It was late. Not too late, but late enough that Rainbow Dash's friends should begin wonder where she was. The sky was growing darker by the minute, making its transition from azure to the lush, deep, star specked purple of Luna's night. As the colors shifted, so did the wind; coming at first in short burst, but eventually settling down to a constant breeze that tousled Dash's mane as she watched the town from a stray storm cloud.
Ponyville, the small, yet busy town, was under an unusual aura of silence. Earlier, Dash had watched all of the other ponies return to their respective households, and had watched as each of their candlelit rooms went black, one after the other. Now the streets were empty. The brightly colored shops had been abandoned and the dirt roads remained unscathed. Not a sound could be heard from the entirety of the town.
This was the time that Dash liked best. This, was the time that she could think. She usually spent this time daydreaming about the Wonderbolts or coming up with pranks that she and Pinkie could pull the next day, but tonight, that wasn't the case. Tonight, was different. She had some serious thinking to do.
She let out a long sigh and closed her eyes, breathing in and smelling the approaching rain in the air. This question had been avoided for to long and it was time she overcame it. "What is the point of my life?" She asked herself. Her eyes opened again, allowing the newly arisen moon to reflect off her glassy, rose colored iris's. She blinked a few times, trying as hard as she could to hold back tears. This turning point in her life had had such a large impact, nopony else could even begin to contemplate it. Dash didn't know what she would do.
Dash had been avoiding this topic as best as she could for as long as she could remember. Ever since that night at the Gala when she was shunned and cast aside by her lifelong inspirations. Although the rest of the night had turned out okay, she still felt the agony of rejection in her heart; her dreams crushed by the ones who had inspired them.
She though about this for a long time until her fragile mind had no choice but to shatter. She broke down in tears, putting her head in her hooves and sobbing quietly. All she had ever wanted all her life was to be seen as the brave and bold Rainbow Dash. The one everypony knew and loved. She sobbed louder, as she came to the realization that this dream may never come true. This dream, of fame and popularity, was backed by one motivational factor. To join the Wonderbolts had been Dash's lifelong goal. This dream had fueled everything she had ever done. Every action taken, sentence spoken, and secret kept all lead back to this dream. And now, without any hope of accomplishing this dream, and so much life left to live, Dash was broken. What could she do now that would cause her friends to remember her when she was gone? What changes could she make? Could she even have an impact at all? Dash felt insignificant.
As if on cue, a group of dark storm clouds drifted over her head. Increasing the darkness of the night as well as Dash's depression. Who was she? She hung her head low and began to cry again.
"Why did it have to be me? Why couldn't it have been somepony else. Fluttershy doesn't have any dreams, why wasn't it Fluttershy?" Dash felt the sting of her wish almost instantly. Why couldn't it have been Fluttershy? How could she say something like that. Her mood changed from depression to anger; not with the Wonderbolts, but with her own self. "I have nopony to blame but my self for this. This is all my fault. Oh Celestia how couldn't i see it." She hissed the words through her teeth like a rage induced snake. "Why in the world would I even THINK of dragging Fluttershy into this. I'm LOYALTY! Loyalty means you don't-" That was it. At that very moment, something clicked in the back of her mind.
She remembered clearly all the times she had been there for her friends. All of the problems they had solved together, all the ponies they had helped. After each circumstance, Dash was never thanked, but she didn't need to be. She knew her friends loved her and were thankful for what she did.
The storm clouds which had rolled in above let loose a few drops of rain, one of which, landed on Dash's brightly colored mane.
She didn't need recognition for anything. She didn't need the Wonderbolts either. She could be remembered all on her own. How foolish of her to think her friends could forget her so easily! She was and Element of Harmony. She was Loyalty. She had a life with a purpose and she didn't even realize it. She stood up and stretched her legs. The rain was falling faster now, cascading over her body in cool, wet, droplets. Her mane became heavy, and sank down towards her knees. The combination of the cold water and the breeze made her shiver but she didn't care. Dash had had an epiphany.
She smiled as she watched Celestia's sun creep up over the distant horizon. She knew who she was now. She was Rainbow Dash. She yelled as loud as she could out of pure delight and dove off the cloud face first. Her eyes narrowed as she rocketed towards the ground. Her wet mane and tail trailing out behind her as the rain water collided with her face like bullets. Only seconds before she hit the ground, her wings flew open. She arced back up towards the sky, long blades of grass tickling her stomach as she passed the ground. Suddenly, an explosion of spectrum shook the quiet morning world, as the all-important pony left a vibrant Rainbow trail in the sky for everypony to see when they awoke.
