Chapters Flying, pegasi are borned to soar across the skies, dreams come true when pegasi foal's learn to fly and some of their dreams just begin with it, some of their dreams are beyond that, to become the fastest, bravest and the most talented from all of them. Rainbow Dash lived for her dreams in all her life, working hard, practise different figures all day and night to be the best and hoping one day she can fly with the best pegasi in all of Equestria.
The day has come what Dash been waiting for so long and all the hard work would finally worth it, she received an invitation from the Wonderbolt's co-captian, Spitfire. They gave Dash a week to prepair herself from all the intrustions and formations what the letter contained, but Dash already knew most of them if not all, after all she was there at every wonderbolt show.
Spitfire helped her so much, the tranings when she had freetime, explaining and showing all the little tricks for the hardest moves which can make them easier and the more time they spent together, the bond between them became stronger by every passing day, but not only between their flying skills and harmony at least not for Spitfire who wanted more.
One week that's all she had to wait, one more week and her dream finally come true. Luckily she didn't have to worry about the weather, summer was usually a quiet time. They've got only one order for a little rain from the Sweet Apple Acres farm.
The last few days which suppose to pass with work she was mostly perfecting her moves and resting as much as she could. Monday finally came, Celestia's sun was high on the sky above Cloudsdale's arena when she entered.
She was here hundreds of times before if not more, but this feeling what Dash had now, was completly different, the uncontrolable erge to scream out loud how happy she is to be here because today won't be about the wonderbolts. Celestia could not attend due some political issue, but her sister was sitting in one of the VIP box with the rest of the Element of Harmony on her sides.
Dash was floating in the middle of the arena when the wonderbolts flew throught the main entrance. Four of them departed from the two leaders and they sat down above where they came in. Spitfire and Soarin flew closer to Dash.
"Are you ready Dash?"
Dash turned to Spitfire
"Oh, Yeah!"
The two wonderbolts flew back to their other teammates and sat down next to them. Dash waited while they take their position and give her the sign that she can start the first part of the test.
Dash was about to finish the routine which she started almost twenty minutes ago. She was getting closer and closer by every completed spins, loops, rolls and all the difficult manouvers what other pegasi only dream about, but she did it without any mistake, by every second she was getting closer to her dream. This part of the test wasn't about speed, she had to show them her skills, strenght, endurance everything she had inside herself. After the last loop, she stopped right where she began at the middle of the great stadium.
Her friends with Luna on their side were still sitting with their mouth open amazed by Dash's performance. When they finally snapped out of it the silence turned into huge cheering and screaming. Luna was the only exception from the group who could hold her feelings back about what she saw and she was simply clapping with her hooves.
Spitfire and Soarin were discussing something for a while then flew to Dash. This time it was Soarin who spoke to her.
"Well done Dash, now you can start phase two, usually It me who helps out, but I heard Spitfire helped you a lot and she asked me if she can do it with you this time, so good luck."
Soarin flew back to the other this time and sat down next to them. Spitfire looked at Dash who was sweating and breathing a little too fast.
"Are you alright?" She asked a little concern showing on her face.
"Y..Ye-ah, a bit tired, but I'm fine, so what's the plan?"
They were talking for a while, when they finished discussing the plan Spitfire flew closer to Dash hugged her then planted a small kiss on her cheek and whispered in her ears while Dash's face turned into red.
"You can do this, I know you can."
When finally Spitfire released her, Dash looked away and brushed her mane with a hoof in her embarrassment.
"Of course I can" She pushed her chest out and stomped with her front hoof on it, but her wings and muscles would have an argue with this statement.
The two pegasi looked at each other and nodded. They began to fly full at speed doing inside and outside loops, then spinning back to back to one another around each other towards the sky.
For the finale they stopped in the middle and Spitfire began her journey towards the sky and Dash was dropping towards the ground for thirty seconds as they planned it. They turned around and speeded up as much as they could Dash was pushing herself harder than ever before in her life. Since what she was about to do, she needed all her strenght which left in her.
The angle appeared around her body and Spitfire's too on the opposite side of the arena. They passed by each other and a second later, Dash created the sonic rainboom which surrounded the top of the arena and at the same time under it Spitfire managed to create something similiar what Dash did on the other side, but it was pure fire at the bottom.
From the outside the upper half of the arena was covered in rainbow, the bottom of it like burning in fire. The light show lasted for about a minute before it vanished.
Spitfire returned to the arena, but Dash was no where to be seen. Another minute passed, Luna stood up and looked around after she casted some magic spell on her eyes. The dark blue aura appeared around her horn again and Dash's unconscious body appeared floating in front of her and the rest of her friends.
Dash woke up a bit dizzy, but there was something else too which started to bother her right away. She wasn't in her usuall cloud bed, it was harder yet familiar. She was in a hospital bed. Dash felt some pressure on her body, so she opened her eyes to take a look around, for a while the light was strong for her eyes so she covered them with her hooves. When her eyes got used to it, the source of the pressure came in her sight.
"What the hay happened, why am I here"
A beautiful orange mare was laying next to her and the head of Spitfire was on her chest. Dash slowly lifted her head and looked around.
Luna was the only one besides Spitfire in her room who was watching her.
"I'm glad to see you finally awake."
She stood up and walked next to the bed.
"Your friends will be here shortly."
"Luna what happened with me?"
