Following the events from 'Rocket to Insanity' by Scherzo, Rainbow Dash has done the worst thing anypony could do... Can she survive and make amends before those that she hurt comes back to take her down?
Following the events from 'Rocket to Insanity' by Scherzo, Rainbow Dash has done the worst thing anypony could do... With her actions she leaves the group confused as to why she did it, but will the damage be so severe that it cannot be remedied?
*Note- This takes place directly after the original version of Rocket to Insanity by Scherzo. I made my own opening instead of using the direct-from-story snippet I was using at first to make it more original than just a flat-out sequel.*
Rainbow Dash rocked back and forth on the bakery floor covered in blood splatters sitting with her front legs over her back ones, not believing what she has done. She had committed murder. It was an act not done in Ponyville in over a hundred years. Not just any murder, but one of her best friends. She glanced at the body of Pinkie Pie in front of her to the right. Her pink mane stained with her own blood as it pooled around her, leaking from the cuts on her body. Voices inside of Rainbow Dash’s head continued to ring though over and over again never silencing about death and destruction. Dash raised her front hooves to her head rubbing through her own mane, trying to get the sound to stop. As she looked at her fallen friend a slow and steady giggle creeped out of her mouth.
“G… giggle at the ghostly… heehee… snortle… at the spooky… hahaha… hahahahaHAHAHAHAHA!!!” She broke out into a loud, psychotic laugh as she lowered her hooves, her mind and her world finally breaking around her, sanity and spirit broken and fractured. The voices continued but the soon began to sound a lot like Pinkie Pie, chanting cruel sayings to her though it all. The front door to the bakery chimed aloud. Dash's head snapped forward, tears flying from her eyes along with an eerie grin on her face.
“Learn to face your fears...” Rainbow Dash said this as clear as the scene before her.
“You'll see that they...hee hee...” She reached for the knife that she used on Pinkie Pie, giggling uncontrollably.
“Can't hurt you... just laugh to make them…”She went to the kitchen entrance, hiding just to the side where it opens up. From the many voices in her head, one stood out above the rest, as sharp and clear as it spoke in a silent whisper.
The ones that ate your cupcakes... they are COMING! They enjoyed your baked flesh and blood soaked self without a worry in the world... They must pay as well...They… Must…
“Disappear...” Dash whispered to herself, chuckling. She raised her hoof with the blade in the air, poised to strike at whoever came into the room.
“Apple Bloom! What's taking you so long?” The purple-mane Scootaloo shouted out to her friend. Sweetie Belle already made it inside with Scootaloo but Apple Bloom was a little fearful of the bakery.
“I'm telling you, ah thought I heard screams and laughing coming from in there!” Apple Bloom shouted back to her two friends. Her first thought was something happened in there and somepony needed help.
“Aww... There is no screams from here, and even if there were, you remember Pinkie Pie is here almost every day right?” Sweetie Belle asked Apple Bloom. “Everypony knows Pinkie Pie is the loudest pony in Equestria. Hee hee.” She added with a giggle. Apple Bloom sighed, seeing her good friend's point.
“Ok. Ok. Maybe something scared Pinkie Pie or made her super happy is what ah heard.” Apple Bloom said, admitting defeat as she enters. “She did invite us for some cupcakes earlier today, and to help cheer up Rainbow Dash too.”
“I do hope Rainbow Dash is here.” Scootaloo said with a smile. “I know something that we could do to cheer her up-” There was a creak and a clatter coming from the kitchen. It scared the three fillies. “What was that?” Scootaloo asked the others.
“Ah don't know, but as Cutie Mark Crusaders, we cannot let this go undiscovered!” Apple Bloom said, cheering along with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. She was mainly happy that now she had a true reason to explore further in. The three started towards the kitchen door together, Apple Bloom leading. Apple opened the door with a forward hoof, but when it closed it pushed out the other two by accident.
“Hello? Anypony in... here...?” Apple started to call out when she was stunned by what she saw. Blood splattered everywhere on the upper cabinets, on the counter over what looks like cupcake ingredients of flour, eggs with a spare cupcake pan and to the right of the center table a fallen pink earth pony. “Pinkie...Pie...?” Apple called out lightly to her friend, the door closing behind her, but she was so transfixed on the sight of Pinkie she didn't see Dash come from behind with a downward slash with the Chef's Knife, aimed at the back of Apple's neck. The blade went down once and then pulled back. By the time Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle got into the room they saw Apple Bloom's bow on the ground with a big cut into it. Looking above it they see their filly friend, but blood was trailing down her mane a few drops dripping on the edge of the bow following a light gurgling-gasping sound.
“Apple Bloom... is everything alright?” Sweetie Belle asked her. Apple Bloom tried to turn her head but she fell to the ground, half her mane flowing with her life force and pooling under her. The two young fillies screamed and backed away from the sight. A shadow cast over both of them from the door when it swung back the other direction, the door giving a small resisting squeak as it opened all the way, staying open from a latch on the top of the door used when Mr. and Mrs. Cake are on their busiest days. They looked up to the other's face. Its eyes seem to have a crazed look to them as she was grinning to the two, a light spray of blood on the pony's blue coat matted with dried blood and a little fresh blood from her recent attack.
“Do... you... like my cupcakes... too?” Rainbow Dash asked the two slowly in an evil tone but they didn't answer as they took off towards the main door Dash laughing all the while. She threw the knife at the two but only slicing Scootaloo in the flank forcing her to fall to the ground. It buzzed past her and only left a large cut on her flank. Fearing what else might happen, Sweetie Belle helped her friend up and the two managed to get out of the pastry shop.
“Help! Help! Somepony is attacking Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle shouted, hoping someone was nearby. Dash followed the two outside but froze.
<i>What… what am I doing…?</i> Rainbow Dash thought to herself. She put her hoofs to her head trying to stop herself from going after the last remaining Cutie Mark Crusaders, trying to force the evil thoughts from her mind but it was like pushing on a wall covered with honey, the more she tried the more it seemed to stay. I got to get away from here… away from everypony! She bolted to the skies leaving her rainbow trail behind in her wake. A couple of male ponies, one an earth type and another Pegasus type, heard the two fillies and rushed to their side. “Apple Bloom and another pony are hurt in there-ow!” Scootaloo said, favoring the cut across her flank and pointed to the Bakery.
“Call the Nurse Ponies.” The dark blue Pegasus pony with a water drop with a crescent moon Cutie Mark said to his friend, an orange one with a ladder Cutie Mark with a short cut mane. He ran off to get them while the water one stayed behind. “Berry Punch! Come here a moment!” He shouted to a violet colored pony with a cherry and grapes Cutie Mark. She ran over to the three.
“What happened to them Waver??” Berry Punch asked her friend.
“I don't know, but I'm going in to check-” He looked to the bakery with his hazel green eyes.
“NO! DON'T!” Both Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle shouted at the same time.
“She might be in there still...” Sweetie Belle said cautiously.
“I'll be alright; I'm not a pushover pony after all.” Waver said. He got narrowed eyes from the other two Crusaders at that remark. “I'll be back in a shake of a tail.” He added, running to the Bakery. Upon entering he could already smell the strong scent of blood in the air. Noticing red hoof-prints coming from the kitchen door he ran over to it and pushed the door open. Apple bloom was still laying on the ground, now in a pool of her own blood her leg twitching a little. Looking further in he saw Ponyvile's prime party pony, also lying on the ground covered in cuts in a pool of her own. Waver shook his head, not knowing what to really think of this but he knew he had to at least check on them. Waver ran over to Pinkie Pie and checked her out. She was breathing heaving, little moans of pain coming from her mouth occasionally. Mixed in it sounded like words but he couldn't make them out at first. He could hear her saying something. Leaning down he heard her say...
“Rain... bow... why...?”
She was repeating it over and over again. What could that mean? Did Rainbow Dash have anything to do with this? A moment later the door opened again. Three Nurse Ponies had arrived, but almost left again from shock and surprise.
“Hey! Get in here! This one's still alive!!” Waver shouted to the three. Two went to check on Pinkie Pie bringing a carrying a board with them while one looked over Apple Bloom. “There needs to be new Nurse Ponies I swear... one sight of blood and you guys cringe.” Waver said mostly to himself. “Can you guys get both of these to the hospital as soon as possible?” He asked the three almost like a general leading his troops. The Nurse Ponies seemed annoyed with him but they did listen, carefully placing Pinkie Pie and Apple Bloom onto the transport boards, covering them and rushing out quickly to get them care. One of the Nurse Ponies, a female, stayed behind.
“How come you're not affected by any of this?” She asked, looking at Waver with her own blue eyes. “No pony should be able to handle this.”
“Somepony has to. Who else will?” Waver said, following the Nurse Ponies but stopping at the door for a second. A wave of sadness came over him as a memory resurfaced from what he just witnesses. Murder wasn't very common in Ponyville but his previous home had a few misgivings of their own. “Someone has to...” He whispered. Waver went back outside, watching as the two injured ponies were taken away. The two fillies he left with Berry Punch were missing along with her. He sighed then looked to the skies. He figured they were with the Nurse Ponies and least hoped they were. Taking flight he heads home to his place in Cloudsdale to get cleaned up a little.
Later that day at the hospital Twilight, Rarity and Fluttershy walked up to Pinkie Pie's room. With the ok from the Nurse Pony watching over her the three entered to visit her. The three gasped at the sight. Pinkie Pie was covered from head to toe in white bandages with red stripes where the cuts littered her body.
“According to the nurse she almost didn't make it.” Twilight explained, as she was the first to arrive. "She had lost so much blood she was close to not having any at all."
“Who... who could have done such a thing?” Fluttershy asked. She moved over to Pinkie Pie's bedside.
“Whoever did looked like he or she didn't waste any time...” Rarity said sadly as she walked next to Fluttershy. Twilight Sparkle stood on the other side across from them. “Where is Applejack? I thought she would be here with us.”
“You didn't hear?” Twilight asked, surprised. “Pinkie wasn't the only one attacked, Apple Bloom was too. Applejack ran ahead of me when we were coming so she may be with her.”
“Is she-” Fluttershy was interrupted by a painful moan from Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie Pie! You're awake?!”
Fluttershy exclaimed lightly. The three could hear her talking a little in her sleep. They leaned forward to listen.
“Why... are you... doing... why... why...? Rainb... Rainbow... why... why...” Pinkie continued to say 'why' between each painful moan a couple more times before panting lightly. The three gasped. They couldn't believe what they just heard.
“Could this mean... Did Rainbow Dash have something to do with this?” Rarity asked Twilight. Before Twilight could respond she heard the handle to the room just hit the wall as Applejack rushed in.
“Did ya'll find out who was responsible for this, who did that to Apple Bloom?” Applejack asked, tears still in her eyes, but mixed emotions of sadness and rage ran through her like a poison. “Ah heard ya mention Rainbow Dash. Did SHE do this?” Applejack shouted, wanting answers.
“Please be quiet, there are other patients sleeping nearby.” A Nurse Pony said to Applejack. The angered apple pony growled at the Nurse Pony and almost went off on her next.
“Calm down Applejack.” Twilight said as she walked toward her friend. “We don't know for sure if Rainbow Dash is involved or not. Pinkie mentioned her name but it could mean anything.” She said in an attempt to calm Applejack down.
“Then maybe that sky bound filly might know more on what's going on.” Applejack said to Twilight, her face in a snarl as she turned to leave. “Maybe Spike will lend me that balloon for a bit...”
