It was a bright, summer day in ponyville. But things where dark and gloomy in Rainbow Dash's cloud home. She had been up there for two weeks and had isolated all of her friends.
"It's all my fault."
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Twilight and Rainbow Dash where walking to Sweet Apple Acres to meet up with their friends so she could cast the cloudwalking spell and go up to cloudsdale in the hot air baloon..
"Oh my gosh, this is going to be so awesome!"
"Calm down Rainbow, the contest isn't until tomorrow"
"Yeah Twilight, I know. But i'm just so excited! I just can't beleive that the legendary Wonderbolts will be judging! They'll see me and be amazed by my grace, yet be outstanded with my super awesomness!"
"Oh Rainbow Dash. You always where one for speaking high of oneself."
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
"It means that, even though you may be a really good flier, doesn't mean you need to rub it in everypony's faces"
Rainbow let out a frustrated moan. "Whatever..."
When they arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, everypony was waiting in the baloon. Everypony but one. before Rainbow had noticed, a large pink blur tackled her and sent her flying to the floor, only to have her efforts of getting back up thwarted by none other than Pinkie Pie
"Rainbow Dash! We've been waiting for so so so long for you to get here but now that you are here we can go up there and support you! I've been practicing my cheering wanna hear it?
Withut even waiting for an answer, Pinkie jumped up and yelled at the top of her lungs, Shouting a load of incoherent babble with a few words made out with something to do with "YAY RAINBOW DASH!!"
"Hold yer horses Pinkie Pie. We're not even sure if Twi can even pull off that cloud walky thing"
"Oh please Applejack. A cloud walking spell is one of the easiest spells to master."
"So expalin to me why y'all couldnt do it then Rarity."
"Hold on everypony. I just want to say that i found another spell that give non-pegasi wings for 3 days. But it looked kind of difficult, I'm not 100% sure i can do it but I want to try. So........... Who's the guinee pig?"
Everypony shared uneasy glances and muttering things to themselves until Rarity spoke up.
"I'll do it."
They all looked at her in shock. After many words where shared between the two unicorns about how dangerous this is, she finally tried casting the spell.
A magical aura surrounded Twilights horn as she began to put the spell together. Simultaneously, A blue ribbon enveloped in a purple aura started to wind around Rarity, as if trying to trap her in a velvety prison. Twilight began to grunt due to the pressure of the spell. She raised her horn to the air, as if calling to the sun to help, and with a flash, all was silent.
Twilight came to when she heard Rarity scream.
"Oh the're beautiful!"
Everyone looked in awe at the beautiful gossamer and morning dew wings.
"Oh my goodness. I don't think I can pull that off again, we'll just have to stick to the cloud walking spell."
Auther Note.I'm just throwing it out there to see if you like it. If you spot any mistakes or anything please let me know and i will fix it quicker than you can say "Lickety split".
"Now girls, don't wander off to far. Cloudsdale has alot of pegasi in it and it's easy to get lost" Fluttershy was worried for some reason, even though the streets where near enough abandoned, beside the odd pony going home.
"Oh Fluttershy. It's late, everypony is in bed. Speaking of which, where are we staying?"
Rainbow Dash had forgotten all about the accomodations. "OHMYGOSH! I almost forgot, thanks for reminding me Twlight."
Rainbow lead them to a hotel. The hotel was booked for contestants of the best young fliers competiton. The manager pegasus at the counter was shocked that two unicorns and two earth ponies just walked into his hotel. When Rainbow walked up to the counter, he jumped out of his confusion.
"Oh, good evening. How may i help you?"
"Uh hi, I was wondering if we could get a room for 6 ponies?"
"Sorry ma'am, only two guests per competitor."
"But where will my friends stay?"
"Not my problem, the rules have been so for years and i'm not about to change them now."
Rarity walked up to the counter and said something that shocked all of them. "I wish to sign up." Gasps arised from the five ponies who stood there, frozen still from what they had just heard.
"WHAT!? Rarity, i'm nervous enough. I don't want to pile more of it on by competing against my friend!"
"My apologies Rainbow Dash but it's the only was everypony will be able to stay here."
The manager handed Rarity the sign up forms. Included was a question about what type of perfomance she was going to do. Rarity being... well.... Rarity, she chose elegance.
OK then, i'l send these to the competition holders. Here is your room key.
"Thank you kind sir"
Rainbow was muttering incoherently as they walked up the stairs to their room. As they passed by, many ponies stopped to admire Rarity's wings.
When they got to their room, Rainbow slammed the door shut and climbed into one of the cloud beds and drifted off into a deep sleep.
Rainbow smaked the alram clock with all of her force, sending it across the room.
*beed beep boop.......*
"Much better"
3 hours later
*yawn* Rainbow, still half asleep, stretched under the covers. Then shot out of bed.
"What time is it!"
She walked over to her alarm clock. She realised she had slept to late and shot out the window.
_______________
"Where's Rainbow Dash? She should be here by now."
"Ah don't know Twilight, but ah got a feeling she got angry at the alarm thing and hoofed it across the room." Applejack, knowing Rainbows temper, was probably right
"Hmm" Twilight pondered on the thought "That does sound like her."
"Look! Dashie's coming!"
They all looked at Dash, all with faces that said "Why are you late?"
"Heh. Sorry guys, I set the alarm clock wrong."
Applejack, knowing she was lying, butted in. "More like you through it out the window when it disturbed your nap."
"Either way it didnt go off...... More than twice"
"Well Rainbow, i'm going to save the lecture on why you shouldn't hoof your alarm for after the competition, now go! You need to let them know you're here"
"Got it. Bye!"
At the waiting room, Rainbows nerves where starting to show.
"Oh no i'm going to fail. I am sooooooo going to fail"
"Hey Rainbow Crash!"