The weak pegasus tried to sit up, but Luna stopped her.
"You passed out from exhaustion after you created the sonic rainboom. You were lucky because you fell on the top of the arena and the clouds deaden the collision, but you still hurt your body and head pretty well."
"How long I have been out?"
"Two days."
She looked away from Luna to Spitfire.
"Is she alright?"
Luna did the same while a small smile appeared on her face.
"Yes, she felt herself responsible about what happened with you, so she has been by your side the whole time."
"But,"
Dash wanted to say something, but stopped when her friends opened the door and stepped inside. Before Pinkie could jump on her Twilight caught her with her magic in the air and put her down next to the bed.
"Pinkie darling, you should be more prudent." Rarity pointed at the sleeping wonderbolt.
"But silly Dashie made us all scared and I was so scared too, but she is awake now and I'm so happy that she is alright and I brought this cake for her."
Pinkie pulled the cake out somewhere behind her, the others stared at her for a while, but Pinkie Pie is Pinkie Pie there are things which can't be explained about her.
They were talking for a few more minutes using Fluttershy's voice volume so they wouldn't wake up Spitfire when the doctor entered the room and asked them to leave Dash to rest, before Twilight left she placed a book next to Dash, but none of them bothered Spitfire who was still sleeping peacefuly.
Dash grabbed the book what Twilight brought without much movement because she didn't want to wake up the sleeping pegasus on her side.
An hour passed by when Spitfire finally opened her eyes, the book's cover came in her sight which Dash's was reading. Daring Do and The Lost Betrayer. Dash felt the movement so she lowered the book and looked into the newly awakened Spitfire's sleepy eyes.
"Dash!"
"Heya sleepy head thought you never going to wake up."
Hearing this Spitfire's worry turned much like anger.
"You idiot, don't even joke about it."
They were holding eye contact for a while then tears begin to fall from Spitfire's eyes on the blanket.
"I'm so sorry Dash, it was all my fault... I asked too much from you."
Dash opened her mouth to say something, but instead of words leave her mouth, she was laughing for a few seconds.
"Hey, It's not like you made me do any of that."
Dash took a look at the sky through the window and tried to choose her next words carefully before she turns back to Spitfire.
"And I wanted it so badly, to finally fly with you and the other wonderbolts, but looks like I still need to improve some of my awesome skills."
"So, are you not mad at me?"
"I think, I should be the one who ask this question from you, you spent so much precious time on me yet, I failed you."
She slowly turned away from Spitfire to the window again.
Spitfire never heard her talking in such a way about herself or using this voice, it was almost like she would give up.
"Dash."
The nurse stepped inside carrying Dash's breakfast with her magic. After placing it in front of the weakened pegasus, she looked at the other one.
"You should probably leave now, I know it sounds rude, but she needs to rest, if nothing happen with her condition today she can leave tomorrow and you two can talk.
Spitfire looked at Dash who was still staring outside the window, but something was different in her eyes, something was missing from it.
"Some of them succeed, but most of them fail." She remembered what her father said when she went for the try out for the wonderbolts.
"Bye Dash, get better and see ya tomorrow"
"Bye Fire." Without looking at the leaving wonderbolt she continued staring outside.
The nurse left the room after Spitfire and closed the door.
Rainbow looked at the weird jelly thing which she was suppose to eat, but she got a better idea and got a few slice of the big cake which Pinkie left for her, after eating the half of it she returned to reading the book hopefuly the time will pass faster like last time she had to be in hospital bed for days.
She read the first three chapters when the drowsiness came back what made her put down the book and fall asleep. Dash woke up once more before the sun would get replaced by the moon and ate the dinner what was much more better than that jelly thing she got in the morning, after a few more chapters later she fell asleep again.
When she left the hospital in the morning Luna's chariot was waiting outside the hospital, first she tried to fly home on her own, but one of the night guard's stopped her.
"Miss Rainbow Dash we are here under the orders of Princess Luna to take you home" Adressed the night guard who stopped her in the air.
"Guys look I'm sorry, but I feel fine so if you don't mind."
"Miss Rainbow Dash, it was Princess Luna's orders, she told us you might refuse and she asked us to stop you any way so please don't make it harder for us and let us carry out our orders."
Dash thought the night guards usually kind of mean, but this must be serious that one of them even said please.
"Fine" she lowered her head as a sign she gives up and entered the chariot.
It was a fifteen minutes ride in the chariot to arrive above Ponyville, Dash had to agree they were pretty fast almost as fast as she would fly on her own. She left the chariot and looked at the night guards.
"Thanks guys and sorry for the trouble, please tell Luna I thank her too."
One of them nodded then they turned back to the way they came from.
Finally after a few days she can lay down in her own bed, the fluffy cloud was the only thing she needed. She opened the book which she started in the hospital and decided to finish it before doing anything else.
She was at the final chapter when someone knocked on her door, Dash had no idea how long she has been reading, but judging by the position of the sun it must be around early afternoon.
"Hey Fire"
"Hey Dash I'm glad to see you are better, I brought some sweets from Sugarcube corner and few bottle of apple cider too and I hoped we can talk maybe."
"I'm sorry Spitfire, but now is not a good time I was about to go to bed also my head hurts again, but thanks a lot for everything.
"Oh, ok no problem Dash, sorry to bother you, Bye"
"Bye Fire"
She carried the food and the cider in her room and placed it on the desk next to her bed and laid down to finish the book.
