Newbie Dash (Alternative)

After sleeping for over 12 hours straight, Rainbow Dash still felt as tired as when she’d gone to bed. But she has to get up, because Tank is standing next to her bed, pushing his empty food bowl closer to his owner.

“Sorry, Tank. Didn’t mean to forget to feed you.” She apologises to the tortoise and gets up, but her vision swims and tilts again once she’s upright, and she briefly sits back down with a hoof held up to her forehead. “Looks like we both could use a full breakfast.” She murmurs, then finally walks into the kitchen.

She fills up Tank’s food bowl before setting it down in front of him, then goes to make her usual breakfast like always, but she pauses halfway through.

She.. wasn’t hungry.

How can I be so dizzy and tired, but I don’t feel hungry? She wonders, curling a hoof around her empty stomach. This makes no sense.

She figures that she’d at least have an apple. Surely she would get her appetite back once she starts eating.

But even that apple seems never ending, and she couldn’t bring herself to swallow a third bite. It was as if her throat had suddenly forgotten that it’s supposed to swallow food, but instead she had this reflex to spit it back out.

What in the hay-

She eventually manages to force down the bite with a lot of water, then surrenders the rest of her barely touched apple to Tank, who has long since finished his own food.

“Maybe I’m just too tired.” She figures, yawning when she thinks about how little energy she still had. “Time for another nap…”

Unfortunately she gets woken up by knocking, an hour later. Trying to rub the sleep from her eyes, Dash tells Tank to go look who it is. She sighs heavily, sleep hasn’t given her any more energy.

Hearing the familiar voice of Twilight greeting Tank, she decides to get up after all. The dizziness is even worse, and she once again has to sink down to her haunches after taking barely two steps, her vision threatening to completely black out. “Ugghhh…” she moans, annoyed at how weak and useless her own body is.

A taunting voice in the back of her mind whispers of how out of shape she had gotten.

Determination fills her and she forces herself to go to Twilight — on hoof, since she didn’t feel well enough to fly. That was certainly a first, for her.

“Hey, Twilight!” She greets with a forced smile.

If Twilight was surprised at her friend’s state, and the fact that she wasn’t soaring through her own house, she didn’t let on. “Hey, Dash. Are you feeling better?”

“Yeah, loads.” She lies. She doesn’t know why she lies about this to her (best) friend, and it makes her insecure.

“Great! Pinkie is desperate to throw your.. uh..” she thinks for a moment. “The party to celebrate your first Wonderbolt show.”

That would undeniably include cakes and other baked goods and sweets. Her stomach churns at the idea.

“Oh, uh…”

But she knows that she’d have to get through it, one way or another.

“S-sure. When does she want to-”

“Right now.” Twilight interrupts.

Of course. Dash thinks bitterly.

“Are you sure you’re up for it?” Twilight asks, looking at her friend in concern.

Dash heaves a small sigh, then regards the alicorn with a happy grin. “Of course!” She opens her wings for show, even though she dreads the very thought of flying all the way to Sugarcube Corner.

Twilight accepts her enthusiasm and steps out onto the porch, ready to fly. Dash takes a moment to compose herself a last time before joining her friend. It’s embarrassingly difficult for Rainbow to take off, struggling to keep herself in the air, as though she isn’t an official member of the Wonderbolts and rather a little Pegasus filly that’s only learning to fly just now.

They get to Sugarcube Corner alright, although Rainbow is badly out of breath when they land in front of the bakery.

“Are you really sure that you’re okay? We don’t want to wear you out further if you’re still recovering.” Twilight is saying next to her, her voice sounding muffled and under water once again.

Folding her drooping wings to her sides, Dash holds her head high and tries to ignore the way her heart is hammering in her chest. “I’m fine * pant * I swear.”

Before Twilight could say anything more, Dash is entering the bakery, which sends confetti flying as she opens the door.

