Tragedy of the Pegasi
A Tragic Fanfic by: Jakob1029
WARNING: This was written within 2 nights as I was very tired both nights. Missing details were corrected to the best of my tired mind's ability. This is also my first official fan fiction that I have written.
All credit to Hasbro and other companies for making such great characters.
Chapter 1: Urgency
It was a great day in Ponyville, possibly the best day Equestria had seen in centuries. Birds were singing, and animals were playing. Everypony was happy and joyous. All except for the famous pegasus pony of speed, Rainbow Dash. She was all over the sky that day. No-pony knew what she was doing or looking for, but it seemed urgent that she got to it.
It was urgent, VERY urgent. If this goal wasn't met by the day's end, she may be in big trouble, but no-pony else knew that.
"Oh no oh no oh no! What am I gonna do?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she frantically flew at amazing speeds across the sky. She finally landed on the front porch of her Cloud house and ran inside as quick as possible as if still searching for this item or whatever it is. "The tryouts are literally in an hour!" It came to her! Her homemade wonderbolt uniform, the one she used for a Nightmare Night. She checked the cloud chest she used for very important valuables. She clicked it open and threw everything out at lightning speed. She then hit the switch at the bottom. A small secret compartment opened up and she squealed in excitement. It wasn't necessary to the event, but it showed her dedication to the team. Rainbow slipped into the unusually well made suit and flew to the Cloudsdale Colosseum.
About half way there, something happened. Something was wrong, something unsettling. She had so much on her mind at that one moment. Her train of thought was stopped immediately by a wretched pain in her chest. She's never felt this before. It was absolutely terrible. So many new thoughts were going through her head. *Am I dying?! What's happening?! No! I have to keep going! To get to the tryouts!* She kept on, but the pain only persisted. She HAD to get to help. Her wings shut as she winced in pain. She clenched her chest tight and began her desent. This fall was nothing different other than the sense of emergency rushing through her. She'd come to one conclusion. She was having a heart-attack.
Chapter 2: A New Feeling
"Doctor!"
"Yes, Nurse?"
"Something's wrong, she's not breathing, but her heart is still beating."
"She's in shock, get the defibrillator. *Shkshkshk* CLEAR! *BzzKa*"
Rainbow shot up in excitement as a blast of energy surged through her. She wanted to flaunt her wings and fly off without thinking, but her wings were held back, restrained by something.
"Oh no ya don't! No flying for a while ya hear?"
"WHAT?! Are you insane? What happ-" Rainbow was cut off by the nurse violently.
"Calm down! If you get too excited, it'll happen again!"
"What happened?! Why am I in the hospital? Why did you tie off my wings?!"
"Just calm down and I'll tell you!"
" Alright... Fine... I'm calm." Rainbow Dash lowered herself back down and realized the pain she'd been ignoring this whole time. She grimaced at this.
"You... had a mid-air heart failure due to stress and adrenaline. and suddenly passed out mid-flight. We're amazed you survived the fall, but you'll need to be restrained for a while."
"How long is 'a while'?!"
"If I tell you will you extremely react?"
"I'll stay as calm as possible."
"2 years"
A single tear fell from Rainbows already worried face. She nearly exploded into tears as she climbed over to grab the nurse.
"NO! THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! ANYTHING BUT THAT! WHY 2 WHOLE YEARS?!" She continued on at the top of her lungs and a few more nurse/doctors piles in the room to restrain her. They stuck a needle in her lower chest and she convulsed in pain at first, but she settled at an incredible rate. Her eyes shut and she passed out. She was out cold.
Chapter 3: Familiar Faces
Rainbow had a new life starting that day and she had to accept that. Everyday when visiting hours came along, it was as if she didn't know anypony, because no-pony came to see her. At first she thought, *Maybe they're in mourning and they couldn't bear to see me like this*, but even then a month later they still didn't come. She started thinking, *They must not really be my friends I guess... It's sad really. Now that I look back on my life, I was nothing without them an-*. Her train of thought was cut off by nurse calling to her.
"Miss Dash? You have visitors!"
"...They do care."