“Applejack! Wait!!” Twilight called out to her before being shushed by the same Nurse Pony once more. “Come on girls, we need to catch up to her.” Twilight leaving first, Rarity following but Fluttershy stayed behind for a moment. She gave Pinkie Pie a kiss on the cheek.
“Get well soon friend...” She said meekly before following the two outside, sniffling a little as she held back her tears.
As Waver was just about home, he had noticed a few lines of dried blood across one of the clouds that appeared to go in the direction of Rainbow Dash's house. He still doesn't want to believe she has had a part in it, so he started to head in that direction himself to check up on her. He may have only said hi once in a while to her but he did attend to all of her races and was a fan of them. Dash being a murderer didn't add up to anything. He approached her door and just in front of it was more bloodstained hoof prints. They lead inside and under the door.
“Rainbow? Rainbow Dash? Are you here?” Waver called out. There was no response. “Rainbow Dash?” He gave the door a slight push and it opened. A bad feeling came over him as he entered. There was a trail of blood leading to the back of the main room. He followed it slowly, one step at a time. The trail made a sudden turn to the right. Taking a deep breath he looked over the edge of the doorway.
“Go away... go away...!” Rainbow Dash was mumbling to herself, sitting with her back to the wall, front legs over her back ones. She was a mess to see. Her once beautiful blue hair and rainbow mane and tail were covered in now-dried blood. Waver slowly approached her.
“Rainbow?” He lightly called to her. Dash jumped, realizing she wasn't alone.
“Who are you? Get out!!” Dash shouted, glaring at him. She met eye to eye at Waver for just a moment but it was enough for the male Pegasus to understand. There really was something wrong with her and she needed help.
“I don't know if you remember me or not, but I attended a few of your races. My name is Waver. Lunar Waver.” Waver said, introducing himself but keeping his distance. “You looked like you needed help...”
“I don't need any help... no one can help me now... not after what I did...” Dash said looking at her blood stained hooves. Voices continued to ring through her head, one in particular drilling a little deeper, telling her that he was here to report her. “You... need to leave...” She said, before starting her 'Go Away' mantra once more.
“You need a friend to talk to-” Waver started to say.
“I JUST KILLED ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS!! New friends I don't need... I'm far too dangerous around anypony.” Rainbow Dash said to him, turning her back away. Waver was stunned a little at the response. Not believing it for a moment he continued.
“For one, your pink friend is recovering over at the hospital, as in still alive. Same for the little one too. For two, this doesn't sound like the loyal, confident Rainbow Dash I've heard about. Did something happen for you to do what you did?” Waver asked her, taking a few steps closer to her. Rainbow Dash was stunned to hear that the two she attacked were alive. She broke down and collapsed to the floor, crying loudly in despare at what she did. Waver placed a hoof on her shoulder.
“These... dreams... and voices I keep hearing... I feel as if they're eating me from the inside out.” Rainbow Dash said. Her right eye twitched a little. “I... I enjoyed slashing her... striking with a blade... watching the blood fly through the air...” She looked up, her eyes half open in a daze as she recalled what happened before. Seeing stream after stream of blood flying as she struck the pink pony with her own blade. Pink pony... Feeling ashamed she hid her face back in her hooves. “I don't deserve any friends.”
“If it was a dream that was causing this, then talking to your friends is exactly what you should be doing.” Waver said. “It could help more than you think.”
“It... could...?” Dash asked slowly, looking up to Waver.
“Yep it could. I could come with you for your support if you like.” Waver said with a smile. Dash pushed him away.
“I said I don't need a new friend.” She said. “But... they should understand it wasn't my intention to attack Pinkie like that... or Apple Bloom...”
“You did that to the filly?” Waver asked, surprised but not thinking before saying it. “Sorry, I wasn't thinking when I asked.” He said when he got a glare from Dash. “Then how about I don't come with you as a friend, but as an ally wanting to help a hero?” Waver asked with a smile.
“A hero...?” Rainbow Dash asked, now surprise.
“You forgot? You're a hero to just about everyone in Cloudsdale, if not Equestria. Bad dreams can't change that.” Waver said to her. That seemed to cheer her up a little better. The voices of doubt and betrayal died down considerably.
“Ok... I'll go see the others as you said.” Dash said, standing up. “Thank you...”
“No problem, but you should get cleaned up first. I should too myself.” Waver said with a chuckle. “When this is over I'll come by again and help clean your place up too.”
“Don't push it blue boy.” Dash said with a poke as she went to clean herself up.
It's a trap...
“Stay out of my head...” Dash said lowly as she ran upstairs to her bathroom. She looked into the mirror and saw a silhouette of a straight-hair mane pony in its reflection behind her image.
The others will kill you for what you've done... you will see... kill them first... The voice continued in her head. Rainbow Dash quickly turned behind her, but there was nothing there. Dash ignored it the best she could as she showered, cleaning the remains of a day best forgotten. When she came down she saw Waver was gone already. Sighing deep, she built up what little courage she had left along with her sanity, which wasn't much on either one, and left her home to fly back down to ground level. A thought struck her. Maybe she could make something to show how sorry she was for what she did? Taking a detour to the Cake's bakery Shop once more she thought a new batch of cupcakes would help Pinkie and Apple Bloom's feelings improve least one of the things she could do. The kitchen hadn't been cleaned up yet since the attack. Two circles of dried blood as well as splattered blood littered some of the counter and half the floor. The memories and feelings tried to erupt once more but she continued to do what she came here to do. She even had to fly around to try to keep any more blood from getting onto her. After putting what she thought was decent into the oven there was a sound that came from outside.
“Rainbow Dash! Ah know you're in there! Come out this instant!” It was Applejack. Fear came over Dash again but she knew this confrontation had to come sooner or later.
Rainbow Dash looked outside the window of the bakery. She could almost feel the anger radiating from her apple harvesting friend even before she saw her. Applejack was panting as she waited for a response, tears welling in her frowned eyes. The very same eyes locked onto hers in just an instant.
“Rainbow Dash!!” Dash ducked back down and out of sight. She quickly went to the door and was about to lock it to provide herself some protection, but stopped herself. Dash knew she owed Applejack an explanation. She turned the doorknob instead opening the door, hoping to give the explanation that was needed. The door swung hard and launched Dash back a few feet. She saw Applejack's tail as she flew, now knowing she kicked the door open the rest of the way. Dash collapsed onto the ground but as she was getting back up, something hard slapped across her face forcing her back down and now onto her back, her wings lying limply behind her. She raised her left hoof to the spot on her cheek, tasting a little blood in her own mouth. Applejack stood over her, pinning her remaining arm down with a hoof of her own.
“Applejack... I...” Rainbow Dash said, trying to get out what she meant to say despite the pain on her cheek.
“No, you listen here.” Applejack said in a snarl. “Did ya do what ah what your friends think ya did? Did ya do that to Pinkie Pie?” Applejack got face to face to Dash. “Did ya attack Apple Bloom, mah own SISTER TOO!?!?” She shouted. Tears began falling down Applejack's face now a few dropping onto Dash's face, her rage reaching a peak.
“I... I did but you have to underst-AHH!” Dash yelled in pain, this time from her right wing. Applejack freed Dash's front leg long enough to push herself backwards a little to bring her hoof back down on Dash's wing hard. If it wasn't for Dash's flight training for strengthen wings they would have snapped instantly, but only the bone shifted slightly. The hinge bone that made the wing bend was dislocated. Pain slowly occupied the injured wing, worsening as Applejack ground her hoof into it more. Dash reared her own hind legs and kicked the angered pony off of her, rolling to her left side. Her broken wing flung limply to her side. Dash was now panting, trying to overcome the pain she was feeling... but could this have been what the other two felt...? No... Something different seemed to come from this.
“Understand what?” Applejack said, jumping to her feet. “That ah pony would rather go bananas and attack her own friends? What is there to understand?” She lowered her head, about ready to charge at Dash.
“It wasn't my intention! This dream I had-” Rainbow Dash tried to explain but was interrupted once more.
“Oh don't you even bring up dreams. Ya realize how many dreams you've already shattered!” Applejack charged into Dash, knocking her into the counter shattering the glass and one of the shelves, forcing pastries and debris to fall to the floor all around Dash. The glass made cuts into her skin. On her back and legs mainly with a few blue feathers falling along with it. “Nurse Ponies said that Bloomie might not be able to use half her body. Her backside is completely cut off from the rest of her body.” Applejack slowly walked over to her. “She won't ever be able to do almost anything to do her cutie mark search. Her dreams are forever gone now. If she can't accomplish her dreams than why should YOU!” Applejack turned quickly just as she reached the fallen Pegasus pony and bucked harder than last time, this one aimed at Dash's unharmed wing. Her strike hit Dash in the chest and the wing bone, cracking a rib in addition to shattering the bone that supported her wing from the full power of Applejack's tree bucking legs. The additional force sent Dash through the counter completly and into the wall. “How does it feel? To be struck down before you can shine?” Applejack asked, her voice cracking up from the sobs in her throat. “To have ya own dreams...” Applejack couldn't finish her sentence, her anger reaching a point now that it was beginning to weaken her a little. She broke down and cried, kneeling down to the floor. “I can't ever forgive you for what you did Rainbow... I just can't...”
The indention in the wall that Dash was in had forced her limp and damaged wings in front of her. Looking down, Dash gasped not from the pain but from the state of her once beautiful wings. Bones jutted out in a couple of places along the meaty top of them, feathers appearing to be sliced from the fallen glass earlier, a few more feathers lay around her from the impact to the wall. Even a few strands of her rainbow colored made littered in the mix. Visions of when these wings gave Dash the will and drive to be the best flier in all of Equestria... The race with the other two Pegasi back in Flight School... Saving Rarity as she fell from the sky... No longer able to do the Sonic Rainboom that she was famous for... Dash heaved a few times forward, shifting her weight forward so she could get out of the makeshift hole. Fresh air blew in from behind her. The impact was strong enough to almost push her out the wall. She stood up head down towards the ground but didn't fall over. The taste of blood came to her mouth and out as she coughed it up from her throat to clear it up, leaving a red splatter on the floor.
“Apple... you... don't... understand...” Rainbow Dash tried to say staggering on all four of her hooves. “The dream made me... Pinkie was... cutting me up in the dream.” Her voice began to trail off. Blood leaked from Dash's mouth but she continued to struggle to get out what she wanted to say. Applejack walked up to Dash once more. Most of her anger had left her from what she did to her but it was indeed subsiding now and had even begun to listen to her a little more. Rainbow Dash raised her head up higher but the eyes that met with Applejack's wasn't Dash's eyes, but something else. Applejack noticed this and took one step back. Rainbow Dash's voice became harsher with each attempt to speak. “Like... how you are... doing to me now.” Dash said her voice hoarse and low. She took a step forward. Her irises in her maroon eyes small from the pain she was feeling looked up slowly at Applejack. Instead of seeing other apple filly's orange hair and mane, she saw a flash of pink. “Pinkie...?” Rainbow Dash whispered to herself in disbelief. She growled as another flash of pink showed for a second Pinkie Pie of her nightmares, wearing the cutie mark dress, unicorn necklace and Pegasus wings. The one that...
