Hiding a rainbow

"I feel all saddy waddy for Dashie." Pinkie sat in the corner of the library. Her hair was flat. Rainbow was obviously not the only one depressed.

"I know Pinkie. But we must be strong for her." Fluttershy hugged Pinkie.

"But what I don't get is how Rainbow got raped." Twilight paced the room.

The eyes of four other mares and a dragon followed.

"Whatcha mean Twi?" Applejack looked up from the floor boards.

"Rainbow is one of the strongest mares I know. She just wouldn't let anypony even touch her without a fight."

"So what are you saying dear?" Rarity asked.

"I'm saying her uncle must have got inside her head. Being sly. Taunting her. Otherwise, she wouldn't have given up so easily."

Spike sat up onto a pile of books. "What does rape mean?"

The others stared at him.

"It-err-it-" Twilight stuttered.

"It means when um, how do you say it, when a male forces himself upon a female." Rarity tried to make it sound simple without the detail.

"That sounds alot like fighting."

"Spike, you are still a baby. You are too young!" Twilight said in hope to shut him up.

"Oh hey Rainbow!" He waved.

The others looked at the doorway.

Rainbow just stood there. Staring at the ground. Her wings drooped. Her hair tangled and in a mess. A small fresh cut was located on her cheek.

"Rainbow! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She croaked. She continued to stare at the ground.

The girls looked at each other.

It was clear that all the confidence and Rainbow's cocky attitude was sucked out of her.

Pinkie walked over to her.

"Dashie?"

Rainbow looked up at Pinkie. And instantly hugged her. She started to cry.

"Don't worry Dashie. We are here for you. There's no need to cry. Please don't cry."

"There's no need for you to be upset Pinkie." Rainbow retreated from the hug. "I don't want drag you down as well."

"Rainbow, if there's anything I can get for you, just ask." Twilight offered as Rainbow walked over and sat down.

"Can I stay here? Tonight. If you don't mind." Rainbow whispered.

"Of course. But where's Soarin?"

"I don't know. I went to the house but only..."

"Rainbow?" Applejack trotted over and sat on the other side of Rainbow.

"Only...Solo was there." Rainbow shuddered at the name.

"Surely Solo would know where he is."

Rainbow closed her eyes.

"Surely Solo would know." went round her head. Of course he did.

Earlier

Rainbow flew up to the door of her cloud house. The door creaked open.

"Hello?" She called as she walked in.

"Hello Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow turned around.

It was Solar.

He pushed her against the wall and held her by her throat.

"Did you enjoy last night? I sure did." He hissed.

Rainbow only whimpered.

"Have you told anypony yet?"

She didn't answer.

"HAVE YOU?" He pressed harder in her throat.

"No. I haven't I swear." She choked.

Solar let go. Rainbow fell to the floor. She coughed.

"Where's-where's Soarin?" She asked.

"Hmm. Soarin? I wouldn't know. The pathetic pony flew off somewhere."

"Where is he?" Rainbow demanded as she stood up.

Solar slapped her across the face.

A little cut along her cheek began to bleed.

"I better watch your tone, young lady, I can do much worse."

Rainbow sped out of the house. She wanted to get away from Solar. As far as possible. But she didn't want to be alone.

The others watched as Rainbow zoned out.

"I don't know."

"What?!"

"I-I don't know." Rainbow lowered her head.

"But he should be here with you."

She didn't reply to Twilight.

"Rainbow, if it will make you feel better, I could tell Princess Celestia. I'm sure she would help."

Rainbow wanted help but she knew she couldn't. Solar would hurt her again, maybe kill her, or Soarin and the girls.

"There you go. The spare bed is put up with extra blankets and pillows." Twilight said as she hovered a pillow over a bed opposite to hers.

She looked around to see Rainbow reading a Daring Do book.

Twilight thought it would be best to leave her.

"You don't have to go."

"It's okay Rainbow. You've been through a tough time, and I thought I could leave you alone. To have some space."

"What I really need is some company."

Twilight smiled and trotted over to Rainbow.

She sat beside her as Rainbow closed the book.

"Rainbow, I've been wanting to ask you..."

"Yes."

"Why did you try...to..."

