Fasterby EinhanderChaptersI: Blue PegasusII: RiseIII: And FollowI: Blue PegasusFASTER by Einhander Pre-read and edited by SpaceCommie and Cola Bubble Gum New edit: Sharp Spark Part I: Blue Pegasus It sleeps. For how long nopony knows, least of all itself. Time isn't important to it. What is important is to find the next pony. And even then, how long isn't so important. They will come. They always come. And so it sleeps. It reveals itself only to the worthy, to those who strive for the extraordinary. For the ponies whose hearts burn to move mountains and shatter the barriers between this world and others. It sleeps, waiting for the next dreamer. Why it does what it does is hard to say. What it wants is easier to decipher. It wants to wake up. The angles were right. The air was right. This was it. Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and looked down at the earth. The last time she had pulled this off—and truth be told, it had been awhile— she was soaring into the sky over Canterlot for Cadance's wedding. There was no wedding this time, but the same dread surfaced in the pit of her stomach. She gritted her teeth. Focus. “Fluttershy, I bet you're wondering why I’ve brought you here for this morning's sunrise.” “Oh, yes, it is a lovely sunrise. Thank you for sharing it with me, especially on your birthday. I am a bit sleepy, though.“ “Ahem. I brought you here to be my timekeeper. This run's gotta be timed perfectly, Fluttershy. Per. Fect. Ly. Do you copy?” “Um, I understand you, if that’s what you mean?” “That's exactly what I mean. Now, I’ve been practicing this for months, and tomorrow is my last Wonderbolts tryout—” “Oh. I thought you already had your last tryout. Wasn’t it last month? Or the month before that? I thought . . . um, I mean, yay? Wonderbolts try out? Woo hoo?” “Just hold this stopwatch. You hit start when I go off, you hit stop when I get back. Ready?” “Well, okay.“ “GO!" She got into position for her dive. It already felt like she was falling. Dash took a breath and closed her eyes. She visualized herself as a Wonderbolt. She saw the crowds, the uniform, the look of respect Spitfire gave her, the wink she earned from Soarin, her friends in the crowd. Fluttershy waving a tiny banner, giving that adorably pathetic “yay”. The best of both worlds. She opened her eyes, and dove in freefall. “O…okay… whew… how was that?” “Way to go, Rainbow Dash! Five minutes, ten seconds!” “What?!” “Um… well, that’s what it says, am I reading it right? It says five, and then one, and then zero.” “Did you click the button when I said go?” “Yes?” “And you clicked it when I came back? Like right when I crossed this line?” “Yes.” “This is important, Fluttershy. Did you click it when I crossed the line?” “Yes! I mean. I’m pretty sure.” “Five minutes and ten seconds?! “ “I think that’s pretty good, Dash. I certainly couldn’t do the gorge in that time and— hey, Dash, come back! I’m sorry! Did I say something wrong?” All she needed was to hear that sonic explosion. All she wanted was to see the wave, the colors. If she could do that again, then she’d ace her tryout tomorrow. The wind rushed by her. Flapping her wings, she used the wind to add speed to her descent. She was picking up speed, but not enough. Not to break through and cause a rainboom. She flapped her wings harder, and started straining every muscle. She knew it was a mistake to start that soon, that she should pace herself, but she didn’t care. She wanted to break that barrier. She was going to be a Wonderbolt if it killed her. “Doc, there’s gotta be something wrong with me, there’s just gotta be.” “Well, I’ve run every test I can think of without keeping you here overnight. Blood pressure’s normal; you’re not running a fever. I can’t see anything physically wrong with you.“ “I’ve been pushing myself everyday! I cut out sweets, and I’m working out as much as ever, but my time for the gorge hasn’t improved. And then today—” “Gorge? Time? I’m sorry, you’ve lost me.” “Listen. The best way to gauge my current speed is a lap through the Ghastly Gorge. I measured it. It's about the same length as the Wonderbolts obstacle track. My best time is 4 minutes flat. But that was like, once, two years ago. I usually can complete it around 4 minutes, 30 seconds. Sometimes up, sometimes down, but always trying to move my average closer to 4 minutes.” “Okay...” “But over the past year, my average has stayed the same, no matter how hard I try. The gorge hasn’t changed. The weather’s always about the same, but my time stopped going down. It even started going up!” “I see.” “So I figured I’d just, you know, keep it cool for awhile. Practice, but not time myself. Figured I was psyching myself out. Well, today, I do the run, and it’s five minutes ten seconds! That’s forty seconds over my average! Something’s gotta be wrong with me!” “Uh, huh. Rainbow, how long have you been trying to become a Wonderbolt?” “Gosh, it feels like forever. But if you want to get all specific about it, I guess... four years, maybe?” “And how long do they let ponies try out for?” “Technically, this is the last year I can try out. They’ve got this stupid age limit, which I really don’t get.“ “Ms. Dash, as ponies age, their bodies age as well. And change.” “I remember health class. You gonna tell me where foals come from too?” “I’m telling you that you’re not a teenager any more, Dash. You’ve been a working weather pony for years now. You’re an adult.” “What are you getting at?” “You’re in top health for your age, Dash. You’re just getting older.” “Doc, that’s not going to work for me. I’ve been working my whole life on getting faster. I need to be faster.” “Ponies slow down over time, Rainbow Dash. That’s just life.” The wind roared past her, and her eyes started to water as the ground got closer and closer. She felt the white barrier start to form around her body as she found it hard to keep her eyes open. Her body started sending her warning signals. Her back leg was kicking out. Her wings were trembling, not in a good way. Her eyes were watering too soon. She ignored them all. The colors started to form. She was so close. She could do this. She was Rainbow Dash. The fastest pony in Equestria. A shoo-in for Wonderbolt glory. Age be damned, physics be damned, she just needed one last push. She dug down deep. “Rainbow, calm down. You’re not making sense.” “Don’t you get it? This is it! My last chance! There won’t be another try out, and I just had my worst lap time ever!” “Isn’t it possible that Fluttershy just, well, messed up with the stopwatch? “That’s just it, Twi. That was the second time I did the run today.” “What?” “I asked Scootaloo to do it after I met with the Doc. I thought the same thing, that Flutters was nervous and screwed it up.“ “What happened?” “Five minutes, eight seconds. Fluttershy was only off by two.” “Oh, Rainbow…” “I’m washed up. I’m never going to be a Wonderbolt. Happy birthday to me.” “Would that be so bad?” “What?” “I mean, you’ve got a great life here, Dash. Your friends love you. Tank loves you. You’ve stolen the hearts of many a stallion, and I know for a fact at least one mare. Scootaloo worships you. And the weather department couldn’t run—“ “Stop talking Twi. Just stop.” “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—“ “This is my dream. Everypony got theirs but me! Your crown, Rarity’s fashion line, Applejack’s farm, Pinkie’s, well… it’s Pinkie, she’s living her dream already. Even Fluttershy’s got her bucking pets.” “Dash!” “Don’t ‘Dash’ me, Princess. You’ve gotten everything you wanted out of life. So has everypony else around here. I just want what’s mine, and now, it’s not going to happen. Because I’ve spent my prime years, my fastest years, bumming around with you and everypony else when I could have been—“ “Everypony else? You mean your friends? The ponies you’d never leave hanging?” “Yeah! I stood by you all and what did it get me? A one way ticket to loser city. I’m just going to be another stupid, boring, ordinary weather pony in this stupid town.” “Dash, this isn’t you. You love Ponyville. Don’t you remember what happened at the Wonderbolt Academy? The choice you made?” “I chose wrong, Twilight. I should have stayed.” “That hurts, Dash.” “Look, I’m- I gotta go. I’m all messed up. Sorry. I’m just gonna go fly around or something.” “Pinkie’s got a surprise party planned for you, you know. She got me to cast the cloud-walking spell on everypony. They’ll be waiting at your house. Fluttershy even made you a cake...” “I can’t. Not right now.” “We love you, Rainbow, no matter what. You know that, right?” “Don’t follow me.” Her spirit was willing, but biology and physics would not be ignored. They caught up with her, fast. Her muscles had nothing left for one last push, leaving her less of a high-speed flier and more a fast-dropping sack of fur and feathers. Her wind speed and velocity, while not fast enough to create a sonic rainboom, were fast enough to make it too hard to pull out of a dive. Dash fell. It felt a heart crying out, and it awoke. There was a new pony. Brave beyond brave and rash beyond rash, flying. No, falling. Still trying, anyway. It watched. She screamed as she tried to flap her wings. Nopony could hear her, as she was plummeting through the sky in a deserted mountain range, but that wasn't important. She kept sending orders to her muscles, and they did nothing. Her legs were shot. Her arms had almost nothing. Her wings were working, but just barely. She decided if she couldn't stop, maybe she could glide her way out of it. Tentatively reaching out her wings, she tried to adjust her direction. Feather by feather, it started to work. She was shifting the fall into a dive, and a dive meant control. She angled her wings up ever so slightly. The wind caught, and her descent slowed a bit. Carefully, she leaned her head and arms up. Still diving but slowing, she prepared her legs for one last kick to start ascending. A gust of wind hit from the side, and pain jolted through her wings as they blew out. Flexing brought the clear understanding that something was broken. Whipping around at the will of gravity and the winds, black clouds started to swim through her vision. Then her brain, her torturous brain that never let her forget any mistake or failing reminded her: This is no one's fault but your own. The mental blow somehow doubled her physical pain. Dash looked down. Her vision was dimming, shock overtaking her senses, and it occurred to her for the first time that she was actually going to die. She had about twenty seconds, and she was not afraid. She was angry. Dash shrieked. It heard her scream. It felt her heartbreak. It decided it was time to try again. It opened up and let her fall into its world. Wet. It was the next thing Rainbow Dash remembered. Her body was soaked through, and her back legs were still in some kind of water. Then she felt the pain. Everything ached. Which wasn’t right. Her body was aching with pain, when it should have been screaming. This was day-after pain, the pain you get from exerting too much, sleeping all day and then trying to move. It was harsh, but survivable. Based on how fast she was falling, and from how high… I should be dead. She opened her eyes and looked around. She was lying on some kind of beach, not immediately recognizable to her. Everything was dark, except for the stars above. She stood up, tried to shake off the wetness, and then— She paused. She looked up at the stars again, and realized they were very far away, and there appeared to be a dark ring surrounding them. Then she looked down at her wet hooves, and the source of the water dripping off of them. This was a lake. An underground lake. And the stars, her way out, appeared to be very far away indeed. What was this place? How was she going to get out of it? Experimenting with her wings resulted in a mild wave of pain and nausea. They were still in pretty bad shape, but didn’t seem to be broken now. She could fly a little, maybe hover, but she wasn’t getting out of here without rest. Great. I should be resting up for tomorrow, not— Her mind froze. Tomorrow. Even if she could get out of here by then, the odds of her being in any kind of flying shape tomorrow were close to zero. She sank back to the ground, realizing that while her being alive was probably a miracle, her dream of being a Wonderbolt was, in fact, dead. This was her last chance, and she was going to spend it at the bottom of a hole until she could fly out of it. Dash didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It was all so absurd. She stared at the water lapping up on the shore. While she was indeed deep down, the light from the stars was bright enough so that she could see her reflection. It didn’t make sense. Where was the light coming from? Blue pegasus, rise. Her head snapped up. The voice was loud and formal, bigger than Princess Luna’s royal Canterlot voice. It was neutral in tone but overpowering in volume. And where was it coming from? Golden light filled the cave. She could now see that the cavern was a giant circle, and the lake was a thick line cutting it in two. There was one path out: a tunnel at the opposite end of the lake, where the light was brightest. There was not, however, a path around or through the lake. It looked quite deep. After a moment, the source of the light appeared in the mouth of the tunnel. Dash wished Twilight was here to tell her what she was seeing. No doubt there was some egghead magic term for the thing floating on the other side of the lake. It looked sort of like ball lightning, but not like any she’d ever seen, sparkling and electric, a yellow fireball about the size of a pony’s head. It had sped towards her before she realized it, and stopped right in front of her. It floated over the water for a moment. Rise, and follow. Was she dreaming? It was the only sane explanation for everything since her fall. She looked at the ball, unsure if it could look back. It had no mouth or eyes. But she couldn’t shake the feeling it was staring right at her, if not right through her. She stood up. “Where?” Follow. It started floating away, across the lake. She frowned and shouted, “Hey, genius! There’s no way across!” The orb stopped. Do you not have wings? “Well… yeah. So?” Make a path. The orb continued over the water. Dash swore. Given the distance, it was perhaps the longest, most tiring and embarrassing flight of her life. She was trying her hardest, but for the strangeness of the dream, the exhaustion was very real. All the while, the orb floated silently, waiting for her on the other side. After five minutes of panting and high-effort low-output flapping, she finally landed on the other side of the lake. “Now what,” she wheezed. The orb remained still, as if regarding her. Follow. She followed. Half an hour later, she was starting to regret it. After the latest climb up a rather long stairway, she whined, “Look, buddy, are we close?” Time is not important. Only the journey matters. Dash rolled her eyes. The orb had given a lot of these types of answers. The orb led her deeper into the cave, up and down different paths and stairways, past statues, bizarre rock formations, and even piles of treasure. Every question she had was met with vague promises of the answers being at the end. Dash decided to just keep her mouth shut for the rest of the ‘journey’ that supposedly ‘mattered.’ The treasure had been getting stranger as they went along. After a dragon’s trove of gold bits and raw gems, next came jewels that were polished and shaped: apples, stars, balloons, diamonds. She stopped at a beautiful pink diamond butterfly, entranced. The orb stopped as well. Do you desire this bauble? “Can I have it? I mean, not for me, but I know somepony who would really appreciate it.” Dash looked away, a light blush on her cheeks. It will surely make a suitable gift for your desired mate. The blush was now deep and fast. “Hey! Who said anything about a m— about that?!” If it is your heart’s true desire, you may have it. “Really? Awesome! I’ll totally pay you back. I make decent pay, but I don't have any bits on me." You may have it for nothing. Red flags went up in her mind. “What’s the catch?” Only that your journey ends here. Take your jewel and go. Dash was getting mad. “Oh yeah? And what if I take it and follow you anyway?” The way forward will close. The way back will open. She blinked, then looked behind her, and realized that there was no way back. Though she had been walking for a long time, the path behind her was a dead end. There was only the way forward. A wave of anger went through her, but left as fast as it came. It was pointless. Dream or real, she wasn’t in charge here. It was a standoff. Dash took another look at the butterfly, then dramatically flipped her mane and looked away. “Whatever. It’s just a stupid butterfly. Let’s get this over with.” Follow. “That’s it. I’m not going another step until you tell me what the heck is going on.” It was a half hour later. There had been more treasures, more statutes, and she was done. We are here. The orb vanished. She looked around. It was a room much like the one she had started in, only instead of a lake, there was a tiny pool in the center of the room, and in the center of the pool, a pedestal. On the pedestal, a glittering stone hovered. A bright golden light was coming out from the middle of it, and it was blinding. Approach. Dash squinted, unable to keep her eyes on the stone for more than a few seconds without looking away. It was too bright. Dash tried to step forward, but was practically blind. “Any way you can, uh, turn it down some?” Very well. Though her eyes were closed, she felt the light dim. She opened them, and found a mist had wrapped itself around the room. It was still bright enough to see, but the fog dimmed things to a tolerable level. You have been tested. You have passed. You have proved your endurance, your patience and your ability to withstand temptation. “Tested? What? Who are you?” I have not found you wanting in any area, although perhaps you should refrain from complaining quite so much. She snorted. “Well maybe you shouldn’t be quite so mysterious and answer a question now and then. Like who are you?” A White pegasus once named me Proteus. You may use that name as well as any other. Dash groaned. “Proteus? Really?” She sighed. “Alright, ‘Proteus’, what’s up?” I felt you falling from the sky because you dared too far. You refused to die quietly. I decided to intervene. Dash felt the color drain out of her. “You, uh, saw that?” Such bravery is rare. And that, Blue pegasus, is why I have saved your life. Silence. Dash’s throat felt very thick. “Thanks?” Gratitude is not important. What is important is your heart, and what it desires. Dash blinked. “I’m sorry, I’m lost.” The reason you were pushing yourself further than was safe or sane. Why you were trying to achieve a top speed, knowing full well you were weak. The light was getting brighter. What your heart truly desires, Blue pegasus. If you wish it, I can grant it. She lit up. “Really? Any wish? You’re like a genie?” Only for the worthy. One wish, to make your desire real. “Ohmigosh Ohmigosh Ohmigosh…” Dash was a little filly all over again, hopping up and down. “A wish, a wish, I could have anything!” She stopped. “Wait. What do I want? How was I supposed to know this would ever be an actual situation?” The voice’s tone was always level, but if Dash had been paying more attention, she might have heard some confusion in it. Truly? You do not know? You almost died trying to achieve it less than a few hours ago. Dash waved a hoof. “Nah, I’ve done the Sonic Rainboom. Not lately, but I’ve done it.” Why did you fail, when it is something you have achieved before? She frowned. “My Doc says no matter how hard I train, this is as fast as I'm going to get… that I’m too old. 