“Rainbow...?” Applejack asked not sure what to do seeing the expression Rainbow Dash was forming on her face, first fear then turning to anger. That wasn’t the scariest thing, but her eyes appeared empty and dark, as if a light went out in them. With her anger subsiding her reasoning came back to her. She began to regret what she did but it might be a little too late to do so. Dash growled and leaped to the other pony just as Applejack stood up, hurling her into the wreckage of the counter pushing her into the wood, glass and sugary treats, covering her with the sugary substances that littered. Applejack quickly bucked Rainbow Dash off of her to her right into another wall but Dash just bounced off of it, landing back into the glass on her shattered right wing. She screamed in pain as an object seemed to impale itself into what was left of her wing. A long glass shard, the part in her wing the thickest and the other end of it flattened out, fragmented from the pane of glass it came from. At first glance Dash believed it to be a hot iron nail that was jammed into her wing. Applejack, doing her best to get out of the glass without injuring herself only suffers a few cuts as she gets out intact but covered all over in different colors of icing and cake. Rainbow Dash stood up once more, bearing the overwhelming pain that added to what was already coming from both her wings.
“Rainbow Dash... let's get ya to the hospital. Ya need to have yer wings looked at.” Applejack said worried if she went a little too far, lending a hoof to help her up. Dash glared up at Applejack. Her eyes went wide in fear again. She didn't see Applejack at all now, but Pinkie Pie pointing her scalpel at Dash like she was about to slice down her bloodied front leg.
“STAY AWAY!!!” Rainbow Dash shouted, twirling to the left in an attempt to buck her 'attacker' but she slipped on the debris on the floor, her limp wing flailing as it soared in the air one last time before it quickly froze in midair. Rainbow Dash let out a short screech as a new wave of pain went through her. The sudden stop didn't stop her weight from moving forward and popped the wing bone right out of her socket connecting it to her torso, but the little meat left from the glass cuts on her back held the wing form together. Applejack flinched a little looking at the point of the glass shard that stopped mere centimeters from her right eye but then fell back and away from it. Rainbow Dash looked up to see a purple aura around her entire mangled wing, the glass fragment poised as if it were a dagger about to strike. From the pain coming from her entire body in addition to the sleep deprivation of a month of little to no sleep, Rainbow Dash lost consciousness, the last thing she heard was the giddy laughter inside her head. The only thing holding her up was the aura that caught Dash's wing that quickly enveloped the swooned sky-blue pony moving her to a clean part of the floor and sat her down.
“Applejack!” Rarity shouted, Twilight next to her who was panting a little from the exertion of using the Freeze spell. Because of the speed it was used it took a little more power than she thought to stop Rainbow Dash in time. Applejack, still in shock by what almost happened looked to Rarity, then to Twilight.
“If I didn't know any better...” Applejack said, shivering a little. “I'd say that was too close a call Twi.” Twilight went over to Rainbow Dash to look her over.
“Did you do all this to her Applejack?” Twilight asked, worried for both her friends.
“I did... my anger got the best of me. I am really sorry about this.” Applejack said, lowering her head.
“Never mind who is to blame let's get Rainbow Dash to the hospital.” Rarity said, lifting a hoof of her own at the mess around her. She didn't want to say it but she wanted to get out as soon as possible preventing dirtying herself, but she also wanted to be there for her friend too so she tolerated it as she usually does.
“Right.” Twilight said as she used her levitation spell to carefully carry Rainbow Dash out of the ruined bakery, followed by Rarity and Applejack. Applejack stopped to look back at the damage she caused. The broken counter... hole in the far wall... broken shelves... With a sigh and a small grunt from one of her cuts on her legs, she ran to catch up with the other two. Other ponies that heard the commotion gasped at the sight of Rainbow Dash.
“Where is Fluttershy and Spike?” Applejack asked, feeling bad that all this happened because she couldn't control her emotions.
“Those two are watching over Twilight and Pinkie Pie's balloons in case you were to try and get them.” Rarity said. She shook her head. “It's bad that one of our friends is in the hospital and I do feel sorry for your sister, but why did you go after Rainbow Dash like this?” Rarity asked, confused and concerned.
“Ah... don't know... seeing mah sis like that just snapped something inside of me and ah lost it big time.” Applejack said sadly. “Ah don't really want to talk about this right now.” Aside from the low whispered conversations the ponies of Ponyville were having, the group quickly and quietly made their way to the hospital.
A voice called out in the darkness that was Rainbow Dash's vision.
“Rainbow Dash...”
This voice sounded so familiar... She couldn't place it.
“How could ya have done this to me...?”
Rainbow Dash's vision cleared up a little as a light bluish grey haze began to grow from the darkness.
“Wh.... Where am I?” Rainbow Dash asked herself. A large collection of the haze gathered and when it dispersed, Apple Bloom walked from it. “A... Apple Bloom?”
“You...” Apple Bloom said, her voice seeming to be disembodied as her mouth didn't move, but her soulless eyes stared deeply at Dash. “You struck me down...” A dark liquid could be seen coming down the filly's neck, slowly dripping to the ground. “With no remorse at all.”
“I didn't mean to... I didn't know what was happening to me!” Rainbow Dash said trying to reason with her friend's little sister. She tried to move towards Apple Bloom, to comfort her but her legs seemed to be bound by the same misty haze before her.
“No... You knew...” Apple Bloom started walking towards Dash, one hoof at a time. “You've known for a while... who and what I truly was...” Rainbow Dash got confused from these words. Apple Bloom reared back and leaped at Rainbow Dash, knocking her backwards and on her back. The haze surrounding her covered Dash's vision completly. Once it cleared after a moment Rainbow Dash found herself bound to a table spread eagle and sitting upright, even her head was strapped down too.
“No... No no no no NO!” Rainbow Dash shouted. She recognized the surroundings instantly as the blue-grey haze backed away. Spots of blood on the floor... pony heads with unicorn horn party hats... a big banner with 'Life is a Party' written in blood… intestinal streamers. She was back where it all began once more.
“This isn't real... this isn't real...”
“Of course it's real silly!” A happy voice said to her right. Rainbow Dash tried to turn her head but it was bound too tightly. Pinkamena Diane Pie, dressed in a dress of cutie marks wearing her three Pegasus wings on her back like a backpack and unicorn horn necklace around her neck like a new kind of fashion. A large grin lined her lips, half her face hidden by her flattened out dark pink mane. “It wouldn't be any fun if it wasn't real. It would be a real draggy waggy...”
“Pinkie...” Rainbow Dash was shocked to see her as well as a little relief. “You're alright?” She asked eyes wide.
“Of course I am. I can't say the same for you... You see.” Pinkamena said as she walked to the other side of Rainbow Dash. “Everypony lately has been trying to sample my ingredients lately. Applejack. Rarity. Twilight. Even little Fluttershy kept trying to get a piece of you.” She said with a giggle. “They all looked so cute in their attempts... but I can't let them taint you any further. Would make everything else spoil.”
“What are you talking-” A wave of pain shot through her back causing her to cry out. Pinkamena turned on an overhead light switch. The light showed Dash but it wasn't what Dash was expecting to see. She was covered in cuts from the tussle with Applejack but something felt wrong. She tried moving her wings forward to look at them but they wouldn't move. Then again she couldn't even feel her wings at all. “Wh... where's my wings!?”
“Ask Twilight if you really want to know.” Pinkamena said, sounding disappointed. “She used her magic to rip them off and started sampling it. I know some ponies like to grab a wing off a chicken at first, but I didn't think that they were serious.” She said, running a hoof over the bony stub where a blue wing was once supported at. “Both started munching down on them. Rarity wanted your eyes, but I really REALLY need them too.” Pinkamena went fact to face with Dash, looking at her eyes. “She was indeedy right. They do sparkle like gems.”
“What the hell did I do to deserve this?” Rainbow Dash asked her sobbing becoming more and more louder with each second.
“There there! Be strong Dashie!” Pinkamena said caringly. “I made sure not to let them tarnish the best parts of you.” She ran the same hoof from before over Rainbow Dash's chest, feeling her rib cage through her skin. She noticed Dash's heartbeat was running fast as she trailed down further and pulled away just before she reached between Dash’s legs. “You should have listened to me.” She whispered to her lowly.
“What...?” Dash asked, confused at the comment.
“I told you they would try to come after you. You should have taken out all of them.” Pinkamena looked back up to Dash's face, the long grin still present but curved into a sneer. “I told you they would turn on you. You. Didn't. Listen!!” Pinkamena slammed both her hooves on both of Dash's sides, stirring up her pain even more.
“Ahhh!!” Rainbow Dash screamed out.
“Now, let's get this party started!” Pinkamena said giddily, running over to the table that Dash had always seen her run to the other times she went through this. “Let's see... Scalpel... hacksaw... saline...” She started listing everything she had but as she did, another voice said it at the same time as she did.
“Let's use... the Scalpel first-”
“Scalpel now!” A faint male voice shouted from somewhere in the room. Rainbow Dash struggled in her bindings. Somehow, her right hoof became free as Pinkamena approached her with the sharp blade.
“Now now... if you don't play by the rules you'll be punished.” As she said that, an invisible force forced her hoof back into place. A purple aura covered the broken straps that wrapped themselves back onto the fleeing hoof.
“What the-!?” Rainbow Dash said, surprised. Did Pinkie Pie learn how to use magic? Dash thought, except the source of the purple aura came out from the shadowed part in the back of the room. Twilight, followed by Applejack and Rarity with an expression of unparalleled lust and greed walked up to the other two. The only one of Dash's previous friends that wasn't there now was Fluttershy. Was Pinkie Pie lying about her after all...? Her thoughts escaped her as she realized the gravity of the situation she was in. Struggling once more she tried to free herself, but even as the left hoof strap broke a white aura rebounded her hoof right back onto it. Invisible hands seemed to be holding her legs down at this point.
“I really wanted to be the first...” Twilight said eerily.
“You are so delicious Rainbow...” Applejack added same tone as Twilight. “Better than Granny Smith's apple pies.” Applejack licked her lips in anticipation tongue hanging out. “Such beautiful tastes in flavor and color...” Rarity said like the other two. “Pinkie, darling... we can't hardly wait anymore. Please hurry and make your masterpiece!” Rarity shouted the last word like a cheer. Twilight and Applejack cheered with her.
“Okie dokie! One Pinkie Super Masterpiece coming right up!” Pinkamena said with a large grin. She stood in front of Dash, moving a large bucket under the flailing Pegasus. The stubs on Dash's back caught her attention. “I see with my blue eyes... a pointy eyesore.” Pinkamena poked at Dash's backside with a hoof, moving the jagged bone around a little. The pain didn’t get any worse but this time it had seemed to start going away from the action. “Maybe a hacksaw would be better to use first. Don't need broken bones in my sugary mix.” She said matter-of-factly as she reached for her tool. As Pinkamena said this, Dash heard in her ears a male pony's voice, this one a little different than last time. “Ok, ve got 'vem off but for vhe this ve need to remove vhe remaining vone to-”
“Who... else is there...?” Dash called out, panting form the pain of her missing wings. She heard a male voice but there were only females present. “More people for your audience Pinkie Pie?” Rainbow Dash hissed at her attacker.
“I have no idea what you're talking about.” Pinkamena said as she switched out the Scalpel for the hacksaw and hopped back to Dash, immediately placing the jagged blade between Dash's broken wing bone and where it connects to the rest of her body. “But don't worry... once I'm done with this batch, you'll have the biggest audience in the world!” She began her work, cutting off the bone from the wing, all the while humming her original ‘Cupcakes’ song to herself. A bundle of nerves reawakened and Rainbow Dash tries to not to scream but the pain was too much for her to contain. A high screech filled the torture party room, followed by the laughter of the others, Rarity's shrill laughter rising higher than the others. After a lot of pulling and tugging, the broken wing bones came free.
