"Well?"
The voice asked, filling Rainbow Dash with a mixture of fear and anger. This combination was not unknown to her, as She had felt it many times before. She knew she couldn't win which scared her, especially considering the circumstances. But not being able to banish the fear is what angered her.
"I'm not giving up."
"Not giving up?"
The voice asked, almost mockingly. This filled Rainbow Dash with even more rage.
Keep it cool Dash
"No, I'm not ready to quit."
The voice chuckled softly, and Rainbow Dash could hear hoofsteps walking behind her. She turned to face where the noise was coming from.
"Dash, not quitting is what got you here."
"You know nothing!"
Rainbow Dash went to swing at the figure, but of course hit nothing. She heard another chuckle from the invisible figure before feeling a force push her to the floor.
"I know everything about your situation Rainbow Dash. I know how it started, how it is now, and I of course know how it'll end."
As the words cut into Rainbow Dashs psyche like knives, she pushed herself off the ground. She readied herself for anything else the presense could throw at her, but she again couldn't see anything.
"Maybe if you opened your eyes."
"Huh?"
Rainbow Dash turned her head to face behind her, and was met with a force that once again tossed her to the floor. As she lay on her back staring at the sky, the world around her slowly became clearer. She was in the middle of sweet apple acres.
"Wait, wait a minute."
Rainbow Dash whispered, gathering her bearings and looking around her.
"I'm, I'm in-"
"You're where it all began."
The same voice stated, coming from behind where Rainbow Dash sat. Startled by the sudden re-apperance of the voice, Rainbow Dash jumped up and turned to see a figure. It was a slim entity, and was masked by a frightening amount of shadow that seemed to be from nothing.
"Rainbow Dash, do you not remember?"
The voice inquired, sending a small chill down Rainbow Dashs spine. What was she supposed to remember?
"Here, let me show you."
Without the appearance of a horn, the figure was somehow able to use magic. It turned and opened up what looked to Rainbow Dash like a small black hole. But there was more to this, and as Rainbow Dash stepped forward, she realized this.
"Is tha-"
"Where it all, really started."
Without a chance for a retort, Rainbow Dash was thrown into the portal by the same force as before. She hit the ground with a thud, and grunted as she looked up.
"What the?"
Rainbow Dash groaned, pushing herself off the dew-soaked grass. She looked down at her body, and gasped loudly at the sight that met her. Her color was still there, but her whole body was translucent. She raised a hoof and looked at it, seeing the ground beneath through it.
"What did you do!?"
Dash roared, spinning around to try and spot the figure. When only another grim chuckle could be heard, Rainbow Dash started becoming only frantic. She began turning at random intervals to look for the being that tortured her, but saw nothing.
"For just a moment, child, forget, and look at what I brought you here for."
The figure demanded, as the same force pushed Rainbow Dash onto her side. She got up and looked in the direction she was thrown, seeing an outline of two ponies in the distance.
"Is, is that, Applejack and I?"
As Rainbow Dash got closer, the image grew clearer. She could see herself and Applejack underneath a tree, passing between themselves a clear jug.
"What's going o-"
"Silence child. Look, listen, learn."
Rainbow Dash stood half behind a tree and watched the scene unfold.
"You know AJ, I think this is one of the best nights I've had in a long time. Just two friends, a tree and, what is this again?"
Rainbow Dash held up the jug, and Applejack took it from her. She smiled with satisfaction before taking a long drink of it.
"New drink we've started selling. It's pretty high quality, so we don't got much."
The earth pony stated, taking another drink. She chuckled a little bit before putting the jug down beside her.
"Granny and I started coming up with new recipes after that little business slump we had, and we stumbled upon this here one night. Want some?"
Applejack offered, holding the jug up towards Rainbow Dash. The offering was tempting to Rainbow Dash, but she didn't really want anything that was stronger than what she had already. As surprising as it was to most ponies, Rainbow Dash was more of a lightweight when it came to alcohol.
"Uh, s-sure."
