Author's Note

So... people say that the emotions and the character development i had portrayed so far isn't forced. You will after this chapter.

Explanation

"URGH!!!! AHHHHH!!!!!"

"Don't worry, it'll be over before you know it."

"N... No more... please..."

Rainbow Dash was tied up on a chair. Her forearms and hind legs in chains, her wings forced being her back, and her tail tied up. She was there for at least an hour, but this was painful. The torture; emotionally and physically, the taunts, the previous memories. It was too much.

Not only has she begged her to stop more than 20 times, but she cried more than the times she pleaded and begged. This wasn't her. It couldn't be. She's Rainbow Dash. She's suppose to be strong, tough, and fast. But... she really isn't, isn't she? Right after she failed to protect her sister.

She tried, and failed. A failure she had become. A freak too.

She couldn't even walk out of her own house without stares burning in her skull; mumbles from everypony as she took a step to reality. The more steps she took, the more mumbles were heard.

Nopony was not even somewhat interested in her powers. All except the unicorn with glasses that was in front of her with that smirk on her face.

"No more? But Dash think about all the possibilities with your powers. Besides, in the wrong hooves, it can become very dangerous. Ever heard of ponies dying in burning buildings? That's you making it happen. Even filles."

The unicorn saw Rainbow clenching her eyes shut. She saw the tears escaping her clenched eyes. The unicorn rolled her eyes. This was the the 30th time she had cried. Shaking her head, she looked into Dash's eyes.

"But I can help you. Only I can. To find the truth about your powers, I have to do these things to you. You get it, don't you Dashie?"

Rainbow didn't like the nickname. Like, at all. Especially from the mare it's coming from.

The unicorn turned to a brown owl who was by a grey looking machine. "Turn it up to maximum speed," she instructed. The owl nodded, pulling the level from the machine.

Rainbow tried getting out the chains. She tried flapping her wings for the millionth time, but no response.

"It's adorable to see you struggle."

A red laser beam had blasted Rainbow in the chest, causing her to let out a glass breaking scream.

"No point in screaming, you already know nopony can hear your pathetic, squeaky screams. Just calm down and everything will be fine." She looked at the owl, giving him a nod who just responded by turning a knob, turning it off.

The unicorn levitated her clipboard, eyes gazing at a screen. She began levitating a quill, writing down her findings.

Rainbow was tired of seeing her writing her findings in that stupid clipboard. She could be writing all of her physical things in there. All the pain. Her weaknesses in her wings. She couldn't wait for her to get on emotional. But seeing her writing in that clipboard again made her confidence and anger build up.

"O... One day I... I'll get out of here a... and blast you with that th... thing to see how you l... like it..."

The unicorn laughed, looking her at Rainbow in her weak magenta eyes. "Oh Dash, you'll never get out of here. And why would you want to leave? Slicing away your confidence? Taunting your weaknesses when your were born with a disability to fly? Making you remember that your sister Cloud Dust died because of you?"

Rainbow felt absolute anger and sadness rising with each passing second. "Y... your s... sick you... you..."

The unicorn was now in her face, that smirk on her face. "What's the matter? Can't the brash and tough Rainbow Dash come up with a wittle threat? You did when wittle Cloud was in danger," she mocked.

Rainbow narrowed her eyes. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

She laughed. "Funny. That's the exact thing you said to the stallion who was going to kill wittle Cloud. And looked who got killed instead."

Rainbow felt more tears ready to escape her eyes, but she held them in. She was already a wuss for crying 30 times.

"SHUT UP! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" Rainbow yelled, forearms trying to move out of the chains.

"... Your afraid, aren't you?"

"What?"

"The sound of your voice, Dash. Trying to sound intimidating, but your not fooling anyone."

"I'm... I'm not afraid of you..."
What the heck just happened?
What had happened to all the confidence?

"You don't have to be afraid of me. Your greatest fear, however, is life."

Rainbow clenched her fists.

"Life will hurt you Dash. You think your fast, you think your tough, you think your strong, but you spend everyday of your life hiding behind a mask, doubting yourself. Every step you take is a step of regret. You know you shouldn't go outside with everypony staring at you, but your trying to prove 'him' wrong. That's what you've been doing all your life, have you?"

Rainbow felt the pain her chest. "N... no..."
"Lying to yourself is only hurting yourself Dash. I would say everypony around you, but why should I? Poor wittle Dashie has no friends, no family, no companions. Therefore, no one will EVER care for you."

Rainbow clenched her fists tighter, but she felt weak. She tried getting her wings to respond, but felt numbness. "No..."

"What's the matter now Dashie? Your wings failing to cooperate? Like they were meant to be?"

"NOOO!!!"

"Wittle Dashie can't fly. Always never being able in the sky.
Wittle Dashie wants to be on the Wonderbolts team, but finds trouble flapping her wings."

"Stop it... please..."

"Wittle Dashie will always smash, earning the nickname, 'Rainbow Crash.'

