Your insides shake as the thunder booms overhead. You feel the rain trickling down on you pelting your coat each cold droplet stinging as it pierces into you. You gaze out and see the valley, with Ponyville nestled quietly in the center. Dark clouds gather over the small town, lightning cracking the sky above. You stand atop Smokey Mountain on the outskirts of Ponyville. This mountain was once famous for housing a dragon that was evicted by the elements of harmony. Six mares that each embodies one of the traits that makes up friendship. To you however, there was no such thing as friendship.
5 years ago
It was a perfect day for flying! Celestia’s sun was shining bright casting its rays across the vast blue sky. You stood on a large puffy white cloud with a crowd of other Pegasus. There are banners and streamers all colors of the Rainbow. A podium of clouds adorned the center of the group and now standing at that podium was Spitfire herself Captain of the Wonderbolts. A yellow mare with a fiery mane that screamed speed and power.
“Hello everypony and welcome to the 95th Wonderbolts training finale! Over the last year your adolescent mares and stallions have trained night and day in some of the most vigorous exercising known to pony kind! Today they will prove what they have learned as they each compete for a place in the Wonderbolts!”
A cascade of applause from hooves erupted at the thought of these young ponies making it onto the most elite flying squad in Equestria.
“Now please help me welcome our top seven who will be competing! Fleet foot, High Winds, Lightning Streak, Misty Fly, Rapid-fire, Silver Lining, and Star Chaser!” she says pointing a hoof at you. “Each of you will fly the Marestrom the hardest obstacle course ever built!”
A sound of “ooh’s and Awe’s” came over the crowd.
In front of you was the most terrifying sight you have ever witnessed. The clear skies eventually almost with a gradient yielded and morphed into clouds black as night spewing lightning in all directions. You could see the wind whipping around underneath, no normal Pegasus would even think of flying in those conditions; but you, were not a normal Pegasus, you were an apprentice Wonderbolt.
“TAKE POSITIONS!!!” Spitfire bellowed out.
You align yourself with your fellow apprentices at the starting line. You were fairly bigger than most of them which meant you would normally be slower. You didn’t have a toned athletic body like all the rest; however you trained your wings hard and had incredible power that made up for it. You feel your skin tighten up in the flight suit your in, a cobalt blue with yellow trim, displaying an all too familiar mark on the side. Your mane flows out through the top along with your tail out the rear. You’ve waited all your life for this moment and you won’t, no, you can’t lose!
“At the sound of the start gun you will begin the course, the fastest six will be on the team, and the seventh will go home in shame.”
“READY!!!” the starter’s voice shouted out. You and your peers flared your wings outward getting ready to push off the cloud and into the air.
The sound of the gun firing echoed as you pushed your wings down with every ounce of strength. The weight of your body tugs but is no match for your strength, your hooves kick up and you take off flying full speed into the monster of a storm ahead.
As the sky blackens and the light of day dims around you, you are hit with a rouge gust of wind knocking you off your course. You strain your left wing to compensate for the pull and continue on. You’re neck and neck with your competition. Normally surviving the “Marestrom” Would be enough, but this year there were seven apprentices; and only six spots. A series of deafening booms echoed through the air as you and your peers each broke the sound barrier. Streaks of lighting, wind, and fire, traced their way through the dark sky. Each Pegasus is capable of pulling off a signature “boom” as defined by their mane and tale and usually their name. You are Star Chaser and have adopted the “NOVA BOOM” which decorates a trail of red and black fire that dances through the air. You don’t care what place you get as long as it’s not last. The wind is now devastating your face. Flying headfirst into the wind coming up on the first turn you can barely keep your eyes open with the stinging pricks of the wind. Then to make matters worse you feel yourself being pelted with freezing rain, every drop beginning to solidify into a small bullet of ice. The droplets pierce you like machine gun fire. You catch some of your peers in your peripheral vision and see that they too are struggling with the worsening conditions. You then angle your body along with your peers as you bank around the first turn. You hear more booms but these aren’t from Pegasi but from thunder. The clouds around you light up with power, with flashes of lightning being traded between them seeking out their next target. You feel a strong heat on your wing, with a lightning bolt just missing you singeing your outside feathers. You feel your insides shake from the thunder announcing the strike. You see a row of lightning strikes lining up in your path, you barrel roll and skillfully avoid them twisting in and out between the deadly bolts. You again look to your sides and see that only a few of the others have been able to keep up. Most were now falling behind. You bank again entering the home stretch. The freezing rain has now turned into a blizzard with near white out conditions. You can barely see where you’re heading. Your wings are freezing yet you keep pumping them trying desperately to maintain your speed. You feel like your chest is about to explode, every breath of freezing air you take stings your lungs. You don’t know how much longer you can keep this pace. You feel your body start to shiver and it feels like your smashing through wall after wall. The only thing that keeps you going is the small dot of the checkered flag and the finish line up ahead. This is it, time for one final push. Running on pure adrenaline you do another Nova boom reigniting your fire. The finish line is getting closer and closer. Suddenly you freeze midair with your jaw open. It feels like your heart and lungs, and every organ, muscle, and bone in your body is vibrating. A sharp pain pierces every inch of you with your wings instantly coming to a halt. You feel hot like your about to catch fire and spontaneously combust. You enter free fall, your body tilts downward as your vision of the finish line is replaced by the ground. Your ears twitch when your eardrums are hit with a loud boom and your brain puts it all together. You’ve been hit by lightning. Not by one of the small bolts in one of the thunder clouds you deal with on weather duty, this is a wild storm cloud. You feel yourself plummeting towards the ground with your vision fading.