"Uh oh." Rainbow muttered, before turning around to face the idiot colts "What do you three want?"
The middle one spoke up "Oh just wanted to ask if you where competing. so we can see you fail!" they all laughed as Rainbow Dash walked up closer, trying to look intimidating.
"I'm not going to fail. I'll place first. You know why? Because I am the greatest flier in ALL of Equestria, and I am going to do the most impressive trick ever and win!"
"What are you gonna do huh? A sonic rainboom? Thats nothing but an old mare's tail. It's impossible"
"Oh really? You're forgetting about when I OWNED you in a race back as fillys AND pulled of a sonic rainboom!"
"You cheated in that race! You knocked me off course!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did too"
They eventually just walked away. When Rarity got back from her perfomance, Rainbow Dash's number was called.
"Number 12!"
"Good luck" Rarity shouted after Rainbow Dash.
A/N Hmmm Cliffhanger much? Sorry but i am lost on ways this could go on so i just hung off a cliff.
"Like I need it" Rainbow and Rarity knew that the response was just a cover for how nervous she really was.
"Rainbow Dash, don't be cocky. It is good to think you can win, but dont say you will win. you don't want to jinx it."
"Yeah whatever"
___________________
"Well. The rest of my tricks failed. Might as well."
Rainbow dash flew up at what she called a "casual" speed. When she reached as far as she could, she stopped and perched on a cloud.
_____________________
"Pinkie Pie, try to stop your tail. It's annoying."
"It's not me. Wait a second. Twitchy tail means......... Oh no" Pinkie's mane and tail fell flat as a pancake. Everypony was looking at her. Finally, Fluttershy spoke up.
"Pinkie? What happened to your mane? Did you forget to wash with your puffy shampoo?"
All she could manage to say was "Dashie....."
________________________
"Ok, here goes. You can do this. You are the best flier in all of equestria. If i do this, the wonderbolts will invite me to join. Lets do this!"
Rainbow jumped off the cloud and spread her wings as wide as she could. Acting like a parachute, it slowed her fall until she thrusted them back as fast as possible.
Rainbow enjoyed the speed, but she knew she could go faster. With another thrust of her wings, she went even faster. She knew she was almost there, so another thrust and a barrier of air formed up around her.
"C'mon! Just a little faster!"
She got into the most aerodynamic form she could and with that, the barrier turned into a cone.
"Yoo can do this Rainbow. Just a little faster!"
With a loud boom that sounding like a million lightning bolts at once, a circle of rainbow colours was left behind as she continued on with a solid rainbow beam following her as she sliced through the skies, faster than any recorded speed. Then suddenly. Everything went black.
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"Please fluttershy. Your the only one with wings, you have to go after her!"
"But i can't fly that fast."
"You have to try! Please! She's going to die!"
Then a loud explosion made them all look up to see Rainbow Dash's limp body falling through the air with a rainbow trail behind it.
"DASHIE!!!!!!!!"
Fluttershy looked once more at Pinkie Pie, who was now crying, and jumped off of the colliseum, persuing the lifeless Rainbow Dash. She was chasing her for what felt like hours but was only mere seconds.
Somehow, she managed to catch up to Rainbow's lifeless body and grabbed the hooves. She threw him up into the air, and then she stirred.
Realising that she was falling, she slammed her wings open and stopped herself. She looked down to see Fluttershy panicing, trying to stop. She darted down but the ground was too close. Fluttershy was going down to fast, she couldn't keep up.
Fluttershy was descending at an alarming rate. First 40 feet, then 30, then 15 then 0. She slammed into the ground and had made a small crater on impact. Rainbows heart sank, she knew what had just happened but refused to believe it. They had been best friends since they first met at the flight school, She was already crying full force before she hit the ground.
Rainbow weeped over Fluttershy's body, now devoid of life.
A/N
Poor Fluttershy. I didnt want her to go but she was the only other pegasus in the group and Rarity wouldn't have known cause she was in the dressing room un-dazzling herself.
Rainbow Dash wept over Fluttershy's body, now devoid of life.
"Fluttershy, please wake up."
The rest of the ponies came down on the baloon. They all developed tears in their eyes when they saw Rainbow Dash slumped over Fluttersy, crying. She didn't even look up when they came to comfort her. but four words sent her over the top.
"It's not your fault."
"It is my fault! If it wan't for my crazy obsession with the wonderbolts, this wouldn't have happened! She died because of me!"
Rainbow Dash took off in a hurry to somehwere she knew she would be alone. Then she saw a single cloud drifting through the sun set sky at a snails pace. Rainbow settled on this croud, and curled up into a ball and cried. She didn't care if anypony could see her. She didn't care about her tough tom-boy reputation. She just laid there in the fetal position and cried herself to sleep.
"It's all my fault."
____________________________
Rainbow opened her bloodshot eyes the next day to find her cloud had sunk to the ground and dissapated into thin air, so she was laid there on the ground, with tear marks on the fur of her face. Then she noticed her company. Applejack, Rarity, Twilight and Pinkie pie where all asleep around her, each with their own tear marks in their face. She noticed something different about Pinkie Pie. Her mane was flat. Rainbow got to her feet and as she did, so did Pinkie.
"Dashie? Where are you going?"
"Somewhere i can be alone"
"But..."
"I don't want to hear it Pinkie, I'm going and you're not stopping me"
She flew off in the direction of her cloud home with tears flowing down her face freely, like a constant waterfall of depression.
_____________________________
"Guys wake up"
"What is it Pinkie?" Twilight didn't remember what had happened untill about two seconds later, then she started to cry again. "Where's Rainbow Dash?"
"She went off to her home, she said she wanted to be alone. I think we should leave her to think. I'm worried about her Twilight. She blames herself for what happened to fluttershy."
"I know Pinkie. Right now the best thing we can do is just let her be alone to think."
