Vertigo: The RainbowDust Group Collabby AvoxChapters1. Fancy – Avox2. Book – TaviPlaysTheBass3. Games – FamousLastWords6. Static – TaviPlaysTheBass7. Suspicions – Auramane4. Death Metal – Avox5. Silhouettes – IceboxFroggie8. Apologies – Cromegas_Flare1. Fancy – AvoxRainbow Dash hated a lot of things. For example, she hated make-up and ball gowns. She hated horse-drawn carriages and candle-lit dinners at fancy restaurants. And she especially hated romantic walks in the park. But above all else, in that moment, she really, really hated Rarity. "But darling, you simply must wear the dress!" Rainbow stomped her hoof. Her wings flared out, sending the little squares of fabric pinned to them flying everywhere. "For the last time, Rarity, I don't want to wear the dress!" "Yes you do, Rainbow. You do want to look good for your date tonight, don't you?" Rarity asked. Rainbow frowned. "It is not a date." Rolling her eyes, Rarity said, "Darling, please. Do you honestly think that it isn't a date?" "It is totally not a date. Lightning and I are just hanging out. That's all." "Of course. I mean, she's only renting out a horse-drawn carriage to take you to a candle-lit dinner at a fancy restaurant. Nothing romantic about that at all." "Hey!" "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I forget to mention the romantic walk in the park?" Rainbow's face couldn't have been more red even if she wanted it to be. Kicking at the ground with a hoof, she said, "I... I guess I'll wear the dress." Rarity grinned triumphantly. "Perfect." Rainbow sighed. "Why did I ever agree to this...?" she mumbled under her breath. Just then, the door to the boutique creaked open. The whole room went deafeningly silent as Lightning Dust ambled inside, a light blush painting her cheeks. Rainbow's jaw hit the floor. Lightning Dust was wearing an elegant silver ball gown. Her hair was tied up in a loose bun, letting the world get a better look at her smile and brilliant amber eyes. Her tail swished back and forth nervously as her eyes darted all around the room, looking everywhere but at Rainbow. She was the epitome of beauty. "That," Rarity said plainly, pointing a hoof at Lightning. "That is why you agreed to do this, Rainbow." 2. Book – TaviPlaysTheBassRainbow Dash felt bad, she really did. She didn’t like stealing things, especially from a close friend like Twilight, but this was just too important. She felt the heavy book in her saddlebag as she flew up to the front door of her house. She checked behind her to make sure she wasn’t being followed, then quickly pushed through the door and locked it. Now that she was finally alone, she took off her saddlebags and removed the book from them. How to Woo Your Mare in 9 Easy Steps Rainbow Dash was ashamed. She was undeniably awesome, she shouldn’t need some silly book to help her ask a mare out. She should have been oozing game. But she wasn’t. To be totally honest, Rainbow had no idea what she was doing when it came to romance, and now that it really mattered, she hadn’t a clue how to make a move. Just as she was running out of hope, she had remembered this book in the library during one of her crashes. It was exactly what she was looking for, so she had snuck into the library at night and snatched it up without waking Twilight or Spike. Trembling with excitement, he sat down on her couch and opened it up to the first page. Step one: Show interest, and show her that you would like to get to know her and you were happy to meet her or talk to her. They were already friends, and enjoyed each other’s company, so that step was pretty much useless. Maybe she was so good that she had already completed the first steps without even knowing it. Rainbow flipped to another random page near the end of the book. Step seven: Dress nicely. Psshh, Rainbow Dash always looked awesome. With a mane and tail as radical as hers, it was hard not to. This book was proving much less helpful than she had thought it would be. She skipped ahead another chapter. Step eight: Lead the way. This was getting ridiculous. Rainbow already led her around, she was lead pony, after all. Dash sighed, just about ready to give up on this book. She had been hoping it would give her the tips she needed, but it was giving her a whole lot of nothing. For good measure, she turned to the last chapter, just to see what it said. Step nine: Make her feel special. Make her feel special? Hmmmm, now the book was getting somewhere. Yeah, Rainbow supposed she could do that. It Wouldn’t be too hard to make her feel like something she already is. Lightning Dust. The thought of the pegasus’ name made Rainbow Dash shiver. At first, Dash had hated her, her arrogance and disregard for other ponies had made Rainbow upset. But after a few weeks of training with her, she had been able to see who Lightning really was. She was a pony with incredible drive, and even though she cared about flying, that didn’t mean she had no regard at all for other ponies. Through flying with her everyday, Rainbow had built a real bond with her. She knew that despite her rough exterior, Lightning