The Magick of Friendship: Spark of Something New

by Harmony Spirit

Ch20: Fire in the Sky

Rainbow Dash was looking rather depressed lately, following the play. She was not talkative, and was evasive toward all her friends. Gilda remembered seeing this from her when Applejack, Twilight, and Dash had split as friends. She knew the reason for it this time, as she had felt a bit of it herself. The play stirred a part of the past up, and it was affecting Dash badly. Only Pinkie Pie knew what the two had gone through so many years ago. The only one of their new friends in on that which could knock the wind out of the highest flyers in Ponyville's wings.

The Magick of Friendship Chapter 20: Fire in the Sky

Gilda had managed to get her friend to go out to Apple Cider's to actually socialize, it took a lot of muscle and effort but she won out over the stubborn mare. Thanks to some help from her own mare, Pinkie.

Dash hunched in the booth, as Gilda and Pinkie sat across from her. Gilda was balling up some napkins and flicking them at the pegasus. This caused the pink pony beside her to giggle, only encouraging her to do it more. It was not the time to cuddle Dash, Gilda felt she needed something to snap her out of it and some annoyance would do it, with luck.

She grew an evil smile after she found a wicked idea, and knew Pinkie would love to join in.

Outside, Twilight, Keese and Spike were coming to the diner when something caught the dragon's eye. "Is that Raibow Dash?"

The figure was shadowy from the sun behind, but had some looks like the mentioned mare. It came in closer, and landed a few tails away.

It was a pink pegasus pony, and she dressed in something like a uniform though very loosely worn and a few years out dated. An open light pink jacket with deep blue shoulders and a pair of blue Thunder bolts over her heart. Under the coat, was a blue zip up top that hung low on her neck and chest. She had a loosely worn yellow scarf, hanging evenly around her neck. Blue pants came down most her legs, cut off by leg guards on the lower section of the limbs in a deeper blue than the rest, with two straps holding them in place. The look finished off with a pair of gloves in the same shade, fingerless. While her coat was a pinkish hue, not so much like that of Pinkie Pie, but a faded shade. Her mane and tail long and wild, were both lighter blue than her clothing.

She seemed to be looking around for something, as she scanned the area. Her strong purple eyes fell onto Twilight, and she called out. "HEY!"

Twilight pointed at herself, and the other nodded. So she took it as a sign to go to her.

She did not get very far, before the other started talking again. "Hey Babe, you know a pegasus in this town named Rainbow Dash?"

"Babe?" Twilight asked herself. "Yes," She said aloud. "I do, she is one of my best friends"

She took a step toward Twilight, and pumped her fist in the air. "Radical! Where can I find her?"

"Can I ask who is seeking her?" She was feeling a little nervous of this new pony, and was not about to throw Dash into some trouble.

The other slapped a heavy hoof onto Twilight's shoulder. "Chill, it's cool, I ain't after her or nothing. Like, I don't wanna ruin the surprise, you know?" She grinned at Twilight. "So let's just say, ‘I'm a blast from her past'" She laughed at her own words, Twilight did not see the humor, but gave a weak laugh attempt.

"Well I can go get her, she should be over at Apple Cider's, Gilda said she--" The other cut her off, as her ears perked at the mention of Gilda. "No way! Major! G?!" She seemed excited. "Awesome to the max! Was like hoping that old finch was still flying with Rain. Wicked!"

The Unicorn was studying the other as she did not seem to act very mature, especially since she seemed to be a good few years older. Her dialect seemed to be the only thing aged about her. "Yeah... I will go see if she will come out..."

She made her way to Apple Cider's, glancing back a couple times at the other who was cracking jokes with Spike. She felt a bit bad for the dragon, leaving him with the strange pony.

Inside; Rainbow Dash had slumped down onto the table laying there as a pile of little paper balls and various things were piled on top of her.

"I see your pepper, and raise a creamer" Pinkie said, as she and Gilda had started a game.

