Shattered Dreams and New Beginnings

by Brian Jacko

Rainbow Dash Gets Desperate and Plays Dirty

Rainbow Dash awoke in the hospital.

Her five best friends were standing there watching her.

Rainbow Dash looked down at herself. She was covered in bandages. "What happened to me?" she asked.

Twilight stepped forward and said, "Rainbow, you had a terrible crash at the race. We all came to see how you were doing."

"Oh no!" Rainbow exclaimed. "The race! How did I do? Did I beat Rain Storm!?"

Rarity giggled a bit and said, "Oh no, dear. You didn't beat him. Why, you both didn't even get to finish the race. You collided with the mountain and he rushed down to save you just in time before a giant eel was about to devour you."

Rainbow Dash grinded her teeth in agony as she was finally able to remember her last moments before she blacked out. She looked up at the others and said, "Yeah, I remember colliding with the mountain, but I was going to be okay! I didn't need him to rescue me, I was about to recover and everything would have been fine, I swear!"

Applejack chuckled a bit. "I reckon you're full of it, Rainbow. You have been out cold ever since your collision! I saw with my own eyes that ya were just seconds away from doom, when he swooped down and saved ya. I reckon you ought to be grateful that HE saved ya and everythin'. Ya were completely helpless."

Doink! Doink! Doink! Pinkie Pie bounced over to Rainbow Dash and put down a newspaper on her chest. She read the front page. "Breaking News! Rain Storm forfeits race to save Rainbow Dash's life!" Under the title was a picture of him holding her in is hooves.

Rainbow Dash crumbled up the paper and threw it behind her bed. The last thing she wanted to know was that her competitor had just saved her life from certain disaster.

All of Rainbow's friends started talking about Rain Storm and how great he is for saving their friends life.

Rainbow Dash threw her front leg's up in the air and yelled out, "Oh for Pete's sake! Can I be anywhere and not hear his name mentioned on a constant basis!? All of you just leave me alone!"

Just then, the nurse stepped in and said, "Rainbow Dash, you have a very special visitor who wants to come see you!"

"Who is it now?" Rainbow grumbled.

"It's Rain Storm." The nurse replied.

Rainbow closed her eyes tightly in anger and said, "Not now! Tell him I'm in too much pain and I don't want to talk!"

The nurse nodded her head in understanding and left.

Twilight Sparkle spoke up and said, "Goodbye Rainbow. I hope you feel better."

Rainbow Dash sat up in her bed and said, "Wait! Where are you girls going!? You're not going to go talk to Rain Storm are you?"

All the other girls nodded and said, "Mhmmmm."

"No! Don't leave me! Please stay with me," Rainbow cried out.

Applejack adjusted her hat and said, "I reckon you're bein' a selfish and jealous mare, Rainbow. Don't ya be lyin' to the nurse, tellin' him ya don't want to talk and sayin' that you're in too much pain when you're fine. I can't stand hearin' lies like that!"

"Applejack's right," Twilight said. "I think you need to get over your jealousy and spend some time alone if you're going to behave like this."

Rainbow's eyes widened and she cried out, "But wait. Please don't leave..."

The door closed and her friends were gone.

Rainbow sunk low into her bed. She thought all kinds of negative thoughts about Rain Storm and how she wished that he didn't ever exist. She knew she was being shallow, but she didn't care. She hated him because he was better than her and it burned her up on the inside.

Rainbow was out of the hospital in no time. Thankfully, all she suffered with was a concussion and other minor injuries. Her wings took a beating, but they healed up just fine and the doctor said that it would be ok if she competed in the final race series.

She did some wing exercises and some light cardio. She didn't want to over work herself, especially since the next upcoming race was the final race. She needed to win at least one gold medal to feel good about herself again. She still believed that she was the best in her mind and made up ludicrous excuses as to why she hasn't won anything yet. She was desperate to win the crowds back and she dreamed of soaking up all the attention once again.

When the time for the next race came, Rainbow Dash paced along the edge of the start line, waiting for every pony to get started.

Rain Storm was the last pony to get into position. His eyes met with hers for a split second. He looked like he was about to tell her something important, but she turned her head away in disgust. All he wanted to do was to talk to her and it hurt him so much, every time he got rejected. He knew just how important it was for her to win. He knew ever since he first met her at flight school that she was obsessed with winning and being the best. Rain Storm stomped his hoof on the cloud. He was going to throw the race again. He was going to let her win, that way she might open up a bit and talk to him.

All the ponies got into ready position.

A pegasus pony waved the checkered flag and they all took off flying.

Rain Storm pulled ahead quickly and was in the lead. The crowd went wild. Suddenly, he slowed down and let Rainbow over take him. He let her lead the whole time. He stayed back in the race with the other ponies. Rainbow Dash turned her head and looked back. She smiled a rather sinister grin and said to herself, "See, Rainbow. I knew you were the best. He can't even keep up with you and you're way ahead of him. You're going to win this race easily."

At the final lap, Rain Storm picked up speed. He felt the crowds were starting to pick up that he was throwing the game. He flew just a few feet behind Rainbow Dash.

This was the part in the race where things got dangerous. This was a different course, but a similar route was used through the canyons.

The finish line was approaching and Rain Storm picked up just a little more speed. He was now just inches behind her. Rainbow Dash looked back and realized how close he was. She panicked at the thought of losing. She couldn't lose this race! She had to win it at all costs! She slowed down a little bit and bucked her back legs as hard as she possibly could. Her hooves connected with Rain Storm's head and he dropped down against the mountain. The collision sent an avalanche of rocks tumbling down. A boulder landed right on top of Rain Storm's wings.

Rainbow Dash raced past the finish line and threw her hooves up in the air in victory. "Thank you! Thank you every pony!" She waited for cheering, but there was silence.

Eventually, the crowds began to throw things at her and booed loudly. Rainbow's eyes widened. She panicked in fear and said, "Wait! Why are you all booing me? I just won! I deserve praise and appreciation!"

Some pony in the crowd yelled out, "You cheated and made illegal contact with Rain Storm. That's an automatic disqualification! You're a no good rotten cheater!"

The crowds murmured in agreement.

"Wait!" Rainbow called out. "It was an accident, I swear!"

The crowds continued to boo and vilify her.

Rainbow Dash looked out for Rain Storm, but he had not passed yet. All the other ponies crossed the finish line, but Rain Storm was no where to be found. She eventually saw Rain Storm being lifted up into the air on a stretcher.

"Oh No!" Rainbow thought to herself. "Did I seriously hurt him that badly?" Her mind raced with conflicting emotions. There's no way she could admit she was a cheater, even though she clearly knew that she played dirty in the race. She told herself over and over again that it was an accident and that it was his fault for racing too close from behind her.

The officials blew their whistles loudly and announced that Rain Storm was the final winner of the series. They disqualified Rainbow Dash and she didn't even get a medal. This was unbelievable to her. She flew away from the race as the crowds continued to boo and call her names.

At home she paced around her house. She was suffering greatly with guilt and shame. She thought she was going to lose her mind. She was a cheater, a liar, and she sent a pony to the hospital. She might have even killed him. She didn't know and refused to read the paper, because she knew that there would be nothing but negative criticism about her cheating and everything.