was capable of real compassion. She wasn’t sure when these feelings had become something more than friendship, but she knew that she had never felt this strongly about anypony else. These past three months in the academy with her had been incredible, and tomorrow was the closing ceremony. Tomorrow was her last chance to tell Lightning how she felt before it was all over and the two parted ways. Rainbow knew that tomorrow was her last chance, her one shot, and she was gonna make it count. No matter what, she was gonna make Lightning feel as special as Dash knew she was. 3. Games – FamousLastWords“I can’t believe we got dragged into this…” Lightning Dust looked over at Rainbow Dash with a huge frown. “It’s alright, Dust. We only have to watch her for three hours until Rarity gets back,” Rainbow said with a smile. “Hey! Are you two going to stand their talking all night, or are you going to come play with us like you promised?” Sweetie Belle squeaked, looking up at the two mares. “Of course we’re gonna play! What did you have in mind?” Rainbow asked. “Yeah, what’d you want to play? Tea Party, dress up?” Lightning Dust responded with a cute smile. “Mortal Kombat!” The two foalsitters looked at each other with wide eyes. “Press X, PRESS X!” Lightning shouted to Rainbow who was losing badly to Sweetie Belle. “I’M TRYING!” “Now press Square! You have to block! BLOCK!” “I CAN’T! SHE’S TOO FAST!” Sweetie Belle elicited a small chuckle. “Get ready for the finishing blow!” “FINISH HIM!” The announcer on the game heralded the arrival of the finish to the battle. “No… NOOO!” Rainbow fell in defeat as she watched her on-screen character’s spine get ripped from its back and then subsequently get strangled by it. “Yay! Another victory! That makes 23-0!” The two competitive mares hung their heads in defeat at the hooves of the cute filly. “I’m back!” A musical voice rang out from the front door, signaling Rarity’s return. “Did you three have fun?” “Yep!” “Pssh, fun for you maybe,” Lightning snorted. “You kicked our flank at that game non-stop for the entire time.” “Yeah! Rarity, do you have any idea of the kind of games she plays?” “Sweetie!” Rarity said, sternly. “What did I tell you about playing that game?” Sweetie Belle let out a pitiful sigh. “That I have to let the opponent play on Easy mode.” “Yes! Now, say goodnight to Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust and let's go play a quick round! I get to use Kratos though!” Dash and Lightning just looked at each other with wide eyes and let out a laugh. 6. Static – TaviPlaysTheBassNothing ever seemed to change. Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust had been dating for six months, and their relationship had gone nowhere. They were still stuck in the same rut. Dash would fly to Las Pegasus every weekend and pick Lightning up at her apartment. Then the two would go out to get drinks, then return to Lightning’s room wasted, and have a little fun. Rainbow couldn’t deny that she enjoyed it. She loved being with Lightning Dust, and cherished the time they were able to spend together, but it just wasn’t enough anymore. Six months had gone by, and their relationship was the same as the day it had started. As she lay awake next to a snoring Lightning, she decided that something had to change. She couldn’t deal with having to leave this warm bed early in the morning and not being able to see her marefriend for another whole week, it was too exhausting to be constantly missing her. To be constantly feeling alone. She knew what she had to do. She had been thinking about it for a while, but it was a step she hadn’t been sure she was ready for. She couldn’t put it of any longer though, things just weren’t quite working and they desperately needed a change. Besides, it wasn’t like Lightning had anything tying her to Las Pegasus, just a crappy part time job delivering mail. Rainbow could get her a way better job working for the weather team in Ponyville. She knew it would take a while for her friends to get used to Lightning being around, but they were nice ponies. She was sure they’d be accepting, even after what had happened at flight camp. Sunlight began streaming through the window and Lightning opened one eye. Seeing Dash right there staring back at her brought a sleepy smile to her face. “Mornin’ Dash, how you doing?” She leaned forward and gave Rainbow a light kiss on the nose. “I’m pretty good, I didn’t get much sleep last night though. Hey, can I ask you a serious question?” “Sure, shoot.” Lightning looked at her quizzically. Rainbow Dash swallowed, it was now or never. “Do you want to move in with me?” 7. Suspicions – AuramaneFluttershy sighed happily as she and her friends once again watched Rainbow Dash shooting through the clear, blue sky performing tricks. They all oohed and aahed at her daring stunts, craning their necks to follow her through the sky. Normally this would be a pretty regular occurrence, but Rainbow had been mysteriously absent from quite a few of their recent get togethers. She was very vague about what she was doing whenever she was asked. None of them really knew what she got up to when she was away. When Rainbow came down, she was quite eager to bask in their praise, drinking in every compliment with a wide smile on her face. However, just as she was about to sit down and dig in to the picnic they had brought with them, she heard the distant ringing of the ponyville clock tower. "Aww shoot, sorry, girls, I gotta go do something," she said hurriedly. Before any of them could ask what she meant, she had already grabbed a sandwich and zipped off into the sky. “Rainbow, where are you— oh, ponyfeathers, she can’t hear us,” said Applejack, glaring at the prismatic pegasus’ quickly shrinking tail. Twilight sighed. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. Shouldn’t let such lovely food go to waste. I do wish she’d tell us where she goes. I really wonder what she’s doing” The others all murmured their assent and sat down to eat. All except for Fluttershy. She continued to stare after Rainbow Dash, watching her slowly disappear into the distance. "She looks like she's heading to Cloudsdale," she murmured. "What was that, Fluttershy?" asked Rarity. Fluttershy flinched slightly and sheepishly turned back to her friends. "I think I should see where Rainbow is going. She's just been acting a little bit strange lately." Twilight looked at her concernedly. "Do you want me to come with you? Neither of us are particularly strong fliers, but it would still be better if we stuck together." Fluttershy shook her head. "No, it looks like she's going to Cloudsdale and it isn't that far. I'm sure I'll be fine." "Well," replied Twilight, quickly thinking it over, "okay, if you're sure. Just make sure she's okay." Fluttershy nodded gratefully and took off in the direction she had last seen Rainbow travelling in. After about an hour of flying, Fluttershy landed in the floating city of Cloudsdale. All around her, she saw the hustle and bustle of mid-afternoon shoppers and tourists, and her heart sank. How had she expected to find Rainbow Dash in the middle of all this. Well, she didn't really have any lunch. Maybe she went to a restaurant, thought Fluttershy, trotting through the city and looking around Frantically. When they had been fillies living in Cloudsdale, Rainbow's favourite restaurant had been a small hay burger place by the colosseum. She set off in that direction quickly. After a few minutes, she came to the colosseum and after a moment of looking around, she spotted Rainbow walking out of the door of the Restaurant. She was about to call out a greeting to her when she noticed that her friend what not leaving alone. After her, a light green mare with a striped golden mane. She looked very familiar, but she couldn’t quite put her hoof on the name. As she walked over to them, she heard Rainbow say questioningly, “So, uh, see you next week?” “Yeah, sure,” came the reply. “You sure you want to keep this secret? If I apologise properly to your friends, won’t they—” “I just want to wait a bit longer,” cut off Rainbow with a wave of her hoof. “I need a way to show them properly, not just show up and say ‘hey, guys, this is my marefriend, Lightning Dust. Yeah, I know she almost killed you, but she’s cool now.’ That’s it, her name was Lightning Dust. She was at the Wonderbolt academy with Rainbow. And she’s her marefriend? Fluttershy grinned. I never would have guessed Rainbow would be the first to find a special somepony. Lightning Dust flinched slightly at Rainbow’s words. “Fine, fine. Sheesh, don’t need to be so bossy about it. Anyway, I gotta go, seeya later.” And with that, she gave Rainbow a quick nuzzle before taking off and flying in the direction of Cloudsdale’s residential areas. Rainbow waved after her before quickly taking off and zooming back in the direction of Ponyville. Fluttershy watched her leave before she herself took off and started back towards Ponyville, considerably slower than Rainbow. She smiled to herself. She and Rainbow would be having a good long chat when she got back. 4. Death Metal – AvoxThe music was loud. Like, really, really loud. And it was awesome. Rainbow's head bobbed in time with the beat, a carefree smile plastered on her face. Drunk ponies stumbled around her, spilling their drinks and cursing under their breath. The band, I See Sombra, was jamming out on stage, feeding off the energy of the audience. It was their last song—it had to be legendary. Rainbow closed her eyes and took a deep breath, taking it all in. "Dash!" Her eyes shot open. "What're you doing here, Dash? Hay, I haven't seen you since the academy!" Rainbow smiled a little. "Yeah, it's been forever. What've you been up to all this time?" "Eh, nothing much. I've pretty much just been messing around back home in Las Pegasus," Lightning said. "How about you?" Rainbow chuckled. "Same thing here. Things have been pretty slow in Ponyville, what with Twi becoming princess and all. She hardly has time for us anymore. I know it's not her fault, but it still kinda sucks." With a final screaming guitar riff, their last song finally came to an end. The crowd, including Dash and Lightning, let out a collective sigh of disappointment. Ponies slowly pushed past the duo, leaving the arena for the night. Before long, the two ponies were left alone. Lightning's ear twitched. Kicking at the ground with a hoof, she began, "I know it's late and everything, but do you want to go and get coffee or something? It's been way too long since I've seen you, Dash. I'd love to catch up." Rainbow's eyes lit up like stars. "That... that would be awesome, Lightning." 