Letting The Days Go By.

( Scootaloos P.O.V )

" Rainbow? " I spoke aloud through the dimly lit room in the hotel, sure it was dark but I could make out the room littered in filth and discarded items.

And if I couldn't the stench of this room would have given it away, It took me a bit to track down my sister after she stormed out of our last get together. Ever since that bolt of lightning struck Dash down during her first year as a Wonderbolt she hasn't been the same, the color she brought to the world seemed to fade away.

" Dash are you here? " I spoke up a bit louder stepping inside the room, finding a small candle off to the corner with a box of matches.

Quickly flicking one into flame I lost no time lighting up a candle, coming to sight with something horrible.

Hanging from the middle of the room was Dash her whole body still and unmoving, my heart started to speed up as the whole world around me began to spin.

" DASH!! " I screamed out loud tears forming in my eyes.

" Ahhhh! " Dash quickly slung up her head in shock from my high pitched scream, flashing me a worried yet confused look.

" Scoots-Scootaloo!!- What's with the screaming? " Dash glared crossing her hooves across her chest as she stayed hovering in midair without the use of her wings.

" You-you were hanging!-I thought you were dead!! " I spoke up in a lower tone my hoof over my chest feeling the rapid beating of my heart.

" Phst!- One. Rainbow Dash will never end it okay?! and Two It's a harness!! " Dash pouted narrowing her eyes at me as I simply gave it a closer look, indeed strapped around her chest area was a leather strap.

" Why are you in a harness? " I sighed walking over to my sisters side and sitting down on the floor, gazing up towards her with worry in my eyes.

" Well the dumb thing was supposed to help my wings stretch and workout, but I kinda slipt it on wrong and got stuck..." Dash rolled her violet colored hues at me as couldn't help but giggle.

" Yes-Haha- get me down now Scoots I've been here for at least a day! " Dash sighed placing a hoof atop her forehead as her body slowly spun around in place, my eyes catching a small glance at her burned busted right wing.

" I'm sorry Dash." I smiled quickly standing on my forelegs to untie the back of the harness as Dash undid the front.

Within a flash she ploped down atop the floor stretching her body into place, Her mane wild and a bit tangled as black lines had formed underneath her eyes.

She looked so tired though she'd never admit it.

" So what bring's you all the way to Las Pegasus- scratch that how did you track me down? " Dash spoke in a slightly annoyed tone as she trotted over to a nearby counter with a half drunken bottle of spiced wine atop it.

" I just got worried about you Dash among other things.-That and I asked Pinkie if she knew where you might be." I spoke watching my sister lift the bottle in her hooves to her lips chugging down a large swig in a single gulp.

" Don't worry about me I just like my privacy..." Dash winced swallowing the wine before sliding it back onto the counter.

" You know like Fluttershy. " She finished off as she trotted over the trash in her room, jumping atop a worn dirty mattress the sheets stained from months of neglect.

" That's another reason I was sent to find you- Fluttershy hung herself. " I slowly allowed the words to fall from my lips as Dash quickly rolled over to her side in a swift motion falling off the bed.

" Is she alright? " Dash quickly asked slinging up to her hooves galloping across the room to face me.

" She's..." I tried to speak my voice cracking slightly.

" IS SHE ALRIGHT!! " Dash screamed her hooves clutching my shoulders hard sending a pinge of pain up my neck.

" Yes!-yes she's alright though being looked after at Ponyville Hospital. " I finished as Dash let out a sigh of relife, slowly ploping down onto the floor in silence.

" Is that all? " She spoke up in a solemn tone eyes darting about the room wildly.

" Well Pinkie is off to go visit her-she asked if I did find you to also ask you to visit." I spoke up as my eyes gazed down to the flith of the floor how did she fall so far.

" I....Can't go back." Dash spoke turning away from me in silence, walking over to her mattress again.

" Dash we all miss you! - We...I need you!! " I felt my voice start to raise once more, Dash simply plopping down atop the bed with a dull thud her coat even less colorful than before.

" Nopony needs the company of a Busted up Ex-Flyer. " Dashes voice escaped her lips in barely a whisper her back turned to me.

Her wing was folded back and twisted, burn marks seared the fur from her wing leaving only bare skin and a slight imprint of bone into view.

" You used to tell me when I thought I'd never fly-To Never Give Up!! " I yelled out from the corner of the room, my lower lip quivering as I could feel the tears returning.

" That giving up was for Rookies!- That even if I never did fly you'd always be there at my side!! " I felt the warm tears roll down my cheeks as I stomped my hoof atop the ground firmly.

" Well guess what!- You never gave up on me!- So I'm doing the same!! " I yelled out dashing over to my sisters bedside as I gazed down to her limp body in disgust.

" I'm at my end kid.- This Rainbow is just too tired..." Dash sighed ears folding back gently.

" Please for me..." I whispered hoping just for a second to see the fire in her eyes one last time.

" Tell Fluttershy I said hello..." Dash waved a small hoof my way as if to dismiss my company.

" I can't believe I ever looked up to you." I spoke turning away from this shell of a mare and trotting out the door, my whole frame felt numb and cold.

( Rainbow Dashes P.O.V )

The door slammed firmly shut behind Scoots, I could hear her hooves stomp off down the hallway and back out of my life.

It was for the best.

Nopony needed me around, to feel sorry for and talk about how I could've done great things.

That's why I run, they can't talk about me if I'm alone.

The whispers.

The taunts.

Here it doesn't exist.

I rolled over off the bed once more, hooves touching the ground the thirst of another drink calling my name from across the room.

With some effort I made my way back over to the counter, needing to blow out the candle that kid lit anyways before getting some shut eye.

Lifting the bottle of wine in my hoof I gazed forward to a small mirror on the wall, Inside a dull pale coated pony stared back.

Her coat was dirty and devoid of true color, her eyes were covered in bags of darkness from days or perhaps months of no comfortable sleep.

Her mane was a tangled mess and within her hoof was a bottle of wine, so long had passed since I've been in the light.

Is this how I really looked?

Hoof trembling I slowly placed the wine back onto the counter.

" Why would you?-Flutters..." I whispered under my breath gazing over to a large pile of letters on my nightstand.

" I...I've been running for too long. " I spoke under my breath as I trotted over to my letters in silence.

" Why Fluttershy?- You better have a good Damn Reason!!! " I yelled out from the bottom of my soul quickly stumbling over towards the door of my room, I needed to find my way back to Ponyvlle and knock some sense back into that filly.

" I'm not a rookie!!! " The words escaped my lips as I dashed down the hallway of the hotel, I knew this would lead me back to where it all began but I had no choice my friend needed me.

I've run for far too long.

It was time I came home.