Day By Day

by Magicolt808

Rating: teen
Tags: Sad, Main 6, Romance, Original Character, Tragedy, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 6436

Tragedy strikes a certain cyan pegasus

Everyone has had tragedy befallen them before. Some more painful than others. Rated Teen for alcohol references and death(not gore).

Published 2012-02-23 19:44:02 UTC
Last updated 2012-06-12 05:25:14 UTC

The Sunrise

Day by Day

No matter what you do, the sun always rises and sets. Days go on and lives are lost every day, be it tragic or peaceful. There is nothing that could possibly stop this inevitable fate. So what keeps us going? Is it a goal of happiness that keeps us living? Is it the inspiration of finding love in our lives? Both? No one knows but everyone has a spark that makes him or her get up everyday. A certain cyan Pegasus knows this all too well and never wastes a day.

Tragedy has befallen Rainbow Dash in the past and she is no stranger to crying and drowning her sorrows in the sweet, yet bitter, taste of whiskey. This side of Rainbow was always hidden from her friends. Fluttershy is the only one that knew of Dash’s heartache.

The way she lost her parents in an unfortunate runaway cart accident was devastating to Dash. She could rarely be seen looking at the stars from the roof of her cloud home. The weather team just couldn’t function and freak storms would pop up unannounced causing many gardening ponies to develop a lot of stress. Rain would drown crops while random snowstorms would render ponies powerless to save the growing plants. Needless to say, Rainbow was tough and rode out the storm of emotions to help Ponyville get everything back on track.

When she returned, it seemed as if nothing had happened. Dash was wearing her overconfident smirk as usual and cleared the clouds in ten seconds flat just as before she went on her little hiatus. When confronted by other ponies as to what happened, she simply changed the subject. Though her façade was still in place, her friends could see the hurt was still evident in her eyes. The four of them decided they should hold a meeting to help Rainbow (Fluttershy decided that since Rainbow trusted her with the bad news, she wouldn’t risk the chance of her accidentally sharing it).

“How are we s’pose ta help her? She just got up an’ left. What happened?” The disheveled, orange earth pony had been dwelling on this question but could never figure out what was wrong with Dash.

“I’m not sure but whatever it is, it’s eating her up inside.” The purple librarian had been reading a psychological study book and noticed the signs only a scrutinizing pony like Rarity would notice.

“Well I hope it ends soon. Her behavior is keeping me from designing beautiful dresses. I want to help so that I can finally rest knowing she is all right,” the fashionista said with a tinge of concern in her voice.

“OOH! OOH! I know! We can throw her a huge party! Complete with balloons, streamers, cake, party cannon and-" the pink party pony was cut off by the glares she received from her friends. “What?”

“Pinkie, I don’t think that a party can fix Dash. She seems to be troubled by something big. There is no reason why the ‘Fastest Flier in all of Equestria’ would ground herself in her home for a full month. It’s not like her,” Twilight said. She brought up a great point. A Pegasus that loved flying wouldn’t just suddenly stop.

“Ah jus’ hope we can help her before she completely breaks down. Sweet Apple Acres won’t be able to survive another snow storm.”

----+----

Fluttershy lay on her couch, thinking about what Rainbow Dash had told her a few days ago. She just couldn’t believe they were dead. Dash’s parents, Ultraviolet and Infrared, were the type of parents who loved their daughter’s friends as much as Dash herself. Fluttershy was Dash’s only friend and the same could be said for Fluttershy. They were inseparable. Nothing could break them apart.

Fluttershy could remember the time that they all went to a Wonderbolts’ show to watch current Wonderbolts’ leader Spitfire’s father, Slipstream, perform his last show before stepping down from his position as leader. Fluttershy wasn’t really into the high-speed action but she loved seeing Dash happy. The way she marveled at the idea of becoming a part of the team. Fluttershy could only giggle at her friend and feel admiration for Dash’s unlimited supply of confidence. It was the one thing that set Dash apart from any other pony. The fact that Fluttershy and Dash’s parents were the only source of encouragement baffled many others as to why she had more confidence than a pony who just won the lottery. “She is great all right.”

