The Rainbow Grows

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12

Chapter 1

Nothing much had changed in the months that passed since the incident of the fire. The wind had grown colder and the sun shortened its visits to the world above, providing little warmth through the heavy winter clouds that hovered in the sky. A light snow fell throughout all of Ponyville. Although the younger fillies and colts delighted in the joys of the icy powder; the older ponies sheltered themselves away inside the warmth by the fires inside their homes.

The trees of Sweet Apple Acres no longer bore the shining red fruit that the farm was so well known for, as they also had shed their golden autumn leaves in preparation for the long and cold season. The orchards were silent, as it always was whenever the winter approached. The critters that usually resided on the fields had fled for the upcoming months or were now resting in a deep slumber beneath the ground or within the trees inside their tiny burrows.

Most of the residents of the farmhouse had left to visit family outside of town for the holidays. However, two ponies had decided to stay behind. An orange earth pony and a sky blue Pegasus nuzzled each other on the small brown couch that had been there since the house had first been built. The room was dimly lit; there were no sounds, other than the occasional crackling of the embers sputtering from the fading fire that warmed the house.

The orange mare pressed herself against the blue Pegasus as she gazed into her partner's rose-quartz eyes. They always seemed to be in a state of sadness now, but behind all of that a single glimmer of hope always trailed right with it. Applejack ran her hoof gently through the Pegasus's frazzled rainbow mane, which smelled of the fresh air of grassy fields after a heavy rainstorm.

The two rarely had a chance to be alone together as they had yet to tell anyone other than their four closest friends about their relationship. They were scarcely ever apart and when they were, time seemed to creep forward painfully slow, their hearts longing to be close again. However, the two lovers always had to show their affection in secret, keeping it hidden from the rest of the world.

The embers finally started to give out and darkness filled the room. The two ponies still lay there, holding one another tightly, enjoying every moment of the other's warmth and loving embrace. As the darkness shrouded over them, so did a calming sleep, which the two welcomed, letting it take over as they cradled one another.

Rainbow Dash awoke on the sofa alone. She looked around for her companion, but instead spotted a small note on the table.

"R.D, I went to town to pick up a few things, didn't want to wake you. Be back soon, love you!"

The Pegasus stretched out her upper hooves, and sat up. The large white cast she once wore on her hind leg had been replaced with a sturdy black brace that wrapped tightly around her limb. She placed her hooves onto the wooden floor beneath her, taking extra care as she did so with her fragile hoof.

Rainbow Dash limped over towards a mirror down the hallway, examining herself. Her rainbow mane was sprawled in every direction, and her eyes still slightly glazed from the vacating sleep. She looked at her wing, and attempted to extend them. One of them, as always, had shot out with no difficulties.

The other, however, did not. A fading scar was visible just below where her wing where it attached itself to her body. Pushing herself harder, the wing nudged a little, as each day passed, it spanned out further, not noticeable at first, but after months of strain, she could see the change.

Rainbow Dash had not told any pony else of this yet, she didn't want to get any pony's hopes up in case this would be the extent of what her wing would be capable of for the rest of her days. Still, the feat she accomplished on a daily basis filled her with a small pride and hope that helped to keep her going each day.

After readjusting her mane into its usual hold, the Pegasus turned away from the mirror and headed past the fireplace towards the corner. Grabbing a fresh log with her teeth, she dropped it in and ignited it with the candle that sat atop the mantle. Satisfied with the growing flame, she approached the wall near the door, pushing a hoof down on each floor board, until she found the one that let out a creak.

She knelt down slowly trying to avoid as much pressure on her hind hoof as she could. Once close enough, she pressed down on one side of the loose board and it soon popped away from the others. Inside was a single dark blue box resting peacefully. Blowing away the gathering dust she let out a cough and removed the box.

She had been saving the bits she had managed to come by, mostly from earning them by performing simple tasks around Ponyville. Tipping open the lid gently she peered inside, making sure it's contents still remained. A silver anklet with tiny green emeralds encrusted its edges and in the center a diamond cut to the shape of an apple embedded deeply into the shining metal. On the inside of the anklet, there was a small custom made engraving that said nothing more than, "Eternal love".

The Pegasus had intentions to give this to Applejack as a gift for Heart Warming's Eve, which was now only a few weeks away. She returned the box into its hiding place and pushed the board back into place. As Rainbow Dash stood up the front door squeaked open. Soon an orange earth pony trotted inside, a strong cold wind blowing inside with her.

"Wooh-ee!" Applejack exclaimed when she spotted the blue Pegasus across the room. "Sure is getting a might cold out there. It's gonna be a tough winter to wrap up this year." She walked towards Rainbow Dash, and met her with a small kiss on the cheek, then reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a book. "Ah found this at the library, ah thought maybe yah would want tah read it."

"Daring-Do and the Journey through the Rotting River", Rainbow Dash read aloud, "Ohmygosh ohmygosh!" She said excitedly, snatching the book away with her teeth. She quickly hopped over to the couch the best she could. Applejack chuckled as she watched her mare-friend bounce away both clumsily and joyfully.

Rainbow Dash pried open the cover of the book and cast her eyes upon the first words of the page. She was hardly able to contain her excitement; she had been waiting for this to be in print for almost a year now. She had finished the others in the series quite quickly now that she found herself with an abundance of free time as she could no longer fly.

"Ah'm gonna go do some work in the barn if yah need me sugarcube!" Applejack called out, but her words fell on deaf ears as the Pegasus was already deeply absorbed into the pages of the book she had just received. She rolled her eyes and headed back outside into the cold.

As Applejack walked down the trail leading to the snow covered red barn, she couldn't help but glance across the farm at the dead forest. The place had haunted her sweet Rainbow Dash’s dreams most nights as she slept. The nightmares always causing her to wake up shivering in a thick cold sweat and would no longer able to sleep the rest of the night as her fears and memories filled her mind.

The orange pony wished so desperately that she could do more than just be a comforting hoof to Rainbow Dash. It pained her deeply whenever she witnessed the episodes and all she could do was reassure the Pegasus everything was fine. However, she found that was rarely enough.

Rainbow Dash had put up such a strong front but the blue pony let her guard down when she thought no pony was listening or watching. Many nights she heard the Pegasus sobbing into her pillow as she dreamed of returning to the sky that beckoned to her. It crushed Applejack to hear such sorrows and hurt her even worse that she was not be able to do anything to help.

Often times she found her companion staring into the sky trying to grasp at it as if she could capture it within her hooves and join with it once more. Nearly every day she would stare so deeply into the sky with those same helpless and defeated eyes she had seen for the first time when the Pegasus had awoken inside the hospital.

She sighed heavily and continued towards the barn. Rainbow Dash could love her with all her heart and she could love her back but she knew that would never be enough to fill the Pegasus's void inside her heart. She could never satisfy the pony’s craving for the sky and to return to it where she truly belonged.

Chapter 2

Applejack pushed open the barn doors; the stacks of hay bales had toppled over some and were blocking the door and others spread about throughout the barn. She grumbled to herself and began to pick them up one by one. She piled them carelessly in the corner. Usually she was organized and cautious when it came to farm work but she was too cold to be concerned by it at the time. Once she had cleared the doorway of the barn she kicked the doors open the rest of the way.

The orange pony moved quickly. The cold was starting to burn the tips of her ears. She headed behind the barn and hitched herself up to the wagon. Last year she had forgotten to store it away for the winter before going to Manehatten to visit Aunt and Uncle Orange. Although she was only gone for a few weeks, the wheels had rusted to the point where they were no longer usable and had to be replaced.