She was in disbelief at first, but it was a great relief to see her friends all walk in with caring smiles and get well gifts.The silence was extremely awkward. Surprisingly, Fluttershy broke the silence.
"Hi... Rainbow... I never would have thought..." She began whimpering to incomprehensible levels at this point, but that was all that Rainbow needed to know that, that was her fellow pegasus friend.
Applejack decided to speak up.
"What she's wantin' tah say Rainbow, is that we never would've expected somepony as fit and strong as you to get this kinda problem." Rainbow intervened.
"Why couldn't you guys come see me earlier?! It's been a month since I was put away in this place and where were you guys?!" She was getting louder and angrier.
"Miss Dash! Calm down!" Two of the nurse hands barged in and restrained her. She cooperated this time. They didn't have to knock her out this time. Rarity decided to give an answer.
"Well... We didn't come to see you because... we didn't think it could actually be someone like you! All of us refused to believe it, but we waited weeks for you to come back. It hurts us to know you won't be able to leave for 2 years!" This actually sent Rarity into tears just thinking about it. Rainbow hadn't realized that she meant that much to them.
Twilight seemed to be looking somewhere else as if not wanting to look at her incapacitated friend, or caring for that matter. Rainbow called out to her.
"Twilight? What's wrong? Didn't you come here to see me?"
Twilight tried to ignore the voice beckoning her to look. She couldn't bear to see one of her friends bed-ridden like this, especially Rainbow Dash. She finally took the initiative to take a glance. The rainbow mane gave it away. It was Rainbow Dash. Her one friend that she never would've seen in a hospital, let alone as one of the patients.
They both stared at each other for a good minute before Twilight almost sprinted over to hug the crippled pegasus. This hug lasted a while, but during the hug, Twilight whispered something into Rainbow's ear.
"They told us not to tell you, but... They're keeping you here for another year..."
Rainbow's arms fell and she nearly died at that statement. She wanted to die the second she heard that. Something was wrong though. Why would they keep her here for 3 years for a measly heart attack? She realized why Twilight didn't want to see her knowing that it would be the last time she'd see her, but in a pathetic state.
"...Why? WHY ANOTHER YEAR?! IT WAS JUST A HEART ATTACK! MOST PONIES CAN RECOVER FROM SOMETHING LIKE THIS WITHIN A FEW WEEKS!" She ranted on loud and angered. Her friends were scared, not knowing what to do. As always, the nurses came barging in to calm her. This wasn't the case this time. As they attempted to restrain her, the ropes on her wings loosened giving her some leeway. She pomfed her wings and this very action sent everypony in the room flying in a gust of wind. Her wings hadn't been free in so long. She decided it was time to get out of this wretched hospital. She broke out and flew as far as one from the hospital could see.
Chapter 4: Finding Answers
She had to go somewhere. She was flying, but to an unknown destination. Who was the first person she could go to for help? Twilight? No she couldn't go see her friends after what just happened. The Wonderbolts! The rainbow maned flier passed through the skies at breakneck speed, almost fast enough for a sonic rainboom. She was mad, depressed, and confused, but she just wanted to get to the Wonderbolts.
She checked high and low. She even flew over Ponyville, but the streets were blank as if a phantom had taken everypony away. She took ground in the town square and looked around. Everypony was closing their windows and locking their doors as if she were Zecora when they hadn't know her. This mildly angered Dash even further. It also confused her. She decided some yelling would get their attention.
"WHAT'S WRONG EVERYPONY?! IT'S JUST ME RAINBOW DASH! COME OUT AND TALK TO ME!"
This merely cause more townsponies to hide deeper in their houses. Rainbow was in major pain. Not physically, but she was being mentally tortured at this point. She ran to Sugar Cube Corner at charging speed. With a single buck, the door unhinged and flew to the back wall.
"MR. CAKE?! MRS. CAKE?! COME OUT AND TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON!"
No response. Rainbow was in an uncontrollable rage at this point. She began vandalising the shop. Kicking display cases, destroying beams that hold the place together. With enough power out of pure anger, she completely demolished what was Pinkie Pie and Mr./Mrs. Cake's house. She went back to town square and began furiously screaming again.
