Tank You for Being a Friend

by Talcion

Rating: everyone
Tags: Drama, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash, Sad
Length: 3671

A direct sequel to the 5th episode of the 5th season, Tanks for the Memories. We follow Rainbow Dash's experience of her first winter without Tank.

Tank has begun his hibernation for the winter for the first time since becoming Rainbow Dash's pet. We've seen Rainbow Dash come to grips with letting Tank go for the snowy season, but how will she fair without him?

Published 2024-05-08 00:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2024-05-08 00:50:01 UTC

Farewell

Rainbow Dash stood at the edge of the Everfree Forest, her wings tucked tightly against her sides. The air was crisp, and the first snowflakes danced around her. She glanced down at the small, slumbering form of her beloved pet, Tank, nestled in his cozy burrow.

“It’s time, buddy,” she murmured, her voice barely audible over the wind. “Time for your winter hibernation.” Her voice was a mere whisper, yet it carried the weight of her heavy heart.

Tank blinked sleepily, and a pang of sadness struck Rainbow Dash. She knew this farewell was inevitable, yet it stung with fresh pain each time.

“You’ve been with me through thick and thin, and now…” she trailed off, her voice cracking. “I’m gonna miss you.” She tried to fight the tears from streaming down her contorted face, but to no avail.

Laughter pierced the silence, pulling her from her reverie. Fluttershy and Rarity were sculpting snowponies, while Pinkie Pie instigated a snowball skirmish, roping in Twilight and Applejack.

“Hey, Rainbow!” Applejack beckoned, her voice warm. “C’mon, sugarcube, join the fun!”

Rainbow Dash forced a smile, wiping the tears from her eyes. She loved winter activities, especially with her friends. But today, her heart just wasn't in it. She couldn't bring herself to leave Tank there alone, not even for a snowball fight.

“I’ll catch up later,” she called back. “Just gotta do something first.”

The other ponies exchanged puzzled glances, but they didn’t press further. They knew Rainbow Dash’s bond with Tank was special, and understood her need to be alone. And so, Rainbow Dash watched them disappear into the snowy distance, their laughter fading. She turned back to Tank, who had nestled deeper into his burrow.

“I promise, Tank,” she murmured. “I’ll be here waiting when you wake up. We’ll have epic adventures again, just like always.”

But as she walked away, the forest swallowing her in its snowy embrace, doubt gnawed at her. What if spring never came? What if Tank never woke up? The thought was unbearable. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.

“What am I thinking? Tank’s fine! He’s just taking a nap! A really...really long nap.” She trailed off for moment in her thoughts, but quickly snapped back to her senses. “Come on, Rainbow! You need to focus on something else. Anything else.” She thought for a moment, and suddenly, an idea popped into her head. “And I know just the thing!”

With a determined flap of her wings, Rainbow Dash shot through the sky like a comet. The wind roared in her ears, and the snowflakes blurred into streaks of white. She aimed straight for her cloud home, where her favorite book awaited—a worn, dog-eared copy of Daring Do and the Quest for the Crystal Key.
As she landed on her cloud, she snatched the book from the shelf. The familiar cover depicted Daring Do, fearless adventurer, her hat tilted just so, ready for action. Rainbow Dash settled into her cozy reading nook, the fireplace crackling beside her. But as she flipped open the pages, her eyes scanned the words without truly absorbing them. The heroic exploits of Daring Do felt distant, irrelevant. Instead, she saw parallels—Daring’s determination mirrored her own, and the hidden traps in ancient temples reminded her of the uncertainties that lay ahead.

“Concentrate, Rainbow,” she scolded herself. “This is your distraction. Your escape! Just like Daring Do!” Her eyes widened with excitement at the realization, and she began to read again with renewed vigor, hoping that the thrill of fantastic adventures would drown out the quiet longing in her heart. Yet, even as she read, the ache persisted. Tank’s absence echoed in every line, every adventure. She wondered if Daring Do had ever faced a challenge as daunting as hers.

Rainbow Dash let out a shout of frustration, tossing the book aside. “What am I going to do?” she sighed, slumping in defeat. Gazing out the window, she spotted an Earth Pony wrestling with the snow on his roof. “That’s it! If being alone with my thoughts is making me miserable, then I’ll just have to keep myself busy!”

In a flash, she was airborne, her colors streaking the sky. She circled the house, banishing snow and ice, leaving it sparkling. Perched on the roof, she admired her work until a snowdrift stirred. A disgruntled pony’s face emerged, glaring up at her.

“Oops, my bad!” Rainbow Dash stammered, a sheepish grin flickering across her face before she zipped away as swiftly as she had arrived. The grumpy pony below grumbled, tackling the snow, clearly miffed by the disturbance. “There’s a whole town out there in need of a helping hoof,” Rainbow Dash mused aloud, trying to buoy her spirits. “With enough chores to distract me, this winter will be over in no time flat!”