I'm really turning into an egghead.
After Spitfire left Dash's house she headed towards Cloudsdale. While she was flying all her thoughts were wrapped around Dash, the light in her eyes which was sparkling brighter than the sun itself everytime when they were talking, now, dissapeared. Memories came alive which she wanted to forget so much yet, maybe it happened once again.
"No it can't happen, not with Dash, but."
What if they broke her, what if she will.
She arrived to the end of her destination, after a few knocks on the door Soarin opened. When he saw the troubled look on her friend's face she widened the door without a word and let her inside. Spitfire sat down on a couch and a couple of seconds later Soarin joined her. They were sitting on the couch in silence for a minute face to face when Soarin finally asked it.
"What's wrong Fire?"
"I..I think we broke her."
"What do you mean?"
"Soarin, in the hospital I saw that the same look on Dash's face what I already did once before, she.. she reminded me, Star Fire, after what we did to her."
A troubled look appeared on Soarin's face then turned away from Spitfire.
"Star Fire huh, I thought we agreed that we never going to bring her up again."
"But Soarin."
Soarin turned back while he raised his voice a bit.
"No, we are not digging this up, it was completly different what happened to her, it was her own fault, we did what we had to do, it wasn't our fault that she couldn't take the pressure what this job comes with."
He stopped for a second to calm himself down then he continued.
"If Dash really wants to become a wonderbolt she will get through it, if not then she isn't worth the time and she is definetly not the one who we are looking for."
Spitfire was astonished, she couldn't believe her own ears.
"But she is a better flyer than any of us and you know it, how can you talk about her like this?"
"I knew it, I thought you can handle it, but looks like I was wrong, you fell in love with her don't you."
"YES, yes I did so what? You asked me to push her limits and I was foolish enough to do so, if you would give me two more months I could get her ready, but no, you don't care about anypony do you, and now she looks like she gave up her dreams because of us."
Soarin stood up, walked to the door and opened it.
"Fire you should leave before one of us will say something what we will regret."
Spitfire stood up and looked into Soarin's eyes, but without a word she left the house.
Author's Note
Soooo, I have the whole story rotting on my comp for almost 6 months now and I decided to upload it piece by piece after I try to edit it as much as I can.. so here the first chapter which could also use a lot more work from my side, but I wanted to see if someone like it or not, I'll upload the rest of it anyway in time...
Thx for comments and votes
Dash used to start her mornings with a thirty minutes practise before she got a shower, but this time she was still laying inside her bed. She didn't have anything planned to do at this weekend, so she was just laying in her bed watching the blue sky and how the clouds moves on it. Several hours passed, it was almost afternoon when she got interrupted by somepony knocking on her door.
"Hey Twilight what brings you here?"
Twilight was looking at Dash's mane, the wonderful colours of the rainbow somehow faded a little.
"Dash are you alright?"
"Of course I'm, why?"
"Nevermind, I brought you some Daring Do books, I got them yesterday these are the next two parts of the trilogy which you started to read in the hospital."
"Thanks Twi, let me give you that back."
Twilight was watching Dash as she walked back to the house and upstairs for the book.
"Why isn't she using her wings?" The thought ran through her mind while she returned, but Twilight decided not to say anything about it. She levitated the books on the desk. A couple of seconds passed till Dash returned with the book under her wing.
"Hope you will enjoy them, I have to go now have a good day Dash, Bye."
"Bye Twi, thanks for the books."
After Twilight left she looked around for some food, but she didn't find else then a few slice of cake what Spitfire brought yesterday and bottles of cider. She carried it upstairs along with two bottles of ciders and the second part of the trilogy under her wing.
Dash opened her eyes but couldn't believe them, the night sky was filled with stars, but below her instead of the earth it was clouds. She tried to dig a hole in the cloud, but when she got through the same thing waited for her on the other side as well, the night sky.
"Where the hay am I?"
"Rainbow Dash, this is your dreamland now."
She looked around trying to identify the source of the sound without much success.
"Who and Where are you?!"
The clouds in front of her emerged then it took a form of a alicorn.
"Luna?"
"Yes Rainbow Dash"
"What did you mean it is my dreamland and why are you here?"
"This is what your heart desire the most, being far from everypony else, maybe you don't want to admit it yet, but your mind knows it."
"But..." Dash turned away "I will never join the wonderbolts, so what else I should dream about, I was preparing it since I saw them first time and now."
"Why won't you?"
Dash turned back and stomped on the cloud under her hoof.
"I've been training for years now and Spitfire helped me so much in the past months maybe even more than I deserve and yet I'm too weak to become one of them, I won't waste my life chasing a dream what i'll never accomplish."
The cloud creature turned away.
"If you feel this way."
Water begin to drop from it's eyes before it's whole body turned into water and dissapeared.
Dash woke up in the morning and saw at least eight bottles of empty bottles around her.
This was weird.
She saw the book on the bed what she got from Twilight, it was covered in cider as well.
"Hope Twilight won't be mad about this"
As she stepped outside with the book on her side in bag the sun's light hurt her eyes for a few seconds after all she was locked up in her own house whole day long yesterday.
Dash landed in front of the library's door when she was about to knock on the door she heard some crying noises from the inside. She slowly opened the door and Twilight came in her vision as she sitting on the couch crying over some book.