“Here I... thought we were... best friends...” Rainbow Dash gasped each breath hard and heavy from the pain of sparked nerves. “We even protect the… Elements of Harmony!” Pinkamena stopped and glanced at Rainbow Dash. “What if you need my Loyalty again, misplaced as it is?”
“We are still best friends. I don't know about those three, being the meany greedies they are.” Pinkamena grinned, motioning to the drooling trio appearing to ignore the statement about the Elements of Harmony. She carried the two broken bones and dropped them in a nearby trash bin. “If you want to do something about this...” She picked up the scalpel for the third time. “You should least cut down anything un-needed to preserve what you want.” She almost sounded like she was talking to herself, admiring the sharp blade as she moved back to Dash. “Hee hee. I should make a song like that.” Pinkamena looked up to Dash, as if thinking. “Nah wouldn't work. Now let's resume our little party Rainbow Dashie!” She said, raising the blade to the air like a sword. Coming down fast Rainbow Dash braced herself, tensing up hard. The action caused her back to spasm again, forcing her eyes open as a shimmer of silver passed her vision. With one last effort she heaved forward mouth open, hoping to at least bite down on the back end of Pinkamena's hoof only now all restraints seemed to give a little at once. She bit down on something hard and another scream wailed out following a metallic clatter…
A month had passed since the fight. After Rainbow Dash was taken to the Ponyville hospital, her injuries were too severe to tend to with the supplies there so she was quickly transferred by air to the Canterlot General Hospital that was more advanced than the one in Ponyville in terms of medicine and care. Apple Bloom was also transferred here as well for the same reasons as her own injuries nearly paralyzed her, but had been at this hospital for about five days longer than Rainbow Dash was. During that time the girls couldn't come up and see her as every time they tried the Nurse Ponies there continuously refused her until a month later when she was finally ready for visitors.
In the waiting room Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity and Applejack waited on the Doctor ponies to say how Rainbow Dash was holding up. Applejack’s cuts hadn’t completely healed yet but her bruises were gone, a scar across her cheek where shrapnel from their fight slashed her across the face. Twilight asked if she could help speed up her recovery but Applejack wouldn’t allow it, wanting to keep the reminders of the fight that nearly killed her friend that almost killed her little sister.
“Ah do hope Rainbow pulls through...” Applejack said, still regretting what she had done. “Ah couldn't live with myself if I...”
“Don't even think it Applejack. You’ve said enough to yourself this week.” Twilight said. Although she was trying to hide her own disappointment over what happened, her worry took over everything else. “Rainbow Dash is one of the toughest ponies I know. This might not be an injured wing, but I believe she will get through this.”
“I um...” Fluttershy said, lightly stuttering. “Hope she pulls through too. Same for your sister too Applejack. Has she gotten any better?”
“She can move her legs, but it’ll be ah while before she can walk on her own again.” Applejack said, fighting back tears. Rarity went over to comfort her friend, placing a hoof on her back.
“So much has happened over the last couple of weeks... I don't want to say it, but could this be something left over by Discord?” Twilight asked the girls.
“That mismatch of a pony?” Rarity said with disgust, squinting her eyes. “I do hope not.”
“Ah thought his power was gone when he turned back to stone?” Applejack asked. “Isn’t that what the Elements of Harmony was supposed to do?”
“It is but… could something aside from Discord really drive a pony to insanity?” Twilight asked the girls, thinking aloud. A Nurse Pony came into the room going towards Applejack who turned to her.
“Ah don't need any help!” She angrily snapped at the Nurse Pony, who cowered back in fear for a moment.
“I... just wanted to tell you that the operation was a success...” The Nurse Pony meeped out.
“Operation...?” Rarity said, looking to the others just as surprised. “How bad were her injuries?” She asked the nurse.
“The doctor can tell you more... this way please.” The Nurse Pony said, holding the door open for them. The group walked down the hallway, the earlier Nurse Pony catching up with them to lead them to the right room. Taking a right then two lefts they entered a patient's room. One male Unicorn pony in the room looked up from his clipboard that was lying next to a bound blue Pegasus pony over a bed and eighty percent of her body covered in bandages and saw the first few enter. His cutie mark stood out from his white flank, a hammer and a steel rod crossing each other. His black mane was cut short from the top all the way down, glasses across his face over his dark olive eyes. The white horn on his head illuminated a red aura, supporting his clipboard as it was writing notes down. His accent immediately told everyone he wasn’t from around here, but it was simple enough to understand.
“We van't have a varge vroup in vere. Only vour in the voom at a vime vlease.” He said. The girls looked at each other for a moment.
“I'll leave.” Rarity said. “I need to find where Sweetie Belle went to anyways. It will be ok Applejack. Don’t worry.” She added as she went to the service desk to start her searching. Twilight, Applejack and Fluttershy went in and they saw their friend a little clearer. Applejack grimaced but Fluttershy let out a scared gasp. Above the bed is a sort of sling contrapment made specifically for Pegasus ponies. Rainbow Dash was attached to it. Her torso was covered with bandages in addition to her legs but the sling was attached to the sides of the wrappings supporting most of her weight as she was lying on the bed. The straps were also connected to what looked like metallic feathers where her once beautiful blue wings used to be, also for reducing the weight strain on Rainbow Dash's back. She was asleep but moaning softly from her ordeal, her head on a pillow.
“I'm sure you're vondering about her vings?” The male Doctor pony asked, a small smile on his face, beaming with pride.
“Indeed!” Fluttershy said, rushing past Twilight and Applejack. The yellow Pegasus just stared at her best friend’s wings, worry and concern lining her face. “Wh- What happened to them...? Her wings…Ah! Sorry!” She asked as she ran a hoof over them for a second. She pulled back quickly hearing a painful squeak from Dash.
“Don't do zat.” The doctor said. “I am Doctor Metal Heart, a specialist on graphing metal to flesh for prosthetic purvoses.” He said, bowing a little as he introduced himself. He looked to Rainbow Dash. “Your friend vill make a full recovery but 'er mental state... I am not so sure of.” He said, taking a closer look at the base of the metal feathers and casing where her wing joints appeared to be sealed into. “Those however, are mending just vine. That is vood....”
“Why was this done to Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked, getting to the point. “I thought you all were just going to heal her, not change her into… this?” Twilight asked him, clearly angry that her friend looked like she was pieced back together like a puzzle.
“Ah ves. While the doctors here and ze other hospital vere able to patch ‘er up, her vings took a severe beating. One vas even dislocated but vith this procedure; her vings will be in vully working order by tomorrow. Everything else beyond that is up to 'er. She vill need to re-train hervelf before she can fly like she has bevore.” He explained while taking down more notes. “At any rate... how did Ms. Dash get like vhis to begin vith?”
“Ah um...” Applejack started to explain but was quickly interrupted. “I-“
“Applejack chased away her attacker. Even we don't know who did this...” Fluttershy said suddenly, tears coming to her eyes as she ran a hoof over Dash's face tenderly, not looking up once. Twilight and Applejack looked at each other for a second. Fluttershy never spoke up this loudly for anypony in the past, but it is understandable in this situation. Twilight Sparkle was worried that seeing Rainbow Dash like this was beginning to be too much for the shy pony. Twilight placed a hoof onto Fluttershy's shoulder.
“Fluttershy... if this is too much for you right now we can come back later.” Twilight said.
“Can I... can I be alone with Rainbow Dash for a moment please?” Fluttershy asked meekly. “If it's ok that is...” Twilight lowered her hoof and looked to Applejack.
“Sure you can sugarcube. Ah... need to see how Bloomie is doing.” Applejack said as she turned to leave, a little faster than she wanted to let in on. In truth, it was almost too much for Applejack herself to bear, seeing the damage that she herself had done to someone she had considered one of her best friends. Twilight started to follow, but turned back to Fluttershy at the door.
“Please let us know how she's doing later, ok Fluttershy?” Twilight asked. Fluttershy nodded and smiled. Twilight nodded back and went after Applejack, Doctor Metal Heart following behind her to respect Dash's friend's request. Once the door was shut Fluttershy turned back to Dash, walking to the edge of her bed.
“Rainbow?” Fluttershy said. Rainbow Dash slowly opened her eyes and focused them onto the yellow Pegasus. “We’re alone now. You don’t have to do that you know.”
“I guess... I could never fool you huh Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash asked her following a groan.
“How could you do what I heard you've done?” Fluttershy asked, talking in her usual low tone of voice. “I mean…I've never known you to attack anypony before, let alone how Pinkie Pie and Apple Bloom are right now. Even the other girls are hurt from what you did… not as much as I am.” These words coming from Fluttershy directly felt like needles to Rainbow Dash’s heart. “Fluttershy... I didn't mean any of this to happen. I tried to explain to Applejack but...” She motioned to her wings.
“Oh... well if you need an ear I can lend mine. If you want me to.” Fluttershy said, sitting down on the floor. A small smile crept onto her lips. In the past she had usually went to Rainbow Dash for advice with problems of her own. She cheered up a little seeing that now instead of Dash listening to her; she can do the same in return.
“There's this... dream I've been having for the last few months.” Rainbow Dash said her voice almost emotionless which was unusual for herself. “Each time I'm bound to a standing table and... terrible things are done to me.”
“Terrible... things?” Fluttershy said, cocking her head to the side. She was alert and attentive.
“Yeah... cutting me and pulling my insides out... that sort of thing.” Rainbow Dash said, grimacing a little. “It felt so real each time it happened, I’ve never got much sleep, even now I don’t.”
“Ouch...” Fluttershy said, winced a little herself from the thought.
“The worst thing is that it's Pinkie Pie in the dreams that are doing it to me. Each and every night she's doing that to me... even now she still haunts me.” Rainbow Dash said. She tried to sit up a little but her strength hasn't returned yet and so she went back down onto the bed. Her bracing wires connected to become tight for just a moment, causing her metal wings to vibrate a little. The action made her yelp in pain, her nerves not completely healed yet. The wings themselves made a light chime, almost like they were hollow.
“Don't try to move Dashie...” Fluttershy said, standing up and ready to assist if needed. “Your wings aren't completely healed yet... but what is that on them?” She asked, concerned.
“The doctor said with the damage done to them I might not ever fly again. These metal wings are to protect what's left of my normal ones. Or so I heard…” Rainbow said, turning her head and looking back at them. “If anything, I'm going to try and fly with these if I can. I have to admit that black mane doctor; he keeps changing what he says a lot.”
“Well... at least you are recovering.” Fluttershy said, placing her hoof softly on her head. “You know... Pinkie Pie would never hurt anypony.” Rainbow Dash sat her head back onto the pillow once more. “Have you thought to talk with her about it?”
“I tried to.” Rainbow Dash said, although it came out like a groan. “Right then and there the dream surfaced during the daytime. She had the same cupcake that she fed me in the dream. I really thought it was about to come true but my own fear got the best of me… I don't know if there is any other pony I can trust now...” Rainbow Dash said, her eyes half open.
“Why do you say that?” Fluttershy responded, lowering her hoof.