5. Silhouettes – IceboxFroggieLightning Dust eased back into her chair and watched the show up on the stage. As she settled into her seat, Rainbow nudged her shoulder. "What do you think the show's about?" Lightning put a hoof to her chin. "Well..." She pointed to one silhouette that was prancing around the large, paper screen. "That silhouette is friends with another silhouette." She directed Dash's gaze to another shadow. "But, it turns out that they both want the same job, right?" "What's the job?" "A part in the Equestrian Air Force. But, the first one messes up bad, and almost hurts the people she cares about." Lightning gestured to the bottom of the stage, where the first puppet now lay, casting a large shadow onto the board behind it. "Now, the silhouette isn't doing so hot, right? She, uh..." Lightning cleared her throat. "She turns to a few unsavory things to ease her pain." Rainbow met Dust's eyes. "Unsavory things?" Lightning's gaze fell. "Drugs. Alcohol. Gambling. Sex." She wiped a small tear away from her eye. "Things that only pushed the problem away, instead of facing it." She took a few small, quick breaths. "Things that didn't help with the guilt." Rainbow slowly turned her head away from dust, and the dumbfounded expression on her face threatened to freeze into it if it didn't go away. The puppet on the stage suddenly looked up, as if trying to catch a glimpse of some gleaming, heaven-sent light. "But, you know what she did? She dumped her booze and threw away her syringes. She decided she needed to face the problem and apologize." Lightning turned to Dash, whose lip was quivering. "I'm sorry." Rainbow cradled Dust's head in her arms and pulled her into a sudden kiss. When their lips parted, Rainbow looked back into Lightning's dilated eyes. "I forgive you." 8. Apologies – Cromegas_Flare8. Apologies – Cromegas_Flare Lightning Dust walked down the road confused, why did this have to happen to her, it wasn’t even her fault. “You can’t blame yourself Lightning, You and Dash are always together, and when you get competitive like that… well the only one to blame is her,” said Flitter. “Ya, but that does not excuse my actions, first my recklessness almost destroys all her friends, but now my recklessness probably has destroyed her!” “I’m sure she’ll be fine Lightning, I know for a fact that Dash has gone through worse.” “Perhaps, but when will she cross her line of luck?” Flitter looked at Lightning for a moment and saw the look of worry on her face. ‘Wow she really cares about her’ “Lightning Dust, look at me.” Flitter reached out her hooves and force Lightning’s gaze into her eyes. “Rainbow Dash will be fine, so if you are truly worried about her, why are you here listening to me? Go to the hospital and check up on her, then tell her sorry if you feel so bad I know her response will surprise you.” Flitter could only blink as she saw Lightning Fly south to where Ponyville Hospital was located. As Lightning came closer to the hospital feelings of worry and dread began to fill her mind and soul. ‘What if her wings were cut off,’ she thought, ‘Or what if she has a nasty sprain that will never allow her to fly again. Even worse, what if she is in a coma and if she wakes up she can’t remember me!’ All the worry was starting to make Lightning sick, but the butterflies still made her fly faster. Soon she arrived at the hospital and dove for a landing. Walking through the doors the first person she saw was Nurse Redheart. “How may I help you?” asked the mare Lightning opened her mouth to speak only for the doors next to her to open. The sight before her brought both joy to her heart and tears to her eyes. “Rainbow, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to make you come here to the hospital!” cried Lightning Dust in Rainbow’s shoulders. “What are you talking about?” asked Rainbow Dash ‘Oh no! She can’t remember me!’ Lightning let go of the hug and stepped back. “What do you mean?” The sound of her name escaping Rainbow’s lips brought relief to her worries. “Lightning Dust, I’m confused? Yes I crashed, but I flew here just fine for my check up.” “You’re checkup?” Asked Lightning When we crashed I was reminded of being late for my check up, so I told you where I was going so you could find me after you recovered.” Lightning let out a blush, “Oh, I thought you flew here because you were hurt and came to the hospital to get surgery or something.” Rainbow Dash laughed, “Oh you feather head, I’m responsible but not that responsible,” with those words she gave a small kiss on her cheek. “Come on we have a race to finish.”
