A Respite

by Night_Prism

Rating: everyone
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash, Other, Romance, Slice of Life
Length: 3161

Written in the loneliest part of the night, in a small, simple wish to escape the fears of truth, and instead enjoy that which could never exist

Friends. They come and they go. They bring happiness, sorry, joy, and worry. Through the thick and thin, they'll be by our sides and carry us whenever the world becomes too heavy. What matters most, though, are the footprints they leave in our hearts.

Published 2014-04-13 07:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2015-02-14 03:19:22 UTC

The Beginning

Chapter 1

"GWAAAAAAHHHH!"

"This is your idea of a good time," screeched Gilda hovering above the crowd, "I've never met another lamer bunch of dweebs all my life! And... Pinkie Pie," she growled menacingly, her eyes narrowing, "You! You are queen lameo with your weak little party pranks. Did you really think you could make me lose my cool? Well ”, she said, landing and walking over to Rainbow Dash, wrapping her arm around her shoulders, "Dash and I have ten times the as much cool as the rest of you put together! Comeon Dash, we're bailing on this pathetic scene."

As she strutted towards the door, she failed to see the hardened expression that crossed Dash's face, or that her friend had failed to follow her out the door.

She stopped, initially surprised, then resorting to her former brutish manner, "COMEON Rainbow Dash, I said WE'RE LEAVING."

Dash's eyes became obscured for a moment, then opened to reveal a hardened gaze that bore into Gilda.

"You know Gilda? I was the one who set up all those weak pranks at this party."

Gilda paused for a moment, taken back, "What?"

"So I guess that means I’M queen lameo," Dash said, stepping protectively in front of Pinkie.

"Comeon, Dash, you're joshing me," Gilda's demeanor lapsing into a moment of concern.

"They weren't all meant for you specifically," Dash said, her head hanging down, "it was just dumb luck you set them all off."

"Oooh, I shoulda known that," Pinkie whispered to Spike, "That dribble cup had Rainbow Dash all over it!"

"No way," Gilda continued in her denial, "It was Pinkie Pie! She set up this party to trip me up! To make a fool of me!"

"Me?" Pinkie asked, surprised, "I threw this party to improve your attitude! I thought a good party might turn that frown upside down!"

"And you sure didn't need any help making a fool of yourself," interjected Dash. Stepping forward, with her wings outstretched on either side of her, she confronted Gilda directly. "You know? This is not how I thought my old friends would treat my new ones. If being cool is all you care about, maybe you should go find some new cool friends someplace else."

"MMmhg," grunted Gilda, her rage flaring up again, "You.. you are such a... an... uh... FLIP FLOP! Cool one minute, and lame the next. When YOU decide not to be lame anymore, give me a call."

The door slammed on her way out, shortly followed by the griffon's screech that echoed outside.

"NOT cool," stated Dash, her expression still hard.

"Wow," Spike spoke up, "talk about a party pooper."

The room descended into gossip, talking about the absurdity of the scene, yet they all failed to notice the onslaught of depression that threated to overcome Rainbow Dash.

Author's Note

It's been a while hasn't it? Enjoy the prologue to my first fic, now with a more completed story. As always, constructive criticism is always welcome.

Shout out to my sister, who's unfortunately not a brony, but still awesome for being my editor. Who berated me for my horrible grammar mistakes :raritycry:. Love ya anyways though :pinkiehappy:

Catching Up

Chapter 2

A cloud, molded in the shape of a grandfather clock chimed twice, a quiet bell-tone that reverberated around the expanse of a peculiar sky house. The interior was in a state of disarray; papers scattered across the floor as if the office had grown limbs that stretched through the structure's expanse. The house was empty, save for myself, who at time was found fast asleep. Fast asleep, that was, until I was disturbed by a sharp rap from the front door.

"Who, in the good name of Celestia, has the nerve to call at this hour," I grumbled, sliding out of bed.

