Friendship Was Magic

   Ponyville today was an outlier compared to the other times. Ponies were silent, almost like doormats, it was a struggle between love and hate as some ponies like Rainbow Dash was involved with that forest incident, many Pegasi and the creatures in that forest were stripped away their freedom to live and flutter on.

   "NOT UNTIL DASHIE IS AWAKE!" Pinkie Pie happily exclaimed as the blue mare finally took a bite to open her eyes, everyone in the hospital room was in ecstasy; everyone was relieved.

   "Howdy Rainbow Dash, we were pretty worried that you would never wake up!" Applejack spoke first, her yellow and orderly organized hair was properly placed down from her head to the floor, only to displease Rarity on how dirty she can be.

   "Oh hello guys," Rainbow finally said,

   "YES SHE SPOK..."

   "Rainbow, you were sleeping for three days! Why in the wide world of Equestria would you go over there, TO THAT FOREST?!" Twilight Sparkle interrupted while keeping Pinkie from the extreme hype with her magic.

   "Oh..." The Pegasus replied surprisingly but keeping her cool, "Heh heh, about that, I was practicing for my Equestria 500 with Fluttershy... Wait, IS FLUTTERSHY ALRIGHT?! I HAVEN'T SEEN HER SINCE I SPOTTED STARGAZING DUSK!"

   The silence quickly and loudly filled up the room, all her friends became baffled.

  "Stargazing Dusk? Fluttershy? Who in the world are they, darling?" Rarity asked as if she was trembling from strangeness. Once again, Rarity summoned silence back, Rainbow Dash was awkward, to her, this was pure chaos mixed with pure insanity, she had no idea whether to get angry or snicker at the lofty unicorn. She finally took a shot,

   "Wha... What had gotten into you... Is Discord now messing with your minds? This is not the time for comedy..."

   "Oh was I supposed to laugh at that? Hahhahahhahaha... Am I?" Pinkie Pie interrupted,

   "Cut the grass Pinkie!" Applejack snapped seriously, "Sugarcube, we think that quote should direct to you instead, there are only five of us, not six..."

   Without any spark of explosion, Rainbow Dash flared at the Earth pony, and suddenly pounced on her, locking her forcefully with her hooves, as if she was all chained and threatened with blades.

   "You don't have to know that foul Stargazing Dusk, BUT WHO'S FLUTTERSHY YOU FEATHERBRAIN ASKING! HOW THE EQUESTRIA'S HAY CAN YOU FORGET ABOUT OUR FRIEND?!" Rainbow burst with tears and grief,

   "AFTER ALL SHE HAS DONE FOR AND WITH US, CAN YOU SIMPLY IGNORE HER EXISTENCE?!" The frustration within Rainbow Dash's soul screamed and raged, but to the rest of her comrades, she was just another filly throwing tantrums. Rainbow Dash now is gripping on Applejack's neck, ready to make the country girl spit out her honesty and truth...

   "That's enough Rainbow!" Twilight called out, "You should just stay alone yourself for awhile and get your mind cleared out." And the alicorn used her magic to teleport the Rainbow to a nearby park, all alone by herself.

  Unknown to the alicorn, Rainbow Dash seeks zero trace of whether she was lost in the Everfree forest, or that her friends were, not bonded with her anymore. The theory of magic being in effect rises inside Rainbow's head, and that such spell that can erase the memories of other ponies,

   "Princess Celestia and Luna... They have to be somewhat relating to this problem!"

   But then that thought was replaced with her emotions as she hesitated a cold pause. The dusk overlapping the shady trees, despite cooling her off, reminded her of the new nemesis she encountered on that forest island, and how all that, was the sole loss of her Pegasus friend, and then what happened today.

    Still, how did they just forget her like that? Rainbow Dash began remembering all the pictures of Fluttershy: when she saved Equestria from a frightening dragon; she stood up to it when her friends were down despite her fears for those flying beasts. Her support for Rainbow with her Sonic Rainboom was determined. Her bit of knowledge on fashion helped bring Rarity back to her job with full confidence. Fluttershy was told by Pinkie Pie and Rarity on how far she was trying to be assertive, and managed to overcome it. Fluttershy once again saved the day by making rain for all ponies and inhabitants in Equestria, if it wasn't for her, the Pegasi (with Rainbow Dash as the lead pony) will never reach 800 wing power to provide water for anyone. Fluttershy despite not seen as persuasive nor manipulating, still reformed Discord, the chaos of harmony, alone.

   "Even turning into a bat!" The she giggled, but flooding the laughter with glands instead, now that she had realized: it was Fluttershy who saved her from the fire, and exchanged her own life for Rainbow's. This teardrop, something Rainbow Dash almost never experienced in her life, wasn't just any teardrop of sorrow. She saw her front hooves wet with them,

   "Is this a feeling of, losing a friend?" Rainbow questioned herself as grief was scarred deep into her wings,

   "But why? Shouldn't I be flying high and standing on clouds? Why am I on the darn ground fussing around? Why am I not... Up there, free as I wanted to be...?" The colorful mare looked hopelessly up into the sky, her mane was rainbow no more,

   "I SHOULDN'T BE CRYING! THAT'S A FILLY THING TO DO! AM I NOW FLUTTERSHY?!"