1. Fancy – AvoxRainbow Dash hated a lot of things. For example, she hated make-up and ball gowns. She hated horse-drawn carriages and candle-lit dinners at fancy restaurants. And she especially hated romantic walks in the park. But above all else, in that moment, she really, really hated Rarity. "But darling, you simply must wear the dress!" Rainbow stomped her hoof. Her wings flared out, sending the little squares of fabric pinned to them flying everywhere. "For the last time, Rarity, I don't want to wear the dress!" "Yes you do, Rainbow. You do want to look good for your date tonight, don't you?" Rarity asked. Rainbow frowned. "It is not a date." Rolling her eyes, Rarity said, "Darling, please. Do you honestly think that it isn't a date?" "It is totally not a date. Lightning and I are just hanging out. That's all." "Of course. I mean, she's only renting out a horse-drawn carriage to take you to a candle-lit dinner at a fancy restaurant. Nothing romantic about that at all." "Hey!" "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I forget to mention the romantic walk in the park?" Rainbow's face couldn't have been more red even if she wanted it to be. Kicking at the ground with a hoof, she said, "I... I guess I'll wear the dress." Rarity grinned triumphantly. "Perfect." Rainbow sighed. "Why did I ever agree to this...?" she mumbled under her breath. Just then, the door to the boutique creaked open. The whole room went deafeningly silent as Lightning Dust ambled inside, a light blush painting her cheeks. Rainbow's jaw hit the floor. Lightning Dust was wearing an elegant silver ball gown. Her hair was tied up in a loose bun, letting the world get a better look at her smile and brilliant amber eyes. Her tail swished back and forth nervously as her eyes darted all around the room, looking everywhere but at Rainbow. She was the epitome of beauty. "That," Rarity said plainly, pointing a hoof at Lightning. "That is why you agreed to do this, Rainbow."
2. Book – TaviPlaysTheBassRainbow Dash felt bad, she really did. She didn’t like stealing things, especially from a close friend like Twilight, but this was just too important. She felt the heavy book in her saddlebag as she flew up to the front door of her house. She checked behind her to make sure she wasn’t being followed, then quickly pushed through the door and locked it. Now that she was finally alone, she took off her saddlebags and removed the book from them. How to Woo Your Mare in 9 Easy Steps Rainbow Dash was ashamed. She was undeniably awesome, she shouldn’t need some silly book to help her ask a mare out. She should have been oozing game. But she wasn’t. To be totally honest, Rainbow had no idea what she was doing when it came to romance, and now that it really mattered, she hadn’t a clue how to make a move. Just as she was running out of hope, she had remembered this book in the library during one of her crashes. It was exactly what she was looking for, so she had snuck into the library at night and snatched it up without waking Twilight or Spike. Trembling with excitement, he sat down on her couch and opened it up to the first page. Step one: Show interest, and show her that you would like to get to know her and you were happy to meet her or talk to her. They were already friends, and enjoyed each other’s company, so that step was pretty much useless. Maybe she was so good that she had already completed the first steps without even knowing it. Rainbow flipped to another random page near the end of the book. Step seven: Dress nicely. Psshh, Rainbow Dash always looked awesome. With a mane and tail as radical as hers, it was hard not to. This book was proving much less helpful than she had thought it would be. She skipped ahead another chapter. Step eight: Lead the way. This was getting ridiculous. Rainbow already led her around, she was lead pony, after all. Dash sighed, just about ready to give up on this book. She had been hoping it would give her the tips she needed, but it was giving her a whole lot of nothing. For good measure, she turned to the last chapter, just to see what it said. Step nine: Make her feel special. Make her feel special? Hmmmm, now the book was getting somewhere. Yeah, Rainbow supposed she could do that. It Wouldn’t be too hard to make her feel like something she already is. Lightning Dust. The thought of the pegasus’ name made Rainbow Dash shiver. At first, Dash had hated her, her arrogance and disregard for other ponies had made Rainbow upset. But after a few weeks of training with her, she had been able to see who Lightning really was. She was a pony with incredible drive, and even though she cared about flying, that didn’t mean she had no regard at all for other ponies. Through flying with her everyday, Rainbow had built a real bond with her. She knew that despite her rough exterior, Lightning was capable of real compassion. She wasn’t sure when these feelings had become something more than friendship, but she knew that she had never felt this strongly about anypony else. These past three months in the academy with her had been incredible, and tomorrow was the closing ceremony. Tomorrow was her last chance to tell Lightning how she felt before it was all over and the two parted ways. Rainbow knew that tomorrow was her last chance, her one shot, and she was gonna make it count. No matter what, she was gonna make Lightning feel as special as Dash knew she was.
