Rainbow Dash Around the World

by MagicS

Outing

The steady clip-clop of hooves echoed off the steps as Wish and her father traveled up the stairs leading to the towers.

“Come with me.”

His voice was so devoid of emotion when he said that to her back in the great entrance to the castle. He wasn’t like his usual self, always smiling at her and always filling her up with warmth. She knew why. She understood why. But it still made her worried and upset. What was he going to do? What was she going to do? Wish knew it was going to upset him, the fact that she was running off and trying to leave the castle, but she figured she’d have more time to come up with something to say to him when she came back. Instead her mind was empty. If he asked her anything right now she wasn’t sure she’d be able to get a single word out.

Did she just say sorry? Did she tell him the truth about why she tried leaving in the first place? Did she lie? Did he already know everything?

He must’ve been waiting for her near the front gates of the castle. That’s how he was right there just in time for her. Secretly watching until she came and then he could collect her all on his own.

Wish wondered what the Inquisitors and guards were doing right now. He hadn’t told anypony yet that he had found her, they were still probably searching for her. Wish felt guilty now. Guilty about the trouble she caused. Guilty about letting her father down. Guilty about probably getting Dotty in trouble.

Guilty.

Guilty.

Guilty.

She almost wanted to cry. It was becoming too much to bear again. What was supposed to help her was now turning into a waking nightmare. There had been so much hope inside her and it was all suddenly dashed—taken away at the very last moment. Now all she had was a disappointed father. Wish was on the verge of another panic attack, she could feel her heart pounding harder in her chest and her breathing was starting to come out in short pants. The aches and pains in her knees were totally forgotten now as this new agonizing anxiety tore through her.

Looking up at her father, she saw he was still blankly looking ahead and not paying her any mind.

Please. Please. She wanted him to look at her, to show her he cared and that he still loved her even after what she had done.

They arrived at the first tower before Wish even noticed, coming up out of the curving stairs there were a number of maids, guards, and Inquisitors scattered about talking with one another. The tension in the air was palpable. However, the moment Wish and her father appeared in the entryway to the stairs that all changed. The maids gasped and all silently gathered along the walls while the guards stiffly stood at attention and saluted her father. The Inquisitors on the other hoof looked a mixture of surprised and frightened and they swiftly came trotting over.

“Master Dreamweaver, and the young lady!” The one taking point said. He stopped and bowed down in front of her father. “It’s so good that you found her, sir.”

“Yes,” her father replied evenly. “I want you to go down through the rest of the castle and tell the other Inquisitors and guards that my daughter is alright, they can stop searching. Quickly.”

“Y-Yes sir,” the Inquisitor said and nodded to his brethren. They quickly walked around Wish and her father to travel down her stairs, the guards that had been in the tower followed them as well. Meanwhile the maids simply stood off to the side and pretended they didn’t hear or see anything. Dreamweaver ignored them as well as he now took Wish past them and up to the next tower.

As soon as they got to the stairs he opened his mouth and spoke to her for the first time since they had started walking up the towers. “When they told me you had gone missing I knew that if you hadn’t already come up to my lab in the tower that there was only one other place you would go.”

“I… I...” Wish tried to speak but just as she thought, she was unable to.

“You don’t need to say anything now. I want us to get somewhere personal first, then we can talk.”

The cold words, the dread that came from “we can talk” that truly made her feel like a little filly. It was almost too much for Wish to deal with. She tried to focus on anything else. Counting the steps as they went up the stairs, thinking about the pain in her knees to avoid the pain in her chest, thinking about that brief moment in the courtyard where she got a taste of fresh air. Regret tinged her body and pulled at every fiber of her being. How could she have been so stupid and careless?

When they got to the second tower there was nopony there. Wish took a glance out the nearest window and looked to the north, the dark sky stretched as far as she could see and a few bolts of lightning in the distance struck down to the ground. So close. She was so close to being out there. But it was wrong, wasn’t it? It was wrong for her to want that. Her father was so upset now because of what she had done.

...was that right?

Should she not feel differently?

Was it wrong for her to want to get out of this place and try to be happy again? She just wanted to be able to say goodbye to the nightmares and have her life return to normal. Not being watched, and guarded, and forced onto the same routine every day. She felt horrible for upsetting her father… but she wanted to be happy too.