"Twi a..are you alright?"
Twilight spun around and tried to wipe the tears under her eyes while she teleported the book away.
"I can come back later if now it's not a good time."
Dash was about to leave when Twilight closed the door cutting her way off with her magic and teleported herself next to Dash.
"Uhm, Twi what are you doing?"
She was staring deeply into Dash's eyes, but Dash broke it by taking the book out from the bag and placed it between them.
"I'm so sorry Twi I spilled some cider on it, I hope you can fix it or something and you are not mad at me.
The yellow colour in Dash's mane, tail and inside her cutie mark too already turned to white and the other colours lost their old radiance as well.
Twilight pushed Dash to the ground, held her down with all four hooves and lowered her head to Dash's while their face were only a few centimeters away. They could feel each other's warmth, breath and scent.
"Twi, what are you doing?" Dash's heart was beating faster than ever before in her life, when she saw what Twilight is about to do she closed her eyes and wanted to let herself enjoy the moment, finally stop thinking about everything else.
Just a moment before Twilight could deliver the kiss, the library's door opened and Spitfire stepped through on it. Both ponies on the ground turned their faces to the new arrival when Dash realized who came in she pushed Twilight off from herself and flew out of the library.
"What the hay was this about?"
Spitfire was looking at Twilight who stood up and walked back to the couch and teleported the same book back what she read before Dash arrived.
"Twilight, I"
Before she could finish what she wanted Twilight turned to her.
"No, Spitfire don't even say anything, don't you dare."
"But, you know how I feel about her, so why would you do this?"
"Love her? I doubt that, because you don't destroy the person you love."
"I've never meant for any of this to happen, you have to believe me."
"Did you say the same thing to Star Fire?"
Spitfire took a couple steps back, surprising the fact that Twilight know about it.
"We left her alone, It was our fault, Yes I know it, I beat up myself enough times about her and seeing the same thing happening with Dash makes my heart stop.
"Then do something about it, before I'll."
"You wouldn't play with her feelings like that."
"What exactly were you thinking when you crushed her dreams? besides I'd do it to help her not to hurt her."
"Twilight I promsie you, I won't let Dash go as far as Star Fire did."
Spitfire was leaving the tree house, but she heard as Twilight said.
"I'll make sure of it."
It was late night and Dash was sitting in the pub alone. She was staring right in front of her at the glass mug which contained small amount of cider at the bottom of it.
"Can I get you one more?"
After she drank the leftover from the mug she lifted her head slowly to look at the bar tender.
"No Thanks."
She placed twenty bits on the table and stood up, she almost fell but with a wing beat she stabilized her body.
"Would you like me to ask someone to escort you home?"
"I'll be fine."
She walked outside and a small cold wind hit her body, she streched her wings before taking off. She couldn't fly straight in the air, not because of the wind. On her way a voice called out for her from somewhere in the dark.
"Hey Dash, wanna race?"
"Leave me alone." Without stopping in the air she continued her way, the other pegasus was floating in the same place for a while then rushed in front of the rude pegasus to stop her.
"Dash what the hay, I.."
She couldn't say the rest of it cause Dash's suddenly attacked her, in the air wrapped all four of her hooves around Spitfire's body and kissed her. It was a short yet passionate kiss from Dash's side and Spitfire's eyes went wide open in her surprise, she knew Dash can be impulisve and brash but this was strange even from her then Dash broke it.
"Spitfire, I'm not in a mood for this so please just go away and leave me alone." She released Spitfire from the hug and left behind the surprised wonderbolt who could feel the cider all over her lips and the smell of it as well.
"She already started it."
Spitfire turned after the obviously drunk pegasus to say something, but she dissapeared in the dark.
Dash flew through her bedroom's window and landed in her bed where she fell asleep almost immediatly as she hit the fluffy cloud bed.
Monday's sun was high on the sky when Rainbow opened her eyes and the pain hit her head. She knew today is important, but she couldn't remember the why.
"I hope Twilight have time to heal me"
"Time"
"I'm late!" She said it out loud in her house. Before she could leave the house, the smell of her own mane climbed into her nose. She turned her head around to take breath of her own fur which was stinking just like her mane.
"Great, I'm already late so it doesn't matter."
She went up to the bathroom to take a short shower to get the stink out from her fur. The shower took her only three minutes, she didn't want to waste time with drying her whole body so after the shower she headed to the library to Twilight.
Dash was flying calmly towards the library greeting a few ponies on the way. The pain in her head was a bit better, but she can't attend in Cloudsdale like this and late too. She opened the door library's door then stepped in. Twilight laying on the floor back to the door, Dash sneaked behind her and took a look at the book what the unicorn is reading.
"Hey Twilight."
When she didn't respond Dash poked Twilight's side which ended up Twilight screaming from the surprise. Dash placed her hooves on her ears while laying on the ground.
"Rainbow you scared me!"
Twilight looked down at the pegasus whose eyes were closed and her ears were covered with her front hooves. Dash slowly removed her hooves around her ears and stood up.
"Dash, are you alright?"
"Hey Twilight, do you have time to heal my headache?"
"Oh sure, just give me a few seconds."
"How can she act like nothing happened yesterday."
Twilight's horn began to glow with a light purple aura which appeared around Dash's head too. Both of them closed their eyes while Twilight was working when she finished Dash felt like a something cold touch her brain from the inside and the pain stopped.