“Congrats to your first Wonderbolt show!” The many ponies yell. The Cutie Mark Crusaders, as well as the Cakes are there with her friends.

As well as a lot of cakes, cupcakes and other sweets, apple pastries, and a bowl of fruit punch are strewn across the tables. She feels ill from the smells alone.

“We are so proud of you!” Rarity starts. “You must be so delighted to be finally living your lifelong dream!”

“Yeah, how’s it feel to fin’lly live yer dream?” Applejack asks.

They’re all grinning in joy.

It’s true, Dash has managed to achieve her lifelong dream. She should be over the moon.

So why does she only feel dread?

Dread and tired and nauseous.

“Absolutely awesome , of course!” She exclaims, throwing a hoof in the air, because that’s what everyone is expecting to hear.

Twilight is the only one who notices the way her hoof is trembling, and the way Dash looks like she’s going to collapse for a second, before she stands securely on all fours again.

Everyone had expected Dash to fly as she says that, and maybe even do a loop in her excitement. Instead, she’s awfully calm for her standards, especially considering what they’re talking about here.

Pinkie suddenly practically teleports and shoves a muffin into Dash’s mouth before the Pegasus could react, and they’re all shocked when she immediately chokes and coughs.

“Pinkie Pie! Don’t go choking our Wonderbolt at her own party!” Rarity exclaims in horror.

Twilight hovers a glass of fruit punch over to Dash, grimacing in sympathy when Dash keeps coughing out bits of the muffin.

“But I didn’t- I wasn’t-” Pinkie stammers, barely keeping tears from escaping her eyes.

Rainbow meanwhile drinks a few small sips from the glass, throwing Twilight a grateful look. “It’s okay, Pinkie. You just caught me off guard, is all.” She says honestly.

Unfortunately, that gets her more confused and worried looks.

“How did that catch y’all off guard? She’s always doin’ that.” Applejack points out.

Rarity tuts at her country friend. “Never mind that. Let’s have some cake, shall we?” She pointedly looks at Pinkie, who cheers up at that.

Dash frowns worriedly as everyone gathers around the large cake, which is decorated to look like a miniature Rainbow Dash is flying around it, creating a small rainbow trail around it.

“Something wrong?” Twilight startles her. She’s giving her that deeply concerned, frowning look again. Rainbow is starting to dislike it very much when that particular look is pointed towards herself.

“What could be wrong? I’m a Wonderbolt, I flew my first show yesterday, and my friends are throwing a party to celebrate with me.” Dash says, trying to sound assertive, but there’s a small tremble in her voice that gives away her uneasiness.

Twilight looks like she wants to say something else, but gets interrupted by Rarity levitating a piece of cake on a plate to her.

Pinkie hands over the piece for Rainbow herself, grinning from ear to ear. She got the piece with her decorative self on it.

“T-thanks.” She stutters, accepting the plate, which causes the pink pony to happily bounce in place.

Everyone is digging in, so Dash takes a small bite as well.

There is nothing wrong with the Cake’s or Pinkie’s baking skills. The cake is delicious as ever.

But for whatever reason, her stomach was still not agreeing with food of any kind. She barely manages to swallow down the small piece with the rest of her punch, then inconspicuously pushes her plate away.

The others are busy chatting over one another, so Dash thinks she’s gotten away with it.

“Is that all you’re having?” Twilight suddenly asks her. Damn her for always being so irritatingly observant.

“I-uuuuuh, I.. had a big breakfast. That’s all.” She lies. She doesn’t want her friends to be disappointed by her turning down the food. She really is grateful to have such amazing friends who celebrate her achievements with her.

Somehow, none of the other Main Six seem to believe her, throwing her calculating and questioning looks, but none of them comment on it.

Not catching on to the fact that something is wrong, Scootaloo comes to her sister’s side, asking her about when her next show would be, and if she’s going to be touring with the Wonderbolts now.

All tension and worry quickly evaporates, although Twilight keeps a watchful eye on her still not-like-herself friend.