"What..." She came up pausing in her speech, seeing the sight. "...are you two doing?" Twilight asked, stopping just beyond the booth. Spike was coming in, getting away with Keese on his shoulder. The Protector still only spoke to Twilight, but she was hoping that he would warm up to others. It was not a magick thing, but his choice.

"Try'n to piss Dash off so she'd get out of this funk" Gilda said, plopping a couple more creamers on the structure. Not even looking at it. She had a big grin on her face, mirrored by Pinkie Pie.

Twilight was starting to wonder who was becoming more like whom, as she rubbed her head. "Well, somepony wants to see you Rainbow. Said something about being 'A blast from your past'"

"Don't care" Dash said flatly, very buried.

"I said I would come get you" She took on a look of concern holding up her hooves, a display lost on the other pony who could not see if she cared.

"Looks like you lied. We can't be all good"

Twilight concerned deepened, she decided to try some of that attitude that she, the Gryphon, and the mysterious mare all had. "Come on, maybe she's look'n to race ya Rain"

Gilda whipped her head to look at Twilight, and Dash flung her eyes open wide. "Uh... what? Not me?" Twilight panicked not sure why they were staring at her, getting very nervous.

"Rain..." Dash said. She sat up all the stuff falling off her and everywhere. "Why did you say that? You've never called me just 'Rain'" She was looking dangerously serious.

"Just... what the pegasus outside called you, thought it sounded kind of... radical?"

Dash shot out of her seat, and rushed past her to the exit. Gilda quickly did the same grabbing Twilight on her way. "Only one who's called her that" She said, as she hurried her along. “Only one you’d get such an old term from, either”

By the time they were outside, they could hear Dash yelling. "How dare you come back here, after leaving us alone!" She seemed not very far from giving the other one of her strongest strikes. "We needed you, and you abandoned us!"

"Rain, chill, I didn't abandon you" The other lost much of her good spirits and was now trying to calm Dash down.

Tears were in the blue pony’s eyes now. "Then what do you call it? Me and Gilda were all alone, lost everything, and the one pony left in our lives just goes off on some stupid adventure. I use to look up to you Firefly” She looked down, fist tight. “That carefree attitude, and do what you want life! You have to take responsibilities, no matter how much you want to do it your own way!"

"Rain-" She tried to speak, but Dash cut her off. "No! Don't call me that, only my sister can call me that and she was gone with the rest of the family"

The other grabbed her. "DASH!! Listen damn it! I had a reason to leave, I knew you two totally would take care of your selves" Rainbow Dash broke out of the hold. "You two were tough, even then"

Twilight noticed Gilda was not nearly as angry as Dash was, but she was just as upset. Pinkie seemed to understand it too, and was holding the gryphon close to her.

"I couldn't stand thinking they were all gone Dash, I couldn't accept it! You snapped, and Gilda was devastated. It was hellacious, I couldn't leave things like that, I had to find them. There was one missing and I knew that more than us three survived..."

Dash turned away, looking to the ground. "I was there, I saw the bodies..."

"You count them?" She tried to look her back in the eyes.

She whipped around. "Count them?! How morbid are you?! Our Family was gone, and you want to practice your counting?!"

The other grumbled. "Dash... you're upset, I can feel that. I would totally be... if I didn't know. But listen to me, I-" Dash cut her off again, having a shorter fuse with her. "Why? Gone for nearly half my life and return now? Want a heroes' welcome?"

The other clenched her firsts. "Rainbow Dash! Stop being such a brat, and listen to me! We're not the only ones left!"

She stopped for a moment. "What do you mean?" Dash looked at her with suspicion.

"I told you, there was one body short” She relaxed, seeing her sister finally listening. “I left to find them, find her... Thanks to the help of some of the investigators” She paused, thinking back on the events. “It hurt to pick through our home and family’s ashes, but it had to be done Dash. I didn't want you to go through it, and I didn't want you to have hope for a chance that may not even like be there. You know?" She looked to be in a lot of pain in her mind, reliving what she spoke of. "I found out who it was that was missing. I've been on the hunt for her for all this time, I found her Dash... I found our little sister..." She was now getting teary eyed, trying to smile through the pain.

