Find Your Heart

by Spirit Chaser

Chapter Four: Sweet Apple Acres

Rainbow Dash had never realized how much she took her wings for granted in that moment, as she galloped endlessly in a straight line headed for who knows where. Her head pointed at the ground, she galloped and galloped without any care for anything. She was just trying to escape the horror she'd been through, and what better way than by running away from it?

How could I have been that stupid? She thought to herself. How could I honesty believe that if I just went with the flow, everything would be fine?

Thinking back on her plan, she realized there had been some big and obvious flaws in it. Then again, no plan is perfect right? Well, you would have to have an actual plan for it to be flawed anyway. Clearly, her "plan" was no plan at all, just a failed attempt at solving her problem. She couldn't see how she could face Pinkie Pie again after that catastrophe of a confession. She still didn't even know what she was trying to confess in the first place!

It frustrated her to no end that she was still confused! She listened to all her to all of the advice her friends had given her, well, mostly listened, and still had no clue what to do. Rainbow looked up every once and a while to make sure she wasn't completely lost, not that she cared much at the moment. Still, it felt as if she was missing something, a very important something that could help her solve this, all of this. Rainbow searched her mind for any clue of this mysterious something, even closing her eyes to concentrate... which seemed like a bad idea three seconds later when she ran headfirst into something.

"Ow! For the love of Celestia, why can't I go a day without crashing into som- Oh no," Rainbow grumbled as she looked up to see what she had hit this time.

An apple tree, in front of another apple tree, next to another apple tree.

Oh, c'mon!" Rainbow thought as she turned around slowly in a circle.

She knew this place well, too well in fact. It was a a place that wasn't filled with bad memories, actually really good ones, but she didn't want to be here right now, not in-

Sweet Apple Acres. Home to her friend who was the (second) loyalest of friends and most dependable of ponies. She didn't want to see this friend right now, she didn't want to see any of her friends right now! However, as soon as she turned around to gallop out of there in a hurry, she heard the oh so familiar southern drawl speaking to her.

"Rainbow Dash, how nice of y'all ta drop on by," Applejack addressed her friend as she trotted over to her, balancing two empty buckets on her back.

Rainbow dropped to the ground below her and wrapped her wings around herself; she didn't feel like talking right now.

"Why are y'all here anyway? Shouldn't you be unconscious or off being mad at Rarity and yourself for somthin'?" Applejack asked as she bucked the trees around her to get the apples into the buckets.

Rainbow unwrapped herself, Applejack wasn't updated to the recent events.

Ugh, I might as well.

"Yea well, a lot happened between now and then," Rainbow explained as she drew something in the ground with her hoof.

"Yea? Well I'm all ears," Applejack retorted as she moved to the next tree.

From there, Rainbow explained everything that had happened between now and then much in the same way she had told Fluttershy. Applejack continued to work but she was definitely listening carefully. When she was done explaining her long tale, Applejack finally looked up from her work.

"Well?"

"Well what?" Rainbow asked confused.

"What are you gonna do about this?" Applejack answered.

"I don't know! First I have to find out what I did wrong and then I'll figure out the rest."

Applejack was suddenly in front of Rainbow. Rainbow jumped backwards in surprise.

"No Rainbow! That kind Ah plan is what got you in this here situation in tha first place. Look, you have to figure things out before you try somethin' stupid again," Applejack frowned.

"You don't think I tried that already?!" Rainbow responsed. "I just can't! It's too hard!"

"If you want to be with Pinkie or if you don't want to be with Pinkie then-"

"Stop!" Rainbow commanded as she closed her eyes and covered her ears.

Applejack stopped and stared at Rainbow with a dumbfounded expression. Rainbow made sure she wouldn't start again before opening one eye, then both eyes and uncovered her ears.

"Just stop, I've heard it all before and it feels like the more I hear it, the more confused I become," Rainbow uttered, feeling defeated.

Applejack considered this for a second, then she smiled.

"Well then sugarcube, you should try explainin' what's so darn confusing for you," Applejack requested.

Rainbow looked down at her hoofs, had she ever really explained what she was worried about? Rainbow took a deep breath and looked at Applejack.

"Okay, first off, I don't know if I love her in the first place but I'm sure I at least like her a little, which is scary. Second, what if I like her and she doesn't like me back? I don't do rejection! Lastly, what if being in love means I have to give up being a Wonderbolt?" Rainbow explained, feeling even more defeated.

Applejack's eyes widened. "Well, clearly you have feelings for her, now you gotta accept those feelings, as for The Wonderbolts, why do you think you gotta give up on that?"

"How am I going to pursue my dream if I'm settled down?" Rainbow reasoned.

"Look RD, Ah think you already know that Pinkie Pie would follow you anywhere, literally, so I don't think you have to worry about settling down."

"But what if I do? Pinkie can't even walk on a cloud without a spell, and she lives at Sugarcube Corner! If we get together, I can't allow us to break apart."

