Rainbow's Redemption

by Big-Mac-115

Chapter 2

Pinkie Pie’s only uncovered eye slowly pulled open, just enough for Fluttershy to even recognize that it moved, then closed again. The towels that had helped keep the fragile Pinkie together had been replaced by medical gauze, which Fluttershy kept around the house at all times for emergencies like this. It wrapped most of her form, from the medium-sized cut on her face and along the side of her head and over her eye, to an unsightly gash along her back and onto her rump. “Oh Pinkie, pleeaaase wake up” Fluttershy said in a desperate voice. Pinkie once again opened her eye to a squint, but Fluttershy wasn’t getting her hopes up, for this had been happening for the last hour or so. As much as she wanted to believe that she was going to be alright, Fluttershy just wasn’t so sure.

A single tear ran down the yellow pegasus’s face. “Oh, come on, Pinkie. If you can survive what happened to you back at the candy shop, you can survive anything!” Fluttershy said in a cheerful, optimistic voice. Twilight had put some sort of spell over Pinkie to keep her asleep while she recovered, so she wouldn’t be in pain. Twilight had called this sleep-state a “coma”, and told Fluttershy matter-of-factly that creatures that are in comas typically survive and make a full recovery. She had seen numerous birds, bunnies, skunks, porcupines, mice, squirrels and even ponies with life-threatening injuries come back from the brink of death and surprise everyone.

However, Pinkie’s wounds were far more extensive than anything Fluttershy had ever seen before. Whatever Rainbow Dash had done, it didn’t look survivable at all. If I hadn’t already been on my way to visit Pinkie in the first place…….

Fluttershy didn’t want to think about that. She didn’t want to be thinking about ANY of this. She wished this had never happened, that she didn’t have to see two of her best friends in such a fragile state. A broken-minded Rainbow Dash, and a broken-bodied Pinkie Pie. But, as much as she tried to pretend it wasn’t happening and stonewall these thoughts, the mere sight of Pinkie’s motionless figure forced her mind back to the reality of this, and the scene that was surely still back at Sugarcube Corner. The gore, the sight of Pinkie lying still in the middle of her cheery little shop, bathed in the very liquid that kept her alive… Then Rainbow Dash, curled into a pathetic little heap on the other side of the room, muttering insanity to herself, caked in blood as well.

Fluttershy shook her head to extinguish these horrible thoughts, and Twilight hugged her and said “It’s going to be alright. She’s going to be fine, Fluttershy.” Twilight pulled back and looked into her eyes and smiled. “You saved her life, Fluttershy. If it wasn’t for you, Pinkie never would have made it.” Rarity agreed. “Yes, you saved her, Fluttershy. You knew what you had to do, and you did it. Not bad for someone who’s never had a day of medical training, if I do say so myself.” Rarity smiled at her little joke.

Fluttershy understood that they were only trying to comfort her and make her feel good, but it wasn’t helping. She didn’t want to think about what might’ve happened to Pinkie if she hadn’t been there, and Twilight and Rarity just made her.

She looked down at her pink friend. It was almost disturbing to see Pinkie this utterly still, for she was usually NEVER still, always bouncing about so full of cheery energy. However, the polar opposite was the sight now; Pinkie was a statue except for her steady breathing. “Thank you Twilight, but I think I just want to be alone right now with Pinkie Pie. If, that’s alright with you, of course. I mean, if you want to…”

Twilight looked concerned. She wanted to stay here and keep an eye on Pinkie just as much as Fluttershy. But, she knew how sensitive the yellow pegasus was, and how she had a way with soothing any injured animal. “Well, I suppose that’s fine. Me and Rarity should probably go back over and check on Rainbow and Applejack, anyway. But we’ll be back within the hour to check on you.” Twilight made her way for the door, followed by Rarity. “We won’t be long, dear. Please, do keep her safe, Fluttershy.” Rarity said as she walked out the door of Fluttershy’s tree house.

***

The scene back at Pinkie’s house was worse than they had left it.

As Rarity approached the store, she heard yelling and screaming from inside. Though she wasn’t sure what was being said, the voices were unmistakably of Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Twilight must have heard it too, because they looked at each other briefly, and broke into a run.

Upon arrival inside, they found Applejack on top of Rainbow Dash, who was bleeding a considerable amount from a cut on the side of her neck. She looked enraged and infuriated. Once again, she had obviously lost all control.

