> Banished > by -Serpent- > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > How It All Started > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- My name is Rainbow Dash. I used to be the awesomest pony in Equestria, until I got banished a few days ago because of a lie. If you want to hear about it, I'll tell you. Well...the whole thing started with Princess Cadence disappearing, said to be murdered, and everypony blaming me..... *Past* "Hey Twilight!" Rainbow Dash called, as she raced into the library in the morning. She yawned, having just woken up a half hour ago, and continued, "I was wondering if you could help me with something," Twilight sighed, and closed her fairly huge book she was reading. It was a fiction novel about a silver pegasus filly with a golden mane named Silverwing. Silverwing's job was to save her world from turning into an eternal land of fright, darkness, and evil. "Yes Rainbow?" She asked, as she headed downstairs to Rainbow Dash. Twilight was just at the part when Silverwing saw her best friend reduced to ashes right before her eyes. It was a sad part, but Twilight liked how it was written. "Well....TheWonderboltsarehavingaraceandacontesttooseewhoistheawesomestponyonSundayandwhoeverwinsgetstobeaWONDERBOLT!" Rainbow Dash explained, panting afterward. She took huge gulps of air, almost fainting by talking so fast and for so long. Twilight looked at Rainbow confusedly and asked, "What did you say and how am I supposed to help with this?!" "Ummm......well, I want you to help me win!" Rainbow said. She waited a few seconds and continued, "So, will you help me or not?" "Okay......maybe....." Twilight said. Rainbow walked over to Twilight. She looked at Twilight with huge rose-colored eyes sadly. Twilight sighed. "Fine. I'll help." She agreed. "I also think that you should do a sonic rainboom, but fancily, like, doing a corkscrew while going down. Or maybe writing out your name in the sky by flying that way! Or even-" "-Twilight, I didn't ask for an idea machine." Rainbow cut in. "I already have a great idea. I just need you to approve it." "And what is that idea?" Twilight asked, hoping it won't be something like doing a sonic rainboom and flying up at the last second right before she hits the ground. That would be really bad if she hit the ground.... "My idea is I do two sonic rainbooms in-' "-No," Twilight objected. "What about drawing a Wonderbolt in the sky with a rai-" Rainbow Dash started. "-No. Too hard to accomplish. The race is next Sunday. It's Wendesday today." "What about......" This went on for the rest of the day, the two mares trying to find ideas for Rainbow Dash that would make the Wonderbolts in awe so much that she would win the contest, and become a Wonderbolt. They knew that Rainbow would win the race, after all, she was the fastest pony in Equestria..... Sunday had come. It was also the day of the Canterlot Fashion Contest. Rarity had submitted, and she had asked her friends to help her by modeling. They all said yes, but Rainbow Dash was uncertain if she could go. "The race starts a half hour before the fashion contest does. I won't make it. I can't come, Rarity. I'm sorry. I'll try though!" Rainbow explained to Rarity, who was sitting in the grass with her friends. "I'm sorry, Rainbow, but everypony who wants to participate in the fashion contest has to fill out a form that they will go, and nothing will delay them. It won't be that bad if you can't come. It's okay." Rarity said. "There will be a HUGE party afterwards, even if we lose!" Pinkie Pie added happily. Rarity glared at Pinkie, but the party pony didn't understand, and started listing everything that there was going to be at the party. Rarity facehoofed. *2 hours later....* "Oh, yeah!!!" Rainbow Dash cried, zooming across the sky. She was in the lead, dodging clouds and other obstacles. "THIS IS AWESOME!" The race had started. Rainbow was in the lead, as predicted. The race had began with a maze of storm clouds. A pony had to get through as fast as they could. The storm clouds had extra lightning in them, and if a pony touched it, they would be electrified, and eliminated from the race. The race was private, and nopony was allowed to tell others who was eliminated. If they did, they would never become a Wonderbolt. The second part of the race was an obstacle course. The last part was a feather hunt. The participants had to find a feather of each color of the rainbow to win. *** An hour later, Pinkie Pie was setting up for the party in a huge room. They had won the fashion contest, and she was super-duper happy. All of a sudden, she saw Rainbow Dash look around nervously just outside of the window, and scurry off deeper into Canterlot. Huh, I wonder why she's here, Pinkie thought. Oh well, I have a party to decorate! *** At the same moment, Rarity and Twilight were taking the food from the kitchen where Applejack was cooking in trays with their magic. Suddenly, Rarity noticed a rainbow-colored blur zip past a nearby window. "Twilight, my dear, did you see that?" she asked, looking towards Twilight, confused. "Huh...that's weird. It looks like that was Rainbow Dash...but...isn't she still at the Wonderbolt Tryouts?" she replied, confused. Rarity walked over to the window and peered