Groggily shaking my head, I stumbled down the stairs, still disoriented from sleep, and trotted over to the door throwing it open, making no attempt to conceal my irritability at the visitor.

Or so I would have been irritated, had it been anyone else on my doorstep than an old friend. Her face was turned down away from me, concealed by a mess of techni-colored mane, like his own, more disheveled than he had ever seen it before.

"Rainbow Dash? What are you doing here this late?"

And then she raised her head, and her visit became that much more obvious to me; her eyes glistened and swam with tears, edged by the reddening puffiness that told me she'd already been crying for some time.

"I... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have woken you up for this. I'll... I'll go."

She turned to leave, but that was as far as I let her. "Like hay you are, get your flank inside, now," I said, grabbing her hoof, leading her through the doorway and into the living room.

That was about as far as she made it, collapsing on the couch as the tears got the best of her, streaming in lines down her face. I started towards her, then hesitated for a moment, remembering how badly the last time had... ah the hay with it. Her sobs became muffled as I wrapped my legs around her, and she buried her head in my chest.

"Dash... I don't know what happened, but I'm here for you. I know, it's not okay right now. But we're gonna make it soon, okay? You hear me?"

I kept the rambling up for a while, the encouraging words that she had once used for me so long ago. And slowly, her crying slowed, and soon stopped. I paused while she spoke.

"I'm.. I'm sorry Specs. I got caught up with everything, and it's just too much for me right now. I know, I haven't talked to you much since flight school and that dance and..."

"Shhh. Hey. It's all good. Don’t worry about that. I know, you've been busy with your own life now. But you've always been welcome here, no matter what. That's not ever gonna change."

She broke down again at my words, but not as badly as before.

"Specs, I don't know what I'd do without you. I can't talk to my other friends, not about this. They'd... they'd hate me, judge me. But I mean, how could they understand? They don't even know... yet..."

"Dash, you're still not making sense to me yet. Nothing new, I know," I said, eliciting a half-hearted chuckle from her. "Let's get you off to bed, it's late enough as it is. We'll talk this over in the morning, okay?"

I helped her off the couch beside me and walked her up the stairs to the guest bedroom, on the opposite side of the hall from my own room. It took me a minute, but I dug out the spare blankets and hastily set them up on the bed. Meanwhile, Dash stood by the door, quiet. I moved to help her into the bed, and she turned over to one side, already restless. I paused by the door on my way out, but then she spoke.

"Specs?"

"Yea, Dash?"

"I... I feel silly for asking this. But... part of my problem? I'm lonely... I feel like nopony will ever want me.... Nopony ever has, but..."

"Don't even believe that for a second." My voice abruptly cut her off. "You're many things, including my best friend, and you're lying to yourself if you say nopony's ever wanted you."

I find myself suddenly thankful for the darkness to cover my feelings accompanying the revelation, but what could I say? It'd been true ever since that dance back in flight school.

"Specs? After all this time?"

"Yes." I turned towards the door, slightly embarrassed and moved to walk out.

"Specs."

The sound of my nickname once again stops me, my hoof on the doorknob.

"Dash?"

"I... I don't want to be alone tonight. Not after today. Please, don't leave me here... tonight?"

My world stops for a moment, as the gravity of what she said hit me. But me... I couldn't have said no to her if I wanted to in the first place. I sigh, and then spoke.

"I never could leave you, Dash, and I suppose I certainly can't tonight."

I walked back to the bed, and she scooted over to the right side, shifting the covers as I lift myself in, settling down. I turned to face her, and find her own eyes looking back into my own. The brilliant, beautiful magenta eyes that caught my heart so long ago, searching for something, lost amidst a sea of confusion. A lone pair of gems shore amidst the darkness.

Tentatively, I reached my arm out and wrapped it around her in a loose hug, and she snuggled closer in response.

"Dash?"

"..yes?"

"Are you sure you're okay with this tonight? I mean, it's been a while and..."

"I need you tonight."