Pulling on the wagon it slowly rocked back and forth as she did, until finally it freed itself from the grasp of the snow. Once the wagon had been secured inside the barn, Applejack closed its doors once more and pushed down a small latch at the base of the door, locking it for the winter. She ran through a mental checklist to make sure she was complete with her work, once satisfied she trotted back down the trail.

As she walked she thought she heard hoof steps behind her. Continuing on for a bit, she stopped abruptly and listened, but heard nothing. She shrugged it off and proceeded towards the farmhouse. As she approached the house she heard noises from inside. She softened her steps and walked closer to the door, placing her ear against the wood she listened silently.

What she could hear was the sound of sniffling and sharp shallow breaths, along with an occasional pounding of a hoof onto the ground. Rainbow Dash had taken the opportunity of her solitude to let out her bottled up emotions. Applejack frowned and opened the door quietly, making no sounds as she entered the warmth of her home. She watched as the frustrated Pegasus let everything out, not holding anything back. She walked closer and still said nothing.

Rainbow Dash continued on unaware of the slowly approaching pony. Without any warning Applejack grabbed her and squeezed her tightly. The Pegasus struggled at first, startled by the intruder but eventually she calmed down. "H-how long h-have you been th-there?" Rainbow Dash asked, embarrassed that she had been discovered like this.

"Long enough Sugarcube." Applejack replied in a soothing voice, petting the teary eyed mare.

"I miss it so much Applejack…” Rainbow Dash sniffled, “The strong breezes that rush past. The fierce competitions at the Cloudiseum in Cloudsdale, the amazing tricks the Wonderbolts perform, I can't stand it. I'm a Pegasus! I shouldn't be trapped here. I belong up in the sky, not stuck on the ground."

"Ah know yah do, sweetie." Applejack wished she could say more, do more, anything to never see her lover in this state ever again but she couldn't. All she could do was try to be there for her, hoping she could provide the needed comfort to keep the Pegasus going. She pressed her lips against the damp cheeks, and then continued on to Rainbow Dash's lips, kissing her deeply, unaware of a pony shaped silhouette watching them from outside the window.

The shape vanished and a few moments later there was a crashing sound that echoed through their home. The two jumped at the unexpected noise that broke the silence. Applejack stood back up and squinted through the glass. A pyramid of barrels had been knocked over; a small sparkling object in the snow caught her eye. She went out to investigate the glittering object. It was a silver tiara with small gemstones encrusted into it. She had seen it before but couldn't quite place her hoof on it. She placed it inside her saddlebag before once more returning inside her home.

"What was it?" Rainbow Dash asked as she dried the tears from her eyes.

Applejack shrugged and sat down on the sofa."Ah dunno, probably just some pony stumbled into the apple barrels and knocked em over."

The sun's light was now long gone and the moon's glow was all that illuminated the orchard now. Applejack let out a quiet yawn, "Ah think it's time ah hit the hay."

"I'm pretty beat, I think I'll join you" Rainbow Dash called out as she limped behind the orange pony who headed up the stairs towards her bedroom.

The blonde mane of the pony flowed freely as she removed the dusty cowboy hat, and the small red ties that bound it in place. Rainbow Dash adored the look; she would have liked it if Applejack would use the appearance more often than just at night as she crawled into her bed. The Pegasus nipped at the farm pony's cheek, "I love you" she said as she crawled into the warm bed with her.

"Ah love yah too, Rainbow."

Rainbow Dash mumbled in her sleep, rolling back and forth, as her mind recalled the events of the night of the storm. The thick dirty smoke that burned her lungs, the stabbing pain in her wing, the heat of the flames, and the agonizing stabs that surged through her leg, they all returned to her as she continued to sleep.

The sensations became unbearable as her dream reached its peak; the flames warmed her body, causing her to let out a cold sweat in attempt to cool itself. The pain she had experienced in her leg grew and grew till it felt as if it were to burst. The clearing so close, she pushed through. She awoke finding herself coughing, and gasping for air.

Rainbow Dash clung tightly to the orange mare next to her, afraid to close her eyes again. Applejack whispered lovingly into her ear, trying to bring comfort to the frightened Pegasus. Her muscles began to relax as her mind cleared, until finally, the Pegasus was asleep once more.

The sound of glass shattering interrupted the pony's sleep. Applejack leaped out of bed, as did Rainbow Dash, accidentally putting pressure on her injured leg, and she let out a quiet gasp of pain. The room was far too dark; they couldn't see their own hooves if they were in front of their faces. Feeling around the walls she found the light switch and flicked it up.

As the light illuminated the room, the two said nothing to each other they used strange hoof movements in an attempt to silently communicate which just ended up confusing them. Applejack gave up the feat and slowly opened the door, poked her head through the doorway, but saw nothing. She stepped out cautiously, keeping a lookout for anything strange or out of place. The moonlight refracted on shards of the broken window that lay on the floor downstairs. What appeared to be shaped like a rock lay amidst the glass.

Rainbow Dash ventured out of the bedroom, and followed Applejack down the stairs, turning on the living room light at the base of the staircase. The bulbs flickered for a few moments, before their streams of light became constant. A note was tied around the object that had broken the window. Applejack picked it up, untied the twine and read the short message out loud.

"Repulsive"

Chapter 3

Applejack awkwardly swung a hammer, pounding a nail into the board she held over the broken window. She wasn't sure whether to be frightened that worse could be coming or relieved that the attack was something so mild.

Rainbow Dash, however, was in deep thought as she stared at the paper, her mind trying to come up with a suspect, but she had not even the slightest clue. "Ugh, I got nothing." She said frustrated, she crumpled the note and tossed it to the table.

A thought popped into the pony as she hammered away at the nails. She wasn’t sure why she hadn’t thought of it before. Once finished, she nudged the board, making sure it was stable and then picked up her saddlebag off the staircase railing and pulled out the small crown from within the bag.

"Hey, isn't that Diamond Tiara's tiara? What are you doing with that?"

Now Applejack could remember, she had seen it every zap apple harvest, when Filthy Rich came to resupply his stock of jam. His daughter wore it everywhere; most ponies were convinced that it might even be fused to her mane. "Ah found it outside next to the barrels some pony had… knocked over…" she stopped as her mind finally put the pieces together, as did Rainbow Dash's.

"You mean to tell me, you found that tiara, outside our window, AFTER we heard the crashing noise WHILE we were… and not only that, but it belongs to the biggest blabbermouth in town and her father is one of the most powerful ponies in Ponyville!"

Rainbow Dash stood up, pacing back and forth, ignoring the shallow ache in her leg. "Every pony in town is gonna know AJ! Every pony probably already knows! Who knows what is coming next!" The Pegasus started limping in circles, working herself into hysteria. "We're ruined!"

"Oh fiddlesticks, it's not that bad RD. Yer over reacting, ah'm sure no pony is gonna bother us again after tonight. Now calm yerself!" Applejack trotted in front of the frantic pony, blocking her path.

Rainbow Dash put stood still for a moment, placed a hoof on her chin, then pushed Applejack aside and continued to pace. "If Filthy Rich knows, than that means everypony knows, and if everypony knows, that means theres bound to be some ponies from crazytown who are going to overreact and-"

"RAINBOW DASH CALM DOWN!" Applejack screamed. The Pegasus silenced with shock, sat back down on the couch.
"Everything is gonna be fine, if it makes yah feel any better, ah'll go talk to the Mayor, and see if she can do something."