The third tower was different. Once they had gotten up to it, Wish noticed a certain pony pacing back and forth in front of the door to her personal chambers.

Dotty’s breath caught in her throat the moment she saw Wish and her father. Her face shifted between relief and fear, as if she didn’t know if this was a good situation or not. But finally she at least seemed to remember her duty and she ran over to the two of them.

“W-Wish! Are you alright?!” Dotty asked in a panic, she gulped and looked over to her father. “Did you find her, Master Dreamweaver?”

“I did. And don’t worry, she’s fine,” Dreamweaver answered.

Dotty glanced down at Wish’s scraped knees. “Oh dear… we can clean those up in a jiffy, it’ll be alright. I-I’m so sorry for losing track of you, Wish. It’s all my fault.”

Wish tilted her head back and frowned at her maid. Dotty’s fault? Wish was the one who ditched her.

“Let’s come back inside and I can clean you up and then-”

“No need for that at the moment, Dotted Easel,” her father interrupted. “My daughter will be coming up with me to my lab for a private conversation. You as well will come along, but you’ll wait outside my door. When Wish is ready to leave I’ll have you escort her back to her chambers.”

Dotty and Wish both looked up at her father in surprise.

“Um… yes sir,” Dotty finally nodded.

Wish just blinked at her father. She was going up to his lab? His lab that she wasn’t supposed to enter? That she could remember now trying to go up to once in the past before another fog of amnesia clouded her memories? It was serious. He must have realized this was a big deal and wanted her to know how seriously he was taking her little jaunt. She had had nightmares about going up to his lab, nightmares that were caused by her warped memories. It made her wonder what she was going to see. What would happen.

Now it was three ponies traveling up the long winding stairs that led from tower to tower. Dotty held back behind Wish and Dreamweaver with a nervous expression on her face, she looked like she had been miserable ever since Wish disappeared. Everypony was completely quiet as they went up, neither Wish nor Dotty daring to make a sound. Wish hardly ever came up here, on most any other occasion she’d probably be happy. Not today.

They passed through the fourth tower without stopping as well. Not like there were even any ponies here. Wish was pretty sure the library or whatever it was didn’t get any visitors lately.

Then it was the final flight of stairs up to her father’s tower.

Wish found herself shaking all the way up it. There were fewer torches lining the enclosed stairway than normal, making their passage darker. It was such a long walk all the way up the stairs too, she was getting tired by the end of it thanks to how much activity she had been through today. It was getting later by now as well. She couldn’t believe it but she was wishing for her bedchambers right now. That was preferable to having to face her father’s disappointment.

Finally they reached the very top of the stairs—the tallest tower, the highest point of the castle and any other building in Hoofica. The layout was a little different from other towers since there was no other stairway on the other side going anywhere else. The stairs simply ended at a small circular room with a south facing door that led into what used to be the tower’s observatory but was now Dreamweaver’s lab. A single torch against the wall opposite the stairs lit it up. Dreamweaver walked towards the door and put his hoof on it before glancing back at Dotty.

“Wait here, understand?”

Dotty nodded. “Yes, sir.”

He then looked down at Wish. “Come along, my darling.”

Her father opened up the door and calmly stepped inside without waiting for any sort of response from her. Wish took one look back at the pale Dotty before following her father on in. The heavy door was left to shut behind her and for the very first time that she could remember, Wish was able to look upon her father’s lab.

It was a large single room from what she could tell, with stained glass windows that stretched almost the entire length of the walls on either side of it. One overlooked the castle courtyard down far below while the other looked out over the exterior of the castle. It was crowded with tables that themselves were overflowing with all kinds of glass tubes, bottles, beakers, and assorted paraphernalia that Wish was used to seeing in science textbooks. Some of the various bottles and tubes had weird liquids of all colors flowing about within them. Other mechanical equipment and tools she didn’t recognize sat around on the floor and pushed into the corners.

Most noticeable of all though was a large curtain raised over the back half of the room. It was hoisted up to cover some kind of large device that took up the other side of the lab. Wish could just barely make out some large electrodes and wires peeking out over the top and the sides of the curtain. She wondered what was behind it?

A sudden pain flashed through her forehead as she looked at it and she winced but it was gone in just a second.

