Without Loyalty

The day was young and the sky was was filled filled with an abundance of soft, white clouds, ones just perfect for any pegasus to enjoy. They swirled and floated through the blue, each one giving off a sweet fragrance that Rainbow Dash had never put much thought to before but on a day like this she almost regretted removing them before. Why should she destroy these wonderfully soft creations when they meant no harm? They didn't threaten a storm and they were so high up they couldn’t possibly be blocking the sun, in fact the sun wasn’t even there to be bothered with but she didn’t care as it was still daytime anyway.

Floating around the clouds she stretched out her wings before letting them close again, for some reason she didn’t need to use them to stay flying and to her it had become perfectly normal. The cyan pegasus couldn’t even remember a time when she’d needed to obey physics, it almost reminded her of a friend but she couldn’t quite recall who.
Lazily she drifted upwards into a spiraling purple mist and gazed around the now star-filled sky before reaching out and tapping a small star with her hoof. The tiny light bounced and floated away at her touch, as though it were playing a game. Grinning mischievously she drifted along after it following it through a maze of night-colored swirls until it eventually flickered out, leaving her alone but not lost.

One quick survey and she spotted Equestria far below her, sure the sight was something to behold but the sight caused her to feel something she hadn’t in a long time, alone. She imagined all the ponies who were going about their day on the ground, and even the pegasi that never flew up to greet her. It was a thought she hadn’t had for as long as she could recall and she had to wonder why she’d never thought of it before. She had friends right? Or were they just something she’d imagined in passing? Were there even any ponies in Equestria, or was she the only one and the whole universe was simply put here to keep her company? Maybe if she focused enough she could change things, be less alone.

“Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?” Rainbow Dash quickly spun around at the sound of somepony’s voice, but upon doing several scans of the area she couldn’t find anypony. The sound of a voice was so foreign but felt comforting at the same time, and seemed to have answered her thoughts, no matter how vague a reply.

“I don’t know.” Her own voice felt strange in her throat, as though the sound was being muffled but still went perfectly clear to her ears. She really had nothing to lose by talking, maybe she’d lost her mind like that friend she’d almost recalled from before, but out here… It didn’t matter.

“It’s never too late to go back, to make a change.” Upon the voices last words one of the darker swirls began to come together, a bright light forming around it as it began to take a shape. Rainbow Dash had to cover her eyes at the bright assault but the second she was able to she stared wide-eyed at a magnificent alicorn pony, one who she knew she should remember but couldn’t quite recall the name of. Her coat was almost as dark as the sky around them and her mane flowed in a way that made it look like the sky had gathered in it. “I’ve been trying to reach you for some time now, Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow Dash stared in awe for a few seconds before her mind focused and remembered how to talk. “Why doesn’t anypony else come out here?” It wasn’t exactly how she wanted it to come out, and she knew it could be taken offensively but the alicorn simply gave her a small smile and walked through the air to stand beside her and gaze down at Equestria below.

“Only I am able to walk here with you, and only now have you allowed me in.” Rainbow Dash was about to protest that she hadn’t done anything but a wave of the other’s hoof told her wait. They sat in silence for a few seconds giving the words a chance to sink in before the alicorn looked back to her. “Your friends have missed you, you know.”

Friends? Right she’d briefly recalled their possibility, but… “Noponies here.” Was there ever anypony here?

“I am here and I believe we could have been friends, had time played a different role.” Rainbow Dash didn’t say a word, she tried to wrap her mind around this pony, she was so familiar, so important looking… Regal even.

That had to be it, she had to be royalty of some kind, but she didn’t seem harsh enough to be a queen. “Are you a princess?” It sounded stupid even to her, as she knew she knew this pony and to ask such a basic question just sounded… Uncool, which was another thing she hadn't thought about in a long time as she had no reason to impress anyone if she was alone.

“I am Princess Luna.” She gave a small dip of her head, her previously unnoticed crown sparkling in the starlight and further cementing her regalness in the smaller ponies eyes. The name rendered familiar with her and she could almost remember a past fear of this alicorn, but seeing her standing there with such a kind expression she couldn't possibly imagine why she would have ever wanted to be afraid. After all, what was fear to her here? “I must admit, I am disappointed to find that you’ve forgotten me, have you forgotten everypony else as well?”

Looking into her eyes Rainbow Dash could see the hurt her simple question had caused, she could almost feel the pain the ali- That Princess Luna felt. It was so foreign, but she could also feel her own sadness, the loss of something, a forgotten history of a sort. It took all her focuses to think back on that day, to recall what it was she’s briefly caught wind of earlier. She tried to think back, to a time before what was maybe an hour ago only to find nothing, only today, and only briefly.

She wished that she could recall whatever she lost, and in that moment she wanted nothing more than a friend to tell her. A friend who always knew what was going on, and Rainbow Dash knew in the instant that such a friend did exist. It was almost like an instinct, she didn't know exactly how she knew it, but she could imagine such a pony, a lavender one, and she could just about picture the shape of her in her mind.

“Twilight?” She didn’t mean to sound it as a question but it just came out as such, she was sure that was her name, and the look in Princess Luna’s eyes told her all she needed to know that she was indeed correct. It didn’t take long, only a few moments of silence for her to star picturing the colorful shapes of five mares, she couldn’t make out their faces or who they were but she knew they were her friends, and she knew she wanted to see them again. “I want to see Twilight.”

Princess Luna flared her wings in a happy manner, looking down upon her and bathing her in a look of pride. “I can take you to Twilight, but you’ll need to come back to Equestria first.” Rainbow Dash watched as her horn ignited and the space around her began to swirl and mist over until Princess Luna had vanished completely leaving behind no evidence that she was ever there to begin with.

“But how do I-” Before she could even finish the thought a cool, bright light enveloped her in it’s glow. She felt a moments peace, she knew her friends would be waiting for her, and that they’d be happy to see her. Simply letting the light surround her she watched, no, felt as it began to fade into nothing. She was suddenly alone, and the world felt different, hard, and cold. She tried to move but she found her limbs wouldn’t respond as they had before, yet she was able to slowly open her eyes to the blurred world around her.