Head in the Clouds

Rainbow Dash eventually retired back to Zecora's little house, and lay wearily on the hammock Zecora had prepared for her. She closed her eyes, but sleep refused to embrace her in its loving hold. Instead, the thoughts she had tried to fruitlessly lock away began resurfacing.

Memories of falling. Memories of failure. And worst of all, memories of what had come after her failure. Two Pegasi coming down to taunt her mercilessly. And nobody to stand up for her. She started alone, and would most likely end that way.

"Rainbow Crash" they had taunted when she failed. When she had fallen. When she was broken.

"What do they know?" Sniffed Rainbow, as the memories came flooding back. She reflected on all those years she had been downtrodden, first for looking different, then for not having the gall to stand up for herself.

"And that's why I'm in some stupid cottage at the edge of the Everfree Forest" choked out Rainbow Dash, her eyes misting up.

"Makes sense the only other one to accept me has to be the only other outcast here."

Besides, what did they know? She wasn't... that bad of a flier. Last time she practiced, she had flown perfectly fine.

She tried to shut out the names and the teasing voices, but it brought back memories. Memories of years of names and torment. Memories of trying to do her best, but being paralyzed at the thought of what her tormenters would think of her if they saw her fail. Memories of bitter defeat, losing in that race against the two biggest featherbrains in Cloudsdale, despite one being stuck in a pillar.

She remembered all too clearly as that colt trailed behind her. She remembered a burst of speed, and the feeling of going faster than ever before. And then... nothing. The burst of speed had died down, and the colt had outstripped her. She never returned after that day. After passing the last ring, so close to the ground, she decided to just drop there. A sad, tired heap of colorful filly.

She eventually built a shabby shack in that field. It was miserable there, but at least she wasn't teased as much. The colt who had won the race ended up being head of Ponyville's weather team, and she ended up joining a rhyming zebra who scared almost everypony, living at the edge of the Everfree Forest. At least that featherbrain was too scared to come near there and tease her, as he had done all too often when she tried to live by herself, Rainbow Dash thought grimly. A tear slowly fell across her face, and to the floor below. This was joined by more as Rainbow Dash softly cried herself to sleep.