Unusable Story Husk

Finally, in the enclosed room, she'd have a chance to exact vengeance. Questions or no questions, Dawson had killed another of Rainbow Dash's friends, and no mercy would be given to the terrible colt. Rainbow stood strong, about to charge right at Dawson, when the door smashed open. The guards had finally gotten through.

The guards wasted no time in charging at Rainbow, who was already heading upstairs when they knocked the door down, and she was able to get to Twilight's upper window before they started charging. She took a glance below, and noticed that somehow, Dawson had escaped! His teleportation was really bothering Rainbow.

"They'll get me in just a couple seconds, no reasoning with them either... Guess my only option is to jump!" Rainbow thought in her head.

As the guards were inching closer to Rainbow, she swallowed her fear and jumped out the window, extending her disabled wings. Although they could not allow her to fly, their shape allowed her to glide out the window at a good velocity, preventing injury and giving her relatively smooth sailing.

The guards behind her hadn't seen that she glided out, assuming she fell out the window and would be collected outside. No one knew where she was just then, because she had landed in Fluttershy's backyard. Thankfully, she was not home and could not run and tell the guards where she was. She was safe, at least until Fluttershy came back. Where could she have gone in this overcast weather, Rainbow thought? It's better not to worry about such things, when there was a pony out there who had murdered two of her best friends. Rainbow remembered the last thing Twilight said before she died.

"Because of you..."

This killed her, because she must have thought that Rainbow did the killing. That means that her last thoughts were of a murderous Rainbow Dash... The torture that this colt was putting her through would speak volumes...

She decided that it'd be better if Fluttershy could help her, so she prepared herself in Fluttershy's house to pounce on Fluttershy and explain to her the truth before she gave her away. Hopefully she'd believe a fellow pegasus. But look at the other ponies that trusted her in the last little while...

Rainbow waited for hours and hours, but Fluttershy hadn't come. Maybe she could doze off a little before attempting to get her, she probably won't be back for a long time yet...

Several hours later, Rainbow woke up in a cage, barely big enough for her to be able to move her head. She tried to escape, but the gate opening was locked, with a noticeably angry Fluttershy standing right above her.

"Fluttershy? You didn't send me to the guard?"

"I was just about to, but then you woke up. Now I want answers." Fluttershy said sternly.

It was odd, the shyness and fear Fluttershy would usually show against people was completely erased here. She sounded just like any other pony, albeit very angry and demanding. I guess the loss of two of your friends and a murderer out of another would bring out anything in anypony.

"I am almost as confused as you are about everything, except I know that I did not kill them! It was a colt that keeps framing me for his terrible crimes! Please believe me Fluttershy, I have no one to turn to and I need your help to find this colt!" Rainbow cried.

"The crying won't convince me, Rainbow. Your story seems highly unlikely, and I don't think that you are telling the honest truth. How do you happen to be at the right place at the right time, every single time?" Fluttershy responded.

"It's Dawson H. Arib, the new pony here! Haven't you seen him?"

"No, and if he existed, which he obviously doesn't, Pinkie Pie would've known him. Did she ever acknowledge his presence?"

"Well... no, but that doesn't mean he wasn't here!"

"You know what... I don't care. I want some real answers. Why did you kill them, Dash? Why... would you ever... do such a th..thing?" Fluttershy stuttered.

Her emotions were back, and now she was back to her normal state. Rainbow didn't know if angry Fluttershy was worse or better than the usual Fluttershy. The hatred seems so... real.

"I will stay by my word, I did not kill them. But I will kill the terrible colt that did this, but I need your help to track him down." Rainbow said.

"I won't help... but... I can maybe... help you clear your name? You shouldn't stoop to his level, that is... if you aren't lying..." Fluttershy said.

"But Fluttershy... Fine. But I need to get to Princess Celestia if I am to clear my name somehow. As you can see, I am very tired, and my wings are disabled. Can you keep me here until I heal or find a way to carry me over there yourself? The guards surround the village and I can't get through on foot." Rainbow explained.

"I suppose Celestia could... but she's so busy...I'll help you heal up, Rainbow. Just sleep on the bed upstairs to your right... I think I believe you." Fluttershy said.

It may not have been the most heartfelt acceptance she had seen, but it'd do. She needed to rest and prepare herself for the travel to Canterlot.