   After these such words, Rainbow Dash was now rolling in the deep soil, ramming into trees, these responses further provoked the Pegasus furiously. The demon begins to repaint the rainbow into the dark, ugly and unimaginable color that no pony is eager to see. She disrupts nature once more knocking down rows of innocent trees, they all came collapsing down, broken.

   Like her own heart.

   Her chaos drove herself into doing the impossible: Shattering rocks. It worked effectively when she wasn't holding back like last time when Spike was being a "good" assistant to Applejack, it was still a new view to Rainbow on how would he not be exhausted just by stacking rocks that clearly surpasses his size,

   "I, I couldn't even do that, and he's only a baby dragon... Am I too weak?" She questioned her pride, thus is wasn't like her, she hasn't cried so hard in her life, her spirit of confidence, adventure, and courage has never died down, it was the burst of fire in her body.

   After shattering the impossible, Rainbow's whole body was now corrupted, all three conditions that matters to a pony the most was stored zero in the once the awesome Pegasus everyone knew.

   "If somepony will be here for me, it has to be Fluttershy..." Rainbow said, remembering all the times when Fluttershy cared for her, whenever she is distressed, the yellow friend would often take Rainbow Dash and place her head into her own body, it felt fluffy, and gentle... Soon Rainbow began over thinking, as the kind Pegasus was there for all of her friends as well: Twilight when she was lost and felt pressured with her duty as a princess, Applejack when she had a family conflict with all of her family members, Pinkie Pie when she was ignored and left in a puddle of tears, and Rarity when her fashion design was rejected by a celebrity.

   Because of these dreadful memories, Rainbow almost lost the gratitude, and "Loyalty" of her friends, she believes that her friends don't respect who Fluttershy is anymore when she was THERE for them, she now shifts her hatred not just herself, but on her friends as well, the bond was never with the right elements.

   "Well if they want to break the bond, THEN MY LOYALTY IS CONFIRMED, NO MORE FRIENDS IT IS!" She screamed as loud as she can, so that her friends "can" hear it,

   "But of course, we aren't friends anymore, how can they hear or care...?" She then convinced herself. The harsh persuasion commanded her hooves to leap off back home. Her decision was harsh, and cruel. Definitely not what her best and childhood friend wanted to be, or is. Rainbow Dash however, isn't considered a kind pony compared to the rest of the Six, she was more aggressive, and preferred her ego sometimes than actually others, she does not care any longer.

   "I can fix all this by myself anyways." Rainbow quietly yet in an upset way told herself, "I don't need anypony to help me!"

   While this experience of completely losing a friend still made Rainbow Dash shiver, she couldn't help but put it aside this time due to her injuries given by Stargazing Dusk, it almost prevented her from flying, she soon collapsed back to the ground again, the wound was severe, Rainbow can only pant and breathe heavily, blood now trickles out of her blue torso, she thought she was goner this time.

   Until a small turquoise colt trotted along her, he stopped, bent down, and dragged Rainbow Dash with him.

   Rainbow Dash was wandering in Sugarcube Corner, somehow her wings wouldn't obey her intention, then she saw a familiar Pegasus flying from above, it was her bonding partner for Equestria 500,

   "FLUTTERSHY!" Rainbow called out, but unfortunately even her rainbow mane could not receive attention from her; even worse, everyone in Ponyville was looking at Fluttershy only, soon the rest of Mane Six arrived to Sugarcube Corner as well, however instead of gazing at the flying yellow mare, they glared at the blue one. Applejack started out,

   "Well, if it ain't that clumsy old fool who thinks she is the "best" flyer in Equestria!"

   Rainbow stared at her, eyes ready to run wild. Did her friend actually just say that? Sure, Applejack and her may have had some competitions and, maybe some minor fillish arguments over who won or not, but this "jealousy" or insult, is more than a serious tone.

   "I wouldn't even give you any clothes to wear no matter how much of a "friend" you are!" Rarity added,

  "Umm Rarity, that's pretty awkward, just to tell you..." Twilight corrected the purple haired unicorn. To Rainbow Dash's surprise, all of her friends now are angrily glaring at her, Rainbow for the first time shivered in front of her friends, easily like that...

   "Look Rainbow, your actions and carelessness stole the most from you, you are not eligible to be our friend anymore! You and your Wonderbolt horsecrap completely destroyed your elemental spirit!"

   Rainbow was now crouching in mercy and cowardice,

   "Bu... But wha.. What did I... When..."