There was also a divider set up around the window over the courtyard that had a small bed on the other side of it, and a bunch of stacks of books and crumpled up paper. Her father seemingly didn’t see any use in getting a maid of his own.

While Wish stood around in front of the door and looked around, her father walked to the center of the room before turning around and gazing at her. His expression was still completely blank.

Wish flinched when their eyes met and she had to look away.

Dreamweaver sighed when he saw her reaction. “I’m not angry at you, I’m just disappointed.”

Wish could feel tears coming close to spilling out. But she wanted to be strong. She wanted to find that courage from earlier again. Wish bit her lip and faced her father again, it was tough to find words but she would try to speak up to him. “P-Please don’t punish Dotty!” Wish managed to get out first. “It wasn’t her fault, I lied to her and ran off on my own!”

Genuine surprise spread to her father’s face and he raised an eyebrow at her. “Punish Dotted Easel? I never had any intention of doing so. Now please, Wish. Would you tell me why you’ve done this?”

“I...” Temporary relief for Dotty’s sake washed over her but she still struggled with how to answer him and what else she should say. She was still afraid.

But now… now she knew she had to talk, or it would just be madness.

“I’ve been having nightmares lately.”

“Nightmares?” Her father sounded surprised and even a little worried. “Why? About what?”

She took in a deep breath and answered him.

“W-Who… who was that pegasus that the Inquisitors took down to the dungeon?” Wish strongly looked her father in the eyes as she asked.

Dreamweaver blinked and his eyes widened by a fraction of an inch. “You remember that?”

Wish’s lip trembled. “W-Why wouldn’t I?”

A heavy sigh escaped her father’s lips and he glanced over at one of the many tables in the room. Using his magic, he pulled over a pair of stools from it and set them down in front of him. Sitting on one, he patted the other. “Come. Sit with me, my darling.”

Wish was slightly apprehensive. She was confused and scared at the lack of a direct or immediate answer. But he was still her father. She loved him and he loved her. After a tentative second she walked across the floor of his laboratory to him and hopped up on the stool. Parking herself there she looked up imploringly at him with her big brown eyes.

“So then. Can you tell me what you remember and for how long?” Her father asked her. His expression was stoic, but not cold or angry.

“I… It’s been a couple of days now. I remember that pegasus, she was blue and she had a rainbow mane I think, I remember her flying around the castle and fighting with the guards and Inquisitors. I saw it from my window in my chambers I think. And then, um, I saw the Inquisitors taking her into the dungeon. She was chained up and yelling and… and then I can’t remember anything else,” Wish told him.

Her father nodded along as she explained things to him. “I see.” He sighed again and a sad smile formed on his lips, with one hoof he reached over to pat her head. “I didn’t intend for anything like this. Your happiness has always, always, been my chief concern. I wish you had told me about the nightmares sooner, my darling.”

Wish frowned in a mixture of shame and worry. “But why can’t I remember it all? Why’d I forget in the first place?”

“You see, Wish. That pegasus attacked Hoofica Castle. We don’t know the exact reasons why, but she violently assaulted the guards and Inquisitors, trying to get inside to do who knows what. You witnessed all of this, I doubt you remember just how fierce the attack really was. And when you had ran down to see her being taken into the dungeon you were in a very excited and agitated state. You were upset, scared, and I was worried for you. For your happiness and livelihood.” He frowned and put his hooves on her shoulders, comforting her. “So I had the Head Inquisitor give you a sedative to calm you down. Unfortunately it had amnesic side-effects to it. You were out for a while and your memories were a jumbled mess afterwards.”

Wish’s jaw hung open as her father told her all this, too shocked to respond. She was trying to process it and everything she knew.

“I didn’t want something like that to ever happen to you again… so after you woke up I made sure that you’d always have somepony by your side, watching. And more guards everywhere so you couldn’t get anywhere unsafe. I just wanted you to be happy and safe, Wish.” Dreamweaver imploringly looked into her eyes. “You’re the only thing in the world to me.”

So that’s why things had been different. That’s where her time in here as a prisoner began. She had always been treated well and her happiness kept track of. But now she knew exactly why and when that had changed to smothering.

Wish felt a few tears spilling down her cheeks and she sniffled. “I-I’m sorry for running off on my own… b-but-”

“I understand. You must’ve been very stressed out,” her father pulled her into a quick hug. “I’m sorry for not noticing. Would you please tell me everything that’s on your mind? Was it just the nightmares that drove you to it? If there’s anything I can do to make you happy...”