"Thanks a lot Twilight."
"Don't even mention it, is there anything else I can help you with my magic?"
"Well actually there is something it would be great if you can teleport me to Cloudsdale, I'm already a few hours late and it would be another twenty minutes flying to get there."
"Not a problem, bye Dash."
"Thanks a lot Twi."
A few seconds later she appeared a hundred feats above Cloudsdale. She targeted the weather factory and landed if front of it door. Dash walked in the room and lowered her head where she should be appeared a few hours ago, the stallion was looking outside the window when she stepped in.
"Sir, I'm sorry that I didn't show up at the weekly briefing."
"Don't worry Rainbow Dash you didn't miss anything." He turned around to look at the pegasus. "The schedule is on the table grab it and leave."
She looked over the few pages weather schedule.
"Sir, can I take this week off as well? I'm sure Cloud Chaser can handle next week as I see nothing big is planned."
Thunder Light raised one of his eyebrow on Rainbow.
"May I ask why?"
"I-I only need a few more days and spend some time with my friends without worrying about the weather sir."
"Alright, give it to Cloud Chaser and tell her she is in charge for a week."
"Thank you sir, good bye."
She walked out the room, her head was still hanging, looking at the clouds which she is walking on when she bumped into another pegasus. Dash shooked her head and looked up at the orange pegasi's back.
"I'm sorry, I didn't watch where I was going."
Spitfire turned her head around to look at rainbow coloured pegasus.
"Whatever, Dash."
"Wow, Hey Spitfire, how are you?"
They were holding the eye contact for a while, but Spitfire turned away so hopefuly Dash won't see the blush on her face. She moved closer to the wonderbolt.
"Spitfire, Is there something wrong?"
"I'm fine Dash, It's just." She lifted her hoof and brushed her mane with it. "What are we going to do now?"
"What do you mean?"
Spitfire's heart skipped a beat when she remember back that Dash was drunk, so maybe she doesn't even remember what happened
"What do you remember about last night?"
"I've got drunk and flew home somehow, at least I assume that's what happened because I woke up in my own bed.
Spitfire let out a small laugh yet a small tear escaped from her eye and shook her head.
"What? Is there something else I should know about?" Dash asked a bit frustrated.
"Nevermind, I have to go so... have a good day, I'll catch ya later."
The pegasus flew away.
"Bye Fire."
"What the hay was this about?, Did I do something last night?"
She collected the papers from the cloud and placed it in her mouth since she forgot to bring anything with herself. It was a twenty-five minutes flight to Ponyville and another five minutes to find Cloud Chaser who gladly accepted the job to lead the weather team for a week. Judging by the position of the sun Dash guessed it still is the middle of the afternoon, but some reason she felt tired so she flew home to her bed.
She woke up and looked outside the window, half of the sun was under the horizon, she crawled out from the bed and placed a bag on her back then placed around 20-30 bits into it. The night was about to start for her so she flew down to the same bar as always so she counted there as a habitue. She walked inside the bar and sat down to her usuall place and ordered one cider after another. She was about to finish the sixth drink when the noise inside the bar died down and everybody was looking at the same direction except Dash who didn't care anything else except the bottle which was in front of her, she simply enjoyed every sweet drop of the cider she was drinking at the moment.
The new arrivel looked around and stopped her eyes on the one who she was looking for, she walked next to the chosen mare and sat down next to her. Dash was about rise the almost empty mug again to her lips when a hoof crossed hers.
"I believe you've had enough"
Dash without taking a look at the pony who stopped her, pushed her hoof away with her wing so she can finish her drink.
"Who do you think you are to tell me when I had, enough?" As she turned to the unknown mare to her, the realization hit her, her voice became more like Fluttershy's at the last few words when she realized who is sitting next to her.
No one understood what would Spitfire the co-captain of the wonderbolts do in a pub in Ponyville. Most of the ponies in the pub were still watching the pair, only a few chosed to ignore them and enjoy the night.
"Hey, bartender, one more."
"Right away."
The bartender was about to pour the drink in the empty mug when Spitfire stopped him.
"No, she is leaving."
Night Watch was looking surprised at the strange pair.
"I'll pay you double if you ignore her and finally fill that mug."
Before Night Watch would do as he was told Spitfire dropped a small sack full of bits on the desk.
"You won't serve her tonight."
"I'm sorry Dash."
"Fine!"
Dash walked outside and Spitfire followed her. It was late, but no stars could be seen on the night sky, it was filled with wild looking clouds which possible came from the Everfree forest. The wind was getting stronger as well by every passing seconds. A few hooves steps away the rain began to pour from the sky and lightning sour above Ponyville.
Without any sign of slowing down she was walking towards the closest place where she can find cider. Spitfire floated next to Dash ignoring the high speed wind.
"Dash just stop."
She grabbed Spitfire's hoof and pulled her down from the air, pushing her to the wet grass.
"What do you want?"
"I want to help you."
"You helped me enough and as a repay I failed you, so please just don't, I don't want to be reminded for my failure all the time when I look at you."
Dash turned away and jumped in the air where she opened her wings as the wind caught her she made a 120 degrees cut in the air. Spitfire was surprised how Dash managed to pull this off after all the alcohol she injected in her body.
Spitfire was standing in the rain looking the way she last seen Dash in the air.