With that, she darted from house to house, lending a hasty hoof with tasks she deemed in need of assistance. Yet, despite her flurry of activity, time had barely passed, and the ponies left in her wake appeared bewildered, irate, or simply worse off. A wave of embarrassment and shame washed over her as she retreated to her cloud abode, resigning herself to a day of solitude and reflection. As she lay curled up into a ball of depression, she glanced at her bedside table, where a picture of her and Tank, smiling and happy, was on display. With a quiver of her lips and a stream of tears falling from her watering eyes, she began to sing.

“When life gives you lemons
They say make lemonade.
But life gave me winter
And my heart feels such dismay.
A cold Winter’s come to Ponyville
I’ll face it on my own.
I’m missing you by my side
And I’m feeling so alone.

And I’ll fly
But I’ll cry beneath the endless grey sky
‘Cause it’s me, the one who had to
Tell a friend goodbye
My whole world is in splinters
Since we have been apart
I’ll miss the warmth of his friendship,
And the laughter my Tank imparts”

Solitude

The days stretched into weeks since Tank began his long slumber. The vibrant colors of Ponyville seemed to have faded with the onset of winter. The town, once a tapestry of life and laughter, now lay muted under a blanket of snow. Rainbow Dash moved through her daily routines like a ghost, her once brilliant hues dimmed by the grey skies above.

The joyous gatherings and festive cheer that winter usually brought felt distant to her. She watched from afar as her friends reveled in the season's delights, their smiles a stark contrast to the tight line of her own lips. She had become adept at dodging questions and slipping away from company, always with an excuse at the ready. "I've got to check on the weather patterns," or "I'm behind on my flight practice," she'd say. But the truth was, she couldn't bear the weight of their concern, the unspoken knowledge that she was not herself.

Rainbow Dash's duties as the leader of the weather team had become her refuge, a place where she could bury herself in tasks and responsibilities. Yet, even there, she found neither solace, nor sanctuary from the bombardment of ponies seeking her attention, opinions, approval, or instruction. Her team noticed the change, the missing pep in her flight, the rise of tension and frustration in her orders. They whispered among themselves, wondering what had quenched the fire in their fearless leader's eyes.

"Have you noticed how Rainbow Dash has been lately? She's not her usual self," one pegasus murmured to another as they watched their leader fly past, her movements sharp and hurried.

"Yeah, she's been really snappy. Just yesterday, she nearly bit my head off for a small mistake in cloud placement," replied her teammate, glancing up at the brooding sky. "I hope she's okay."

"I heard from Fluttershy that Tank's hibernating, and it's hitting her hard," a third pegasus chimed in, her voice laced with concern. "Maybe we should do something for her, you know, to cheer her up?"

"And risk getting iced? No thanks," another scoffed, though the worry was evident in his eyes. "But seriously, she's never been this... distant. It's like she's here, but not really here, you know?"

Rainbow Dash, her senses always sharp, caught snippets of the conversation from her weather team. The words stung, each one a barb hooking into her already frayed emotions. She tried to focus on her work, to ignore the chatter, but the mention of Tank’s hibernation pierced through her like a bolt of lightning. Her wings stiffened, and her eyes narrowed as she listened, hidden just out of sight. The phrase “And risk getting iced?” echoed in her ears, a cruel reminder of Tank’s vulnerable state, alone in the cold embrace of the Everfree Forest. It was too much. The walls she had built to contain her emotions crumbled, and a surge of anger flooded through her.

With a snarl, Rainbow Dash emerged from her hiding spot, her face contorted with rage. “You think this is funny?!” she spat, her voice trembling with fury. “My best friend is out there, sleeping in the snow, and you’re making jokes?”

The weather team fell silent, their expressions shifting from concern to shock. They hadn’t realized she was listening, nor did they understand the depth of her pain. Rainbow Dash’s outburst hung heavy in the air, a raw display of the turmoil that had been brewing inside her all this time.

Rainbow Dash’s voice rose, each word laced with a bitterness and pain that she could no longer contain. “You think you know what it’s like? To have your best friend just… gone for months? You have no idea!” Her chest heaved with each breath, her eyes blazing with a mix of sorrow and fury. The weather team members recoiled, their faces etched with regret. They had never seen her like this, so raw and unguarded.

“Rainbow, we didn’t mean—” one started, but Rainbow Dash cut her off.

“No! You don’t get to say anything! Not when you sit here, cozy and warm, making fun of mine and Tank’s situation!” She was pacing now, her hooves clacking against the floor, her movements erratic and full of tension. Her voice was fierce, each word punctuated with the frustration and conflict she felt. “I'm the one who kicks off the winter! I’m the one who lines up the snowstorms, but it's that same winter that sends my buddy into hibernation!”