Wish was trembling but she managed to nod and still find the courage to say what she needed to. “I still want to go outside. S-Stuck in here for so long, with all of this, it’s been too much. I want to do something different, I want to go see something new, go somewhere else in Hoofica.”

“The castle probably feels stifling to you now, overwhelming,” Dreamweaver nodded. “Wish, my darling daughter, if you were so bothered then you only needed to tell me. You could’ve just said you needed to leave the castle.”

Could I have? Could I really?

Those thoughts flashed through Wish’s mind. What if she had mentioned how she knew she had been sedated at least two other times? What would her father say about that? What if she asked about what was behind the curtain in here?

“Thank you, dad.” Was all she could end up saying on the matter.

He smiled down at her. “Now… you leaving the castle still isn’t exactly my first choice, but I can still arrange something. Especially if it might help cure your nightmares.”

There was something else. Something more she wanted to say.

“D-Dad?”

“Yes, darling?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“I also… I want things to go back to how they were before. I-I’m not some little kid who needs to be coddled. I don’t need guards and Inquisitors watching me and stopping me from going places. I want to be able to go around the castle and not be locked in at night and everything like that,” she told him.

He sighed but then a smile came across his face and he chuckled. “Well, that’s certainly understandable. I only wanted to keep you safe but now I see that it isn’t worth everything else. You’ve been distressed for some time thanks to the strangling schedule and restrictions placed on you, it’s apparent to me now. Oh, Wish, I love you so much.”

She quivered and sniffled up at him. “I love you too, dad.”

“Is there anything else? I’m sure you’d like to spend more time with me, go to another opera, eat with the King and Queen again, that sort of thing,” he smiled. “Are you at least still enjoying your classes as well? Have you made friends with the other fillies and colts?”

“I… yes. I want to spend more time with you if we can, if you’re not busy. And class is fine, my teacher, Star Eyes is very nice. All the others are friendly too but… um, I don’t know if they really want to be here. One of them cried and said he missed his mom and dad and he hasn’t been back to class since. I think the others are lonely too. Are their families in the castle?” Wish asked.

Dreameaver tilted his chin up and thought. “Yes, their families are here. I don’t know why your classmates would be upset about anything but I can look into it. Same with the one who hasn’t returned. But don’t worry, I know for certain your classmates want for nothing. They live in lavish rooms and get better food than they ever did back home.” He chuckled and rubbed her head. “Not quite as lavish as what you get though.”

“Um… about that too...”

Dreamweaver looked down at her. “Hm?”

“I don’t need so much food. I-I know you’re trying to provide for me, but it just seems like a waste. I want things to be more normal for me, I feel bad wasting so much food,” Wish wrung her hooves together as she opened up more to her father.

“My humble daughter,” Dreamweaver chuckled a bit more. “I wanted to give you the opportunity to feel like royalty, but I suppose I can understand why you might find it awkward. I’m sure you still enjoy your chocolate cake though?”

Wish blushed. “Y-Yeah...” She sighed in relief and smiled. “And thanks, dad. You’re all I really need.”

“We’ll get everything figured out, I promise. Anything to make you happy,” he patted her head.

She leaned forward on her stool and he got the idea, picking her up in his hooves and embracing her in a tight hug again. Wish could feel the warmth coming from him as she nestled into his chest. He rubbed a comforting hoof down her back and she could already feel her negative feelings evaporating. They comfortably hugged like that for a straight minute.

“Now then—if you don’t want to be forced to only do the same thing and be blocked from going where you want in the castle, I can happily grant that,” her father said. “However I do still worry for your well-being and happiness, especially if you keep having these nightmares. So I’m still going to have Dotted Easel attend to you and keep you company. You seem to like her as well anyways.”

Wish wiggled her head out and looked up at him and the beseeching expression he had on his face. After everything else he was allowing, she couldn’t really complain. And she did like Dotty. So Wish merely nodded. “Okay.”

“She’ll be there for you if you wake up from any nasty nightmares,” Dreamweaver smiled.

“Heh, yeah,” Wish giggled.