out. "Uck! This window is so filthy and dirty! This place needs a window cleaner!" Rarity whined, sticking her tongue out in disgust. Just then, Pinkie Pie came bouncing over, soapy brushes attached to her hooves. "Did anyone need a window cleaning? Well, you guys'll get one!" Pinkie grinned, jumping over to the window and climbing up it vertically. She walked around, the soapy brushes 'cleaning' the window. She walked over to the start of the ceiling and bounced away, defying the laws of gravity. Twilight and Rarity stood with their mouths agape, Rarity staring at the now dirtier window, and Twilight at the ceiling. "How....did she do that? Us unicorns could walk on ceilings with our magic...but how does an earth pony like Pinkie Pie do it? I better dive into my books to research earth ponies walking on ceilings..." Twilight wondered. She teleported a tower of books in front of her and started reading. Rarity stared at the filthy window and narrowed her eyes, making a mental note to tell the building's owner that they should get window cleaners. *** Meanwhile, at the kitchen, Applejack and Fluttershy were busy baking meals for the party. Suddenly, Fluttershy started speaking. "Excuse me....umm.....Applejack....I was wondering....why...umm..." she started nervously. She continued on, "I was just wondering...why we are...umm...having this...party anyways....I mean....just....why?" Applejack shrugged, and replied, "Fluttershy, ah don't know why we're havin' this party either, but ah guess it's 'cause Rarity won the fancy-shmancy fashion show and is now known all 'cross Equestria. She has her dream job now. Ahm happy for her an' all, but ah just don't really care for fashion." "Oh...but....why are we even cooking this much food? How many ponies are attending....because...well...I agreed that I will sing and...umm....I just was wondering how many ponies will come.." Fluttershy said meekly. "Oh, 'bout fifteen thousand. Pinkie tried to invite every pony in Equestria. She didn't succeed. More than at the record for the Grand Galloping Gala, which was only five thousand! Ah'm so excited! Ah can just hardly wait!" Applejack grinned, clapping her hooves at the joy of how many ponies were coming. Fluttershy's eyes widened and she uttered a tiny scream. "F-f-fifteen.....th-th-thousand? I-I-I c-can't s-sing for s-so many p-p-ponies....Th-that's t-too many!" she whispered, shivering at the thought, breaking into tears. "I can't do it! I just can't!" "Fluttershy, ya can do it. Remember, ya promised Rainbow that ya'd sing if we won. Ya can't back down now. Ah believe in you, Fluttershy! Ah believe you can do this!" Applejack encouraged her weeping friend. Suddenly, Fluttershy stopped crying. She looked at the dirty, steamy window and cried out in surprise. A rainbow-colored blur was zipping past the glass. Fluttershy gasped, and passed out. Applejack looked uncertainly at the unconscious Fluttershy and glanced at the window, but didn't see anypony. She slung Fluttershy over her back, tried to make her into a comfortable position, and walked out of the kitchen as fast as she could to take the timid pegasus to a nurse. *** Shining Armor was sitting at the bar, ordering a beer, when he heard the signal. His eyes widened, and he ran out of the building, galloping towards his home. He ran as fast as he could, and he gasped when he saw the disaster... *** Pinkie Pie suddenly felt her tail twitch as she was blowing up a balloon. She quickly dived under the table, and a burning log suddenly fell on the wooden platform she was on just before. She exhaled, thinking, If I didn't have my Pinkie Sense, I would have been a crisp, hot, and burning little Pinkie! She giggled at the word 'hot'. Suddenly, Pinkie gasped. Canterlot was in the middle of a drought, and everything was dry. If a flaming log just fell on the wooden platform....the whole city could get burnt down to the ground. The fire could spread from house to house; the buildings in Canterlot are super duper close together! If I don't do anything, it could be the end of Equestria! Wait. That's Rarity's line! Rarity suddenly burst into the room, and gasped, looking above her. Burning wooden planks were falling out of the roof structure. She stood, immobilized, and was about to be reduced to a burning crisp, when suddenly, Pinkie Pie pulled her under the steel table with her. "It's going to be the end of Equestria! Whatever shall we do?!?!" Rarity screamed, and Pinkie Pie giggled, thinking about what she was thinking about moments ago. *** Twilight Sparkle looked at the spot where Rarity had been standing moments ago. Her mind was an utter mess. She spoke a single word, "Rarity?" *** Applejack growled in frustration. She had already looked around half of Canterlot, and still could not find a nurse pony. She dragged herself back to the party building, exhausted, and she cried out in anger, "That hospital was righ' next to the party place and ah ran off the wrong way? Ain't that stupid? Ah am exhausted, muddy, and flies are circlin' ova mah head! An' poor Fluttershy is all of those and she has passed out!" *** Rainbow Dash streaked across the sky, looking for the last feather in her area. The feather hunt was divided into parts: one for each participant. Dash had