***********************************************************************************************************************************************************

After a week of hiding from visiting guards, spies and investigative ponies, Rainbow was as fit as ever. She knew she could tackle the travel, and the magic stopping her wings was gone, but she still wanted Fluttershy with her.

Then suddenly, the door flew wide open, and a orange pony with long, blonde hair entered the room, tackling Rainbow and snarling in her face.

"Ooof! Applejack, please listen!" Rainbow said in spite of the strong pony subduing her.

"Fluttershy already explained to me everythin', but I needed to look deep in your eyes to see if you was tellin' th' truth or not." Applejack said. "And by my guess, you are as truthful as I ever have been. I hope I'm not wrong..." Applejack said as she got off of Rainbow.

"It's so amazing that you really do believe me, Applejack. I've been through so much, and knowing that a friend still believes me after all of these accusations makes me feel as though I will make it." Rainbow said.

Rainbow began to tear up at the thought of this everlasting friendship, and Applejack gave her a hug to show that they'd always be friends.

"Come on, we really should be going! Any second wasted and those... guards could see you!" Fluttershy worried. "Applejack, you can go through the guards, not being a wanted pony. Meet us at the east end of the edge of that... terrible... terrible forest, and we can regroup there. Good luck everypony!"

"Hang on a sec', what's th' plan once we get to th' gates of Canterlot? It's no easy sailing from there, there will be guards everywhere that know of the wanted Rainbow Dash! There's no way to get to Celestia!" Applejack reasoned.

"I was thinking that you two could go in together, and try and get Celestia to understand. But now that I think about it... As a wanted pony, I would not expect Celestia to come that easily. She'd need to see me in person to believe that I mean well." Rainbow sighed. "I suppose the only way in is to break in."

"WHAT?! Break into Canterlot? Why would ya ever suggest such an impossible idea, Rainbow?" Applejack argued.

"It's the only way. I can't fly into the force field, and even if I could, the archers would shoot me down. I can't go in on foot, the land guards would finish me no questions asked. So we need to scout out the area from the forest and find a blind spot, and find some way to enter. We could think outside the box too, I remember Twilight mentioning that a gem cave was beneath the city, and we could break in there. But it'd be impossible to see where you exit, because it could be anywhere in the city. The wrong move... And the guards are on me, and there will be no more Rainbow Dash." Rainbow explained.

"Quite a notion, and it's a great idea. I'll come for sure an' help, Rainbow!" Applejack said cheerily.

Rainbow teared up, knowing that her friends would not let her down. She could make it through this yet. At least, that was the idea before a thought went into Rainbow's head. Every time something was about to be done that would help Rainbow deal with Dawson, he'd show up and murder the ponies involved. Sure enough, the blood began to flow from Fluttershy's neck, but Applejack had bucked Dawson backwards before she was attacked. She was prepared, which means that she thought Rainbow would probably have attacked them at some point.

"Gack... urk!" Fluttershy muttered. She began to choke on her own blood, and Rainbow was left in tears once more, desperately trying to save her from death. But it was no use anymore, she was already gone. Another lost soul, all because of Rainbow's involvement in something she can't understand or grasp...

Applejack would be okay. She was strong and tough. That was what Rainbow assumed, at least until she turned around. She had tripped over Fluttershy after she had bucked Dawson, who got back up and dealt with Applejack after she fell.

"Rainbow... I trusted you, and believed you... I hope you realize you *gurk!*" Applejack tried to finish, but Dawson put his hoof right on her temple, finishing her off. He disappeared yet again, not allowing any time for Rainbow to kill him, because that's exactly what she was aiming to do before he vanished. Rainbow rushed to Applejack to check if she was still alive, but no breath of pulse confirmed her suspicion that they had both died. But what was she trying to say against Rainbow...

Rainbow knew that another guard would be there that day to do a small investigation, so she quickly flew away from Fluttershy's home to retreat to a loose cloud in the sky, beyond the vision of any guards.

As she rested on the cloud, she realized that her purpose to avenge her friends and save Rarity, who would inevitably die at this rate, was almost non-existent, and she had no idea why. Her attitude had changed so much over the last while, but why? So many questions went through her head, and a new purpose went through her mind that triumphed over all others - she needed answers, or she would not survive.

END OF CHAPTER THREE