Gilda broke out in tears with them at the revelation. Pinkie gasped with Twilight, Keese, and Spike still in the dark.

"Y-you found... She's alive?!" Dash cried out. "Firefly... I'm so sorry... I didn't know you... you should have told me!" She grabbed the other pegasus, holding her by the shoulders shaking her as she trembled herself.

"Told us" Gilda said, now moving closer to them.

The one clearly now called Firefly, looked at her. "G... you..." She seemed to gain a new sadness in her eyes and weakening smile. "You look so much like your Brother did"

The gryphon stumbled in her steps, being knocked back by the reminder. "Damn it Fire..." She looked away.

"I'm sorry, but you know what he meant to me. Seeing you now... I'm sorry"

Dash did not let them have the moment, and gripped her older sister's coat tighter. "Where is she?!"

***

The three winged ones, minus Keese, took off. Twilight and the others opted to stay behind, as the moment belonged to them. Firefly led on, with Dash and Gilda very close behind. Though they wanted to be reunited with their lost past, none of them could move fast as they could normally, too much weighed on their hearts and minds.

They started to descend; the two following had found it odd that she was not going into the clouds, but as they neared their destination they found why. They were getting closer to Everfree, but more precisely, they were going toward Fluttershy's house.

Firefly answered the unasked question. "I was so blown away to find your little friend Fluttershy was out here. I heard you two had gone to Ponyville, and so I like came here to find you" She paused shortly, as they neared the ground. "I found her first, and it was pretty good, considering. She was so stoked to watch her for me"

They landed just beyond the little bridge that arched over a small stream. "That pony of hers is totally cute, and funny. Paw, or something like that"

Dash nodded, as they moved toward the house. She was not really paying attention as a piece of her about to come back, when she never thought she would ever see her again. The resident knew they were there, and came out to greet them. "Hello" She looked at Gilda and coward a bit.

"Relax, I ain't here to bite ya" She tried to reassure, but was not too successful. Gilda knew she would have to prove to her someday she was changed, and though the pegasus had seen a better side of the gryphon. Like Pinkie before, Gilda did something pretty mean to her too. She hoped to find some way to undo that.

Dash moved closer. "Where is she?" Any other day, Gilda might have made the crack about "You are sure in a hurry today, more than usual"

Fluttershy nodded toward the house, and out stepped Playful Paws. "Damn, you changed" Gilda joked this time, feeling the need to lighten the mood in some way.

"Funny" He said with a smile, moving aside gently pushing a little filly out into the open.

She was in ragged looking cloths, and looking even more timid than Fluttershy. Her coat was a cloudy blue-white, and her hair was clear sign she was related to Dash. Not as bright as the older mare, but was a rainbow of colours. The oddest features were her wings, as they were bandaged up.

The little pegasus looked up with eyes a bit distant, seeing her sisters and Gilda seem to bring her back from where ever she was. "Ra-RayRay?" She softly asked.

"CC!" Rainbow Dash cried out galloping to her, and scooping her up into a tight hug. "I... I can't believe it..." She was bawling out now, collapsing to the ground on her knees holding her little sister close.

The others all looked on, watching the two hug so tight. They did not care what was going on around them, they were reunited and that was all they cared for. No one there could hold back the tears from the moment. Seeing a pony that seemed to care for so little and was rash and harsh at times, reunited with one of the few things she deeply cared for.
Gilda wanted to join them for she cared nearly as much for the filly as the pegasus does, but she was not related to her so it did not feel right too. The scene caused memories flooded her mind of her own brother, which had been a long time now since he was gone.

Firefly could sense her pains and share in some herself. Gilda looked so much like her brother, and with all the emotions, was hard not to think of him. She loved both Gilda and her brother so she put her arms around the Gryphon, and pulled her close with no resistance. "I miss him too Gilda..."