"LAST CHANCE CITIZENS OF PONYVILLE! DO YOU WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO YOUR OWN HOME?! GET OUT HERE AND TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON! STOP KEEPING YOUR SECRETS FROM ME!"
Suddenly, in a flash of blue light she appeared somewhere she hadn't seen in a long time. Somewhere she didn't want to see. It was the graveyard in Cloudsdale.
Chapter 5: Explanation
She was standing face to face with the one pony she could never speak down to. Not in a million years would she disgrace this one pony. Her rage vanished as she stood in awe at the form standing before her. It was the one and only Princess Celestia. Out from behind her emerged her sister. They both had an angered expression that quickly turned to sorrow and grief.
Rainbow bowed to the royal sisters with great haste. Celestia broke the unnerving silence.
"Rainbow Dash! Look me in the eyes."
Rainbow immediately propped herself onto all fours and stared into the Princess's intimidating eyes. Rainbow hadn't realized what area of the yard of the dead they were in. The two princess' were standing in the way of a monumental grave that Rainbow would never expect to see in her life time.The headstone stood at about 4' and was carved into the form of a lightning bolt with wings protruding from it.
It was the Wonderbolts.
"Impossible..." Rainbow spoke the second she saw the grave-marker. It was as if her world were being taken right out from under her.
"We both know what you're thinking Miss Dash. This is the reason we had to leave you in the hospital for so long." Celestia said in a sorrowful voice. Luna continued.
"We expected you to forget all about them if you were to be out of the way for a great time."
"So you just decided to hold me in a miserable hospital for 3 years?!"
"We didn't figure THIS would happen, you destroyed somepony's house! We decided if you saw this you would destroy Ponyville, or even... yourself."
"The reason everypony was hiding was for... my own well-being?"
"We told them to, that under any circumstance, not tell you of this terrible incident... Don't think you're the only one affected by this either. All of cloudsdale went into a great depression. The rainbows went dim and the weather ponies hardly cleared the skies. You probably noticed how gloomy everything appeared." Both princesses were losing their royal tone to a saddened, ghastly voice. Rainbow Dash appeared calm and attentive at this point.
"So... How did it happen?" Rainbow asked silently. Celestia spoke.
"Shortly after your... incident, it was as if the entire pegasus race was being assaulted that day, including the one that looked up to you most..."
"...Scootaloo? What happened to her?! Please tell me!" Rainbow had a crack in her voice representing her sadness.
Celestia spoke with a grimace in her tone. "Shortly after you recovered, all of the ponies that were banished to the Everfree Forest revolted. They decided that the Pegasus race was their biggest threat at the time and they decided to attack Cloudsdale. We were lucky that they didn't make it to the hospital that you were being taken to. This assault was during the Wonderbolt tryouts and got the colosseum first. It was completely obliterated. Had you been there during the tryouts, you could have been killed. The only casualties were the beloved Wonderbolts and your dearest Scootaloo. They were the only ones in the range of the first blast anyway."
"What do you mean 'first blast'?"
"Their unicorns used a very aggressive magic that could somehow penetrate clouds. Shortly after, we arrived and imprisoned all of them in an extra-dimensional space. The Everfree Forest wasn't good enough to hold them. Exactly one week later, we had a burial session for them. We relented to tell you, because we expected the worst from you, but I think telling you would've been a good thing at this point."
"Please... Stop... I can't take all of this in at once. Could you please leave? I'd like to be alone. Also, where's the kid's grave?" Rainbow sobbed.
Celestia pointed her in the direction of Scootaloo's grave-marker. It was a classic headstone. Most were carved into the shape of the pony's cutie mark, but this wasn't the case. She never got her special talent. Dying before learning what you're destined to be is like being stillborn. Never getting a chance to actually live the way you should.
The princesses were gone in a flash and Rainbow was left to herself to do some thinking.
