When The Sky Falls

When The Sky Falls

Part III - If Only

The magenta sparks fizzed down as Twilight stepped backwards with a horrified expression as she realized what she'd just done, and was filled with self loathing and a vile feeling of regret and fear. ""Oh... oh no... what have I done? I've... I've done it again... see?! I'm a monster! A MONSTER!" she wailed and flared her horn up once more. Tears streamed from her eyes as she disappeared into thin air with a crackle and a bright flash of light.

Applejack stared at the spot where her friend was a few seconds ago, then, snapping herself back to reality, "Rarity! Rarity are you OK?" she yelled and charged over to where the unicorn had been flung.

Rarity coughed and sat up, glancing down at the small, red mark on her midriff. "Yes, I'm fine, dear. What happened? Surely Twilight didn't mean to do that - where is she?" she gasped as she realized Twilight wasn't there anymore.

"She left. She thought she hurt you and left. C'mon, we've got ta find her and make sure she doesn't hurt herself," the cow-pony said and helped her friend up. "C'mon everypony!"

All three of them, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie, charged towards the town. Then they stopped and looked at Fluttershy. The butter yellow pegasus hid behind her long, pink mane and gave long, heartbreaking sobs.

"Please... I don't want... just..." she whimpered. It was the first she'd said since they heard about Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash.

Applejack smacked her head. "We'd better stay with Dash. Ah'll stay while you two go make sure Twi's OK. I'll stay with Fluttershy here." She trotted over and nuzzled her crying friend. "Hey now, it's alright, ah'm here. You two, go!"

Rarity and Pinkie nodded, the latter giving somewhat of a comical salute in a vain effort to lighten the mood. Upon seeing the disapproving glares from her friends, she sadly turned and cantered in the direction of the town once again.

The orange mare carefully eased the yellow mare to her feet. "Easy now. C'mon. Ah'll take you to see Dash. Is that OK?"

Fluttershy squealed and shook her head. "I'm sorry Applejack, but I don't - I can't see her like that. Knowing how much pain she must be in... never being able to fly again..."

Applejack winced. She'd forgotten the doctor had said that. "Hey now, the doc only said she might never fly again. And knowin' Rainbow like we do, all she'll need is a glass of warm cider and a shove in the air, and she'll be up and about in no time," she forcefully chuckled, in an attempt to crack a smile onto Fluttershy's face.

She was disappointed. Fluttershy looked back down at the ground and trembled. Applejack grimaced. What if ah'm wrong? she thought. A grounded pegasus is no way to live. They weren't built for walking all the time...

Her thoughts traced back to Scootaloo, where she winced further. Poor kid. She looks up to Rainbow Dash... Ah wonder how Dash'll react at being told she's grounded forever. She turned her gaze skywards and sighed.

It seemed hopeless. Twilight was probably running away as she thought about it, and Dash was comatose. Fluttershy was in no state to do anything. She felt utterly hopeless and did the only thing she could think of. She huddled her friend close and whispered quiet words of encouragement. "We'll just... stay here for now then... is that alright?" she whispered.

The pegasus nodded and sniffed, nuzzling her face against the orange coat. "I'm scared Applejack," she confessed, just above whispering volume.

AJ looked down with a frown. "About what?"

"About Twilight. About Rainbow Dash."

"Oh."

Silence fell upon them as a few drops of rain descended onto their heads. Applejack pulled her hat low and covered up her own tears as she hugged her friend.