“And about leaving the castle as well,” her father started up again. “I have an idea for an outing. But. It’s going to be under my terms, do you understand? This is different than simply allowing you to wander about the castle on your own. I trust you, but that’s not to say I trust the entire world.”

In truth, Wish didn’t exactly get it. Or why he would be so afraid of her going out into the capitol or anywhere else. Hoofica was a peaceful country with barely any crime or problems. At least she thought it was. Maybe things had changed more than she knew in the months since they came to the castle and the sky went dark. If her father just wanted to look out for her though, Wish could accept that. She knew he meant the best.

“I understand,” Wish nodded.

He smiled. “Good. I’m going to find a nice village close to the capitol for you to travel to. Somewhere with fresh air, green grass, ponies your age for you to meet and have fun with, it’ll be just like you were back home. But here is the caveat to that. You’re going to have an escort of Inquisitors with you as well. After all you can’t make any such trips on your own anyways, Dotted Easel can’t do everything, and I-” he glanced at the large curtain. “I’m a bit too busy to leave the castle. So the Inquisitors will take and watch over you.”

Wish wasn’t especially fond of the Inquisitors but if going with them was what she needed to do to get out of this castle then so be it. “Okay.”

“And I know just who I’ll have escort you. After all I’ll need the most trustworthy pony I can think of to watch over you, and who’s more trustworthy and capable than the Head Inquisitor herself?” Dreamweaver smiled.

Wish paled. “T-The Head Inquisitor?”

“Of course!” Her father beamed, seemingly oblivious to her dismay. “She’ll keep a close eye on you and make sure things go swimmingly. I’ll have her come up and tell her of the outing later today.”

Her. Wish shuddered internally. That mare scared her.

“Alright then,” her father lifted her up and got off his stool, setting her back on the floor. “I’m glad we had this conversation, Wish. Never be afraid to tell me the truth, I’ll always be here to listen. My happiness is your happiness. Just remember that.”

“I will, dad,” Wish said, gulping down an uncertain breath at the thought of the Head Inquisitor. Overall though, she supposed she should be happy.

“Excellent. Now scurry on out of here and get cleaned up, I’m sure Dotted Easel will be more than happy to help you. And then tomorrow the Head Inquisitor will come by for you,” he said.

“R-Right,” she hugged him one last time before turning to walk out of his lab, taking one last look around at all the random stuff before she left. Once she reached the door and opened it up, she glanced over her shoulder and saw him smiling and waving goodbye at her. Wish smiled and waved back before closing the door—and pretty much immediately came face to face with Dotty, who had been patiently waiting the whole time.

“Y-You’re done talking with your father? And everything is totally okay, right? Did he say anything? Am I still your maid?” Dotty asked in a whirlwind.

“Yes to all of that, Dotty,” Wish frowned and pushed the neurotic maid back a step. “We’re done talking and everything is alright and… I-I’m sorry for tricking you and running off. But you’re still my maid.”

“It’s okay,” Dotty sighed in relief, she seemed to have been sweating pretty intensely before Wish came back out. “I’m just glad you’re alright. So what now?”

Wish looked down at her scraped knees and felt her dirty and unkempt mane. “Now I go take a bath.”

Dotty smiled, grateful of the normalcy in what was going to happen next. “I’ll have you all clean and those little scrapes taken care of in no time!”

“Thanks, Dotty,” Wish smiled.

Together the two of them traveled back down the winding stairs to the third tower. Wish could tell how stressed Dotty was, but it was nothing compared to Wish’s own stress. All the things she had learned, the promise of leaving the castle, having to go with the Head Inquisitor. It was all so much. It was so overwhelming that she was completely mentally exhausted. The bath coming up was going to be perfect and Wish planned to relax extra long in it. Bed afterwards… she hoped there weren’t any nightmares tonight. She really, really hoped.

Comments

[TheCommunistDog]

Hmm
In today’s chapter: Wish and her dad talks and the pegasus is 100% rainbow.

[redmar]

At least Wish's father seems to be understanding but he's obviously still hiding something. I doubt things will get back to nomral for Wish anytime soon. The device in Dreamweaver's lab is something bad that's certain.

[RoboRed]

There's two sides to every story. Rainbow wouldn't just attack the castle or guards without reason, if it's even true that she "attacked the castle" in the first place. She was either passing through or she saw someone, something that gave her cause to go to the castle. There's a lot more going on...