Applejack, however, had the upper hoof, as she wasn’t as weak as Dash from blood loss. She pinned the crazed blue pony against the ground, trying her best to avoid the knife in Dash’s mouth, swinging back and forth, mere millimeters from Applejack’s face. “Darnit, Rainbow! Cut that out before ya hurt me with that like ya did Pinkie!”

“If you let me GO, I WON’T hurt you!!” Dash snarled, craning her neck to try to gash Applejack with the knife. This time, one of her blows connected with the side of Applejack’s face, and she immediately loosened her grip and reeled back in pain. Rainbow rolled over and out from Applejack’s grip, trying to get away, but Applejack wasn’t letting her go THAT easy. She lunged after Dash and grabbed her tail in her mouth. Dash was expecting this, however, and twisted around and plunged the knife deep into Applejack’s front leg. This time, however, Applejack couldn’t ignore the pain. She let go and stumbled backwards, trying to wrench the blade from her arm.

Dash flew toward the door of the shop as fast as she could, but Rarity acted on instinct and jumped up in the air, intercepting Rainbow and putting her in a headlock. She dragged her down to the ground. “LET! ME! GOOO!! IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?!?!” she screamed, and tried to free herself from Rarity’s grip. Rarity did the only thing she thought to do, and lashed out with her hoof and struck Dash in the head, just below her temple.

Whatever she did, it worked, because Dash immediately went limp and stopped screaming. Rarity also became silent and pulled back as she tried to accept what had just happened.

Rainbow Dash had tried to kill herself.

This day was becoming too much to bear. Rarity looked back at Twilight, who met her eyes with a look of sadness and concern. Her gaze quickly shifted over Rarity’s shoulder and to Applejack, who had managed to pull the knife from her leg and get back on her feet.

“Boy, thank goodness you two showed up. I woulda lost her.” Applejack limped forward over to the others, blood slowly oozing from the newly-formed wound on her right front leg where Dash had stuck the blade. “She dun near did it, she almost ended her own life… I just can’t believe it. If I was any slower, she woulda done it, too. She grabbed that knife and started to cut her neck, but I jumped across the room and stopped her before she could do much other than that there little scratch” Applejack nodded down at Rainbow. “Golly, this one’s a mess. First she tries to kill Pinkie, then herself, then me! I dunno ‘bout you Twilight, but I’d say that there’s only one thing we can do for this one… I really hate to say it, but, I’m afraid we’re outta options.”

Rarity and Twilight both knew what Applejack was about to say, and it was something absolutely unheard of. Something that hasn’t been done in hundreds of years. Something that nobody wanted to think about.

“I’m afraid we’re gonna have to tell Princess Celestia about this” Applejack said with a deep breath. “And Rainbow Dash is going to have to be put in prison.”

Rarity and Twilight’s hearts sank to their stomachs at just the mere mention on this. “No!” Rarity protested. “We… We can’t do that! There has to be another way!” Rarity was about start bawling, Applejack could tell.

“Aww I’m sorry sugar, but…” Applejack paused and stomped her hooves on the ground with a grunt. “There just aint anything else we can do with her! She’s crazy in the head, Rarity. There’s only one place for mentally unstable ponies; the dungeon.”

This brought more tears to Rarity’s eye. Applejack was right, Rainbow Dash was dangerous, to herself AND others. As much as she hated to accept it, she knew she needed to be locked up before someone else gets hurt.

Twilight glanced down and the unconscious pegasus and suddenly became very stern. “No, there may be another way. I’m no psychologist, that’s for sure, but I’m sure there’s something in the library about how to cure a broken pony’s mind. I can take care of her. I may be able to make her sane again. I can get the old Rainbow Dash back."

Applejack looked into Twilight’s eyes. “You sure, Twilight? I mean, ya saw what she did to me, and what she tried to do to herself. How in the name of Sweet Apple Acres are ya gonna keep her under control?”

Applejack had a point. Rainbow had tried to kill, or at least harm, three different ponies today including herself. Twilight wasn’t sure if Dash was in any condition to keep around the house alone with her and Spike. She might lose control again and lash out. I’d have to find some way to restrain her Twilight thought. Not the most housewarming thing one can do far a guest, but it was for the benefit of everyone.

“I’m just going to have to keep her tied to a bed for awhile, till she’s at least sane enough to not try to kill someone else. She may not like it, but it’s for her own safety.”