"But Applejack-"

"No buts, RD, working yerself up over this aint gonna do any pony any good. It's already been done, ain't nothing we can do 'bout it now."

Rainbow dash sighed, "You're right…"

Applejack chuckled a little; she couldn't help it whenever the Pegasus admitted that she was right. "Now the best thing we can do right now, is try and get some sleep. Ah'll go into town in the morning, and we'll get it all sorted out. Okay?"

Rainbow Dash grumbled a little annoyed at the treatment she was receiving, "Okay..."

Applejack detected the change in her mood and decided to try and change her approach. "Look, ah know yer scared, lord knows yah won't admit it though. But it's okay, ah'm scared too, but everything'll be fine." She patted the Pegasus, and pulled her close. Rainbow Dash smiled a little, and rested her head on Applejack.

The two rested down on the couch, neither wanted to head back upstairs, in case of any other incidents. They lay there silently, trying to sleep, but they couldn't, they were far too frightened to shut their eyes now. The time crept forward, the sunlight filling the room from one of the unbroken windows and a roosters crow disrupted the morning's calm.

Applejack sat up, her eyes sagging tiredly. "Yah didn't get any sleep, did yah?" She asked. She could tell by Rainbow Dash’s breathing she was already awake.

The blue Pegasus sat up and shook her head, "Did you?"

The orange pony mumbled quietly "Nope, ah'm gonna go see some ponies about this in town now, ah'll be back soon, yah better not tear yer mane out with worry while ah'm gone, yah hear?" The Pegasus nodded.

The orange pony vanished upstairs for a few moments and soon reappeared with the typical get up, her hat and red mane ties. Heading towards the door she opened it, “Applejack?” Rainbow Dash said before she stepped outside.

She turned around looking in the worried pink eyes from across the room. "Yeah RD?"

Rainbow Dash paused for a moment, "I love you so much." She said, the concern in her voice bleeding through.

"Ah love yah too" Applejack called back with a smile across her face; she winked, and walked through the door, shutting it behind her.

Rainbow Dash stared at the clock above the mantle near the fireplace. Only five minutes had passed since Applejack left now. She looked around nervously, trying to find something to distract her. Spotting her Daring-Do book still resting on the table, she picked it up and began to read once more.

After finishing a few pages, she looked up at the clock again, fifteen minutes. She kept on reading, finishing the chapter. Thirty minutes. Her eyes continued running through the pages, finishing another chapter, an hour had passed now.

She began to worry once more, "It's only been an hour… I mean, it is a pretty long walk to town" she said trying to keep herself calm. Another chapter finished, she looked up, yet another hour had crept by and still no sign of Applejack.

The Pegasus placed the book back down on the table and found she was pacing the living room once again. Her eyes were tired but had no trouble staying awake with how anxious she was. Fifteen more minutes went by and she couldn't take waiting anymore. She picked up a scarf off of the coat rack in the corner, wrapped it around her neck and staggered out the door.

The snow on the ground crunched beneath Applejack's hooves, the snow began packing together much more tightly as the winter grew colder. Her warm breath clung to the air, forming a small fog which hovered momentarily, before dissipating. Multiple sets of hoof prints were visible leading to and from the broken window of the farm house, Applejack counted at least four separate tracks.

Four ponies, at least three if she excluded Diamond Tiara as one of the sets, the thought worried her. If at least three ponies had planned this in just a few short hours, more ponies could easily join in with their own schemes. Her mind wondered who they could have been. She picked up speed, the silent road frightening her; any pony could be waiting for her out here.

Applejack slowed down once she reached the town's cobblestone roads. The streets flooded with ponies, some of which whom were glaring at her. She put on a fake smile, acting as if she didn't notice the staring eyes that made her uneasy. Approaching the town hall she found that it was closed. Her journey had been an entire waste. She soon began to start jogging, trying to escape the uncomfortable staring faces.

As she came around the corner of a building, something pushed her. Skin scraping off her leg as she hit the brick wall next to her. She looked around trying to spot her attacker, but saw nothing. She stood still for a moment, trying to recover her breath. A strong, dull blow landed on top of her head, her eyes became disoriented and her thoughts became groggy as she smashed down into the road beneath her.

Chapter 4

Rainbow Dash trudged through the hard icy snow, her hind legs' muscle burning from the actions it was suddenly demanded to perform. The Pegasus had grown out of shape as she had spent most of the months sitting down reading her books. Breathing hard, her leg begging for her to take a break, she obeyed and rested on a nearby stump for a few moments.

As the blue pony rested on the stump, a purple unicorn sprinted past, "Twilight? Where are you going?" Rainbow Dash shouted out after her. The unicorn slammed her hooves into the ground. Sliding against the snow she came to a complete halt and turned around running back towards the Pegasus. She stopped just in front of the resting pony and said nothing as she stood there trying to catch her breath.

"Uh, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash waved a hoof in front of the Unicorn.

"Applejack… in the hospital…" Twilight said panting heavily in between words.

"What? Is she okay? What happened?" Rainbow Dash was unintentionally screaming her questions into her friend's ears.
Twilight backed away from the frantic pony and rubbed her ears with a hoof. "She’s fine, just a bump on the head.” She frowned, “But it looks like some pony attacked her, the Cakes found her unconscious outside in the street near Sugarcube corner." As she spoke she braced herself for another barrage of hysterical questions.

Instead, without saying another word, Rainbow Dash stood up and began to run for the first time since the accident. Her injured leg cried as she pushed herself closer towards the town. She ignored the pleas; she could only be concerned for Applejack. As she entered the streets of Ponyville, the same staring eyes that met Applejack were now cast at her.

The Pegasus pushed her head into the hospital doors, taking no care to slow down for the impact. "Where's Applejack?" she yelled at the pony at the front desk as she entered, her voice a little more ferocious than intended. "Room Four." The startled desk pony said, cowering as she pointed a hoof down the hallway.

Rainbow Dash darted away, passing rooms one and three on her right. She slowed herself and turned to the door with the number four on it. She opened it with beads of sweat rolling down her exhausted body. Inside laid an orange pony who smiled broadly as she saw the Pegasus at the door. A small bandage covered her leg and a second larger one wrapping diagonally around her head meeting at the base of both sides of her left ear.

The Pegasus stared. She had hoped to find relief when she saw that Applejack was okay but the relief didn't come. What she experienced instead was pure horror. She realized that this wasn't going to stop and it would only continue to get worse. Today it was just a bump on the head, a scraped knee. Soon images of what could occur next flooded her thoughts.
In her mind, at first the orange pony looked fine and then cuts and bruises slowly began to cover her body.

The small bandages grew larger and soon turned into slings. Her blonde mane and orange fur growing tattered and torn as time went on. Until finally, all the injuries on Applejack had vanished. The pony laid there peacefully, her mane restored and elegantly combed. Her glistening orange fur shimmering in the soft sunlight that beamed down on her. A shadow cast over the sleeping pony. The lid of a casket began to cover her and then it began to sink slowly into the ground.

"Rainbow, you okay?" Applejack asked from the bed. Rainbow Dash nodded and shook the images away from her head. She limped over toward the bed, treating her hind leg to its well earned rest by placing her weight on the other three. Sitting down she took one of Applejack's hooves and caressed it gently on her own cheek.

"I was so worried AJ. After a couple hours had passed, I went out to look for you. I don't know what I would have done if-"

Applejack hushed the Pegasus. "Hey, stop yer fussing, ah'm the one in the bed, remember?" Rainbow Dash nodded and placed her head on the bed next to the orange pony.