Fluttershy and Playful Paws looked on the two groups, feeling all the weight of their sorrow. Little did they know, that none of them ever true allowed themselves to grieve over the events long ago. Fluttershy did not really know about what happen till Firefly came to her door. She had gone to Ponyville, around the time of the incident so she never learned of her lost history.

***

The ponies gathered at Apple Cider's. AJ closed it off for one of the few times so the Pegasus could go on uninterrupted. Rainbow Dash had gathered her closest friends, and some of theirs. In all it was herself, Gilda, Firefly and Cloud Chaser. Outside the Cloudsdale family was Applejack, Twilight, Fluttershy and Playful Paws, Spike, Apple Bloom, and Rarity, the ponies closest to those who lived in Ponyville. Pinkie Pie had joined them she already knew the tale but wanted to be there for Gilda.

Dash felt like she was putting on another play with all the audience. "Ok, this ain't some little mare's tale. Hard enough doing this in front of you all, but you ponies... and dragon” She added for Spike. “Need to know, since you all have become important to me in some way"

"There is this move, I've only managed to do once" She paused. "Then again after what happened, I could never bring myself to do it again. I called it a 'Sonic Rainboom' and when I pulled it of the first time... So much happened that day, I defended Fluttershy," She motioned to the pegasus. "I discovered how much I love to race and how badly I want to win, and even my got Cutie Mark" For a moment she was excited, recalling all the good things she had nearly forgotten about. The reasons she had forgotten then also came back, and darkened her mood again. "It was such a great day, I was so happy but when I raced home to tell my family..."

-Many years ago, in the clouds around Cloudsdale-

A blue Pegasus filly flew toward the cloudy home where her family would be, she was looking proud and so happy. Her whole world changed, her cutie mark, the awesome move, and no longer would she be called "Rainbow Crash" after blowing those boys a way. When she made it there she found it was gone, only a trail of smoke leading down to the ground.

Her mood changed to confusion as she flew down to investigate, only to find the burning remains of the home, ruined and hardly recognizable. There was a small gryphon in the wreckage, trying to find anything but she stopped and looked at her friend tears in her eyes.

"Dash... you're alive!" She cried out.

"Gilda... w-what happened?" She found it hard to move, taking it all in.

The gryphon came over, and hugged to her. "I don't know, there was a huge boom and this rainbow wave, and shortly after that was some strange pony. I think it was a unicorn. It had a horn, but its eyes were glowing not its horn” Recalling it all, her breath started to pick up, as the emotions built. She fought them back, so she could finish. “Next I knew, the cloud blew up and a fire started. It destroyed the cloud, and sent everything down here. I've tried finding any one, but so far..." Her words became harder to say. "I've... only..." She lost her control and cried hard into her friend's chest, the other was still in shock and stood there. "Everyone is dead..." Gilda finally got out, if barely audible.

Rainbow Dash looked onto the ashes of her home, her family; she lost all her feelings, and was standing there as gone as her family. She had risen to the top only to have it all crash down on her. A filly hardly old enough to deal with the death of a pet, now stood with her only friend, the only one left in the world with the knowledge that she had no one left.

Gilda was not any better off as her brother had died not many years ago, he and the Pegasus family was all she had, since they escaped to Ponyville. The Gryphon Wars had torn much of their Empire apart, and she lost her family long before she even had memories to remember. She was able to go on because of the support of the family she had here, but now she had nothing but the pony she cried on, just as she was all that the filly had now.

-Back in Apple Cider's-

"I learned that Firefly hadn't been home, and she came to find me but I was completely gone at that point. I guess she went home, and found it all..." Dash finished, she looking distant.

