A comforting voice

by DauntlessRainbow

A lonely feeling

There was a thick air inside the train cart, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were sitting all near each other in silence. It was late into the night, and all that sounded was the sounds of an engine hard at work traversing through the country side.

A chapter in their lives had just closed for good, and they all knew that. That very morning they had gotten into this same train as a group of 7, and now, they were returning back home as 5. Twilight’s coronation had left a dent in everypony, no doubt about it.

After a few minutes… maybe hours… of a painful silence, Pinkie Pie spoke up, not in her usual upbeat self, but in a tone that sounded like she herself needed convincing, “Soo… Who’s ready to throw a ‘congratulations on your new job as head mare’ party for Starlight first thing in the morning?”

No response… all Pinkie Pie received was a short smile from Rarity.

The rest of the train ride were composed of long, deep breaths, sighs, and short attempts from Rarity and Pinkie Pie at cheering up the group.

Several moments later, Rarity stood up, “No! I won’t let this thick air between us sink us down any further!” The white pony exclaimed, as the rest looked up at her in surprise.

“Twilight would hate to see us like this girls… we mustn’t forget that she is still with us, sure she might live somewhere else… but she is still our friend is she not? it’s not like we lost her” Rarity asserted her statement with a light stomp of her hoof. At this, Pinkie Pie stood up as well with a smile, “You are right! Twilight would want us to be happy! She always wanted us to carry a smile, don’t you girls remember all the times she did her best for us?” Applejack and Fluttershy began smiling, reminiscing in their memories with Twilight.

“I remember the time she pulled all of y’all together so we could try beat them Flim-Flam brothers at making Cider” Applejack gave a small chuckle, remembering her sweet victory over the pair of con-men

“She is the whole reason Ponyville is so diligent with their passing of winter, and so on time to welcome spring!” Fluttershy smiled, looking at the sky, remembering that day as clear as day

Soon, the group of friends had filled the cart with laughter and chuckles as they recounted their stories and adventures all throughout the years. The heavy air had finally lifted in the cabin, and everypony was upbeat. Everypony, but one.

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Throughout the entire ride, Rainbow Dash had not made a sound. She didn’t sigh, she didn’t take large breaths, she didn’t smile, she didn’t laugh… pure unfiltered silence filled her world. The entire ride was spent looking at the floor. She didn’t even really feel anything, she felt numb, she didn’t even realize how long the ride was taking.

Applejack noticed the unusual silence from her rainbow friend, and she nudged her with a playful elbow, “You alright there sugar cube? Ya haven’t spoken all train ride” Rainbow’s eyes instantly darted upward, as she felt the numbness subside a bit. “Who? Me? of course! I’m just thinking… about… Twilight! And all of the super awesome moments I have had with her” Rainbow Dash gave her best fake smile she could make at that moment, which would have convinced anypony, anypony but Applejack, she saw right through it but decided not to pry, because she knew everyone had feelings they were suppressing.

“Well, come join us, we’re talking about Twilight, so might as well pitch in your memories” Applejack nudged Rainbow Dash lightly. Rainbow Dash smiled as she joined the conversation, but she didn’t really feel like she was joining it. Words came at her ears, and she answered, almost automatically, she still felt the numbness creeping around her body.

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That numbness instantly went away when she heard the screech of the train wheels coming to a stop. The feeling was replaced with a sharp pain to her chest, she felt tightness around her wings, and her heart began rapidly beating.

“Oh looks like this is our stop, we best be off!” Rarity escorted the group out of the train and into the Ponyville station.

As Rainbow Dash began to walk out, her legs stiffened, What is going on with me? She wondered to herself, as she forced herself out of the doors. She looked around the dark sky and the softly lit streets of Ponyville, her heart began racing again, and she felt the tightness to her chest increase.

“Well, that was sure a tiresome coronation! I’m ready to snooze so hard! See you girls later! Gotta get home and catch some Z’s!” Rainbow Dash took off in a hurry, but she didn’t go far, she just went up, higher and higher every second without stop.

“Honestly some ponies! Can’t even stick around for a proper send off! hmph!” Rarity scoffed at Rainbow Dash’s actions, and waved everyone goodbye before going off to her own boutique.

“Well, every pony, see you tomorrow! We still have to throw Starlight a party first thing in the morning!” Pinkie Pie Bounced away back to Sugar Cube Corner.

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The last 2 ponies left standing at the station were Fluttershy and Applejack. “Did you… notice anything different about Rainbow in the train ride back?” Applejack broke the silence between the two. “I did… she was unusually quiet… oh I sure do hope she is alright!” Fluttershy responded, thinking about the train ride. “We are all down… i’m sure she’s feeling the same… she’ll cheer up… I hope” Applejack finished her sentence, turning to the direction of her farm, as she waved Fluttershy good night, and they went their separate ways.

It hurt Applejack to see Rainbow Dash in that train ride, she seemed miserable, hopeless even, like something other than Twilight was eating at her mind, and she could not stand that thought, of her Rainbow friend in such a state. But there was nothing she could do for now, Rainbow Dash was gone, and so was everypony else. She made her way back to her family, where she was met with a warm welcome by everyone.

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Rainbow Dash kept going up, reaching for the stars, until eventually the numbness overtook her wings and she let herself fall. She fell for a long time, until she was close to the ground, she spread her wings and began hovering over the town silently.

She flew to the Carousel Boutique, and peeked through the windows, seeing Rarity and Sweetie Bell having dinner together, laughing and having a what seemed to be a sweet conversation.

She flew to Sugar Cube Corner, where she saw Pinkie Pie and the Cakes baking together having a deep, silent conversation.
She flew to Fluttershy’s cottage and saw her feeding and talking to her animals with a smile.

She flew all the way to Sweet Apple Acres, where she saw Applejack and her family having dinner together, she could tell by Applejack’s expression that they were discussing the coronation. Rainbow Dash stayed there for a moment, watching, finally feeling some warmth. That warmth was short lived however, as each family member hugged each other good night, and the lights of the house died out.

Rainbow Dash was once again left numb and cold. She slowly flew to her own home. She looked up at her house in the sky. Her heart began racing once again. What is wrong with me? The first thought through her mind in a while.

Rainbow Dash flew up to her house, and landed on the front, she opened the door and came in to a dark house, “I’m home!” She called out to the empty hallways, she figured tank was already fast asleep.

“I’m… home…” Rainbow Dash repeated to herself as she walked towards her room.