Present
And now here you stand, on top of Smokey Mountain in a storm just like the one that ruined your life. You woke up in the Hospital two weeks later having lost the race and officially the chance to become a Wonderbolt. This didn’t sit well with your family. Like every family yours has its secrets and its legacies. Your Great Grandfather was none other than Ace Aviator! The Founder and Very First Wonderbolt! Every member in your family has had their time in the order, everyone except you. Because of your little accident on the final test your father disowned you, every night he would beat you or whip you while you cried yourself to sleep. His punches hurt. He always would buck you in the jaw making you fall to the floor. Your mother cried for days saying that you disgraced your entire family name. “You shouldn’t even exist! YOU’RE WEAK!!!” was your father’s last words to you before he kicked you out on the streets. What should it matter you couldn’t help that you got hit by lightning, or could you have. Was there anything you could’ve done? The question that haunted you every night. If you had turned a little sooner, if you had flown a little faster? The biggest thing that haunted you now though was that you were alone. You had never made any friends since you were always training to be a Wonderbolt. You have nowhere to go. No one to turn to. You’re a Stallion that’s simply been forgotten. No one loves you, not even your family. There’s no one to give you that reassuring hug or smile. The only place you call home is a little shack on the edge of the Everfree Forest. You have seen ponies pass by on their way to Ponyville yet you’re too shy to go introduce yourself. What if they see your cutie mark surely they would know. You look back at your flank and see the mark of the Wonderbolts encircled by a large Star. “Why did I have to be me?” you ask yourself. Your mane flops down over your face drenched from the rain. “No one cares, No one would even know.” You sit pondering what would be the toughest decision in your life. “What if….I could escape it?” You pull out a tattered picture of you with your parents when you were little, in happier times. The three of you having smiles occupy your faces. You get up and trot to the edge of the mountain summit. You sigh before raising your hoof and tossing the picture off the edge seeing it ride the wind down. “At least it’ll be quick. Just don’t open your wings and it’ll all be over. No more pain. No more sadness.” You begin panting, tears welling in your eyes slowly making their way down your cheeks. You begin to scream in short bursts fully sobbing “Celestia forgive me!” You shout stepping back before galloping full speed, you jump.
Almost immediately the urge to open your wings invades your mind, yet you suppress it. “Just a little more” you think. The wind stings you face like it did that fateful day. Overhead you hear the thunder crash if a battle is going on right above you.
“AAAAAAAAHH!!!!” a scream echoes the flash of lightning.
Immediately your eyes flash open and look up. You see something falling extremely fast. You squint to get a better look…. It’s a pony…A Pegasus; it looks like a girl with a blue or cyan coat.
“No reason two should die today.” You say immediately extending your wings and tilting yourself upwards on an intercept course with the pony. She falls closer and closer to you. You see that she is cyan and has a rainbow mane. You fly faster and ready your front hooves. The mare’s body lands heavily in your awaiting arms as you tighten your grip around her to keep her secure. You begin descending and making your way towards the Ponyville hospital since it’s the closest. You see that the mare is still barely conscious as she looks up at you.
“Unnnhh” is all she can mutter.
“Shh, Your gonna be alright, ok I’m gonna get you to the hospital.”
You see her magenta eyes look at you just barely; she is fading fast from consciousness. You then see her strain to lift one of her forelegs and gently wrap it around your neck. You give her a little squeeze as you continue flying full speed towards the hospital though she fades into unconsciousness. You see the outline of the town peak the horizon.
Rainbow Dash – Three days later.