Rainbow Dash tried to stay awake but she hadn't slept in almost a day and she had drained all the energy she had left just getting herself to the hospital. After just a few minutes her eyes closed and she was asleep. Applejack chuckled, "Yer so adorable." She whispered, petting the sleeping Pegasus's rainbow mane.

A few hours passed, when a Doctor entered the room holding an X-ray among other things. Applejack shook Rainbow Dash, and the two focused on what the stallion had to say. "You're fine. You don’t have a concussion and there was no damage to the skull. You may have a headache for a couple of days but other than that, you’re completely fine. You have nothing to worry about."

Applejack let out a sigh of relief but Rainbow Dash didn’t. Her mind had wandered back to the images it had created earlier. She could take no comfort in the news with everything she feared was to come. The two walked silently out of the room. The orange pony making an effort to talk but the Pegasus couldn't focus on anything other than her own fears.

As they returned to the farm, the orange cowpony sprinted ahead when something caught her attention. Some of the Apple trees had been chopped down, others uprooted lying on the ground on their sides, and most of them had been burned. The farmhouse had been painted over, words written across the walls and door of the farmhouse.

“Abominations”

The front door hung from its now askew hinges, a sign that someone had bucked it open. Inside, furniture had been flipped over, pillows ripped apart, and dishes shattered on the wooden floor, even the copy of Daring Do had been shredded, its pages littering the floor.

Rainbow Dash soon caught up with the pony and trotted inside the house. The two stared at the destruction that filled the house. Anger welled up inside Applejack’s heart. As for Rainbow Dash she could only feel the same anxiety return as she examined their home.

Walking over towards the fireplace, Rainbow Dash found a broken picture frame sat on the ground; the picture it held had been torn in half down the middle. The Pegasus picked up the pieces of the picture, gazing sadly at it. It was a picture of Applejack holding Rainbow Dash close to her side after Cider season; she had still been wearing her clunky cast when it had been taken. The image frightened her, the two ponies so close together in the photograph had been so easily torn apart.

Chapter 5

The Pegasus continued to gaze at the torn picture she held in her hooves. She placed the two pieces back onto the mantle. Finally, Rainbow Dash exhaled shakily, glancing over at the orange pony for a brief moment and then looking away, she spoke, "Applejack, I'm sorry…"

"Sorry fer what sugarcube?" A look of confusion spread across Applejack’s face.

The Pegasus continued averting her eyes, "I can't…" her words got caught in her throat.

"Can't what?" Applejack approached the pony, as she did, Rainbow Dash stepped further away.

"I can't… be here… for you." Rainbow Dash squeaked, her voice barely carrying across the room.

"What in the hay are yah talkin’ ‘bout, yer always here fer me!”

Rainbow Dash flinched at the increasing volume of the pony behind her. "I can't protect you."

"Yah don't need to protect me." Applejack laughed hoping the mood would lighten but it didn’t.

"Look around us Applejack. The orchard, the farm, our home, it's all been destroyed."

"Ah don't need protecting!" Applejack repeated louder.

"Look at yourself!” Rainbow Dash cried, “You were only outside for a couple of hours. The next thing you know, you woke up in a hospital! We don’t even know who did it and they can do it again at any time." The words echoed through the room. "I can barely walk, I can't fly… and I can't protect you." She said once more.

"Rainbow, you're the strongest pony I know." Applejack said, trying once more to approach the Pegasus who yet again stepped away.

"No… I’m not."

"Yes yah are. What 'bout the night in the forest? Yah couldn't walk then, yah couldn't fly. Yet when yah could barely protect yerself, yah managed to find the strength to save me." Applejack tried to make her voice reassuring but she found it difficult. She had never seen Rainbow Dash behave this way before.

"That was different." Rainbow Dash's neck twitched with fear at the memory that still haunted her.

"Yer right, it was worse. Yah have had time to heal. Back then yah could barely keep yer eyes open yah were in so much pain. Yet yah pulled it off anyway. So yer right, it is different, this is just some silly ponies tryin' tah feel tough."

"When I saw you in the hospital and that you were okay, I thought I would feel better but I didn't, Applejack. I was afraid. This isn't going to stop, it's only going to get worse and when you need me most, I won't be there for you. Maybe it’s best for both of us to go our separate ways." Rainbow Dash’s voice began to crack as tears formed.

"So yer just gonna run away? That's how yah plan to solve all yer problems is it! Yer just gonna leave me here?" Applejack shouted, her booming voice shaking the entire room.

"I can't…" Rainbow Dash looked down at the ground, "I can't see you be hurt again."

"Well, what 'bout right now? Yer hurting me right now Rainbow." Applejack’s legs began to wobble violently as she stood there barely able to keep their balance.

Rainbow Dash began to walk towards the front door. "Please… Don't go… I love you, Rainbow Dash, please." She pleaded as the Pegasus continued toward the door. Applejack's legs collapsed beneath her, unable to support her any longer. She stumbled to the ground, streams of tears running down from her green eyes, down to her cheeks. "Please…"

"I'm sorry." Rainbow Dash said without stopping, nor slowing or looking back as she reached the door. A trail of her own tears followed behind her, staining the wooden floorboards. As she walked outside into the cold snow a gray shaded overcast began to form, covering her mane and coat.

Chapter 6

Rainbow Dash dragged herself through the dark cobblestone roads of Ponyville, the occasional lamppost illuminating the street corners. The village was quiet, most of its residents now sleeping peacefully in their warm beds. The silence only made the night all the lonelier for her but she couldn't go back, or at least that’s what she continued to tell herself over and over again.

She heard hoofsteps approaching from behind her; she ignored them and continued to circle the block. The light clattering of hooves kept on following her as she turned at the corner. Picking up her pace the best she could, she crossed the street, turning herself around completely. As she continued walking she scouted the area, but saw no pony, yet the noises continued.

She passed by an alleyway as she did a shaded figure emerged from behind her breathing loudly. Rainbow Dash could hear him just behind her; she made a run for the closest street light. Once reaching her destination, she turned around to see a large black stallion standing there next to her. The sound of more hooves landing on the road behind her as a smaller black stallion leaped off the roof of a nearby building.

The black stallion was nearly twice her size; his legs had powerful bulging muscles that generated vast amounts of heat which steamed in the cold weather. Despite the frigid air of the winter's night he was sweating profusely. His breathing grew louder and his mouth hung open revealing is uncared for yellow teeth. The rotten stench of his breath burned her nose as it contacted her face.

The smaller black stallion shared a close resemblance to the larger one, though he appeared much younger and far less developed. She couldn't fathom that his breath could possibly be as profound as who she assumed was the short pony’s older brother. Her gaze shifted towards their haunches but she couldn't make out either of the two's cutie marks. They had concealed their marks with small sheets of cloth that covered their flanks.

Rainbow Dash growing worried and hoping the two would leave her alone she started walking once more. The two followed close behind and one of them finally spoke, "Hey, where ya going? We just wanna talk!" the two laughed stupidly. Rainbow Dash ignored them.

"What's the matter, why are you all alone out here?" The smaller one taunted, the two guffawing once more. She kept onward, wishing they would just leave. "Where's your marefriend?" The smaller one said with a giggle.

Rainbow Dash froze. "Yeah, where is she?" The bigger asked and pushed her into the wall chuckling at her and then let her go so he could toy with her. Rainbow Dash began limping away as fast as she could but her leg slowed her down and they quickly caught up with her again.

"Did she finally leave a loser like you? Probably found a real Pegasus, one who can fly!"