"Nice going Spitfire, Why can't you simply tell her how you feel?"
"I don't know Twilight"
Spitfire looked down at the sump, the lightning lit up the sky for seconds, so she could see herself in it. When the darkness
"Wait, stay with me at the library, you probably tired of flying everyday back here from Cloudsdale."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, besides if you catch a cold that wouldn't help us either."
Twilight teleported herself and Spitfire too in the middle of the library yet Spitfire after looking around she was alone. A few seconds passed while Twilight became visible again after removing the spells which protected her body from the water and other ponies eyes as well.
"Take a hot shower, the bathroom is upstairs first room on your left."
"Spike"
"Yes Twilight?" He walked out from the kitchen, but she could see as Spitfire walks upstairs.
"Uhm Twilight, what is she doing here?"
"She will stay here for tonight, Spike can you set up another bed in my room and replace your own into the other room, please?
"Ahm, come on Twilight."
"I'm sorry Spike, please it's only for tonight.."
"Fine."
"Thanks Spike."
Twilight walked next to her desk and levitated a paper and the other necessaries for writing a letter in front of her. The reply came almost immediately. She opened the letter which seal's had a moon on it. After reading the replay she sent of another one which contained one word in it.
"Tonight."
When Dash arrived home she was freezing the air's temperature was lower than normally and the cold rain with the strong wind was making it even more unbearable, especially for someone who was flying almost an hour under these conditions. She was looking for something, something what even she couldn't explain.
She get under the shower and sat down under the pouring hot water. After twenty minutes of sitting she finally got out wrapping towels around her body, when she dried most of her body, the drowsiness hit her head, she could barely make it to her bed when finally she climbed into it and placed the blanket on her body she fell asleep.
Spitfire was under the shower for almost thirty minutes when Twilight stepped inside.
"Are you alright?"
"Oh, yeah, sorry the hot water felt so good and I guess, kind of spaced out and lost track of time."
Twilight levitated some towels to the pegasus after she closed the water after Spitfire left the bath. Spitfire dried most of her body, but Twilight grabbed the rest of the water which covered Spitfire's fur and teleported it outside.
As they left the bathroom Spitfire followed Twilight who stopped in front of her room.
"I asked Spike to prepare a bed for you next to mine, if you wish to eat something or anything else i'll be down I need to finish something before going to bed
"Thanks a lot Twilight."
She walked inside and laid down. Few candles kept the room from the darkness away, she rolled on her left side and chose to blow away the one which lit up the space between her and this part of the room.
When she opened her eyes she was laying on the top of somekind of cloud ocean and the sky was filled with stars.
"Where am i?"
"It's a dream nothing more and nothing less."
The voice was like her own, while she was trying to find where the voice could come from she saw Dash a few meters away. She walked next to the sleeping mare who opened her eyes when she get next to her.
"I love you" Spitfire's voice was soft.
Dash was looking at her speechless until a few awkward seconds then she bursted out laughing. Spitfire took a few steps back, "It's just a dream" as she remembered that, walked closer to the laughing pegasus and held her down to the clouds what turned Dash into silent. They were looking into each others eyes for a while when Spitfire finally decided to kiss Dash.
Spitfire lowered her whole body and held Dash's head with her front hooves. She wanted to get as much as she can from this opportunity and Dash after a few seconds of hesitating did the same, they both allowed for their bodies that the pleasure of embracing their love to one another to take control.
Spitfire woke up early in the morning yet before she could open her eyes she felt the bed somehow differently than before she fell asleep. There was a warm, furry body between her hooves and she could feel another heartbeat beating against her own. The air was filled with sweat and with something else, a scent maybe, a scent what was so familiar to her yet it was impossible that she could feel this.
When she opened her eyes a small shiver ran through her entire body the impossible became so real to her. She was facing with Rainbow Dash, she was laying in Dash's bed. When she fully realized where is she panic took over her mind.
"What am I doing here, How the buck did I get here, is this some kind of cruel joke?"
"Calm down, I told you i'll make sure of it didn't I? so i asked Princess Luna for a little assistance since I don't have the power of controling dreams and she was kind enough to help me out."
The answer which she didn't think she will get came from no where.
"Do you mean, what we did was all real?"
"Yes and no, both of you were placed in the same dream, so mentally yes, but not physically after all it was still just a dream, we already gave you the start, now its up to you how you will finish this, good luck Spitfire and please don't mess it up."
Spitfire was completly moveless, She wanted to buy herself as much time as she can get to think of something before Dash would wake up, while she was watching Dash's face, her mane got Spitfire's attention. The colours of it were changing right in front of her eyes, the orange turned into black and the red begin to fade, but it stopped somewhere between white and red.
The white,black and pale pink colorization gave her a strange look. Spitfire lifted her head slowly to take a look at the backside of Dash's mane and her tail. The colours at the back of her head were still their old selves, but her tail changed the same way as her front part of her mane.
The moment what Spitfire feared would come was about to happen any seconds, Dash was about to stretch her body, but for some reason she couldn't move a few parts of it. She finally opened her eyes to take a look what's wrong then when she saw why she can't move, her face showed more like anger and surprise than happiness.
Spitfire giving up the search for words she did what her heart desired. But she felt Dash don't return the kiss.
"I thought, I was perfectly clear last night that I don't want to see you, so what are you trying to accomplish with this?"