   "Oh Rainbow Dash, it was fun with you, but I guess that slice of cake will eventually be carved out, you aren't sweet enough to be a friend!" Pinkie Pie laughed and jumped around the Four others.

   Now the whole town huddled up on Rainbow Dash, the hatred evolved into heartlessness, now the blue Pegasus is targeted to be erased from the sketchbook!

   "HEELLLPP MMEEE! ANYPONY!" Rainbow Dash screamed and plead as the mob weighted on her back like a horde of savaging fire ants.

   Soon, the fluttering Fluttershy soon drilled into the crowd, and threw Rainbow Dash out into safety. The blue mare was truly relieved, she was about to leap off, unknown to her until to late: Fluttershy did not exactly "save" Rainbow from the mob, but replaced her in the same position. Rainbow after thinking for a minute or two on this, turned back, and began rushing back to her danger zone. Unfortunately, it was too late now, her kind friend was the victim instead.

   "FLUTTERSHYYYYYYYY!!!!" The Pegasus yelled, and tried to go back and pull her friend out, but the efforts were futile, and Fluttershy drowned deep into the darkness.

  "NOOO!" Rainbow once again woke up, panting, gasping for air, her heart either overworked or it must've stopped functioning. This nightmare was devastating, there is no way she would betray her friend, and seeing her good Pegasus friend leave her like that again, was just humiliating and painful...

   Shaking her head, Rainbow Dash looked around the room, in confusion on her whereabouts,

   "Is this another dream?" She asked herself, "Where the hay is this place?"

   She looked around, the room was fairly small, and wooden like Zecora's hut, but the furniture, color, style. More like... The home of her friend whom Rainbow used to be with.

   The same turquoise foal walked in, Rainbow Dash was quickly provoked to ask him questions and fill her own demands,

   "Who are you? Where am I? Why am I here?" All these words spat by Rainbow Dash startled the young unicorn,

   "Please Missie! Don't scare me! I'm sorry!" Rainbow sighed with a breath of relief,

   "Well, if you can KINDLY explain to me what is going on, then maybe I don't have to "scare" you anymore."

   The little colt looked at Rainbow Dash, their eyes shared the same color for some unknown reason. Rainbow seemed to recognize this stranger, but at the same time confident that he was new to her. The younger one was even more unconscious now, took off the eye exchange and began,

   "My name is Glowing Leaf, and this place is my home, I live alone. With some animals at least who seem to visit from time to time, but I can't seem to communicate with them properly. I saw you badly hurt, so I thought if I can help save a life, then maybe chaos and disorder will slowly vanish?"

   Glowing Leaf stopped, and saw Rainbow falling asleep, offended, he used his magic and zapped her back to shape. Rainbow jumped in the air, and tumbled on the wooden floor,

   "Wha- Ok ok! I heard you, but why couldn't you use your magic to carry me instead of dragging me like a pig!" The blue haired colt eyed coldly down the floor, his lips formed a frown, a piece of him was unwrapped,

   "I..." He paused to sniff. "I was bullied and pushed over because I couldn't control my magic, nor can I use it properly..."

   Glowing Leaf paused and was angry at himself for having a bad memory, so she suddenly asked Rainbow for her name again.

   The mare sighed, and answered him, "The name is Rainbow Dash, and the fastest flyer of Equestria..." The former proud Pegasus paused, and sank her voice,

   "No, just call me Rainbow Dash. I don't deserve to be the fastest anymore." The awkward silence once again swayed in the space between the two unlike ponies, finally Glowing Leaf continued,

   "Well, umm alright, anyways even the teachers scuffed at me for being such a wasted unicorn *Sniff sniff*, I feel like I am a nopony, I tried to explore all sorts of subjects, but none worked out for me, I'm just a clumsy and dumb unicor-"

    "That's complete horse stack! You must have some friends to help you out!" Rainbow interrupted,

   "I only have one friend, an Earth pony named Sunrise Horizon. He's always there to cheer me up, and I always believe in his words because he is always right, all the time!" Glowing Leaf proudly replied.

   "Honesty? Hmm." Rainbow stopped, her mane is soon spread apart due to this critical thinking, and asked,

   "What did this Sunrise guy think of you? Has he ever told you?"

   "Well." Glowing Leaf said, "Sunrise told me a few times that I am a charming and kind pony, I'm always there to help others despite my former classmates are always treating me differently."

   After hearing those two familiar words, Rainbow did not feel the sadness within the little colt's heart, continued to wonder what is going on with Glowing Leaf's past.

   "Kind... Honesty... OH I FORGOT! I have to see Princess Celestia! See ya around, and thanks for healing my wings and scars!" Rainbow Dash said as she blasted off to her task.

   "WAIT! RAINBOW DASH! THERE'S MORE TO TELL YOU!" The turquoise unicorn yelled out, but his weak voice plus Rainbow's speed tore their communication apart.