Rainbow awoke in what was surely not her own bed. She looked upon the bland fluorescent lights dotting the tiled ceiling. Her ears were filled with the faint steady beep of a nearby heart monitor.
“WH-where am I?” She says.
“Oh you’re awake!” a voice shouted.
Rainbow turned her head as her eyes focused on Nurse Redheart.
“I’m in the Hospital?” Rainbow had been in the hospital enough to know when you wake up and a nurse is standing over your bed something bad happened to you.
“Yup dearie you were struck by lightning.”
“LIGHTING!” Rainbow shouted.
“Relax Dash you’re going to be fine. Signs and tests show little damage; really it just sent you into shock.” Redheart smiles.
“Wait if I was in shock and unconscious then shouldn’t I have hit the ground pretty hard, I mean last thing I remember…”
Rainbow searched her memories she envisioned herself flying in the thunderstorm, training for the Wonderbolts. She remembered….pain…and the last thing she remembered.“There was a Stallion. Another Pegasus. He caught me.” Rainbow said sitting up in bed.
“Yes, a kind young stallion. A friend of yours?”
“No I have never seen him before.” Rainbow said.
“Well I’m glad he was there you’d have likely fallen to your doom if he hadn’t caught you.”
“Where is he I wanna thank him?”
“He flew in here fast as fire with you in his arms. I told him she’ll probably ask for you when she wakes up, but he didn’t say anything, wouldn’t even give me his name. Doctors took you off to emergency and he disappeared, quick as he came.”
“Wh-Well did you see where he went?” Rainbow asked.
“Nope, like I said I watched the doctors wheel you into the ER, then I turned back around and he was gone.”
“When can I leave?”
“Your vitals are great, you’re free to go whenever you want, but I wouldn’t fly in any thunderstorms anytime soon.” Redheart smiled.
“Great!” Rainbow said jumping up from the bed. She flexed her wings showing off a little before remembering she was inside.
Rainbow arrived outside the hospital after signing the release forms. She took in the cool fresh air which she loved. Giving her wings one final stretch she took flight. A look of determination overcame Rainbow, stretching her forelegs out gaining speed she told herself of her mission.
“I WILL FIND HIM…Even if I have to search all of Equestria.”
Star Chaser POV
Well here you were back at your shack. The rain had started up again as you opened the door. The hardwood floors were splintered and dusty. You coughed upon entering. The whole place was dark the only light coming through the small cracks and holes in the wood. In the corner a pile of hay which served as your bed. You trot over and take a breath. All the feelings suddenly burst as you bang your head into the wall again and again crying and screaming. “WHY CAN’T I JUST DIE!” you hit your head again and fall to the floor crying. The shack was unsecure from the elements and a cold wind rushed in chilling your body as a few stray raindrops pelted your coat. The hay was now wet from your tears running down your cheeks and muzzle. You look over to the other corner of your shack and see that your food supplies were running low. You hated that because that meant a trip into town. Though you were thinking of Suicide you wanted it to be quick and not slow so you ruled out starving to death. You got up and dried your now puffy eyes and grabbed your coat. You had to wear a tattered overcoat to cover up your Cutie Mark. Celestia forbid someone recognize you. With that you trot into town.
After a few hours you arrive in Ponyville the weather seems to have cleared and the market looks busy. Damn you mutter. Since you have no bits you have to resort to some… alternate methods of acquiring food, and stealing is a lot easier if there’s nopony around. You go and scope out some stalls, there’s the normal apple stall being run by the blonde in the Stetson hat, a vegetable stall being run by an average looking stallion, and then a bakery stall being run by a cream color mare. The only problem is all of them were surrounded by customers. This was no good you would have to wait for the occupancy to die down. You go over to a bench and sit, sighing heavily as you look at all the happy ponies around you. You then feel a tug at your leg and look down to see a small colt.
“Excuse me sir care for today’s paper.” He says holding up a newspaper.
“I don’t have any money.” You say.
“Not a problem it’s nonprofit all free.”
“Ok thank you.” You say gladly accepting the newspaper. That makes for good fire fuel. The little colt runs off as you occupy your waiting by flipping through the document. Most was garbage, adds, stories of happiness. Then you saw what had to be your worst nightmare. A headline on the third page.
STAR CHASER DIES IN FLYING ACCIDENT PARENTS DEVASTATED.
You look closer and read the article.
Star Chaser son of former Wonderbolt Strike Eagle and descendant of Wonderbolts founder Ace Aviator, died today in a flying accident. He was practicing a dangerous flight maneuver over horseshoe bay when he looped too low and plunged into the water. When he didn’t surface a rescue mission was launched but his body wasn’t found. It was confirmed by a medical examiner that due to the temperature of the water and time under Star Chaser had no chance. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His family was requested for an interview but simply requested to have their privacy respected in this time of grieving.
