Remorse

Remorse

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Dash from Death

by Mavaku

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“So would The Complete History of Starswirl the Bearded go under Equestrian History or Famous Ponies?”

Twilight didn’t even look up from the list she was reading as she responded. “Hmm, hand it over to me. I’ll just cast a spell to clone it so we can have the book in both sections!”

Spike climbed down the wooden ladder and gave the book to Twilight, who turned her focus from the list she was making to cast the spell on her book. Although cloning a book was easy, making sure all the words were there and in the right place required devout attention. Twilight closed her eyes in concentration, and soon her horn started to glow a vivid violet. The heavy tome started to levitate as her spell started to work its magic.

*KNOCK KNOCK* Two loud and firm knocks on her door downstairs interrupted Twilight’s concentration, causing the book to fall with a thud on the floor.

“Oh! I wonder who that could be…I’m not expecting any visitors, am I Spike?”

“Beats me, do you want me to go get the door for you?” The baby dragon inquired.

“No I will get it, just keep on organizing the shelves. I’ll be back in a bit to retry that duplication spell.”

Twilight trotted down the stairs and to the entryway of her home as Spike resumed his work. “Yes? Who is it?” A dull and muffled voice answered, and although it was distorted Twilight quickly recognized it as somepony she knew.

“Rainbow Dash”

“Oh hello Rainbow! Glad to see you’re back! Let me get the door for you. ” Using her magic, Twilight Sparkle opened the door, revealing a cloaked figure. Her curiosity as to why Rainbow Dash was dressed this way got the better of Twilight, and she quickly bombarded Dash with questions. “Are you okay? What’s with the hood and cape? Are you hiding or something? ” As she asked these questions, Twilight kept trying to peer into the hood, hoping to get a clue of what was going on.

Rainbow Dash turned her head from Twilight’s inquisitive gaze and walked further into the library. “Let’s just say I’ve had better days…” Rainbow Dash spoke in a monotone voice, giving Twilight no clues, and further raising her curiosity.

“Are you sure you don’t want to tell me? I’m willing to help.”

“Yes I am sure” Dash was starting to get irritated, and it showed on her voice. “This shouldn’t be taking so long. At least she hasn’t found out I’m dead yet, then this would REALLY take forever.” she thought to herself.

“Ok fine, but let’s at least get that hood off. I’d prefer to talk to my friends face to face.” Her horn once again glowed as a familiar looking magic aura surrounded Rainbow Dash’s cloak.

“NO! Wait!” But it was too late. Not just the hood, but the entire cloak had been removed, revealing an undead Rainbow Dash.

A loud scream erupted from Twilight’s mouth, and then she just stood there, paralyzed in fear as she stared at her friend and the horrible scars all over her body. Her eyes darted from the blood stains covering all of Rainbow Dash’s body to the stitches that closed large rips in her flesh and attached her wings and one ear to Dash. But what caught Twilight’s eye the most was Rainbow Dash herself. Her once bright and colorful mane was now so faded that the colors of the rainbow were hardly visible, replaced by various shades of grey. The same went for Rainbow Dash’s body, no longer a bright and cheery sky blue, but a stonewashed grey. Her face reflected her body as well, beaten up and almost completely without emotion; the only one showing now was minor annoyance.

A voice sounded from upstairs, followed by footsteps quickly heading downstairs. “Twilight! Are you okay? I heard screami-” Spike froze as he saw Rainbow Dash, but quickly recovered…at least enough to move, though he was still deep in the grips of terror. “Z-z-zzombie pony! I knew this would happen one day! S-stay back! Leave Twilight alone!” The baby dragon attempted to look menacing as he could, but his legs shook even more than his voice.

“Spike.” Rainbow Dash said the word half amused and half annoyed.

“I-I can breathe fire you know! So watch out!”

“Spike.” More firmness was added to her tone this time.

“Just leave us alone and nopony gets hurt!”

“SPIKE!” The voice came from Twilight this time. The unicorn having finally recovered from her shock.

Spike froze in place as he frantically looked back and forth from Twilight to Rainbow Dash.

“Y-yes Twilight?” He said with a gulp.

Twilight took a quick breath before speaking to help her think more clearly. “Calm down. I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for this. And besides, she hasn’t even tried to lay a hoof on either of us, so there is no reason to be worried.”

“Then why did you scream?”