The insult stung at Rainbow Dash and she began flooding with wrath and hatred. They had hit her in just the right place and she wasn’t willing to take it anymore. The emotions began to boil over until she snapped and allowed her instincts to the situation into their own hooves.

The larger one moved closer, about to push her again but the blind anger took over her. She quickly slid herself out of the way, catching him off guard and he stumbled into the wall. She stepped forward, placing a hoof on his throat, pressing down hard. At the mere sight of Rainbow Dash’s burning eyes the smaller pony panicked and fled in terror, leaving his friend behind.

The black pony grabbed at his throat with a hoof, trying desperately to pry the Pegasus off of him. She responded by pushing down harder on his throat and stared deep into his eyes. Rainbow Dash's mane almost seemed as if it were on fire as her rage pulsed through her body. Her eyes magenta eyes glowed in the dark streets, their pupils nothing more than slivers.

With one last glance, he looked back into the glowing eyes that stared furiously at him. He flailed a hoof helplessly at the Pegasus that was now overpowering him so easily. Gasping for air that he couldn't breathe in, his hind hooves began to twitch wildly.

Rainbow Dash clenched her jaws, her body shaking with an uncontrollable fury. She breathed out loudly, taunting the pony with the air that she took in so freely. Grinding her teeth she let hot humid air escape from her nostrils forming a fog which clung to the space between them. She knew exactly what he was feeling.

"Right now it feels something like you are drowning. The air so close to you, but you just can't quite pull it in." Rainbow Dash's voice filled with raw hate as she spoke "First, your vision will start to blur. Everything seems to slow down and your mind is unable to focus on anything other than drawing in just even the slightest bit of air. Finally, your eyes start to grow heavy then you can't keep them open. Despite your best efforts to do so they eventually shut and everything around you starts to go black."

Her eyes narrowed as she watched his eyes as they started doing exactly as she had said they would. They began to close, he pushed them back open and then they started shutting again. Convinced he had endured enough; Rainbow Dash removed her hoof from his throat, releasing her grip on him.

The black stallion crumbled to the ground, his cough was loud and raspy. With each breath his throat let out a sharp wheezing. He lay there, frightened and unable to move while his body slowly recuperated as it took in the much needed oxygen. Rainbow Dash continued staring at him with her piercing eyes, the stare making him shiver with fear.

"Leave." Rainbow Dash commanded darkly knowing full well that this moment would be one that would haunt him for the rest of his life. The pony did as he was told; he recovered the use of his legs, scrambled to his hooves and scampered off. Then once a safe distance, the stallion looked back, watching as the Pegasus fade into the darkness of the night.

Chapter 7

There was a pounding on the battered door of the dark cluttered farm house. Applejack did not budge, still weeping uncontrollably from when she had last seen Rainbow Dash. The knocking grew louder, still the orange pony did not move. Soon it became so loud; it felt as if the entire house were shaking, until suddenly, it stopped.

The orange pony found it within herself to stop the tears, she got to her hooves, and headed towards the stairs, paying no attention to the noise that had come and gone. Her knees were weak, her mouth was dry, and small bags sagged below her eyes from the excess of tears.

The dejected mare advanced gradually to her bedroom, dragging her hooves lazily with each step. As she entered, the suffering from within her grew, the room filled with so many pleasant memories of her and hers.

The moon's luminescence poured through the glass, allowing some of the darkness to become unclouded. Applejack drew nearer to the window, the silver rays washing over her pale orange coat. She stared into the twinkling golden stars speckled through the vast obsidian heavens.

As she gazed into the sky, she finally understood Rainbow Dash's pain. She knew now why the Pegasus had spent so many days and nights with her eyes fixated towards the stars. The feeling of loving something so much you could hardly breathe without it.

How much strength it must have taken her to keep on every day and how much more it must have taken her to do what she thought was necessary, all to protect the one she loved. Applejack couldn't help but smile with pride for her broken Pegasus who had been so brave all this time.

The smile soon faded, and the tears returned making her feel selfish and weak; all she wanted was for Rainbow Dash to be close to her again. She couldn't imagine how her beloved had managed to keep fighting these emotions, hiding them from every pony that came across her.

Applejack curled onto the floor near the window, she concealed her head into her hooves, and cried silently, unaware of a shadow moving closer toward her. Some pony pulled her upward, placing a bag over her face; she struggled, kicking her hooves wildly.

Her powerful legs impacted a pony in front of her, crashing into window, letting out a loud crack. The impact was however, not powerful enough to break the glass, and the attacker soon recovered. He marched toward her, more cautiously, avoiding the flailing hooves. Once in a safe position, he restrained her upper hooves, wrapping a rope tightly around them, then followed suit with the other two.

The bound pony rolled around the floor uselessly, trying to pry the ropes that secured her. Her hooves were too constricted and she was unable to provide the required force to free herself. The wooden boards beneath her began to slip away as a pony lifted her from the floor. Applejack was slung over the pony's spine with ease and she bounced slightly with each step that was made.

"Go see where the other two are, they should have brought the Pegasus by now!" a stallion's voice barked out.

"Fine" an agitated mare's voice called back as she trotted away.

"And if they ran into any trouble, you know where they should be!" He shouted.

The stallion started walking again, still carrying the struggling pony. "Stop squirming or I'll make you stop!" he ordered, his rough loud voice frightening her into submission. Applejack's mind raced trying to think of away to get out of the situation. Her thoughts could only return back to her last conversation with Rainbow Dash, how right she had been, she wouldn't be here when she needed her most.

The clattering of hooves on wood converged into the crunching of snow. The combination of fear, and the cold night air caused her to shiver violently. Trying to focus on where she was being taken, she paid close attention to the carrier's every step and turn he made.

Her weight began to shift from her stomach, towards her flank as the stallion journeyed up some form of slope. Applejack was finally able to identify where they were headed, the route they had taken could only correspond with one possible destination: Ghastly Gorge.

Chapter 8

A silver Pegasus flew above the streets of Ponyville, scouting for the other two ponies she had been sent to locate. There was no pony in sight, the streets were silent and the street lights blinking off one by one as time went on. She grumbled to herself, if anything had gone wrong, the others were supposed to meet her at the fountain but they were nowhere to be found.

Her wings were getting tired but she couldn't return empty-hoofed, so she kept on. Only one light remained active, she glided over to it, spotting her target; a rainbow maned pony who leaned on the iron rod of the light. She lowered herself closer towards the pony, her worn out wings flapped loudly as they tried to sustain a steady flight.

Rainbow Dash's ears perked up. She could hear a failed attempt of a Pegasus trying to make a stealthy approach. A heavy wind gusting into her with each flap the pony above her made. The flying pony began to make a more rapid descent and prepared to tackle her prey.

The street light blipped out, only darkness filled the roads of Ponyville now. Rainbow Dash's eyes had already adjusted to the night as she had been wandering the streets for hours now. She took advantage of the opportunity, she casually side-stepped out of the way and the silver pony collided with the stone ground.

The silver coat of the Pegasus shimmered in the moonlight, making it all the more easy for her to be spotted. Quietly, Rainbow approached her but an unexpected blow landed into her injured leg. Rainbow Dash groaned, biting down on one of her hooves, while she rubbed the aching one with her spare.

The opposing Pegasus recovered more quickly than Rainbow Dash was capable of. She got to her hooves and kicked her adversary in the chest, knocking the wind out of her. Coughing frantically, as she tried to stabilize her lungs, she received another hard strike to her stomach followed by another and another.