A pure feeling of sickness rolled in your gut. You knew this was the work of your father. Faking his son’s death was right up his ally as hard as it was to believe, he had finally, ultimately disowned you. You tore out the article and shoved it into your pocket. You could go to the authorities and prove you’re the real star chaser, but what good would that do, they would reunite you with your parents who would pretend to be overjoyed to see you then go right back to beating you and putting you down.
You continued reading the paper and doing other things to pass the time. After a few hours the market had cleared out with only a few ponies chatting with friends and finishing up errands. Time to go to work. You got up from the bench giving your legs a stretch and gingerly wondered over to the apple stand. Before you just walk up and steal you do a couple of walk’s to scope the place closer, and try to blend in as a customer. You walk by glancing at the produce. You see your target. It’s a nice big red juicy apple right in the center of the stacks. You step away from the stall and prepare to go in for the steal. But then.
“Hey Applejack!”
“Well Howdy Rainbow Dash.”
A distraction good, this will be easier an…oh crap. Near the apple vendor was a cyan mare with a rainbow mane, the one that you saved from falling to her certain death.
“Dammit” you hiss to yourself. You throw up your hood covering your face and step a little closer so you can eavesdrop.
“What brings you here Dash; y'all got the look of purpose in yer eye.”
“AJ have you seen a Stallion around here, gold coat, black and…red mane I think.”
“Aw are you kidding me!” you think. “It’s bad enough she’s here but now she’s looking for you! She probably wants to thank you for saving her life.”
“I’m afraid I haven’t seen a Stallion like that.” AJ said
“Darn I just…wanted to thank him.”
“Oh excuse me rainbow I need to get the buckets from the back here and start packing up”
“No problem AJ I’ll help you.” Rainbow Dash says, following AJ back in a small alley.
“Yes!” finally your luck has turned. It’s now or never. You trot up to the target apple. Just looking at it makes your mouth water in anticipation. The smell of the fresh apples teasing your nostrils. You place your hoof onto the fruit and gracefully lift it up. You’re just about to put it in your pocket when the unthinkable happens. It turns out that the big apple you took was holding the stack of apples up and they now all came tumbling down, bouncing on the dirt. Applejack must know the sound of apples hitting the dirt because she whipped her head around in the ally. Her eyes widen when she sees you. Already your wings are out and you begin your takeoff.
“THIEF!!! SOMEPONY STOP HIM!!!” AJ shouts.
“I’m on it!” Rainbow says taking off pursuing you.
You look back and see the cyan Pegasus gaining quickly on you.
“Hey You! Stop!”
Yeah right, you flap your wings again picking up more speed. Again Rainbow was right on you. It was clear you were going to have to pull out some moves if you wanted to evade her. Instantly you dive back down towards the ground you see your chance. Rainbow follows picking up speed gaining on you more to the point where you can almost feel her front hoof trying to grab at your rear hoof. She thinks she has you. Suddenly you pull up and fly through a small open window on a two story house. Trying your best not to disturb the occupants you gracefully dodge the bedroom furniture and fly out another window pushing it open. Rainbow on the other hoof couldn’t pull up in time and crashed into the house. She was fast but she let her speed cloud her judgment when it came to agility. You bank back towards your shack in the Everfree forest thinking you’re in the clear, until a thunderous boom brings you back and you see a rainbow streak blazing right at you. “A sonic rainboom she’s the Rainbow Dash!” you think. Your thought doesn’t last long with Dash blasting into your side tackling you to the ground. The two of you roll in a summersault motion eventually with her landing on top of you. Rainbow was out of breath.
“All right, you no good thief I’m gonna…” She stops mid-sentence. It’s then you realize your hood has fallen off completely exposing your face. You give her a defeated look.
“You….I FINALLY FOUND YOU!!!”
“What?”
‘SLAP’ Ow that hurt, Rainbows front hoof slaps you across the jaw.
“That’s for stealing my friend’s apples.”
‘SLAP’ her other hoof strikes you hard from the other direction.
“And that’s for just deserting me at the Hospital. What kind of Stallion are you, you don’t even see if I’ll wake up?!”
“…Sorry” you say giving her a confused look.
“All you can say is SORRY!” Rainbow glares at you.
“Well what do you want me to say?” You remark in an annoyed tone.
“You saved my life. You don’t have to say anything. If you’re gonna say sorry say it to AJ”
On cue an orange earth pony mare runs up to you and Dash.
