.

They made the journey down to the train station. Everypony said there good byes, but one certain light brown colt was crying. Lightning. He wasn't Rainbow Dash favorite sibling, because she loved all her siblings equally. Although, at the same time she hang out lot with Lightning, and Lightning looked up to her. Kind of like Scootaloo. Rainbow Dash lean down gave Lightning a hug. She felt like she was gonna start crying too. Shadow had a very displeased look on her face

"For Celestia sake, go with her", Shadow blurted out.

"Really", Lighting asked sniffling. He looked up at Mom and Dad for permission. Dad looked up at Mom.

"It will only be three days", Dad pouted, trying to win Rainbow Dash's mother over. He was cool like that.

"Fine", mom said with a exasperated sigh," But after the Gala is over you're coming straight home!"

"Yay", Lightening cried, extremely thrilled with this idea.

"See you soon Dashie", her Dad said gleefully.

"Bye", Rainbow Dash responded, trying to old back her tears. She hadn't seen her family in so long. She was probably a tad younger than Scootaloo when she first went to Flight School. The first year, her dad move into an apartment in Cloudsdale she could go, but the cost was too much for her family to handle. So, they sent Rainbow Dash to go live with a good friend of theirs, since their friend was moving to Cloudsdale. At first, she visited them every time she got the chance, but as Rainbow Dash got older, her job and being the Element of Loyalty took up most of her time. Now that she was a Wonderbolt, almost all her time was taken up. Rainbow Dash slumped down into her seat.

"So how long I been out", she asked.

Twister was about to answer, but another voice interrupted him.

"A couple hours or so", Soarin answered. He was sitting right in front of her.

"But how", Rainbow Dash puzzled," Train shouldn't be back until three more days."

"Your friend managed to get the train to come early", Spitfire replied. She stopped and gave Twister a questioning look," Never caught your name."

"Twister. I just wanted to help. It was nothing", Twister said modestly.

"Well, it was a very helpful nothing", Spitfire declared," Thank you."

"Hey Lightening, you're coming too", Fleetfoot asked.

"Yup", Lightening said, nodding his head vigorously.

Rainbow Dash peered out the window, running over what's happened so far. The wall, the dark figure, the sickness... Smoke. It's all been a little scary for her. Rainbow Dash wished she could close her eyes and forget everything. Hopefully, things will only get better.

Hopefully.

***

Rainbow Dash, Twister, and Lightening flew up to her cloud home. The Wonderbolts left to go home, but, to Rainbow Dash dismay, Spitfire said Rainbow Dash should take a day off. Rainbow Dash open the door, inviting her guest inside. She curled up on her couch, while Twister placed his suitcase under the coffee table that sat in front the couch. Lightening jumped around, trying to take everything in at once. Then, Lightening spotted Tank hanging out on the floor.

"Is that your pet", Lightening asked.

"Yes. His name is Tank. He's a tortoise", Rainbow Dash answered.

"He's cool", Lightening said picking Tank up.

"Be gentle with him", Rainbow Dash cautioned.

"Okay."

"So", Twister began", Will I be sleeping on the couch?"

Rainbow Dash gave a sad smile," Sorry, I just don't have any other place for you to sleep."

"It's okay", Twister said with a wide smile," If I have to, I sleep on the floor. Clouds are naturally soft anyway."

Rainbow Dash could help, but let a snicker escape. Rainbow Dash got up and headed for the room. She grabbed a pillow and a blanket for Twister, and caught Lightening in the kitchen. Lightening was feeding Tank a strawberry that he got from the fridge.

"Hey, it's getting late kiddo", Rainbow Dash warned.

"Okay", Lightening said in defeat.

Rainbow Dash gave Twister the pillow and blanket, and ushered Lightening in her bedroom. She laid Tank down on a pillow beside the bed. Rainbow Dash worried a little that Tank might get squished, now that there are two ponies sleeping in the bed. She watched her brother chest rise and fall, slowly became rhythmic. Rainbow Dash reached out, touching his coat. Brushing Lightening's mane out of his face. After a while, she began to get drowsy. Rainbow Dash snuggled her face into Lightening's side, feeling happy to have her brother. Feeling happy not to be so alone in her home anymore.

Feeling like her home was finally home.

***

Rainbow Dash was just standing there in the darkness when a voice rang out.

"Hello?"

Rainbow Dash looked around to find the source of the voice. A colt perhaps, but nopony was there. She tried to answer, but another colt replied instead, and they each went back and forth between each other.

"Go away!"

"I just want to help."

"Nopony wants your stupid help!"
.
"But you're so lonely."

"Thanks to you, I am!"

"Lunimist, you can't hide forever."

"I know Moonstone, but can't run forever either."

"We need help."

"Yeah, but who?"

