II

by adcoon

II.3 - It Takes Two

The moon cast its silvery light through the open window next to her bed. Dash watched Twilight's concerned gaze as the unicorn looked out at the night sky. The pale light glittered in her dark eyes and cast her face in deep shadows. Dash could tell that a lot was going through Twilight's mind. She idly looked down and picked a few twigs and leaves out of her tangled mane with her teeth, wondering what it was like to be as smart as Twilight. She probably wouldn't like it. Being smart like that just seemed like such a lot of work.

“I think—” Twilight said suddenly, still staring at the sky “—we need to visit Zecora.” She turned and looked at Dash, her brow wrinkling in concern. “After we get you cleaned up and looked at by a doctor. I think you must have hit your head pretty bad.”

“I feel fine,” Dash protested.

“You seem confused about what happened. That's a bad sign, Rainbow,” Twilight said firmly. She picked up a pencil and wrote a quick note which she left on the table for Luna, then she stuffed the Elements in a saddlebag, before turning back to Dash. “Do you think you can stand up?”

“Pfft, of course.” Dash rolled out of the bed and stood up. A sudden dizziness and pain in her head nearly made her collapse. She tried to hide it but apparently failed as Twilight rushed to support her. “It's … nothing. Stop fussing over me,” Dash insisted quickly.

“It's not nothing,” Twilight said, concern evident in her eyes. “This is serious.” She knelt down next to Dash. “Get up. I'll carry you.”

“What?!” Dash said but regretted the outburst immediately. She groaned and lifted a hoof to her head. “You can't be—”

“Get up, Rainbow!” Twilight commanded. “Don't make me use magic.”

“Alright, alright, fine.” Dash took a long breath and crawled up on Twilight's back where she closed her eyes for a moment. She had to admit she wasn't feeling too well, but maybe she had just got up too quickly.

Twilight stood up slowly, careful not to make any sudden movements. “You seem very irritable,” she remarked as they left the room. “I'm worried for you.”

“I'm just tired is all,” Dash muttered. “Where is this anyway?” She hoped she could change the subject, and she didn't recognize the place. The walls were rough stone and decorated with tapestries, but aside from that it was relatively bare as they walked down a hallway.

“Don't fall asleep,” Twilight said and opened a door to a luxurious suite. It was well furnished and decorated. Books and scrolls covered a large desk and several other surfaces. It bore the unmistakable marks of Twilight at work. “This is the old castle in the Everfree. Princess Luna has been busy overseeing its restoration for some time now.”

They entered a large bathroom, and Twilight knelt down again. Dash crawled off and stepped into the shower as she looked around. “You've been staying here?” She had known Twilight was on vacation somewhere, but she hadn't asked for details at the time.

“Yes. Luna invited me to stay here for the summer and help her with some things.” Twilight turned on the water to a gentle flow and used her magic to guide the shower head, washing Dash carefully. Dirt and dried blood washed away and disappeared down the drain. Although Dash resented being treated like this, it was still nice to feel the warm water wash over her. She closed her eyes and tried to relax. It even helped a little on her head.

“So why did you run away?” Twilight asked as she brushed the twigs and clumps of dirt out of Dash's mane and tail, then turned off the water. It was a quick bath, but it had done a world of good.

Dash looked gloomily at the wall. “I don't wanna talk about it.”

Twilight was silent as she picked up a pair of towels. “Do Fluttershy and the others know you ran away?” she asked after a moment as she quickly dried the pegasus with one towel and wrapped the other around Dash's head.

“I said I don't want to talk about it,” Dash snapped.

“Alright, alright,” Twilight said, holding up a hoof. “Sorry I asked.”

***

Two bat-winged guards quietly stood to attention as Twilight pulled open the gates of the castle and stepped outside. Dash looked at them as she trotted along slowly. Twilight had allowed her to walk on her own, although not without some reluctance. When the gates closed behind them, she turned back to Twilight. “I thought those were just costumes, you know, for Nightmare Night.”