“The last dream I had... The last of those 'sessions' Applejack, Rarity and Twilight were there with Pinkie Pie. She kept the same name Pinkamena for some reason. Why I didn't know but I was being cut into again and... The other three...” Rainbow Dash grimaced. “They charged in and started eating me.” She said this with complete disgust. “All I could do was lay there. At first I had managed to bite at 'Pinkamena' holding the blade, but they got me again while she was binding me up. I was even a floating head until my eyes were gone. I really thought I was dead until a few hours ago when I finally woke up.”
“That does sound intense.” Fluttershy said. She leaned closer to nuzzle Rainbow Dash's cheek seeing she couldn't really hug her. “Things will be alright. If I can I’ll make sure that evil pony doesn’t get to you again. You just rest up and get better ok?” Fluttershy moved back, but Rainbow Dash's eyes were wide in fear, irises shrank to small dots as her fear began to surface again. At 'rest up' another flash of pink where yellow and purple should be crossed her vision. In place of Fluttershy was Pinkamena but she had a worried look to her face. “Rainbow Dash, are you alright??” Fluttershy asked, although it echoed in her ears, seeming to mix with another that sounded like Pinkie Pie. Dash began to shake in terror. Was she in another dream? Dash couldn't truly tell the difference this time and just lay there, shivering while staring at ‘Pinkamena’. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears and it was getting more and more erratic. “Doctor! Doctor!” ‘Pinkamena’ ran out of the room. Rainbow Dash’s gaze followed her until she left. She looked straight ahead and then closed her eyes tight, a high pitched ringing running though her ears as she cowered in fear, feeling tears run down her cheeks. Her vision blinded with a pinkish red hue from her body tensing up. A rush of hoof-steps now mixed in with the ringing and after a moment her body began to relax. Soon she was asleep once more. Next to her, Twilight, Fluttershy and a Nurse Pony with a strawberry-white striped mane stood next to her.
“She should be fine now.” The Nurse pony said. “Doctor Metal Heart said to give her this sedative if she starts having another ‘episode’.”
“Episode?” Twilight asked. “How often does this happen?” Fluttershy went over to the other side of the bed, leaning down and placing one hoof next to Rainbow’s.
“Not as often now. I cannot say any more than that I’m afraid.” The Nurse pony said as she left the room.
“Rainbow… what happened to you…?” Twilight said lowly, the last sound heard for a while the faint click of the door closing.
Rainbow Dash was petrified from her fear for six hours straight, after her two hour medicated nap. She was breathing hard and staring straight at the window leading outside but not at anything particular. Even as Doctor Metal Heart shined a small flashlight he had in his mouth into her eyes, checking for a response he wasn't very happy with what he saw.
“This is vat I was afraid of.” The doctor murmured to himself. “I am no exfert on psychology but vrom vat I can see, your vriend has withdrawn into her shell even vore now.” He continued to talk to himself, trying to help in figuring this out.
“This is more serious than I first thought it was...” Twilight said worriedly, thinking aloud. “She looks like an empty shell…” Rarity came back a few hours later after Fluttershy’s call for help, the doctor making his second visit at the moment to follow up on her.
“I um...” Fluttershy said, trying to speak up. “I found out a little on what happened to her.” Twilight and Rarity looked to her although the good doctor continued to murmur lowly, as if in his own little world. Fluttershy explained what Rainbow Dash told her when they were alone, before her sanity went out again. When she was done, Twilight and Rarity looked at each other, Rarity with a squeamish look to her face. Rainbow Dash had her eyes closed but an occasional shiver would pass through her
“I would never ever do something so vile to Rainbow Dash!” Rarity said, shaking her head as if to rid the idea. “That… that is not right one bit.”
“I wouldn't either but... why would dreams such as this affect her this much? This is Rainbow Dash we're talking about...” Twilight said, more confused than ever. “Still... we should let her rest if she can...” She added, casting a worried look to her sick friend.
“Vine skills wouldn't have caused vomething vike tis I know...” Metal Heart said aloud all of a sudden, causing the other three girls to jump a little, Fluttershy letting out a cute meep in surprise. His voice showed a lack of caring for his patient. “I vould also suvest that she rest as vell. Now vat is done I'll vend a letter revarding vy bill by airmail in a couple of vays. Please let her know vis when vhe snaps vout of her trance eventually.” He said with a light bow and was out of the room rather fast.
“He sure was helpful for a doctor...” Rarity said to herself with a huff.
“He did what he could do, so we should too. I might have a book on dreams and nightmares back at the library. I'll be there if you girls need me.” Twilight said as she began to leave
“I’m going to check on Apple Bloom again. Applejack tried to say she couldn’t make it here today due to her work at the farm, but I hope I convinced her to rest for once.” Rarity said following to go see Apple Bloom, where likely her little sister was.
“You did? That must have been something to see.” Twilight said, smiling. “Still, she did need to get some rest.” Fluttershy stayed behind to keep Rainbow Dash some company, but spoke up before they left.
“Girls… how are Apple Bloom and Pinkie doing?” Fluttershy asked the two. Since hearing of Rainbow Dash’s troubles she had stayed by her side almost all the time and hasn’t had the chance to see her other two friends in a while.
“Pinkie Pie is close to a complete recovery, she’s going home tomorrow if I heard right. She can’t do anything completely crazy for a while but she’ll be back to normal soon enough.” Twilight said happily, but then turned grim. “Apple Bloom’s wound was really serious but it didn’t sever her spine. She just can’t move much until it heals. Applejack may know more than I do with her.”
“I see… well… Nightmare or not, I'll do all that I can too.” She said to the two with a nod, going over and sitting down on a nearby low stool near the wall. “I’ll be Rainbow’s moral support while you guys find a cure.” Fluttershy knew she was helpless to assist like how Twilight could, but she did have a thought that maybe her presence, or rather that of another Pegasus, could provide a little comfort for her best friend. She looked over to Rainbow Dash, who was now breathing calmly as she slept. Twilight smiled and nodded, leaving the room once more and the two alone. A few more hours had passed. The moon now high in the sky and shining it’s light through the open window that Fluttershy opened up just before she decided to take a nap, turning the lights out. Aside from the moon, the lights from the monitors gave a pale glow as well. A light breeze occasionally made its way through the room. One of the breezes went by Rainbow Dash’s face which caused her to stir a little, shifting a little of her rainbow mane over her eyes. Slowly opening them she looked through the moon-lit darkness thorough the window and saw Fluttershy resting on the stool across to her left. She tried moving her wings again but soon realized they were still hooked onto the wire contraption that was holding them up and open. Trying to get a good look behind her she turned her head as far as it would go. Something caught her attention from the corner of her eye, just above her bed. It looked like some sort of lever above her bed about half a foot up and two feet to the left of her upper bedpost opposing the monitoring equipment. Bringing her head forward again she knew what she needed to do. She didn’t want to be a burden on her friends any longer. The only way she could do that was to just disappear forever and find a place where she could do no harm on anypony ever again. She used her front hooves to push on the end of the bedframe, to move herself up the bed a little. She got a few inches down before the sling contraption started to rattle a little. Dash stopped suddenly and looked to Fluttershy. She was still asleep. Rainbow Dash tried again as she pushed she reached out with her back left hoof, trying her best to reach the lever above her and kick the lever, hoping it would release her from her bindings. The first try she missed completely. The second attempt she missed again. With these attempts to free herself it reminded her of the books she had read a while ago of Daring Doo and her adventures. It caused a smile on her face to think of her favorite fictional figure and gave her a little more motivation for her own ‘escape’ from her tormentor. The third time Dash shoved her body back a little harder and kicked. She just grazed it. On the fourth one that hit the mark a little too hard, swinging back a little too quickly. It flipped up fast leaving a loud clang as it reached its peak. At the same moment the hooks gave way causing her wings to fall at her side a kind of chiming sound came from them as they settled. A spike of pain went across Dash’s back when they went down, but the sound of the metal wing feathers sounding hollow worried Dash greatly. Were her old, reliable wings still inside them, or were they, like in Pinkamena’s session, completely torn off and now replaced with these… imitations? She heard a startled sound in front of her. Instinctively Dash went into defensive mode. She couldn’t stand up but she made the mental command for her wings to rise up as she had always done… and they went up as if nothing ever happened. Another wave of pain followed, only a little worse than before but enough to have her lower them back down to her sides once again.
“R…Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy shouted to her, concerned. Only that her shouts sounded like hushed whispers. “What are you doing?” She rushed to her friend’s side.
“I need to get out of here.” Rainbow Dash said clearly. She grimaced as she moved to the right, aiming to get out of the bed. An IV needle slid out of her arm in addition to the wires connected to sensors on her body. “I need to… Ah!” She started to tumble out of the bed but Fluttershy caught her just before she hit the floor, her metal wings resting on her back. Fluttershy was also surprised on how light they were despite their metal appearance. The monitors began to sound an alarm, now not sensing their target’s life signs.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked as she helped Dash get more balance.
“I don’t want to hurt anypony… else.” Rainbow Dash said slowly. Dash was struggling to get the words out at this point. The pain in her back was indeed insufferable but there was only one place she could think of that could help her and be isolated from the rest of Ponyville. “I need to see Zecura… in the Everfree Forest.”
“Everfree Forest? I don’t know…” Fluttershy started to say until Dash looked at her. She looked like she was in so much agony. “You think she could really help you?”
“I think so… if anyone is the queen of strangeness it’s her. We can’t be seen either.” Rainbow Dash looked out the window. They were pretty high up in the air. “Can you fly me to the ground?” Dash asked, nodding towards the window.
“I think so. I hope you’re right.” Fluttershy said cautiously. They went over to the open window, Fluttershy assisting Rainbow Dash outside and, flapping hard, slowly lowered themselves to the ground. It was a five story hospital but they were on the second floor so it wasn’t too far of a drop. They landed on soft green grass just in front of the building. Dash let out a grunt when they landed. Fluttershy looked towards her to see Rainbow nod to her, signaling she was ok. Above the light in her room lit up and panicked voices came from there. They kept to the shadows of the trees and the sides of the mountain as they walked and glided back to Ponyville which was the only path either of them knew to reach Zecura’s Tree from that entrance of the forest.
It was still dark when they got to Ponyville. All of the other ponies in their huts and houses had their lights out except for the tree house towards the center of town. Movement could be seen inside the lit windows.
“Why is it I can’t ever find any book in this library when I need it!?” A shout was heard from inside. It was Twilight Sparkle. “Spike! Any luck!?”
“Twilight is in there I think, should we-” Fluttershy started to ask Rainbow Dash but she was interrupted.
“No, I don’t need them involved. I need to keep moving.” Dash said sternly, panting from the effort of not screaming out in pain. During the trip Rainbow Dash rode on Fluttershy’s back, both wings hanging on her sides. Her right wing hit a stone occasionally, which Fluttershy apologized for each time, but also each time they made a light clang. They were lucky to not attract any attention while they made their journey. On the way there and even now, Dash had a creeping feeling that Pinkamena was watching her from the same shadows as they hid in, but so far she hadn’t seen her appear yet. As they passed the bakery Dash made an attempt to tuck in her wings to her sides, or at least command them to. It took a minuet but they did obey though they felt weird on her since they felt slightly bigger than normal. Fluttershy stopped as Rainbow Dash did.
“I think I can walk on my own now.” Dash whispered. She buckled a little as Fluttershy backed away to give her room, letting Dash off her back. She stood tall and stretched some, looking at her wings as she folded, unfolded and full spread them. Small spikes of pain came from each movement but it wasn’t as bad as it was in the hospital. “There… that’s better.” Dash looked to her companion. “You need to get back home. I-”Dash stumbled again. Falling to her knees as her front legs gave out on her for a second. Fluttershy went to her side again and this time put her wing around Dash’s back, leaning her body directly against her wing to shift weight and help Dash stand up again, feeling the cool dull metal on her side.