Dash freed her body and left behind the dumbfounded pegasus. She came back a minute later looking at Spitfire who was still laying there with her mouth open.
"Are you going to leave or do I have to force you to?
Tears blurred Spitfire's vision and her voice was shaking .
"But Dash, I love you."
Dash walked closer with a small smile on her face, laid down next to the hurt wonderbolt and lifted her head so they can look into each others eyes.
"Tell that someone who actually cares." A single tear escaped from Dash's right eye which for some reason made Dash even more angrier. "LEAVE!"
Spitfire slowly opened her wings while she was still looking at the changed pegasus then gave them a beat which shot her out through the window. After a short thinking she turned her destination to the library.
She was flying slightly above the ground towards the tree house's door with enough speed to break it down, there was only a couple of seconds till she would hit the door, but the moment before she could hit it, the door opened. Spitfire was prepaired for almost everything, but not for this, luckily Twilight caught her with her magic before she would impact into one of the bookshelf.
She lowered Spitfire's body on the ground and released her, but her hooves didn't have the necessary strenght to keep her body stand, she collapsed on the floor and this time she didn't hold back her sadness.
For the loud crying Spike ran out from the kitchen to take a look what happened, when she saw Spitfire on the ground crying he turned to Twilight.
"Don't tell me she as well, Twilight are you actually planning to break record or pegasi happen to fall apart here by coincidence?
"Spike!"
He knew that with this he went a little too far after all Twilight had her serious look on her face. He turned around and returned to the kitchen to make the breakfast.
"Spitfire please stop crying and let me explain."
"Explain what Twilight? It's like she is not even herself anymore, some of the colours in her mane and tail changed to black and white.
"Then we don't have much time left, a few days perhaps."
"What are you talking about?"
Twilight looked around if she can see the book which she was looking for, what in the last couple of days read over and over, but she had no idea where she could put it.
"Twilight?"
After a minute searching she gave up, closed her eyes and tried to summon the book with her magic. It appeared right in front of her at the page which she needed and placed it in front of Spitfire.
She cleared her vision and looked at the page. The title told her almost everything what she needed to know: The Soulcrushers Spitfire finished reading the two pages short description what ponykind knows about these creatures then closed the book.
"It crawls into a ponies' body when they are in a weak state, takes over their mind and slowly kills the person's soul." The last line from the book stucked inside her mind.
"Are you saying this thing is inside Dash?"
"Yes, I'm quite positive."
"Twilight, I didn't read anything what would help us get that thing out from her."
"Because not even Celestia can do anything about this, but I may have an idea, we have to ask Chrysalis to do us a little favor."
"Are you talking about the queen of the changelings?"
"Yes, I've already asked Celestia about it and she thinks it's worth a shot, plus Luna might join us in our little adventure deep inside the Everfree forest, but like I said we don't have much time.
Spitfire wiped her tears, jumped on her hooves and rushed to the door, but when she saw Twilight now following her she stopped.
"What are you waiting for?"
Spike walked outside with a tray full of food on it when Spitfire looked at it her stomach when it made a sound what almost made Spike drop the tray from laughing, but he was managed to put it down on the desk.
"For this, eat something I'll inform the princess that we will leave shortly."
Spitfire sat down in front of the untold amounts of food and ate as much as she can get before Twilight comes back, but she tried paid attention not to eat too much since she will probably need her speed. A few minutes passed when both of them were ready to leave. Twilight opened the door, but she stopped when Spike pulled her tail.
"Can I come with you?"
She gave a sign to Spitfire to go forward then turned around and smiled at the little dragon who already have a little pack on her back.
"Spike, I'm afraid you can't, It's going to be dangerous enough and I don't want to worry about you too."
"But."
"Spike please don't argue with me about this."
She turned away and went after Spitfire. They were standing at the edge of the Everfree forest, home of the several wild creatures and where the sunlight couldn't shine. After a few steps inside Luna appeared behind them with a popping sound.
"Twilight where are the rest of the elements of harmony?, we will probably need their help."
She looked at the ground before she would answer to Luna.
"They know about Dash's condition, but I'd rather not risk their lifes so I asked them to keep an eye on her while we...."
"So they don't know what are we trying to do."
"Yes."
While they were talking Luna walked forward and took the lead, Spitfire and Twilight follow her close to each other. They were walking for hours now, going deeper inside the forest, but so far without any sign of the changelings. The route which they were following was getting darker by every second, Luna decided to stop and placed a spell on their eyes before continue their way. It took a minute for Spitfire and Twilight while they got used to it, but it was better than walking blind.
Luna made another stop, but this time she raised a shield around the group as well a few seconds later several spikes got deflected by it. Almost twenty pair of red eyes appeared around them cutting their way off in every durection. The princess turned around.
"I can scare them off, but we will have to move quickly after that."
Before Twilight could answer another rain of deadly spikes hit the shield, this time the spikes were smaller, but a lot more targeted them than before.
Twilight and Spitfire looked at each other, then at Luna.
"Do it."
"Close your eyes."
Luna begin the spell, her horn was glowing like the sun itself and she channeled as much magical power into it as she could, while she held the shield as well. When the light show was over Luna turned around once again and said only one word.
"Run."
As they were running deeper into the forest as fast as they could Spitfire saw a pair of blue eyes.