3. Games – FamousLastWords“I can’t believe we got dragged into this…” Lightning Dust looked over at Rainbow Dash with a huge frown. “It’s alright, Dust. We only have to watch her for three hours until Rarity gets back,” Rainbow said with a smile. “Hey! Are you two going to stand their talking all night, or are you going to come play with us like you promised?” Sweetie Belle squeaked, looking up at the two mares. “Of course we’re gonna play! What did you have in mind?” Rainbow asked. “Yeah, what’d you want to play? Tea Party, dress up?” Lightning Dust responded with a cute smile. “Mortal Kombat!” The two foalsitters looked at each other with wide eyes. “Press X, PRESS X!” Lightning shouted to Rainbow who was losing badly to Sweetie Belle. “I’M TRYING!” “Now press Square! You have to block! BLOCK!” “I CAN’T! SHE’S TOO FAST!” Sweetie Belle elicited a small chuckle. “Get ready for the finishing blow!” “FINISH HIM!” The announcer on the game heralded the arrival of the finish to the battle. “No… NOOO!” Rainbow fell in defeat as she watched her on-screen character’s spine get ripped from its back and then subsequently get strangled by it. “Yay! Another victory! That makes 23-0!” The two competitive mares hung their heads in defeat at the hooves of the cute filly. “I’m back!” A musical voice rang out from the front door, signaling Rarity’s return. “Did you three have fun?” “Yep!” “Pssh, fun for you maybe,” Lightning snorted. “You kicked our flank at that game non-stop for the entire time.” “Yeah! Rarity, do you have any idea of the kind of games she plays?” “Sweetie!” Rarity said, sternly. “What did I tell you about playing that game?” Sweetie Belle let out a pitiful sigh. “That I have to let the opponent play on Easy mode.” “Yes! Now, say goodnight to Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust and let's go play a quick round! I get to use Kratos though!” Dash and Lightning just looked at each other with wide eyes and let out a laugh.
6. Static – TaviPlaysTheBassNothing ever seemed to change. Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust had been dating for six months, and their relationship had gone nowhere. They were still stuck in the same rut. Dash would fly to Las Pegasus every weekend and pick Lightning up at her apartment. Then the two would go out to get drinks, then return to Lightning’s room wasted, and have a little fun. Rainbow couldn’t deny that she enjoyed it. She loved being with Lightning Dust, and cherished the time they were able to spend together, but it just wasn’t enough anymore. Six months had gone by, and their relationship was the same as the day it had started. As she lay awake next to a snoring Lightning, she decided that something had to change. She couldn’t deal with having to leave this warm bed early in the morning and not being able to see her marefriend for another whole week, it was too exhausting to be constantly missing her. To be constantly feeling alone. She knew what she had to do. She had been thinking about it for a while, but it was a step she hadn’t been sure she was ready for. She couldn’t put it of any longer though, things just weren’t quite working and they desperately needed a change. Besides, it wasn’t like Lightning had anything tying her to Las Pegasus, just a crappy part time job delivering mail. Rainbow could get her a way better job working for the weather team in Ponyville. She knew it would take a while for her friends to get used to Lightning being around, but they were nice ponies. She was sure they’d be accepting, even after what had happened at flight camp. Sunlight began streaming through the window and Lightning opened one eye. Seeing Dash right there staring back at her brought a sleepy smile to her face. “Mornin’ Dash, how you doing?” She leaned forward and gave Rainbow a light kiss on the nose. “I’m pretty good, I didn’t get much sleep last night though. Hey, can I ask you a serious question?” “Sure, shoot.” Lightning looked at her quizzically. Rainbow Dash swallowed, it was now or never. “Do you want to move in with me?”