Fluttershy couldn’t help but blush. She had a secret crush on Rainbow Dash but wasn’t strong enough to tell anypony. Anypony except Ultraviolet and Infrared. They were the only source of parenting she had. She was an orphan and had only met Dash through flight school. If there were anypony that could comfort Fluttershy, it would probably be those two ponies.

They always encouraged her to try and tell Dash how she felt but she would either mumble incoherently and Dash would laugh it off, or she would put it off for another day and cry in her room when she returned to the orphanage. She felt as though her life was incomplete without Dash but she could never muster enough strength to even touch the subject.

Rainbow never hid the fact that she was a fillyfooler. Everyone knew but only Fluttershy, Ultraviolet and Infrared fully accepted this fact. It was also clear the Dash’s parents caught on to Fluttershy trying to take advantage of the situation but always coming up short. They encouraged the relationship between the two but it seemed unfair to tell Dash before Fluttershy had the liberty to do so first. Now the situation seemed reversed.

Fluttershy was aware of the bold efforts given by Dash’s parents and it seemed unfair that their efforts went to waste. That is when she decided for herself that it was an opportune time to tell Dash her feelings. She wasn’t just doing this for Ultraviolet and Infrared; she was doing it for herself. She then stood up with a confident aura around her and proceeded to fly straight for Dash’s cloud home.

Afternoon Nap

Chapter 2

Rainbow Dash was confused. She was looking into a mirror, alone in a room with no exit and all the lights were off. Oddly enough, she could still see her reflection as clear as day. The familiar sight was boring to Dash so she decided she would just leave. However, something was preventing her from breaking her gaze upon the reflection and all she could do was stare straight into her own magenta eyes in both shock and paralyzed fear.

“What’s going on,” she thought as panic swept over her. “Why can’t I move?”

“Because you’re dreaming.”

Dash looked up to see a deep violet-coated pony with a misty, purple mane.

“Mom,” Dash asked, momentarily locking eyes with the projection of her mother.

“I’m surprised you even remember what my face looks like. I didn’t expect you to remember me on the account that you abandoned us,” the striking mare said with an icy tone to her voice.

“Us,” Dash asked, not expecting to see any other pony in the mirror besides her mother.

“See? She was so selfish that she left home and didn’t even bother to remember her own father.” Unexpectedly, to Dash’s amazement, a blood red stallion materialized next to Dash’s mother and glared at Dash with cold, dead eyes.

“She didn’t even bother to thank me for telling her about the lore of the Sonic Rainboom. Without the knowledge of such a phenomena, she would probably still be a blank flank. What a failure,” Infrared spat, no resentment in his voice.

Tears started to well up inside Dash and she started to shake uncontrollably.

“Why are you doing this to me?” Dash was starting to tremble and her lip quivered with guilt and sadness. She had always loved her parents and she could not imagine why they would be telling her such hateful things.

“Because you abandoned us. After your sister died in that fire, we needed you the most. But what do you do? You leave to chase that foolish Wonderbolts dream of yours. And not to mention that you’re a fillyfooler!” Anger was in Infrared’s voice, and he grew in size with each hateful word that came shooting out of his mouth. Soon, he was towering over Dash with a height of three times her own size.

“I am not a fillyfooler!” This was Dash’s natural and immediate response to the accusations that were brought upon her in flight school by the countless amount of bullies.

“Don’t lie to us! We’ve seen the way that you looked at that worthless friend of yours Fluttershy!” Ultraviolet screeched, also growing in size until she was the same as Infrared.

“She’s just a friend,” defended Dash,” Sure she’s nice, kind, caring, pretty…” Dash stopped in contemplation. She never really looked at Fluttershy in this kind of light, but now that her image was stuck in her mind, she started admiring all of Fluttershy’s features. She quickly realized what was happening and recomposed herself. “But she is just... a friend. Nothing more.” Dash looked to the floor, anger in her eyes.