_______________________
Rainbow touched down with a loud thud on her cloud home porch. She went inside to see everything on the floor and all the drawers and cupboards opened, like they had been searched through and not bothered to be put back. Just how she left it. She waled up into her bedroom which was equally as messy and curled up on her bed and cried, again.
She awoke to a few knocks on the door. she reluctantly got up to check who it was. She opened the door and saw Ditzy, the mail pony.
"Wow dash, you look sad. What happened? Did you drop your muffin?" Tears started to well up in Ditzy's eyes at the thought of a perfectly good muffin being destroyed. But then she noticed Rainbow Dash starting to cry again.
"It doesn't concern you Ditzy."
"OK. Here's your mail, bye bye!"
Rainbow slammed the door shut, not caring if it had hit Ditzy. She tore open her mail with her mouth. She got her "Wonderbolts Weekly" magazine, she got a "Rocket Booster" and she got a letter. It was marked to Rainbow Dash from Twilight. She read the letter aloud.
Dear Rainbow Dash.
Funeral arangements have been made. We're all worried about you, you've been avoiding us since yesterday and we dont want you to hurt yourself. We want you to be comfortable and if that means you being alone then so be it but please dont harm yourself.
Your loving friend, Twilight Sparkle.
She crumpled up the letter and threw it in the bin.
A/N
Couldnt leave out Ditzy could I? Anyway, i just wanted to point out that i've been sad recently and that's what made this chapter really sad, i couldnt really think joyfully. But it's sorted now so i'm no longer sad.
Sorry about the small chapter. There was more but it had to be rated mature if i left it in. So i took it out. oOh well. Enjoy!
Rainbow Dash walked up the stairs to her bedroom, sobbing all the way. She cried herself to sleep, as had become her normal routine.
_____________________
The four ponies where gathered in Twilights library.
"We have to think of some way to get Rainbow down from her home." Twilight said, with worry and fear and her voice.
Applejack came out with a reply that half angered Twilight "I think we should just let her sit it out untill she's ready"
Twilight questioned Applejacks theory. "But what if she keeps on blaming herself and never comes out?"
"I'm afraid I must agree with Twilight. We cannot just simply wait for her to come down. We need to go up there. Do you think you could give me my marvolous wings back?" Rarity seemed more worried about her wings than Rainbow Dash.
"No! You're walking on the clouds like the rest of us." Twilight cast the cloud walking spell on Rarity and began to go down the line of ponies.
"Come on girls. Lets get to the balloon." Twilight was eager to see her Frined again.
_______________________
Rainbow Dash tossed and turned in her sleep, obviosly having a bad dream.
_______________________
Rainbow awoke in a dark and gloomy cellar. She tried to move but she was chained to the damp stone wall.
"Where am I!?"
"You are in hell Rainbow Dash."
"Who's there?"
The shadowy figure walked out of the shadows. She was wearing dark robes with a hood stitched on. She had wings a marvelous shade of yellow that reminded Rainbow Dash of sunflowers.
"Who are you?" Rainbows voice was trembling.
After a few moments of silence, the shadowy figue spoke. "Don't you recognise me? I'm surprised. Ponies don't usually forget the ponies they KILL!"
"Fluttershy?"
The shadowy figure removed her hood to reveal that she was indeed Fluttershy. But she sounded nothing like her.
"Good guess Rainbow."
"Fluttershy! I can't believe you're alive!" Tears where streaming down Rainbows face. But for once, not from sadness, but from joy. She screeched in pain. "OUCH! Fluttershy? Why did you do that?" Another snap, and another screem of pain. The demonic image of Fluttershy was now laughing at Rainbow Dash's pain.
"Strange. It's not normal for you to feel pain in a dream. Then again. This isn't a dream. It's a nightmare!"
_________________________________________
Rainbow sat up as fast as gravity would allow her to and she let out a loud, ear piercing scream. She was panting. She looked around her bed to see it soaked with sweat, then she remember her dream. She paniced and felt for her wings. She let out a sigh of relief as she felt them there, undamaged. She jumped out of her skin when her friends burst through the door. Remebering their faces, she jumped back with a small shriek of terror and pushed hereself to the back of the room.
"Stay away from me!"
"Rainbow Dash, what's wrong?" Twilight asked.
"Get away!" Rainbow was waving her hoof around as if to smack away invisible ghosts
"Rainbow Dash, it's us. Your friends." Twilight was both confused with the reaction she had gotten and worried about the scared pegasus.
All that Rainbow Dash saw when she looked up where the shadowy figures that had tortured her in her dream. "Please! Don't hurt me!" Rainbow Dash was now cowering in a ball, lightly sobbing to herself, as she remembered the horrific things that had happened in her dream. Suddenly she felt a wierd feeling and looked up to see herself floating in mid-air with a slight purple aura surrounding her. She shot her wings open and started flapping them in an attempt to escape. "Let go of me!"
Twilight was grunting with the effort required to hold the strong pegasus. "Rarity! Get over here and help me!" A blue aura was now surrounding Rainbow Dash's wings to stop them from flapping. Both of the unicorns now had Rainbow under control. They walked towards the front door where the balloon was parked and hopped in. Rainbow Dash was still curled up and sobbing when they got to the ground.
A/N Read the extra chapter for the torture scene that goes with this
They walked all the way to the Ponyville hospital with Rainbow Dash, who was still curled up in a little ball. When they went through the doors, Nurse Redheart was there to greet them.
"Hi girls." She then noticed the frightened little pegasus being suspended with two magical auras. "Oh my goodness. What happened?"
Pinkie Pie answered the question "Well.... Dashie seems to be scared of us for some reason. When she woke up screaming, we ran in there to see what was wrong. Then she started sobbing and muttering things like "please don't hurt me"."
"Oh dear, she must have had a traumatising dream. Come, bring her with me."