Firefly looked at her and then the others. "I first found what happened, and searched the rubble for anypony, but I found only..." She paused a moment. "What was left... So bogus. But three were missing, Dash, G, and Cloud" She looked at the littlest of the surviving sisters. "I don't know how but she wasn't there, and so I left Rain and G and made a crazy journey to find Cloud Chaser. I don't know what happened that day, our home totally destroyed, family killed, and somehow Cloud was sent miles away. She was at some hellacious orphanage when I found her and as you can see, her wings are a totally messed up. She hasn't really told me why"

The little filly looked away. She, like all there, had tears in her eyes. Hers were a mixture of it all, and her own unique pains. Rainbow Dash hugged to her.

"We're all sisters, and we've lost so much," Firefly started. "But we have each other now"

Twilight and Applejack moved closer, the latter putting her arm around the former. All the others were quiet.

"You all have us too" Twilight pointed out, after a moment. "Maybe it does not replace what was taken... but we still love you Dash and Gilda" Pinkie nodded at that. "And you two are equally welcome" She said, to include the younger and older sisters.

***

In the days after her return Firefly seem to take on her normal personality; something like Rainbow Dash but in ways, worse. With her heavily dated collection of words, she seemed a bit lost in the era she grew up in. She was far more free spirited, and wild. She had managed to pull several pegasus in racing her. Was like seeing Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie combined, giving the image Pinkie with wings having no limits to her range.

Rainbow Dash seemed to change too; she was focused on her youngest sister, spending all her time with the filly and she even managed to help her learn to fly again. The story behind her wings was kept between them, but the lessons seem to bond the two sisters again. Cloud Chaser even was showing a new side. She started to spend time with Fluttershy, finding a kindred spirit in her. They shared a love for animals, and was not long till the little one started to warm up to others. Becoming quick friends with Spike, who helped her get to know Apple Bloom.

She was still nearly as shy as her new Fluttershy, but not so bad. The time together with the other pegasus was therapeutic for her. Whatever went on in the time lost had shattered her world and the gentle hooves of the yellow pegasus, and the kind nature of her mate Playful Paws, really seem to bring her back.

Seeing her little sister brought back to life, in a couple ways and being constantly pestered by her older sister, Dash started getting back to herself as well. Firefly was worse than Rainbow Dash had ever been in challenging Gilda to a race. She drove the gryphon crazy at times, and she would escape to Pinkie Pie's room. At times it would be a bit awkward for Twilight, who would find her escape in spending more time with Applejack in her shop or at home.

Thanks to just two new members of the town, much had changed. In addition to Gilda being around more in avoiding Firefly's need for a challenge, she was starting to change. It could be because of the older Pegasus, maybe because of her time with Pinkie Pie, or because a part of her past was now fixed. Only the three sisters knew what Gilda was like before, but maybe this is who she was before fate forced her to become strong enough for two and take on the world.

Twilight mused at the facts; when they first met, the Gryphon would sooner have bitten her head off than say a word to her. Now, she had become not only a friend to all the ponies, but even showed a gentle side. Cloud Chaser had made her and Rainbow Dash help with some animal sitting for Fluttershy. The picture was too perfect of the two "bad ass" girls of Ponyville, passed out with baby animals crawling all over them as they slept sitting up, completely worn out by the work in it all.

The Unicorn not so long ago the newest member of the town; was also glad that one of the many mysteries she has come to be in the middle of, was finally solved. She was still waiting to see what would come of the ones with Trixie who had been rather scares as of late, ever since the Day of Remembrance. Was also the lingering mystery between Applejack and Adams Apple, they were seemingly getting more comfortable around one another, but Applejack still had some reservations toward him.

She would settle for the happiness happening now, and let those things come to pass in time. Was not long before she would have been here a whole year, and she has experienced so much in that time. She liked to think she had grown a lot as well, no longer the little sheltered pony from Canterlot who did not wish to socialize.

Still though, when Firefly streaked past her this morning, in both the meanings of speed and nudity, she realized she still had some things she was not yet ready to be so lax on. To programed by Canterlot sense of “shame” Maybe someday, but not today. She just covered her eyes.

Comments

[Darkus-Moon-Shine]

1st good chap