It was a grey day for them all.

~~~

Spike finally finished re shelving the library books when he heard sirens. He immediately rushed out and just managed to catch the trails of the ambulance disappearing towards the hill where Twilight said she'd be going. Uh oh, he thought. I hope nothing bad has happened. He went back inside and rang his claws together. It never sat well with him when Twilight went off to try a new spell without him. "But she does have Rainbow now, so I guess..."

He sat back down on the comfy beanbag and picked up a small bucket of rubies, and promptly began guzzling them down, mainly to reassure himself.

He jumped up in shock as a purple unicorn suddenly appeared in the centre of the room. He squinted and realized who it was almost instantly, standing up and knocking the bucket of rubies over. "Twilight! What happened? I heard sirens and-"

"I'm leaving Spike. I'm leaving for good," she coldly told him and pulled out the large trunk from under her bed. "I'm going to pack up and leave. I'm never going to hurt another pony again."

"Twilight, what are you talking about? You didn't hurt anypony!" the baby dragon insisted and placed a claw on her leg. "Talk to me."

She turned to him. He noticed her eyes were red and puffy. Tears soaked her coat around her cheeks and her muzzle was wet, like she'd been crying, which he assumed she had been.

"I... almost... I almost..." she murmured as she placed a few of her things in the trunk, before giving up and just standing with her head so low it almost touched the ground.

Spike patted her leg again and smiled. "Take it easy, Twilight. Have a seat, tell me what happened."

Twilight shook her head and suddenly cast a fearful gaze around. "...Killed Rainbow Dash..."

He gaped. "That's... that's stupid, Twilight. You wouldn't dare hurt another pony, let alone one of your best friends, not your fillyfriend either."

She shook her head and pressed her nose to his, losing the self pity and taking on more of a self loathing tone. "No, I did. I almost killed her and Rarity just now. I have to leave before I actually do kill somepony. You could be next, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie. I'm dangerous. So I'm leaving. Goodbye." She turned back to her trunk and sighed, pushing it back and picking up her saddlebag.

He watched her with an open jaw. "You... you couldn't have.. they're your friends. You wouldn't hurt anypony. You couldn't, Twilight."

"Heh."

Her laugh was hollow and filled with angst as she raised her head and gazed at the ceiling.

"Dash said something similar... I failed her, Spike... I failed all of you, I failed the princess, I failed my friends... I failed myself. I promised her I would never do magic again. So I won't. ever. I'm leaving. Don't follow me.... just in case I do hurt one of you. I'm sorry, Spike. But It's for the best. I'm sure you'll be fine with Rarity or Fluttershy..."

She turned her head back down and looked at him. "Take... take care of Rainbow for me, will you, please?" she begged.

Before he could respond, the door flung open.

"Hold it missy!" Pinkie bellowed and tackled the purple unicorn. "You aren't going anywhere, not never, no way, no how," she  proclaimed from atop her friend.

Rarity sighed and quickly tried to salvage the situation. "Twilight, you can't run away. Rainbow needs you. We need you. Twilight, darling, you even need yourself-"

"I almost killed you, Rarity!" Twilight squealed as she covered herself up under Pinkie's legs.

"Pfft. Rubbish. You only gave me a small scratch. Now come on, stop this foolish talk and-"

She yelped as Twilight kicked Pinkie off and dove out the window.

"Hey! Get back here!" the pink pony cried adamantly as she lunged forwards, missing her friend's hoof by an inch.

"Come on! We've got to tell everypony to watch out for her!" Rarity cried. Pinkie nodded and charged outwards. Rarity was about to follow when she saw Spike staring at the window. "Spike?"

Spike was silent. A single tear rolled down his cheek as she turned him to face her.

"Did... did she really hurt Rainbow? Or you?"

"No! of course not! The incident with Rainbow Dash... I'm not really sure what happened, but I refuse to believe Twilight did it on purpose. And she really did only give me a scratch." She gestured to a small red line on her side. "See? Just a scratch."

He fell silent and gazed at the ground.

The unicorn grimaced as she heard a sniffle, and brought him into a gentle hug. He slowly wrapped his claws around her neck, and began weeping into her coat.

Her own tears trickled down her cheeks as they shared a quiet moment of sadness, both worrying greatly about their friend. "Now come along, Spikey. If we hurry we might be able to catch her before she reaches the Everfree."

The dragon nodded and pulled away from her with sorrowful eyes. "I hope so. I really do, Rarity..." He looked up and gazed out the window at Twilight's fresh tracks. "I wonder where she's going to go."

"She can't go far. We'll find her, Spikey-Wikey. Now come, let's go out and find our friend," she told him with a smile.

He nodded sullenly and gazed at her. Even with the horribly forced and pained smile, she still resembled the most beautiful thing on Equestria he'd ever seen. "Alright," he bravely said and puffed his chest out. "Let's go."

Rarity's forced smile turned genuine as she watched the little dragon march over to the door and fling it open. If only, she thought. If only he were a pony. Or older. If only...

Suddenly, Spike turned away from the door and plucked a quill up from the desk and began to furiously scribble something down. He wiped away tears from his eyes and focused on his writing.

"Spike? What are you doing?" Rarity asked as she peered over his shoulder.

"I'm sending a letter to the princess. She needs to know if Twilight runs away," he replied.

She smiled a little. Ever the faithful assistant. "Nice work, Spike. What are you putting in it?"

Spike coughed as he dipped the quill in more ink, not caring for splodges or tear marks. "Just that Rainbow's hurt and Twilight thinks it's her fault. The princess is like her second mother, she told me once. If anypony can talk some sense into her, it'll be Celestia. And done," he said proudly as he took a deep breathe.

Rarity saw her chance and gave him a small peck on the cheek, making his tear-soaked cheeks turn blood red. He exhaled slowly as she pulled away, the green fire taking the letter up on it's way to the princess. He smiled at her and sniffled again.

They spoke no words as they quickly left the library and started the hunt for their friend. They spotted Applejack and Fluttershy trotting over to them, the latter looking decisively better than she did moments before.

"Are you alright, dear?" the ivory unicorn asked.

"Ah'm fine, Rares. So's 'Shy. We just needed a bit of a talk. Get some emotions out," Applejack said.

Rarity frowned. "Applejack, your eyes..." she murmured.

The applebuckin' pony turned away. "Ah'm fine, Rarity," she grumbled and flicked her hat in annoyance.

Fluttershy giggled and smiled at them all. "Should we get going then?"

Spike nodded eagerly and hopped up onto Rarity's back. "Let's go save Twilight."

"Guys! Guys!"

Pinkie Pie bounded over to them and pointed a hoof in the direction of the forest. "Twilight went that way. My Pinkie Sense tells me so."

"It can do that?"

"Sure it can! It can also tell what time it is half away around the world. Now hustle your bustles! Let's go save Twilight from herself!"