“I will not leave you like this Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy said sternly, despite the other’s struggle. “You might keep rejecting any and all help but I won’t let you go into that dangerous forest alone.”
“Fluttershy…” Rainbow Dash just looked at her, wide-eyed. She rarely gets to see Fluttershy stand up like this which struck her as… cute. “You know I’m only doing this to protect you and the other girls. I don’t want to take a chance… that something like what happened to Pinkie happen to Rarity, Applejack or… you.” Fluttershy sighed and then looked eye to eye with Rainbow Dash. “You didn’t mean to do that to Pinkie Pie. I mean… I can’t see why you would do something like that to anypony but everyone does have limits… even me at times.” Fluttershy said the last part lowly, a light blush on her face. Rainbow Dash was wondering what she was talking about. Fluttershy shook her head in an attempt to lessen her blush. “Anyways, I’m not leaving your side until we get there. You’ve helped me so much over the years I want to at least do this for you.” Her blush was lighter now but a smile came along this time. Rainbow Dash smiled too. Maybe there could be somepony she could trust, at least for now. For the first time in a long time, Rainbow Dash smiled.
“Okay.” Rainbow Dash leads the way with Fluttershy beside her. “And…I’m sorry for trying to push you away. Let’s go together.” As the duo walked through the entrance of the Everfree Forest there was a sound of rushing water somewhere close by.
“Where is that water coming from…?”Fluttershy asked lightly, looking around the area. All that could be seen was trees, vines and other shrubbery.
“I don’t know but let’s not find out?” Dash said, walking over fallen small limbs on the trail. They continued on down the path they knew well but trying to ignore the new water sound. It got easier as the sound suddenly disappeared, the nighttime bugs slowly resuming their own song. The two stopped at the sound loss. To the right, where the sound was coming from, some vines rustled. They only watched as from their past experiences with this forest they know it could be anything. Dash saw a glimpse of dark red peer through the vines. She froze, fearing the worst. Was she really going to appear again after all this time? Whispers began coming into her head as her fear grew. She slowly backed up, Fluttershy’s wing sliding off of her. Fluttershy asked what was wrong but the only sound now to Rainbow Dash was that of her own heartbeat and the growing whispering coming from the forest.
“Hiya Dashie!”
“Hey Dashie!
“Wanna play our game?”
“I need some new cupcakes…”
“Cupcakes…”
“I’ll use you to make my…”
“CUPCAKES!”
At the last roaring, echoing shout, a figure jumped out, bigger than either of the two, red eyes bearing down at Rainbow Dash like needles of death.
A blue Pegasus pony came out of the forest, toting two small light red buckets on his sides, his water drop with a crescent moon shaped Cutie Mark appearing to shine a little in the moonlight that seeped through the treetops. The carrying straps pinned his wings down but he almost spilled the bucket’s contents stopping suddenly at the sight of two fellow Pegasus, the yellow one spooked while the blue one was cowering, hooves in front of her face like a shield.
“That was close… almost lost it there.” The blue pony said with a chuckle. He got a better look of the two in front of him. “Wait… what are you two doing in the forest this late at night?” He asked the two after regaining his balance, looking at the two with his surprised hazel eyes.
“Um… I… I could ask you the same thing too! … If it’s ok…” Fluttershy said, her nervousness kicking in at full swing. She stood between the two, doing her best to be brave for her best friend.
“You know… if you’re lost I can take you back to-” The lighter blue Pegasus started to say before he realized who it was that was cowering from a quick glimpse of her cutie mark. “R… Rainbow Dash?!” He set the buckets down and moved backward to remove the harness. “What happened to you?” Before he could approach her, Fluttershy stepped between the two again.
“Stay… away from her.” Fluttershy said clearly and calmly. Her wings had locked up on her, but it didn’t stop her from protecting her friend. She took a few steps towards the other pony.
“Stay away? Rainbow knows me! My name is Waver, Lunar Waver. I’ve talked with her after that attack at the bakery. I had been to her house before. She can vouch for me if you would just back down for a second.” Waver said, trying to get Fluttershy to understand, but she stood her ground.
“Wait… Waver… I know that name.” Rainbow Dash said with a shiver. Panting a little she looked up and saw the familiar blue pony, standing on shaky legs. “I remember you. Nice advice you gave before...”
“Please be careful Rainbow…” Fluttershy said, resuming her position at her side. She glared at Waver, not completely trusting him just yet. He wasn't sure how to respond to Fluttershy at first.
“I was going to come tomorrow to bring you a present but I guess they let you out early.” Waver said as he looked over Dash’s wings. “What-”
“Don’t ask about my wings.” Rainbow Dash said quickly. “I need to get to Zecura right now. Let’s go Fluttershy.” The two started down the path while Waver just continued to stare at Dash’s wings.
“Well, I was going to ask what they’re made of.” Waver said with a chuckle. He went back and looped his saddle back over his back being careful not to spill the water inside. He followed the other two, but they continued to keep their distance. It was easy as Waver was trying to keep his supply intact. “They looked like daggers at first. I knew you were a wild one Rainbow Dash but to give your wings that kind of an edge… How fast can you go now with those?”
“Can you shut up?!” Rainbow Dash snapped aloud. She pushed herself off of Fluttershy and turned around, her eyes narrowed as she strained to keep what little composure she had left. Her wings opened full spread as she got nose to nose with Waver. “I’ve enough on and in my mind right now and the last thing I need is a headache from someone who won’t be QUIET!” Dash shouted the last word as loud as she could, loud enough for an echo to reverberate through the forest. Waver, dumbfounded and surprised, backed up slowly to give her some room. Rainbow Dash growled then huffed, turning back to walk quickly down the path once more, her anger giving her extra strength at this point. Fluttershy, the more surprised of the two ran a little to catch up to her friend.
“I am sorry… I just figured if we’re going to the same place I thought we could talk for a while…” Waver said, lowering his head to check his harnesses and continued down himself.
“Same place?” Rainbow Dash stopped to look at Waver as he approached.
“You’re going to Zecura’s place right? So am I.” Waver said as he passed Dash and Fluttershy. “Let’s go together, but I’ll be quiet- Whoa!” Waver stumbled over a small stone on the road, causing him to shift his weight and some of the water sloshed out of the right side bucket. He corrected himself quickly before it could get on his skin. The little that landed on the ground sizzled and steamed a little, burning through a leaf. This certainly caught the other’s attention.
“What’s in those buckets?” Rainbow Dash asked, still angry but also a bit curious.
“It’ll make more sense from Zecura than it would from me.” Was all he said as he led the two down the path, not that they had a choice. The three safely made it to the Tree house, the Timber Wolves appearing to keep their distance from the three this time around. The vines had grown a little more but other than that the gloomy aura was still there. Waver went over to the door, tapping it a couple of times.
“Zecura, I’m back with the special water you need!” He shouted. The door soon opened, showing the exotic zebra pony inside. She smiled.
“I see you have returned, with much of the water that burns.” She said, looking into one of the buckets. Zecura glanced up and saw Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. “You also brought friends too. One looking more sad than blue.” Zecura backed up to give everyone room to enter. “Set those in the back, next to those red sacks.” Waver carefully went in and sat the buckets towards the back of the room. Fluttershy was a little nervous entering, not knowing what the other two were up to. Dash followed with her watching with curiosity.
“Will this be all Miss Zecura?” Waver asked, panting a little.
“Yes, this should be enough for your brew.” Zecura’s expression became serious. Her cauldron frothed a green liquid around the rim at the center of the room. “You will have your potion soon.” Using her magic she pulled a metal ladle from her counter and scooped up some of the clear liquid from the bucket Waver brought. It dripped a little as it hovered slowly to the cauldron, the droplets sizzled a little steam on the wood floor. With a wave the acid went into the mass of green liquid. It made a small explosion staying localized to just the cauldron with a quick containment spell by Zecura, the water bubbling wildly before turning red, then pink as it settled. Everyone had backed up except for her, who approached and examined the contents. Another flash of her horn brought a flat piece of metal to her and she slowly lowered it, running the top edge across it.
“Did it turn out right this time?” Waver asked in anticipation, excited that things are progressing. Zecura looked over the metal. The part that was exposed to the potion had appeared to dissolve and break it down a little, only dissolving within the affected range.
“Looks to be a success, especially for this test.” Zecura said with a smile. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think a Unicorn was under those feathers.” She said with a chuckle. Waver blushed a little at the comment. She pulled a cloth from a nearby table and dipped it inside the cauldron. When she lifted it the liquid soaked into the fabric but wasn’t dissolving it like it did the metal. Rubbing the cloth on the other side of the bar hard, it dissolved so fast that the cloth went through it. Trying again lightly it did the same effect as she had done before, thinning the metal into something like a blade.
“I knew the PolySharp Solution had to be real… Looks like my father was onto something after all.” Waver said surprised as he watched Zecura treat the metal with it. “Can you handle the Solution without magic?”
“Skin it no longer harms so there is no alarm.” She added as she lifted the soaked cloth with a hoof. “Wood it not affect, metal it will eat.” Zecura said, setting her supplies down. “Cloth can move it but… this is truly neat. Too hard and it will kill. Too light and it bends to your will. This will only work on metals, yes?”
“I can’t say for certain Zecura. The recipe I know by heart but the effects I never knew until now.” Waver said, looking at the pink liquid lightly bubbling in the giant pot. Zecura looked to Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.
“Hello Fluttershy, hello Rainbow Dash. It has been a while since I’ve seen you two last.” Zecura said with a short bow. “I apologize for my rudeness at the door, but this potion I’ve never seen before.” The two ponies went to see what the other two were working on.
“Were… you a success?” Fluttershy asked meekly. Rainbow Dash was amazed at how this pink water could bend and change the shape of the earlier complete but now ruined metal bar.
“More than a success, but I must confess. It was Waver who supplied the item almost divine. As you saw here on the way, his talent is truly useful this day.” Zecura said. She picked up a stray bottle with her mouth and a few more with her magic, putting up anything that was unused. She put on a pair of wooden lids made of the same materials as the containment buckets that Waver brought on the two buckets to preserve the liquid for further potions. “So what brings you two here at this late hour?”
“I need to talk to you Zecura.” Rainbow Dash said, approaching her. “I know we haven’t seen eye to eye since that Poison Joke, but there are some things I think only you can answer.” Zecura nodded in response then headed to a backroom.
“Come with me, and so shall we see.” Zecura said, motioning past the door so they could be alone.
“Fluttershy, please wait out here with him.” Rainbow Dash said. “I know you want to help protect me but these things I need to speak to Zecura only for now.” Dash stood there in front of Fluttershy for a moment before walking to her smiling, giving her a hug with wrapping around her metal wing like an arm. Fluttershy gaped in surprise, standing shocked from this unexpected action. “Thanks for all the support…” Dash let her go and went to the back room, Zecura closing the door behind her. Fluttershy looked on, a blush under her eyes and a smile on her mouth. Waver, who was watching on the side, walked up to Fluttershy.