Those words reassure, yet terrify me. They're invigorating, yet so heartbreaking at the same time. Ah, but the hay with it; I get one night that my heart thought it was never going to have. Call it my guilty pleasure if you will, but for tonight, all that matters is Dash, and just as importantly, what she means to me.

"Goodnight Dash."

She leaned her head forward, resting on my chest; I can only pray she doesn't feel my nervous heartbeat that beats all the more strongly as she murmured back.

"Goodnight, Spectrum."

Nostalgia

Chapter 3

You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past.

Call me nostalgic, but that one quote comes to mind, after all these years. I had gotten to see Dash's room only once during our times together, and that one framed quote came to mind.

As I lay among the soft blankets with a radiator of a pegasus beside me, gently snoring, my mind began to wander. It always had, especially at this time of night.

Except tonight was special - that much could be attributed to the mare who's head snuggled comfortable on my chest. But the memory that came was one that I hadn't relived in years.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The air was abuzz with excitement as I strolled towards the enormous building. The structure itself stretched high into the sky, eclipsing the setting sun. While Celestia might be turning in for sleep, the Luna's night had just begun. And what a night it was to be. Tonight was the formal dance, and while all the boring acts of preparation had been endured earlier that day, now was the time for fun.

Now was the time to party.

"You nervous, Specs?" said my good friend, Light Ice, as we walked toward the front doors.

"Nah," I replied, one hoof on the handle, "this is me we're talking about, after all."

Inside the building, the normally monotonous hallways were decorated and dimmed. Already you could feel the bass, emanating from somewhere further inside, probably the gym or the cafeteria.

"Keep up, Ice," I said, picking up the pace, "you wouldn't want to keep your lady waiting would you?"

"If anyone's waiting, it's gonna be me..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hearing was to be impaired that night, special thanks to Vinyl and her booming speakers. Details were lost amid the cluster of bodies, all packed together, raising the room to what might have been an unbearable heat, had the fun been any less.

Given my situation, things could have been a whole lot worse.

"Oh Spectrum! Why don't you dance with me?" chimed one of the mares to my right, flipping her yellow mane out of her face to bat her eyes yet again.

"Perhaps," came my harsh witted reply, "if you could only keep up with me to begin with." I shot her a devious wink and then disappeared in the throng, weaving through the crowd with relative ease.

"That one was way to clingy Specs," I muttered to myself. "Gotta find one that's more... me."

"Well someone's full of himself, as usual," came the all too familiar voice to my right.

I turned my head, my eyes already confirming what I knew; Rainbow Dash.

With a sigh, I made to turn away, saying "Come on Dash, don't you have someone else to heckle tonight? Perhaps that griffin friend of yours, Gilda?”

"I might, but I fancied a dance with someone, oh how did you put it? More, me."

Taken back, I glanced back at her, and that's when those eyes first caught me. It's also when I actually bothered to take a good look at her the first of many times that night.

Her dress reminded me of the sky before a storm; the top that fastened to her back started with a light blue that became progressively darker as it moved on down, lined with gold and emblazed with her own cutie mark on the side.

The entire thing screamed ‘I’m Rainbow Dash’.

But then there was Dash herself; prime athlete of the school, with that sleek, athletic body, that boasted most of the school track titles to begin with, not to mention the popularity and attention that came with her looks.

I felt no shame from staring.

Someone must have stolen time from me that night, as I was abruptly jolted back to reality.

"Specs? You just gonna stand there and stare all night? I mean really, you could at least dance, and maybe get away with it," said Dash, that old devious look on her face.

"I... uh..."

"Oh come on already! Let's have some fun!"

And that's how I, Spectrum Streak, hotshot of the guys in flight school, found myself unceremoniously dragged into the middle of the dance floor by an equally popular, and maybe even cooler pegasus, Rainbow Dash. So yea, that's one of my secrets-not-secrets out there. How did I find Dash? The truth is, I didn't.

She found me.

Even better news? The night had just begun.

