From Ashes to Ashes (Built Upon Dreams, Paid in Blood)

“AH!” Rainbow Dash awakens with a jolt. Sitting up in her bed, she wraps her arms around her legs, rocking back n’ forth. Her body shaking violently as her body’s temperature spikes from a developing fever.

“Dash?” Steel Bit who lays to her right, sits up, placing a hand on her back, rubbing the base of her wings. She breaks out into sobs, coughing up mucus.

“Is she alright?” Lilly Drops asks, turning over, eyeing them both.

He sighs, placing a hand on her forehead. “She’s burning up… It’s been two weeks, when will her nightmares end?” He grunts in frustration. Rainbow Dash lets out a moan. “Oh, Dash, it's alright.” He pulls her into a hug.

Lilly Drops looks at the key-wound-clock on her nightstand. The arms of the clock read 5:12am. With a sigh, she gets up from the bed and walks up to an almond-wood dresser. “I’ll take her for a walk…” She throws on a white dress, with black frills that touch her fetlocks. “It will do her some good to get some fresh air.” She puts on a white cloche hat. “She needs it.”

Steel Bit gets up from the bed and scratches Rainbow Dash behind the ears. “I’ll be cleaning up the place… It will give me something to do.” He gives her a smile. “Enjoy your walk.” Rainbow Dash stares off into space, keeping her eyes on the fibers of the bedsheets. Sighing, he walks up to Lilly Drops giving her a kiss before heading downstairs to the pub below.

Turning around, Lilly Drops smiles holding up an outfit for the filly. It’s a simple dark emerald green dress with white frills and her own cloche hat colored in a rich orange. “Ready to go?” Rainbow Dash looks at the mare and gives her a small nod.

Stepping outside, the cool morning air chills their bodies, causing the feathers on their wings to shiver. Holding Rainbow Dash’s hand, Lilly Drops leads her down the street heading towards the eastern part of the city, near the mountain face of Golden Wing Peak, which Cloudsdale hugs and anchors itself to.

While they walk, Rainbow Dash stares at the shops and homes they pass with heavy eyes. Several mares, hang clothes from drying lines. She eyes four children playing a card game on their balcony. A stallion sits and drinks his beer, while his wife screams at him from inside their home. Growling to herself, she turns her attention to the road. Her walk becomes lazier, her hooves dragging themselves along the cobblestone.

Lilly Drops looks down at the filly with a sigh. Placing her hand in her dress’s pocket, she shakes the filly’s hand. “Come on, I want to see a smile on your face.”

Rainbow Dash looks up at her with a dumbfounded stare. “Why?”

“I’m taking you one of my favorite shops, but I want you to keep it a secret, if Steel found out, he would get fat.” She giggles, giving a smile. Rainbow Dash gives a small smirk. Lilly Drops feels a weight lift off her heart. Even though it was a small smile, its progress none the less. Turning her attention back to the road her smile enlarges. “Well, we’re here.”

Turning down an alley, they see a shop at the end of the alley, mushed in-between two buildings. Hanging above its door is a wooden sign of a coffee cup with steam floating out and round hard candy. Stepping inside, the smells of coffee beans and minty candies hit their senses. “Good morning Lilly! I see you finally brought the filly you’ve been talking about.” The barista behind the counter hums. “How are you two doing?”

Lilly Drops smiles, helping Rainbow Dash onto her barstool. “Doing okay Golden Breeze.” She takes her seat. “Just out for a morning stroll with Dashie.” Rainbow Dash rolls her eyes at the nickname as crosses her arms on the counter, laying her head on them.

Golden Breeze’s smile falters from seeing her hurt expression. “So…” She leans in, whispering in Lilly Drops’ ear. “Is she, you know?”

Lilly Drops nods. “She doesn’t talk much.” She runs her fingers through the filly’s mane. “After we buried her…” She stops herself. “You know.” At the mention of her mother, tight sensations build within Rainbow Dash’s chest.

Seeing the hurt in the filly’s eyes, Golden Breeze gives her a soft smile. “Well, I think she deserves a special brew.”

Lilly Drops feels her heart skip a beat. “You mean… you have those beans… How!?” She leans on the table with excitement. Rainbow Dash looks at her friend with a raised brow, her own curiosity getting the better of her.

Golden Breeze smiles. “My cousin and his ragtag team of wannabe pirates happen to successfully raid a bat pony cargo ship heading for the southern ports of Wingthington.” She pulls out a cloth duffle-bag containing the beans. “The upper class of pegasus society thought they could keep it all for themselves!” Lilly Drops and Rainbow Dash smile at her words.