Rainbow Dash coiled into herself, trying to protect her chest from the flurry of hooves that landed into her. The onslaught continued and with a desperate attempt to fight back, anticipating the next kick, she grabbed at the hoof before it could land, yanking her enemy down towards her, plowing her into the ground once again.

Rainbow Dash held nothing back, she had caught the pony off guard and this would be her only chance to retaliate. She smashed her free hoof into the gripped Pegasus's side. She then pushed herself back onto her hooves, taking the upper ground. Standing over the Pegasus, she returned one of the kicks, using as much force as she could muster.

The impact of the hoof caused the silver Pegasus to roll over on her side, revealing the joint of one of her wings. Rainbow Dash stomped down at the spot just where the wing met, causing the wing to extend and flatten out on the cobblestone beneath it.

"What's your name?" Rainbow Dash shouted into her victim's ear, pressing down on the wing beneath her hoof.

The Pegasus gasped in pain, "Q-quicksilver" she whimpered.

"What the hay do you want?" Quicksilver did not respond. Applying more force to the wing she repeated her question, "I said, what do you want?" the words squeezing through her clenched teeth as she spoke.

Another whimper and the Pegasus replied, "I-I-I was supposed to-to come get y-you" she stammered, trying to cope with the pain.

"By whom?" Rainbow Dash asked, increasing the weight on the joint once more.

Quicksilver scratched a hoof at the ground, hoping to take her mind off the pain. "I d-d-don't know the pony’s name, the pony said that I’d get my pay at the end of the night when I finished the job."

Convinced the Pegasus was willing to talk without further persuasion Rainbow Dash lifted her hoof up just enough to soothe some of her pain. "What does whoever this pony want with me?"

Quicksilver looked at her wing, "Please…" she cried softly.

"Tell me what I want to know and this will all be over, if not, it will get much worse." Rainbow Dash said in a voice that was both grim and threatening.

"I don’t know!"

"Tell me!" Rainbow Dash bellowed into the pony's ear, causing her to flinch with fear. "Something about an orange farm pony." Quicksilver squeaked.

Horror covered Rainbow Dash's face, "WHERE?" she screamed, pressing down on the wing harder than before.

"G-G-Ghastly Gorge!" Quicksilver blubbered and with her answer she was let go and Rainbow Dash took off running in the opposite direction

Chapter 9

Rainbow Dash sprinted through the streets, her leg smashing into the road beneath her. Her bones were stiff; the cold air numbed her senses. Each breath scratched down her throat, as she inhaled. The sun was beginning to show, flooding the world with its intense glow.

As she raced onward, her heart began to pump faster than it was ever supposed to, the blood rushed through her entire body, she felt as if at any moment she were going to burst, still she kept her pace. Her lungs couldn't draw air quickly enough for the oxygen her body demanded, the muscles burned as they cried for more precious air. Each pound into the earth caused a splintering sensation in the braced leg, the strain far more than exceeded what it could handle.

The farmhouse of Sweet Apple Acres', and its destroyed orchards blurred past her as she kept running down the road, a small cloud of snow following her as she went. The gorge was still a few miles away, her body being tortured as it was pushed to new limits with every step.

Her concerns for Applejack's fueled her, with every passing moment more agonizing then the last. Her bruised ribs felt as if they were cracking, despite the injuries she had sustained from her previous engagement, it didn't slow her. The road began to branch off, a sign pointing in the direction towards her destination.

The fork leading to the Gorge appeared, the road slowly inclining as it stretched on. She spotted a trail of hoofprints leading up the path to the highest point of the gorge, she followed them. The more the Pegasus ascended, the colder the air became, and the snow thickening, restricting her speed, which gave her body some of the leisure it had begged for. As Rainbow Dash plowed through the deep snow, an object struck her from the sky, a silver Pegasus soon followed, swooping down, and picking her up.

The stallion climbed up the steadily steepening ground. Applejack flung helplessly over the unknown pony. She tried shifting her hooves back and forth gently, trying not to draw attention to herself, hoping she could slip out of the binds. Her restraints were far too tight, and they had been well knotted, rendering her attempts useless. She wouldn't wait though, at the very least, she would know why this was happening.

"Why are yah doing this?" Applejack's shouted, her voice muffled by the bag covering her face. The stallion continued on in silence. "Ah said, why are yah doing this!" she yelled even louder and flailed her bound hooves into his stomach.

"You can stay still or I can drag you the rest of the way." The stallion said, tossing her up in the air briefly as a warning.

"Answer me!" Applejack yelled again, this time without any movement.

"I do this job, I get paid, I'm outta this place. I don't care what happens to you, so long as I get my money. Now keep quiet!" he barked at her.

Applejack continued to ignore his request, "Do this job fer who?" she asked, hoping to delay him or at least get a few answers.

"Don't know the pony’s name, don't care, like I said, I'm just here for my money. I'm not going to tell you again, shut up." He spoke slowly, and clearly, making sure there was no miscommunication.

Applejack's weight shifted away from her flank, back towards her chest as they walked on flat land once more. The orange pony was shook off the stallion's back, crashing into the ice beneath her, the bag still covering her face. "Where's my money?"

A deep scratching voice responded, "You'll get it when the rainbow one gets here. I don't care how you get her here, it just better be soon, the job was for both ponies, not just the farmer."

The stallion spoke again "They'll be here with her soon."

"They better. Now bring her over here and tie her up." The pony commanded. An agitated grunt escaped from her captor as he dragged her across the burning ice to the other pony. "Don't worry" The scratchy voice said, "It'll all be over soon." There was a certain glee in the words as the pony spoke them. The pony seemed to be taking a sick pleasure in whatever plans had been set.

A third rope was tied around Applejack's waist as she sat there, the ice was too slippery for her to make any attempt of escape, and she would be recaptured easily, if she tried. The other end of the rope was soon secured on another source, she assumed it was to make their efforts of containing her less difficult.

The cold ice beneath her began to sting her coat, causing her to shift sides she rested on. When she did, she felt no ground beneath her hooves, and she started to slip off the edge. "Not yet, we don't want to start too soon." The voice commanded and she was pulled back to safety.

A new type of fear filled her, one she had never experienced before. She had been afraid of injury or scared because her mind was being irrational and playing tricks on her. This fear was different, it didn't make her tremble. This instead immobilized her completely. Her body refused to do anything in hopes to prolong the inevitable that it felt coming.
It took her minutes to regain control of herself, "W-w-what're yah g-g-gonna d-do?" she stuttered, her jaws trying to stay shut with each word.

"I think we both know the answer to that question, now don't we?" The voice answered.

Applejack didn't want to believe this was real, she prayed just before the end; she would wake up in her bed, next to her precious Pegasus. Rainbow Dash, she wanted her near, to comfort her, to tell her everything would be alright. At the same time, she knew what was to come if her love had been here, and she knew it was only a matter of time before the others would arrive.

"Do ah at least get tah know why?"

"We both know why. I’ve been chosen to rid Equestria of such vile filth like you. Ponies like you are nothing more than disgraces to our very existence. No pony else will solve the problems so I'll gladly take the matter into my own hooves." Once finished with the speech the pony wretched and spat in her direction.

"The rainbow one is here!" The henchpony called out.

"Excellent!" The voice shouted, filled with excitement. The bag was removed from Applejack's head, revealing a cloaked figure, whose hoof pushed her, the ground slipping away beneath her. She dangled in the air, the other end of the rope halting her fall from a dead tree near the cliff. "Bring the Pegasus here." The voice said.

Quicksilver reached the summit, Rainbow Dash unconscious in her clutches. She followed her orders and approached the two. "Where's our money?" The stallion asked again. The cloaked pony withdrew a small sack that jingled as he tossed it to him.

"Now get out of here" The pony commanded. "Except you, I need you to hold her when she wakes up." The cloaked pony said pointing at the silver Pegasus.

The stallion ran off, no longer caring what would happen, he had his money and was gone, just as he had told Applejack. "Wake her." The masked voice said. Quicksilver nodded, and shook the sleep out of the Pegasus she firmly gripped.

"Please, don't do this!" Applejack's frightened voice called out, tears filling her eyes. Rainbow Dash looked around, her mind was still slow, and her eyes still fuzzy from the impact on her head. The words echoing her ears as everything caught up with her. The cloak figure grabbed the Pegasus's face, pointing her towards the suspended pony.

The concealed pony said nothing, letting out a quiet snicker which he could not mask, it was not enough to reveal who he was, only his gender. He began to approach the tree, placing a hoof on the rope. Rainbow Dash froze at the sight, then shook out of it, there was still time. She struggled against Quicksilver freeing a single hoof, the ice kept the two off balance. Rainbow Dash battered her injured hoof into the pony's, causing her to lose her hoofing.

The silver pony's head smashed into the ice dazing her. Rainbow Dash slid her opponent away and returned to her hooves, starting to charge. Before she could get to him, the cloaked pony panicked and unknotted the end of the rope holding Applejack. Rainbow Dash didn't stop to think, her heart pounded, she ran past the veiled pony, straight towards the cliff, she closed her eyes, diving off the ledge after her falling mare.

Her mind raced, but there was no way out of this. Rainbow Dash had only one last option, one that Applejack would never have allowed if she had any say in the matter. Only a few seconds behind the orange pony, using her years of flying experience, she drove herself towards Applejack. She made a firm bite to each rope, releasing her of the shackles.
The Pegasus pushed herself below the orange mare, "I'm sorry, Applejack" she yelled, the frozen lake rushing closer towards them.

"No!" Applejack begged, grabbing at Rainbow Dash, trying to pull her back up.

Rainbow Dash turned her head, giving her a loving, comforting smile, "It's going to be okay, Applejack. I love you."
The gray that had cast over her peeled away, her sky blue coat, and her radiant rainbow mane returning to their former colors. She would be there for her love after all, this one last time. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, bracing herself for what was to come next. As her fate approached her she knew she had been loyal to her sweet, loving Applejack until the very end.

Chapter 10

The cold air rushed against her flowing rainbow mane, the frozen lake climbing towards her as gravity pushed her down. Her eyes closed as she attempted to come to terms with the inevitable fate that drew nearer. She had done everything she could, just so she would be able to save the crying mare that clung to her back. The fall seemed to be lasting forever; her mind had over clocked itself, trying to squeeze every last possible moment of its existence.

Rainbow Dash let her mind wander; she wanted her last thoughts to be joyful. The memory of when she performed the Sonic Rainboom and then her cutie mark had appeared. A flashback of when she had first met Applejack and how simple it had been back then, no confusing emotions or fears. Just the two of them, playing, laughing, even their fights as fillies made her laugh a little. Her mind relished in the sweet memories that embraced her.

But her mind couldn't stay on topic of the past; it soon wanted to focus on the future. Everything it could have been, everything she had wanted, her life as it should have been. There were so many things she still wanted to do, things she should have done, and so many hopes for what could have come. She still had so much to say, so much to learn, so much to see. The warm solace in her memories was soon replaced with regret, the ice below them so close now.

One last fantasy popped into her head, one she had been looking forward to for so long. Her first Heart Warming's eve with Applejack would now never happen. She would never give Applejack the anklet she had worked so hard to obtain for her. Tears flooded her eyes; this would be her last moments with her beautiful orange farm pony.

The time she had spent with Applejack no longer seemed like it had been enough. Soon they would be parted eternally, it felt unfair, but that didn't matter anymore. All she could do now was prepare herself for whatever came next, and be thankful for every last second she had been given with her love.

She would still give Applejack the chance to do everything she never could. Hoping Applejack would keep on living, one day she would laugh again, say the things she had always meant to, more than all, she hoped she would take the world for all it had, and that she would be happy, and be safe.

"With my death, Applejack can keep on going." Rainbow Dash thought to herself, the word death bouncing in her mind. She no longer regretted everything, her every action, thought, and emotion; even though this was the path it lead down to in the end, she had still shared so much with the world.

Everything she had done, in some way, had been meaningful. Every scrape, tear, and frown, every laugh, smile, hug, every last action she once thought had been so insignificant, now seemed to be what had really mattered most.

Ultimately, no matter how small an impact she actually had, she was loved, and had been loved, that was what made her life so perfect, despite all its flaws, her life had truly been spectacular. Her eyes dried as all her thoughts washed away, her mind became clear and serene. The solid lake was just meters beneath them now. She was ready now; she finally accepted that this was the end.

Rainbow Dash's hushed mind was finally silent enough for her to take notice of something. It was an old familiar feeling that felt as if she had long forgotten it. It was something she had always known was there, somewhere in the back of her mind, it had always been there, but recently it had been silenced, scratching at her as it tried to escape.

Now she recognized it for what it was, this feeling that she finally caught on to. She concentrated on it, pushing at it, until finally, it broke free. Electricity surged through her spine as she focused on it, barraging her every muscle. Her legs started to curl into her. She pressed the energy harder, suddenly bursting through its final barriers.

Both of Rainbow Dash's wings sparked to life, extending outward, catching the air as it flowed towards them, and slowing her descent. She thrust her weight back up towards the sky, her knees scraping on the ice before lifting away.

The remaining muscles in her wing had atrophied, and were unable to sustain the flight. Her wing wobbled, and then clamped back shut as the weight pressed down on it. Rainbow Dash began to descend once again, crashing into the cold hard snow next to the lake.

Applejack hopped up to her hooves, and ran to check on the Pegasus that was lying in the snow. Her ears were ringing; the rapid fall had mercilessly attacked her ear drums, preventing her from hearing for a short duration.

"Rainbow? Are yah alright?" she yelled. Rainbow Dash did not answer. Applejack shook the Pegasus, still not receiving any response, but she could see she was still breathing. "Rainbow?" her voice was soft and frightened. As tears began to fill her eyes, afraid of what might be wrong now, when the silence broke.

Rainbow Dash giggled quietly, a goofy smile spread across her face. The itch was gone, that need, the craving, it had vanished as she freely moved her exhausted wing about. Her giggles grew louder, the event putting her body into a state of pure ecstasy. Applejack's heart flutter as she watched, she had never seen Rainbow Dash like this before. "I-I flew!" Rainbow giggled her words delightfully, her eyes glowing with joy.

Chapter 11

Applejack walked over to the spot that they were meant to have impacted upon. An idea came to her; she smacked her front hooves into the ice, shattering it into a pony sized hole. She returned to her giggling Pegasus in the snow, "Just in case that pony isn't satisfied" she said, sliding herself underneath Rainbow Dash's back lifting her up. "How come ah'm always carrying yah everywhere?"

Rainbow Dash continued to laugh, "How come I'm always the one with the broken bones, and all you get is a bump on the head?"

Applejack chuckled, "Ah guess that's true."

Rainbow Dash's laughs grew quieter as she ran out of breath, "Next time we can trade places, 'kay AJ?"

"Deal, but ah don't know, ah don't think yah can carry me!" she teased back.

"What? Huh? Hey!" Rainbow stuttered, at a loss for words. Applejack grinned as the pony silently tried to think of some kind of rebuttal.