Applejack set down the buckets practically overflowing with red apples near the side of the barn and trotted back over to where Rainbow was and promptly slapped Rainbow with her hoof.

"What was that for?!" Rainbow demanded to know as she leaped up.

"Rainbow Dash, you've taken on Nightmare Moon, Discord, Changelings, helped an entire empire and performed the sonic rainboom twice."

"Yea, I'm really awesome, what's your point?" Rainbow interrupted.

Applejack snorted. "You've done all these amazing things and you're still not a Wonderbolt, heck you should be runnin' those jerks by now. Plus when you did those things, Pinkie was right there, by your side."

"What's your point?"

"Mah point is that you've already been through the worse, and when you did it, Pinkie was right there with you. Meanwhile, The Wonderbolts just watched you endure it all and still haven't accepted you. Maybe The Wonderbolts aren't worth it, but Pinkie is."

Rainbow Dash considered this for a second. It was true that The Wonderbolts didn't seem to care all that much, but Pinkie clearly did.

"Ugh, but I already tried listening to the truth, and it didn't tell me anything!" Rainbow protested.

"What you listened to was your gut, and it obviously doesn't do romantic advice. What you really need to listen to is your heart, I'm sure Fluttershy told you that," Applejack insisted.

"Yea, I already heard all of that nonsense before, I still don't understand it."

"Rainbow, you heard your gut and it didn't tell you anything so now you have to at least listen to what your heart has to say."

"Even if I wanted to act on what my heart has to say...I don't even think I know where to start."

"So your saying you don't know where your heart is?"

"I guess."

"Then find it."

Rainbow's eyes flew open. Of course! That was the reason she couldn't fly: her heart wasn't letting her to. Okay that was totally unrelated to what Applejack just said, but the point was that now she knew, she truly knew what to do.

"AJ?"

"Yeah RD?"

"Gather everypony at Dead Pony's Cliff in an hour."

"D-D-Dead Pony's Cliff? Rainbow what in the hay are you planning?"

"If I told you you wouldn't let me go through with it, and this is something I need to do so please do what I say. Oh, and everypony doesn't mean Pinkie," Rainbow clarified.

"Uh, alright Ah guess, but this better not be somethin' stupid and dangerous," Applejack insisted as she trotted over to the barn.

"Hey, I'm all about stupid and dangerous," Rainbow shouted back as she trotted into the distance.

Here it is, Dead Pony's Cliff. Rainbow thought to herself as she trotted over to the edge of the appropriately named cliff and looked down. Just as she thought: it was a looong way down, she couldn't even see the bottom... if it existed. No one was allowed to come out to the cliff on account of the fact that the cliff was known as one of the most dangerous spots in all of Equestria. The princesses were attempting to make the cliff less dangerous in case any foal accidentally stumbled across it. Of course it was as useless as purging the Everfree forest of evil. Since then it was simply littered with warning signs.

As she finished her thought, she heard a stampede of hoofs behind her, she smiled and turned around to come face-to-face with Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack.

"Hey guys, what took you so long?" Rainbow teased.

"Rainbow we want to know what you're up to and why you gathered us at the most dangerous spot in Equestria!" Twilight shouted.

"Oh, I guess I should explain that huh? Basically, in order to find my heart, I'm gonna dive in this cliff, and if I fly out, I found it, if I don't, it was fun knowing you guys," Rainbow explained.

As soon as she was done explaining, all of their mouths were hanging open.

"Ever hear the expression 'catching flies in your mouth' guys?" Rainbow joked again.

"Rainbow Dash, that's crazy and dangerous!" Rarity shouted.

"Funny, Applejack said it was stupid and dangerous," Rainbow said.

"Ah did and Ah'm sticking by it, this is insane!" Applejack insisted.

"I have to do it, this is the only way I'll know for sure," Rainbow countered.

"Oh my goodness, please don't do this Rainbow," Fluttershy begged.

"Sorry Fluttershy, I'm just following your advice in my own way is all," Rainbow persisted.

"Are you sure about this?" Twilight asked.

"...yes" Rainbow answered.

"Then we're with you all the way, right girls?" Twilight gathered.

"...yeah!" Applejack started.

"Yes!" Rarity continued.

"Oh, yes," Fluttershy squeaked.

"Thanks everypony, well I'm not one for sappy endings so I better-" Rainbow started to say before she was pulled into a group hug by the others.

It actually felt pretty nice as usual, however there was something missing. It wasn't long before she realized it was Pinkie Pie.

"Oh and do me a favor," Rainbow said as she broke out of the hug. "If I don't make it and you see Pinkie Pie, tell her... tell her I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter, you're going to make it," Twilight assured her.

Having nothing to say to her friend's trust in her, Rainbow smiled and turned to face the milestone in her life, or rather milecliff in her life. She knew this was what she wanted to do, what she needed to do. This was the only way to truly find her heart, it was the best way. She really hoped she wasn't making a huge mistake, there was a chance she wouldn't discover what she wanted and she would plummet into the abyss, but that was a chance she had to take, for her and Pinkie's future.