Nurse Redheart had walked past a few doors when she finally stopped and opened the door. Inside was a bright, glistening marble floor with white tile walls. There was a small bed to the far end in the middle with a heart moniter to the left and some other machinery to the right. "Here. Put her in this bed." Twilight put Rainbow in the bed and covered her still cowering body with the covers. Nurse Redheart closed the door, knowing what might happen. And she was right. As soon as the unicorns magical hold was released, Rainbow bolted for the door, only to slam into it. Twilight once again picked her up and put her into the bed. Realising she was defeated, Rainbow stayed there, tears still dripping down from her eyes. "I would like you and your friends to leave the room for a moment. I need to talk to Rainbow Dash." They all left the room for the nurse to speak to Rainbow.
"Hey Rainbow, how are you?"
silence
"You going to talk to me?"
silence
"You need to talk to me Rainbow Dash."
"They tried to hurt me....."
"Who did?"
"The ones who brought me here." Rainbow only just managed to utter those words between the sniffs and the sobs.
"How did they try to hurt you?"
"They.... They....." Rainbow Dash once again broke into tears at the memory of what had happened.
"Shhh calm down Rainbow, it's going to be ok." Nurse Redheart was now sitting with Rainbow, comforting her. "Why where they trying to hurt you?"
"Because Fluttershy is dead and it's all my fault." Rainbow was now crying again.
"Im sure it's not your fault."
"It is my fault. She tried to save me and now she's dead."
"The ones that brought you here, they care about you. They never would have hurt you" Nurse Redheart was still comforting the terrified Rainbow Dash
"But they did!" Rainbow shouted out, her voice breaking at the end. "Twilight poured acid on my wings and drew on me with a knife! And Rarity cut off my tail!"
"No Rainbow Dash, it was just a bad dream."
"But I could feel it!"
Nurse Redheart had nothing to say to this. She knew that nopony feels pain in dreams. "It's ok Rainbow." Nurse Redheart got up from the bed. "Now I know this is going to be hard, but I need you to explain exactly what happened before and after the dream."
_____________________________
"I hope Rainbow is going to be okay" Applejack seemed more worried than the others. She had a right to, having known Rainbow the longest.
"I'm sure she'll be fine." Twilight was doing her best to be optimistic, but couldn't stop a tear from streaming down the face as the thought of what might happen gripped her mind.
"And what if she's not!" Pinkie Pie, mane still flat, finally spoke up, tears freely flowing down her face. "What's going to happen then?"
Pinkie, I'm sure she'll be fi.." Twilight got cut off by Pinkie.
"I am SICK of your stupid optomistic atitude Twilight." Those words struck deep, as Pinkie saw a tear drop from Twilight's left eye. "Not everything is some stupid just wait and everything is going to be fine game! Some things don't end up ok and I am just sick and tired of you thinking like that!" With these final words, Pinkie Pie ran home to sugercube corner. Everypony else just stared at Twilight, who was standing there with a few tears dripping down her face. Twilight was trying to be strong infront of her friends, but realised that was pointless and broke down, laid on the ground and cried. Applejack and Rarity came over to comfort their friend.
_____________________________
"And that's what happened." Rainbow had just finished explaining her dream, during which, she broke down into tears several times. Nurse Redheart just stared at the pegasus with a look of shock on her face.
"And when you woke up, you couldn't feel any pain at all, correct?"
"Yeah."
"Well i must say, that is the most disturbing thing I have ever heard. It's going to take months of therapy to fix the image you now have of your friends."
"But they wern't my friends. They where sort of shadow, demon images of my friends. if the ones who brought me in here appeared to everyone else as just normal ponies, then why do I see them as the things from my dream?"
"Well because that dream was a very traumatic dream for you. It will affect you for a long time. But with therapy, we can get you back to normal in a few months."
"But what if i remember that they're not the demons that tortured me, but my friends?"
"It won't matter. As soon as you see them, you will unwillingly forget about everything and just remember those so called demons that tortured you."
"Can you call them in?"
"are you sure thats a good idea?"
"Yeah im sure"
"Well alright then. I will be right here if you need me" The nurse went off to find Rainbows Friends
A/N
Don't ya just love it when you have a general idea but just wing it with the rest and it turns out great? Lets hope that happens with this. Anyway, this chapter is early because, as I said previously, i had an idea and idea's pop out of my head as fast as they pop in so............ Yeah. you can read the rest :)
"Rainbow Dash? It's Nurse Redheart. Your friends are here. should i send them in or do you want some more time to compose yourself?."
"I'll be alright doc. Send them in."
Nurse redheart opened the door a little to let the group of friends in. Just as the first, Twilight Sparkle, walked through the door, Rainbows heart sank. First she saw the hoof. To Rainbow, it appeared as a shadow-like flame, around a black hoof and the sleeve of a robe draping down half of it. She reminded herself that it was just a dream and that it didn't actually happen. It started to work as the shadow flame started to dissapate. Then the head came into sight, showing a shaded face and a shadow flame as a mane, similair to the one that she saw on the hoof, and a hood almost covering it. At that point, Rainbow had forgotten all about what she was trying to tell herself, that it was actually her friend. She jumped out of the bed and fell on her haunches, slipping on the shiny marble floor. She started retreating backwards toward the corner of the room. Nurse Redheart came to assist the terrified pegasus.
"It's ok Rainbow. There your friends. This is going to be hard, but I need you to look at them and think of your friends."
The pegasus was in tears at the mere sight of the terrifying shadows. "I can't! They're going to kill me!"
"No there not Rainbow Dash, They're going to help you. They may seem as evil beings to you, but to everypony else, they are just normal ponies, concerned about their friend."