Author's Note

It's been a while but still not long enough. I feel like this chapter is the one reason I'm continuing to mark this fic as incomplete. There's much potential for character development, and I feel like this part could flesh out further in the future. Criticism is, as always, welcome. Thank you.

The Light Ahead

Chapter 4

The sensation of wetting fur against my chest snapped me out of my reprieve and back into the present. Surprised, I looked down and found Dash awake, crying silently.

“Dash?”

“Oh ponyfeathers,” she sniffled turning her head inward against my chest, “Sorry for waking you, Specs.”

“I hadn’t fallen asleep yet, hun,” I replied, running a hoof through her soft, light mane. “But I don’t think we’re going to wait until morning to talk.”

She sighed, turning over, with her back to me, dragging my arm over and holding it close. “Why do we even bother with friends sometimes, Specs?”

“Hm?”

“Friends. They’re only around for a short while, they change, and eventually they die. Why do we even bother?”

“Dash, they’re so much more than that…”

She was unable to speak for a minute, as the tears continued unabated down her face, then asked, “Then why do they leave us?”

“Dash… who was it?”

“…Gilda.”

“Oh, Dash…”

I leaned over, wiping the tears that stained her beautiful face, and held her close, not bothering with words, just yet. Something about it just didn’t seem right, there was too big of a gap here that words alone couldn’t fill. Sure, words take thought, effort, and energy, and the mere fact that they exist shows caring and companionship, something Dash obviously needed. But here, they lacked the true expression that silence gave, the ability to reach beyond understanding, to feel beyond words.

Then the words came.

“There’s never really a good reason. Or a fair one, to be honest. Because there are just some of those people out there who we’re never going to be able to let go. At least completely. Why? Because that’s what friends do. They walk into our lives, and often walk out of them too, leaving the biggest mark not where we can see them, but feel them. In our heart.”

“But... she changed. She used to be okay, and now… I don’t understand what happened.”

“You know, you might not ever understand Dash. Life’s cruel to us like that, where we’re forced into a world full of unknowns…”

She looked up to me, her magenta eyes still shimmering, threatening to overflow again.

“What do I do?”

‘Well isn’t that a question,’ I thought to myself, looking out the window at the head of the bed. Already the sun was starting to rise, the amber rays peaking among the crest of the ridge that broke the horizon.

“Forget her.”

“… What?”

“Forget her of who she’s chosen to become,” I corrected. “She once meant something so much more than what she’s become to you now. Remember her as someone who once stood by your side as a friend that you needed the most, and forget her for who she’s become.”

The sun ascended above the ridge, the golden rays shining through the window, and into our faces as my eyes me hers.

“That’s… I don’t know if I can do that Specs…”

I extended my wing, the silvery feathers catching the light and blocking the glare from Dash’s face.

“It’s not easy… But you’re not gonna be alone either.”

She smiled then, stretching her own wing out so that it laced through my, covering the same glare from my face.

“Here’s to doing this… Together.”

“Together,” I agreed, smiling at the shimmering, azure tinted light that speckled the room before our wings fell, resting upon each other, a sanctuary of peace that gave way to fitful sleep.

Author's Note

Wow. This fic being my first and all, I honestly didn't know what to expect. It started out as a shipping fic, but lacked actual meaning or inspiration from myself. Writing like that doesn't work well for me. And it's developed into something more, something I've found to be even more relevant in my day to day life. If I may take a slight detour and explain some aspects of the characters behind this fic. If i'm honest, I should have just made the fic about two different OC's, that'd be that. But this situation with Gilda was too personal to my own life to pass up. And while I might wish to say and claim Spectre as my own OC, the sad reality is, I'm Dash in this situation. And as sad as it is to admit, I have no Spectre of my own. But that's no reason to get down; the reality is no matter where any one of us goes, we'll at least have six good friends by our sides. :ajsmug::pinkiehappy::rainbowdetermined2::raritywink::twilightsmile::yay: