Fearless

Three years later...

Rainbow Dash tapped her pencil on the desk. She let out an exasperated groan. How was she supposed to finish this stupid test? Frustrated, she thumped her head on the wooden top. Just as she thought it couldn't get any worse, she heard a voice call out.

"Ew, what's that freak doing here?"

Raising her head, Rainbow felt all eyes simultaneously turn to look at her. All of a sudden she was at the front of the room. She tried to move back to her seat, but her muscles weren't obeying. Rainbow Dash realized with a start that she wasn't wearing any clothes.

"What the-?" Rainbow panicked. Suddenly, she choked. Rainbow spat out a wad of saliva, gasping in disbelief as two molars came with it.

Mocking laughter filling her head, Rainbow Dash strained to move. Finally, her wings broke free from the invisible hold. Rainbow Dash burst through the roof painlessly. She sighed in relief, but felt another wave of dread when she tried to flap.

Her wings weren't in her control. Rainbow yelled at the injustice. Up and up she went, until her wings folded. Rainbow Dash let out a horrified whimper as she plummeted back to the ground. Sharp wind whipped at her face as the ground rushed to meet her and oh god not like this not like this!

Rainbow Dash squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the impact that would crush her into a splatter-mark. She grunted as she slammed into lush, trimmed grass. Dazed, she stumbled to her feet.

"What the hell?"

Rainbow shook the dizzy from her eyes. She was in a massive, intimidating labyrinth. She tried moving her wings again, but they were twisted at sickening angles.

"You've gotta be kidding me." Rainbow panted.

Without warning, the garden walls behind her began to move closer. Rainbow's eyes widened as the truth dawned on her.

"You gotta be kidding me!"

Rainbow Dash took off, running at full speed.

"Rainbow Dash..."

Rainbow Dash's ears perked. That was Fluttershy.

"I'm coming baby, just hold on!"

Rainbow Dash pumped her arms and legs, powering through the heartless maze.

"Where are you?" Rainbow shouted desperately.

"Rainbow Dash..."

"God, oh god, oh god."

Rainbow wove in and out, around corners, into the next fork in the road. Everything looked exactly the same! How was Rainbow supposed to find Fluttershy in this? She panted from exhaustion.

"Where... are... you?"

Rainbow Dash collapsed, unable to go any further.

"Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow struggled to lift her head. Only yards away stood Fluttershy, calmly observing Rainbow Dash, like a bacteria under a microscope. Rainbow reached her hand out to Fluttershy.

"Baby, baby I'm here!" She coughed.

Fluttershy's expression remained emotionless. Rainbow felt her eyes welling up with tears as she cried in despair.

"Please don't leave me!"

Traumatized, Rainbow Dash watched as Fluttershy coldly backed away, eyes still empty and uncaring. Sobbing, Rainbow Dash tucked her legs close to her chest, the walls closing in.

"I love you." Rainbow Dash whispered pathetically, just before she was crushed into nothingness.

"Rainbow Dash!"

Rainbow bolted upright in bed.

"Don't- what happened? There was- I-"

"Shh." Fluttershy pressed a finger against Rainbow's lips. "You were having a nightmare, baby. It's okay."

Fluttershy stroked Rainbow's hair gently, beckoning her back down.

"God, I'm sorry, Flutters." Rainbow moaned, grinding her knuckles into her forehead. She worked her sore jaw a bit, feeling more than a few pops. She hadn't been grinding her teeth all night, had she?

"Shh, it's okay, baby." Fluttershy snuggled up to Rainbow, kissing her neck. "I hope it didn't ruin your happy Birthday morning."

Rainbow Dash chuckled lightly. She had passed out earlier that morning while receiving Fluttershy's "present". Rainbow Dash combed her fingers through Fluttershy's hair.

"Thanks, Butterfly."

Fluttershy pecked Rainbow on the cheek. "If that nightmare ruined your mood, I have a little gift that might cheer you up."

Rainbow Dash perked up at this.

"An actual gift," Fluttershy emphasized, sliding out of bed. Rainbow groaned silently, already missing the feeling of Fluttershy's breasts against her side.

Fluttershy crossed the room in the dark, digging into her bag. She pulled out a rectangular object that Rainbow Dash couldn't distinguish. Fluttershy flipped on the light, causing Rainbow to hiss as she dove under the covers.

"Come on out," Fluttershy teased in a singsong voice.

"Ugh, did you get me a pair of sunglasses?"

Fluttershy tugged on a corner of the blanket, exposing Rainbow. Rainbow Dash moaned helplessly, rubbing her eyes. "Alright, what is it?"

Fluttershy offered the object to Rainbow. She could tell it was a frame. Taking a moment to let her eyes adjust, Rainbow squinted at the picture. Her jaw dropped at what she saw.

"No way."

Fluttershy grinned. "Do you like it?"

In the picture frame was a poster with three figures posing heroically. The entities stood in elite blue and yellow uniform, a black marker signature underneath each one.