Rainbow Dash did her best to look up. But as she looked at the face of the shadow Pinkie Pie, with her black, fiery mane flat against her face, she retreated back to the self comfort of her hoofs. She suddenly felt a warm embrace cover her entire body. She looked up to see the shadow Pinkie Pie hugging her. She wanted to jump back in fear and run away, but she was frozen in place by the warmth of the surprise hug. The shadow of Pinkie began to fade into a depressed and sad mare. "Pinkie?" Rainbow looked behind her to see the other three ponies, back as they should be. "GUYS!" She shook of the pink pony, sending her tumbling, and hugged each one of them in a massive group hug. She opened her eyes, with tears of joy, and looked at her friends. Where did her friends go? She found herself on the floor of the hospital, hugging several pillows. Rainbow jumped back in terror, letting out a loud shriek. This prompted Nurse Redheart to run into the room, to find a pegasus, staring at 4 pillows, with a look of confusion.
"What happened Rainbow?"
"I-I-I don't know. I was hugging my friends and then they turned into pillows."
"Halucinations? Now that is very strange. Either way, your friends just arrived. Do you want me to send them in?"
"Y-yeah sure."
Nurse Redheart left the room for a few seconds and came back with four worried mares. "Go on in girls, she's waiting." The four worried mares slowly crept into the hospital room. Rainbow looked up to see her friends. Not the shadow figures of her friends, but her real friends. This time, she decided to ditch the group hug and just settle for a chat.
"So Rainbow, why where you terrified of us the other night?" Pinkie wanted some answers.
"Heh.... Long story."
"I've got time."
"I'd rather not reflect on tha-" Rainbow was cut off by a creepy pink pony staring at her with pleading, yet demanding, eyes. Her face was so close that they where alost touching muzzles. She stared into her eyes for what seemed like an age before Pinkie Pie finally spoke.
"Tell me."
_____________________________
After a long time of explaining her dream and what she saw, Pinkie was stood there, gobsmacked at what she had just heard. But then, her mane exploded into a large, poofy mess, back to what it used to be like. "Oh my gosh Dashie! That seems so grim and evil, it's so unlike you to dream of something like that. And the fact that you could feel it was even wierder! But i'm so glad your ok now because now we can throw A PARTY!" As she said 'PARTY', her notorious party cannon was pulled out of nowhere. She lit the fuse with a match, again pulled out of nowhere, and took cover. "3! 2! 1!" The cannon exploded in a wide range of food and drinks as well as a whole load of decorations, making it look rather festive for a hospital room
"Thanks Pinkie, but right now I just want to go home."
Rainbow Dash was flying through the crisp afternoon air on her way home. She landed on the porch of her cloud home. As she approached the door, quiet hushing was heard. Dismissing the sound, Rainbow walked into her home. The lights where off. Feeling that she wasn't alone, she peered around the room to see if anypony was there. It was to dark to make it out but she swore she saw a pink-ish mane in the shadows. She flicked on the light to see if she was right and the second the light came on, various voices shouted out "SURPRISE!!!!!!"
Rainbow was surprised. But not in a good way. "Guys. I told you i'm too tired to have a party."
Pinkie wasn't amused. "But you have to have a party. I ALWAYS throw a party when someone gets better or gets something or something else. Since when do I need a reason to PARTAY!"
"Since this is my house."
"...."
"Thats what I thought. Now get out. I want to sleep."
"Can we at least stay here and make sure you're ok?" Twilight was still worried even though Rainbow had been discharged from the hospital.
Rainbow didn't really like the idea of being alone either. "Ok, you can all stay in the guest room. I think there's enough beds."
____________________________
Rainbow crawled into her cloud bed. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep because clouds are very comfortable.
Rainbow woke up in a dark, damp cellar made out of stone. "Oh no not this again." Rainbow found she wasn't chained to the wall this time, but still unable to move. She walked forward, but it wasn't of her own free will. She found herself picking up a whip off of a table that was nearby. When she looked up, she found her friends chained to the wall. Fluttershy also chained to the wall. Putting the pieces together, she figured out what was happening. "NO! DON'T HURT THEM!" She muffled through the whip in her mouth. The only thing she could do freely was talk. She couldn't move. She couldn't do anything. She could only talk. It appeared that her friends couldn't hear what she was saying, as all they did was stand there, shocked by what their friend was about to do.
____________________________
Rainbow woke up first, also screamed first. She looked around to see herself on the floor next to her bed. She had obviously fallen out at sometime during the nightmare. After Rainbow remembered, she ran to the guest room and opened the door. Quickly but quietly, she checked on her friends. As she opened the door, the four sleeping ponies woke up with a scream similair to Rainbows when she had woken. Rainbow slammed through the door and was met with a giant group hug. "Oh Dashie. It was so scary!" Pinkie was shaking as she muttered those words.
"It's ok. At least you're not in hospital like I was."
"What you did to us. It was unimaginable." Twilight was also shaking, but alot less than the pink pony. "Wait, how did you know we had that dream?"
"Because I had the same one, except I was the one doing the 'unimaginable things' to you."
"Why didn't you stop?"
"I couldn't. It was like somepony else was controlling my body and making me do those horrible things."
"These dreams arn't normal. And the fact that we all had the same one is even stranger. Wait a minute." A magic light bulb popped out of nowhere above Twilights head. "I have an idea"
"Uh Twi? Whats with the light?"
"Oh sorry, that happens sometimes."
A/N
I thought of adding another torture scene to this chapter but i couldn't be bothered to imagine cruel ways of torturing a unicron. That, and I think I already scarred everypony with my last one. However, if you would like me to add one just ask :).
They all followed Twilight to the library. Everyone was curious on what her 'fantastic idea' was. But whenever they asked, they just got "Wait and see." When they reached the library, Twilight told them to follow her down to the basement. The three ponies, each with a unique look of confusion, followed Twilight down to her basement. As soon as the majority of the room was in view, a strange machine was spotted near the corner of the room.