“Hey uh… Fluttershy was it?” Waver asked, stopping almost in front of her. “I just wanted to say I am glad Rainbow Dash has a good friend like you. Always at her side and very relia…ble…”Waver narrowed his eyes at her. He waved a hoof in front of her eyes. “Fluttershy, are you alright?” She just continued to stare at the door Dash went through. Zecura sparked a candle alit and used its flame to light up the others in the room before entering the one Dash went into. The light spotted along the walls but it was enough to show an open area with the same wood walls like the main room also decorated with various masks. A bed sat at a back corner with a nightstand next to it, where Zecura lit the last few candles. Rainbow Dash sniffed the air, a strange, but pleasant scent reaching her nose.
“These candles should help your stress; make it go away more or less. I sensed it when you came in. Something that was there that should not have been.” Zecura said as she took out two pillows for her and Dash to sit on. Rainbow was a little amazed with what Zecura could already tell with her. She accepted the pillow, sitting down on it and relaxed her wings for a moment letting them rest limply next to her sides. Zecura sat on the one across from her. Silence hung between the two for a while. The scent candles appeared to have a calming effect to those that breathed it in. Rainbow Dash, breathing lightly, soon became more relaxed than she has been in a long time. Zecura spoke up first. “Now… what is it you wish to discuss?”
“Have you… ever did something that you’ve regretted doing afterwards?” Rainbow Dash asked her slowly.
“There have been some things in the past, of course they never last.” Zecura responded.
“Er… what about if it’s something so serious that your friends may never forgives you?”
“If you keep avoiding the question’s source you may always feel remorse. What’s truly going on Rainbow Dash?” Zecura asked calmly. Rainbow Dash sighed, and let it out all at once.
“I’ve been having dreams the past couple of months of Pinkie Pie killing and dismembering me while I’m alive for her next batch of cupcakes which has kept me up all night since. A while ago it looked like the dream was becoming real as I was at the Bakery and Pinkie gave me the same kind of cupcake from the dream and before I could fall for her trap I… stabber her with a nearby knife.” Tears were beginning to form in her eyes as she was remembering, her wings lowering to her sides. “The worst part of it all was… I think I liked it.” Her wings did a light chime as she readjusted them. “The power of using a blade… the screams… I was so ensnared by every aspect of it like how I am when I’m flying. Beyond that I can’t remember what I was doing until I was standing outside the Bakery chasing after Sweetie Belle and her friend Scootaloo. I flew home to try and make sense out of all of it but even now I’m still unsure what to do.” She looked up to Zecura. “Does… would something like this get me banished like how Nightmare Moon is? I don’t want that but I don’t know what to do.”
Zecura took a deep breath, taking in the incense of the air. “Have you tried talking to Pinkie Pie about those dreams in the night? I don’t see such an energetic pony like her leading the path of darkness and fright.”
Rainbow Dash looked down at her own hooves. “I’m afraid to...” Her head dropped a little, the Pegasus’ vision getting a little blurred.
“Perhaps all you really need is dreamless rest, if you want to present her with your best. I have a potion in mind if you wish for it to be.” Zecura said to her, getting up from her pillow.
“Sleep… if you think it would help.” She shook her head a little before standing up to clear her vision a little.
“I’ll start on it immediately.” Zecura led Rainbow out of the bedroom and back with Waver and Fluttershy. Fluttershy went to Dash’s side.
“Are you going to be ok Dashie?” She asked caringly, worried for her friend.
“I’m not going to die; I should be alright after I rest for a little while.” Rainbow Dash said with a weak smile. Fluttershy smiled with her, giving her a wing hug in the process. Rainbow placed a metal wing of her own over Fluttershy’s back, hugging her back. Fluttershy jumped a little in surprise not from the coolness from Rainbow’s metal wing, but of another set of wings, still not used to receiving a hug in return. The two saw Waver, trying to get in on the hug.
“Hugs are still good right?” Waver asked with a chuckle, looking at the two as he lowered his wings around them. Fluttershy let out a nervous chuckle as she walked back from him while Rainbow backed away as well.
“They’re good… but not that good.” Rainbow Dash said proudly. “They’re better from a friend. Don’t feel bad about it.” Rainbow said. Waver shrugged.
“I’m used to it…” He said before looking out the window. Rainbow noticed the pot that caught everyone’s attention earlier with the pink liquid inside. She went over to it for a better look. The contents still continued to bubble lightly. She didn’t say anything as Zecura came next to her with a solid wood container to hold the PolySharp Solution safely.
“I must contain this brew first before I begin yours Rainbow Dash, to make sure my own metal will last.” A flash of her horn started a trail leading from the pot to the barrel.
“It’s cool.” Rainbow said with a yawn. “I’m going outside while I wait.”
When Rainbow Dash went outside the first thing she did was opened up both of her wings. Since leaving the hospital she never had a chance to really look them over. Looking as far as she can turn to her back, she can see where the bandages were still wrapped but was now loosened from everything that’s happened. Her wings appeared to be bigger than before as she raised and opened them up. They reminded her of ones that an Alicorn would have from the length of the make-shift feathers, like a set of ‘Princess’ wings. She spent a little time flapping and stretching the many feathers of her wings, preparing to fly for the first time or at least try to, but the bandages were in the way. The metal feathers looked weird to Dash as every normal mental command she gave them, they followed. Another fact she noted was that they still felt like normal feathers to her as she felt a light passing breeze with them. Grabbing a flailing end of the bandage she tried to take it off herself, but was having little luck flipping it over. A yellow and violet head came into her line of vision, startling her and forcing Dash to let go. The head flipped the bandage around her side, unraveling them and carefully keeping them away from the feathers. Rainbow saw that it was Fluttershy. She stayed quiet as her friend assisted in removing the torso bandages. Once they were off Dash could still see some dried blood on her back around the wing joints where they operated but where the metal met with her skin it almost looked like it was melded or fused together. Fluttershy noticed this too.
“What did they do to you in there…?” She said lowly, her eyes transfixed on that point.
“Your guess is as good as mine Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash said as she stepped away from her friend slowly flapping her wings. “Let’s see if I can still fly with these.” She took a jump in the air, moving her wings harder as she did so. She did take flight but it took more movement to stay airborne than before. She went five feet out then in before dropping hard and panting.
“That was very good Dashie!” Fluttershy said as she ran to her friend.
“Well… not going to be in any races any time soon, but it is a start.” Rainbow Dash said as she took off again. She learned it wasn’t the weight that was making it harder to control, but the way the wings moved. This time she went even higher and was soon over the tree line leaving her rainbow trail behind her, but the outside of it had the same color as her wings. Before long she started dashing back and forth over Zecura’s tree house for a little while before landing, panting a little more than before. “That was fun… but tiring.”
“Um…” Fluttershy started to say, approaching Rainbow Dash as she came back to the house. “Has… she been coming back?” Fluttershy asked, concerned. Rainbow shook her head slowly, but didn’t realize this at first that she hasn’t seen or even heard the whispers of ‘Evil Pinkamena’, since her arrival.
“I haven’t seen or heard her once since we got here. I wonder if this place is the reason why…?” Rainbow said, thinking aloud and looking around.
“There was something else too…” Fluttershy said, looking at Rainbow Dash. “Do you remember the Best Flyer Competition that you were in before?”
“I do. Your cheers needed work at first, but in the end you were the loudest pony in the arena.” Rainbow Dash said, chuckling. Fluttershy smiled, blushing a little from what she said.
“Well… I became so loud because I was so proud of you for making the Sonic Rainboom. Because I felt so happy to see you accomplish something you couldn’t do except once before. What I’m saying is you can do anything you set yourself to. If you can do a Sonic Rainboom… then I know you can overcome this completely.” She said, although most of it was in a low tone of voice, Rainbow Dash understood what she was saying. She walked over to Fluttershy and gave her another hug, which this time she didn't flinch like she did before. Even though she was this close to Rainbow Dash earlier, the feeling she felt now was making her mind spin for a moment.
“Thanks Fluttershy, I needed that.” Rainbow Dash said. “Just err… don’t tell others about how soft I’ve been this evening ok?”
“O… Ok. I won’t tell anypony.” Fluttershy said, nodding as Rainbow Dash left her and headed to the Hut. Fluttershy followed behind her.
“Ah well, time for some shut-eye. I’m done for now.” Rainbow Dash said, resuming her usual tough girl attitude, or least trying to, as she went back inside to Zecura’s hut. Fluttershy smiled and followed close behind.
“Still a little while, before I can make a vial.” Zecura said as she added a few more ingredients and waited. “Not for long now, you’ll be sleeping in favorable clouds.” She added with a smile.
“Hey Rainbow…” Waver said. Rainbow Dash turned to him. “I noticed- Er- Fluttershy?” Fluttershy resumed the defensive, standing between him and Rainbow Dash. She blushed a little again from the action.
“Oh… sorry…” She said with a chuckle, backing away. Waver and Rainbow Dash chuckled a little.
“Well, as I was saying, I noticed your flying earlier.” Waver said, approaching. “If your wings were a little more narrow you could nail some good speed.”
“You think so?” Rainbow Dash asked, liking the idea.
“Yes. I could try to use the new PolySharp Solution to do it… if you can trust me with your wings while you’re asleep later.” Waver said, motioning to the new glass bottle with the pink liquid inside.
“I can watch over… if you want me to Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy said meekly.
“Thanks, but you don’t have to watch over me. You’ve done more than I could ever want to be honest.” Rainbow Dash gave her a little peck on the cheek. Rainbow blushed a little from that, but she thought it might help with easing Fluttershy’s mind. Although… it did a little more than that as Fluttershy’s face lit up like a red light.
“She… you… Dashie…” She stuttered a little before fainting.
“Well… didn’t expect that… but if you want to try your idea on my wings, go for it.” She said to Waver, who beamed with a smile.
“Awesome! You won’t regret it!” He said as he went to prepare. Zecura came with the Sleepwavy Potion a couple of minutes later. After she drank it she felt the effects almost immediately. Zecura led the sluggish Dashie to her room and to a makeshift bed in the center of the bedroom, the incense candles still lit. Waver came from behind after Zecura backed away, noticing that Rainbow’s eyes were still half open. “Sleep well Rainbow Dash.” Waver said as she closed her eyes completely, flattening her wings out from her sides. He opened the glass jar, dipped his cloth and began working on his newest project, Rainbow’s body fully relaxed thanks to the potion’s effects.
Later on when he was finished, Waver helped Fluttershy to the same room that Rainbow Dash was sleeping in. He thought it would help Rainbow Dash rest better if a friend was with her tonight and Zecura agreed. She slowly went to Dash’s side and lay down next to her. Waver left the room to give them some privacy. Soon, Rainbow Dash started to move in her sleep, as if she was fighting off something. Her dream started again full force despite the aid of the potion she was under, slowly shouting out for 'Pinkamena' to stay away from her.
“Dashie… Dashie…” Fluttershy said, nudging Rainbow Dash slowly to try to wake her up. Rainbow opened her eyes slowly. She couldn’t quite get awake but she could tell who was with her. Fluttershy hugged her friend close. “I won’t let that evil pony get you again.” She whispered to her, a light blush on her face producing from being so close to her idol. A smile came across Dash’s mouth as she closed her eyes once more. For the rest of the night it was a peaceful sleep, the first true one Rainbow Dash has had in months.
Twilight Sparkle was asleep with a book under her head inside of her Tree house Library. Spike had brought a blanket for her before he went to his own bed, which he still saw on her as he came down the stairs. She had stayed up all night to try to find a solution to help Rainbow Dash, but she couldn’t find the book she needed.
