Your Speed Means Nothing If It's Death That You're Running From
He is coming, I know He is.
Spike. He used to be one of my best friends, but now He is just a monster. No, more like a force of nature, like a hurricane or an earthquake.
I remember like it was yesterday. One day He was His dorky, normal self, and in another He was gone, leaving nothing to tell us where He went.
And then He came back, or at least something that looked like Him.
I can still see the ruins of Ponyville, fell the fire that destroyed everything I loved, smell the death He created, stopping me from even shutting my eyes during the night.
And even when I manage to sleep all I can see in my dreams is Him and the fire He spreads.
Not even Twilight could stop Him, so what chance do I have? That’s why when that feeling appears I do what I’m best at: I fly.
But for how long can I keep doing this?
This is like the tenth time this happened, and I know He isn’t giving up until He’s done with me. It’s only a matter of time until…
No.
I’m Rainbow Dash, the fastest flyer in all of Equestria! I can outrun Him forever, He’ll never catch me. It doesn’t matter how powerful He is, I’ll survive… I have to, somepony has to remember them.
But… for how long can I fly? I’m just a pony, one day I’ll grow old and weak like everypony does while He’ll continue to live forever. If it is Him or old age one day I will…
Don’t think like that! What happened to you? Getting bothered by simple details like that. Just focus on the present like you always do, worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes.
Yeah. Survive for as long I can, no matter what.
...
Wait, why did the crickets suddenly go quiet?
This suffocating heat.
That horrible smell.
My heartbeat getting faster and faster.
He’s here.
I have to escape! I have to escape! I have to escape! I have to escape! I have to escape!
I have to escape! I have to escape! I have to escape! I have to escape! I have to escape!
I’m almost there, just go through the back door and fly away!
Escape one more time, find a new hideout, one far away from anything. Maybe a cave somewhere, a place where He will never find me.
Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive.
Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive. Survive.
Ignore the fear, stop listening to your fast heartbeat, you’re almost there… just a little more!
There’s no shame in running away from something if it means you get to live another day. Swallow your pride, Rainbow ‘Danger’ Dash died alongside the rest of Ponyville. And that’s why I need to survive, to remember what was lost.
The back door, yes!
FREEDOM!
...
No.
He’s here. Those empty eyes are staring directly at me, even a good ten feet away from Him I can still feel the heat He creates, the smell of death that He carries.
Did… did He knew I was going to escape from here?
No time to think about that. Turn around, the front door is free, go through there.
The shadows! The shadows in the walls are moving! They are closing in on me, trying to grab me with their black hands; pin me down for Him to take me.
Let them try.
I’m Rainbow Dash, there’s no one faster than me! I will escape from this like I did before, leave Him and any of His tricks in the dust.
Even… even if my fast beating heart and my shaking body say otherwise.
No, don’t panic. This isn’t much different from doing a Sonic Rainboom. Take deep breaths, control your heartbeat, focus on what’s in front of you. One mistake, one moment of hesitation, could mean the end.
The front door is getting closer, just a little bit more and I’m out.
Come on…
Come on!
Ye-
No.
No.
No.
No no no no no no no no no no no no no.
No!
He’s here! How?! Wasn’t I fast enough? Can He teleport or something?
I have to go back inside! Close the door behind me, I don’t know if barricading it with the drawer will work but I have to try. Behind the couch is a good place to hide, I have to give myself as much time as I can to think of a way out.
Come on, think of something! There has to be another way out. The front and back doors are useless, and I can’t hide forever. It’s only a matter of time until He comes crashing through the door.
...
Of course! The window! I can escape through there, He’ll never see it coming!
His eyes.
His eyes are staring at me from the window.
Even with the glass I can still smell His scent of death; fell the heat burning at my fur and skin. But if He is here that means the front door is free!
…
What.
How?
How is the drawer gone and the front door wide open?
How did that happened without me hearing it?
And how, how is He standing at the front door while I can still see Him staring from the window at the corner of my eye?!
There’s still the back door! I can still escape!
In the darkness that covers the hallway to there I can see His eyes staring back at me.
Maybe the other windows.
His eyes are watching me through them, all of them.
The ceiling.
That won’t work, I can see Him through the planks.
He’s everywhere.
Those empty eyes stare at me from every way possible. The smell of death is covering the entire place. The heat becomes stronger and I can’t breath. He’s even in the shadows on the walls.
I… I can’t escape.
But I have to! I have to survive! I have to remember Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, AJ, Pinkie, Scootaloo and the rest of Ponyville! I have to keep their memories alive! I have to keep moving! I need to keep moving!
I…
I…
I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die!
I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die!
…
What happened to me?
I used to be bold, fearless, larger than life! And now here I am, cowering in fear of shadows and bad smells. All the while using the death of my friends as an excuse to keep running away.
Rainbow ‘Danger’ Dash died with Ponyville because I killed her.
Well, then I guess it’s time to bring her back to life.
I have had enough with running, enough with shaking in fear to the point of crying. If I’m going to die then I’ll go out with a bang.
His eyes no longer stare at me from the windows.
I don’t see Him in the shadows anymore.
The smell is still there but not as strong.
The heat stopped bothering me.
My heartbeat is back to normal and I stopped shaking.
Let’s do this.
The wooden shards of the wall burn like Tartarus against my skin. But it’s a small price to pay for the element of surprise.
Let’s see how he handles a very solid hoof hitting him at neck breaking speed!
Gaaahhhh! His face is harder than a brick wall! My leg is burning like the sun, that must means the bone is broken. But this is just a flesh wound, He’s going to have to do much worse if he wants to keep me down.
Wait, where did His hand go?
Gah! My wing!
I was too slow, I couldn't even see His movement, but I have to keep fighting.
Ignore the pain and keep on fighting!
Charge!
His neck is hard as his face. There’s only a few teeth left in my mouth, but I think I was able to leave a few on His neck.
This time I can see, I can see His arm coming at me, this time I’ll dodge it!
Did I do it?
Strength is leaving me. There’s nothing I can do to stop me from falling.
I guess I was too slow then.
The feeling of grass against my fur is nice. It doesn't beat a good old cloud but I guess it will do.
The stars are so beautiful tonight, I think I finally see what Twilight sees in them.
Heh heh heh, when was the last time I smiled like this?