'Ponies slow down', or some kind of crud. Which is ridiculous! I’m only been out of school like, what, five years?” Ponies grow old, they die. The heart wants the moon, but the wings only deliver the sky. Most ponies are content with that, as they discover love, friendship and parenting. “Horsefeathers! I'm the best flier in Equestria because I bust my chops everyday! It’s not fair that just because I waited a year or two, I can’t be a Wonderbolt!” Dash felt tears coming. “It’s not fair!” You could settle for an ordinary life, but I suspect you were meant for something different. “Different?” Something better. Something special. “Yeah! I’m supposed to be a Wonderbolt!” There was a pause. The confused tone returned. Have I slept too long? Have ponies traded dreams of the moon and the stars for a mere uniform and rank? Dash backed up a step. The tone had turned nasty. If that is all you wish, then very well. A Wonderbolt you shall be, and that is all. Dash spoke up, “Wait! You... you’re right. Even if they didn’t know I got it by wishing, I’d know. I want to earn it.” She kicked at the ground. “And even if I got it just cause of some stupid wish, I’d blow the next test. They time you twice a year. If you slow down too much, you’re out. I’m just going to get slower and slower, and that—“ She stopped. It clicked in her head. It was so simple. “I got it.” Speak. Dash closed her eyes, and cleared her head. “I want to be faster.” Strange sounds emanated from the mist, a low level of rumbling. You wish to be the fastest pony in all of Equestria? Truly the fastest? She hesitated. “I don’t want to just, like, win a race because I wished it. That’ll get old real quick. I want to compete, and I want to win, but fair and square.” And is this not… unfair? The advantage you seek? “I work harder than anypony else at flying, and that’s not changing. But it’s bucked up that I can work hard and just maintain my speed, or see it slip. It’s not fair.” She sighed. “Life isn’t fair. My wish is just for it to befair. If I get stronger, fly better, and try harder, it’s only fair that I get faster. Not slower.” The sounds continued, and the glow intensified. Make no mistake, Blue pegasus. The price you pay will be steep. “I thought you didn’t want my money?” We are not discussing price. We are discussing what it will cost you. The riddles were shredding Dash’s nerves. "And what is it, my soul? I’ve had this dream before.” There was a pause. I don't presume to tell you how to interpret your dreams, but I am real, and I have been doing this a long time. The cave suddenly filled with light, and Dash was momentarily blinded. I was real when a young pegasus asked to be the sun so many years ago. Dash felt light all around her. She tried to open her eyes. The harsh light was now replaced by gentle sunshine. She was in the middle of a field on a sunny day. The warm rays of Celestia's sun washed over face and back, and she almost purred at the touch. She closed her eyes, taking in the warmth. Her sister followed. She wanted to be the moon. Suddenly as it had come, the light vanished. Dash felt the grass under her hooves turn somehow soft and yet hard at the same time. She opened her eyes. The moon and its tiny bright companions lit up the sky, and Dash felt the wind sweep past her. She shivered as she saw the desert stretch out for miles around her. The warmth had been replaced by bitter cold, but she could not deny the stark beauty of the desert ocean and its shifting sands. The cave suddenly filled with white light, and Dash was momentarily blinded again. Once the light faded, Dash felt the grass under feet turn somehow back to rock. She opened her eyes. They were back in the cave. “Let me get this straight. You gave Luna and Celestia their powers?” I have been here a long, long time. They were my greatest successes. Others... did not turn out so well. The light in the cave went away and there was nothing but darkness, followed by a sickly green glow. You asked about a soul. I have never seen or held such a thing. But your request might take you beyond the lifetimes of your friends and family. There is no other way. And for some, that is too long. Black skeletal structures stretched everywhere, with green slime oozing out of sinewy bags that were hung from the ceiling. A young unicorn said she wanted love— all the love in the world. She wanted to drown in it, to eat, sleep and breathe it. Her wish was granted, but was this her dream? A young unicorn stallion ran past Dash, breathless. "No, please, no..." Chrysalis flew around the bend, a hungry smile on her face. "But dear,” came her sickeningly sweet voice, “I love you... " "Stop right there!" Dash snarled, and jumped in front of the changeling queen. Chrysalis didn't stop. Instead, the queen went right through Dash, and pounced on the unicorn colt. Dash turned, dumbfounded. While she could feel the muggy dampness of the cave, Chrysalis's rampaging body had passed through her like she wasn’t real. "What gives?" These are shadows, things that have already been and cannot be changed. "I don't know you! I've done nothing to you, please! I have a family, two little ones..." "Oh I know, Right Hoof. Your little ones and your stallion at home. How could I forget? You chose him over me, remember? Of course no mare could have competed with him, in your eyes." Chrysalis leaned over and licked her lips. "Crystal?" Right Hoof croaked. "Is that you?" She shook her head. "Chrysalis. I am now a queen." She hesitated, closing her eyes, "I would have made you so happy, Right Hoof. I would have done anything for you." Her eyes opened again, and Dash was shocked to see how soft they were. "Crystal... If I hurt you, I can't apologize enough. You disappeared halfway through the night. We, we thought you were dead. Please, if I can make it up to you, I will. I just want to go home to my family." "Oh yes. Your stallion, Starbuck. And your two foals." She got closer, her eyes now void of all gentle nature. "Please, whatever you want—I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry, whatever I did. My little ones..." "Aren't you going to help him?" Dash demanded. These events happened long ago. "What do you want?" said Right Hoof. "Your family..." Chrysalis put her hooves on Right Hoof's shoulder, and he writhed in pain. This stallion is already dead. "Tell me how much you love them." Her eyes flashed green, and Right Hoof's eyes went wide, and green energy started flowing out of him. There was no sound, just a long sigh. "Stop!" Rainbow screamed. "No more! I want to go home!" The muggy feeling was gone. Dash spun around, and realized she was back in the cave. The glowing stone lay in front of her. There are rewards. There are risks. "Risks? Risks! Chrysalis is like the most evil creature there is, besides Sombra! You’re saying I’m going to become like her?!" I am saying that all I do is grant the wish. You will become faster, faster than any pony in Equestria, if you commit yourself. You will live as long as you have the drive to fly. You will be remembered. Remembered for what? That is up to you. Dash shook her head, “She’s a monster. I don’t want to be a monster, I just want to be the best.” Perhaps I misjudged you. Very well. There are joys in anonymity as well. Good luck to you. "No, wait!" Dash darted forward, hurtling through the cloud. The light was getting dimmer. “I didn’t say for sure yet!” Then decide, blue pegasus! Choose your path. She thought hard. Her test tomorrow. The disappointed looks on her friends’ faces when she failed again. A life of managing the weather in this small town. A family, maybe? Foals yukking up on her. A long, boring life, never having truly tasted the sky, while the others went on to royalty, fame and fortune. She looked up at the stone with a hard glint in her eye. "I want to be faster." This is your final choice? Dash nodded. So be it. A flash came, brighter than anything, blinding. There was a roar, and she felt a cold wave wash over her body, like a freak blizzard. Then, nothing. Dash opened her eyes. The flash was gone, the cold was gone, and all that was left was the glow of the mist in front of her. It is done. "That's it?" I have given you what you asked for. You are, most certainly, 'faster'. Dash hesitated, closing her eyes to focus on her body. She felt less tired, but that was really no different from before she had asked Proteus to grant her wish. She opened her eyes and looked at her legs, glancing at her cutie mark. Still Rainbow Dash. Out of desperation, she lifted one of her hooves and looked underneath it. I feel your doubt. "I just don't feel any different." You are not the pony you were. The physical manifestations will not occur until later, once the transformation is complete. She shrugged. "Okay." The mist shifted, and Dash felt the temperature starting to rise. Do you require a demonstration? Very well. The mist started glowing a bright yellow and orange. Warmth flowed in the air, and a guttural sound grew from the silence. The orange mist became red, and the walls started shaking. Dash backed up a step. Something Proteus said chose an inopportune time to jump to the front of her mind. "Wait, what did you mean, physical—" Suddenly the mist dissipated and there was just flame. She had only seen an actual fireball a few times in her life, but now she was seeing another. Fly, blue pegasus! Dash turned tail and did just that. Thankfully, the trickery from before had evaporated, and there were tunnels everywhere. The problem was, most of them were on fire. She took any available route that was not engulfed in flame. Up, down, left, right, bobbing and ascending, any path that didn't start with hot death. She zoomed past statues crumbling in the heat, her muscles screaming at her as she committed every available ounce of energy towards survival. She flew on. Clarity came to her. Usually at this speed her brain would be focused on beating a record or saving another pony in danger, some one thing to focus on that wasn't just her. This time the only thing at stake was her life. She was no fan of irony, but there was a smile sneaking in on her stretched grimace of a face. The fire was getting closer. It was a losing gamble. She was going to die because she said yes to some stupid voice in a cave. Something in her back leg gave out, and she felt that recent familiar chill of slowing down. She wasn't completely spent, but her future was locking into place. At the next corner or bend, she wouldn't be able to make the turn. She'd hit the wall. The fire would win the race. At least nopony else would get hurt. Nopony else gets hurt? Really? How's Pinkie going to take this? A shard of ice went through heart. Remember how sad she was when she thought you all abandoned her? Talking to a rock and a bag of flour? Now imagine her at your funeral. Of course, that's if there is a funeral. If you fall behind now, there's not going to be a body. You think Twilight's going to give up until they find it? Another cold stab went through her. Dash suddenly despised her new-found mental clarity. You thought that Smarty Pants incident was something, wait until that egghead tries to spend all of her energy trying to find your stupid corpse. That's on you, Dash. She gritted her teeth, and focused on the next turn. She's not going to go alone, either. Rarity will help, because that's how she is, especially after you saved her that one time. She'll go to the ends of Equestria with Twilight to find you, if need be. In fact, she'll probably want to find you so bad that she'll end up making the same dumb deal you did. She wanted to scream stopstopstopPLEASEshutup, but her actual muscles refused to be used for anything but propulsion. No emotion would be allowed to override the need to move, and the use of all energy towards that end. The flames from the cave licked at her hooves, as if trying to focus her attention. Applejack will act strong of course, but she'll be devastated. She'll try to be the shoulder to cry on for all of them. Celestia help her for dealing with those three kids, though... her sister and Rarity's sister and Scootaloo. Poor Scootaloo. What's that poor filly going to do? What about Tank? She squinted at the path ahead as the walls themselves started crumbling. Impossibly, there was light at the end of the tunnel. Traces of smoke reached her nose, the scent of singed hair and approaching death. Fluttershy. That word brought a fire inside her that suddenly melted all of the ice that had been stabbing her heart.The light was closer. So was the ceiling. It was collapsing. She willed herself forward. You'll never get to tell her. The light was dimming as there was more rock than air. Somehow, she saw a path through the debris. She’ll never know how much she means to you. If she could just get a last boost of speed... You're going to die. She reached down deep, like she had earlier, for one last push... Because in the end, Dash, you were just too slow. She didn't find it, but something else was happening. A wave of cold shot through her body. She felt her hooves turn to ice, then somehow they weren't in pain anymore. —too slow— She found it. One last burst of energy. Earlier where there was nothing, now came a wave of strength. She broke through the rainboom barrier, the wave of energy pulverizing falling rock. She didn't have to dodge anything, because now there was nothing in her way. Rocketing out of the cave, she burst forth into the cool air that washed away the heat. The air entered her lungs and soothed the tiny burns as the smell of fresh air and clouds filled her nostrils. She heard the cave explode behind her, but didn't look back, couldn't look back. The voice in her head had been silenced by the glorious explosion of color and sound. She kept waiting for her energy to run out but instead, somehow, it was still there. It was dogged, persistent. It wasn't a glass of water, it wasn’t a river, it wasn’t even a waterfall. It was an ocean, endless and everpresent, unable to be drained no matter how much she drank. She drank more. Faster. Clouds zoomed by. Her speed was still rising, but so was her control. She did a loop-the-loop, and laughed like it was her birthday. Which, come to think of it, it was. There was another explosion, and a fresh wave of colors flowed. She’d broken the barrier, again, like it was nothing. She drank again. A cold shiver went through her body. She felt the wave of cold seize over her, focusing on her ears. And she went faster. In fact, she felt like she was about to— There's no way you can keep this up. Her brain found its voice again. You should be dead, or at least, you should be passing out. The wave of cold left her body as it found itself in agreement with her mind. At least the passing out part. She felt all the energy drain from her body, and she began to fall. As she plummeted to earth, two vague thoughts entered her head. The first was, that her hooves, for whatever reason, were covered in bright shiny white-bluish metal. She wasn’t sure why, but they felt incredibly light and looked damn cool. Not that it mattered now. The second was, she thought she could hear a storm brewing to the north, by the Everfree. Which was strange, because a storm wasn’t scheduled for another two weeks. Everything went black. Author's Note This chapter has been re-edited by Sharp Spark. II: RiseFASTER by Einhander Pre-read and edited by SpaceCommie and Cola Bubble Gum New edits by Sharp Spark Part II: Rise "Are you okay, sugarcube?" "Of course she's not alright, Applejack! Just look at those unsightly bruises!" "Rainbow? Um... can you hear me?" Dash opened her eyes. Three shapes, white, orange and yellow, hovered over her. She looked around, trying to get her bearings. She saw trees and grass, felt rock underneath her. She blinked her eyes a few times, just to make sure the images didn't swim away. She focused. The shapes became her friends. Rarity and Applejack were standing over her with concerned expressions. Fluttershy was sitting close to her, holding back tears. Dash looked down at herself. She was lying on her side in what appeared to be a recently made crater. Then she made the mistake of trying to remember what happened. Her brain filled with jagged memories of a cave on fire, that terrible changeling queen, a voice making a promise, metal hooves and above all: speed. All-encompassing speed. "Guys," she croaked. "I just had the weirdest dream..." Applejack rolled her eyes, turned her head and hollered, "Twilight! We found her!" "Thank goodness!" came a far away voice. "I'm coming!" Fluttershy smiled, even as the tears she had been holding back started leaking out. "Oh my goodness, we were so worried! We've been looking for you since dawn!" "Dawn?" "We waited at your house for— well, for your surprise party, until Twilight spoiled it so it was just a 'party'." Rarity threw a glare at the approaching Twilight. "Then it wasn't much of anything when you never showed up." "Everypony went home, but I stayed. I didn’t want you be alone on your birthday." Fluttershy was shivering. "You never came home. I'm so sorry if I messed up your timing thing yesterday.” Dash smiled weakly. "Nothing to apologize for, Fluttershy." She was trying to process all the information. There was something Fluttershy had said that was troubling her. "Speaking of, where in the hay were you? Glad you're safe, o‘course, but you gave us all a fright." Dash thought. "Honestly, I don't really know. I was flying, and then... stuff.” She shook her head. “It's all bits and pieces.” Fluttershy suddenly lunged forward and hugged her. "I was so worried!" Dash blushed, and for a moment there was nothing but a calming softness. Fluttershy continued, "When you weren't there in the morning, I got everypony to help find you and—" Dash's mind roared back to life and pieced it together. "Morning?! It's tomorrow already?!" She started panicking, shrugging off the hug. "My test! What time is it?" Twilight landed in front of her. "Dash, I'm so happy you're alright. We—" "Yeah yeah, everypony was worried, search party, I'm caught up. What time is it?!" Twilight was taken aback. She paused, then glanced at the sun. "Well, if I'm reading the day correctly, probably... eight o’clock?" Dash clicked her tongue. "The Wonderbolts test is in fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes to get to Cloudsdale." She glanced up at the sky. "I can do this." Twilight frowned. "Rainbow, you've got injuries, burns and you look exhausted. Where were you last night?" Dash blinked again, shaking out her hooves and cracking her neck, and said, "I don't remember where I was, and I don't know about how I look… but honestly, Twi, I've never felt better." She stretched out her wings, pawed at the ground and looked at her friends. "Alright ponies. Gotta fly." Fluttershy fluttered over to her friend. "Good luck and all, but I also just wanted to say, before you go. Um—" "Tell me later, Fluttershy? Right now, I got a uniform to earn." With a kick and a grin, Dash was in the air, calling out, "Don't wait up!" With that, she was gone. They watched her disappear into the horizon in silence. Fluttershy swallowed and whispered, "Happy Birthday, Rainbow Dash." It was that evening. The search party had become a success party, although it was a subdued affair without the rescue-ee. The five ponies sat around a table at Sugarcube Corner, enjoying their desserts and small talk. Then the doors to the shop flew open, and in strutted Rainbow Dash to a chorus of gasps. She was covered from head to just above the hoof in a familiar blue uniform, complete with a yellow streak. Grinning like a foal who had just eaten all the cookies in the cookie jar, she walked up to the biggest booth, which held all of her friends. "Hey Ponyville!" She flicked off her hood to reveal her signature rainbow mane. "How you like me now?" Rarity, Applejack, Twilight, Fluttershy and Pinkie stared, all with various stages of cupcake in their hooves or mouths. Jaws dropped. Eyes bugged out. Fluttershy broke the silence, jumping up from her seat and shouting, "You did it, you did it oh my goodness you did it!" Rainbow waited for her to run out of breath. "Yes. I did it. Rainbow Dash: Wonderbolt. Goodbye Academy, hello career!" The rest of her friends followed Fluttershy's lead. "Magnificent, darling!" "Proud of ya!" "I'm thrilled for you, Rainbow!" "LET'S PARTY LIKE IT'S YESTERDAY WHEN WE ACTUALLY WANTED TO THROW A PARTY!" It got real quiet. Pinkie looked around at horrified faces. "What?" "Pinkie, that’s not very nice!" Twilight hissed. "Why? We all wanted to throw a party for Rainbow yesterday, but she was a no-show, and then we spent all morning looking for her, and now she's here with super great news so it's time for a do-over!" They all turned to look at Dash, who was blushing. "She's right. I skipped my own party. I wasn't in a good place. But now..." She looked at them, hopefully. "I'd really like to celebrate with my best friends." Dash found herself overwhelmed with hugs, followed by confetti from Pinkie’s party cannon. She let out a whoop and the merry-making got started. Now, that was a party. Dash stepped out of the bathroom, as Rarity had forced her to take off her uniform after Pinkie's super surprise ice cream sundae surprised everypony by exploding (“That was the surprise, silly!”). Dash was in too good a mood to let whipped cream and chocolate ruin her day, but Rarity was having none of it. ("You MUST take it off and bring it to my boutique immediately. We have a narrow window to save this gorgeous uniform!") She closed the door behind her and found Rarity staring at her once more. "Rainbow Dash! Why didn't you tell me?" "What?" Dash followed her gaze down to her hooves. Sure enough, each of Dash’s hooves had a band of metal around it, shiny white with a slight blue tinge. Dash stared at them and realized that at least part of her crazy dream was true. She looked up and saw Applejack, Fluttershy and Twilight joining Rarity in the staring contest. Dash cringed. Horseapples. How did I not notice them until now? "Well, well." Applejack's expression was smugness wrapped in a knowing glance. "Metal plated hooves. Some pony had a wild night in Manehattan last night, didn't ya?" Dash exhaled, rubbing the back of her neck. "Yeah... I think that is what happened." "Tres chic, darling. Rarity approves." "Tray sheik? What?” Rarity rolled her eyes. "It means that Dash finally figured out how to accessorize." Fluttershy cooed. "I think they're beautiful." Twilight was frowning now. "I thought you'd never get shoes, because they'd slow you down." "As you can see, Twi,” she pointed to her uniform, “these ones don't." "But—" The clock tolled ten o'clock. "Okay, cool party, but, I’m out guys!” Rainbow headed for the door, glad for the excuse. "Gotta wash this uniform and get some Z's." "Worry not, darling." Rarity took the uniform out of her hooves. "I will take care of everything. I would say you have earned a rest. As far as I'm concerned, it's still your birthday." "Oh, shoot!" Fluttershy gasped. "Um... Rainbow, please don't, um, could you just wait here?" She vanished into the kitchen. The four remaining ponies stared at one another. "Anypony know what that was about?" Dash asked. Rarity nodded at Applejack, who smiled and winked back. “Dash, why don’t ya see if Fluttershy needs any help?” “Help with what?” Applejack nudged Dash along. “Just… check on her, sugarcube.” “Alright, alright!” Dash fluttered her wings. “I’m going.” Rarity was pulling Twilight towards the front door. “Twilight, let’s leave them be.” “Leave what who be? I don’t understand, I thought we still had Fluttershy’s ca—” there was more frantic whispering in her ear. “—oh.” “Yes, darling. ‘Oh.’” Dash opened the door to the the kitchen quietly, and stopped as she saw Fluttershy bending over in front of her. Fluttershy had her back to the door, desperately trying to salvage her cake. It had cyan frosting, with lots of little rainbows drawn on the surface. And it was tipping over. “C’mon, c’mon…” Dash blushed and looked away. Then she heard a dull, wet thud. She turned back to see the cake on the floor, and a shaking Fluttershy. “Oh… oh… sugar!” It was the most adorable swear that Dash had ever heard. A shiver went down her spine, and she had that same cold clarity from the previous night. She knew what she wanted. She remembered what she had wanted to say from the night before, and she was acutely aware that time was passing her by. Every second she didn’t say it was a waste. “Fluttershy.” Her friend turned, and immediately hid behind her mane. “Oh, Dash, your cake. I’m sorry, I wanted to— ” “Fluttershy, listen to me.” Dash walked closer and stared her in the eye. “I almost died last night. I was almost devoured by flame. You know what I couldn’t help thinking?” “Devoured by flame?” Fluttershy gasped. “Where in Manehatten did you—” Dash swept her off her hooves and her question was swallowed up in a kiss. Fluttershy gasped in surprise, then melted into Dash’s embrace. When Dash let her go, her yellow coat was practically orange, she was blushing so hard. Fluttershy was practically panting. “Oh my goodness.” “Shy,” said Dash softly, “I like you. Like, I like like you. I’ve wanted to tell you for years.” Fluttershy blushed harder, looking away but daring to smile just a little. She wasn’t responding, but she didn’t back away, either. After a moment, Dash said, a little impatiently, “So… how do you feel about me?” “Oh, Dash. I’ve always like-liked you…” She gently nuzzled Rainbow’s neck. “I just could never find the words.” Dash grinned. “Good. Then we just saved ourselves a lot of time.” They kissed. Fluttershy blushed, and tried to hide behind Dash’s mane. She melted from a tight embrace to a mushy one, not letting