“I was…startled is all. This isn’t something that happens every day you know.”Both Twilight and Spike turned to face Rainbow Dash, who seemed as if she wanted to smile with joy for an unknown reason. Yet it was almost as if some unseen force kept her face in an un-amused frown. “Sooo…” Twilight tried to think of a way to say what she was thinking without offending Rainbow Dash. “What happened?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Just a while ago I wouldn’t believe it if somepony told me you were undead. But having you here changes that, so go ahead and try me. My mind is as blown open as it is, I can handle it.”

Dash dryly chuckled before responding. “You can handle it? Then I guess it would be easier to show you what happened. Hand me my cloak, were going on a quick trip to Sugarcube Corner.”

Twilight handed Rainbow Dash her cover and went to the door, holding it open for Rainbow Dash to head through. “Spike, you stay here and get some rest. You’ve worked hard all day and after this, I wouldn’t blame you if you need some sleep” As soon as she said it, Spike was quickly running upstairs. “Ok Rainbow Dash, let’s see what in Equestria is going on with this.”

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As soon as the stench hit Twilights nostrils, she knew she was going to regret going down the stairs to the basement, but even then she wasn’t expecting the horror show she saw. Twilight’s eyes didn’t miss a single detail of the dark room, even though she wanted to stop looking she just couldn’t.

“Pinkie…she…did all of this? To all these ponies? To you?” She knew it was true, but she still felt the irresistible urge to ask, as if somehow Rainbow Dash would say no, that this was all some kind of elaborate and cruel joke, that everything was fine and none of this had actually happened. But Twilight didn’t get the answer she had hoped for; she got the one she knew was coming.

“Yes…she did all of this, to innocent ponies, to her friends. And for what? A few laughs and some “special” cupcakes! She wouldn’t even listen to my pleas and I doubt she listened to anypony else’s. She acted as if everything was fine the whole time it happened, as if we were just fooling around! She’s a monster! And worse, even when I was gone for four days, nopony even bothered to look for me! Not even you! I trusted you! I thought we were friends, yet you didn’t even care that I was gone!”

Twilight looked incredibly troubled by what Rainbow Dash had said, and her eyes filled with concern. Tears started to form at the corner of her eyes as she spoke to Rainbow Dash.

“But I did look! In fact, almost all of Ponyville was looking for you! Pinkie lied…she said that you went to Cloudsdale to help with something. It’s my fault, I believed her without question and told everypony that you were there. I’m so sorry, I should have looked harder! But I hope you understand that I do care, that all of your friends care! If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t be out here with you right now! But I trust you with all my heart, whether or not you’re dead makes no difference to me. I’m sure that all of your friends would be willing to help you too. I know that it may take a while for your trust of us back, but I hope that this is a step in the right direction.”

Tears filled with emotion now flowed freely down Twilight’s face, and Rainbow Dash looked to be on the brink of the same thing. Her eyes looked as if they were holding back a flood, and could only do that for a short while longer. But then once again, some outside force seemed to take a hold of Dash, and as quickly as the tears had formed, they were gone. Replaced with a cold, hard stare.

“The time for repairing wounds is past.” Rainbow bluntly said. “I just need your help tracking this maniac down, if your friends want to help so be it. But if they become more of a burden than a help, they can walk themselves back home.”

Twilight nodded, and then started to think to herself. “Something’s influencing Dash, I just know it. Twice she seemed to almost go back to her normal self, even some color came back to her mane and body, yet both times this happened I felt a magical presence quickly surround Dash and bring her back to this dark state. At least she is allowing me and the others to come along. This way I can see if somehow I can free her from this spell, and I’m sure my friends can help with that as well. And if Pinkie Pie really is as dangerous as Dash says, then I’m sure we will need all the help we can get.”

Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash, whose face now was completely back to its emotionless state.

“Ok, let’s see if we can get some help from our friends.”

“Your friends…not mine.” Rainbow Dash corrected, before turning to leave the basement.

Twilight turned to follow and left Sugarcube Corner with Rainbow Dash, who headed directly for a cottage off in the distance. “Might as well start with the most timid first” She muttered to Twilight. “Give her time to “Get used” to me” Twilight silently listened, but her mind was already thinking about ways to help Rainbow Dash. She was so focused on her thoughts that she didn’t notice the single crow…following her for the entire trip.