***

Rainbow Dash’s eyes flew open. She quickly looked around the dark room, and to her delight, it wasn’t that dreaded cellar that she had many a nightmare about, being brutally tortured, disemboweled and made into cupcakes. Taking in the room in detail, she noticed that there was nothing in the room that even hinted at any instruments of pain or torture. No sign of the balloons and streamers made of the internal organs of other ponies, that cart that had all of the scalpels and saws and knives on them was nonexistant, and Pinkie Pie was nowhere to be seen as far a-…

...

Pinkie Pie…

Rainbow Dash’s heart sank when she remembered what she had done to the earth pony, and slammed her head down on the pillow behind her. Oh, Celestia, what have I done? What’s gonna happen to me? What is everyone going to think? What happened to Pinkie Pie? Is she alright? Is she even ALIVE?! These thoughts reinvaded her mind once more, she had been thinking about this nonstop earlier. She once again had the urge to end her own life. She remembered that she had tried to kill herself, and that she was stopped by Applejack before she could. After that, everything was a blur. She couldn’t remember much, she just had a vague replay of what had happened. She remembered that she had gashed Applejack’s face and stabbed her with the knife in a fit to get away. This memory also made her sick. Everyone in Equestria is going to hear about this… I’m going to be the most hated pony in the entire country. She went to place her hooves over her face and start crying once more, but…

Her arms wouldn’t move. She tried again, but they were pinned firmly to her sides, and her legs and wings were pinned firmly to the bed.

“Oh, you’re awake!” Twilight sparkle leaned over her, filling her view, her face half-covered by a surgical mask. Horror filled Rainbow Dash as she thrashed and tried to pull out of the restraints, but she was getting nowhere anytime soon.

“Now Dash, you have to hold still, or this is going to be hard for both of us.” Twilight scolded. Rainbow Dash had heard that far too many times in her nightmares, and in the context of the current situation, these words only made her panic more and more. Realizing that she wasn’t going to be able to move, she looked into Twilight’s eyes. She was unable to read her facial expression because of the mask, and this only made the situation more ominous. She noticed a scalpel and surgical thread floating near Twilight, who was using her magic to control them. She had no idea what to do, other than just sit back, stop struggling and brace herself for whatever may come next in the gruesome routine.

It’s just another nightmare, Dash, you can do this. You’ve done this a hundred times before, you can do it again. She closed her eyes and felt a sudden sharp pain in her neck. Although, this pain was different. It wasn’t as vivid, so to speak, but it felt more realistic, like she was actually experiencing it. This terrified her. What if this WASN’T a dream, what if this was real? What if Twilight was going to torture and kill her for what she did to Pinkie Pie? Was this her way of getting vengeance?

Rainbow Dash let out a wail louder than she knew she could muster. She screamed and screamed for over a minute until her face turned a dark blue and she nearly blacked out. Twilight just looked at her with what seemed like, at least through the mask, a look of fear and sadness at once.

“Rainbow, please stop screaming.” Twilight pleaded. “You’re going to wake Spike up.” Dash looked into Twilight’s eyes with anger. “You think I CARE if I wake Spike up?! You’re going to torture me to death to get vengeance for Pinkie!” The pegasus thought about this for a moment, sighed and said “On second thought, please do. I deserve it… For everything that I did today; almost killing Pinkie, Applejack, and myself… Do whatever you want to me. I’m worthless anyway…”

Twilight raised one eyebrow. “Torture you? Kill you? No, Rainbow Dash. Why would I do that? That would just make ME a murderer. No, I’m simply trying to sew up this cut on your neck, the one that you made in your little, umm… Fit. Now hold still, or I’m never going to finish this. Oh, and you’re not worthless, by the way.”

Rainbow Dash was actually a bit disappointed. She would deserve anything that Twilight could throw at her. She deserved to be tortured and killed, for she had done about the same to Pinkie Pie. Words could not even begin to describe how awful she felt. She wanted to just give up the fight, and end the pain of guilt once and for all.

Twilight leaned back and studied her handiwork. “Well, that’s about all I can do.” She put down the tools and removed her mask, and looked benevolently into Rainbow’s eyes. “Listen Rainbow Dash, I know you feel terrible about that whole thing with Pinkie Pie, but it wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t the Rainbow Dash I know in control at that time, it was the evil that is in the heart of all ponies. Such is the balance of nature. Good can only be prevalent for so long before evil musters its forces and seizes upon the heart - twisting friendship into war, loyalty into deceit, and kindness into unadultered hate. Whatever took control of you, Dash, it was NOT you. It was the evil inside you, lashing out because your good side was weak from the nightmares and your mind’s lack of rest. Applejack told me about your dreams, and I’m going to do anything I can to help you get over this, Rainbow Dash.” Twilight gave Dash a small, glassy-eyed smile.