go but leaning against Dash. And Dash was happy… until her mind asked: Now what? Dash blinked. How long is she going to hold me like this? This is a waste of time. What’s next? She told her mind to shush. It didn’t work. What’s next? Things moved fast from that moment on. They always had for Dash. Now there were no other options. She couldn't stand it otherwise. Her mind wouldn't let her. What's next? It was three months later, and she beat her wings hard, cutting through the air towards Manehattan. She was moving fast enough to be at peace, to quiet her brain from asking the same two word question, over and over. What’s next? Dash shook her head. First, there had been her resignation… "Dash, this is pretty sudden. We—I— always hoped you'd take my job someday. You can't give us two weeks to find a replacement?" "Sorry, chief, but it's the dream job. My dream. You gotta get that." "The Wonderbolts can manage without you. I don't know if we can. We're the weather department, not a cupcake shop." "You'll be fine. I looked ahead, no major storms forecast for two months." "That's not the point." "Look, I'm out the door in an hour. It’s a done deal. I can't waste any more time. Let's part ways as friends. Cool?" "Quite frankly, no. Not cool. I'm not stopping you, but you're our lead weatherpony, and you're quitting with one day’s notice? Forget an hour. There's the door. And Dash?" "Yeah?" "You are leaving Ponyville hanging. Just know that." Her old boss had been a crank, but he wasn’t wrong. The weather really went to nuts after she quit. It wasn’t clear if the Everfree storms had been particularly bad this year, or the new team just stunk. Either way, the weather had become this uncontrolled, barely predictable thing that ponies just had to deal with instead of harnessing. Even today, she had dodged three rogue storms on her way to the city. When she was in charge, that would have been three too many. She spotted the outer boroughs of Manehattan and banked left, looking for a cloud to land on. The gridlock of air traffic during rush hour should have been enough to distract her mind. It wasn't. What's next? She was trying to get Fluttershy those imported Saddle Arabian flowers she loved, the blue ones you could only get in the flower district. Okay. After that? Then she'd fly back in time to make their dinner date for their three month anniversary. After that? What’s next? She snarled, "Then you’ll see when we get there!" "Are you sure you're okay with this? I mean, um, moving in together. It's a big step..." "Look, Shy. We talked about this. I want to be with you. You want to be with me. We want to be together. You can't do your job up in the clouds, but I can from down here. Easy." "I appreciate that, Dashie. I really do. But it doesn't feel right to for you to give up so much—" "Didn’t I just say we talked about it? We're wasting time by living apart. I don't want to miss another moment of our lives together. It’s not like we’re very special someponies or something, we’re just… trying it out. Seeing how it works. No big deal.” “Um… I’m going to need help moving all the furniture.” “Got you covered.” "Dash, I know this may be forward, but, I am excited about...wakingupnexttoyou..." "Can't hear you Shy." "...waking up next to you..." "I know, right? Every day, every moment, is going to be awesome.” "Hee. I love you, Rainbow Dash." "Yo!" Dash rang the bell. "Service!" Nopony came. "Roger, Wilco! Anypony? Hello!?" There was a creak of a door opening, and the wheeze of an old florist pony slowly making his way to the counter. His mane had gone grey, his teeth were false, and his spectacles had spectacles. He looked as old as Celestia, but not nearly as pretty. "Pops! Alright, I placed an order? Butterfly flowers for Rainbow Dash." His voice sounded older than time itself. "The power rain boat crashed? What the blazes is a power rain boat?" She grimaced, looked around the room to find a sign advertising her flower of choice, then held it up in front of the old stallion. "Butterfly flowers,” she said through gritted teeth. “I'm picking up butterfly flowers." "Oh, that's nice, but I only got a few left, and they're being held for a Wonderbolt named Dash." Dash stared down at her uniform. She stared back at the florist. What's next? Dash's eye twitched. "Outstanding work, Dash. Just crackerjack stuff." "Thanks, Soarin’! Just trying to, you know, earn my stripes." "Well you're certainly doing that. Commuting from Ponyville and always on time, don’t know how you do it. Word of advice, though?" "Gosh, I'd be honored. Tell me how to fly better!" "Your flying is fine. Excellent control, near perfect terms, and your speed, just, wow." "Ohmigosh! Sorry, it's still so weird that I get to fly with the Soarin’!" "That's just it. You're supposed to follow, not match, the leader. You're still a rookie, rookie." "Eh heh... sorry. I just get so excited when we fly. It's like the only time I feel relaxed." "I hear ya. But what are you going to do, outrun the wind? Just ease off the throttle a little. You're showing up your fellow rookies." "Come on! We're all here to be the best, right? It's not my problem if they can't keep up!" "You're right, it's mine. And if you ever want the top job, it will be your problem. Follow?" "I guess so.” “The Wonderbolts are a team. If we don't fly together, we fail on our own." Dash thought she deserved a medal for not smashing the flower shop to bits. It had taken a whole seventeen minutes and forty three seconds. After throwing the bits down and grabbing the flowers in her mouth, she flew out of Manehattan as fast as possible. Speed limits were broken, moving violations occurred. Whatever. They couldn’t ticket a pony they couldn’t catch. Thank Celestia she’d already run her first errand before she went to work, otherwise she’d be late for— Uh oh. She looked up as she flew out of the city limits. One of the many skills she had picked up in Wonderbolt training was telling the time by the position of the sun in the sky. And based on the current position, she was late. Buck! She refused to be late. Not tonight. Sure, it was just a three month anniversary, but three months was a lifetime. She didn’t want to waste another second. Especially when the sun was going to set forty three minutes from now, and she was still twenty nine minutes away, based on her current rate of speed. Unacceptable. Tired but unbowed, she kicked it into high gear. A cold wave swept over her body, and a small part of her brain knew it wasn’t the wind, but she didn’t care. Everything seemed so clear. Her mind was at peace. She knew what she wanted. Fluttershy... The flowers in her mouth smelled like jasmine, and at this speed it was like perfume in the air. It smelled like her. But she wanted the real thing, right now. She refused to be late. The cold wave intensified, and her ears felt like ice. Suddenly, pain seized through her, so much so that she reared her head back while hurtling ahead. Then, as suddenly as it came, nothing. The cold left, and her ears felt fine. In fact, she was hearing pretty well. She could hear two more rogue storms from a mile away, and adjusted her path accordingly. Box hidden in her jacket pocket, flowers in her mouth, she dared to look at the sun. It was setting just about… now. Perfect. She knocked on the cottage door. Fluttershy opened and gasped. Dash was in her formal Wonderbolt jacket, with combed-back mane and flowers in her mouth. “Thth arth fth yth.” “I’m sorry?” Dash took the flowers out of her mouth. “These are for you.” “Dash, you look wonderful, but… I thought our reservations were for later? I’m, um. Not ready yet.” “You’re perfect.” Dash smiled, offering her hoof. "Shall we?" Fluttershy frowned. "I know we live together, but I told you to pick me up at eight. This is dating, there are rules." "I just need you to step outside. Just take a sec." Fluttershy hesitated, but Dash looked so adorably eager that she relented and stepped out of their doorway. Dash smiled, leading her by the hoof to a small hill. The sunset was cooperating perfectly. “Remember that day I asked you to be my timekeeper? At sunrise, the day before my test?” Fluttershy blushed and looked down. “I still feel so bad about that… I was off by a whole two seconds!” “No, it was perfect. If that didn’t happen, then who knows if we’d be standing here, watching this sunset…” Fluttershy smiled and snuggled up close to Dash. “It is nice, isn’t it?” There was a warm quiet between them. Dash smiled. Then her ears cocked, and she picked up a storm about a mile away. It would be raining soon. She had to move up the timetable. “Fluttershy, I don’t want to wait any longer.” She knelt in front of Fluttershy, pulling out the box from her jacket and opening it to reveal a pink diamond butterfly necklace. “Fluttershy, will you marry me?” Fluttershy gasped. “Oh my… it’s so…” “Beautiful? I know. I saw it, I thought of you, and then I bought it.” There was a pause as Fluttershy stared at the box. “This is the part where you say, ‘yes’.” “Dash…” Fluttershy was shaking. “This is all happening so fast…” “Isn’t it what you want, Shy? What we’ve always wanted?” Dash took Fluttershy’s hoof. “I like fast. I wantfast. There’s so much wasted time. Let’s not waste any more.” She nuzzled her fiancée-to-be's hoof. “I love you.” Fluttershy hesitated, then swallowed and gave a small smile. “Okay.” “Is that a yes?” “Yes.” The smile grew. “Yes. Yes! Yes! YES!” She hugged Dash, kissing her neck. Dash felt warm up and down her body from Fluttershy’s embrace. She purred into Fluttershy’s mane. “Yes, yes— oh! Dash?” Her new fiancée was staring at the left side of her head. “I didn’t realize you, um, got your ears metal plated too.” Dash reached up and felt her ears. She could still hear—in fact, she could hear perfectly—but it was definitely metal, just like her hooves. “I didn’t notice it before. I also didn’t know that was a thing... ponies were doing now, I guess.” Dash managed a weak smile. “I had a wild night.” She looked away, suddenly self-conscious. “You don’t mind, do you?” Fluttershy almost yelped with happiness, hugging Dash again. “Aww, I didn’t even know you could be shy!” Dash was happy. And terrified. “Enter.” Dash trotted into Celestia’s chambers, hesitant. The princess was sipping tea, at a table on her balcony. “Rainbow Dash, my loyal subject, welcome. I wanted to congratulate you in person on your engagement. Please, sit down.” Dash glumly obeyed, trying not to look Celestia in the eye. She was staring out at the view, frowning. “Have you noticed there is more storm activity in the past three months?” Dash shrugged. Celestia shook her head. “I apologize. Of course, you are a Wonderbolt now, not a weather pony.” The princess put her teacup down. “Twilight told me you had to speak to me right away, but she said you wouldn’t tell her what about.” There was a pause. “If I can be of assistance, I will of course… is there something wrong with your hoof?” Dash looked down, and saw that her hoof was tapping on the ground. She willed it to stop. “I also notice that your hooves… and ears… are metal plated.” Celestia narrowed her eyes. “Dash, what is going on?” “Nothing. Nothing’s going on. Getting hitched. Great job. I’m fine. I’m great. I’m great and fine. ” Dash kept talking at the same pace, but under Celestia’s stern gaze, she wilted. “I’m not great. I’m not even functional. I need help, princess. I don’t know what to do.” “Dash…” Celestia reached out her hoof. “Talk to me. If I can help, I will.” “I just… everypony is just so slow.” “Slow. Like they’re slowing you down?” “No like, it’s like they’re… moving at half speed. Quarter speed. In the grocery story. At restaurants. When Pinkie bakes a pie. When Applejack pours out cider. When Fluttershy does... well, anything. Like they don’t have a care in the world. All those wasted moments.” She rubbed her metal tipped ears. “I only feel at peace when I’m flying now. Otherwise, it’s like I’m in mud or something. Even just now, waiting to see you, it felt like it was taking hours.” Celestia frowned. “I am sure it was only five minutes.” “I know!” She slammed her hooves on the table. “But that’s what it feels like! Even in like, my bedroom, with my alarm clock, I could hear the seconds disappearing. Creeping away from day to day. I could hear them, princess! I could…” She went to grasp her ears, then stopped, returning her hooves to the table. Celestia watched Dash for a moment. “Does the name Proteus mean anything to you, Rainbow Dash?” Dash’s eyes went wide. “How? I didn't even..." "Dash, please. I promise I will help, but you must be honest with me. You met this being, did you not? And he mentioned me, yes?" Dash looked down at her hooves. "He said—well, it, I guess, it said—that it granted a wish for a white pony that wanted to be the sun. And her sister, who wanted to be the moon. I thought it was just bragging." “No, Proteus does not lie. It omits, certainly, but no lies." The princess sighed, her eyes casting to the floor. "My mane wasn’t always like this, you know.” Dash bit her lip. "Did it hurt?" Celestia shrugged. "Physically? No. Emotionally? I lost my sister to madness for a thousand years. Our parents are gone. Starswirl, my trusted student and then adviser, gone. Not a day goes by, even when I am basking in the glow of my Sun and my subjects, that I do not wonder…” She shook her head, closing her eyes. Dash had never felt so low, or selfish. "Jeez, I didn't even... I'm so sorry, princess. You always are so happy and calm, I, I forgot you're a pony too." The princess laughed, although there was little of the usual merriment to it. "We are not here to talk about me. We are here to try to help you. What did you wish for, Rainbow Dash?” The words barely escaped her lips. It seemed so silly now. “I wanted to be faster.” "Faster? Are you not already 'fast'?" "It was my last chance to become a Wonderbolt, and my run times were getting longer and longer. I guess I waited too long to enter the academy, and going from cadet to actual bolt is... well, it's tough and..." Dash felt herself wanting to bolt underneath the princess's gaze, but she pressed on. "It wasn't fair, okay? I was getting older, and slower, even though I was busting my chops! I just wanted to level the playing field, and I told Proteus, I told him, just make it so if I keep working I'll never slow down, never stop-" Celestia's eyes hardened. "You said that? Is that exactly what you said? Going faster forever?" Dash closed her mouth. Her words came back to haunt her. "I work harder than anypony else at flying. It’s bucked up that I can work hard and just maintain my speed, or see it slip. It’s not fair! If I get stronger, fly better, and try harder, it’s only fair that I get faster. Not slower." Argument rose up again in Dash's throat, then died in the face of Celestia's gaze and voice. "Think, Dash. Did the orb not warn you what might happen?" The overpowering words from the orb flashed back into her mind. Your request might take you beyond the lifetimes of your friends and family. There is no other way. And for some, that is too long. The reality, the foolish all-encompassing reality of what had she asked for, settled into Dash's brain. She nodded weakly. Celestia sighed. “Forever is a very long time, Rainbow Dash." Dash forced her mouth to open and seven words came tumbling out. "What's next? What's gonna happen to me?" Celestia said nothing for a moment or two. She cleared her throat. “The metal on your hooves is orichalcum. It is magical, it is powerful, and based on your appearance now, it will spread if you don’t stop this madness. You will be immortal, and ‘faster’, but you will never know the beating of your own heart again. There will be nopony faster than you, but you will be... like me. A pony, but not. Ponies are born, they live, they die. So it will be for your friends, and your future wife. But you won't. That’s how this story ends.” Dash held her head in her hooves. “Stupid glowing rock freak show jerk…” Celestia arched an eyebrow. “Proteus told me the price. I cannot believe you were not told as well.” “Well… yeah, but nopony said I’d become a tin can!” Celestia's lip quivered for a moment, and her brow furrowed. She looked Dash right in her eyes. “Nopony forced us. You chose, Rainbow Dash. So did I. So did Luna. So did—” “Queen Chrysalis. I know.“ Dash stared at her princess. “I think I’ve really bucked up,” she whispered. “Can you help me?" "Perhaps." Celestia leaned back in her chair. “The effects take time, as you can see. They are reversible if you act immediately. But you must do exactly as I say.” Dash's eyes lit up. "Anything, princess. Anything!" "You say that now, my little pony." Celestia sipped her tea. "But it won't be easy." Author's Note I have added just a little bit more than what was entered for the contest. III: And FollowFASTER by Einhander Pre-read and edited by SpaceCommie and Cola Bubble Gum New edits by Sharp Spark Additional edits by amacita Part III: And Follow Soaking wet, Fluttershy stepped through her cottage doorway to find Dash sobbing on the couch. Fluttershy sprinted over to her. "Rainbow! Did you get caught in the storm too?" "The princess, she..." Fluttershy held her. "It'll be alright, Dash," she cooed. Dash buried her head in pink mane. The pink butterfly she had given Fluttershy pressed against her cheek. "She said I'm..." She couldn't make the truth come out, so she tried half of it. "Sick. She said I'm sick." "Well, um, that's good news." Dash momentarily lost her sadness in confusion. "How?" "Nursing sick creatures back to health is what I do." Dash stared at Fluttershy, who hid a little hopeful smile. "All I have to do is figure out how to cure you, and you will get better." Dash laughed in spite of her nerves, or maybe because of them. "That's just it... I know how to do it, I just don't know if I can." Fluttershy waited, stroking Dash's mane. After a few shuddering breaths, she went on: "I didn't get my ears plated in Manehattan.” Fluttershy stopped stroking her mane. "Or my hooves. It's my condition." She stretched out her front left leg and looked at the metal on her hoof. "The princess says, the more I push myself, the more of my body becomes like, you know, this." Dash felt Fluttershy's body tense up. But it was too late to turn back. "It doesn't hurt, though. In fact, I'm faster, I can hear better. It's like, freaky, I admit, but also, cool?" Silence. She pressed on: "The only way to make it stop or go away is to not push myself. To fly at a 'normal' speed." She sighed, burying her head in Fluttershy's mane again, lost in the smell of jasmine. "In fact, the Princess said the only guarantee that it goes away is for me to not fly at all for awhile." Fluttershy's voice was full of steel. "Then that's what we're going to do." "What?" She pulled away from Dash and looked her in the eyes. "You're going to march into that Spitflame's office, and tell her you’re ill." She stood up and started gesturing. "You’ll say, 'I am sick. I have a note from the princess.' Did she give you a note? Never mind, we'll get Twilight to get it for you. And you're going to say, 'Ma'am, I can't fly until my doctor says I can, so give me a desk job or I quit!'" All was quiet, except for Dash's ragged breathing and the rain outside pounding on the roof. Fluttershy's determination drained away as a new thought washed over her face. "Oh. Do the Wonderbolts even have desk jobs?” "I guess so. Spitfire sits at a desk half the day." Dash shook her head. "I don't know how she can stand it. I know I couldn't." "Rainbow Dash!" She gasped. "You can't be serious!" "I went a week without flying and I almost lost my mind. I can't imagine going for months." She reached out and took Fluttershy's hoof. "I'll slow down at work. I won't push myself, I'll hang back. I promise. Just don't ask me not to fly." Dash had heard about Fluttershy's stare, but she had never actually seen it before. She was seeing it now, two determined eyes boring into her own, and everything else that she was. "You’re sick, Dash. If not flying will make you better, why in Equestria would you not do everything in your power to stop it?" Dash shook her head. "I don't think I’m exactly sick, though. It... I think it's making me better. Stronger." Fluttershy's voice dripped with fire. "Are you listening to yourself? Do you need to look in a mirror? It. Is. Killing. You!" Dash's voice quivered. "I'll slow down. I'll take less flights. I promise, less flying, as little as I can, but—don't make me stop flying." She hugged Fluttershy fiercely. "Don't ask me to stop flying.” "Rainbow—" “Don’t ask me to stop flying.” "Well?" "Hold on." The clock ticked onward as Dash sat still in the Library, with Twilight hovering around her and making notes. "I've been really good this week." "We'll see." Rain pelted the roof above them, and made for a gentle soundtrack of soft thumps as Twilight floated measuring tape up to each side of Dash's metal ear. ".... Well?!" Twilight frowned. "I just started measuring, Rainbow." Dash huffed and turned her eyes toward the ceiling. She'd learned the hard way not to turn her head, as it would destroy the entire measuring process. She was stubborn, but Twilight could be more stubborn in her role as doctor. After a few weeks of failed appointments, Dash learned to control her impulses for the five crucial minutes it took Twilight to determine how much of the metal had receded from her ears. But that didn't mean she had to be quiet about it. "This isn't magical physics, Twi." "You're right." Twilight glanced down at her scroll. "It's much harder than that. Hush." Dash groaned without moving her head, a trick she'd picked up in the past few weeks. "Did I tell you? Fluttershy wants to ask you to be a bridesmaid, but she's too, um. Shy." "Rarity's all over it. Don't you worry, I said yes without her having to ask." "Good." Small talk exhausted, Dash tried to find her inner calm. It was only three and a half more minutes, but she felt each and every of the two hundred ten seconds. Finally, Twilight nodded her head and smiled. “All done!” Dash cracked her neck and stretched her wings. “So?” “Well, I think it’s good news.” Her eyes were big and she practically glowed with hope as she leaned into to Twilight. “And?” “The metal’s gone down seven percent from last time!” There was only silence, punctuated by the increased rain falling on the windows as Dash stared at her friend. “Seven percent?” Her voice was so flat it was barely a question. “C’mon, Dash, it was five percent last week. You gotta take your wins where you can find—” She was interrupted by a scream, as Dash took off from the ground and bellowed to the skies in frustration. “WHY IS THIS TAKING SO—” Except in her current situation, the sky was a very real roof, which she slammed into and fell back to the ground with a thud. Books and papers flew around as Twilight jumped to get out of the way. Twilight breathed heavily as she tried to get her heart back to a normal rate. “You can’t. Keep. Doing this.” Dash’s breathing was low and shallow. She said nothing in reply. Twilight pressed on. “I know it’s frustrating. But. This isn’t the way.” “You don’t know.