"What's that?" They all asked at exactly the same time.
"That is a machine that reads neuro-transmitions, or brain waves if you want to be simple. Next time we sleep, i'll hook us up to that thing and see what happens when we have those dreams. With information on what happens, hopefully Nurse Redheart will be ably to tell us why it happens." They all looked at eachother in confusion. Twilight let out a grunt of frustration. "Machine tell us what happen when we sleep."
"Oooooohhhhh I get it now." Pinkie said, as if she had just solved the hardest math problem ever. Probably because in her mind, she did. "You put the machine thingy on and it tells us the what happens when we go beddy bye."
"Exactly. Now, i'll need you all here at precisely nine in the afternoon. No excuses for being tardy." Twilight focused her gaze on Rainbow. "That means you in particular Rainbow."
Rainbow suddenly beefed up. "Are you kidding? I would never leave my friends hangin'."
"You better not, 'cause this is very important."
"Oh stop worrying."
"Whatever, just don't be late!"
"I won't"
Twilight muttered under her breath. "Yeah, you will."
"I heard that."
"You where supposed to."
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"Ugh! Where is she!" Twilight was pacing back and forth, occasionaly smaking her hoof to the ground in frustration. "She was ment to be here half an hour ago!"
"Don't worry Twilight. I'm sure she'll turn up sometime. Even though being late is her speciality, i'm sure she will turn up. Maybe tomorrow." Rarity was also frustrated. The difference between Twilight and Rarity's frustration was that Rarity was making a joke out of it. Twilight perked her ear up as she heard wingbeats, then hoofsteps. She looked towad the door to the upstairs. She saw the door handle move and a cyan pegasus walk in.
"Where have you been! We've been waiting for 35 minutes for you to get your lazy butt here!"
"Chill out Twilight. I'm still here arn't I?"
"Finally."
"Oh stop being such a kill-joy. Now, how do we get hooked up to this machine thing?"
"Well, I put the headpieces on all of your heads, and then you go to sleep. Simple."
"Great. Lets get this over with."
"Ok then. Just lay down with the others and i'll set it all up."
Rainbow did as she was told and layed down in between Pinkie and Applejack. Twilight came over and put a headset on each pony and flicked the switch on the machine. "Wow. This thing is uncomfortable. I'm not sure i'll be able to sleep with this big clunky thing on my head Twilight."
"Oh shut up Rainbow. You can atleast try."
"No need to be rude."
"I repeat my last statement. Shut up."
Rainbow huffes and buried her head into her wing and curled it up against her head. The headpiece grinded againt her feathers, leaving unattractive ruffles. She struggled to get comfortable enough to sleep, but when she did, it took her a while to actually get to sleep. She was terrified of what was going to happen, but anxious to find out. This mix of feeling caused her to feel a bit nauseous. She dismissed the sickly feeling and tried to go to sleep.
_____________________________
Rainbow awoke in a familiar cell. She looked around to see both her and her friends chained up against the wall. "Oh no. This can't be good." She diverted her attention to the six shadowy figures now visible. Each one had a black flame surrounding there shadowy bodies. The shadow of Fluttershy spoke first. "Well now, looks like your little friends have come to join the party."
"Who are you!"
"Don't you recognise me? I swear i visited you a few nights ago."
"I don't mean it like that. Who are you for real? And why do you keep taking me here?"
"Oh. I'm just a figment of your imagination. In a way, you could say that I am you!"
"No, you can't be me. I would never do this to my friends."
"Oh but i'm not you. I'm like, for lack of a better word, your evil twin."
"What?"
"I'm an evil emodyment of your friend. I'm an evil soul. I've corrupted Fluttershy's pure soul and now I haunt your dreams." The evil Fluttershy approached the chained up Rainbow Dash. She put her muzzle so close to Rainbows that she could feel her breath. "And there's nothing you can do about it."
Rainbow stumbled over her words. "Oh y-yeah? well we'll see about that."
"The Elements of Harmony won't work."
"How did you know I was thinking about that?"
"Because I am in your dream. Or, more like, my dream. You're forced into this. I make it how i want it. I know everything your thinking about."
"W-well, how do you know that they won't work?"
"Because the soul that one of the elements resided in has been corrupted. By me."
"Oh. Right. Well, no matter how corrupt the soull, there is always a way to purify it."
"You are so naive. There is no magic strong enough to match the power of the elements. And the elements are the only magic strong enough to defeat me."
Rainbow cringed at being called naive. "Oh i'll find a way. Maybe we can't use all the elements, but we sure as hay can use the ones we have."
Twilight finally made her consciousness known. "The elements are useless if they are not a complete set."
Immediatly after Twilight had said this all the other ponies chained to the wall shouted."WHAT!"
"Without all the elements, they're just useless necklaces."
The corrupted Fluttershy grinned, satisfied that she had won"Even Twilight agrees that there is nothing you can do."
"I never said there's nothing we could do."
Her look of success turned into a slight look of worry "Oh and just what are you going to do?"
"I'm not going to tell you that. Because then you would be prepared for it."
The corrupted Fluttershy walked up to Twilight with an evil grin. "Then i'll just force you to tell me." She picked up her instrument of torture in her mouth and grinned once again. "Play time!"
A/N
Oh the suspense. It's killing me! even though I wrote it. Oh well. Thanks for reading!
Rainbow awoke to find all of her friends ontop of her legs, and bricks on the feathers of her wings. "What are you doing?"
Twilight noticed that Rainbow was awake and hopped off of one of her legs. "Oh. You're awake. Good."
"Why where you ontop of me?"
Pinkie hopped off of on of the other legs. "You where going absolutely crazy. We had to pin you down to stop you from flying off in your sleep."
"Ok then. Now that i'm awake, can we get to business? And while your at it, get these bricks off my wings."