“Oh no, far from it,” Twilight said and pointed across the bridge crossing the gorge around the castle. It had been rebuilt in stone, a single wide arch spanning the void like a rainbow of solid black and gray. What Twilight was pointing at, however, was a village on the other side that Dash had certainly not seen when they were here last. But that had been a while ago, and a lot had evidently happened in that time.

Twilight continued as they walked down towards the village. “Princess Luna has great plans for the forest. This is only the beginning. This is the new village of Gloaming. It's mainly home to dusk ponies, but we hope other ponies will settle here and in the rest of the forest when it is tamed. It's a lot of work, but the forest has been a sore spot on Equestria for a long time.”

“Dusk ponies?” Dash asked as they entered the village. It seemed to be a busy place even though it was past midnight now. Several more bat-winged ponies greeted them on their way.

“Yes,” Twilight said and waved happily. “They have a very fascinating history—”

“You know, I'm really not that interested,” Dash cut her off, already feeling the yawn build its way up at the thought of a long explanation from Twilight. That was the sort of thing that could put a pony to sleep.

The lavender unicorn deflated a bit. “Oh,” she said but quickly nodded. “Probably best for you to relax and not think too much, yes.”

“I'm fine, Twilight,” Dash insisted as they stopped outside a small building with a medical cross above the door. “I'm already feeling better.” She was. Aside from the heart, at least, but that somehow didn't seem to cause her any trouble, odd as it was. Her head still hurt, and if she moved it too quickly she got dizzy, but it was getting bearable.

“That's good, but I'm not taking any chances.” Twilight opened the door and gave Dash a serious look.

“We're going to see Zecora anyway,” Dash attempted hopefully. “I bet she'll just mix up a brew to fix me right up. She's got potions for everything.”

“It's a long walk to Zecora's from here,” Twilight said, still looking at her and gesturing at the door.

“So what? Can't you just …” Dash waved her hoof in the air in search of words. “… magic us there?”

“Do you want to find out what happens when you start mixing different kinds of magic without knowing half of it?” She poked Dash in the side. “Do I need to remind you that you're not supposed to be alive, and we don't know what kind of magic is currently keeping you together? And furthermore, I doubt your head would thank you for a very sudden change of location.”

Dash groaned and walked into the small clinic. She hated how Twilight could be so rational. It was even worse when she was right about it. It was like losing, and Dash hated losing.

“I didn't think so either,” Twilight said and walked in behind her with a very satisfied smile on her lips at her little lecture.

***

“Thank you, doctor,” Twilight said as she and Dash walked back out of the small office.

“Of course, of course,” the elderly dusk pony said as she followed them out, looking at Dash. “Just remember to not exert yourself, and come see me if there are any signs of it getting worse.”

Dash groaned. “I hate sitting still.”

“Just be thankful nothing is broken,” Twilight said and waved at the doctor as they walked down the street. “Could have been much worse with a crash like that.”

Dash sighed. She still had the strange feeling that her leg had been broken, and that it ought to remain so. “Yeah yeah,” she muttered as they passed a small café. Dash felt a deep rumble in her stomach as she glanced through the window. It provided a welcome change of topic. “Can we stop and get something to eat? I'm starving.”

Twilight paused and looked around. “I'll get us some apples. We can eat those as we walk.”

Dash let out another sigh. Apples weren't the most exciting or filling fare she could think of, but the urgency of seeing Zecora was weighing on her as well. “Yeah, alright.”

“I'll make it up to you sometime.” Twilight smiled. “I'm sure when this is all figured out there'll be time left over for sightseeing and holidays.”

They bought a small bag of apples and carrots, before walking down the road leading out of the town. They walked in silence as Dash ate and the forest closed in around them. Twilight watched the trees and strange plants growing along the quickly narrowing path, looking out for who knew what might be living there. Dash certainly didn't know, and had no intention of finding out.

“We should let the others back in Ponyville know that you're with me so they don't worry,” Twilight said after a while. It was an innocent remark, but Dash knew where it was leading. She frowned but said nothing. Twilight looked at her a little more intently. “Still don't want to tell me what happened?”