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Okay, so I can’t empathize, exactly, but I can sympathize. I can imagine how you feel.” "Imagine, huh?" Dash stood and looked up to the second story where Twilight’s bed was. The rain slammed against the window in waves. “Twi, what do you see?” Twilight followed Rainbow's glance. “An unplanned storm. Probably from the Everfree. They’ve been happening more and more.” Dash was silent. She turned and opened the front door, standing in the frame. The wind howled in, and the rain began to splash up on her hooves. “How about now?” Twilight got closer. She looked up and down. “It’s a lot of rain, Dash. And other than you getting it in my house, I don’t—” “I can see every drop.” Dash sounded strangely cold. “I feel, I smell, I hear, I see every individual bit of water hit the ground. That’s how my mind works now.” The words and weather hung in the air. A shiver ran through Twilight. “Because you’re trying to slow down?” Dash shook her head. “No, that’s just normal. That’s every moment I’m not flying. The only way it feels like rain—real rain, the kind you, I don’t know, run to avoid or dance in if you’re Pinkie—is if I go fast.” Twilight’s face was neutral. “What does it feel like then?” It was Dash’s turn to shiver. “Better than anything. Better than a sonic rainboom. It’s like a path carves out just for me.” Twilight bit her lip. “What does it feel like now?” She turned to her friend. “Like I’m drowning.” With a small, sad smile, Dash walked out into the rain. Twilight called after her. “Aren’t you going to fly home?” She shrugged. “Can’t. Doctor’s orders.” “Hey!" Twilight shouted. "Can I at least give you an umbrella?” Dash stopped to look up at the skies, then slunk her head back down and walked away without another word. Dash stood in front of the door to Spitfire's office, adjusting her collar. She took a breath, sighed and knocked. "Enter." She opened the door and walked in. Spitfire was at her desk, reviewing a file. Dash closed the door and stood, expectant. "Have a seat." Spitfire didn't look up or say anything more, so Dash did just that. A full minute of silence ticked by. Dash could feel every second. In fact, she could hear it. She could also hear her muscles straining to stop her hoof from tapping on the ground. Finally, Spitfire broke the stalemate. "I've got your speed run times here." "Ma'am?" "In all my years, I've never seen anything like it." Spitfire licked her hoof, and flipped through the file. "Three months ago, all steady improvement. Better times, increased control. Not one bad thing to say about you, other than a tendency to go too fast.. Then, the week after your engagement—congrats by the way—everything slows down. Flatlining. Dipping, even. Today, your times were... unacceptable." Spitfire looked up. "Explain yourself." There was a pause. Dash, shifted in her seat, miserably. “Doctor’s orders, ma’am. Have to… ease off the throttle, as Soarin put it.” Spitfire arched an eyebrow. "Are you injured? Or sick? I don’t have any reports.” “It’s not… it’s sort of a grey area. But I can’t push myself too much, or fly too fast for awhile.” “Well, whatever a ‘grey area’ is, this isn’t going to cut it.” Spitfire shook her head, “You were on track to be Canterlot Team Leader. Now, you’re on a track for… well, middle of the pack, I suppose.” Dash blinked and rubbed her face. "Oh." She suddenly felt very tired. The voices in her head were pushing at her to fly, to go, to move, and she couldn’t focus. "'Oh?'" Spitfire repeated. Then she leaned over and glanced down at Dash’s hooves. One of them was tapping. "Am I boring you, Ms. Dash? "If I may, ma'am, if I’m not cut out for this, maybe you should just let me go? Or I can just quit. Whichever.” Spitfire sat back, dumbfounded. “Just like that? Are you feeling alright?” Dash looked down at her tapping hoof that would not stop as her mind reached critical mass. What’s next? C’mon, just get out of here. Go. Leave. You don’t need this. Go. Fly. Fly. Fly. “No,” she finally said. “No, I’m not.” Spitfire stared at her for what felt like forever. Dash had nothing more to offer. Finally, Spitfire closed the file and crossed her hooves, staring at Dash. “Your uniform isn't just for faster speed and safe flying. It's who we are, and what we hope to accomplish." Dash said nothing. Spitfire continued. "You once told me being a Wonderbolt was your dream. You need to seriously consider if this is your dream anymore. But not like this." She stood up from her chair. "I refuse to accept your resignation, at least for now.” She walked around her desk and headed for the door. “Take the weekend off and get your head straight.” Dash followed, rubbing her head. "Yes ma'am. I just need to... fly on my own for a bit." “Don't fly. Think." “I can only think when I fly.” "Then fly.” Spitfire opened the door. “A massive storm system is incoming. We've grounded all runs for the next two days, starting tomorrow. Then come back and tell me what you are prepared to do." Dash hesitated at the door. “Do?” "Where you want to go. Forward or backward, you can’t stay here." She had taken off her uniform and put it in her saddle bag. She wasn't sure if she'd be wearing it again, and she wanted to get used to flying without it. Dash flew home, feeling naked as the air. But not as fast she could have, or wanted to. What is this? Why are you moving so slow? She gritted her teeth. Usually this speed would quiet the voices. Not this time. Your pet tortoise is faster than this. And you know it. What’s next? She could see storm clouds rolling in from the Everfree. Spitfire was right, nopony should be flying after sunset. Why didn’t the weather team deal with it? Or at least send out warnings? Faster. Must go faster. Dash felt hot and cold all through her body, rage combined with the chill of increased speed. She knew she shouldn’t. She promised Fluttershy. She— Go. Her eyes caught a rogue storm cloud ahead. She started to change direction— Go! She screamed, “Alright, fine! You wanna go?!” She pulled herself back on course for the storm cloud. The chill overpowered her anger. “Let’s see if this’ll shut you up!” GO! She hit the storm cloud like a freight train, and it exploded. The impact threw her spinning through the air, and the lightning hit her on her right side, from her eye on down. Electricity ran through her body. But she didn’t feel pain. She felt alive. Dash stumbled in through the door, wind howling. Her whole face and body was burning up, but half with heat, and half with cold. She felt drunk. And pain. And… ecstasy. “Rainbow, please close the door!” Fluttershy’s voice sang from the kitchen. “I’m trying to keep the wind out, the little critters are all soaked from the storm!” Dash was able to process enough information to close the door, then turned around. Most of the creatures that Fluttershy had ever cared for were in her cottage, and she had all of their attention. Some were baring their teeth. Some were cowering. Some simply gaped. But they were all looking at her. “Hey… hey guys.” Dash croaked, uneasy. Her voice was sounding weird. “Some storm, huh?” A few growls and whimpers was all she got in response. She looked with her right eye, and instantly determined there were five snakes, four skunks, a warren of rabbits, a duck and an eagle all in the room. Then she wondered how she knew that, or why she was so sure of the information. She shook her head. Taking a step forward, the animals scattered to get out of her way. She had to lie down. This was too weird. She tried to fold her wings, and felt an odd coldness against her coat. She turns to see that it was because her metal wing was rubbing against her flesh. When did her right wing turn metal? “I made some hot cocoa, do you—” Fluttershy screamed and dropped the tray. “Dash! What happened to you?” “What are you talking about?” she asked. There, again. Her voice didn’t sound right. It had a strange rasp. “Look!” Fluttershy grabbed a mirror and held it up to Dash. Most of the right side of her face was… the same metal as her hooves. And her right eye was now a series of metal circles, with a red glowing orb where her magenta eye used to be. It wasn’t just her face. All up and down the right side of her body, metal had replaced flesh haphazardly like a paint splash. Beads of sweat were rolling down the parts that were still flesh, only to cool in an instant on the metal. “You’ve been flying again, haven’t you?” Venom dripped from Fluttershy's voice. “You promised you wouldn’t, and you did it anyway.” Dash blinked, her old and new eye in tandem. “I had to think. I had to fly. I had to go faster.” “And then what?!” Fluttershy threw the mirror down. “You keep going until there’s nothing real about you at all?" "But I am real." Dash insisted. "How can we be together, Dash?” She choked, trying to stop from sobbing, “How will we raise a family?” The words hung in the air. “I have to be me, Fluttershy.” Dash looked down, feeling very tired again. “Otherwise, who am I?” Fluttershy grabbed Dash's head, tears rolling down her face. "This is you," she stroked the side of her face that was flesh, "Not this." She pointed at Dash's metal eye, not able to look at it. "Fluttershy,” Dash kept moving her face until they were looking at one another. “It's all me." Fluttershy’s eyes quivered, and then her lips tightened. There was a frantic knocking. Fluttershy walked away from Dash, and opened the door to reveal a small hedgehog. “Hello, Mr. Hedgehog.” The little animal burst forth with noise and gestures. “I see. Yes, of course. I will be there right away. Come inside and warm yourself.” The hedgehog did just that, and Fluttershy grabbed her raincoat with her teeth. “The beaver family needs help, they’ve got young stuck in a dam and it’s flooding.” “Here, I’ll help.” “I don’t think we should be in the same place right now.” Fluttershy flicked another glare at Dash. Dash took a step back at her tone. “What do you want me to do?” “What do you care what I think?” Fluttershy took the diamond butterfly out of her hair and placed it on the living room table. Dash looked at it, and then at her. “Go. Fly. Play in the lightning. Do whatever you want.” Fluttershy opened the door. She didn’t turn back. “Please don’t follow me.” The door slammed. Dash looked around. All the creatures had left the room for other hiding places. She was alone. “She’s been gone three hours.” Angel Bunny had his back to her. “That’s not good.” Angel said nothing. “I know she said not to follow her, but, aren’t you worried? That storm’s getting bad.” There was a knock at the door. Dash’s heart sank. A knock meant it wasn’t Fluttershy, and possibly worse. Dash opened the door. Three very wet beavers were on the doorstep, chittering and pointing. Angel’s right ear drooped. Dash looked at the bunny. “It’s Fluttershy, isn’t it? Something’s wrong with her.” All the animals started screeching and hollering. The mother beaver was crying, clutching one of her babies. She was pointing at the Everfree. Dash followed her claw, and her eyes narrowed. Dash reached for her saddlebag, and pulled her uniform out of it. “I’m going after her.” That made Angel turn. He shook his head, pointing over at the other creatures. The thunder was getting worse and worse, and most of them were cowering and whimpering. “There’s no time. Go get Twilight. Bring her here. We might need help.” There was a giant crash of thunder, and a tree fell within five hooves of the house. Angel stomped his feet, pointing again at his fellow creatures, when Dash reached down and grabbed him. She held him up to her metal eye. “Do it. Now. There is no time.” “Fluttershy!” The rain was coming in sideways. Trees were down, parts of the Everfree were on fire, and everything was wind and wet and sound. “Fluttershhhhhyyy!” Her pony eye couldn’t see anything, but her metal eye could. She found her fiancée crumpled on the ground next to a tree, scuff marks on its bark next to her. The tree lay on the smashed remains of a beaver den, now completely flooded. The tree must have collapsed mid evacuation. There was a gash on Fluttershy’s head, a bloody branch tangled up with her mane. “Oooh, no, no, Celestia, no…” Her voice was cracking between metal and pony. “Please, no…” Dash put her ear to her mouth. She was breathing. It was very shallow. Then she heard a mewling sound. Kneeling by Fluttershy’s body, she saw a tiny beaver cub underneath the scuff marks. It was trapped, stuck in a knot in the tree. It was alive, but the mud was rising. It was crying. Then it saw Dash, and it started screeching, and trying to get away. There wasn’t anywhere to go, but that didn’t stop the cub from clawing at the sides. Dash looked up, into the angry storm. Nature was conducting a symphony. Lightning was the strings. Thunder was the percussion. All was chaos. But she could see the order in it. It was beautiful. It was deadly. And if she closed her pony eye, and stared with just her metal one… It was a straight shot, if she went right through the middle of the storm. There would be no way to get through without getting hit, but, that's what the uniform was for. Wrapped around her cargo, it would protect her love. And if Dash went fast enough, maybe. Maybe Fluttershy lived. And the possibility was worth the risk. She looked down at her fiancée. Fluttershy was so beautiful, even covered in mud in a storm. She kissed her forehead. “I love you.” Then she punched a hole in the tree with her metal hoof. The beaver cub stared out of it, frozen in fear. Dash knelt down and looked at the animal, giant metal eye to tiny brown eye. “I’m saving you.” There were only fragments left after she took off into the rain. Her uniform wrapped around her hooves. Fluttershy’s unconscious body in her grasp. Lightning striking near and around her in the air. The cold beaver cub’s little bleats. Lightning finally found its mark, electricity flowing through her body, but stopping at the uniform, keeping her passengers safe. Everything turning cold. Only her heart was warming, beating furiously, fighting off the chill. What’s next? Not yet! Memory became more splintered as she rocketed out of the storm. She smashed through the door of Fluttershy’s cottage. She remembered dropping Fluttershy to the ground, straining her ears to make sure she was still breathing. She saw the beaver cub running away towards its family. She vaguely recalled Twilight asking her something. A lot of things. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Nothing in the glimpse surprised her. Twilight asked her more questions. What’s next? Save her! It was all she could say out loud. “Save her, save her, save her…” As the chill reached her heart, she saw Fluttershy gasping, and spitting up water. That was good. That meant life. She was content. She let the cold come. As her vision started to fade, the question came one last time. What’s next? Nothing. "Rise." She opened one eye and saw a white alicorn staring at her. "I am sorry to disturb you, but you have slept long enough." She blinked assent and slowly came awake, piece by piece. Every part of her body began responding individually, and as one. And every part of her metal, interlocking and connecting, humming with magical energy. Every part had purpose. She had total control. She understood the design and function of every part of her, save her 'mane', which she realized was thousands of tiny metal strands molded into sharp angles. It momentarily irked her, but she let it pass, deciding that it was satisfying an unknown variable she classified as 'cool.' Uncertainties remained. She didn’t have enough information. "What is my purpose?" The alicorn hesitated. "It's been a week since your funeral. The doctors pronounced you dead, but Luna suspected that you were simply... cocooning." She opened and closed her eyes, tested her ears. Yes, she was hearing the princess perfectly, and knew exactly how many hooves were between her and the nearest window. She analyzed the room. Hospital. Bed. Machines tied to her. Mirror. Window. Everything made sense, but she was still having trouble processing the alicorn’s information. One word in particular was giving her trouble. "Funeral?" "Twilight informed me of what happened first, after she stabilized Fluttershy. We took you away to our private royal hospital.” She tilted her head right and left, as if the words were sloshing around in her head. “A lie, then.” The alicorn leaned over and whispered, “Everypony — except myself, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight — thinks Rainbow Dash is dead. Better to stay that way." "That was my name?" "How much do you remember?" She shook her head. "Fragments. Images. A pink butterfly diamond. A crying yellow pegasus." The alicorn nodded. "Fluttershy. She weeps for you still. They all do, even Twilight, who must keep this secret." She flexed her wings, trying to think. The names sounded familiar, but the memories were incomplete. "We can talk more later, if you wish. But now I must ask your help. The weather—" "Yes," she said, turning to the window, "it's out of balance. Storms over the desert, dry spells in the lakes region." "We knew about the dry spell, not the storms. How did you know?" "I can feel it. I can feel every raindrop, and how fast they are falling, and how long it will take me to get there. Every shift of air, every gradient of temperature, every warm draft and cool breeze." She tried walking around the room. She stopped in front of a mirror and stared. Her entire body was white with a light blue tinge. Except her wings, which went from light blue to solid blue, and her eyes, which were dark red. She looked further with her eyes, which could tell her every detail of what she was looking at. She said, "I remember from before, a male told me, 'Nopony can outrun the wind.'" She turned and looked at the alicorn. "I think, though, that I am no pony." "Not anymore." The alicorn walked up and put a hoof on her shoulder. "You might say you are the wind itself. I wouldn't be surprised if you were the fastest creature in Equestria." "Equestria," she repeated, rolling the word around in her brain, blinking. "Indeed. I am its ruler, Celestia. Well, one of its rulers. And I am asking for your assistance to restore balance to the skies." "And the forest. There are creatures there that are important to..." She blanked. The name eluded her, but she was sure it was important. It came after a moment. “Fluttershy.” Celestia swallowed. "Yes, the forest and the creatures and the towns that house all of my little ponies. It is my home, and yours too, if you wish it." Home. She smiled at that. "I'd never abandon my home." She headed for the window. “Call my name if you need me. I’ll hear it.” "Wait. What am I to call you? Your old name…" Celestia sighed. "That pony is gone." She nodded. That was logical. She stared around the room. There was a burnt, formerly blue piece of fabric down at her hooves. "Celestia... What was this?" “Rainbow Dash’s uniform. She was a Wonderbolt, the fastest fliers in Equestria.” There was a bittersweet tone to her voice. “It was her dream.” She glanced at the mirror, into her red eyes. It was an elegant word, an accurate word. but it was lacking in the unknown variable. It needed to be 'cooler.' "Bolt. Call me Bolt." Fluttershy and Tank walked through the Everfree. It was a clear night, several weeks after Rainbow’s funeral. The pink diamond butterfly Dash had given her was tied around her neck, and she wore a black veil. Tank was floating along next to Fluttershy, keeping at her walking pace. She hadn’t flown since she had woken up to a world where her beloved had died saving her. She still couldn’t believe the story, even though it was confirmed by not just Twilight, but her Princesses as well. They said Dash had dropped off Fluttershy at Twilight’s house. Twilight said Dash had gone back into the forest to save more creatures, but had never come back out. The Princesses told her how they had searched all through the Everfree, and found nothing. Then they ordered that a funeral be held, over Fluttershy’s objections. They told her it was time to move on. She died a hero, saving her and the forest creatures. Fluttershy knew she was a hero, but she didn’t believe that her beloved was dead. Not like this. Not with last words spoken in anger. So she had retraced her steps through the Everfree, to the Beaver’s den. Follow the river, navigate the broken trees, stay off the timberwolves’ paths and… She arrived. She stopped at the base of the tree as Tank hovered. There was the tree that took out the beaver’s home, which was now simply a dried mud hole. There were the scuff marks as she had tried to lift the tree. She placed her hoof on the tree, holding back tears. Tank landed on the tree trunk, nudging her hoof with his head. She glanced at Tank and whispered, “I wasn’t strong enough.” Tank blinked in reply. “I wasn’t strong enough to lift the tree, or save Rainbow, or... accept her as she was, what she wanted to be.” She pounded her hoof down on the tree. “It’s my fault, Tank.” Tank shook his head. “If I wasn’t so weak, she wouldn’t have had to come out and find me!” She kept pounding the tree with her hoof. “She’d still be alive! She could have gone back to normal! She’d still be with me!” Tank flew up next to her, nudging at her with pleading eyes, but Fluttershy would not stop slamming the tree, screaming, until she finally drew blood. She cried out, clutching her hoof and collapsed next to the tree. She started to cry, muttering to herself,. “Stupid Fluttershy… weak Fluttershy…” She closed her eyes. I wish I was stronger. There was an explosion of light. Fluttershy shielded her eyes. Yellow pegasus. She peeked through her hooves. It was a brilliantly bright ball of energy, crackling with magic, floating before her eyes. Rise. Tank cried out a warning, but Fluttershy wasn’t listening. She gazed at the orb in wonder, and held her breath. Rise, and follow. Author's Note Three things: 1) This amounts to a 'director's cut', as there's extra lines and one scene that was NOT in the submission to the writer's group contest. I had another deleted scene that I liked but I also had to cut for wordcount, but, I'm going to use it for the sequel. So, yes, this story is longer than what I submitted. No refunds. 2) After that last line, I want you to imagine the camera zooms out and... Only, you know, with the appropriate credits. 3) Yes, there will be a sequel(s).