" Stop it!" Rainbow yelled, kicking her legs out.

"Wittle Dashie forced herself to fly, to be impressive beyond everpony's eyes."

She clenched her eyes shut. "NO! NO, THAT'S NOT WHY I DID IT!"

"Wittle Dashie cannot soar, without cheers loud as roars..."

"STOP IT!"

"But only one filly was interested in her and cheer her on through night and dusk, and that filly had the name of Cloud Dust."

"STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT!"

Rainbow Dash's eyes flew open. She didn't scream, oddly enough.

After a few low breathers, she heard voices.

" Ah reckon we go back to ta Everfree Forest."

"Hmm... too risky. That Timberwolf had Tartrus in his body. That is able to kill us. Luckily we galloped out of danger in time. We saved Ponyville for now. But finding 'her' will be tricky. She has different monstrous creatures, has mentally tricked each and every one of us, and she is very hard to find."

"But where can we look if it ain't ta Everfree Forest?"

"Applejack is right darling. Surely you must have a plan, yes?"

Before Twilight could respond, Fluttershy interrupted.

"Hey, the pegasus is awake."

The rest of the gang all placed their gazes on Rainbow.

"Good to see you awake-"

"HI RAINBOW DASH!" Pinkie exclaimed, suddenly seen by the bed. "How are you feeling?!"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Don't mind her. She's always excited to meet new ponies. But yes, a very important question was placed in that... welcoming gesture. How are you feeling?"

"Better... actually. Still feel a little pain, but better."

Twilight smiled. "Well, you can think Fluttershy for that."

Flutters smiled. "It was nothing," she sad, her red eye shinning in praise.

"Thanks though. But... where am I and how did I get here?"

"Your in our castle, Rainbow Dash. First founded by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, risers of the moon and the sun. And how you got here was Pinkie's doing."

"I knocked you out!" Pinkie exclaimed happily.

"But... there was no emphasis of me being knocked out."

"Some teenager didn't think things through," mumbled Pinkie.

"What?"

"Nothing!"

"Okay... then."

"Again, don't mind her."

"Okay... I know your names, but I don't know who you really are."

"Hmm... that she be established, yes?"

"Well... okay then." Twilight cleared her throat. "As you already know, I'm Twilight Sparkle. I'm the leader of my team mates. My second in command is Applejack."

AJ tipped her hat.

"I met each of them in different places except for Pinkie and Spike. I met them in the same place."

"Yeah! Me and Spike are very close! But... he's mute..." Pinkie explains, feeling the sleeping dragon that was on her back, clinging onto her mane, causing her to hug him closer.

"Now I don't know if he was born not being able to talk or he had a voice and it was forcefully stripped from him or he only talks to Pinkie, but yeah... he's mute."

"Ah don't know if they're siblings or bestest friends," added Applejack.

"But Pinkie says not to ask them on it," responded Fluttershy.

Rarity nods. "We only know that Pinkie can read his facial expressions."

"Yeah, like a boss. Onto AJ being my second in command, she was the first I met that wanted to fight back against the darkness. Found her in a ditch, but it wasn't no ordinary ditch. I still can't define it, though. Weird, is a close enough word. Applejack didn't look hurt. In fact, she looked confident. She looked determined, she looked angry, ready to fight. The more I spended time with her, the more we knew about each other."

Aj whispered something to Twilight. After a few moments, they parted away, Twilight nodded in understanding.

"Long story short, we faught together side by side until I met Pinkie and Spike."

Rainbow gave her an confused look.

" AJ doesn't feel like talking about the rest right now," explained Twilight.

Rainbow nodded in understanding.

"The only thing I can tell you about how I found Pinkie and Spike is that I found them in a snowy palace."

"I was founded next," added Rarity, flipping her purple mane.

"Yes. Found her in a gem castle. That's all I can explain for now."

"And I was founded in the bottom of a dying out fire pit," said Fluttershy.

"And we were the only people in Equestria to fight back. That is still alive that is. My siblings Trixie and Starlight wanted to fight back, but AJ was the first I MET that wanted to, since I already knew my own siblings of course. But... they're gone now..."

AJ placed a comforting hoof around Twilight's neck and smiled.

"That's all we can tell you about for now. So... how did you end up in the Everfree Forest anyways?"

"I got chased out of my hometown, Canterlot."

"Why?"

Rainbow clenched her eyes shut, then reopened them."It's too painful to talk about. I'm sorry."

"That's okay sugarcube. We completely understand." Everypony else nodded.

"Hey, since you had gotten ran out of town, you can live here in Ponyville," suggested Fluttershy.

"Kinda mean spirited making Fluttershy saying 'gotten ran out of town' towards Rainbow, isn't it you teenage author?" mumbled Pinkie.

Silence for a while.

Twilight cleared her throat. "So, what do you say?"

'A new start,' thought Rainbow.

Rainbow nodded weakly.