“There ya are ya no good thieving varmint! Gimmie one reason why I shouldn’t buck you right now in the face.”
“Go ahead.” You say.
“What?” AJ’s angry look went from angry to confused in a second.
“Here, take it.” You say rolling the apple over to her.
Applejack pokes at the apple.
“I shouldn’t have stolen it. Please just let me go home.”
Rainbow now looks as confused as Applejack. She gently steps off you. You get up and go to trot back to your shack.
“Wait!” you turn around with just enough time to ready your reflexes catching an apple tossed by the orange mare. “Ya look a little hungry there Sugarcube.”
You nod your head slightly thanking her. With that she begins trotting back to Ponyville, and you begin trotting back to your shack. Shortly after though you feel like you’re being followed. You turn around and see Rainbow Dash trotting right alongside you.
“Where you going?” She asks
“Home” you say.
“You live way out here?”
“Eeyup.”
“M-my names Rainbow Dash what’s yours?” she says uncomfortably.
“Why is that your business?” You say this whole day has made you depressed; really you just want to go home and forget about today.
“Excuse me?!” Rainbow says appalled.
“Go home Dash.” You say “Just go home.”
“Why are you so cranky?”
“Why do you ask so many questions?”
“I just”
“GO HOME DASH!” you yell stopping in your tracks to let her know you were serious.
“I just thought I could help.” She says meekly, almost like she’s about to cry.
“Nothing can help me, Nopony can help me.” You say continuing to trot.
“Why not?”
“They just can’t, and maybe I don’t want any help.”
You come upon your small shack in the woods. It’s raining again and the damp wood is beginning to creak in the mist.
“Well here we are.” You say trotting into the small wooden structure.
“You live….here?” Rainbow says stepping inside, her hoofs meeting a mud floor, she begins to look around; a large spider has made its web in a corner near your hay bed. Rainbow visibly shakes to the bone with how cold it is. A small rat runs across the wooden planks. The freezing rain pelts through the holes in the roof.
“Welcome to my little paradise.”
“You mean your little tartarus.” Rainbow says. “How do you live here?”
“I get by, now go home before you catch a cold.” You say plopping down on the hay bed and curling up into a ball. You roll the apple over into a corner.
“You’re not even gonna eat?”
“Apple has to last me a month, I’m not hungry enough now.” You say closing your eyes. Still you sense somepony in your shack. Opening your eyes you see Rainbow still standing there with a look of concern adorning her face. “Yes?” you say in a tone asking her why she’s still here.
“Come stay with me.” She says
“HA no”
“But”
“I said no”
“You save my life but you throw yours away?!”
You shrug “Something tells me your life is more important than mine.”
“HOW CAN YOU EVEN SAY THAT!!!? I wouldn’t be here right now if not for you.”
You scoff.
“You’re staying with me tonight, and that’s Final” Rainbow says stomping her hoof.
“Rainbow please…just leave me alone.”
“NO I won’t leave you alone. Look I don’t know what happened to you but I know that here you are a pony who saved another pony’s life is lying in this dump of a shack out in the middle of nowhere dying of cold and hunger!”
“Dash”
“Don’t Talk! So help me I am taking you back to my place if I have to drag you back there myself. Don’t you think that maybe somepony out there actually cares about you? Especially a pony that you saved the life of.”
“……….Go home Dash.”
“UGH you’re like a broken record.” She says flying over and wrapping her hooves around your stomach.
“Dash Stop!” you protest, Rainbow remains silent flying you out of your damp dark shack and off into the clouds.
After a few minutes you arrive with Dash at a cloud mansion. Dash carries you in through the door and sets you down on the couch.
“There now stay put alright I’m gonna make us some tea and if you try to escape you’ll regret it.”
You remain silent sitting on Rainbows couch. Rainbow turned and headed off to the kitchen to make the tea. You hated to admit it, but right now you were in heaven. A warm cozy house, free of moisture (except for the clouds) and rodents. You knew you didn’t deserve any of this. A stallion that would let a simple lightning strike destroy his entire family legacy. Soon Rainbow came back with the tea. She handed you a piping hot cup of the liquid with a small teabag inside coloring the water a greenish brown. The sweet yet bitter smell was intoxicating. Rainbow took her own cup taking a small sip, then sitting beside you on the couch.
“Aren’t you gonna drink your tea.”
You look at her trying to convey words into your facial expression. You just wish you could tell her. ‘I don’t deserve this, I want to die, I’m worthless, I don’t even deserve to live another day, to draw another breath.’ But instead you sip your tea. It’s hot, it burns your mouth at first but as it settles down your throat you feel your whole body warming up.