Dash looked away and frowned. After a brief silence, Twilight continued, “It's just us, Rainbow. No pony else. I won't tell anypony if you don't want me to.”

“It's Fluttershy,” Dash muttered, frowning at the tears threatening to return. She didn't want Twilight to see her cry and didn't really want to talk to her about it either.

“What happened?”

Dash kicked a stone. It rolled down the road before coming to a stop. “She's with Soarin' now, apparently.” It wasn't saying very much, but apparently it was enough.

Twilight was silent for several seconds as she mulled over what Dash had said. “Oh,” she said in sudden realization. “You—”

“Yeah, I … I love her! Alright?” Dash burst out, still angry. She wished she knew who she was angry at. “Wasn't it obvious?”

“Remember your head,” Twilight cautioned, looking at her with concern again.

Dash sighed, trying to calm down. “I thought everypony knew. I thought she knew, at least. I've known her since we were fillies back in Cloudsdale. We were always together, and I … I loved being with her,” Dash said quietly, feeling the tears again. They were hard to hold back. “I thought we had something, you know?”

“You never told her how you felt?”

Dash looked away, struggling to explain. She had never thought about it before. It had never occurred to her that Fluttershy didn't know, and she hated admitting these feelings to anypony. “I didn't think I had to, you know, tell her. In words,” she said finally, biting down on the shame. It was out now. She might as well get it off her chest. “I spent all my time with her, you know? I never doubted that we had something special.”

Twilight watched her in something akin to amazement. “How long?”

“A couple years,” Dash muttered. “I suppose. I didn't keep count, exactly.”

“Didn't you ever …” Twilight hesitated. “… you know, do more?”

“I, er, thought … you know how she's always been so shy. I figured I shouldn't pressure her into anything, and I never really … I never …” It was so hard to talk about this. Dash wanted to kick herself for looking so weak. “I never really had any great need myself, Twilight. I just loved being with her and spending my time with her. Sometimes I just lay next to her, and that was all I wanted. I didn't need more if she didn't want to.” She looked down. “I thought she felt the same.”

“You amaze me, Rainbow,” Twilight said quietly.

Dash frowned and looked up at the sky. “Yeah.” The sound of wings had caught her attention. Twilight followed her gaze. Clouds covered the dark sky. “Isn't that …” she said, narrowing her eyes. “The Shadowbolts?”

Two pegasi, almost invisible against the dark gray and blue sky, were headed towards the town where Dash and Twilight had come from. They didn't seem to have noticed the two ponies on the ground.

“I … think so,” Twilight said as the two figures grew smaller and smaller until they disappeared from sight. “I guess they were on patrol after all.”

***

There was a long silence as Twilight knocked on the door of Zecora's hut. After a while she knocked again, a little harder this time. “Zecora? I'm really sorry to knock on your door in the middle of the night, but this is important.”

There was a brief fumbling with the door before it was opened. The zebra looked out at them. “This must indeed be very grave if the night you dare to brave.” She opened the door fully and stepped aside to let them inside the small hut, holding back a small yawn. “If it can not wait for dawn, then hurry up and excuse my yawn.”

“Thank you, Zecora. I knew we could count on you,” Twilight said as she stepped inside. Dash followed silently. The discussion earlier had left her in a quiet mood.

Twilight looked at Dash briefly. “I need you to look at Rainbow Dash,” she said. “She had a … a bit of an accident earlier tonight. I found her in the woods. I think she had crashed, and … well, she's breathing and seems to be doing well, considering. It's just that she has no heartbeat.”

“I see. Not a single heart's beat? That is quite an unusual feat,” the zebra said and moved closer to look at Dash. She took one of the pegasus' hooves in hers and felt it, while looking into her eyes. Dash felt a little uncomfortable at the intense stare but didn't want to show it. After a few seconds Zecora let go of the hoof and walked around Dash with a critical eye.

“Can you tell what is wrong with her?” Twilight asked anxiously as she watched.