I: Blue PegasusFASTER by Einhander Pre-read and edited by SpaceCommie and Cola Bubble Gum New edit: Sharp Spark Part I: Blue Pegasus It sleeps. For how long nopony knows, least of all itself. Time isn't important to it. What is important is to find the next pony. And even then, how long isn't so important. They will come. They always come. And so it sleeps. It reveals itself only to the worthy, to those who strive for the extraordinary. For the ponies whose hearts burn to move mountains and shatter the barriers between this world and others. It sleeps, waiting for the next dreamer. Why it does what it does is hard to say. What it wants is easier to decipher. It wants to wake up. The angles were right. The air was right. This was it. Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and looked down at the earth. The last time she had pulled this off—and truth be told, it had been awhile— she was soaring into the sky over Canterlot for Cadance's wedding. There was no wedding this time, but the same dread surfaced in the pit of her stomach. She gritted her teeth. Focus. “Fluttershy, I bet you're wondering why I’ve brought you here for this morning's sunrise.” “Oh, yes, it is a lovely sunrise. Thank you for sharing it with me, especially on your birthday. I am a bit sleepy, though.“ “Ahem. I brought you here to be my timekeeper. This run's gotta be timed perfectly, Fluttershy. Per. Fect. Ly. Do you copy?” “Um, I understand you, if that’s what you mean?” “That's exactly what I mean. Now, I’ve been practicing this for months, and tomorrow is my last Wonderbolts tryout—” “Oh. I thought you already had your last tryout. Wasn’t it last month? Or the month before that? I thought . . . um, I mean, yay? Wonderbolts try out? Woo hoo?” “Just hold this stopwatch. You hit start when I go off, you hit stop when I get back. Ready?” “Well, okay.“ “GO!" She got into position for her dive. It already felt like she was falling. Dash took a breath and closed her eyes. She visualized herself as a Wonderbolt. She saw the crowds, the uniform, the look of respect Spitfire gave her, the wink she earned from Soarin, her friends in the crowd. Fluttershy waving a tiny banner, giving that adorably pathetic “yay”. The best of both worlds. She opened her eyes, and dove in freefall. “O…okay… whew… how was that?” “Way to go, Rainbow Dash! Five minutes, ten seconds!” “What?!” “Um… well, that’s what it says, am I reading it right? It says five, and then one, and then zero.” “Did you click the button when I said go?” “Yes?” “And you clicked it when I came back? Like right when I crossed this line?” “Yes.” “This is important, Fluttershy. Did you click it when I crossed the line?” “Yes! I mean. I’m pretty sure.” “Five minutes and ten seconds?! “ “I think that’s pretty good, Dash. I certainly couldn’t do the gorge in that time and— hey, Dash, come back! I’m sorry! Did I say something wrong?” All she needed was to hear that sonic explosion. All she wanted was to see the wave, the colors. If she could do that again, then she’d ace her tryout tomorrow. The wind rushed by her. Flapping her wings, she used the wind to add speed to her descent. She was picking up speed, but not enough. Not to break through and cause a rainboom. She flapped her wings harder, and started straining every muscle. She knew it was a mistake to start that soon, that she should pace herself, but she didn’t care. She wanted to break that barrier. She was going to be a Wonderbolt if it killed her. “Doc, there’s gotta be something wrong with me, there’s just gotta be.” “Well, I’ve run every test I can think of without keeping you here overnight. Blood pressure’s normal; you’re not running a fever. I can’t see anything physically wrong with you.“ “I’ve been pushing myself everyday! I cut out sweets, and I’m working out as much as ever, but my time for the gorge hasn’t improved. And then today—” “Gorge? Time? I’m sorry, you’ve lost me.” “Listen. The best way to gauge my current speed is a lap through the Ghastly Gorge. I measured it. It's about the same length as the Wonderbolts obstacle track. My best time is 4 minutes flat. But that was like, once, two years ago. I usually can complete it around 4 minutes, 30 seconds. Sometimes up, sometimes down, but always trying to move my average closer to 4 minutes.” “Okay...” “But over the past year, my average has stayed the same, no matter how hard I try. The gorge hasn’t changed. The weather’s always about the same, but my time stopped going down. It even started going up!” “I see.” “So I figured I’d just, you know, keep it cool for awhile. Practice, but not time myself. Figured I was psyching myself out. Well, today, I do the run, and it’s five minutes ten seconds! That’s forty seconds over my average! Something’s gotta be wrong with me!” “Uh, huh. Rainbow, how long have you been trying to become a Wonderbolt?” “Gosh, it feels like forever. But if you want to get all specific about it, I guess... four years, maybe?” “And how long do they let ponies try out for?” “Technically, this is the last year I can try out. They’ve got this stupid age limit, which I really don’t get.“ “Ms. Dash, as ponies age, their bodies age as well. And change.” “I remember health class. You gonna tell me where foals come from too?” “I’m telling you that you’re not a teenager any more, Dash. You’ve been a working weather pony for years now. You’re an adult.” “What are you getting at?” “You’re in top health for your age, Dash. You’re just getting older.” “Doc, that’s not going to work for me. I’ve been working my whole life on getting faster. I need to be faster.” “Ponies slow down over time, Rainbow Dash. That’s just life.” The wind roared past her, and her eyes started to water as the ground got closer and closer. She felt the white barrier start to form around her body as she found it hard to keep her eyes open. Her body started sending her warning signals. Her back leg was kicking out. Her wings were trembling, not in a good way. Her eyes were watering too soon. She ignored them all. The colors started to form. She was so close. She could do this. She was Rainbow Dash. The fastest pony in Equestria. A shoo-in for Wonderbolt glory. Age be damned, physics be damned, she just needed one last push. She dug down deep. “Rainbow, calm down. You’re not making sense.” “Don’t you get it? This is it! My last chance! There won’t be another try out, and I just had my worst lap time ever!” “Isn’t it possible that Fluttershy just, well, messed up with the stopwatch? “That’s just it, Twi. That was the second time I did the run today.” “What?” “I asked Scootaloo to do it after I met with the Doc. I thought the same thing, that Flutters was nervous and screwed it up.“ “What happened?” “Five minutes, eight seconds. Fluttershy was only off by two.” “Oh, Rainbow…” “I’m washed up. I’m never going to be a Wonderbolt. Happy birthday to me.” “Would that be so bad?” “What?” “I mean, you’ve got a great life here, Dash. Your friends love you. Tank loves you. You’ve stolen the hearts of many a stallion, and I know for a fact at least one mare. Scootaloo worships you. And the weather department couldn’t run—“ “Stop talking Twi. Just stop.” “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—“ “This is my dream. Everypony got theirs but me! Your crown, Rarity’s fashion line, Applejack’s farm, Pinkie’s, well… it’s Pinkie, she’s living her dream already. Even Fluttershy’s got her bucking pets.” “Dash!” “Don’t ‘Dash’ me, Princess. You’ve gotten everything you wanted out of life. So has everypony else around here. I just want what’s mine, and now, it’s not going to happen. Because I’ve spent my prime years, my fastest years, bumming around with you and everypony else when I could have been—“ “Everypony else? You mean your friends? The ponies you’d never leave hanging?” “Yeah! I stood by you all and what did it get me? A one way ticket to loser city. I’m just going to be another stupid, boring, ordinary weather pony in this stupid town.” “Dash, this isn’t you. You love Ponyville. Don’t you remember what happened at the Wonderbolt Academy? The choice you made?” “I chose wrong, Twilight. I should have stayed.” “That hurts, Dash.” “Look, I’m- I gotta go. I’m all messed up. Sorry. I’m just gonna go fly around or something.” “Pinkie’s got a surprise party planned for you, you know. She got me to cast the cloud-walking spell on everypony. They’ll be waiting at your house. Fluttershy even made you a cake...” “I can’t. Not right now.” “We love you, Rainbow, no matter what. You know that, right?” “Don’t follow me.” Her spirit was willing, but biology and physics would not be ignored. They caught up with her, fast. Her muscles had nothing left for one last push, leaving her less of a high-speed flier and more a fast-dropping sack of fur and feathers. Her wind speed and velocity, while not fast enough to create a sonic rainboom, were fast enough to make it too hard to pull out of a dive. Dash fell. It felt a heart crying out, and it awoke. There was a new pony. Brave beyond brave and rash beyond rash, flying. No, falling. Still trying, anyway. It watched. She screamed as she tried to flap her wings. Nopony could hear her, as she was plummeting through the sky in a deserted mountain range, but that wasn't important. She kept sending orders to her muscles, and they did nothing. Her legs were shot. Her arms had almost nothing. Her wings were working, but just barely. She decided if she couldn't stop, maybe she could glide her way out of it. Tentatively reaching out her wings, she tried to adjust her direction. Feather by feather, it started to work. She was shifting the fall into a dive, and a dive meant control. She angled her wings up ever so slightly. The wind caught, and her descent slowed a bit. Carefully, she leaned her head and arms up. Still diving but slowing, she prepared her legs for one last kick to start ascending. A gust of wind hit from the side, and pain jolted through her wings as they blew out. Flexing brought the clear understanding that something was broken. Whipping around at the will of gravity and the winds, black clouds started to swim through her vision. Then her brain, her torturous brain that never let her forget any mistake or failing reminded her: This is no one's fault but your own. The mental blow somehow doubled her physical pain. Dash looked down. Her vision was dimming, shock overtaking her senses, and it occurred to her for the first time that she was actually going to die. She had about twenty seconds, and she was not afraid. She was angry. Dash shrieked. It heard her scream. It felt her heartbreak. It decided it was time to try again. It opened up and let her fall into its world. Wet. It was the next thing Rainbow Dash remembered. Her body was soaked through, and her back legs were still in some kind of water. Then she felt the pain. Everything ached. Which wasn’t right. Her body was aching with pain, when it should have been screaming. This was day-after pain, the pain you get from exerting too much, sleeping all day and then trying to move. It was harsh, but survivable. Based on how fast she was falling, and from how high… I should be dead. She opened her eyes and looked around. She was lying on some kind of beach, not immediately recognizable to her. Everything was dark, except for the stars above. She stood up, tried to shake off the wetness, and then— She paused. She looked up at the stars again, and realized they were very far away, and there appeared to be a dark ring surrounding them. Then she looked down at her wet hooves, and the source of the water dripping off of them. This was a lake. An underground lake. And the stars, her way out, appeared to be very far away indeed. What was this place? How was she going to get out of it? Experimenting with her wings resulted in a mild wave of pain and nausea. They were still in pretty bad shape, but didn’t seem to be broken now. She could fly a little, maybe hover, but she wasn’t getting out of here without rest. Great. I should be resting up for tomorrow, not— Her mind froze. Tomorrow. Even if she could get out of here by then, the odds of her being in any kind of flying shape tomorrow were close to zero. She sank back to the ground, realizing that while her being alive was probably a miracle, her dream of being a Wonderbolt was, in fact, dead. This was her last chance, and she was going to spend it at the bottom of a hole until she could fly out of it. Dash didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It was all so absurd. She stared at the water lapping up on the shore. While she was indeed deep down, the light from the stars was bright enough so that she could see her reflection. It didn’t make sense. Where was the light coming from? Blue pegasus, rise. Her head snapped up. The voice was loud and formal, bigger than Princess Luna’s royal Canterlot voice. It was neutral in tone but overpowering in volume. And where was it coming from? Golden light filled the cave. She could now see that the cavern was a giant circle, and the lake was a thick line cutting it in two. There was one path out: a tunnel at the opposite end of the lake, where the light was brightest. There was not, however, a path around or through the lake. It looked quite deep. After a moment, the source of the light appeared in the mouth of the tunnel. Dash wished Twilight was here to tell her what she was seeing. No doubt there was some egghead magic term for the thing floating on the other side of the lake. It looked sort of like ball lightning, but not like any she’d ever seen, sparkling and electric, a yellow fireball about the size of a pony’s head. It had sped towards her before she realized it, and stopped right in front of her. It floated over the water for a moment. Rise, and follow. Was she dreaming? It was the only sane explanation for everything since her fall. She looked at the ball, unsure if it could look back. It had no mouth or eyes. But she couldn’t shake the feeling it was staring right at her, if not right through her. She stood up. “Where?” Follow. It started floating away, across the lake. She frowned and shouted, “Hey, genius! There’s no way across!” The orb stopped. Do you not have wings? “Well… yeah. So?” Make a path. The orb continued over the water. Dash swore. Given the distance, it was perhaps the longest, most tiring and embarrassing flight of her life. She was trying her hardest, but for the strangeness of the dream, the exhaustion was very real. All the while, the orb floated silently, waiting for her on the other side. After five minutes of panting and high-effort low-output flapping, she finally landed on the other side of the lake. “Now what,” she wheezed. The orb remained still, as if regarding her. Follow. She followed. Half an hour later, she was starting to regret it. After the latest climb up a rather long stairway, she whined, “Look, buddy, are we close?” Time is not important. Only the journey matters. Dash rolled her eyes. The orb had given a lot of these types of answers. The orb led her deeper into the cave, up and down different paths and stairways, past statues, bizarre rock formations, and even piles of treasure. Every question she had was met with vague promises of the answers being at the end. Dash decided to just keep her mouth shut for the rest of the ‘journey’ that supposedly ‘mattered.’ The treasure had been getting stranger as they went along. After a dragon’s trove of gold bits and raw gems, next came jewels that were polished and shaped: apples, stars, balloons, diamonds. She stopped at a beautiful pink diamond butterfly, entranced. The orb stopped as well. Do you desire this bauble? “Can I have it? I mean, not for me, but I know somepony who would really appreciate it.” Dash looked away, a light blush on her cheeks. It will surely make a suitable gift for your desired mate. The blush was now deep and fast. “Hey! Who said anything about a m— about that?!” If it is your heart’s true desire, you may have it. “Really? Awesome! I’ll totally pay you back. I make decent pay, but I don't have any bits on me." You may have it for nothing. Red flags went up in her mind. “What’s the catch?” Only that your journey ends here. Take your jewel and go. Dash was getting mad. “Oh yeah? And what if I take it and follow you anyway?” The way forward will close. The way back will open. She blinked, then looked behind her, and realized that there was no way back. Though she had been walking for a long time, the path behind her was a dead end. There was only the way forward. A wave of anger went through her, but left as fast as it came. It was pointless. Dream or real, she wasn’t in charge here. It was a standoff. Dash took another look at the butterfly, then dramatically flipped her mane and looked away. “Whatever. It’s just a stupid butterfly. Let’s get this over with.” Follow. “That’s it. I’m not going another step until you tell me what the heck is going on.” It was a half hour later. There had been more treasures, more statutes, and she was done. We are here. The orb vanished. She looked around. It was a room much like the one she had started in, only instead of a lake, there was a tiny pool in the center of the room, and in the center of the pool, a pedestal. On the pedestal, a glittering stone hovered. A bright golden light was coming out from the middle of it, and it was blinding. Approach. Dash squinted, unable to keep her eyes on the stone for more than a few seconds without looking away. It was too bright. Dash tried to step forward, but was practically blind. “Any way you can, uh, turn it down some?” Very well. Though her eyes were closed, she felt the light dim. She opened them, and found a mist had wrapped itself around the room. It was still bright enough to see, but the fog dimmed things to a tolerable level. You have been tested. You have passed. You have proved your endurance, your patience and your ability to withstand temptation. “Tested? What? Who are you?” I have not found you wanting in any area, although perhaps you should refrain from complaining quite so much. She snorted. “Well maybe you shouldn’t be quite so mysterious and answer a question now and then. Like who are you?” A White pegasus once named me Proteus. You may use that name as well as any other. Dash groaned. “Proteus? Really?” She sighed. “Alright, ‘Proteus’, what’s up?” I felt you falling from the sky because you dared too far. You refused to die quietly. I decided to intervene. Dash felt the color drain out of her. “You, uh, saw that?” Such bravery is rare. And that, Blue pegasus, is why I have saved your life. Silence. Dash’s throat felt very thick. “Thanks?” Gratitude is not important. What is important is your heart, and what it desires. Dash blinked. “I’m sorry, I’m lost.” The reason you were pushing yourself further than was safe or sane. Why you were trying to achieve a top speed, knowing full well you were weak. The light was getting brighter. What your heart truly desires, Blue pegasus. If you wish it, I can grant it. She lit up. “Really? Any wish? You’re like a genie?” Only for the worthy. One wish, to make your desire real. “Ohmigosh Ohmigosh Ohmigosh…” Dash was a little filly all over again, hopping up and down. “A wish, a wish, I could have anything!” She stopped. “Wait. What do I want? How was I supposed to know this would ever be an actual situation?” The voice’s tone was always level, but if Dash had been paying more attention, she might have heard some confusion in it. Truly? You do not know? You almost died trying to achieve it less than a few hours ago. Dash waved a hoof. “Nah, I’ve done the Sonic Rainboom. Not lately, but I’ve done it.” Why did you fail, when it is something you have achieved before? She frowned. “My Doc says no matter how hard I train, this is as fast as I'm going to get… that I’m too old. 