7. Suspicions – AuramaneFluttershy sighed happily as she and her friends once again watched Rainbow Dash shooting through the clear, blue sky performing tricks. They all oohed and aahed at her daring stunts, craning their necks to follow her through the sky. Normally this would be a pretty regular occurrence, but Rainbow had been mysteriously absent from quite a few of their recent get togethers. She was very vague about what she was doing whenever she was asked. None of them really knew what she got up to when she was away. When Rainbow came down, she was quite eager to bask in their praise, drinking in every compliment with a wide smile on her face. However, just as she was about to sit down and dig in to the picnic they had brought with them, she heard the distant ringing of the ponyville clock tower. "Aww shoot, sorry, girls, I gotta go do something," she said hurriedly. Before any of them could ask what she meant, she had already grabbed a sandwich and zipped off into the sky. “Rainbow, where are you— oh, ponyfeathers, she can’t hear us,” said Applejack, glaring at the prismatic pegasus’ quickly shrinking tail. Twilight sighed. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. Shouldn’t let such lovely food go to waste. I do wish she’d tell us where she goes. I really wonder what she’s doing” The others all murmured their assent and sat down to eat. All except for Fluttershy. She continued to stare after Rainbow Dash, watching her slowly disappear into the distance. "She looks like she's heading to Cloudsdale," she murmured. "What was that, Fluttershy?" asked Rarity. Fluttershy flinched slightly and sheepishly turned back to her friends. "I think I should see where Rainbow is going. She's just been acting a little bit strange lately." Twilight looked at her concernedly. "Do you want me to come with you? Neither of us are particularly strong fliers, but it would still be better if we stuck together." Fluttershy shook her head. "No, it looks like she's going to Cloudsdale and it isn't that far. I'm sure I'll be fine." "Well," replied Twilight, quickly thinking it over, "okay, if you're sure. Just make sure she's okay." Fluttershy nodded gratefully and took off in the direction she had last seen Rainbow travelling in. After about an hour of flying, Fluttershy landed in the floating city of Cloudsdale. All around her, she saw the hustle and bustle of mid-afternoon shoppers and tourists, and her heart sank. How had she expected to find Rainbow Dash in the middle of all this. Well, she didn't really have any lunch. Maybe she went to a restaurant, thought Fluttershy, trotting through the city and looking around Frantically. When they had been fillies living in Cloudsdale, Rainbow's favourite restaurant had been a small hay burger place by the colosseum. She set off in that direction quickly. After a few minutes, she came to the colosseum and after a moment of looking around, she spotted Rainbow walking out of the door of the Restaurant. She was about to call out a greeting to her when she noticed that her friend what not leaving alone. After her, a light green mare with a striped golden mane. She looked very familiar, but she couldn’t quite put her hoof on the name. As she walked over to them, she heard Rainbow say questioningly, “So, uh, see you next week?” “Yeah, sure,” came the reply. “You sure you want to keep this secret? If I apologise properly to your friends, won’t they—” “I just want to wait a bit longer,” cut off Rainbow with a wave of her hoof. “I need a way to show them properly, not just show up and say ‘hey, guys, this is my marefriend, Lightning Dust. Yeah, I know she almost killed you, but she’s cool now.’ That’s it, her name was Lightning Dust. She was at the Wonderbolt academy with Rainbow. And she’s her marefriend? Fluttershy grinned. I never would have guessed Rainbow would be the first to find a special somepony. Lightning Dust flinched slightly at Rainbow’s words. “Fine, fine. Sheesh, don’t need to be so bossy about it. Anyway, I gotta go, seeya later.” And with that, she gave Rainbow a quick nuzzle before taking off and flying in the direction of Cloudsdale’s residential areas. Rainbow waved after her before quickly taking off and zooming back in the direction of Ponyville. Fluttershy watched her leave before she herself took off and started back towards Ponyville, considerably slower than Rainbow. She smiled to herself. She and Rainbow would be having a good long chat when she got back.
4. Death Metal – AvoxThe music was loud. Like, really, really loud. And it was awesome. Rainbow's head bobbed in time with the beat, a carefree smile plastered on her face. Drunk ponies stumbled around her, spilling their drinks and cursing under their breath. The band, I See Sombra, was jamming out on stage, feeding off the energy of the audience. It was their last song—it had to be legendary. Rainbow closed her eyes and took a deep breath, taking it all in. "Dash!" Her eyes shot open. "What're you doing here, Dash? Hay, I haven't seen you since the academy!" Rainbow smiled a little. "Yeah, it's been forever. What've you been up to all this time?" "Eh, nothing much. I've pretty much just been messing around back home in Las Pegasus," Lightning said. "How about you?" Rainbow chuckled. "Same thing here. Things have been pretty slow in Ponyville, what with Twi becoming princess and all. She hardly has time for us anymore. I know it's not her fault, but it still kinda sucks." With a final screaming guitar riff, their last song finally came to an end. The crowd, including Dash and Lightning, let out a collective sigh of disappointment. Ponies slowly pushed past the duo, leaving the arena for the night. Before long, the two ponies were left alone. Lightning's ear twitched. Kicking at the ground with a hoof, she began, "I know it's late and everything, but do you want to go and get coffee or something? It's been way too long since I've seen you, Dash. I'd love to catch up." Rainbow's eyes lit up like stars. "That... that would be awesome, Lightning."