"There is a changeling"
She opened her wings and flew to the direction faster than they could run, just before she could catch the changeling, the last moment he changed his course. The wonderbolt avoided as much branches as she could with the necessary speed to catch up to the changeling, but she still hit a few which made planty of scares on her body..
The changeling turned around to see where is his chaser, but when he didn't see Spitfire, slowed down. The moment before he could land to take a rest Spitfire crushed into him.
Luna and Twilight tried to follow the way where Spitfire flew off, but they were stopped by a group of hungry timberwolves. Luna tried to raise the same shield as before, but it was too late one of the timber wolf jumped forward to slice Luna into pieces with his sharp claws, but in the last second Twilight shot him with a burst of magic which blasted him into pieces. A couple of seconds later the wooden creature reformed. The two pony looked at each other they knew if they teleport now, they will lose Spitfire.
The other four timberwolves began to circle around the two pony, when their attention was seperated enough one of the evil creature was about to surprise both of them, but he got intercepted by a manticore in the air, after a couple of loops on the ground the manticore threw the creature to a tree. When two more arrived behind him to the battle, the timberwolves looked at each other and decided to retreat. After the manticores scared the timberwolves away all three of them looked at the ponies, the one which saved Twilight from the attacking timberwolf turned to her.
Twilight walked closer to the familiar manticore and raised her hoof to touch him, the manticore grabbed her and licked her whole face.
Spitfire was laying inside the mud with the changeling under her when manticores jumped in front of her and she took a couple of steps back. Their leader stepped forward and lowered her body so Luna and Twilight can jump down without a trouble.
When they saw Spitfire is alright, Twilight turned back to the manticores who saved their lives.
"Thank you." was all she could say and hugged the creature as much as she could, the manticore let out a huge roar in return and licked Twilight's face one again before they ran off.
The changeling opened his eyes and tried to flee away, but Luna was faster and held him down with her magic.
"Take us to Chrysalis." commanded Luna.
The changeling simple nodded and lead them to a cave which was only a few minutes away from the place they were. The sound of the changelings became stronger as they were heading down inside the cave, when they arrived at the bottom of it, hundreds of changelings surrended them, but they opened up the way towards their queen in front of the group. The changeling lead them in front of their Queen's throne.
Chrysalis was tracking the strange trio since they arrived. She knew two of them, but the pegasus was unknown to her. The changelings stopped them a few meters away in front Chrysalis.
"Why did you come here?"
Before Twilight could answer Spitfire took a few steps closer and bowed in front Chrysalis.
"We came here because we need your help."
Chrysalis ignored the orange pegasus then turned to Luna.
"How come you need my help and not one of precious princesses?"
Luna stepped beside Spitfire and did the same as her.
"The thing what we need to ask from you can't be completed with our skills."
"What exactly do you want from me?"
Twilight stepped forward as well and bowed like Spitfire or Luna.
"We need you to remove a soulcrusher from Rainbow Dash's body."
When the name left Twilight's mouth deadly silence came over the entire hive. After a few seconds the whole hive along with their queen bursted out laughing. The three pony looked at each other then Luna raised her head and stomped on the ground creating a shockwave which surprised the changelings and they stopped laughing.
"Will you help us or not?"
"Oh Luna you can't be serious, the soulcrushers extinct long time ago, no one saw or heard about a live specimen in the last five hundred years, if they would still be around, me and my changelings wouldn't need to suffer like this.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh didn't you know? We are the reason why they extinct, but if you are telling the truth."
Chrysalis stood up from her throne and walked to Luna.
"Take me to her, I'll do what you ask, but in return I want to capture that soulcrusher and find out where it came from."
With the extra magical burst from Chrysalis, Luna was able to teleport them inside Rainbow Dash's house. When Dash saw the changeling queen, she tried to flee away, but she couldn't do anything when Princess Luna caught her.
Twilight was wrong about the estimated time, Dash's mane, tail almost completly transfered and her cutiemark was barely visible. When Luna floated her in front of Chrysalis's horn she examined Dash's body.
"I'm not sure if I can separate them without taking both of their life, she is gone too far. The best thing we can do is to wait while the transformation finishes, so I can question it."
"No, you have to try it, please."
Chrysalis was facing Spitfire for a while then turned to Luna. A couple of seconds later she turned back to Dash with an angry expression on her face.
"Fine."
The two changeling prepaired the container which they brought for the creature.
The changeling queen stepped closer, took Rainbow Dash body with her magic and pushed her down on the ground, she placed her horn on Dash's face and begin the separation process, when she pulled out the almost invisible creature through Dash's mouth she threw it inside the container and closed it.
"I don't know if she will ever wake up, but if she does it will take her a few more days to regain her old self, if she is lucky."
"Thank you Chrysalis." Twilight hugged her until the changeling queen pushed her away.
"Don't imagine into this more than it was, i did it to save my race, nothing else."
After Chrysalis and her two servant left, Luna teleported themselves to the Castle's hospital where they can take care of Rainbow Dash until she wakes up.
It's been three days since Chrysalis removed the creature from Dash's body, her colours almost returned to their old shape, but she was still unconscious. All this time Spitfire was there on her side, she didn't left the room for more than ten minutes hoping she would wake up.
The moon was about to take the sun's place and Spitfire almost fell asleep next to Dash when she felt a touch on her mane then a soft voice followed it.
"I love you too."