'Ponies slow down', or some kind of crud. Which is ridiculous! I’m only been out of school like, what, five years?” Ponies grow old, they die. The heart wants the moon, but the wings only deliver the sky. Most ponies are content with that, as they discover love, friendship and parenting. “Horsefeathers! I'm the best flier in Equestria because I bust my chops everyday! It’s not fair that just because I waited a year or two, I can’t be a Wonderbolt!” Dash felt tears coming. “It’s not fair!” You could settle for an ordinary life, but I suspect you were meant for something different. “Different?” Something better. Something special. “Yeah! I’m supposed to be a Wonderbolt!” There was a pause. The confused tone returned. Have I slept too long? Have ponies traded dreams of the moon and the stars for a mere uniform and rank? Dash backed up a step. The tone had turned nasty. If that is all you wish, then very well. A Wonderbolt you shall be, and that is all. Dash spoke up, “Wait! You... you’re right. Even if they didn’t know I got it by wishing, I’d know. I want to earn it.” She kicked at the ground. “And even if I got it just cause of some stupid wish, I’d blow the next test. They time you twice a year. If you slow down too much, you’re out. I’m just going to get slower and slower, and that—“ She stopped. It clicked in her head. It was so simple. “I got it.” Speak. Dash closed her eyes, and cleared her head. “I want to be faster.” Strange sounds emanated from the mist, a low level of rumbling. You wish to be the fastest pony in all of Equestria? Truly the fastest? She hesitated. “I don’t want to just, like, win a race because I wished it. That’ll get old real quick. I want to compete, and I want to win, but fair and square.” And is this not… unfair? The advantage you seek? “I work harder than anypony else at flying, and that’s not changing. But it’s bucked up that I can work hard and just maintain my speed, or see it slip. It’s not fair.” She sighed. “Life isn’t fair. My wish is just for it to befair. If I get stronger, fly better, and try harder, it’s only fair that I get faster. Not slower.” The sounds continued, and the glow intensified. Make no mistake, Blue pegasus. The price you pay will be steep. “I thought you didn’t want my money?” We are not discussing price. We are discussing what it will cost you. The riddles were shredding Dash’s nerves. "And what is it, my soul? I’ve had this dream before.” There was a pause. I don't presume to tell you how to interpret your dreams, but I am real, and I have been doing this a long time. The cave suddenly filled with light, and Dash was momentarily blinded. I was real when a young pegasus asked to be the sun so many years ago. Dash felt light all around her. She tried to open her eyes. The harsh light was now replaced by gentle sunshine. She was in the middle of a field on a sunny day. The warm rays of Celestia's sun washed over face and back, and she almost purred at the touch. She closed her eyes, taking in the warmth. Her sister followed. She wanted to be the moon. Suddenly as it had come, the light vanished. Dash felt the grass under her hooves turn somehow soft and yet hard at the same time. She opened her eyes. The moon and its tiny bright companions lit up the sky, and Dash felt the wind sweep past her. She shivered as she saw the desert stretch out for miles around her. The warmth had been replaced by bitter cold, but she could not deny the stark beauty of the desert ocean and its shifting sands. The cave suddenly filled with white light, and Dash was momentarily blinded again. Once the light faded, Dash felt the grass under feet turn somehow back to rock. She opened her eyes. They were back in the cave. “Let me get this straight. You gave Luna and Celestia their powers?” I have been here a long, long time. They were my greatest successes. Others... did not turn out so well. The light in the cave went away and there was nothing but darkness, followed by a sickly green glow. You asked about a soul. I have never seen or held such a thing. But your request might take you beyond the lifetimes of your friends and family. There is no other way. And for some, that is too long. Black skeletal structures stretched everywhere, with green slime oozing out of sinewy bags that were hung from the ceiling. A young unicorn said she wanted love— all the love in the world. She wanted to drown in it, to eat, sleep and breathe it. Her wish was granted, but was this her dream? A young unicorn stallion ran past Dash, breathless. "No, please, no..." Chrysalis flew around the bend, a hungry smile on her face. "But dear,” came her sickeningly sweet voice, “I love you... " "Stop right there!" Dash snarled, and jumped in front of the changeling queen. Chrysalis didn't stop. Instead, the queen went right through Dash, and pounced on the unicorn colt. Dash turned, dumbfounded. While she could feel the muggy dampness of the cave, Chrysalis's rampaging body had passed through her like she wasn’t real. "What gives?" These are shadows, things that have already been and cannot be changed. "I don't know you! I've done nothing to you, please! I have a family, two little ones..." "Oh I know, Right Hoof. Your little ones and your stallion at home. How could I forget? You chose him over me, remember? Of course no mare could have competed with him, in your eyes." Chrysalis leaned over and licked her lips. "Crystal?" Right Hoof croaked. "Is that you?" She shook her head. "Chrysalis. I am now a queen." She hesitated, closing her eyes, "I would have made you so happy, Right Hoof. I would have done anything for you." Her eyes opened again, and Dash was shocked to see how soft they were. "Crystal... If I hurt you, I can't apologize enough. You disappeared halfway through the night. We, we thought you were dead. Please, if I can make it up to you, I will. I just want to go home to my family." "Oh yes. Your stallion, Starbuck. And your two foals." She got closer, her eyes now void of all gentle nature. "Please, whatever you want—I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry, whatever I did. My little ones..." "Aren't you going to help him?" Dash demanded. These events happened long ago. "What do you want?" said Right Hoof. "Your family..." Chrysalis put her hooves on Right Hoof's shoulder, and he writhed in pain. This stallion is already dead. "Tell me how much you love them." Her eyes flashed green, and Right Hoof's eyes went wide, and green energy started flowing out of him. There was no sound, just a long sigh. "Stop!" Rainbow screamed. "No more! I want to go home!" The muggy feeling was gone. Dash spun around, and realized she was back in the cave. The glowing stone lay in front of her. There are rewards. There are risks. "Risks? Risks! Chrysalis is like the most evil creature there is, besides Sombra! You’re saying I’m going to become like her?!" I am saying that all I do is grant the wish. You will become faster, faster than any pony in Equestria, if you commit yourself. You will live as long as you have the drive to fly. You will be remembered. Remembered for what? That is up to you. Dash shook her head, “She’s a monster. I don’t want to be a monster, I just want to be the best.” Perhaps I misjudged you. Very well. There are joys in anonymity as well. Good luck to you. "No, wait!" Dash darted forward, hurtling through the cloud. The light was getting dimmer. “I didn’t say for sure yet!” Then decide, blue pegasus! Choose your path. She thought hard. Her test tomorrow. The disappointed looks on her friends’ faces when she failed again. A life of managing the weather in this small town. A family, maybe? Foals yukking up on her. A long, boring life, never having truly tasted the sky, while the others went on to royalty, fame and fortune. She looked up at the stone with a hard glint in her eye. "I want to be faster." This is your final choice? Dash nodded. So be it. A flash came, brighter than anything, blinding. There was a roar, and she felt a cold wave wash over her body, like a freak blizzard. Then, nothing. Dash opened her eyes. The flash was gone, the cold was gone, and all that was left was the glow of the mist in front of her. It is done. "That's it?" I have given you what you asked for. You are, most certainly, 'faster'. Dash hesitated, closing her eyes to focus on her body. She felt less tired, but that was really no different from before she had asked Proteus to grant her wish. She opened her eyes and looked at her legs, glancing at her cutie mark. Still Rainbow Dash. Out of desperation, she lifted one of her hooves and looked underneath it. I feel your doubt. "I just don't feel any different." You are not the pony you were. The physical manifestations will not occur until later, once the transformation is complete. She shrugged. "Okay." The mist shifted, and Dash felt the temperature starting to rise. Do you require a demonstration? Very well. The mist started glowing a bright yellow and orange. Warmth flowed in the air, and a guttural sound grew from the silence. The orange mist became red, and the walls started shaking. Dash backed up a step. Something Proteus said chose an inopportune time to jump to the front of her mind. "Wait, what did you mean, physical—" Suddenly the mist dissipated and there was just flame. She had only seen an actual fireball a few times in her life, but now she was seeing another. Fly, blue pegasus! Dash turned tail and did just that. Thankfully, the trickery from before had evaporated, and there were tunnels everywhere. The problem was, most of them were on fire. She took any available route that was not engulfed in flame. Up, down, left, right, bobbing and ascending, any path that didn't start with hot death. She zoomed past statues crumbling in the heat, her muscles screaming at her as she committed every available ounce of energy towards survival. She flew on. Clarity came to her. Usually at this speed her brain would be focused on beating a record or saving another pony in danger, some one thing to focus on that wasn't just her. This time the only thing at stake was her life. She was no fan of irony, but there was a smile sneaking in on her stretched grimace of a face. The fire was getting closer. It was a losing gamble. She was going to die because she said yes to some stupid voice in a cave. Something in her back leg gave out, and she felt that recent familiar chill of slowing down. She wasn't completely spent, but her future was locking into place. At the next corner or bend, she wouldn't be able to make the turn. She'd hit the wall. The fire would win the race. At least nopony else would get hurt. Nopony else gets hurt? Really? How's Pinkie going to take this? A shard of ice went through heart. Remember how sad she was when she thought you all abandoned her? Talking to a rock and a bag of flour? Now imagine her at your funeral. Of course, that's if there is a funeral. If you fall behind now, there's not going to be a body. You think Twilight's going to give up until they find it? Another cold stab went through her. Dash suddenly despised her new-found mental clarity. You thought that Smarty Pants incident was something, wait until that egghead tries to spend all of her energy trying to find your stupid corpse. That's on you, Dash. She gritted her teeth, and focused on the next turn. She's not going to go alone, either. Rarity will help, because that's how she is, especially after you saved her that one time. She'll go to the ends of Equestria with Twilight to find you, if need be. In fact, she'll probably want to find you so bad that she'll end up making the same dumb deal you did. She wanted to scream stopstopstopPLEASEshutup, but her actual muscles refused to be used for anything but propulsion. No emotion would be allowed to override the need to move, and the use of all energy towards that end. The flames from the cave licked at her hooves, as if trying to focus her attention. Applejack will act strong of course, but she'll be devastated. She'll try to be the shoulder to cry on for all of them. Celestia help her for dealing with those three kids, though... her sister and Rarity's sister and Scootaloo. Poor Scootaloo. What's that poor filly going to do? What about Tank? She squinted at the path ahead as the walls themselves started crumbling. Impossibly, there was light at the end of the tunnel. Traces of smoke reached her nose, the scent of singed hair and approaching death. Fluttershy. That word brought a fire inside her that suddenly melted all of the ice that had been stabbing her heart.The light was closer. So was the ceiling. It was collapsing. She willed herself forward. You'll never get to tell her. The light was dimming as there was more rock than air. Somehow, she saw a path through the debris. She’ll never know how much she means to you. If she could just get a last boost of speed... You're going to die. She reached down deep, like she had earlier, for one last push... Because in the end, Dash, you were just too slow. She didn't find it, but something else was happening. A wave of cold shot through her body. She felt her hooves turn to ice, then somehow they weren't in pain anymore. —too slow— She found it. One last burst of energy. Earlier where there was nothing, now came a wave of strength. She broke through the rainboom barrier, the wave of energy pulverizing falling rock. She didn't have to dodge anything, because now there was nothing in her way. Rocketing out of the cave, she burst forth into the cool air that washed away the heat. The air entered her lungs and soothed the tiny burns as the smell of fresh air and clouds filled her nostrils. She heard the cave explode behind her, but didn't look back, couldn't look back. The voice in her head had been silenced by the glorious explosion of color and sound. She kept waiting for her energy to run out but instead, somehow, it was still there. It was dogged, persistent. It wasn't a glass of water, it wasn’t a river, it wasn’t even a waterfall. It was an ocean, endless and everpresent, unable to be drained no matter how much she drank. She drank more. Faster. Clouds zoomed by. Her speed was still rising, but so was her control. She did a loop-the-loop, and laughed like it was her birthday. Which, come to think of it, it was. There was another explosion, and a fresh wave of colors flowed. She’d broken the barrier, again, like it was nothing. She drank again. A cold shiver went through her body. She felt the wave of cold seize over her, focusing on her ears. And she went faster. In fact, she felt like she was about to— There's no way you can keep this up. Her brain found its voice again. You should be dead, or at least, you should be passing out. The wave of cold left her body as it found itself in agreement with her mind. At least the passing out part. She felt all the energy drain from her body, and she began to fall. As she plummeted to earth, two vague thoughts entered her head. The first was, that her hooves, for whatever reason, were covered in bright shiny white-bluish metal. She wasn’t sure why, but they felt incredibly light and looked damn cool. Not that it mattered now. The second was, she thought she could hear a storm brewing to the north, by the Everfree. Which was strange, because a storm wasn’t scheduled for another two weeks. Everything went black. Author's Note This chapter has been re-edited by Sharp Spark.
II: RiseFASTER by Einhander Pre-read and edited by SpaceCommie and Cola Bubble Gum New edits by Sharp Spark Part II: Rise "Are you okay, sugarcube?" "Of course she's not alright, Applejack! Just look at those unsightly bruises!" "Rainbow? Um... can you hear me?" Dash opened her eyes. Three shapes, white, orange and yellow, hovered over her. She looked around, trying to get her bearings. She saw trees and grass, felt rock underneath her. She blinked her eyes a few times, just to make sure the images didn't swim away. She focused. The shapes became her friends. Rarity and Applejack were standing over her with concerned expressions. Fluttershy was sitting close to her, holding back tears. Dash looked down at herself. She was lying on her side in what appeared to be a recently made crater. Then she made the mistake of trying to remember what happened. Her brain filled with jagged memories of a cave on fire, that terrible changeling queen, a voice making a promise, metal hooves and above all: speed. All-encompassing speed. "Guys," she croaked. "I just had the weirdest dream..." Applejack rolled her eyes, turned her head and hollered, "Twilight! We found her!" "Thank goodness!" came a far away voice. "I'm coming!" Fluttershy smiled, even as the tears she had been holding back started leaking out. "Oh my goodness, we were so worried! We've been looking for you since dawn!" "Dawn?" "We waited at your house for— well, for your surprise party, until Twilight spoiled it so it was just a 'party'." Rarity threw a glare at the approaching Twilight. "Then it wasn't much of anything when you never showed up." "Everypony went home, but I stayed. I didn’t want you be alone on your birthday." Fluttershy was shivering. "You never came home. I'm so sorry if I messed up your timing thing yesterday.” Dash smiled weakly. "Nothing to apologize for, Fluttershy." She was trying to process all the information. There was something Fluttershy had said that was troubling her. "Speaking of, where in the hay were you? Glad you're safe, o‘course, but you gave us all a fright." Dash thought. "Honestly, I don't really know. I was flying, and then... stuff.” She shook her head. “It's all bits and pieces.” Fluttershy suddenly lunged forward and hugged her. "I was so worried!" Dash blushed, and for a moment there was nothing but a calming softness. Fluttershy continued, "When you weren't there in the morning, I got everypony to help find you and—" Dash's mind roared back to life and pieced it together. "Morning?! It's tomorrow already?!" She started panicking, shrugging off the hug. "My test! What time is it?" Twilight landed in front of her. "Dash, I'm so happy you're alright. We—" "Yeah yeah, everypony was worried, search party, I'm caught up. What time is it?!" Twilight was taken aback. She paused, then glanced at the sun. "Well, if I'm reading the day correctly, probably... eight o’clock?" Dash clicked her tongue. "The Wonderbolts test is in fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes to get to Cloudsdale." She glanced up at the sky. "I can do this." Twilight frowned. "Rainbow, you've got injuries, burns and you look exhausted. Where were you last night?" Dash blinked again, shaking out her hooves and cracking her neck, and said, "I don't remember where I was, and I don't know about how I look… but honestly, Twi, I've never felt better." She stretched out her wings, pawed at the ground and looked at her friends. "Alright ponies. Gotta fly." Fluttershy fluttered over to her friend. "Good luck and all, but I also just wanted to say, before you go. Um—" "Tell me later, Fluttershy? Right now, I got a uniform to earn." With a kick and a grin, Dash was in the air, calling out, "Don't wait up!" With that, she was gone. They watched her disappear into the horizon in silence. Fluttershy swallowed and whispered, "Happy Birthday, Rainbow Dash." It was that evening. The search party had become a success party, although it was a subdued affair without the rescue-ee. The five ponies sat around a table at Sugarcube Corner, enjoying their desserts and small talk. Then the doors to the shop flew open, and in strutted Rainbow Dash to a chorus of gasps. She was covered from head to just above the hoof in a familiar blue uniform, complete with a yellow streak. Grinning like a foal who had just eaten all the cookies in the cookie jar, she walked up to the biggest booth, which held all of her friends. "Hey Ponyville!" She flicked off her hood to reveal her signature rainbow mane. "How you like me now?" Rarity, Applejack, Twilight, Fluttershy and Pinkie stared, all with various stages of cupcake in their hooves or mouths. Jaws dropped. Eyes bugged out. Fluttershy broke the silence, jumping up from her seat and shouting, "You did it, you did it oh my goodness you did it!" Rainbow waited for her to run out of breath. "Yes. I did it. Rainbow Dash: Wonderbolt. Goodbye Academy, hello career!" The rest of her friends followed Fluttershy's lead. "Magnificent, darling!" "Proud of ya!" "I'm thrilled for you, Rainbow!" "LET'S PARTY LIKE IT'S YESTERDAY WHEN WE ACTUALLY WANTED TO THROW A PARTY!" It got real quiet. Pinkie looked around at horrified faces. "What?" "Pinkie, that’s not very nice!" Twilight hissed. "Why? We all wanted to throw a party for Rainbow yesterday, but she was a no-show, and then we spent all morning looking for her, and now she's here with super great news so it's time for a do-over!" They all turned to look at Dash, who was blushing. "She's right. I skipped my own party. I wasn't in a good place. But now..." She looked at them, hopefully. "I'd really like to celebrate with my best friends." Dash found herself overwhelmed with hugs, followed by confetti from Pinkie’s party cannon. She let out a whoop and the merry-making got started. Now, that was a party. Dash stepped out of the bathroom, as Rarity had forced her to take off her uniform after Pinkie's super surprise ice cream sundae surprised everypony by exploding (“That was the surprise, silly!”). Dash was in too good a mood to let whipped cream and chocolate ruin her day, but Rarity was having none of it. ("You MUST take it off and bring it to my boutique immediately. We have a narrow window to save this gorgeous uniform!") She closed the door behind her and found Rarity staring at her once more. "Rainbow Dash! Why didn't you tell me?" "What?" Dash followed her gaze down to her hooves. Sure enough, each of Dash’s hooves had a band of metal around it, shiny white with a slight blue tinge. Dash stared at them and realized that at least part of her crazy dream was true. She looked up and saw Applejack, Fluttershy and Twilight joining Rarity in the staring contest. Dash cringed. Horseapples. How did I not notice them until now? "Well, well." Applejack's expression was smugness wrapped in a knowing glance. "Metal plated hooves. Some pony had a wild night in Manehattan last night, didn't ya?" Dash exhaled, rubbing the back of her neck. "Yeah... I think that is what happened." "Tres chic, darling. Rarity approves." "Tray sheik? What?” Rarity rolled her eyes. "It means that Dash finally figured out how to accessorize." Fluttershy cooed. "I think they're beautiful." Twilight was frowning now. "I thought you'd never get shoes, because they'd slow you down." "As you can see, Twi,” she pointed to her uniform, “these ones don't." "But—" The clock tolled ten o'clock. "Okay, cool party, but, I’m out guys!” Rainbow headed for the door, glad for the excuse. "Gotta wash this uniform and get some Z's." "Worry not, darling." Rarity took the uniform out of her hooves. "I will take care of everything. I would say you have earned a rest. As far as I'm concerned, it's still your birthday." "Oh, shoot!" Fluttershy gasped. "Um... Rainbow, please don't, um, could you just wait here?" She vanished into the kitchen. The four remaining ponies stared at one another. "Anypony know what that was about?" Dash asked. Rarity nodded at Applejack, who smiled and winked back. “Dash, why don’t ya see if Fluttershy needs any help?” “Help with what?” Applejack nudged Dash along. “Just… check on her, sugarcube.” “Alright, alright!” Dash fluttered her wings. “I’m going.” Rarity was pulling Twilight towards the front door. “Twilight, let’s leave them be.” “Leave what who be? I don’t understand, I thought we still had Fluttershy’s ca—” there was more frantic whispering in her ear. “—oh.” “Yes, darling. ‘Oh.’” Dash opened the door to the the kitchen quietly, and stopped as she saw Fluttershy bending over in front of her. Fluttershy had her back to the door, desperately trying to salvage her cake. It had cyan frosting, with lots of little rainbows drawn on the surface. And it was tipping over. “C’mon, c’mon…” Dash blushed and looked away. Then she heard a dull, wet thud. She turned back to see the cake on the floor, and a shaking Fluttershy. “Oh… oh… sugar!” It was the most adorable swear that Dash had ever heard. A shiver went down her spine, and she had that same cold clarity from the previous night. She knew what she wanted. She remembered what she had wanted to say from the night before, and she was acutely aware that time was passing her by. Every second she didn’t say it was a waste. “Fluttershy.” Her friend turned, and immediately hid behind her mane. “Oh, Dash, your cake. I’m sorry, I wanted to— ” “Fluttershy, listen to me.” Dash walked closer and stared her in the eye. “I almost died last night. I was almost devoured by flame. You know what I couldn’t help thinking?” “Devoured by flame?” Fluttershy gasped. “Where in Manehatten did you—” Dash swept her off her hooves and her question was swallowed up in a kiss. Fluttershy gasped in surprise, then melted into Dash’s embrace. When Dash let her go, her yellow coat was practically orange, she was blushing so hard. Fluttershy was practically panting. “Oh my goodness.” “Shy,” said Dash softly, “I like you. Like, I like like you. I’ve wanted to tell you for years.” Fluttershy blushed harder, looking away but daring to smile just a little. She wasn’t responding, but she didn’t back away, either. After a moment, Dash said, a little impatiently, “So… how do you feel about me?” “Oh, Dash. I’ve always like-liked you…” She gently nuzzled Rainbow’s neck. “I just could never find the words.” Dash grinned. “Good. Then we just saved ourselves a lot of time.” They kissed. Fluttershy blushed, and tried to hide behind Dash’s mane. She melted from a tight embrace to a mushy one, not letting go but leaning against Dash. And