Applejack climbed off of a leg and picked up the bricks with her mouth. "There ya go sugercube. That better?"
"Yeah, thanks." Rainbow shook off Rarity, who was still asleep, and stood up. She stretched her wings before looking toward Twilight. "So. Whats the plan?"
"The plan is, I go into your dreams."
Rainbow took a second to process what she said. Then she realised. "Didn't you already do that?"
"I ment without going to sleep."
"How are you going to do that?"
"With a spell."
"Will it hurt?"
"It shouldn't."
"What are ya going to do in her dreams?" Applejack questioned.
"I'm going to see what I can do about that phantom. With any luck, I should be able to use something to purify Fluttershy's soul."
"But you heard her AND agreed. The elements are useless if they are not a complete set." Rainbow Dash said.
Twilight looked smug. "I never said they weren't a complete set."
"Huh?"
"It's not the body that the element resides in, it's the soul. Fluttershy's soul may be corrupted by an evil phantom but the element is still there. All I need to do is bring the necklaces into your dreams. Then I can put each necklace onto each of you and onto her."
Rainbow Dash just stared at Twilight.
"Wow, you are slow. Just be here tonight and go to sleep."
"Oh ok. I can do that."
___________________________________________
"So you're sure this won't hurt." Rainbow was tired, and her eyes where half closed, but she wanted to be sure that it would work before she followed through with it.
Twilight reassured Rainbow Dash "Yes Rainbow, I'm sure. If it does, it will be a little pin prick. Nothing you can't handle."
"And you're sure it won't backfire?"
Twilight thought about this for a second "Ummmm........"
"What ummmm. What's wrong!?"
"It might backfire. It is a very dangerous spell."
"NO! I'm not doing it if it might kill me!"
"Calm down. It's not going to kill you. But it's results may be catastrophic. You have to do it. For Fluttershy."
"...."
"Please?"
"Fine." Rainbow said reluctantly.
"Good. Now sleep."
It didn't take long for Rainbow to fall asleep. Twilight gathered the other ponies around her. Her horn glowed a lavender colour. A purple ball surrounded the four ponies and another ball surrounded Rainbow Dash. Slowly, the gap between the two bubbles shrunk untill they where almost touching. When they contacted, the two bubbles merged together and the four mares where in Rainbow's dream.
___________________________________________
They stood in the all too familiar cell. In front of them was Fluttershy's corrupted soul. Or her rear end anyway. They looked up to see there friend chained up against the wall. It was clear that neither of them where aware of their presence. The corrupted Fluttershy began to speak. "Aww no friends? They're going to miss out on the fun. Oh well, more for you."
Rainbow tried to break the chains but failed. She decided to just talk. "Why are you doing this?"
"Isn't it obvious? I live off fear and pain. You are both. You fear sleeping because of me and the pain just makes it better."
"But why me?"
"Becuase, you know dear Flutttershy more than anypony else. So it makes it even more enjoyable to see the look on your face as your best friend causes you so much pain."
"Why don't you let me down from here and face me like a real pony! Unless of course you want to keep on being a coward."
The corrupted Fluttershy walked up to Rainbow and got up in her face. "Watch your tongue. Or i'll cut it off. Not just here, but in the real world too."
"You can't. In a way, we're both trapped here. You can't get out and neither can I."
"Oh but I can get out of he-" She was cut off by a Pink blur tackling her out of nowhere.
"YOU GET AWAY FROM DASHIE!!!!!!" Pinkie began hitting the corrupted Fluttershy. Suddenly, she dissapeared. Pinkie looked around to be greeted with a shadowy hoof hitting her square on the muzzle. Pinkie flew back into the corner of the room. Rainbow let out a shriek. "PINKIE!!!!!" She felt her hooves being released from her chains. She looked up to see a purple aura surrounding them. With a sudden jolt, the chains flew open, releasing Rainbow Dash. She landed on the floor with a loud thud. This got the corrupted Fluttershy's attention. She turned around to see her prisoner released and running toward her, wings flared out. She jumped into the corrupted Fluttershy, piling ontop of her. The other ponies all pinned her down. Twilight picked up the necklace that belonged to the element of kindness and put it on her. She put the necklaces on the others. With all of them wearing necklaces, a rainbow shot into the sky, distorting the image of the dream. It arched back down, enveloping them all in a rainbow circle. Just before the corrupt sould of Fluttershy went back to normal, all went black.
A/N
Just letting you know, if you thought this was the end, it's not. There will be more! Thanks for reading!
Rainbow slowly blinked open her eyes. It was a long night. She layed there for a few seconds trying to recall what had happened. As she remembered, she darted up withing a heartbeat. She looked around in a panic to find her friends spread across Twilights basement. "Guys? Guys wake up!"
Applejack started to stir. "Rainbow? What in tarnation are you doin'?" She looked around to see everypony else beginning to wake up. "What happened?"
Twilight poked her head up. "I don't know. But I do know that we used the elements to purify Fluttershy's soul."
Rarity gasped in shock at her bed-head. "Oh my. Excuse me Twilight, do you have a brush?"
"Upstairs." With this, Rarity galloped upstairs.
"Did it work?" Pinkie Pie was surprisingly groggy first thing in the morning.
"No." A mysterious voice called out from behind them. They all shot their heads round to see who said it. They where all shocked when they saw who had said it. "Well, isn't this interesting. Looks like i'm free! Oh this is going to be so much fun." The mysterious mare walked forward, causing all the ponies to shy away from her. All but one. All but Rainbow Dash.
"You think you're going to be able to leave here and just do anything you want? Well i got some news for you, this is the real world. You can't make others do what you want because you 'will' them to. You are powerless here."
"Oh that's what you think my dear. How do you know this is real life? It could be another dream. You don't know and there is no way of finding out." Rainbow thought about this for a second. A second was too long. A shadowy hoof came up to meet Rainbows muzzle. She fell over, dazed. The shadowy mare galloped up the stairs.