Rainbow Dash wearily responded and she took the jug and held it up to her muzzle. The scent was strong, and burned her nostrils slightly. She put the opening of the jug up against her lips and tipped it back. The liquid burned the back of her throat, envoking a gagging response. Applejack took the jug from Rainbow Dash as the pegasus spit the strong brew onto the grass.
"Maybe it's a little too strong for y-"
"No."
Rainbow Dash interrupted, turning back to Applejack.
"I can handle it."
Rainbow Dash grabbed the jug back from Applejack and took a swift drink. Holding the drink down this time, Rainbow Dash passed the jug back to her friend.
"Told you I could handle it."
Dash coughed, holding a hoof up to her mouth. Rainbow Dash watched the scene fade to black and eventually leave completely.
"Wait a minute..."
Rainbow Dash trailed off, memories now flooding back to her. She remembered that day now as if it had been the day before. Applejack had been having a rough work day and Rainbow Dash helped. She knew Applejack was too stubborn to ask, so she decided she would help out anyways. She thought that at the very least, she'd get some cider or jam in return. After the work was done, the two retreated to deeper in the acres to drink. Applejack had taken that jug without asking permission, and they both knew she wasn't supposed to be having any.
"So, that wa-"
"I told you I knew."
The voice taunted, returning once again to haunt her.
"Past, present, future."
"So what now?"
Rainbow Dash sorrowly asked, tears starting to form. She could feel the figures presense, it's haunting eyes and shadowy form. Her gaze at the ground remained uninterrupted, though she heard the magic again.
"Now child, is the present."
The voice declared, once again throwing Rainbow Dash into the portal with its magical force. This time when she landed, Rainbow Dash found herself just outside Fluttershys house.
"What, why am I here?"
"Look. Listen. Learn."
The disembodied voice answered. This phrase was beginning to get on Rainbow Dashs nerves, as it didn't fully answer her question. As she walked closer to Fluttershys cottage, she could here two voices inside. One was louder, scratchier, and the words were more slurred. The other was quiet, but still audible through the walls of the building.
"Go inside child."
The voice told her, and she obeyed. She opened up the door and walked inside, immediately seeing two pegasi. One of them was her, and the other was Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash stood and watched what was happening.
"Well, I'm just saying that, maybe you need to slow down Das-"
"Slow down? Why? You, you know I don't slow down."
"Yes, but Dash, you're doing things to your body that I don't think you'll understand until it's too la-"
"Things I won't understand? What, you're calling me stupid now?"
"What? No, I-I-I would never ca-"
"You know what? I don't think I need to take this anymore. I don't need you, and I don't need your insults."
As Rainbow Dash started towards the door, she drained the rest of the bottle she was holding into her mouth.
"Dash, please!"
"No!"
Rainbow Dash shook at her other selfs tone and volume. Rainbow Dash turned back to Fluttershy, gripping the bottle tight in her wing.
"All you've ever done is tell me to slow down, calm down, stop this, stop that, well I've had it!"
Dash screamed, making the other pegasus jump. Tears were steadily streaming down Fluttershys face at this point. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words only came out as a timid, quiet squeak.
"Dashie..."
Rainbow Dash scoffed and turned back to face the door. Just as she reached the door, she went to take a sip of the bottle in her wing. When nothing came from the bottle, Rainbow Dash tossed the bottle behind her. Fluttershy yelped and jumped to her left to avoid being hit. As Rainbow Dash stormed outside, Fluttershy lay on her floor, weeping next to a cracked picture frame that Rainbow Dash had just broke.
"I, I did that?"
Rainbow Dash walked over to the weeping pegasus and tried to put a hoof on her shoulder but nothing happened. She backed up, tears starting again as she watched her friend pick up the picture frame. She stood behind Fluttershy and looked at the picture.
"Wait, I remember that photo."
It was a photograph of Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash in Ponyville general. Rainbow Dash had broken her wing, and her friends had come to see her. The photo was taken by Twilight when Fluttershy leaned over to kiss Rainbow Dash on the cheek, both if them blushing deeply. It was completely candid, that's why there were the words 'Gotcha! Happy 5th anniversary you two. Twilight.' neatly written on the top. Once again, the vision faded away, and Rainbow Dash found herself in darkness again.