Her eyes blazed with a mix of defiance and pain. “How's that fair, huh? How can I be cool with being the pony who brings on the season that takes my best friend away from me?”

The weather team shifted uncomfortably, witnessing their usually unflappable leader in such a state. They had never seen Rainbow Dash so conflicted, so openly struggling with her emotions.

“It's like I'm stabbing Tank in the back with every snowflake that falls!” she said, her voice shaking. “He's out there alone, snoozing in the cold, all 'cause of the winter wonderland I help whip up!”

In her agitated state, she spun around, and slammed her head against the control panel behind her. She didn't see the big red button as her forehead hit it, but the sudden blare of alarms was unmistakable. Lights flashed, and the station was thrown into a chaotic state of emergency. Ponies scrambled, trying to make sense of the sudden turn of events. Sirens sounded, echoing Rainbow Dash’s inner turmoil for all of Ponyville to hear. She stood there, amidst the frenzy she had caused, her anger dissolving into a dawning realization of the magnitude of her actions.

The First Thaw

The alarm’s wail was deafening, slicing through the air with a sense of foreboding urgency. Rainbow Dash’s heart pounded in her chest as she watched the weather station’s monitors flicker and flash with ominous reds and oranges. The big red button, meant only for the most daunting demolition projects, had been pressed, and now, a catastrophic tornado was forming. Its target: Ponyville.

Rainbow Dash’s mind raced. This was her fault. Her legs trembled as she realized the gravity of her mistake. This swirling mass of dark clouds and howling winds, was a physical manifestation of every negative emotion she had been keeping inside; a nigh-unstoppable force as chaotic and indiscriminate as her thoughts, words, and actions had been.

Ponies scrambled in panic, their eyes wide with fear as they sought shelter. The tornado tore through the outskirts of Ponyville, uprooting trees and sending debris flying. Rainbow Dash knew she had to act fast. She was the only one capable of stopping the tornado before it destroyed everything and everyone she loved.
With a deep breath, she summoned all her courage and flew straight into the eye of the storm. The winds buffeted her from all sides, but she pushed forward, her wings beating against the gale. She had to reach the center, to unravel the tornado from within.

As her wings sliced through the tumultuous winds, each beat a battle against the monstrous tornado she had unleashed, she watched houses be reduced to piles of firewood and rubble on the ground below. Her mind continued to race. “This is all my fault,” she thought, her heart pounding as fast as her wings. “I’m supposed to be the one who saves the town, not the one who dooms it!” The guilt clawed at her, a barrage of self-accusations. She had always been the one to protect Ponyville, to keep the skies clear and the weather fair. But in a moment of unchecked emotion, she had become its source of danger, and the architect of disaster.

As she spiraled upward, fighting the storm with all her might, a vision of Tank, cozy in his burrow, flashed in her mind. She imagined Tank’s reassuring face, the encouraging smile of Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack. “Tank… my friends… Ponyville… They’re all counting on me!” she realized, her wings propelling her faster, her colors a vivid contrast to the storm’s grim palette. “I’m Rainbow Dash, the fastest flier in Equestria, and I’m not about to let my friends down!” Her voice rang out loud and clear, even in the middle of this swirling tempest, a bold testament to her determination. “I may have started this storm, but I’m gonna be the one who ends it! Right here! Right now!”

With a renewed fire in her eyes, she began to pick up speed, flying faster...faster...faster, still! The tornado seemed to screech, like a beast in agony, as Rainbow Dash fought it with every fiber of her being. As she fought, the tornado’s fury waned, and her confidence surged with each passing moment. “You think you can take on the element of loyalty? Think again!” she challenged. With her final, resolute burst of speed, the winds began to calm as the tornado yielded, its dark, menacing clouds scattering to reveal the serene blue sky. Ponyville was safe.

As the town’s ponies emerged from their hiding places, they found Rainbow Dash at the center of where the tornado had been, her eyes closed, her chest heaving. They approached her slowly, their expressions a mix of awe and concern.

“That was amazing, Rainbow Dash! You saved us!” Twilight Sparkle said, her voice filled with gratitude.

Applejack tipped her hat with a smile, “I gotta hand it to ya, sugarcube. You sure know how to put on a show and save the day!”

Pinkie Pie bounced excitedly, her mane poofier than ever. “You were like, whoosh! And the tornado was like, whoa! And then it was gone! You’re so awesome!”

Fluttershy approached, her gentle smile saying more than words ever could, while Rarity added, “Darling, you were absolutely splendid! A true heroine!”