found all of the feathers in her area but the green one; the feather must have been blended in with the plants. At last, she spotted a fluffy green object, and made a dive for it.... *** Twilight peeked into the room Pinkie had been decorating, and screamed. The whole room was on fire, and two of her friends were trapped right in the middle of the room. The alicorn cast a water spell, spraying water everywhere. Her eyes widened when she saw that the flames were still burning as bright as ever, perhaps even more! Suddenly, Rarity started sobbing when her favorite hat caught fire and she was forced to throw it into the flames. "We're all doomed!" she cried, hugging Pinkie close, who was bouncing around, trying to find a path out of the crackling fire. > Thrown Out in the Unknown-With No Chance Of Coming Back > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rainbow Dash drowsily opened her eyes, to see she was in the middle of a forest, right next to a huge mountain. If she got up, she could see the Arctic North and the Crystal Empire in the horizon. I've been thrown out this far away. I can't believe this. I didn't even do anything! Rainbow yawned, and stretched her wings. She flapped them, thinking, This will be easy. I just have to fly back! Rainbow Dash was wrong. She realized her wings had been clipped. She lowered her head, and started to climb the mountain, hoping that there was a bit of wind, and that she could sail through the air, and hopefully get back to Equestria. As Rainbow Dash was climbing up, she noticed a few caves. She looked at a small hole. What's this? She thought sarcastically. Rainbow peeked inside, to see a huge cave stretched out before her eyes. Whoa! This is so cool! She squeezed herself in, barely fitting. Rainbow looked around in awe. I don't think it would be so bad if I couldn't go back to Equestria! I would have a huge cave here! But I have to go back. My friends need me! I need them too. As Rainbow was thinking of this, she started sneezing, and saw dust all over the floor. I don't think anyone has been here for a long time!Rainbow went farther into the cave, and saw a huge glowing milky-silver stone. "So.....AWESOME!!!!!!!!" she gasped out loud. Rainbow jumped up and down happily. I could get some clouds in here, I could maybe sleep on them! There is nothing better than some comfy, puffy clouds. She yawned again, and looked out the hole she had come in from. She saw the sun starting to set. Rainbow Dash's eyes grew huge, as she thought of the monsters that might come out at night. Manticores! Cockatrices! Huge, pony-eating serpents! Changelings! This is the way that they were thrown out at the wedding! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Well....I'll have to stay here for the night. I can't fly. I can't do anything if I can't fly. Wait. That's not true. I could live as an earth pony until my feathers grow back! Rainbow was horrified at the thought of these dreadful things. Rainbow turned around and settled by the stone. She sighed, and tried to make herself comfortable against the mysterious glowing rock. Rainbow Dash fell asleep minutes later, wanting to grow her feathers back, get out of this place, and last of all, find her friends. One thing she didn't know was that she wasn't alone in this cave-not alone at all. It was morning. The sun was shining brightly. A songbird fluttered into the cave, and perched on Rainbow's head. The bird started singing so loud, that Rainbow jumped up of surprise, and nearly scared the songbird to death. The little bird shrunk back in fright and in shyness. "Sorry, little one. I didn't want to scare you!" Rainbow apologized. "You need a name! I'm going to call you Flutters! You remind me of Fluttershy, one of my best friends." Rainbow thought of Fluttershy, and she was really sad. I might never see her again! If I don't...then.... Rainbow looked at Flutters sadly, hoping she would understand. Flutters looked back at Rainbow Dash first, understandingly, and then happily, because she liked her name. Then, the little cyan songbird perched on her head again. Rainbow smiled, and knew this was going to be a great day. Even Flutters liked her name. Rainbow didn't know what she was going to do that day, when she remembered that she wanted to try gliding off the mountain, with wind pushing her back towards Equestria. Rainbow Dash started climbing towards the top of the mountain, with Flutters still perching on her head. She sighted a ledge on the tip, and settled for jumping off there. Rainbow opened her wings, and felt a slight breeze coming from behind, blowing towards the Arctic North. Perfect! Rainbow jumped off the ledge, and started gliding down towards the Crystal Empire. It's working! Rainbow was sure that it would work, when the breeze started getting smaller, and then stopped. Rainbow screamed, as she started falling down towards the valley next to the mountain at huge speeds. Flutters flew off her head, and fluttered off towards Rainbow's cave. This is NOT awesome! I'm going to die! If I do a sonic rainboom, then it's going to be a more painful death! Rainbow Dash was falling towards her death. She couldn't fly. She wouldn't survive. Rainbow would never see her friends again, and they wouldn't see her either.