“Liar!” Quickly, without warning, Ultraviolet broke through the mirror and almost flattened Dash with her enlarged hoof. Rainbow Dash was fortunate enough to have quick reflexes and dove out of the way. Without a second thought, she turned around and flew as fast as she could down the never-ending darkness, unsure of what might be up ahead.

Dash’s parents quickly jumped out of the mirror and started chasing her at full speed. The long strides of their legs made the gap between them and Dash shrink with every second. What was strange was that their hooves were not making a clop noise, but more of a knocking sound that was almost inaudible amongst the deep gasps of air Dash was taking into her lungs from the exertion of energy. Her effort was all for nothing. Her parents were right behind her now, almost taunting her for being so slow. With one final breath of exhaustion, Dash looked up to see a purple hoof come down on her head in a sickening blow; the knocking sound still ringing in her ears.

----+----

Dash woke up, still gasping for air and beads of sweat dripped off her brow and onto the cloud floor, being absorbed upon impact. She quickly surveyed her surroundings to make sure she was safe from the demonic portrayals of her parents. She let out a sigh and lay back on her pillow with relief. All of a sudden, there was a knock on her door and it made her jump. The knock was the same as in her dream. With a sense of urgency, she jumped out of bed to meet her visitor, making sure to wipe the sleepiness and sweat from her face.

Dash opened the door to see a scared looking Fluttershy. Her mane was fraying out and it looked like she had been playing with it for hours. Dash looked down to see impressions on her “porch” where Fluttershy had been pacing back and forth. Fluttershy quickly looked up but just as quickly turned away, unable to face Dash with the suppressed feelings for her.

“Shy? Are you okay?” Dash was concerned for her friend because in all her life, she had never seen Fluttershy like this before.

“I…um…I have some, um… something to tell you,” she said in a whisper that was so thin that the wind could have easily taken it away.

“Come in first Fluttershy! You look terrible!” Dash quickly grabbed her friend and pulled her inside, not bothering to close the door. She sat Fluttershy down on the couch and started to prepare lavender herb tea to calm her nerves.

Fluttershy could not protest and sat on the couch awaiting the return of her life-long friend. She trembled as she sat uncomfortably on the plush couch. To calm herself down she started breathing deeper and started a meditation process that put her near to passing out. She could feel her eyelids droop and she fell asleep from being overstressed of the situation.

When Dash came back, she noticed that her canary yellow friend had passed out and was probably not going to wake up for a while. She decided to let her friend sleep and set the tea down on the coffee table incase she did wake. Slowly, she made her way back to her own bed but was unable to find sleep. What did the dream mean? Why were her parents portrayed as Hateful? Dash pushed these thoughts out of her mind and focused on Fluttershy. What did she need to tell her? Why did she look so disheveled?

“Whatever she needs to tell me, it must be important,” Dash said aloud before drifting off into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Bad Evening

Chapter 3

Rainbow Dash woke to see Celestia’s sun just setting over the rolling hill just outside of Ponyville. She stretched her wings and let them fall to her sides as she sat up in bed. As the grogginess and disorientation left her, she remembered that she had left her friend sleeping on the couch. Quickly, she sprang from her bed to meet her fellow pegasus to apologize for what a bad host she was for falling asleep while having a guest over.

As Rainbow Dash entered the living room, she noticed that a note had been placed next to the cup of tea that she had made for Fluttershy. The absence of her friend brought relief and disappointment to the cyan pegasus, but she read the note with a smirk at seeing the trouble that Fluttershy went through when it should have been her busting her flank to comfort the disheveled guest.

Dear Rainbow,
I need you to come to my cottage because there is some important news I want to share with you. I also want to apologize for barging into your home without explaining what I was doing there in the first place. I’ve just been taking your parents death the same way you have. I’m scared Dash. I need to talk to you.

Your friend, Fluttershy

.