“It’s really good.” You say to which Rainbow returns a smile.
“See I told you, now isn’t this better then you wasting away in that shack.”
“….” Silence was the only answer you could give. There was no doubt which was better.
“No need for words, I can tell you agree.” Rainbow says, she knew she was right.
You take a gulp of the tea, savoring its flavor and warmth.
“So would you mind telling me your name now? I mean I get kind of tired of calling you ‘you’.”
You think on this, quick what’s a fake name
“Uh….Tempest” you say.
“There ya go, see…now what was the harm in that. It’s nice to meet you Tempest.”
“Same to you, Rainbow Dash.” You say trying your best to put on a smile.
The two of you finish your tea and eat a few apples.
“Well it’s getting late, time for bed.” Rainbow says.
“Ok good night Dash.” You say.
“What are you doing, come on you’re sleeping with me.”
“Huh no I’ll take the couch.”
“Oh come on, It’s nice to have someone by your side. The nights get pretty lonely.”
“I’ve been alone all my life. I’m used to it.”
“Well then it’s time for a change come on” Rainbow says.
“I’m fine really.”
“Nope” Rainbow flies over to you scooping you up and dragging you into her bedroom.
“Here we go.” Rainbow says turning on the lights. What you saw was a room out of your nightmares. Everywhere you looked Wonderbolts stuff. Pictures Posters, trophies, hats, shirts, and autographs. Each piece a dagger in your heart and mind. Everything triggers, and you begin to tear up.
“You uh…fan of the Wonderbolts?” you say with a cracked voice.
“DUH! The Wonderbolts are only like THE greatest team of Pegasus ever! I wanna be one soo bad it’s my lifelong dream.”
You feel your eyes now about overflowing with tears; still you fight back, the stinging and the quivering of your eyelids.
“Hey, you alright?” Rainbow asks.
Quickly you regain your composure, “uh, yeah…..Thanks.”
“No Problem Temp, here’s the bed.”
You lay eyes on a large cloud bed. It looks so soft you just want to jump into it and let it embrace you. Rainbow pulls back the sheets and crawls in. She pats the spot next to her inviting you in.
‘You DON’T DESERVE THIS!’
‘YOU’RE A DISGRACE!’
‘WHY DON’T YOU JUST DIE?’
You fight the thoughts in your head. Rainbow continues to pat the spot on the bed smiling. You begin to crawl in.
“Aren’t you gonna take your coat off?” Rainbow asks.
“Oh well I uh get real cold at night.” You say
“Ha I’ll keep you warm.” Rainbow coo's
“Really I’d rather keep it on.”
“Suit yourself” Rainbow says.
You make your way into the bed the softness of the cloud caressing every fiber of your being. You’re in absolute bliss. Rainbow pulls the covers up to your necks. You feel the bed begin to rock a bit. Rainbow shifts over and cuddles up to your chest.
“Rainbow I” you begin.
“Oh drop the lone wolf tough guy act! You know you want to cuddle and besides it’s healthy to snuggle with another it helps you sleep better.”
“But I”
“Just do it for me.” She says nuzzling you.
“….ok” you say. You wrap your forelegs around her with one stroking her mane. Rainbow lets out a soft moan snuggling even closer. Underneath the covers you feel her wrap her back legs around your own in a full body hug. Holding the embrace you look down and see the cutest smile occupying rainbows face. She is off away dreaming. Right now she is in total bliss, and you are too, until you fall asleep.
You awaken and see Rainbow, She is absolutely sobbing. Her hooves on upon her face. Tears pouring out from her eyes, it pained you to see her like this. At the same time you wondered why. You soon found your answer. You saw Rainbow was weeping over an open casket, inside a pony about to be laid to rest. That pony was you.
“WHY DID HE DO IT?” Rainbow wailed. Her eyes were red and puffy. It looked like she had been crying for days. You run up to her to hug her but your arms pass right through her. You looked to yourself in the casket. You knew how you died. You made the decision. The coffin began to close.
“NO NO!!” Rainbow screamed as she ran towards the coffin. “PLEASE YOU CAN’T TAKE HIM!!!” she arrives too late. The coffin is now closed and is slowly being lowered into the grave. Three mares begin to sing. Rainbow threw her face back into her hooves collapsing on the ground completely at the mercy of her sadness. She wept for you, for hours, for days. She would never be the same again. Never be the tough tomboyish girl on the outside; never be the sweet sensitive, compassionate mare on the inside. She cried rivers for you. How you could be so selfish to not only take your life, but hers as well. The only music that of the singers fills the silent air.