Smirking at their reactions, she pours the beans into a grinder. Cranking its handle the metal teeth within the machine moves at a steady pace, grinding the beans into a fine powder. Grinding the right amount, she scoops up the powder, placing it in a tall glass French-Press, pouring hot water over the powder, she lets it simmer for a minute before pressing down on the press’s strainer, squeezing out the oils and rich flavors of the beans.

Lilly Drops lays her head in her hands, absorbing the coffee’s rich, creamy fragrance, licking her lips in anticipation. Rainbow Dash watches, curious to taste this new experience, her eyes staring at her cup being poured with wonder. Handing their cups to them, she places two cubes of homemade caramel in their coffee. “So, what do you think?” Golden Breeze asks, leaning on the counter.

Lilly Drops takes her sip, a large smile adorning her lips. “Damn… Good like always.” She looks down at Rainbow Dash. “You going to keep staring or you going to sip it?”

Rainbow Dash gingerly picks up her cup and places it to her lips. Her eyes go wide. The creamy, toasted, hazelnutty and caramel flavors assault her taste buds with sensory overload. “Woah…” Licking her lips, she takes a bigger sip. She hums a giggle, swinging her legs.

Lilly Drops smiles, looking at her friend. “I think that did the trick.”

Steel Bit stands behind the bar, restocking his gin, rum, and whiskey of varying flavor profiles and alcohol volume. In his mouth is a cigar, its rich aroma overwhelming the pub. Hearing the bell over the doors ring its high pitch melody, he looks over his shoulders, curious as to who would be entering his establishment in the early morning. He frowns when he eyes a pegasus mare in her late fifties.

The mare stands in the doorway, her upper body leaning on her cane as she looks at the interior of the pub. With a smile, she walks up to the bar and sits on one of the barstools. “Hello Steel Bit,” She places her cane on the counter. “How are you this morning?”

Steel Bit gives a sigh “I’m Alright Feather Gale.” Setting down a bottle he walks up to her, leaning on the bar. “How are your whores doing?”

She huffs. “They are referred to as ladies, they’re higher class compared to common whores.” She turns to the side a bit, staring at the piano in the corner of the pub.

“Yeah… Keep telling yourself that.” He chuckles. “Can I get you anything?” He raises his brow.

She hums, admiring his expression. “As a matter of fact, you can.” She turns to face him. “Frist, I want a glass of gin on cloud ice.” Steel Bit walks over to the back of the bar, he stuffs his right hand into a small dark icy-cloud and pulls out two airy-ice-cubes. Placing them into a glass, he pours the liquor on the ice. Handing it to her, she takes it and gives a sip, humming a tune to herself.

“And?” Steel Bit crosses his arms. “What is the second thing you want?”

“Patience dear, patience.” She shushes him, taking another sip. Smacking her lips, she gives him a smirk. “My second request is that you hand over Rainbow Dash.” She leans on her right elbow, swirling the contents of her glass.

Steel Bit growls. “Fuck that!”

Feather Gale frowns. “Darling please, language!” She places her elbows on the counter, resting her head in her hands. “She is my harlot now since her mother is no longer working for me.” She sips her gin. “We know it’s just business.” She points a finger.

“In your dreams, she’s not going with you, and there is nothing you can do about it!” He points back a finger.

Feather Gale slowly sips her gin. “Oh, on the contrary dear, it’s in her mother’s contract…” She pulls out a piece of paper handing it to him. He takes the paper and reads it. “Windy Whistles put her daughter down as collateral in case she’d quit before her contract was up.” She hums sipping her gin.

Steel Bit brows sink lower over his eyes as they narrow. “Doesn’t say anything about death.”

“Read the fine print.” She huffs.

He sighs, looking at the small font at the bottom of the page. “If a worker is to die during her contract, all items declared as collateral, belongs to the business and business’s owner…” He stares at the mare who gives him a smug look. Seeing Rainbow Dash’s mother’s signature, her growls crumpling up the paper, throwing it at her face. “Like I said, fuck no!”

She frowns picking up the wadded-up paper. “Well then, looks like we’ll be doing this the hard way.” She huffs sipping the last of her gin. “Looks like she’ll become another missing filly, joining the faces on the news-boards…!” A knife comes down in front of her, in-between her arms. She jumps back, staring at the stallion with wide eyes.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you!” He spits, gritting his teeth.

She frowns. “You think you can protect her?” She laughs putting a hand to her lips. “Darling, I know ponies, I have the shekels to manipulate anyone.” She taps her fingers together. “I always get what I want!” She gives him a sly, menacing grin.

Steel Bit keeps his hand on the knife. “So, do I…” He pulls the knife out from the counter and aims it’s at her face, the tip of the blade inches from her snout. “More than you think, and all of them hate you… Your days of extortion and child kidnaping burned a lot of bridges you bitch!” He pokes her snout, causing her to move back in her seat. “Don’t you lay a finger on Dash! If you do, I’ll gut you! Understand?”