"Why that little piece of-" Applejack was cut off by Rainbow.
"Don't bother. We need to get up there and stop her. Come on lets go..... Twilight?"
Twilight was still sitting, mumbling things. "How, but we. I don't understand! Why didn't the elements work!?"
"Because, my dear." The mysterious mare's voice was floating around the room, with no origin. "The elemtents won't work unless all bid for them to work. If one element wants it stopped, the others can't proceed. Oh and thank you for setting me free, that cell was getting stuffy."
Rainbow sat on her haunches. "We can't beat her. She's won."
Applejack was stunned by what she had heard. especially coming from somepony who never admitted defeat. "Now wait just there Rainbow. Who said there's nothin' we can do? We just need to get the real Fluttershy out long enough for her to use the element. Simple"
"Wait a sec." Rainbow sprung up. "What brings out Fluttershy's true, caring nature more than anything?"
"Animals!" Pinkie Pie shouted.
"So we need to get little Angel Bunny here."
"Well then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Pinkie galloped toward the door, followed shortly by the others.
A few seconds after they had left, Rarity came down. "Ah, now I look fab! Now, what did I miss? Hey, where is everypony?"
_________________________
The ponies were galloping toward Fluttershy's home. The evidence of the corrupted souls presence was begining to show. Several ponies where running and screaming, Lyra and Bon Bon were two of them. They ran straight into Twilight. Lyra said her apologies then started to scream again as a shadowy figure began to make its way towards them. "Well now, you know you shouldn't be outside. Especially when i'm ruling over Ponyville."
Rainbow flew right up to her face, making her jump back a little. "What do you mean 'ruling over Ponyville'? You can barely rule my dreams!"
"Oh Rainbow, I was in full control of that dream all along. I could have stopped all of you but I knew your plan. I knew how to get out. I merely saw an oppertunity and I seized it."
"Well, we'll see about you ruling Ponyville." With that, Rainbow dashed off in the direction of Fluttershy's cottage.
___________________________
Angel bunny was sleeping in her little home inside the cottage. He jumped up from his peaceful slumber to find a pair of cyan hoofs grabbing her. He was too tired to retaliate so he just fell asleep like the lazy, tempermental bunny he was.
Rainbow Dash was now darting off to the direction of Ponyville, hoping to find the corrupted soul there to. When she got there, the whole town seemed peaceful. The sun was shining, ponies were trotting around with saddlebags full of juicy apples. Octavia was playing her new song called 'Little Octavia' at the Ponyville town center. All seemed perfect. Too perfect.
Rainbow Dash looked around at the all too perfect world. "What is going on?"
"Oh isn't it wonderful Rainbow Dash?" Rainbow immediatly recognized the soft voice that came from behind.
"Fluttershy!? But you're dead!"
Fluttershy's face went from happy to confused "What are you talking about? I'm right here."
"No. You're not." Rainbow started to back away, still hiding Angel Bunny in her wings. "This, all of this, it isn't real. I know what you've done you soul-eater! And it won't work on me!"
"Rainbow Dash, are you alright?" Rainbow turned around to see Twilight and the rest of the ponies.
"Oh no, don't tell me you've fallen for it to."
"What in tarnation' are you talkin' about Rainbow?" Applejack stepped forward.
"No. It's not real! It's an illusion crated by this evil monster!" She shouted, pointing at Fluttershy.
"Oh please Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy couldn't possibly be an 'evil monster'. She's way too caring and kind." Rarity said.
"The necklaces. Twilight! Get the elements!"
"Why?"
"So I can prove that it's not real!"
"Ok then. But if it is real, you owe me a portion of hay fries."
"Deal."
___________________________________
"Ok, I got the elements. Lets get this over with." They all put on their respective necklaces and Twilight put on her big crown thingy. They took their formation and initiated the magic of the elements. The big rainbow shot up, cleared the skies, then it came back down and exploded in a magical wave of rainbows, similair to a sonic rainboom. For a brief moment, a destroyed ponyville came into sight. A shadowy version of Fluttershy looked straight at them. Then time froze.
"Well, well, well. Looks like one pony didn't fall for my 'perfect world'. Shame. Well, come on in this world and try and take me down." With that, all the ponies were sucked into the real world.
___________________________________
Rainbow Dash turned off the T.V. "I am never whatching that again." She got up and went to bed.
The End
A/N
Wasn't expecting that where ya? I might put in some alternate endings later but for now, bring on the funny comments.
Just a quick note, Brony Z Ro helped me with this. By posting a comment.....
The evil Fluttershy had the five ponies pinned and was moving in for the kill. "You put up a fair fight. I almost gave in when you showed me that stupid rabbit. But there's nothing for you to do now but wait for your slow and painful death!" Just as she was a hoofstep away from standing over them, a poof of shadow was seen behind her.
"Now that is NO way to treat these poor ponies!"
"Dad?"
"You say sorry right now young lady and then you can go to your room and stay there for an eternity!"
"Ugh fine..... Sorry." She turned around to walk through the portal.
"Before you go, give these ponies there friend back."
"Aww come on. Can't I keep a souvenier?"
"No."
"But she was already dead this time! I swear!"
"I don't care, give them their friend back."
"I hate you......" The soul-eater exited Fluttershy's soul and let it float down to the ground. When it hit the ground, it materialised into Fluttershy. The five ponies where still sitting there, looking on, trying to repress laughter.
"Come on Jessy, let's go." With that, they couldn't hold it anymore. They burst out into laughter. This angered 'Jessy' She turned around and hurtled herself at the ponies. "Stop right there missy! We're going!"
"But they laughed at me!"
"Jessy, we're leaving." Before they entered the portal, the five, now six, ponies heard Jessy's dad say "Your mother is going to want to hear about this."