Zecora stopped and lifted a hoof to her mouth slowly, looking thoughtful. “Oh yes,” she said after a few seconds and walked over to a shelf. “I have a guess. You have memories as of two bodies?” She returned, carrying a small doll of twigs, leaves, and moss, as well as a knife and a bottle of clay.

“Um, yeah. I guess,” Dash said, scratching her neck. “I was pretty sure I broke my leg, but now it's fine if that's what you mean.” She blinked as Zecora put the doll on the floor, picked up the knife in her mouth, and took Dash's hoof again. “Hey … wait just a min—” Her protest was cut off, and she winced as the knife pierced her skin and left a small wound. A few drops of blood fell on the doll and disappeared, soaked up by the moss.

Without a word of explanation, Zecora picked up the doll and carefully prodded one of its legs with the tip of the knife, observing Dash carefully. Nothing seemed to happen. Zecora nodded in satisfaction and opened the bottle, pouring what looked like ordinary water out over the doll. When the doll had been well and thoroughly soaked, she put it away to dry and finally turned back to Dash and Twilight. “You want to hear the answer? I tell you there is another.”

Twilight and Dash looked at each other. “Another?” they said together.

“Of you there is a pair, but one fate you do share,” the zebra said as she returned the knife to its shelf and picked up an old book. She opened it and flipped a few pages before holding it out for Twilight. As Twilight picked up the book and began to read, Zecora continued. “A very rare event, and a powerful portent. Shamans from my home need a great skill to do what you have of their own will.”

Twilight's brow furrowed as she read. Dash looked over her shoulder, but the letters were small and difficult to make out, and the language seemed foreign to her. “Powerful zebra shamans train themselves to wander the spirit world,” Twilight translated. “Some of them learn to send forth their spirit to contact another and deliver important messages. The soul is contained in the breath which is exhaled and manifests indistinguishable from the shaman herself, except the heartbeat which remains in the breathless body.”

Zecora nodded, gesturing for Twilight to continue.

Twilight flipped the page and paused before reading again, moving slowly to decipher the script. “While it is very rare, the same can happen at times of great distress and danger. If a pony in such a situation calls for help with their last breath and a friend is on their mind, their breath can manifest and seek out the friend, calling to them. Such a spirit is known as a firstcomer or a dopplegänger. It is always an omen of a powerful and important destiny.”

Dash stared at Twilight and Zecora. “I'm just a … breath?”

Comments

[Thubby]

“Does Fluttershy and the others know you ran away?”
-typo

[unph]

All I can really think of right now is, "Double Rainbow".

That clears up a lot though, I was just a bit confused with her random passing out and stuff. Also, Zecora.

[Hailey-chan]

Double rainbow across the sky yea so intense lol1214082

[Rainbow87dash]

Aww I was hoping you'd go soardash u know

[adcoon]

1219175

It's mainly a TwiDash story, or will be. There'll be some other romancing, but TwiDash is where the focus will be, at least.

[Rainbow87dash]

1219691 actually I don't like any story in which RD is shipped with one of her friends but I guess I can bear through this for one story just because the plot of the story is extremely interesting

[Rainbow87dash]

1219691 Not that kind of plot I'm no clopper

[adcoon]

1219710

Glad to hear it

[permeakra]

Want more.
BTW, I'm watching you.

[MellowMabari]

Ooh, cool explanation. That explains a bunch. And this is Twidash? Awesome! I was hoping it would be. Onward to the next chapter!

[bvdwow]

That love interest twist! I though from chapter 1 she liked Soarin' not Flutters. Was not expecting that. Great job

[jszellmer]

I thought she knew, at least.

Rainbow, never just assume that the other person is on the same page as you.

I didn't think I had to, you know, tell her. In words,

So she's supposed to automatically know how you feel and reciprocate? I seriously wonder how many relationships got ruined before they even got off the ground due to thinking like this.

So, one Rainbow breaths, but has no heartbeat. The other has a heartbeat, but doesn't breath.