5. Silhouettes – IceboxFroggieLightning Dust eased back into her chair and watched the show up on the stage. As she settled into her seat, Rainbow nudged her shoulder. "What do you think the show's about?" Lightning put a hoof to her chin. "Well..." She pointed to one silhouette that was prancing around the large, paper screen. "That silhouette is friends with another silhouette." She directed Dash's gaze to another shadow. "But, it turns out that they both want the same job, right?" "What's the job?" "A part in the Equestrian Air Force. But, the first one messes up bad, and almost hurts the people she cares about." Lightning gestured to the bottom of the stage, where the first puppet now lay, casting a large shadow onto the board behind it. "Now, the silhouette isn't doing so hot, right? She, uh..." Lightning cleared her throat. "She turns to a few unsavory things to ease her pain." Rainbow met Dust's eyes. "Unsavory things?" Lightning's gaze fell. "Drugs. Alcohol. Gambling. Sex." She wiped a small tear away from her eye. "Things that only pushed the problem away, instead of facing it." She took a few small, quick breaths. "Things that didn't help with the guilt." Rainbow slowly turned her head away from dust, and the dumbfounded expression on her face threatened to freeze into it if it didn't go away. The puppet on the stage suddenly looked up, as if trying to catch a glimpse of some gleaming, heaven-sent light. "But, you know what she did? She dumped her booze and threw away her syringes. She decided she needed to face the problem and apologize." Lightning turned to Dash, whose lip was quivering. "I'm sorry." Rainbow cradled Dust's head in her arms and pulled her into a sudden kiss. When their lips parted, Rainbow looked back into Lightning's dilated eyes. "I forgive you."
8. Apologies – Cromegas_Flare8. Apologies – Cromegas_Flare Lightning Dust walked down the road confused, why did this have to happen to her, it wasn’t even her fault. “You can’t blame yourself Lightning, You and Dash are always together, and when you get competitive like that… well the only one to blame is her,” said Flitter. “Ya, but that does not excuse my actions, first my recklessness almost destroys all her friends, but now my recklessness probably has destroyed her!” “I’m sure she’ll be fine Lightning, I know for a fact that Dash has gone through worse.” “Perhaps, but when will she cross her line of luck?” Flitter looked at Lightning for a moment and saw the look of worry on her face. ‘Wow she really cares about her’ “Lightning Dust, look at me.” Flitter reached out her hooves and force Lightning’s gaze into her eyes. “Rainbow Dash will be fine, so if you are truly worried about her, why are you here listening to me? Go to the hospital and check up on her, then tell her sorry if you feel so bad I know her response will surprise you.” Flitter could only blink as she saw Lightning Fly south to where Ponyville Hospital was located. As Lightning came closer to the hospital feelings of worry and dread began to fill her mind and soul. ‘What if her wings were cut off,’ she thought, ‘Or what if she has a nasty sprain that will never allow her to fly again. Even worse, what if she is in a coma and if she wakes up she can’t remember me!’ All the worry was starting to make Lightning sick, but the butterflies still made her fly faster. Soon she arrived at the hospital and dove for a landing. Walking through the doors the first person she saw was Nurse Redheart. “How may I help you?” asked the mare Lightning opened her mouth to speak only for the doors next to her to open. The sight before her brought both joy to her heart and tears to her eyes. “Rainbow, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to make you come here to the hospital!” cried Lightning Dust in Rainbow’s shoulders. “What are you talking about?” asked Rainbow Dash ‘Oh no! She can’t remember me!’ Lightning let go of the hug and stepped back. “What do you mean?” The sound of her name escaping Rainbow’s lips brought relief to her worries. “Lightning Dust, I’m confused? Yes I crashed, but I flew here just fine for my check up.” “You’re checkup?” Asked Lightning When we crashed I was reminded of being late for my check up, so I told you where I was going so you could find me after you recovered.” Lightning let out a blush, “Oh, I thought you flew here because you were hurt and came to the hospital to get surgery or something.” Rainbow Dash laughed, “Oh you feather head, I’m responsible but not that responsible,” with those words she gave a small kiss on her cheek. “Come on we have a race to finish.”