"Fluttershy had this in her house, and I broke it? I don't even remem..."
Rainbow Dash stopped herself when just as before, the memories came back to her. It was about six months after their fifth year of dating. She remembered how twilight had given the cute picture in a frame for their anniversary. Tears came to Dashs eyes as she realized her mistakes. That fight had ended their relationship. And for what?
"Are.."
Rainbow Dash started, a few tears rolling down her face and onto the floor. She felt the presence enter and stand behind her.
"Are we done here yet?"
"Here? Yes. But we still have one more place to visit, child."
The presence sighed, and Rainbow Dash could hear another portal opening up in front of her. She looked up and saw a dirt road, and only that. She stood fully upright and walked through the portal on her own accord. The alternate reality she entered was eerily quiet, with her breathing and hoofsteps being the only noise she heard.
"This, child, is your future."
The voice stated, it's body now emerging from the portal. Rainbow Dash could see it standing beside her with her peripheral vision.
"This is? It doesn't see-"
"Doesn't seem too bad? I thought you'd think that. Why don't you-"
"Look, learn, and listen?"
Rainbow Dash mocked, turning towards the figure. The figure sighed and started walking.
"Essencially yes, but I was going to say why not follow the path?"
Rainbow Dash stood motionless as the figure motioned a shadowy hoof in front of her. Rainbow Dash put a hoof forwards but stopped before going further.
"Something wrong, child?"
"I... I-I don't know."
Rainbow Dash replied, now unable to move. She looked towards the end of the path. For a reason she didn't know, she was terrified at what was waiting for her at the end. The figure moved to her side and got close to her head.
"If you don't take this path, you won't be able to understand why you're here. Take that path child, learn what waits for you."
The figure walked down the path and disappeared, leaving no trace of its presence. Rainbow Dash now felt the urge to move, and her hooves obeyed her command. She slowly walked forward, once again only hearing her own breathing and hoofsteps.
Where will this lead?
As she continued on, more noises started becoming apparent. She heard the giggling of fillies, the creaking of an old tire swing, and the blowing of wind. The setting felt familiar to her, but this was apparently her future. As the noises grew fainter and eventually faded behind her, a thought came across her mind.
"Wait a minute, the park, it's only a block from the..."
Rainbow Dash looked up and saw a tall, white building.
"Church."
Rainbow Dash finished, quickening her pace as she ran around the back of the building. She could see thw outline of a few ponies standing around a gravesite. She flew over the fence and over to the site. She hovered over the figures and looked at who they were. All her friends were standing around a black casket above a grave. All of them had solemn expressions, but none were crying.
"Why, why am I not-"
She stopped herself short when Applejack leaned over and placed a single rose on top of the casket.
"I'm so sorry RD. I'm so sorry."
Applejack was barely able to get the last part of her sentence out before she started sobbing loudly. Fluttershy was the first to embrace her in a hug, and the rest followed. The casket began lowering, and dirt was being shoveled on top of it. Tears started falling as Rainbow Dash started realizing what was going on.
"No, no it can't be me!"
Rainbow Dash flew down to the ground and landed right next to the headstone. The words embossed on the marble read
Here lies Rainbow Dash
A truly treasured friend
Rest in peace
As the words soaked into Rainbow Dashs mind, tears started flowing at an even faster rate.
"What, what day is it? When did this happen?"
Rainbow Dash flew into the church, where her friends were now sitting around a table.
"How you holdin' up Fluttershy?"
Applejack asked, looking towards the now only pegasus. Fluttershy was a wreck. She could barely speak through her sobbing, and her mane and tail were tangled up. Tears stained her face, and sniffles accompanied almost every breath.
"It... It would've been ten years today. But..."
The group hung their heads as Applejack hugged Fluttershy. As Rainbow Dash watched Fluttershy cry into Applejacks shoulder, she too started crying.
"Wait, ten years today, that's only four and a half years! Fluttershy, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen!"
Rainbow Dash landed on the ground and immediately dropped to her knees, crying. She heard the noise of the figure entering the room, and looked up to see that the future had faded away.
"Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong."
"I, I screwed up my friends lives, just because I had a problem."
"Is that really how you feel Dash? Just days before this day you were feeling great."
The figure walked in front of Rainbow Dash and opened another portal. Except this one didn't have the swirling black hole hole effect that the others had. This one more resembled a mirror of sorts. As she looked closer, she could see the streets of what looked like ManeHatten. The image faded, and suddenly re-appeared, but with a different view. This was the view down an alleyway, and she could see a door that was lit by a wall light.
"Wha-"
"Shhh. Look. Listen. Learn."
I am getting so tired of that.
Rainbow Dash did as she was told and watched the image slowly pan to a close up of the door. When it was kicked open, Rainbow Dash could see herself being thrown out of the building.
"And stay out!"
The pony that had thrown her out yelled, and slammed the door shut. Rainbow Dash rolled onto her back in the dirty alleyway, and grunted as she pushed herself up to a kneeling position.
"Fine! I don't need you anyways! I'm doing great on my own!"
Rainbow Dash pushed herself fully off of the ground, stumbling through the dark alleyway. She walked out onto the street, pulling a bottle of alcohol out from her saddlebag. She opened it up and took a long swing, draining nearly half the bottle in one go.
"Don't need anypony. I'm better off alone. Live alone, drink alone...work alone....and...and...."
Rainbow Dashs words slowed as she woozily walked down the street. Just before she could finished her sentence, she tripped and fell onto the street, hitting her ribs on the curb. She coughed up a small amount of blood before taking one last drink.
"Die alone..."
"I've seen enough!"
Rainbow Dash screamed, turning away from the image. The figure ended the spell and walked over.
"Well?"
"I'm..... I'm ready to give up now."
Rainbow Dash admitted, defeated. She hung her head and closed her eyes, as the figure walked to stand in front of her.
"Well. It's settled then. You are given your last chance."
"Huh?"
Rainbow Dash questioned, looking up at the figure. She heard a noise similar to when Twilight used a spell, and instantly she was returned to total darkness. She couldn't see, she couldn't feel, she couldn't move. She just waited.
"Please...please."
The timid voice pleaded.
Fluttershy?
"Ma'am, I'm afraid it doesn't look very good. She hasn't shown any sign of waking up."
"She will, she has to."
Rainbow Dash had never heard Fluttershy at this emotional level before. She seemed panicked, and she was breathing irregularly. Rainbow Dash felt Fluttershy flop down onto her chest and sob deeply.
Come on, wake up.
With every once of her mental strength, Rainbow Dash was able to push her eyes open. Fluttershy looked up for a moment when she heard Rainbow Dash groan.
"Rainbow Dash!"
Fluttershy exclaimed, immediately jumping up and wrapping her hooves around Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash was able to force her hooves up and around Fluttershy.
"Hey Flutters."
"Dash, I can't believe it. You were in a coma for days! We didn't think you were going to wake up, and after what happened in ManeHatten..."
Fluttershy trailed off for a second, but soon smiled and hugged Rainbow Dash again.
"We didn't think we'd see you again."
"It's alright Fluttershy, I'm ok."
"The rest of the girls are on their way over."
"Wait, why'd you get here so quick?"
Fluttershy blushed slightly at Rainbow Dashs question. She smiled and answered softly.
"I've been here all day."
Rainbow Dashs eyes opened widely at this statement. She definately wasn't expecting that. And she wasn't expecting to see the figure from before standing on the other side of the room. The figure simply nodded to Rainbow Dash, seconds before fading away. Rainbow Dash smiled, and nodded to where the figure stood before.
"That's, so nice of you Fluttershy. Even, even after all the mean stuff I did? Everything I said? You're still sticking by my side?"
"Of course."
Fluttershy wrapped her forehooves around Rainbow Dashs neck one more time, hugging her tightly. Rainbow Dash used all her effort to wrap her forelegs around Fluttershy and hug her.
"I thought it would've been too late to ask for help."
"Dash, it's never too late to ask for help."