"We should probably get yah to a doctor, don't yah think?" Applejack suggested looking back at the discolored ribcage of the Pegasus resting on her back.

Rainbow Dash shook her head, "No, if that pony thinks he's taken care of us, then we have to lay low."

Applejack thought for a moment, "Yer right, ah guess Fluttershy would be the next best thing."

Rainbow Dash found herself laughing again, "I agree but AJ… You're taking us the wrong way."

Applejack blushed, letting out a quiet chuckle she changed course, "Oops."

As they continued on their expedition, an occasional outburst of chuckles broke the silence. Rainbow Dash constantly found herself wiggling about her wing, straining the muscles, pushing it to grow stronger. An acidic feeling started to build up in the tendon; she took this as a sign to let it rest and recover.

The journey came to a close as Applejack bonked her head on the wooden door, the sound frightening the bunnies. They waited patiently, until a lemon colored Pegasus opened the door, her pink hair tangled wildly, and her eyes drooping with tiredness. "Yes?" she said sleepily, her eyes pointed in their direction, but she wasn't really looking at them.

"Uh, mind if we come in Fluttershy?" Applejack asked, surprised at how disinterested Fluttershy seemed.

"Sure." Fluttershy yawned again, moving away from the door.

Rainbow Dash groaned. She knew Fluttershy was far too tired to be useful. She covered Applejack's ears with her hooves as to spare her from the bombardment of noise. "FLUTTERSHY!" Rainbow Dash screamed.

The yellow Pegasus bounced into the air, the exhaustion vanishing from her eyes. "Oh my gosh, Rainbow, are you okay?" she floated over towards Rainbow Dash, lifting her off of Applejack, and then set her onto the couch. "Oh you poor thing, what happened to you?" she cooed.

"I think the less you know the better for everypony." Rainbow Dash groaned back. The adrenaline and euphoria were vanishing from her body, allowing the severe pain in her hooves and chest to submerge into her mind.

Fluttershy rushed about the house, gathering various supplies from the cabinets. "You really should go to the hospital." Her soft voice filled with concern.

"We can't. Just trust us." Applejack joined in, "We really need a place to stay fer a few days at the very least, if yah don't mind, we'd greatly appreciate yer hospitality."

Fluttershy glided back over towards her patient, "Of course, you two can stay here as long as you need." giving Applejack a small nod as she spoke.

"Thank yah kindly." Applejack bowed politely as a gesture of appreciation.

Fluttershy finished wrapping bandages tightly around Rainbow Dash's chest, holding the ribs closely together. "I can't do much more for you; the best thing for you now, would be to rest." Rainbow Dash was far ahead of her though, she had fallen asleep almost immediately after the dressings had been set.

The Pegasus laid there, her body in a deep relaxation as it slept happily. Peaceful and sweet fantasies filling her joyful world of dreams, her whole life was ahead of her. The memories of the forest that nearly destroyed her no longer plagued her thoughts; her mind finally saw them for what they were, memories, and nothing more.

"Hey sugarcube" Applejack said grinning over her.

Rainbow Dash returned the smile. She had a new appreciation for everything and she was excited for the future. Most importantly, she knew just what she wanted, and she wasn't going to let anything pass her by again. "Applejack, I want to go back to the farmhouse, our home, I want to be there for Heart's Warming Eve."

Chapter 12

Dancing crystals of ice spiraled downward from the dark silky clouds which concealed the gleam of the ivory moon. A gentle shade of darkness obscured the peaceful acres of Equestria. As the dusk settled in, most creatures retreated to their homes, staying dormant until the morning light returned. All was peaceful through the fields.

The cities however, were bursting with life, ponies squeezing through the streets to join their friends or families. The clamoring of ponies conversing, laughing, and singing penetrated the silence of the young night. For a few moments, the entirety of Ponyville was silent as giant heart was hoisted into the air, being set ablaze when it reached its peak.

Away from the city noise, a battered farmhouse provided shelter from the outside world. Its residents, two ponies were preparing for their night ahead of them. They too were celebrating, but just not with the same energy. The house was faintly lit, though not from the typical orange rays that would be produced from a bulb. Instead, a soft lavender glow illuminated the rooms. The source of the light, a violet heart shaped object blazing away as it rested inside the fireplace.

Rainbow Dash adjusted the black bow-tie that attached itself to the white shirt she was wearing. The white shirt, mostly being covered by the black jacket she had borrowed from her friend Rarity. The suit made her feel mysterious, as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she couldn't stop herself from saying "The name's Dash, Rainbow Dash."

She chuckled for a moment, and then refocused herself on the task at hoof. She had been preparing for this night, and everything needed to be perfect. She picked up a velvet box off the shelf, glancing inside to make sure its contents were still present. The Pegasus inhaled sharply to calm her nerves.

"Ah feel ridiculous!" An embarrassed voice called out from the upper floor. The sound of hooves approaching the stairs, she paused, a small trail of flowers that lead down the stairs.

Rainbow Dash waiting at its end, "Well, you don't look ridiculous." She said, trying to keep her jaw from dropping.

As Applejack followed the pathway, the Pegasus gazed at the sight. The farm pony despised formal attire but had made an exception for the night. The shimmering golden locks of her mane cascaded unrestrained towards her side. A dazzling emerald dress covering most of her shining orange coat, restricting her hooves, forcing her to walk down the stairs elegantly.

"Next time ah get the tux!" Applejack grumbled.

Rainbow Dash laughed, "You look gorgeous, and besides, we both know that I… look… AWESOME!" she said smugly. Applejack rolled her eyes, and locked hooves with her partner once she reached the bottom of the steps.

Rainbow's nerves started to get to her; the time she had been making preparations for was approaching. Her knees began to wobble; she stiffened them, not wanting to show any signs of her quickly fading confidence. Her mouth dried out, making it difficult for her to form words.

The two entered the living room, small silver streamers hung from the ceiling, reflecting the purple light throughout the room, forming strange and beautiful shapes on the walls around them. The flame seemed to grow stronger the closer they stepped toward it.

Rainbow Dash's heart started to pound, her mind went blank. Her nerves betrayed her as the anxiety grew stronger and stronger, her hooves shaking uncontrollably as she began to kneel down in front of Applejack. The moment had finally arrived, this single occasion she had been planning for, this was finally it.

"A-A-App-Applejack…?" Rainbow Dash stammered, unable to solidify her words. Applejack turned around, staring at the kneeling pony, her eyes widened, and her heart nearly stopped, unsure if this was really what it appeared to be.

Rainbow Dash reached into the suit pocket, her hooves fumbled for a moment as she tried to steady them long enough to grasp the container. Once she had a firm enough grip, she revealed the box to the blinking orange mare that stood in front of her. She took a deep breath, repeating the words in her head, making sure they didn't escape her this time. Pulling the lid of the small velvet case open, revealing the gem encrusted anklet. Rainbow Dash spoke, "Applejack, will you marry me?"

Applejack blinked, she was stunned at the events unfolding in front of her. She couldn't believe what was happening, she knew her answer, but the words wouldn't form. She stared into the magenta eyes of the flustered pony before her, her mind accepted that this was actually real.

"Of course…" Applejack said, her voice was too quiet for her answer to be heard. "Of course I'll marry yah!" she repeated excitedly. She yanked Rainbow Dash off the floor pulling her closer to her; the two closed their eyes, they passionately met their lips into one another. As they went on experiencing this perfect moment with each other, the purple fire burst, and a flurry of radiating colors exploding into life as the flame continued to grow.