Dash looked into her eyes, absorbing what she said, her mood rising all the time. Twilight couldn’t be more right. It wasn’t her thinking when Pinkie had offered her that tray of cupcakes, it wasn’t her thinking when she attacked Applejack to get away. However, it WAS her thinking when she tried to end her own life. But looking back as Twilight spoke these words of wisdom, she regretted the attempted suicide. As much as she regretted everything that had happened today.

Twilight then said, “So, do you accept my offer to help you? Do you want the opportunity to be Rainbow Dash again, the fearless pegasus, the fastest pony in Equestria? Or do you want to remain a broken shell like this, and try to figure out your problems yourself and be prideful, because that’s what got you in this situation.”

Dash noted the sudden severity in Twilight’s voice as she gave the second option. She thought about what she had said, and the answer couldn’t be more obvious. “YES!! Please, thank you so much Twilight Sparkle!”

Twilight sighed. “Phew, GOOD. Because if you chose to not want help, we were going to throw you in Celestia’s dungeon!”

Both ponies laughed for a few seconds. Rainbow looked into Twilight’s eyes and smiled an enormous smile.

It was the first time Rainbow Dash had smiled in a long time.

***

Rainbow Dash swooped down at an incredible speed, weaving in and out of clouds faster and more agilely than anyone else in Equestria could even dream of doing. Ahead, she spotted an unusually large cloud, about the size of an average house. She smiled, and her expression intensified as she put her front legs ahead of her and became as aerodynamic as she could. With a twist, she increased her speed and torpedoed through the white mass, drawing it out as she went through it, and forming what looked like a long unicorn’s horn in her wake. It was an awesome sight, one of her new moves that she had invented to entertain herself and the citizens of Ponyville. She was done trying to impress the Wonderbolts. After everything she did for them, saving their lives included, and they still completely ignored her at the Grand Galloping Gala? Baahh, to the Everfree forest with them! She knew she didn’t need them, anyway.

In a mere three weeks, she had gone from a clinically insane, broken-spirited, and quite frankly a pathetic excuse of a pegasus, to the sound-minded, proud, and awe-inspiring Rainbow Dash that everyone in Ponyville knew and loved. Her recovery couldn’t have gone better.

The same, however, could not be said for Pinkie Pie.

While the blue pegasus flew through the air in a seemingly happy and carefree manner, her thoughts were all but peaceful. She was on her way over to see Pinkie Pie over at Fluttershy’s treehouse. She had been moved there earlier today from Luna General Hospital in Canterlot, where she had been staying for the last three weeks, the whole staff devoted and trying to get her back on her feet as best they could. Unfortunately, “as best they could” was far from what anyone considered good, and although there was only so much they could do, it just wasn’t enough. Rainbow’s malicious acts had damaged Pinkie internally beyond repair, and she was having many complications with her treatment because of this.

And she was also getting worse.

Twilight wanted Dash to visit today, because she was beginning to question how much time Pinkie actually had left. Last night, she had had a heart attack, due to long-term internal damage caused by Dash’s assault. She barely survived that, and early this morning, she had another, more severe one, again barely coming out alive. Twilight knew that Pinkie’s hours were numbered, so she requested that Pinkie be sent home, where she could finish her life where it started. In her hometown of Ponyville.

Dash knew that she only had a limited amount of time left to set things straight.

She arrived at Fluttershy’s, and was greeted by a nervous-looking Twilight Sparkle, who quietly led her inside the little house. Dash was nervous as well, for this was the first time she had seen the pink earth pony since the accident… She also knew it was to be her last. “She’s sleeping, upstairs.” Twilight whispered to Dash, who was slowly walking toward the upstairs guest room, where she found the rest of the ponies all gathered around the bed in the middle of the room. She approached this bed and looked down upon the poor, helpless pony that resided there. She still looked like a mess; though most of the bandages were gone, in their places were long, ugly scars, hairless streaks of skin that had meet the receiving end of the knife three weeks in the past. Pinkie still wore gauze over her left eye, for its function had too been lost in Rainbow’s fit of rage. Dash took in a deep breath.