Rainbow understood straight away. "Twilight, the reason I tried to commit suicide, was because...I couldn't handle it. My family were dead. My whole blood line. Gone. I'm the last of the Dashery family. And everything reminded me of them. My uncle was arrested, Gilda had gone to back to the Gryphon Islands, Fluttershy was still in school. I had nothing. Not even an education. I got kicked out. Nothing."

Twilight looked at Rainbow, who continued to stare at the floor.

"For ages, I just hide myself in my parents home. Everything had been left where it last was. I tried to get my life back to normal, but everything and everyone reminded me of them. And what happened. Then, I decided to move away. To Ponyville. I knew that Derpy lived here, so I went to find her. I met Pinkie, well Pinkie met me. Landed on me that is. I told her that I came from Cloudsdale and about Fluttershy. Pinkie took me to Fluttershy's house."

"So, what's it like living up in Cloudsdale?" The pink bubbly pony asked.

"It's nice. It's got a good decor, and it's all soft." Rainbow replied.

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie trotted down a small path leading away from town.

A giant mass of twisted thickets and darkened trees, stood right ahead.

"What is that?" Rainbow curiously asked.

"That's the Everfree forest. Fluttershy lives next it."

"Are you sure this is the Fluttershy I told you about? You know, all shy."

"Oh you silly! Of course it's Fluttershy. She lives near it so she can look after the critters. She loves the animals."

They both stopped outside the house. Just behind the fence.

"Look there she is." A pink hoof was waving wildly.

Rainbow stared ahead, a light buttercup yellow pegasus mare with rose pink hair, that cover her face.

She looked at the two ponies, but one stood out more than the other.

"R-Rainbow D-Dash?" She fluttered over. "Oh my goodness! It is you!" Fluttershy hugged Rainbow.

Rainbow returned the hug.

"Oh no! The cakes! I left them in the oven! I've got to see you later Shy! See you later Dashie!" Pinkie ran off.

Rainbow muttered.

Fluttershy retreated from the hug. "Pardon?"

"She called me Dashie."

Fluttershy instantly knew what she was on about.

"It's okay. She doesn't know. Do you want to come inside?"

They both walked inside.

"What happened after that?" Twilight asked.

"I got a job as a weather pony. And then quickly afterwards, I became the weather manager. But just as everything seemed to get back to normal, I started to have relapses. Every night was hell. Every day was worse. Everything reminded me of things I wanted to forget. Applejack was my friend, and asked if I was okay. But it wasn't. It was my fault my little sister died. My fault. So I decided to end it all."

"Rainbow! Please don't!" Fluttershy yelled.

She was at Ghastly Gorge. But she wasn't alone.

On the edge of a steep cliff, stood Rainbow Dash.

"I have to! It was my fault she died! I deserve to die! Not her!"

"Rainbow, I know you're upset. But this isn't the answer. You still have a life to live."

"I don't. He took that away. He took everything away." Rainbow walked forwards, and closed her wings.

"Rainbow! Please! I'm still here! I'm still here for you."

The suicidal pegasus stepped back.

"Please go. I don't want to drag you down."

"No! I'm not leaving! Rainbow, its the Summer Sun Celebration. Here in Ponyville. Come with me. You don't want to die, do you?"

"I don't know. Fluttershy, I just don't know. What would be better? A life where every little detail reminds you of your past?" Rainbow looked down, into the depths if Ghastly Gorge. "Or death? It's like a permanent sleep, isn't it?"

"Don't do this Rainbow. A life is better. To make a new start. Please Rainbow. Don't leave me."

Rainbow looked behind her, to see her sobbing friend.

Fluttershy just stood there. Her cheeks crawling with tears.

"I-I-I-I can't do this!" Rainbow zoomed up and away.

"Then I flew into you."

"What? But you said that you practicing." Twilight said.

"Lies."

"What about Fluttershy? Surely, she would have followed."

"She did. She told me she got up to the park. Where her music stand was. But she saw you, and quickly made it look like she was doing something."

"Why keep all this hidden?"

"I wanted a fresh start. I wanted to forget the past and look to the future." Rainbow yawned. "Thank you Twilight."

"What for?"

"Everything. Everything you do for me. You're always helping me out."

"That's what friends are for."

"But you girls, are more than friends. You're like a family. Always watching each others backs." Rainbow trotted into the spare bed.

Twilight smiled. "You're a great friend too."

Twilight walked over to her bed, and clambered in.

As soon as her head touched the pillow, she fell asleep.