Dash put the letter down, contemplating whether she should go now or wait until tomorrow. She really wanted to share her dream with Fluttershy. But she also didn’t want to catch her at the wrong time. She had decided she would go now there is no telling what Fluttershy had to tell her and it might be dangerous to hold out until later. Without another thought, she got ready to leave for Fluttershy’s cottage.

----+----

Dash arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage but was stopped at the entrance before she could knock. She remembered the dream and all those thoughts of Fluttershy’s figure came back. Was she really a fillyfooler? She shook her head with forced rage.

“I am not a fillyfooler! My parents were wrong and I was right for leaving home,” she thought. Even though she kept telling herself this, she was being ripped apart by these two conflicting ideas of her actually being a fillyfooler. Either she was or she wasn’t. There is no in-between.

This idea put her in a fit of rage. She was confused of where she stands on the situation. That’s when she decided that she knew where she stands; she was not a fillyfooler! At least that’s what she told herself.

With her newfound confidence, and persistence to prove her parents wrong, she brought her hoof up and knocked on the cottage door. As if Fluttershy had been standing right behind the door, it swung open with a sense of urgency and expectance.

She beckoned her friend to enter without saying a word. She looked at the floor and whimpered as she thought of how she was going to tell Dash. The air seemed thin and she was struggling to take in sufficient breaths, reducing her own breathing to ragged wheezing.

“What do you need to talk to me about ‘Shy?” Dash was concerned at the condition of her friend. The way she was hyperventilating at the mere sight of Dash was making her fell like she should leave.

“I could come back later if you wa-“

“NO!” The sudden outburst from the quiet Fluttershy made Dash step back in fear and surprise. Seeing her friend’s reaction, she backed away in shame.

“I’m so sorry Dash. I didn’t mean to-“ Dash raised a hoof to quiet her friend.

“Don’t worry about it. I know how you feel. I miss them too.”

Without warning, Fluttershy rushed towards Dash and began to cry. Tears streamed down her cheeks and rolled off of Dash’s wing as they hugged.

“I LET THEM DOWN,” Fluttershy sobbed. Not caring how loud she was getting.

“What do you mean?” Dash was genuinely confused. Fluttershy was like a sister and her parents were always proud of her accomplishments like any other parent would be at their own child.

Fluttershy pulled away from her friend and tried to recompose herself. She took in deep, plentiful breaths as she tried to regain her ability to speak. Seeing this was a losing battle, she sat on the couch and gestured for Dash to sit next to her. Dash did so and stared into her friend’s beautiful turquoise eyes; again, she was not admitting of this.

“I’ve been keeping something from you for many years and I feel awful for not telling you earlier.” Beads of sweat formed underneath her mane and she trembled at the inevitable.

“Your parents wanted me to tell you but I was too shy to bring it up. You just looked so contempt with your life, I didn’t want to mess it up.” She began to sob again but had no more tears to shed.

“Well? What did you need to tell me? I promise you won’t screw anything up.”

“I…love you,” she said under her breath.

“What was that?”

“I love you.”

‘One more time.”

“I LOVE YOU!” Fluttershy screamed in forced persistence.

This made Dash’s eyes bulge out and memories of her fillyhood came back to her in a rush as they flashed in front of her eyes. Images of her parents, bullies and her sweet friend came before her and she was paralyzed with the worst days of her life.

----+----

“What’s the matter ‘Rainbow Crash’? Where’s your friend ‘Cluttershy’?” Hoops wasn’t inventive with calling others names but the hate was still obvious in the tone in which he said them.

“Why don’t you go kiss her you freak? Maybe I should call you ‘Rainbow Fag’.” Tears were brought to Dash’s eyes and she ran home, never looking back at the sneering faces and the laughing crowd.

Fluttershy couldn’t believe what Dash had written to her. Fluttershy had left flight school a week before and had been staying in Sugarcube Corner when Pinkie offered her a place to stay. The only communication Dash had with Fluttershy was writing letters to her on the events that occurred in the past few days.