Dash was happy… until her mind asked: Now what? Dash blinked. How long is she going to hold me like this? This is a waste of time. What’s next? She told her mind to shush. It didn’t work. What’s next? Things moved fast from that moment on. They always had for Dash. Now there were no other options. She couldn't stand it otherwise. Her mind wouldn't let her. What's next? It was three months later, and she beat her wings hard, cutting through the air towards Manehattan. She was moving fast enough to be at peace, to quiet her brain from asking the same two word question, over and over. What’s next? Dash shook her head. First, there had been her resignation… "Dash, this is pretty sudden. We—I— always hoped you'd take my job someday. You can't give us two weeks to find a replacement?" "Sorry, chief, but it's the dream job. My dream. You gotta get that." "The Wonderbolts can manage without you. I don't know if we can. We're the weather department, not a cupcake shop." "You'll be fine. I looked ahead, no major storms forecast for two months." "That's not the point." "Look, I'm out the door in an hour. It’s a done deal. I can't waste any more time. Let's part ways as friends. Cool?" "Quite frankly, no. Not cool. I'm not stopping you, but you're our lead weatherpony, and you're quitting with one day’s notice? Forget an hour. There's the door. And Dash?" "Yeah?" "You are leaving Ponyville hanging. Just know that." Her old boss had been a crank, but he wasn’t wrong. The weather really went to nuts after she quit. It wasn’t clear if the Everfree storms had been particularly bad this year, or the new team just stunk. Either way, the weather had become this uncontrolled, barely predictable thing that ponies just had to deal with instead of harnessing. Even today, she had dodged three rogue storms on her way to the city. When she was in charge, that would have been three too many. She spotted the outer boroughs of Manehattan and banked left, looking for a cloud to land on. The gridlock of air traffic during rush hour should have been enough to distract her mind. It wasn't. What's next? She was trying to get Fluttershy those imported Saddle Arabian flowers she loved, the blue ones you could only get in the flower district. Okay. After that? Then she'd fly back in time to make their dinner date for their three month anniversary. After that? What’s next? She snarled, "Then you’ll see when we get there!" "Are you sure you're okay with this? I mean, um, moving in together. It's a big step..." "Look, Shy. We talked about this. I want to be with you. You want to be with me. We want to be together. You can't do your job up in the clouds, but I can from down here. Easy." "I appreciate that, Dashie. I really do. But it doesn't feel right to for you to give up so much—" "Didn’t I just say we talked about it? We're wasting time by living apart. I don't want to miss another moment of our lives together. It’s not like we’re very special someponies or something, we’re just… trying it out. Seeing how it works. No big deal.” “Um… I’m going to need help moving all the furniture.” “Got you covered.” "Dash, I know this may be forward, but, I am excited about...wakingupnexttoyou..." "Can't hear you Shy." "...waking up next to you..." "I know, right? Every day, every moment, is going to be awesome.” "Hee. I love you, Rainbow Dash." "Yo!" Dash rang the bell. "Service!" Nopony came. "Roger, Wilco! Anypony? Hello!?" There was a creak of a door opening, and the wheeze of an old florist pony slowly making his way to the counter. His mane had gone grey, his teeth were false, and his spectacles had spectacles. He looked as old as Celestia, but not nearly as pretty. "Pops! Alright, I placed an order? Butterfly flowers for Rainbow Dash." His voice sounded older than time itself. "The power rain boat crashed? What the blazes is a power rain boat?" She grimaced, looked around the room to find a sign advertising her flower of choice, then held it up in front of the old stallion. "Butterfly flowers,” she said through gritted teeth. “I'm picking up butterfly flowers." "Oh, that's nice, but I only got a few left, and they're being held for a Wonderbolt named Dash." Dash stared down at her uniform. She stared back at the florist. What's next? Dash's eye twitched. "Outstanding work, Dash. Just crackerjack stuff." "Thanks, Soarin’! Just trying to, you know, earn my stripes." "Well you're certainly doing that. Commuting from Ponyville and always on time, don’t know how you do it. Word of advice, though?" "Gosh, I'd be honored. Tell me how to fly better!" "Your flying is fine. Excellent control, near perfect terms, and your speed, just, wow." "Ohmigosh! Sorry, it's still so weird that I get to fly with the Soarin’!" "That's just it. You're supposed to follow, not match, the leader. You're still a rookie, rookie." "Eh heh... sorry. I just get so excited when we fly. It's like the only time I feel relaxed." "I hear ya. But what are you going to do, outrun the wind? Just ease off the throttle a little. You're showing up your fellow rookies." "Come on! We're all here to be the best, right? It's not my problem if they can't keep up!" "You're right, it's mine. And if you ever want the top job, it will be your problem. Follow?" "I guess so.” “The Wonderbolts are a team. If we don't fly together, we fail on our own." Dash thought she deserved a medal for not smashing the flower shop to bits. It had taken a whole seventeen minutes and forty three seconds. After throwing the bits down and grabbing the flowers in her mouth, she flew out of Manehattan as fast as possible. Speed limits were broken, moving violations occurred. Whatever. They couldn’t ticket a pony they couldn’t catch. Thank Celestia she’d already run her first errand before she went to work, otherwise she’d be late for— Uh oh. She looked up as she flew out of the city limits. One of the many skills she had picked up in Wonderbolt training was telling the time by the position of the sun in the sky. And based on the current position, she was late. Buck! She refused to be late. Not tonight. Sure, it was just a three month anniversary, but three months was a lifetime. She didn’t want to waste another second. Especially when the sun was going to set forty three minutes from now, and she was still twenty nine minutes away, based on her current rate of speed. Unacceptable. Tired but unbowed, she kicked it into high gear. A cold wave swept over her body, and a small part of her brain knew it wasn’t the wind, but she didn’t care. Everything seemed so clear. Her mind was at peace. She knew what she wanted. Fluttershy... The flowers in her mouth smelled like jasmine, and at this speed it was like perfume in the air. It smelled like her. But she wanted the real thing, right now. She refused to be late. The cold wave intensified, and her ears felt like ice. Suddenly, pain seized through her, so much so that she reared her head back while hurtling ahead. Then, as suddenly as it came, nothing. The cold left, and her ears felt fine. In fact, she was hearing pretty well. She could hear two more rogue storms from a mile away, and adjusted her path accordingly. Box hidden in her jacket pocket, flowers in her mouth, she dared to look at the sun. It was setting just about… now. Perfect. She knocked on the cottage door. Fluttershy opened and gasped. Dash was in her formal Wonderbolt jacket, with combed-back mane and flowers in her mouth. “Thth arth fth yth.” “I’m sorry?” Dash took the flowers out of her mouth. “These are for you.” “Dash, you look wonderful, but… I thought our reservations were for later? I’m, um. Not ready yet.” “You’re perfect.” Dash smiled, offering her hoof. "Shall we?" Fluttershy frowned. "I know we live together, but I told you to pick me up at eight. This is dating, there are rules." "I just need you to step outside. Just take a sec." Fluttershy hesitated, but Dash looked so adorably eager that she relented and stepped out of their doorway. Dash smiled, leading her by the hoof to a small hill. The sunset was cooperating perfectly. “Remember that day I asked you to be my timekeeper? At sunrise, the day before my test?” Fluttershy blushed and looked down. “I still feel so bad about that… I was off by a whole two seconds!” “No, it was perfect. If that didn’t happen, then who knows if we’d be standing here, watching this sunset…” Fluttershy smiled and snuggled up close to Dash. “It is nice, isn’t it?” There was a warm quiet between them. Dash smiled. Then her ears cocked, and she picked up a storm about a mile away. It would be raining soon. She had to move up the timetable. “Fluttershy, I don’t want to wait any longer.” She knelt in front of Fluttershy, pulling out the box from her jacket and opening it to reveal a pink diamond butterfly necklace. “Fluttershy, will you marry me?” Fluttershy gasped. “Oh my… it’s so…” “Beautiful? I know. I saw it, I thought of you, and then I bought it.” There was a pause as Fluttershy stared at the box. “This is the part where you say, ‘yes’.” “Dash…” Fluttershy was shaking. “This is all happening so fast…” “Isn’t it what you want, Shy? What we’ve always wanted?” Dash took Fluttershy’s hoof. “I like fast. I wantfast. There’s so much wasted time. Let’s not waste any more.” She nuzzled her fiancée-to-be's hoof. “I love you.” Fluttershy hesitated, then swallowed and gave a small smile. “Okay.” “Is that a yes?” “Yes.” The smile grew. “Yes. Yes! Yes! YES!” She hugged Dash, kissing her neck. Dash felt warm up and down her body from Fluttershy’s embrace. She purred into Fluttershy’s mane. “Yes, yes— oh! Dash?” Her new fiancée was staring at the left side of her head. “I didn’t realize you, um, got your ears metal plated too.” Dash reached up and felt her ears. She could still hear—in fact, she could hear perfectly—but it was definitely metal, just like her hooves. “I didn’t notice it before. I also didn’t know that was a thing... ponies were doing now, I guess.” Dash managed a weak smile. “I had a wild night.” She looked away, suddenly self-conscious. “You don’t mind, do you?” Fluttershy almost yelped with happiness, hugging Dash again. “Aww, I didn’t even know you could be shy!” Dash was happy. And terrified. “Enter.” Dash trotted into Celestia’s chambers, hesitant. The princess was sipping tea, at a table on her balcony. “Rainbow Dash, my loyal subject, welcome. I wanted to congratulate you in person on your engagement. Please, sit down.” Dash glumly obeyed, trying not to look Celestia in the eye. She was staring out at the view, frowning. “Have you noticed there is more storm activity in the past three months?” Dash shrugged. Celestia shook her head. “I apologize. Of course, you are a Wonderbolt now, not a weather pony.” The princess put her teacup down. “Twilight told me you had to speak to me right away, but she said you wouldn’t tell her what about.” There was a pause. “If I can be of assistance, I will of course… is there something wrong with your hoof?” Dash looked down, and saw that her hoof was tapping on the ground. She willed it to stop. “I also notice that your hooves… and ears… are metal plated.” Celestia narrowed her eyes. “Dash, what is going on?” “Nothing. Nothing’s going on. Getting hitched. Great job. I’m fine. I’m great. I’m great and fine. ” Dash kept talking at the same pace, but under Celestia’s stern gaze, she wilted. “I’m not great. I’m not even functional. I need help, princess. I don’t know what to do.” “Dash…” Celestia reached out her hoof. “Talk to me. If I can help, I will.” “I just… everypony is just so slow.” “Slow. Like they’re slowing you down?” “No like, it’s like they’re… moving at half speed. Quarter speed. In the grocery story. At restaurants. When Pinkie bakes a pie. When Applejack pours out cider. When Fluttershy does... well, anything. Like they don’t have a care in the world. All those wasted moments.” She rubbed her metal tipped ears. “I only feel at peace when I’m flying now. Otherwise, it’s like I’m in mud or something. Even just now, waiting to see you, it felt like it was taking hours.” Celestia frowned. “I am sure it was only five minutes.” “I know!” She slammed her hooves on the table. “But that’s what it feels like! Even in like, my bedroom, with my alarm clock, I could hear the seconds disappearing. Creeping away from day to day. I could hear them, princess! I could…” She went to grasp her ears, then stopped, returning her hooves to the table. Celestia watched Dash for a moment. “Does the name Proteus mean anything to you, Rainbow Dash?” Dash’s eyes went wide. “How? I didn't even..." "Dash, please. I promise I will help, but you must be honest with me. You met this being, did you not? And he mentioned me, yes?" Dash looked down at her hooves. "He said—well, it, I guess, it said—that it granted a wish for a white pony that wanted to be the sun. And her sister, who wanted to be the moon. I thought it was just bragging." “No, Proteus does not lie. It omits, certainly, but no lies." The princess sighed, her eyes casting to the floor. "My mane wasn’t always like this, you know.” Dash bit her lip. "Did it hurt?" Celestia shrugged. "Physically? No. Emotionally? I lost my sister to madness for a thousand years. Our parents are gone. Starswirl, my trusted student and then adviser, gone. Not a day goes by, even when I am basking in the glow of my Sun and my subjects, that I do not wonder…” She shook her head, closing her eyes. Dash had never felt so low, or selfish. "Jeez, I didn't even... I'm so sorry, princess. You always are so happy and calm, I, I forgot you're a pony too." The princess laughed, although there was little of the usual merriment to it. "We are not here to talk about me. We are here to try to help you. What did you wish for, Rainbow Dash?” The words barely escaped her lips. It seemed so silly now. “I wanted to be faster.” "Faster? Are you not already 'fast'?" "It was my last chance to become a Wonderbolt, and my run times were getting longer and longer. I guess I waited too long to enter the academy, and going from cadet to actual bolt is... well, it's tough and..." Dash felt herself wanting to bolt underneath the princess's gaze, but she pressed on. "It wasn't fair, okay? I was getting older, and slower, even though I was busting my chops! I just wanted to level the playing field, and I told Proteus, I told him, just make it so if I keep working I'll never slow down, never stop-" Celestia's eyes hardened. "You said that? Is that exactly what you said? Going faster forever?" Dash closed her mouth. Her words came back to haunt her. "I work harder than anypony else at flying. It’s bucked up that I can work hard and just maintain my speed, or see it slip. It’s not fair! If I get stronger, fly better, and try harder, it’s only fair that I get faster. Not slower." Argument rose up again in Dash's throat, then died in the face of Celestia's gaze and voice. "Think, Dash. Did the orb not warn you what might happen?" The overpowering words from the orb flashed back into her mind. Your request might take you beyond the lifetimes of your friends and family. There is no other way. And for some, that is too long. The reality, the foolish all-encompassing reality of what had she asked for, settled into Dash's brain. She nodded weakly. Celestia sighed. “Forever is a very long time, Rainbow Dash." Dash forced her mouth to open and seven words came tumbling out. "What's next? What's gonna happen to me?" Celestia said nothing for a moment or two. She cleared her throat. “The metal on your hooves is orichalcum. It is magical, it is powerful, and based on your appearance now, it will spread if you don’t stop this madness. You will be immortal, and ‘faster’, but you will never know the beating of your own heart again. There will be nopony faster than you, but you will be... like me. A pony, but not. Ponies are born, they live, they die. So it will be for your friends, and your future wife. But you won't. That’s how this story ends.” Dash held her head in her hooves. “Stupid glowing rock freak show jerk…” Celestia arched an eyebrow. “Proteus told me the price. I cannot believe you were not told as well.” “Well… yeah, but nopony said I’d become a tin can!” Celestia's lip quivered for a moment, and her brow furrowed. She looked Dash right in her eyes. “Nopony forced us. You chose, Rainbow Dash. So did I. So did Luna. So did—” “Queen Chrysalis. I know.“ Dash stared at her princess. “I think I’ve really bucked up,” she whispered. “Can you help me?" "Perhaps." Celestia leaned back in her chair. “The effects take time, as you can see. They are reversible if you act immediately. But you must do exactly as I say.” Dash's eyes lit up. "Anything, princess. Anything!" "You say that now, my little pony." Celestia sipped her tea. "But it won't be easy." Author's Note I have added just a little bit more than what was entered for the contest.
III: And FollowFASTER by Einhander Pre-read and edited by SpaceCommie and Cola Bubble Gum New edits by Sharp Spark Additional edits by amacita Part III: And Follow Soaking wet, Fluttershy stepped through her cottage doorway to find Dash sobbing on the couch. Fluttershy sprinted over to her. "Rainbow! Did you get caught in the storm too?" "The princess, she..." Fluttershy held her. "It'll be alright, Dash," she cooed. Dash buried her head in pink mane. The pink butterfly she had given Fluttershy pressed against her cheek. "She said I'm..." She couldn't make the truth come out, so she tried half of it. "Sick. She said I'm sick." "Well, um, that's good news." Dash momentarily lost her sadness in confusion. "How?" "Nursing sick creatures back to health is what I do." Dash stared at Fluttershy, who hid a little hopeful smile. "All I have to do is figure out how to cure you, and you will get better." Dash laughed in spite of her nerves, or maybe because of them. "That's just it... I know how to do it, I just don't know if I can." Fluttershy waited, stroking Dash's mane. After a few shuddering breaths, she went on: "I didn't get my ears plated in Manehattan.” Fluttershy stopped stroking her mane. "Or my hooves. It's my condition." She stretched out her front left leg and looked at the metal on her hoof. "The princess says, the more I push myself, the more of my body becomes like, you know, this." Dash felt Fluttershy's body tense up. But it was too late to turn back. "It doesn't hurt, though. In fact, I'm faster, I can hear better. It's like, freaky, I admit, but also, cool?" Silence. She pressed on: "The only way to make it stop or go away is to not push myself. To fly at a 'normal' speed." She sighed, burying her head in Fluttershy's mane again, lost in the smell of jasmine. "In fact, the Princess said the only guarantee that it goes away is for me to not fly at all for awhile." Fluttershy's voice was full of steel. "Then that's what we're going to do." "What?" She pulled away from Dash and looked her in the eyes. "You're going to march into that Spitflame's office, and tell her you’re ill." She stood up and started gesturing. "You’ll say, 'I am sick. I have a note from the princess.' Did she give you a note? Never mind, we'll get Twilight to get it for you. And you're going to say, 'Ma'am, I can't fly until my doctor says I can, so give me a desk job or I quit!'" All was quiet, except for Dash's ragged breathing and the rain outside pounding on the roof. Fluttershy's determination drained away as a new thought washed over her face. "Oh. Do the Wonderbolts even have desk jobs?” "I guess so. Spitfire sits at a desk half the day." Dash shook her head. "I don't know how she can stand it. I know I couldn't." "Rainbow Dash!" She gasped. "You can't be serious!" "I went a week without flying and I almost lost my mind. I can't imagine going for months." She reached out and took Fluttershy's hoof. "I'll slow down at work. I won't push myself, I'll hang back. I promise. Just don't ask me not to fly." Dash had heard about Fluttershy's stare, but she had never actually seen it before. She was seeing it now, two determined eyes boring into her own, and everything else that she was. "You’re sick, Dash. If not flying will make you better, why in Equestria would you not do everything in your power to stop it?" Dash shook her head. "I don't think I’m exactly sick, though. It... I think it's making me better. Stronger." Fluttershy's voice dripped with fire. "Are you listening to yourself? Do you need to look in a mirror? It. Is. Killing. You!" Dash's voice quivered. "I'll slow down. I'll take less flights. I promise, less flying, as little as I can, but—don't make me stop flying." She hugged Fluttershy fiercely. "Don't ask me to stop flying.” "Rainbow—" “Don’t ask me to stop flying.” "Well?" "Hold on." The clock ticked onward as Dash sat still in the Library, with Twilight hovering around her and making notes. "I've been really good this week." "We'll see." Rain pelted the roof above them, and made for a gentle soundtrack of soft thumps as Twilight floated measuring tape up to each side of Dash's metal ear. ".... Well?!" Twilight frowned. "I just started measuring, Rainbow." Dash huffed and turned her eyes toward the ceiling. She'd learned the hard way not to turn her head, as it would destroy the entire measuring process. She was stubborn, but Twilight could be more stubborn in her role as doctor. After a few weeks of failed appointments, Dash learned to control her impulses for the five crucial minutes it took Twilight to determine how much of the metal had receded from her ears. But that didn't mean she had to be quiet about it. "This isn't magical physics, Twi." "You're right." Twilight glanced down at her scroll. "It's much harder than that. Hush." Dash groaned without moving her head, a trick she'd picked up in the past few weeks. "Did I tell you? Fluttershy wants to ask you to be a bridesmaid, but she's too, um. Shy." "Rarity's all over it. Don't you worry, I said yes without her having to ask." "Good." Small talk exhausted, Dash tried to find her inner calm. It was only three and a half more minutes, but she felt each and every of the two hundred ten seconds. Finally, Twilight nodded her head and smiled. “All done!” Dash cracked her neck and stretched her wings. “So?” “Well, I think it’s good news.” Her eyes were big and she practically glowed with hope as she leaned into to Twilight. “And?” “The metal’s gone down seven percent from last time!” There was only silence, punctuated by the increased rain falling on the windows as Dash stared at her friend. “Seven percent?” Her voice was so flat it was barely a question. “C’mon, Dash, it was five percent last week. You gotta take your wins where you can find—” She was interrupted by a scream, as Dash took off from the ground and bellowed to the skies in frustration. “WHY IS THIS TAKING SO—” Except in her current situation, the sky was a very real roof, which she slammed into and fell back to the ground with a thud. Books and papers flew around as Twilight jumped to get out of the way. Twilight breathed heavily as she tried to get her heart back to a normal rate. “You can’t. Keep. Doing this.” Dash’s breathing was low and shallow. She said nothing in reply. Twilight pressed on. “I know it’s frustrating. But. This isn’t the way.” “You don’t know.