Remorse

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Dash from Death

by Mavaku

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Cold, undead eyes shone blankly in the shroud of darkness that surrounded the area. Try as they might, they could not close for more than a short while, and the night provided little solace for their owner. Yet Rainbow Dash continued to stare at the starry sky provided by the lunar princess, dwelling in thought.

This whole journey…I’m starting to forget why I even started it. Was it revenge? That sounds like it, but yet…that just sounds so wrong.

The doubt lingered for but a moment, before quickly being suppressed by more malicious thoughts.

How could this be wrong? I was killed by a friend I trusted deeply! And what help were the others? Did they come looking for me? Did they care that I was gone? Of course not! They could have been glad to have a break from me for all I know! How could wanting a little vengeance against Pinkie possibly be criminal?

The pegasus shifted her position as she thought, gazing back to where the others slept. The ruined house stood serenely in the night air, a calm contrast to her thoughts, and its contents caused yet another wave of doubt.

But if my friends did not care for me, why…why would they go all this way, risk so much? Could they really be doing this all for me? Of course…I know this, but why do I keep thinking against them? I swear, sometimes I feel like I am hardly being myself, just like Pi-

As the thought entered her mind, so too did a sudden clarity as she pieced a fragment of the puzzle together. The glassy eyes took on new life as they widened in realization, and Rainbow Dash’s mind raced.

Not myself…I’m not the only one acting unlike myself! Pinkie isn’t herself either! All this time I figured she snapped, or had been hiding something, but what if she’s been in just as deep trouble as I have been..? Yet here I am, wanting nothing but revenge instead, and still some part of me craves it! I’m supposed to be loyal to my friends…and here I am bringing them into a dangerous situation, just so I can have some petty vengeance on another!

Something gently coming to rest on her frigid shoulders purged the distressed thoughts from Dash’s mind, and she turned her head slowly towards what her body registered. A hoof belonging to Twilight came into view, as did her face, deep concern very evident. Before Rainbow Dash had much more time to react, Twilight spoke, her voice soft, matching the calm night, yet determination and worry could be felt easily in her tone.
“Rainbow Dash…we need to talk.”

She tilted her head in minor confusion, which was more emotion that what Twilight had started to become used to over the journey.

“Twilight…weren’t you asleep with the others?”

Twilight let out a faint chuckle as she gave her response. “Yeah…I suppose I might have had a bit trouble sleeping in an abandoned town in the middle of nowhere…”

Dash smiled faintly. “I guess I can’t blame ya there…though I bet you are out here for more than just stargazing huh…”

Twilight’s face once again resumed its serious posture from before, and she took a breath before talking. “Rainbow Dash…you are a very dear friend to me, and that will never change…but please, hear me out on what I have to say. It may sound completely crazy…but you need to hear this. Pinkie Pie…I’m almost positive what happened to you, is not her fault.”

A short silence followed, as not even crickets chirped in the lifeless night, before Dash opened her mouth in calm, albeit struggled response. “I…I believe you.”

So used to her revelations being ignored, Twilight instinctively spoke out anxiously. “No please…you have to listen to me, I sa- …wait, you…believe me?”

Rainbow Dash nodded, her faded mane shining almost silver in the faint moonlight. “Yeah…I’ll be honest I had a lot of trouble believing it for a while. But…the more I look at things, it just…gets harder to believe. She had been a close friend for as long as I’ve known her. I don’t want to believe it’s her fault, but still, I do have trouble thinking of what else it could even be…”

Twilight nodded her understanding, then gave her imput calmly. “Well, perhaps the best way to find out is to find her. Not in an attempt to take her down…but figure out what is going on, and perhaps even help her.”

Dash could not help but minorly cringe at the mention of the word ‘help’. To her, it still felt wrong somehow. She tried to push the malicious thoughts to the back of her mind, but even there, she could still feel them quite present.

“Har-…Help Pinkie. Alright Twilight, but still…if she cannot be helped…I WILL do what needs to be done to prevent any further problems.”

A quick gasp was given in response, which Twilight quickly muffled before responding. “Y…yes of course. But I know that won’t happen, and I hope that you can have faith in her too.”

The blue pegasus nodded in a reassuring fashion. “Of course…”

Twilight tugged gently on Rainbow Dash’s shoulder, gesturing towards the debilitated house where the others slept. “Come on, we don’t want the others waking up and getting worried, do we? Believe it or not, they care for you…we all do.”

“…If you say so…” Rainbow Dash stood up, her hooves feeling quite dry, though she was unsure if it was due to the lack of moisture in the air, or the husk of a body she possessed. She stretched slightly out of habit, despite the numb body not feeling any stiffness, and followed a now more reassured Twilight back into the house.

Twilight curled up on the bare floor, near her dozing friends, not minding the dust that clung to her underside as she did so. She watched Rainbow Dash as she did the same, and feeling more satisfied and at peace, her eyes slowly closed, her consciousness quickly slipping away as well.

Silence once again fell over the area, with not a single thing making a sound, no crickets, no frogs, no cawing crows. Though still Rainbow Dash’s mind was quite filled with the noise of her thoughts; her body still unable to find sleep. The thoughts of confusion were much fainter, this time, replaced by those of determination.

Looks like I now have two reasons to find Pinkie now…discover what is truly going on, and put a stop to whom…or whatever is doing this. If it really is the friend I used to trust with my life, then so be it, but whoever it is…I WILL find out! And I WILL stop them!

Author's Note

Yeah, after 8 months it turns out I am alive after all, and finally got around to publishing a new chapter. I honestly am not sure how I did, been on hiatus for such a long time that my writing ability might have diminished. Hopefully it is still enjoyable though.