Dash wrote to Fluttershy, telling her how mean all the others were to her after Fluttershy left. She wrote that she missed her and that she wanted to see her again. That is when the biggest decision in Dash’s life was made. She was going to run away and live in Ponyville.

----+----

“RAINBOW!” Fluttershy screamed in agony and fear. Dash had been staring at her for about twenty minutes without saying a word. Dark circles had formed around her eyes and it seemed as if all the life had been sucked out of her. Her eyes were red after not blinking at all and her small shallow breaths failed to make her chest rise and fall.

Fluttershy tried everything. She even contacted the rest of the girls to help her with situation.

“What happened here sugarcube?” Applejack was shocked to see her workout partner looking as fragile as a porcelain doll.

“I told her that I love her.” Fluttershy wasn’t confident of the circumstances in which this news was broken, but it was necessary to keep the girls informed.

“YOU WHAT?!” The others were astonished and confused. They always thought that a mare with her personality would be into colts. The way that she was always quiet and kind seemed fitting that she would want a strong male to take care of her.

“Somebody lay her down now!” Twilight remembered what she had read about psychology and believed she had the answer.

“Her psyche has snapped and is stuck in what is known as, ‘the Mental Plane’. She is stuck there until she can put her mind back together.”

“Like a puzzle? Oooh, I like puzzles. This one time I-“

“PINKIE,” everyone screamed. Now was no time to reminisce. There friend was in grave danger.

“Pinkie,” Twilight explained, “If Rainbow can’t put it all together, her mind will snap in half and never come back to us.” She looked at the floor at the unfortunate news she needed to deliver to her friends but it was the best she could do.

“We will lose her forever.”

Midnight

Chapter 4

As Rainbow Dash lifted her head, she could barely make out the room before her. Bright light streamed through the windows and reflected brightly off of the white walls. As her eyes adjusted, she could make out that the walls were made of clouds but it was not a room she had in her cloud home. Though confused, the room did seem to give a nostalgic feel to the pegasus as she looked about the room. Then it hit her. It was her childhood home.

Memories of her foalhood were coming back to her as she recognized the toys and the bed shaped like a pegasus in the middle of her room. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Even the Slipstream doll was on her bedside table, in the same position it had always been for years. Every detail was back and as clear as day.

As she walked about the room, she noticed a mirror that she had not recognized until further inspection. The mirror was the same as the one from her dream. When she gazed upon the mirror, her reflection made her step back in astonishment. The image that stared back at her was not one of a 21-year-old mare, but that of a 7-year-old filly. She stood for a minute, dazed by the unexpected sight.

Rainbow dash then lifted a hoof hesitantly towards the mirror. As she touched the reflections face, the mirror seemed to give way to her hoof, bending around it, making the mirror seem as though it was made of liquid mercury. Dash stood still, unsure of what was going on. She tried to toughen up but was frightened by thoughts of what might become of her if she continued to venture into the swirling abyss.

Shaking her head, she mustered up enough courage to move forward towards the mirror. As expected, the mirror bent around Dash’s body, letting her into its mysterious confines. As she emerged from the mirror, she found herself looking at about twenty other pegasi. She recognized this place all too well and wanted nothing more than to leave right away. She was in flight school.

As Dash stepped away from the mirror, a booming voice called to her.

“Miss Dash! Take your seat now! You’re late!”

Dash looked up in surprise at the command. She had not expected to be disciplined for she had not been forced to do something since she left for Ponyville. When she did not move, Thunderclap stared hard at the insubordinate student.

‘I’ll give till the count of three or I will send you to the principles office.”

Dash was now confused. She had forgotten where she sat but was relieved to see a pony pat on the seat next to her. Dash sighed with relief as she sat down next to the kind stranger. As Dash looked over to say thanks, she was taken aback at the pegasus that sat next to her. Young Fluttershy sat next to her and was as, if not more, cuter than she already was. Dash turned a beet red at the sight of her friend. She was so entranced by Fluttershy, that she did not hear Thunderclap calling her name.