*Hmph... I guess I am lucky to even be alive... Not only the heart attack, but the fall should have done me in. Just like the Princess said, it's as if the entire Pegasus race were being assaulted that day. When you think about it, I cheated death, but was it worth it? Scoots was gonna watch me that day. Watch my tryouts for the Wonderbolts. The Wonderbolts are gone now. I have no one to look up to. No... Parents... No... Idols... Well, at least I still have my friends.*
Chapter 6: Reunion
The mentally ruined pegasus pony flew back to Ponyville at a depressing rate. The second she landed, she was greeted by a few familiar ponies. All of her friends ran up and gave her the biggest hug she's ever received in years. She's never felt happier to know that people still care about her. She no longer felt robbed of her life. After the incident with Sugar Cube Corner, she thought that they'd never forgive her. Surprisingly they'd already had it rebuilt by the time she'd arrived. It was as if she had never even touched the place. Rainbow Dash, lightly tearing up decided to speak up.
"Guys... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to over-react or anything. It's just... It's. Just.-" Pinkie interrupted, "You don't need to be sorry! We're the ones who should be apologizing, silly filly!"
"Pinkie?! Don't be sorry for me! I destroyed your own home and shelter!-"
"Well it's a good thing nopony was inside... Except for Gummy..."
"...Pinkie... I-"
"Don't worry about it! You weren't thinking when it happened, and Gummy was only a pet, right?"
"No, Pinkie. I can't live without repaying you. Gummy was more than a pet! He was your companion... He looked to up you... You were his... idol..." Rainbow lost herself in her thought.
*Scootaloo... I can't help but remind myself that she really looked up to me... Scootaloo was to me as I was to the Wonderbolts.* Rainbow began to cry again.
"Rainbow Dash? Why... Why are you crying?" Fluttershy whispered. Rainbow bursted into a full out cry, buried her face into her hooves and whimpered one name.
"...Scootaloo...", she repeated a few times before the rest caught on. Fluttershy immediately broke into tears along with her pegasus counter part. Twilight summed up the courage to start talking.
"Guys, calm down. Seriously. We had something planned for you Rainbow." Pinkie jumped for joy at this. She started up as well.
"You guys, don't be sad! I know that Scootaloo is a major loss, but if you dwell on it, you won't be a happy mare! It's why I don't want to keep going on about Gummy. It only makes a pony sad to think about death. Think about how the other little crusaders felt when they found out about Scootaloo. They were devastated. All of this suffering is kinda depressing ya know?! So drop those mopey wopey attitudes and let's party!!!"
The two pegasi stopped crying and came to realization of what Pinkie just said.
"Pinkie... You're right... Thinking about this loss only makes things worse. All we need to know is that Rainbow is fine and well. As for Scootaloo... She'll be in our hearts forever." Fluttershy spoke in a full tone.
Chapter 7: Epilogue
This party was like no other. Pinkie went all out on this one. By the end of it, everypony had completely forgotten about all of their worries and was as cheerful as could be, she'd also invited almost everypony in ponyville. Some didn't show for obvious reasons. Mourning, depression, etc.
Rainbow Dash came home to a new life. A letter on her doorstep. It was from Princess Celestia herself. The letter was made of the silkiest golden paper anypony had ever seen. She opened it and suddenly a poof of smoke appeared before her. When it cleared, she wanted to scream out of pure joy. It was a Wonderbolt suit and goggles. Atop the suit was yet another letter. It read as follows.
Dear Miss Rainbow Dash,
This great loss has devastated many, including yourself. We would be honored for you to continue the legend of the Wonderbolts. We won't be disappointed if you decline. We can find someone else.
Rainbow accepted and continued her life as captain of the Wonderbolts, and surprisingly, Fluttershy tagged along as co-captain. If you can get her moving she may even be faster than Rainbow Dash herself. Life for everypony else went on as usual. The other 4 ponies of the bunch occasionally were visited by the two pegasi.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders found a new friend to help them find their cutie marks, a young colt named Terry. He was nearly an exact replica of Scootaloo. Same personality, same fur and hair color, same age even. He also decided to take Rainbow Dash as his idol. It was as if Scootaloo never left.
Most of Cloudsdale recovered right after the attack. The Pegasi are a hardy race. The colloseum was actually rebuilt that exact day. Gargantuan monuments were built in remeberence to the beloved Wonderbolts.
It was truly a miracle that anypony recovered from this 'Tragedy of the Pegasi'.
The End.