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Okay, so I can’t empathize, exactly, but I can sympathize. I can imagine how you feel.” "Imagine, huh?" Dash stood and looked up to the second story where Twilight’s bed was. The rain slammed against the window in waves. “Twi, what do you see?” Twilight followed Rainbow's glance. “An unplanned storm. Probably from the Everfree. They’ve been happening more and more.” Dash was silent. She turned and opened the front door, standing in the frame. The wind howled in, and the rain began to splash up on her hooves. “How about now?” Twilight got closer. She looked up and down. “It’s a lot of rain, Dash. And other than you getting it in my house, I don’t—” “I can see every drop.” Dash sounded strangely cold. “I feel, I smell, I hear, I see every individual bit of water hit the ground. That’s how my mind works now.” The words and weather hung in the air. A shiver ran through Twilight. “Because you’re trying to slow down?” Dash shook her head. “No, that’s just normal. That’s every moment I’m not flying. The only way it feels like rain—real rain, the kind you, I don’t know, run to avoid or dance in if you’re Pinkie—is if I go fast.” Twilight’s face was neutral. “What does it feel like then?” It was Dash’s turn to shiver. “Better than anything. Better than a sonic rainboom. It’s like a path carves out just for me.” Twilight bit her lip. “What does it feel like now?” She turned to her friend. “Like I’m drowning.” With a small, sad smile, Dash walked out into the rain. Twilight called after her. “Aren’t you going to fly home?” She shrugged. “Can’t. Doctor’s orders.” “Hey!" Twilight shouted. "Can I at least give you an umbrella?” Dash stopped to look up at the skies, then slunk her head back down and walked away without another word. Dash stood in front of the door to Spitfire's office, adjusting her collar. She took a breath, sighed and knocked. "Enter." She opened the door and walked in. Spitfire was at her desk, reviewing a file. Dash closed the door and stood, expectant. "Have a seat." Spitfire didn't look up or say anything more, so Dash did just that. A full minute of silence ticked by. Dash could feel every second. In fact, she could hear it. She could also hear her muscles straining to stop her hoof from tapping on the ground. Finally, Spitfire broke the stalemate. "I've got your speed run times here." "Ma'am?" "In all my years, I've never seen anything like it." Spitfire licked her hoof, and flipped through the file. "Three months ago, all steady improvement. Better times, increased control. Not one bad thing to say about you, other than a tendency to go too fast.. Then, the week after your engagement—congrats by the way—everything slows down. Flatlining. Dipping, even. Today, your times were... unacceptable." Spitfire looked up. "Explain yourself." There was a pause. Dash, shifted in her seat, miserably. “Doctor’s orders, ma’am. Have to… ease off the throttle, as Soarin put it.” Spitfire arched an eyebrow. "Are you injured? Or sick? I don’t have any reports.” “It’s not… it’s sort of a grey area. But I can’t push myself too much, or fly too fast for awhile.” “Well, whatever a ‘grey area’ is, this isn’t going to cut it.” Spitfire shook her head, “You were on track to be Canterlot Team Leader. Now, you’re on a track for… well, middle of the pack, I suppose.” Dash blinked and rubbed her face. "Oh." She suddenly felt very tired. The voices in her head were pushing at her to fly, to go, to move, and she couldn’t focus. "'Oh?'" Spitfire repeated. Then she leaned over and glanced down at Dash’s hooves. One of them was tapping. "Am I boring you, Ms. Dash? "If I may, ma'am, if I’m not cut out for this, maybe you should just let me go? Or I can just quit. Whichever.” Spitfire sat back, dumbfounded. “Just like that? Are you feeling alright?” Dash looked down at her tapping hoof that would not stop as her mind reached critical mass. What’s next? C’mon, just get out of here. Go. Leave. You don’t need this. Go. Fly. Fly. Fly. “No,” she finally said. “No, I’m not.” Spitfire stared at her for what felt like forever. Dash had nothing more to offer. Finally, Spitfire closed the file and crossed her hooves, staring at Dash. “Your uniform isn't just for faster speed and safe flying. It's who we are, and what we hope to accomplish." Dash said nothing. Spitfire continued. "You once told me being a Wonderbolt was your dream. You need to seriously consider if this is your dream anymore. But not like this." She stood up from her chair. "I refuse to accept your resignation, at least for now.” She walked around her desk and headed for the door. “Take the weekend off and get your head straight.” Dash followed, rubbing her head. "Yes ma'am. I just need to... fly on my own for a bit." “Don't fly. Think." “I can only think when I fly.” "Then fly.” Spitfire opened the door. “A massive storm system is incoming. We've grounded all runs for the next two days, starting tomorrow. Then come back and tell me what you are prepared to do." Dash hesitated at the door. “Do?” "Where you want to go. Forward or backward, you can’t stay here." She had taken off her uniform and put it in her saddle bag. She wasn't sure if she'd be wearing it again, and she wanted to get used to flying without it. Dash flew home, feeling naked as the air. But not as fast she could have, or wanted to. What is this? Why are you moving so slow? She gritted her teeth. Usually this speed would quiet the voices. Not this time. Your pet tortoise is faster than this. And you know it. What’s next? She could see storm clouds rolling in from the Everfree. Spitfire was right, nopony should be flying after sunset. Why didn’t the weather team deal with it? Or at least send out warnings? Faster. Must go faster. Dash felt hot and cold all through her body, rage combined with the chill of increased speed. She knew she shouldn’t. She promised Fluttershy. She— Go. Her eyes caught a rogue storm cloud ahead. She started to change direction— Go! She screamed, “Alright, fine! You wanna go?!” She pulled herself back on course for the storm cloud. The chill overpowered her anger. “Let’s see if this’ll shut you up!” GO! She hit the storm cloud like a freight train, and it exploded. The impact threw her spinning through the air, and the lightning hit her on her right side, from her eye on down. Electricity ran through her body. But she didn’t feel pain. She felt alive. Dash stumbled in through the door, wind howling. Her whole face and body was burning up, but half with heat, and half with cold. She felt drunk. And pain. And… ecstasy. “Rainbow, please close the door!” Fluttershy’s voice sang from the kitchen. “I’m trying to keep the wind out, the little critters are all soaked from the storm!” Dash was able to process enough information to close the door, then turned around. Most of the creatures that Fluttershy had ever cared for were in her cottage, and she had all of their attention. Some were baring their teeth. Some were cowering. Some simply gaped. But they were all looking at her. “Hey… hey guys.” Dash croaked, uneasy. Her voice was sounding weird. “Some storm, huh?” A few growls and whimpers was all she got in response. She looked with her right eye, and instantly determined there were five snakes, four skunks, a warren of rabbits, a duck and an eagle all in the room. Then she wondered how she knew that, or why she was so sure of the information. She shook her head. Taking a step forward, the animals scattered to get out of her way. She had to lie down. This was too weird. She tried to fold her wings, and felt an odd coldness against her coat. She turns to see that it was because her metal wing was rubbing against her flesh. When did her right wing turn metal? “I made some hot cocoa, do you—” Fluttershy screamed and dropped the tray. “Dash! What happened to you?” “What are you talking about?” she asked. There, again. Her voice didn’t sound right. It had a strange rasp. “Look!” Fluttershy grabbed a mirror and held it up to Dash. Most of the right side of her face was… the same metal as her hooves. And her right eye was now a series of metal circles, with a red glowing orb where her magenta eye used to be. It wasn’t just her face. All up and down the right side of her body, metal had replaced flesh haphazardly like a paint splash. Beads of sweat were rolling down the parts that were still flesh, only to cool in an instant on the metal. “You’ve been flying again, haven’t you?” Venom dripped from Fluttershy's voice. “You promised you wouldn’t, and you did it anyway.” Dash blinked, her old and new eye in tandem. “I had to think. I had to fly. I had to go faster.” “And then what?!” Fluttershy threw the mirror down. “You keep going until there’s nothing real about you at all?" "But I am real." Dash insisted. "How can we be together, Dash?” She choked, trying to stop from sobbing, “How will we raise a family?” The words hung in the air. “I have to be me, Fluttershy.” Dash looked down, feeling very tired again. “Otherwise, who am I?” Fluttershy grabbed Dash's head, tears rolling down her face. "This is you," she stroked the side of her face that was flesh, "Not this." She pointed at Dash's metal eye, not able to look at it. "Fluttershy,” Dash kept moving her face until they were looking at one another. “It's all me." Fluttershy’s eyes quivered, and then her lips tightened. There was a frantic knocking. Fluttershy walked away from Dash, and opened the door to reveal a small hedgehog. “Hello, Mr. Hedgehog.” The little animal burst forth with noise and gestures. “I see. Yes, of course. I will be there right away. Come inside and warm yourself.” The hedgehog did just that, and Fluttershy grabbed her raincoat with her teeth. “The beaver family needs help, they’ve got young stuck in a dam and it’s flooding.” “Here, I’ll help.” “I don’t think we should be in the same place right now.” Fluttershy flicked another glare at Dash. Dash took a step back at her tone. “What do you want me to do?” “What do you care what I think?” Fluttershy took the diamond butterfly out of her hair and placed it on the living room table. Dash looked at it, and then at her. “Go. Fly. Play in the lightning. Do whatever you want.” Fluttershy opened the door. She didn’t turn back. “Please don’t follow me.” The door slammed. Dash looked around. All the creatures had left the room for other hiding places. She was alone. “She’s been gone three hours.” Angel Bunny had his back to her. “That’s not good.” Angel said nothing. “I know she said not to follow her, but, aren’t you worried? That storm’s getting bad.” There was a knock at the door. Dash’s heart sank. A knock meant it wasn’t Fluttershy, and possibly worse. Dash opened the door. Three very wet beavers were on the doorstep, chittering and pointing. Angel’s right ear drooped. Dash looked at the bunny. “It’s Fluttershy, isn’t it? Something’s wrong with her.” All the animals started screeching and hollering. The mother beaver was crying, clutching one of her babies. She was pointing at the Everfree. Dash followed her claw, and her eyes narrowed. Dash reached for her saddlebag, and pulled her uniform out of it. “I’m going after her.” That made Angel turn. He shook his head, pointing over at the other creatures. The thunder was getting worse and worse, and most of them were cowering and whimpering. “There’s no time. Go get Twilight. Bring her here. We might need help.” There was a giant crash of thunder, and a tree fell within five hooves of the house. Angel stomped his feet, pointing again at his fellow creatures, when Dash reached down and grabbed him. She held him up to her metal eye. “Do it. Now. There is no time.” “Fluttershy!” The rain was coming in sideways. Trees were down, parts of the Everfree were on fire, and everything was wind and wet and sound. “Fluttershhhhhyyy!” Her pony eye couldn’t see anything, but her metal eye could. She found her fiancée crumpled on the ground next to a tree, scuff marks on its bark next to her. The tree lay on the smashed remains of a beaver den, now completely flooded. The tree must have collapsed mid evacuation. There was a gash on Fluttershy’s head, a bloody branch tangled up with her mane. “Oooh, no, no, Celestia, no…” Her voice was cracking between metal and pony. “Please, no…” Dash put her ear to her mouth. She was breathing. It was very shallow. Then she heard a mewling sound. Kneeling by Fluttershy’s body, she saw a tiny beaver cub underneath the scuff marks. It was trapped, stuck in a knot in the tree. It was alive, but the mud was rising. It was crying. Then it saw Dash, and it started screeching, and trying to get away. There wasn’t anywhere to go, but that didn’t stop the cub from clawing at the sides. Dash looked up, into the angry storm. Nature was conducting a symphony. Lightning was the strings. Thunder was the percussion. All was chaos. But she could see the order in it. It was beautiful. It was deadly. And if she closed her pony eye, and stared with just her metal one… It was a straight shot, if she went right through the middle of the storm. There would be no way to get through without getting hit, but, that's what the uniform was for. Wrapped around her cargo, it would protect her love. And if Dash went fast enough, maybe. Maybe Fluttershy lived. And the possibility was worth the risk. She looked down at her fiancée. Fluttershy was so beautiful, even covered in mud in a storm. She kissed her forehead. “I love you.” Then she punched a hole in the tree with her metal hoof. The beaver cub stared out of it, frozen in fear. Dash knelt down and looked at the animal, giant metal eye to tiny brown eye. “I’m saving you.” There were only fragments left after she took off into the rain. Her uniform wrapped around her hooves. Fluttershy’s unconscious body in her grasp. Lightning striking near and around her in the air. The cold beaver cub’s little bleats. Lightning finally found its mark, electricity flowing through her body, but stopping at the uniform, keeping her passengers safe. Everything turning cold. Only her heart was warming, beating furiously, fighting off the chill. What’s next? Not yet! Memory became more splintered as she rocketed out of the storm. She smashed through the door of Fluttershy’s cottage. She remembered dropping Fluttershy to the ground, straining her ears to make sure she was still breathing. She saw the beaver cub running away towards its family. She vaguely recalled Twilight asking her something. A lot of things. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Nothing in the glimpse surprised her. Twilight asked her more questions. What’s next? Save her! It was all she could say out loud. “Save her, save her, save her…” As the chill reached her heart, she saw Fluttershy gasping, and spitting up water. That was good. That meant life. She was content. She let the cold come. As her vision started to fade, the question came one last time. What’s next? Nothing. "Rise." She opened one eye and saw a white alicorn staring at her. "I am sorry to disturb you, but you have slept long enough." She blinked assent and slowly came awake, piece by piece. Every part of her body began responding individually, and as one. And every part of her metal, interlocking and connecting, humming with magical energy. Every part had purpose. She had total control. She understood the design and function of every part of her, save her 'mane', which she realized was thousands of tiny metal strands molded into sharp angles. It momentarily irked her, but she let it pass, deciding that it was satisfying an unknown variable she classified as 'cool.' Uncertainties remained. She didn’t have enough information. "What is my purpose?" The alicorn hesitated. "It's been a week since your funeral. The doctors pronounced you dead, but Luna suspected that you were simply... cocooning." She opened and closed her eyes, tested her ears. Yes, she was hearing the princess perfectly, and knew exactly how many hooves were between her and the nearest window. She analyzed the room. Hospital. Bed. Machines tied to her. Mirror. Window. Everything made sense, but she was still having trouble processing the alicorn’s information. One word in particular was giving her trouble. "Funeral?" "Twilight informed me of what happened first, after she stabilized Fluttershy. We took you away to our private royal hospital.” She tilted her head right and left, as if the words were sloshing around in her head. “A lie, then.” The alicorn leaned over and whispered, “Everypony — except myself, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight — thinks Rainbow Dash is dead. Better to stay that way." "That was my name?" "How much do you remember?" She shook her head. "Fragments. Images. A pink butterfly diamond. A crying yellow pegasus." The alicorn nodded. "Fluttershy. She weeps for you still. They all do, even Twilight, who must keep this secret." She flexed her wings, trying to think. The names sounded familiar, but the memories were incomplete. "We can talk more later, if you wish. But now I must ask your help. The weather—" "Yes," she said, turning to the window, "it's out of balance. Storms over the desert, dry spells in the lakes region." "We knew about the dry spell, not the storms. How did you know?" "I can feel it. I can feel every raindrop, and how fast they are falling, and how long it will take me to get there. Every shift of air, every gradient of temperature, every warm draft and cool breeze." She tried walking around the room. She stopped in front of a mirror and stared. Her entire body was white with a light blue tinge. Except her wings, which went from light blue to solid blue, and her eyes, which were dark red. She looked further with her eyes, which could tell her every detail of what she was looking at. She said, "I remember from before, a male told me, 'Nopony can outrun the wind.'" She turned and looked at the alicorn. "I think, though, that I am no pony." "Not anymore." The alicorn walked up and put a hoof on her shoulder. "You might say you are the wind itself. I wouldn't be surprised if you were the fastest creature in Equestria." "Equestria," she repeated, rolling the word around in her brain, blinking. "Indeed. I am its ruler, Celestia. Well, one of its rulers. And I am asking for your assistance to restore balance to the skies." "And the forest. There are creatures there that are important to..." She blanked. The name eluded her, but she was sure it was important. It came after a moment. “Fluttershy.” Celestia swallowed. "Yes, the forest and the creatures and the towns that house all of my little ponies. It is my home, and yours too, if you wish it." Home. She smiled at that. "I'd never abandon my home." She headed for the window. “Call my name if you need me. I’ll hear it.” "Wait. What am I to call you? Your old name…" Celestia sighed. "That pony is gone." She nodded. That was logical. She stared around the room. There was a burnt, formerly blue piece of fabric down at her hooves. "Celestia... What was this?" “Rainbow Dash’s uniform. She was a Wonderbolt, the fastest fliers in Equestria.” There was a bittersweet tone to her voice. “It was her dream.” She glanced at the mirror, into her red eyes. It was an elegant word, an accurate word. but it was lacking in the unknown variable. It needed to be 'cooler.' "Bolt. Call me Bolt." Fluttershy and Tank walked through the Everfree. It was a clear night, several weeks after Rainbow’s funeral. The pink diamond butterfly Dash had given her was tied around her neck, and she wore a black veil. Tank was floating along next to Fluttershy, keeping at her walking pace. She hadn’t flown since she had woken up to a world where her beloved had died saving her. She still couldn’t believe the story, even though it was confirmed by not just Twilight, but her Princesses as well. They said Dash had dropped off Fluttershy at Twilight’s house. Twilight said Dash had gone back into the forest to save more creatures, but had never come back out. The Princesses told her how they had searched all through the Everfree, and found nothing. Then they ordered that a funeral be held, over Fluttershy’s objections. They told her it was time to move on. She died a hero, saving her and the forest creatures. Fluttershy knew she was a hero, but she didn’t believe that her beloved was dead. Not like this. Not with last words spoken in anger. So she had retraced her steps through the Everfree, to the Beaver’s den. Follow the river, navigate the broken trees, stay off the timberwolves’ paths and… She arrived. She stopped at the base of the tree as Tank hovered. There was the tree that took out the beaver’s home, which was now simply a dried mud hole. There were the scuff marks as she had tried to lift the tree. She placed her hoof on the tree, holding back tears. Tank landed on the tree trunk, nudging her hoof with his head. She glanced at Tank and whispered, “I wasn’t strong enough.” Tank blinked in reply. “I wasn’t strong enough to lift the tree, or save Rainbow, or... accept her as she was, what she wanted to be.” She pounded her hoof down on the tree. “It’s my fault, Tank.” Tank shook his head. “If I wasn’t so weak, she wouldn’t have had to come out and find me!” She kept pounding the tree with her hoof. “She’d still be alive! She could have gone back to normal! She’d still be with me!” Tank flew up next to her, nudging at her with pleading eyes, but Fluttershy would not stop slamming the tree, screaming, until she finally drew blood. She cried out, clutching her hoof and collapsed next to the tree. She started to cry, muttering to herself,. “Stupid Fluttershy… weak Fluttershy…” She closed her eyes. I wish I was stronger. There was an explosion of light. Fluttershy shielded her eyes. Yellow pegasus. She peeked through her hooves. It was a brilliantly bright ball of energy, crackling with magic, floating before her eyes. Rise. Tank cried out a warning, but Fluttershy wasn’t listening. She gazed at the orb in wonder, and held her breath. Rise, and follow. Author's Note Three things: 1) This amounts to a 'director's cut', as there's extra lines and one scene that was NOT in the submission to the writer's group contest. I had another deleted scene that I liked but I also had to cut for wordcount, but, I'm going to use it for the sequel. So, yes, this story is longer than what I submitted. No refunds. 2) After that last line, I want you to imagine the camera zooms out and... Only, you know, with the appropriate credits. 3) Yes, there will be a sequel(s).