“That’s it! I’ve had it with you! Go to the principles office now!”

Rainbow snapped out of her trance to see Thunderclap waiting impatiently for Dash to leave. Dash slowly got up and made her way towards the door. As she walked out the door, she looked one last time at Fluttershy, just as she turned a slight tinge of gray.

As Dash exited the classroom, the scene changed once more to a clearing in the woods. Dash recognized the forest as being the Everfree Forest but was unsure of where or how deep she was from the edge of Ponyville. As she walked, sounds of unfamiliar animals and rustling leaves filled her ears. Though it was the middle of the day, the thick canopy above blocked out the sunlight, leaving Dash in an eerie shade.

Suddenly, Dash could hear a faint humming in the distance. Craving for salvation, she rushed towards the source, hoping to leave the Celestia forsaken woods. As Dash neared the voice, she couldn’t help but smile. It was beautiful and light. The sound made a staccato rhythm that Dash swayed to as she flew full speed at the emanating noise.

Just up ahead, a flash of yellow caught Dash’s eye and she sped up to meet with it before it disappeared. As Dash entered the clearing, she was met with a sight that again, took her off guard. Fluttershy had been singing to the birds and was still the tinge of gray she was before. As Dash neared her, Fluttershy turned around. As they made eye contact, Dash was unprepared for what happened.

Fluttershy ran up to her and hugged her friend, tears rolling off of her cheeks. Dash almost pulled away immediately. As she did so, Fluttershy became even more gray, her yellow fur almost completely colorless. Dash hadn’t been expecting that reaction upon her arrival and questioned Fluttershy of her intentions.

“What the heck are ya doin’ Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy blushed and looked away from Dash.

“I’m sorry. When your parents told me you ran away, I got scared and I was worried something had happened to you. What are you doing here anyway?”

Dash suddenly realized something. She remembered this happening almost eleven years ago. This was a week after she had left Cloudsdale to find Fluttershy. Not being able to read a map, she got lost and had stumbled across Fluttershy in the Everfree Forest. Unable to answer or protest because of complete shock, Fluttershy dragged Dash to Sugarcube Corner to meet her new friend.

“HI! I’M PINKIE PIE!”

----+----

“Something’s not right,” Twilight said, rubbing fatigue away from her face.

“What’s wrong Sugarcube?”

Twilight spun around.She had not expected her friends to still be up at this late of an hour.

“Applejack, what are you still doing up?”

“Ah couldn’ sleep on account that one of mah friends could be lost forever.”

“True. But what about the others?”

“They are all asleep. It took some time to calm Pinkie down. She fell asleep in a puddle of her own tears.”

“How about Fluttershy?”

Applejack looked at the next room with a sense of concern.

“She isn’t fairing too well.”

“Well neither is Rainbow Dash.”

“What do ya mean?”

“Look. Her mane has lost two of their colors. A pony is totally lost if they lose all of their color. She’s fading fast and there is nothing to do to help her.”

“Wait! There has ta be somethin’!”

“Well there is one thing.”

“What?’

“Pray.”

Early Morning

Chapter 5

Rainbow Dash lay on the comforting bed that Pinkie had made for her in Sugarcube Corner. As she rested her hooves behind her head, she intently thought about the events that had happened to her lately. She thought to herself to why these memories kept coming to her and why they seemed so real. As she tried to clear her mind, Fluttershy’s voice interrupted her.

“Dash! It’s…umm…time for dinner if you’re ready.” she said. Dash thought about her voice. It chimed through the door and sang in her head, echoing long after she had stopped talking. As Dash swung the door open, she was taken aback by the vivid image that was before her.

It was still Sugarcube Corner, but it was dark and distorted. The halls and stairs were covered in pulsing tentacles, that also decorated the walls. Dash could hardly believe what she was witnessing. The tentacles pulsated with a bright flashing light, that seemed to emanate from within them. As the flashed and flickered, it bathed the only path with a sickly, flesh colored light that seemed to guide her.