Closing her eyes, she ran to the very edge of the cliff and leaped off. It felt like she was frozen in time, doomed to never fall into the endless pit that she so desperately wanted to explore. Her wings clung to her as if glued there, frozen in time along with the rest of her. Then she started falling. She opened one eye to confirm her suspicions that she was finally falling and she was correct. All she saw was the eternal darkness as she obeyed gravity's command. She tried to scream but it was lost in the rushing winds.

Okay, time to find this heart of mine. She thought as she attempted to steady herself in midair.

She focused on herself, thinking on all of her traits, all of her various experiences, trying to find a link to her heart in there somewhere. Nothing at first so she decided to focus on the few sappy memories she had, starting with when she first got Tank. That day she had focused on what was cool instead of what really mattered, but that all changed when she abandoned by every pet except for Tank. When they arrived at the finish line, she had been shocked to find that she wanted Tank instead of the much cooler falcon. That must of been the first time I used my heart instead of my brain! She thought as she realized she was making progress.

She opened her eyes again to see if she could see the ground yet... and immediately regretted it. As soon as her eyes were open, she realized that she couldn't see the ground but she also couldn't see the sky. Her heart (ironically) was beating extremely fast as she continued searching her memory banks. Once again, she found something she could use. The time she saved Scootaloo from falling (again ironic) to her doom. She chose to comfort the little filly by telling her that she used to share her fears before she got over it. That time she did what her heart told her to do instead of remaining cool and she gained a little sister in the process.

Yes! I'm almost there, just one more memory. She thought as she searched furiously for one last memory, one last thing to show her the way. She dug deep in her memory banks for something to hold on too and take off with but it seemed to be useless... until. She found it, the memory she needed in that moment, the memory she should have chosen in the first place. Back at Wonderbolt Academy, she was at the top of her game, she was winning, she was proving that she had what it took to be a Wonderbolt.

But then... she saw them. Her friends falling to their possible doom, it was too much to handle so without another thought, she gave up everything and flew as fast as she could to save the day and more importantly her friends. All she could think of in that moment was the safety of those important to her instead of the safety of her eternal dream. After making sure her friends would be launched back to safety, she flew back up there to make sure they were absolutely okay and was thrilled to find that there, especially Pinkie Pie who she checked out personally. Pinkie Pie, who hugged her with all her might, Pinkie Pie, who in that moment looked like the most beautiful creation in all of Equestria.

She was brought back to reality with a fluff sound that she barely heard, or rather felt over the wind. She looked at her wings to see that once again, they were standing straight all on their own. Ugh, this again. Rainbow thought.

Suddenly she noticed her mind was trying to demand her wings to allow her to fly again. Stupid brain, haven't you done... enough? Rainbow attempted to think but stopped when she noticed it was actually working this time.

She was beginning to slow her descent to the ground as she took over for her brain, she was doing it, she was flying! This may have been the happiest moment in Rainbow's life, not only because she was finally doing what she loved again, but because she finally discovered the path to her heart. Finally after all this confusion she really understood her feelings and what she really wanted in life... now it was time to act on those feelings.

"Can you see her yet?" Applejack asked, nervously looking over the edge of the cliff.

"Patience Applejack, she'll be along," Rarity assured her even though she was freaking out inside.

"Oh my goodness, maybe I should fly down there and see if I can see her," Fluttershy offered as she shook uncontrollably.

"No, you would never catch her in time at the speed she was falling," Twilight replied as she trotted in a circle.

The small group began to openly bicker at that point, so wrapped up in their arguments that they didn't notice the rainbow streak shoot straight into the air, do a triple loop de loop and land right in front of them.

"Ta da!" Rainbow announced as she spread her wings proudly, but was instantly disappointed when she noticed that her friends weren't even paying attention to her.

"Hello? Guys! Guys! GUYS!" Rainbow shouted with all her might.

At that they all simultaneously turned to face their friend and immediately brought her into another group hug.

"Rainbow! Does this mean that you found your heart?" Twilight asked they all released each other.

"Way to ask an obvious question, egghead, of course I did! Was there ever really doubt?" Rainbow bragged as she spread her wings again.

Twilight rolled her eyes, but was secretly happy that her friend was back to her old self "Now what?" Twilight asked.

Rainbow suddenly put a determined look on her face "Now... we march to Sugarcube Corner."

Author's Note:

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter it all comes to a conclusion, Rainbow's feelings versus Pinkie's... Pie.

Comments

[BronyRemixStar]

I like it, i like it

[TimbukTurnip]

Rainbow's friends would never have allowed her to try something like that. And she could've easily had a think about finding her heart without needlessly risking her life to do so. It may not have been as interesting but it would've been a damn slight more realistic.

Anyway, that and that there are a bunch of typos are my only criticisms for this chapter.

[TheMobFighter]

I Didn't Like Rainbow Pie Or Pinkie Dash Before I Read This Thanks For Opening My Eyes!