You gasp awakening from your nightmare. Your eyes shoot open seeing the sun just start to peek through the small windows. You feel a warm lump at your side and see that you are still holding Rainbow Dash tightly. She is still smiling with her head nestled against your chest; the top of her mane tickles your chin. You look down to her sweet face and see her eyes flicker open.
“Morning” she says giving a cute yawn.
“Hey” you say, right now you couldn’t be happier that she was happy.
“See now you can’t honestly tell me you didn’t enjoy it.”
That was the problem. You enjoyed it, but you didn’t deserve it, for the things you’ve done.
You nod your head.
Rainbow yawns again “Well I’m gonna take a shower, oh you wanna go first or should I”
“You go ahead it’s your house.”
With a stretch Rainbow Dash gets up out of bed and heads to her bathroom shutting the door you hear the shower turn on.
You see this as an opportunity to explore. You get out of bed and reflect on your thoughts. The nightmare you had last night. You played it over a thousand times in your head. Something occurred to you. Two things actually. Why was Rainbow so sad to see you commit suicide, she doesn’t even know you. Two why were you so sad that she was sad. You couldn’t stand to see her in pain. Maybe because she doesn’t deserve any pain and you do. But why would she cry over you. You’re not worth that. You look around her room at all her Wonderbolts merchandise. A huge picture of Soarin hangs on her wall. Posters of all the Wonderbolts, those you flew with. But No picture of you.
“Ok You can go in now, I left you a fresh towel in there” Rainbow says stepping out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body and another around her mane.
“Thanks.” You say entering the bathroom. You shut the door and toss your overcoat on the floor. You quickly step into the shower; the walls were sprinkled with droplets from Rainbow’s shower. You turn on the shower getting the water to a comfortable warm temperature and begin scrubbing. All her soaps and shampoos smell just like her. A relaxing flower smell with a tang that screams adventure. After a few minutes when you are all clean you turn off the shower, pull back the curtain and step out. You see that your overcoat has disappeared. Rainbow must’ve taken it. Probably to wash it. You felt bad dirtying her bed with it but you couldn’t reveal your true Identity to her. You wrap the towel around your waste covering your Cutie mark. Securing it with a small knot you walk outside the bathroom. The bedroom is empty and sure enough the sheets are being changed.
“Rainbow?” you call out. No answer. You look around when a small sound invades your ears. It sounds like somepony crying. You recognize a tomboyish whimper and realize its rainbow dash. You exit her bedroom and head downstairs. The sobbing gets louder and louder; you reach the living room and see a cyan lump hunched over on the couch. She seems to be crying extremely hare. You walk around to the side of the couch and view her. Her eyes are swollen and her tears are flowing steadily running down her soft cheeks before falling onto a small piece of paper leaving wet marks and making some of the ink run. You recognized that paper. A headline.
STAR CHASER DIES IN FLYING ACCIDENT.
Rainbow senses you and looks up. There are large tears welling in her eyes, she wipes them away with her hoof.
“Oh Tempest I’m sorry I just hadn’t heard. I was washing your coat when this fell out of the pocket.”
You sit down by her putting your foreleg around her. “It’s ok Rainbow…..why are you so sad.”
Rainbow looks at you “Why?! Star Chaser is Dead that’s why. (Sniff) H-he-he was my favorite.”
“What?” you say.
“I was still too young to join the Wonderbolts program but I followed all the competitors. Star Chaser wasn’t the most fit stallion, he wasn’t the fastest but he could still fly with the best of them……He proved to me that anypony could be a Wonderbolt if they put their mind to it. He was an inspiration (sniff)”
“But Rainbow he was never a Wonderbolt. He failed the last challenge.”
“Yeah because he got hit by a wild lightning bolt, most were surprised he even survived that. Everypony knows if it didn’t hit him he would have come in first or second easily.”
“But Rainbow he should’ve been able to dodge it. If he had flown just a little faster or turned a little sharper. That was all part of the test and he failed.”
Rainbow begins to cry harder “And n-now he’s….d-d-dead” She says her voice cracking.
You look down at the ground “Hmm, maybe it’s for the best.”
Rainbow suddenly stops crying, she raises her head a bit.
“Rainbow?” you say.
“AAAAA!!!” Rainbow screams leaping on you in pure rage tackling you to the ground. She begins beating on you with all her might hitting you with her front hooves sobbing wildly.