“Hi, uh, Pinkie… Listen, I know this is kind of weird to hear me say this, after… Well, you know, bu-” Pinkie’s eyes sprung open and the largest smile Dash thought she had ever seen crossed her face. “RAAINBOOW DAASH!!” Pinkie leapt out from underneath her covers and onto Rainbow, hugging her and laughing her typical, happy-go-lucky Pinkie Pie laugh. “Ouch, that hurt.” She said, rubbing one of the bandages on her chest. “But who cares! I’m just happy that you’re here, I’ve been waiting such a long time to see you again! I don’t know why it had to wait this long, either, I mean Twilight kept saying that it wasn’t a good idea for me to see you or for you to see me, but I mean that’s just crazy! Why on Earth would it be a bad idea for us to see each other, just ridiculous! I’m just glad that you’re here now, we have SOOO much to catch up on…”

Pinkie went on like this for about another minute and a half before she became short of breath, and nearly collapsed “Woah now, Pinkie…” Twilight said as she helped her back into the bed. She said it in a completely unalarmed manner, but Dash could tell by grave the look on her face that Pinkie was having another heart attack, and her last moments were upon them.
The pink pony lay her head back against the pillow. “Sorry about that, Dashie, I think I just got carried away. I probably shouldn’t have done that, Twilight said I’m not supposed to get out of bed, but I just couldn’t help myself I was sooo happy to see you!” Pinkie giggled and smiled at Rainbow.

Dash couldn’t help but laugh with her. She was surprised, though, for Pinkie didn’t seem to show any sort of fear or anger about what had happened between them. It was like it had never happened at all. It did though, and with a yawn, Pinkie said. “Goodness, I’m tired! That’s funny, I’m usually not tired at ALL, and this came out of nowhere too! Why am I tired all of the sudden? Eh, oh well! ‘Night, everypony!” She turned over and quickly became silent.

Dash turned and looked to Twilight. “Go, she hasn’t much time left.” Twilight’s voice was trembling.

Rainbow turned and looked down at Pinkie once more. “Pinkie Pie… I’m sorry for what I did to you… For hurting you, for betraying you in such a way, and for THIS.” Tears began welling up Rainbow’s eyes. She leaned close to Pinkie and brushed a stray lock of pink hair out of her face. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but I hope you can. You’re the best a pony could have, and I couldn’t have been happier to have you as my friend all these years.” Dash leaned closer still and rested her cheek upon Pinkie’s, whose breathing was beginning to slow. “I wish that you could forgive me, Pinkie Pie… You’re my best friend, sister, and pony I’ve ever know. I just don’t know if you feel the same way after the way I treated you…” Dash kissed Pinkie on the cheek and pulled back to look at her face, one last time. “Please forgive me for this thing that I did to you. I love you, Pinkie Pie.”

Rainbow Dash could’ve sworn she saw a smile flash across Pinkie’s face as she took her last breath.

Comments

[ScyStorm]

A sequel to Rocket to Insanity? Wow. Very well written, though I wish it would have ended happier.

:,(

mis you

[Geacu]

it made me cry :(

[Zooty]

Very good but I'd be lying if I said I didn't cry a little

that was really good but siiiigh

[Geacu]

i just thought os something,how is this here yet the original rocket to insanity dosnt seem to be on this site at all?
least i cant find it

RAINBOW DASH IS AN ASSHOLE

23638 indeed

awwwwwwww..... pinkie pie is my fave character . wish she coulda lived...liked the other version better...

[sweetiepie19]

oh cool man yeay!!!!! yeahye oooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!! from regular shooooowww yay!!! trust me

[Dark Lightning]

23638
Bitch, don't be hating on Dash.

Sure I and miss pinkie too but the past is the past, and you can't change it.

Also dash is the best anyway so Fuk u, Fuk u, and Fuk u!!!!!!

[sweetiepie19]

yeah if pinkie died i would bee sooo sad !!!

[ThisIsMe95R]

This sniff was great really sniff sniff but pinkie pie...

[Firestorm]

Good sequel. But something felt like it was missing... Can't say what.

[Sargey]

sniffling... technically not crying......................... Damn you! I hate crying!

[tubaguy]

Dear author

I don't love you anymore

[Fat Autistic Weeaboo2222]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Fat Autistic Weeaboo2222]

murder time

[Lonewolf554]

well that was a well written story and i enjoyed it very much good sir.

[AstonMartinLover]

This story is cripplingly sad. I can't even function right now

[Fat Autistic Weeaboo2222]

redemption
anger
sorrow
regret

[superfun]

Had Pinkie survived, I'd have actually given this a favorite.
As-is, it still leans a bit too towards depressing for my tastes.
I'll upvote it, though.