Dash curiously stuck her head out of the door-frame and craned her neck around the corner. As she gazed on, the dim, dark corridors were being illuminated in short intervals. When Dash had thought it was safe to leave, she precariously took a step into the hallway. Detecting no sudden danger, she cautiously worked her way down the stairs and was careful not to step on any jagged debris that was strewn apart on the ground.

“Fluttershy?” Dash called out loudly. No answer. Dash was becoming very scared and stopped to contemplate if this was a good idea. All of a sudden, she heard a small pained whimper. Dash knew who made that sound and immediately ran towards her helpless friend.

As she rushed down the dark stairs in need to help her friend, she stumbled and fell face first, badly bruising her face and her ribs. Even though this was a dream, the pain was very much real to the fallen mare.

----+----

“Uh, Twi? What’s that?” Applejack pointed her hoof at Rainbow Dash’s coat, where a dark clot of blood was forming, becoming more obvious among the bright fur.

“Oh no.” said Twilight in a hushed voice.

“What does it mean?” asked Applejack, obviously scared.

“It means that she is running out of time. Her dreams are becoming more real to the point that physical damage can happen. This also speeds up the deterioration process. If she doesn’t solve the conflict in her head, she will lose herself in her own mind.”

Applejack looked towards R.D.’s lifeless body. “C’mon Rainbow! I know you’re stronger than this. Fight it off!” As Applejack said this, a tear ran down her face. She didn’t want to lose one of her best friends.

----+----

Rainbow struggled to get up, but she was hurt very badly. As she looked up at a nearby wall, she could see that there were words beginning to form.

“How far would you go to defend those you care for? How long would you fight to protect the ones you hold dear?” A shrill voice rang out of the air that made Dash wince in fright.

“I’m…I’m not afraid of you!”

There was no response, but the air became chilled and Rainbow started to see her own breath as it came out of her mouth in puffs of steam. Dash knew she couldn’t afford anymore time. She needed to keep moving, and she needed to now.

Dash sprinted down the dark stairs once more, not caring for the voices in the darkness or the obstacles in her way. She desperately just needed to get to Fluttershy. As she nimbly sprinted downward, the harsh voice echoed out more.

“You’re not going to make it.” it said.

“You’re running out of time.”

“SHUT UP!!” yelled Dash in persistence.

Dash increased her speed and charged straight forward. Just as she was going fast enough to lose sigh, so fast that the wind seemed to whistle in her ears, a door appeared in the distance. She skidded to a halt in front of it and inspected it carefully. The door was chained shut and was covered in the same menacing tentacles that covered the walls.

Dash had no mind for such trivial things and just bucked at the door. Behind the door, the same pained whimper from before was heard.

“Don’t worry Fluttershy! I’m coming!” Dash yelled as she gave one final buck at the door, which gave way and let her enter. As she ran into the small, damp room, she gasped at the horrible sight before her.

Fluttershy was heavily chained to the floor by her hooves and stomach. She was covered in cuts and bruises, bleeding and looking very frightened. As Dash took a step forward, Fluttershy looked up.

“No Rainbow Dash! Don’t--” She was cut off by the door slamming shut loudly behind her. Dash quickly turned around, expecting to see somepony, but nothing was there. When Dash turned to face Fluttershy again, she gasped as a horrid sight met her gaze..

“We didn’t expect you to get here so fast.” said Infrared, his eyes were locked on to Dash’s, the blood red color locked into her mind.

“Too bad you weren’t that fast to save you sister!” Said Ultraviolet, as she came up behind Dash, letting out a high-pitched laugh.

Dash snarled as a tear ran down her face. “You know that wasn’t my fault. I wasn’t even with you when it happened. It should have been you to save her! Not me!”

Both Ultraviolet and Infrared laughed as they gave Dash nasty looks.

“We know. You were in this shit hole, wasting your time away. You’re nothing but a failure and waste of space.” spat Infrared, his grin like acid to Dash’s eyes.