“YOU BASTARD YOU DON’T EVEN CARE!!!” she screams continuing her assault. All you do is hold your forelegs up in defense. Rainbow flails her forelegs wildly not even caring what she hits. Then your worst nightmare comes true you feel one of her hooves connect with the towel ripping it off. In an instant she stops her bombardment.
You look at her but her eyes are fixed directly on your cutie mark. After what feels like forever, she speaks.
“S-s-Star C-Chaser” She barely gets out.
“Well, you got me.” You say as Rainbow continues to stare at your Wonderbolt cutie mark.
“You…but the”
“After I lost, my family disowned me. My father beat me and apparently faked my death.” You say gesturing to the article.
“So that’s what you were doing up there.”
“What!” you say.
Rainbow gives a cheeky grin “Duh I should’ve known no pony would ever go out in a storm like that. You were training, dodging lightning bolts for your big comeback.”
“Rainbow I”
“I WAS SAVED BY STAR CHASER! Oh my gosh Oh my gosh what’s your favorite food, no color, no trick, I oh I have so many questions......but I’m so sorry about your family.” Rainbow says returning to a look of sadness.
“It’s ok Rainbow really.”
“So when are you going back to the Wonderbolts” She asks with a smile pulling you up off the ground.
“I’m not.” You say flat out.
“WHAT!” She says with a look of shock. “But your ancestor was ACE AVIATOR!!! The first Wonderbolt, the greatest flyer in ALL OF EQUESTRIA, The pony who pretty much single hoofidly won us the Griffon war. You should be captain of the Wonderbolts.”
Rainbow says.
“…I don’t have a place with them anymore.”
“Of course you do you can always try again.”
“No Rainbow I can’t…” You flare out your wing. On the right wing where it connects to your back is a large burned scar. “The lightning destroyed most of the nerve tissue. I can still fly but I’m nowhere near as fast as I was.”
Rainbow looks at it with concern “Is that why you’ve been so cranky.” She asks pointing to the scar.
“This and, well I’ve just had some issues in my life.”
“With your family”
“Yeah….and I don’t know….you ever felt like the world…..might be better off without you.”
“What do you mean?” Rainbow asks cocking her head to the side.
“I mean like, it would be so much easier to……escape….then have to deal with the pain”
Rainbow’s eyes widen to sauces, her jaw drops, it all finally clicks for her.
“You were up in that storm……”
“I was in the middle of it when you got hit. I figured no reason two should die that day. Especially an innocent little mare” you say looking down.
“UGH” you grunt feeling a weight on you. Rainbow has landed on you wrapping all four of her legs around you, her wings as well. She nuzzles your ear and kisses you on the cheek.
“I WILL NEVER LET YOU GO” she says nuzzling you some more “You were the only thing besides my friends that give my life meaning, if you were gone. I don’t know what I would do.”
“Rainbow I”
“Please Promise me! Promise me you won’t ever do it, I love you Star I always said I was saving myself for the Wonderbolts….but your my Wonderbolt. You’re my everything. Star Chaser Will you be my special somepony?”
In that moment, everything clicked for you. She loved you. You always had somepony out there and you didn’t even know it. This mare loves you with all her heart and accepts you for who you are. You might tell her you don’t deserve her, but you realize it’s up to her to decide who she wants to love and care for, and she’s chosen you.
“Yes Rainbow Dash, I promise to never end it. I love you” you say overcome with joy. A blush makes its way onto your face and you almost feel like crying.
Rainbow flies off you and the two of you stare into each other’s eyes. You both move in closer and closer until your lips meet in the middle. To know that this one little mare cared about you blew away all the bad thoughts you had of yourself. Your tongues wrestle around as you embrace each other sharing your love for one another.
That night you lay with Rainbow in the cool breeze outside on top of her cloud mansion. Both of you look up at Celestia's Sunset, Luna's stars are just starting to poke through and the sky looks like it's in perfect harmony.
“Hey Star Chaser” Rainbow says.
“Yeah” you reply.
“What is your favorite color?”
“…The color of life.”
“What’s the color of life?”
You roll over and look at Rainbow. The most beautiful thing you have ever seen. The mare who’s life you saved, only to have her save yours. You know what the color of life is. You show it to her with a kiss and an embrace. She is the color of your world, she is your everything, she is the color of your life, and you don’t care about anything else, just spending this life and forever with her.
THE END.
Author's Note
My first attempt at a i guess semi romance fic
As I said dedicated to all who have or ever thought of committing suicide. Get the help, no one will judge you for it and always remember that somewhere out there someone cares for you whether you know it or not.
The song is a clue to my next fic
Pictures found on Google Images
As always I thank you all so much for reading and I hope you enjoy. Thanks again
-Zeta