The group huddle was a tangle of manes and tails, each pony expressing their relief and happiness in their own way. Rainbow Dash, at the center of it all, felt a rush of affectionate warmth where once a bitter numbness used to be. She opened her eyes, looking at her friends, her town, and the clear skies above. In quiet relief she said with a sigh “Yeah. Totally awesome.”

As the days passed, the chill of winter lingered, but the warmth of friendship and the spirit of the season melted away any remnants of the storm’s shadow. Rainbow Dash, her heart as light as the flurries that danced in the air, took to the skies with a vigor that seemed to brighten the very clouds she pranced upon.

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the snow-covered town of Ponyville. Rainbow Dash, her coat glistening in the light, soared above, her duties as the weather manager carried out with a precision and joy that was contagious. The once daunting task of aligning the weather patterns had become a canvas for her artistry, each snowflake a testament to her dedication.

Below, the town was alive with the sounds of laughter and the soft thud of snowballs playfully colliding with their targets. Rainbow Dash couldn’t resist joining in the fun. With a mischievous grin, she dove into the fray, her friends’ surprised yelps adding to the symphony of merriment. Twilight Sparkle, armed with an impressive arsenal of snowballs, met her gaze with a challenge, and the game was on.

The air was filled with flying snow, and Rainbow Dash weaved through the barrage with the grace of a dancer. She returned fire, her aim true, and her laughter ringing out as she watched Applejack don a snow hat courtesy of her precise throw. Pinkie Pie, ever the enthusiast, had constructed a snow fort complete with a flag that waved proudly at its peak and a functioning cannon, also made of snow, on the ramparts.

Fluttershy, gentle as ever, tended to a group of woodland creatures, showing them the joys of the winter wonderland, while Rarity, wrapped in a chic winter ensemble, crafted elegant ice sculptures that sparkled like diamonds in the sun.

The day waned, but the joy did not. As the first stars of the evening twinkled into view, the friends gathered, their breaths visible in the crisp air, their faces flushed with the day’s excitement. Rainbow Dash looked around at the faces of her friends, each one dear to her, each one an integral part of her story.

“You know,” she said, her voice soft but clear, “I think this might just be the best winter ever. Thanks, everypony, for being the best friends a Pegasus could ask for.”

Her friends nodded, their smiles as warm as the hot cocoa they would soon share. The trials of the past were behind them, and ahead lay only the promise of spring, of new beginnings, and of adventures yet to come. Rainbow Dash took to the sky once more, her silhouette a dark shape against the purpling sky, her spirit as free and unbound as the wind itself.

As the first signs of the thaw began to show, with the drip of icicles and the stirrings of life beneath the snow, Rainbow Dash eagerly awaited the reunion with her dear pet. The warmth of spring embraced Ponyville, the snow began to retreat, revealing the green beneath. Rainbow Dash watched the seasons change with a heart full of anticipation. The moment she had been waiting for was finally here.

One morning, as the sun cast its gentle rays over the land, Rainbow Dash visited the burrow where Tank had been sleeping. The earth was soft and moist, a sure sign that the time had come. She lay down beside the burrow, her eyes fixed on the small mound of earth that was Tank’s winter home.

Slowly, the ground began to stir. First, it was just a small movement, then a rhythmic shifting that matched Rainbow Dash’s beating heart. And then, with the patience of the many days that had passed, Tank emerged. His eyes blinked against the brightness of the new season, and he looked up at Rainbow Dash with the same unwavering affection he always had.

“Hey there, sleepyhead,” Rainbow Dash said, her voice a mixture of joy and relief. “Did you have a good nap?”

Tank responded in his own way, a gentle nuzzle against Rainbow Dash’s hoof, and the world seemed to stand still for a moment. The reunion was not marked by grand gestures or words, but by the quiet understanding between two friends who had been through so much together.
Rainbow Dash helped Tank out of the burrow, her wings fluttering with excitement. “Come on, Tank. Let’s catch you up on all the fun you’ve missed,” she said, her tone so playful and and mood so light, she could not help but burst out in song.

“And I'll fly
Oh I'll fly until the end of the sky.
So I'll be, just you wait,
With you at first light.

My whole world's gotten brighter,
Now that we're not apart.
I'll cherish all my time with you,
And the laughter that you impart.”

Together, they set off into the heart of Ponyville, where the rest of their friends awaited. The news of Tank’s awakening spread quickly, and soon, a small crowd had gathered to welcome him back. There were cheers and laughter, and even a few happy tears.

The day was filled with celebration. There were games and stories, and Rainbow Dash flew Tank around, showing him the beauty of spring from the sky. It was a day of new beginnings, of joy, and of the promise that no matter what challenges they faced, they would always have each other.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink, Rainbow Dash and Tank sat atop a hill overlooking Ponyville.

Rainbow Dash whispered “I missed you, buddy. But we made it through winter. Together.” Tank nuzzled her cheek, as if to say, “Always.”