"I love it!" Rainbow Dash squeed. "How did you get this?"

"The Wonderbolts were performing in Cloudsdale when I was visiting my brother. I stopped before their show for autographs." Fluttershy explained.

Rainbow Dash leaned up to hug her girlfriend. "Seriously, babe, this is awesome. You're awesome." Fluttershy settled down on top of Rainbow, placing teasing kisses on her chest.

"I'm glad you like it, babe."

"Best Birthday ever." Rainbow Dash sighed in content. "But I can think of a couple things that could make it better."

Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? What did you have in mind, Birthday Girl?"

Rainbow's hands glided over Fluttershy's body, feeling and caressing. Rainbow Dash winked. "Nothing special."

"More arrests late last night, over 300 protesters locked up. Police had to fire tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd. A child was killed in the aftermath. 11 year-old Rumble was struck in the head when authorities-"

"Shut that damn thing off," Rainbow Dash muttered, gripping the wheel. "I don't wanna hear it."

Fluttershy reached to turn the dial in Rainbow's radio. "I'm sorry about your dad, Rainbow."

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Could have been worse. He could have been shot, right?"

Fluttershy sighed. "I hate what this world is coming to. That shouldn't have to be your first response."

"It's okay, really." Rainbow insisted. "I just can't believe he went to that rally. He should have known something bad like this would happen."

Fluttershy rubbed Rainbow Dash's knee soothingly. "Are you going to be okay, baby?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Rainbow said without conviction. She pulled up in front of Fluttershy's high school.

"So anyway, once you graduate tomorrow, you're all mine for the week, right?"

"All yours," Fluttershy purred, kissing Rainbow Dash on the nose. "Drive safe, baby." Fluttershy ordered as she unbuckled.

"Sure thing, mom," Rainbow Dash replied jokingly.

Fluttershy waved goodbye, shutting the door. Rainbow waved back. She stole a quick look at her gas meter, cringing when she saw it bordering on empty. Rainbow cursed under her breath as she shifted the car back into drive.

Rainbow Dash tapped her thumbs on the table anxiously.

"Blaze, Rainbow."

Rainbow Dash jumped up at the sound of her father's name. "I'm here for Rainbow Blaze!"

The guard nodded, then mumbled something into his radio. Seconds later, another guard entered, escorting Rainbow's father. He shook his head in disappointment when he saw Rainbow Dash.

"You had better not have paid bail for me." He warned.

Rainbow Dash held up a letter. "The Princess has been issuing pardons for non-violent demonstrators."

Rainbow Blaze rubbed his wrists once they were free of the handcuffs. "Probably trying to recruit people."

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "If it's true about the secession, I think joining the army might be a good idea."

"Don’t even think about it," her father leveled a finger at her. "I've done everything I could to make sure you had a good life, a peaceful life. Don't go throwing it away the first chance you get just for shits and giggles."

Rainbow Dash's jaw tightened. "I'm not a kid, okay? I can make my own decisions. If you think keeping the peace is throwing my life away, then that's your problem, not mine." She pulled her keys out of her pocket, tossing them to her father. "You take the car," She muttered, turning away.

"I need some time to myself."

Rainbow Dash kicked at stray pebbles as she walked. She sighed, plopping down on the nearest bench. Elbows on her knees and head in her hands, Rainbow Dash shut her eyes.

Things were getting crazy. Joining the military just wasn’t something she could avoid. Her father would likely soon be fired from his job after that rally, Fluttershy wanted to go to college, and Rainbow's minimum wage job wasn't going to support them. Better she sign up for the Lunar Corps than be drafted into the Royal Guard.

Rainbow Dash felt a vibration against her leg. She reached into her pocket, pulling out her cell phone. She pressed the accept key, prepared for what was coming.

"Hello?"

"Rainbow Dash, where are you?" Rainbow Dash smiled at the sound of Fluttershy's shrill, worried voice.

"Hey, I'm sorry babe. I decided to walk home. I just needed to clear my head."

"Are you alright?" Fluttershy sounded so scared and distant through the device.

"I'm fine, babe. It's just, all that's going on... it's making my head spin."

"Me too, baby. It's not easy."

Rainbow Dash threw her arm up. "I mean, I’m trying to just make sense of what's going on, and what to do, but I can't! It doesn't matter what I do, because in the end, I'm always just so..."

Rainbow Dash paused, the words hitching in her throat.

"...Just what, baby?"

Rainbow Dash swallowed. "...Nothing."

"...Do you want to talk about it when you get home?" Fluttershy clearly wasn't buying it.

Rainbow ran her hand through her hair, staring blankly at the matted clump that came out. "Maybe."

"Alright. I'll see you once you get back. Be safe!"

Rainbow Dash managed to smile again. "I will. Love you, baby."

"I love you, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow's feet dragged on the asphalt. It must have been past midnight. Her dad would be upset. And Fluttershy would be furious.

She yawned. She would deal with it tomorrow. Right now, Rainbow needed sleep.