“How dare you! You let Fluttershy go. All you want is me anyway right!?!”

Ultraviolet cooed at Dash,“Oh no. You couldn’t have been more wrong. You see, Fluttershy was the key to getting you here. We knew you would try to save her. After all, you do love her right?”

Dash looked towards the ground, pain in her eyes. Why couldn't she admit it to herself? What was she trying to prove? What was she going to do? These were questions she had always asked herself. Questions that she didn’t have the answer to, questions that loomed eerily in her mind, questions that had brought her here. Rainbow looked up at the distorted illusions of her parents, and she knew it was time to find the answers, the answers that she had needed all along.

“You know what? I do love her! I was a fool for not saying it earlier, but I do. I am willing to fight for her safety.” Dash raised herself even higher “Even if it means my death.”

----+----

“Hey! Twilight! Wake up!” Pinkie’s high pitched voice was loud enough to spring Twilight from out of her slumber and back to reality.

Twilight sat up groggily, “Wha- What’s going on?”

Applejack pointed a hoof at Rainbows coat.

“She’s gaining her colors back!” yelled Rarity.

Twilight looked towards Rainbow and noticed that the colors were slowly gaining brightness and becoming much more vivid in sight.

“C’mon Rainbow! Push through it!

----+----

“As you wish pest.” said Ultraviolet flatly.

Without warning, Ultraviolet and Infrared simultaneously lunged at Dash. But as this was happening, something very strange happened. As soon as they were a pony distance away from Rainbow, they struck an invisible barrier. They were instantly thrown backward and into the wall behind Fluttershy.

“What the!?” yelled Infrared in surprise. He immediately walked up to the peculiar barrier, which he touched cautiously.

The feeling of the shield caused a burning sensation on his hoof and made him pull it back in painful agony.

“GAH!” He yelled angrily as he pulled away. Filled with rage he unleashed a flurry of attacks towards the barrier. Ignoring the pain, he beat at the protective shield, unable to cause damage to it.

Finally, tired of the relentlessly energy used in his attacks, he stopped the barrage. Scowling, he looked down at his hooves, which were sprouting a dim light from holes that had mysteriously appeared.

“What is happening!?” he yelled.

As he stepped back, the corrosive holes began to expand until he imploded with a flash of blinding light. Only floating ashes were left, sitting in his wake.

“What did you do!?” Ultraviolet screamed questioningly as she ran to where her husband was. He was now only a pile of embers and ashes, blowing around the room.

Rainbow Dash looked up with confidence in her new found power. she slowly walked towards the ghastly image of her mother. With each step she took, her mother cringed with heavy fear.

“Stay back!” she cried desperately. Rainbow didn’t listen and continued until invisible death shield was almost upon her. Ultraviolet starred on helplessly in horror. With one last scream, Rainbow closed her eyes and pressed forward courageously, as she deteriorated her copied mother into a cloud of dust and more dark ashes. As the clouds of dirt and soot fell to the ground, Rainbow stopped and looked at Fluttershy.

Fluttershy lay on the floor in pain, whimpering and cowering. Rainbow quickly ran to her and picked her up.

“Are you ok ‘Shy?” Dash said as Fluttershy looked up with a small smile on her face.

“I’m fine now that you’re here.”

Tears began to pour uncontrollably out of Dash’s eyes.”I’m so sorry ‘Shy! I should have known that I was in love with you. I was so stupid then. Will you forgive me?”

“You don’t have to tell me silly. I’m only part of your dream. You should leave now so you can tell the real me how you feel.”

Dash looked down and understood what she meant. As if on cue, a white light came down in a beam on Dash. Dash looked up and said goodbye to Fluttershy, as she entered the light’s warm glow.

Author's note: I'm sorry this took so long to get out but I've been busy with other projects. But now it's here and for your enjoyment. I will write one more chapter after this to complete this story so thank you all the fans of this because it was a fun story to write. Big shout out goes to my friend Askfoxxy for editing m story and making it all sparkly and clean!