Rainbow Dash wondered about these colts. What was going on? Suddenly, the smell of smoke filled her nose. But, it didn't smell like wood burning, it smelled like toast. Toast?

***

"Lightening, what are you doing?!"

Rainbow Dash be aroused by Twister's frantic cry. She got up and went to kitchen. To her surprise, more or less, the room was filled with smoke. Lightening was leaning over the toaster, with two black pieces of... toast?

"Must be Monday", Lightening said with a shrug," I always burn toast on Mondays."

Twister raised his eyebrow. Rainbow Dash just shook her head.

"Hey, why don't we grab a bite at Sugar Cube Corner", Rainbow Dash suggested, trying to get Lightening away from the toaster before he burns down the cloud house.

If that was even possible.

After a short flight, the land in the middle of Ponyville. A place where it was also bustling of some type of activity. The markets were up and running, the gardens were being tended, and everypony seemed to have a smile on their face. They walked into Sugar Cube Corner, Rainbow Dash was famished. Just as they took a seat, Pinkie Pie popped up. Crap, I forgot Pinkie Pie worked her, Rainbow Dash silently scolded herself, just as Pinkie Pie let out a gigantic gasp.

"Rainbow Dash", Pinkie Pie shouted, and Rainbow Dash was sure everypony was staring at them right that second," I thought you were gone forever, and you were never, ever, ever coming back, or kidnapped, or you hurt, or you disappeared off the face of Equestria, but now you're back it is so exciting, we need a 'Rainbow Dash Hasn't Been Kidnapped And She's Back Home' party, because I missed you so, so, so, so, so much, I mean everypony has missed you, but the fact is that missed you, and you didn't tell me where you were going, and I was all alooooooone!"

Pinkie sat trying to catch her breath, while Twister was in some type of shock from Pinkie's melt down. Lightening, on the other hoof, was impressed about how Pinkie was able to say all of that in one breath.

"That was cool! How did you do that?"

"Practice", Pinkie cried proudly, some how gaining her breath back in a couple of seconds. You could spend your whole life with Pinkie Pie, but she always find a way of surprising you.

"Well Pinkie", Rainbow Dash said slowly," I went on a mission for the Wonderbolts, and we were attacked, but I am okay, except I am a little sick, so I am taking a day off from work."

"Okie-dokie-pokie", Pinkie said, obviously satisfied with Rainbow Dash's answer," Now, what would like?"

"A Chocolate-Peanut Cheesecake and three Chocolate Crème Filled Doughnuts", Rainbow Dash order. It seemed weird to eat at a sweet shop for breakfast, but the food was just that good.

"Coming right up", Pinkie sang as she hopped away behind the counter.

"That's you're... friend", Twister asked.

"Yeah", Rainbow Dash said with a laugh," She can be a little too much at times."

Twister laid a hoof across his chest," A little too much? I think she gave me a heart attack!"

Rainbow Dash busted out laughing. Twister frowned at first, but he started laughing too. Lightening was leaning over the table, looking for something... or somepony.

"When is she coming back", Lightening asked," I like her."

"I bet you do", Rainbow Dash agreed, knowing how hyper Lightening can be.

Pinkie reappeared in front of their eyes with a tray of food balancing on her head. She sat it down, and began to swarm Rainbow Dash with question.

"Rainbow Dash, where have you been? What mission did you have? Is that your little brother? Who attacked you? What is your sickness? Is it the feather flu, because if it is, I don't think you and your coltfriend should be that close to-"

Rainbow Dash began to choke on a bite of cheesecake.

"Who told you that Twister was my coltfriend", Rainbow Dash demanded. She could feel the heat in her cheeks as the word was being said again.

"Oh I don't, I just have a hunch that you like each other, so I assumed", Pinkie said.

Lightening gave a devilish smile," Twister and Rainbow Dash sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-."

Rainbow Dash quickly shoved a doughnut in his mouth.

"Well, you're wrong Pinkie! Me and Twister are not a couple!", Rainbow Dash stated firmly.

Actually, Twister and Rainbow Dash both liked each other. It was that they never got around to dating, mostly because Rainbow Dash left town.

"But, the narrator gave all those clues", Pinkie whisper to herself.

"The narr- what", Rainbow Dash asked confused.

"Nothing", Pinkie Pie said all too quickly," Bye!" Then she bolted behind the counter.

"That was very awkward and very strange", Twister said.

"Forget it", Rainbow Dash said shaking her head," Eat your doughnut."

Comments

[MrEditor]

Pinke-buster's!!! When there's a fourth wall break, and you don't know why, who you gonna call, PINKE-BUSTER'S!!!

[MrEditor]

Rainbow, "Life is Strange"!!!

[MrEditor]

7441408 You to Twister.