“I hope Rainbow Dash is alright…” Spike said lowly, to not wake up Twilight. He went over to a window facing a part of Ponyville. Business resumed as normal with ponies continuing their lives but clouds lined the skies. No one had yet found a new Sky Clearer since Rainbow Dash was taken out of commission a week ago. Spike sighed, wondering what could have happened to start all of this. A small ray of sunlight began to shine through the window. Spike had to shield his eyes to block it, but looking out again he could see more sunlight beginning to appear over the town. Other ponies started to look up to the growing blue skies. Spike ran outside to see who it was, but all he saw was a rainbow colored streak. He thought Rainbow Dash had come back, but the streak had a grey outline on the sides of it. More and more of the clouds quickly disappeared as the streak made contact with them. Soon the streak came around and landed near the Library. Rainbow Dash gave her wings another stretch before tucking them back in on her side.
“Looks like I’m still the best at that.” Dash said admiring her own handiwork.
“Rainbow Dash! You’re alright?!” Spike shouted, running to her from the front door, holding a couple of scrolls.
“Oh hey Spike.” Rainbow Dash said, greeting the small dragon. “Is… Twilight still in there?”
"She's sleeping right now. You got out of the hospital early?" Spike asked her, glancing at her wings.
"Yeah, in a way." Rainbow Dash said with a chuckle. "How... How is Pinkie Pie doing?" She asked nervously.
"She's doing great! From what I heard from her yesterday when I visited her she should be out tomorrow." Spike said happily. "She has been asking about wanting to see you but no one could reach you to tell you and from what I heard you were in pretty bad shape for a while."
"Pinkie... wanted to see me?" Rainbow asked, surprised. She looked towards the direction to the hospital.
"Yeah, she was really excited. Let me put these up first and I'll come with you." Spike said as he ran inside to put up the two scrolls, one he sent by fire to Princess Celestia, the other he put aside to send later. When he went back outside, Rainbow Dash was gone.
"You can see her tomorrow when she is released." A Nurse Pony, diffrent from before but with a similar color, told Rainbow Dash in the reception area. "You cannot enter the hospital with those... whatever they are."
"I can't leave my wings at the counter, they're attached to me!" Rainbow tried to explain, even opening her wings to show her the connection points, but with each wing feather molded to a point now it looked like she was about to attack.
"H... help! Security!" The Nurse Pony, startled, ran off. Instead of looking for more trouble Rainbow left the room and back out into the sunshine. She walked sown the hospital path for a moment before turning around, looking up among the open windows. She streched out her wings, a low chime emmiting from them, and took flight upwards, looking into each and every open window. It was her fourth window that she saw Pinkie's room but the same Nurse Pony from before was in there.
"Why can't I see Rainbow Dash? Is she sick? Is she hurt too?! Did aliens kidnap her!? Oh no! I need to find her!!" Pinkie Pie started rambling on despite the effort the Nurse Pony was making to keep her in the bed.
"I told her you can see her when you leave later today. She just can't enter this building as she is now. Speaking of which, I'll find the doctor to see about your leaving." The Nurse Pony said sternly as she left the room. Pinkie Pie slumped in her bed, her bubblegum pink mane flattened out over her bandaged face. Rainbow Dash took the chance to fly into the room, landing in front of the recovering pony's bed. Pinkie Pie looked up at the new arrival.
"Rainbow... Rainbow Dash!!" Pinkie Pie shouted out her mane puffing up suddenly. She leaped out of the bed and tackled Rainbow Dash ignoring the lingering pain in her legs and torso and ended it with a hug, hanging onto her friend tightly as they both tumbled to the floor. "Are you alright? I was really really worried about you after I heard what Applejack did!"
"I'm fine I'm fine! Let go Pinkie Pie..." Rainbow Dash chuckled, hugging Pinkie back before pushing her back a little so they could get up. It was a little shaky but Pinkie Pie managed to stand on her own. "You really were worried about me?" Rainbow Dash asked Pinkie Pie but Pinkie seemed to be a little distracted with the shiny wings on Dash's back.
"Ooooooo... Did you get an upgrade? They look so awesome. I wish I was a Pegasus so I could get wings like that." Pinkie Pie said excitedly, looking all over her friend's metal wings.
"Do you remember anything that happened that day...?" Rainbow asked her straightforward. Pinkie froze on the spot, her mane deflating once more. She turned away from Rainbow and walked back to her bed.
"Yeah, I remember. I was worried something was going on with you so I made a very special cupcake for you to help you calm down. It was to help you relax because you looked a little stressed about something I didn't know about. I wasn't going to pry into it but... maybe I should have." Pinkie said sadly. Tears started forming in her eyes. "I know you must be mad at me for something... what was it? Why did you do that to me?" Pinkie asked Rainbow, looking directly into her eyes.
"I..." Rainbow started to say why but hesitated. -No.... she needs to know...- Rainbow thought to herself. "I've been having these dreams of you but they weren't nice. You cut me up to make some sort of cupcake you were working on. When I saw that cupcake you said you had made for me, I thought that dream was real and it was happening." As Rainbow Dash was trying to explain Pinkie just sat on the floor and listened, as if Rainbow had come to her for advice. Rainbow Dash began to pace the room. "I thought you were going to do those things to me again so I panicked. I grabbed the nearest weapon I could and I did what I thought I needed to defend myself."
"You really thought... I would do something like that to one of my bestest friends?" Pinkie Pie asked sadly. "You know I can't do something like that. That... ew... " She shook her head in disgust.
"You're... Really not mad at me?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I can't say I am or not." Pinkie said straightforward. This seemed to be a little out of her nature, but she continued. "You almost killed me when I was only trying to help. I should try to make sure you get banished to the deepest scariest most horrifying forest imaginable. Where bad little ponies go to forever be banished... where so many burn as they try to repent for the actions of the unjust!" Rainbow lowered her head, expecting this. "But... You came to see me still, even after all that's happened."
"If there's anything I can do to help you, just name it. Anything." Rainbow said sternly, walking up to Pinkie so their gaze was met face to face. Pinkie giggled a little.
"You look so cool like that Rainbow Dash." Pinkie Pie said to her. Her mane poofed out once more. "I just want to see those wings so you don't have to be so serious." Being oblivious to her own healing injuries she stayed focused on Rainbow's wings.
"By the way, where did you hear all that banishment stuff from?" Rainbow Dash asked, curiously.
"From this book a blue pony let me borrow. I can't remember his name... was it water, taver, patvier... I don't know, but it is a good book. He said he needed it back a couple of days ago but nevermind that lemme see those new wings!" Pinkie Pie said happily. Rainbow Dash however, felt a little better about everything that's happened and a smile appeared across her mouth despite her mind wandering a little about why Waver would have such a book. In the end she was laughing along with Pinkie Pie so loudly from a joke she was telling that it attracted the attention of a certain Nurse Pony.
"Oh boy." Rainbow Dash said before taking off outside the window, accidentally slicing through the curtains as if it was paper. Pinkie Pie stared in awe as her friend flew out of sight through the sky.
Rainbow Dash decided to fly down to the Library again. While she was in the air she noticed Applejack and Rarity heading there along with Fluttershy making a straight beeline from the Everfree Forest, crashing into the upper side where it was mostly limbs and leaves. Despite being alright with Fluttershy, she needed to be sure that the rest of her friends didn't resent what she did to Pinkie. She landed near the main door to the treehouse and tucked in her wings carefully, noticing the orange and white ponies shortly thereafter. Rainbow Dash fought off the instinct to run away just as she made eye contact with Applejack, but there wasn't anger in the farm pony's eyes this time.
"Hiya... guys." Rainbow said to the others, trying to attempt to sound like her old self again.
"Hey Rainbow..." Applejack said, not stopping her stride until she was face to face with her. "Ah am sorry about before, with what ah did to ya." She said clearly. "Ah was just so mad about what happened to Apple Bloom ah wasn't thinking straight. Ah know you and you wouldn't do anything to harm her or any filly in Ponyville in your right mind. Can ya see it in your heart to forgive meh?"
"Well..." Rainbow dash looked as if she was debating the answer, her eyes browed. Rarity and Fluttershy were worried for the two, if they could mend their fractured friendship. "I did try that once already and ended up with a wing job..." Rainbow Dash said, turning around so her back was to Applejack. Applejack sighed, hoping an apology would be enough but it's not to be. "Ah.. Ah'll be your servant for a week!" Applejack forced out, catching Rarity by surprise.
"Applejack..." Rarity said, shocked and wide eyed.
"That's not needed." Rainbow said, turning back around. "I just had to think for a moment..." She had a smile on her face. "Starting today, I can have three barrels of apple cider a month. My own personal set and only you can make it."
"Uh... fer how long?" Applejack asked, cocking her head to the side.
"Two years should be enough, one for each wing." Rainbow said casually. Applejack lowered her head for a second in thought then raised it, a determined look to her eyes as she raised a hoof. Rainbow raised her own and tapped it.
"Agreed... is the least ah can do." Applejack said, smiling.
"Rainbow Dash?" Twilight called out from inside. She came to the doorway, seeing her lowering her hoof with Applejack's. "You're already-"
"Yes yes YES, I'm already out of the hospital." Rainbow said with a chuckle. "For now everything's all patched up, right Applejack?"
"Yep, all's well now." She responded.
"That's good." Twilight said, yawning. "Where's Fluttershy?" As if on cue she fell from the upper branches and landed on top of Rarity before she could respond.
"S... Sorry Rarity..." Fluttershy meeped, covered with broken branches. Rarity just laid there stunned while the others got Fluttershy off of her.
From around the corner of the grocery store, Lunar Waver smiled, happy that Rainbow was able to reconcile with her friends despite the spike that was wedged between her and them. Behind him a solid green pony with a light green mane and a dark green diamond cutie mark on her flank walked up to him. She looked at him with her aqua green eyes. Her voice contained a hint of royalty to it. "You called for me Eri-?"
"Don't call me that Emerai Glow." Waver said silently, not moving his gaze. "It's Lunar Waver while we're here."
"Sor-ry." She said. "How long do we need to stay here. This form's a bit of a pain for me..."
"You can walk in the sunlight correct?" Waver said.
"There's a diffrence between my sunlight allergy and looking like a donkey..." She growled, but then sighed.
"Any news on... him?" Waver asked her.
"He's hidden himself well. I have learned however that he might be posing as a doctor in this world. I highly doubt he could change his accent, as we couldn't when we came here but so far that's all I know." She explained, shaking her head to move some of her mane from her eyes.
"A doctor huh?" Waver said, thinking. His gaze moved to Rainbow's Wings. "A doctor of what I wonder..." He turned to face Emera. "I might know who he is in this realm. That other blue pony's wings is the key I believe." Waver walked past her, leaving her a little confused. She looked around the same corner.
"Rainbow...? What's a blue colored rainbow got to do with anything?" Emera asked.
"I had guessed, but our target is a master of metal correct?" Emera nodded. "Put the pieces together and you'll see what I mean." Waver stopped moving. "For now, update the others. I think our time here may be fruitful after all." His blue eyes flashed a hazel grey-green for a second. "One second Emerai." She looked back to Waver for a moment. "That one still in the hospital in Canterlot... Apple Bloom. Keep an eye on her. I think 'he' might have something in mind for her." Emera looked over at the weird rainbow pony before moving on herself to find more information. Waver slowly began his walk to the Everfree Forest once more, to learn more about his mission with Zecura's assistance.