Feather Gale regains her composure and hands him her glass. “I understand darling…” She stands up walking out of the pub. Getting to the door, she looks back. “Now you understand this. Rainbow Dash belongs to me one way or another!” She hisses, stepping out into the streets.

Steel Bit grits his teeth, taking a bottle of whiskey, he opens it and takes a large gulp. “Bitch…”

Rainbow Dash and Lilly Drops sit on the edge of a fifteen-feet tall cliff, watching the twenty-five-feet waterfall of one of the mountain’s sides crash into the lake below. The mist surrounding the lake near the falls, reflecting the light of the sun into rainbows. Rainbow Dash snacks on some candy from the shop silently, her eyes staring softly at the rushing water of the fall, letting its roars calm her.

Lilly Drops watches the water of the lake lap up against the dirt-sand beach. “So, this is your favorite spot?” She asks, looking at Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash nibbles on a piece of candy. “Yeah…” She keeps her eyes on the waterfall.

Lilly Drops smiles. “Have you brought your friends here, before?” She leans back. She nods, chewing her piece of candy. Lilly Drops smiles kicking her legs that hang over the edge. “You ever,” She watches her prism mane flap in the breeze. “Bring your mother here?”

Rainbow Dash grits her teeth as a tight sensation forms in her chest. “No…” Tears form in her eyes. “She never wanted to come…” She curls up wrapping her arms around her legs, her wings fluttering about.

Lilly Drops sighs with a smile looking at the rainbow reflecting off the mist. “Well, she missed out.” She runs her fingers through the filly’s mane. “I’m glad you brought me here. It's very beautiful.”

Rainbow Dash smiles. “Thanks… I just wished mommy wanted to do things with me…” Her tears roll down her cheeks.

“Well?” Lilly Drops gives her a playful smile. “Do you feel like going for a swim?” She flutters her wings.

Rainbow Dash looks up raising a brow. “But we didn’t bring our swimsuits?”

“We have our undergarments!” Lilly Drops chuckles, standing up. “Come on, I’ll fly us down there.” Rainbow Dash timidly gets up from the ground. Picking her up, Lilly Drops holds her as she soars down to the lake. The wind flowing through her mane feels wonderful to Rainbow Dash. Landing on the beach, they walk over to a log and undress from their dresses. “Last one in is a rotten egg!” Lilly Drops runs to the lake.

Rainbow Dash’s completive nature kicks in as she gives chase, her depressed mood leaving her during this moment of joy. “You’ll be the rotten egg!” Her legs kicking up water as she runs along the lake’s shallow edge.

Getting waist deep in the lake, Lilly Drops turns around. “I win!” She splashes water at her. Rainbow Dash giggles jumping on her, pulling the mare into the water. “DASH!” They go under.

Coming up for air, Rainbow Dash’s mane covers her eyes, the multitude of colors that make up her mane mixes with one another, creating a chaotic array of colors. Lilly Drops rises from the lake, sucking in some air. Her long red mane covering all but her snout. Rainbow Dash giggles at her appearance. Turning to face the filly, a mischievous grin comes to her lips. “Come here you!” She grabs her, tickling her.

“Stop it! It tickles!” Rainbow Dash breaks away, backstroking towards the small cliffs near the waterfall. Lilly Drops quickly catches up and swims beside her. Getting to the staggered cliffs, Rainbow Dash lifts herself onto their shore and climbs up to one of the cliffs towering eight-feet. “Watch me do this trick!” She yells.

“Watching!” Lilly Drops calls back, sitting on a bolder semi-submerged in the lake.

With a large grin, Rainbow Dash steps back from the ledge inching her way to the face of the mountain. Touch the stone of the mountain, she runs full tilt and jumps. Thrusting forward, she begins her first roll of her front-flip. Making three full revolutions, she dives into the water perfectly.

Lilly Drops cheers. “Awesome Dash!” Her clapping slows when the bubbles from her entrance simmer down until none appear. “Dash?”

Rainbow Dash floats under the water, she lets the soothing current flow over her. Opening her eyes, she squints looking at her environment. “Mmm?” An object in the void catches her attention. Focusing her gaze, she starts to make out its features. “MMM!” Her body goes stiff as it floats up to her. The figure is a mare, her short mane is a scarlet-orange, her fur, a sky-blue. Crimson stains her white nightgown.

Panic overtakes Rainbow Dash as the mare’s snout is inches from hers. The mare’s eyes open wide, revealing them to be crazed. “Dash!” The mare yells, bubbles leaving her mouth. Rainbow Dash stares in horror. “DASH, WAKE UP!” She grabs her. Rainbow Dash yells, water filling her lungs. “DASH, YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP!” The mare grabs the back of her neck, winding up a punch. “WAKE UP DASH! WAKE UP!”