A Rainbow Redemption

The cyan pegasus woke slowly, groggy her mind fogged by a splitting head ache. Rainbow Dash opened her eyes ever so slightly, the light burning. For a moment she was confused, not knowing where she was or why she was there. But slowly the memories came back and so to did the recognition, she was in Fluttershy’s Cottage.

“Ugh” she groaned as she rolled on her side, her whole body ached as her stomach betrayed her and she vomited on the floor. Missing the bucket that was next to the couch by little more than a foot.

“Ohh no, Dashie” Fluttershy squeaked as she walked into the room holding a plate with two cups of steaming tea. Quickly placing the tray on the little coffee table in the center of the room she ran to Rainbow’s side and put a comforting hoof on her as she dry heaved and groaned.

Whispering “Shh, it going to be alright” into the pained pegasus’ ear.

Rainbow hardly remembered anything from last night; her whole mind was but a bank of fog, cloudy every thought.

“Uhh, what happened” Rainbow Dash said weakly.

“I found you wandering last night and uhh, you were in such bad shape I just couldn’t let you be alone, I had to help...” the little yellow pegasus said sadly.

It was then that it hit her, the fog was gone, her mind was clear. Rainbow remembered why she was out last night, why she had been drinking so heavily. She started to cry softly, putting her face down into the pillow. Her dreams, her life, everything she stood for and fought for was gone. They had all been right about her.

“Dashie, what happened, I’ve never seen you get this bad” Fluttershy said with great sympathy.

Looking out of the pillow she barely whispered “I-I didn’t make it”.

Fluttershy gasped “Oh my you poor dear, I’m so sorry”. She held Rainbow in a comforting embrace. “I was so sure you would ace the try outs, what happened... uhh, if you don’t mind that is.”

“I don’t what to talk about it” Rainbow Dash cried in a pained tone, mixed with the slightest bit of anger.

“I’m sure you did your best, Dashie. I bet it was great, even if those judges didn’t think so” Fluttershy said, trying to comfort her friend.

But that was the worst things she could have said at the moment and it only caused Rainbow even greater pain.

“Your right, it was my best and that’s the problem! Those other pegasi beat me, and I’m the only one to blame!” she cried out in anger, mostly directed towards herself.

“Uhh, oh no, that’s not what I meant, I...

“No, I know, I’m sorry. I wasn’t angry at you, Shy; it’s not your fault. It just hurt so much to hear those names get called out and not have mine be one of them, you know.”

Rainbow Dash had left Ponyville not long ago for the Wonderbolt’s audition, as they only happened when one of the old Wonderbolt’s retires, so this was literally a once in a life time opportunity. She wasn’t supposed to be back for a more few days, if she made it to the finals that is. But she hadn’t made it to the top 3, it didn’t make sense to her but that didn’t matter, she hadn’t made it. She wouldn’t become a Wonderbolt, her dream was dead. While Fluttershy knew how much becoming a Wonderbolt meant to her, just like everypony else. She didn’t truly know what it meant to Rainbow or why she had the dream to begin with.

Twilight was up relatively early that morning and she went straight to work getting ready to leave, something was horribly wrong with her friend and she had to help. Recalling the look of utter sadness and despair in Rainbow’s eyes and the touch of fear in Fluttershy’s. It scared her, she had never seen that side of her friend and now she wondered if any of her other friends were troubled like Rainbow.

“Ahh, stop it Twilight, your jumping to conclusions again, remember what happened last time” Remembering the time she had convinced herself that Celestia would send her back to magic kindergarten for being tardy, she chuckled at the thought of how absurd that really was.

Having finished brushing her mane and the rest of her morning routine she made her way down stairs in to the library proper and called out to her assistant, Spike.

“Spike, I’m going to leave for a little while can you watch the library for me”

“Sure thing” she heard the baby dragon respond from the kitchen, his response sounding muffled like he had something in his mouth. Walking out of the kitchen face smeared with frosting, Ahh that explains it, he wiped it off of his face and continued, “Whach ya leavin’ for anyway”.

“I’m just going to talk to Fluttershy, for a little while” Twilight replied casually.

“Is this about that thing with Rainbow Dash last night?”

“You saw that?” Twilight asked with a mixture of worry and confusion.

“Ya, you’re not as quiet as you like to think, Twi.”

“Whatever” Twilight responded waving Spike off dismissively, “But yes it is about that, I’m worried about Rainbow.”

“Ya me too, I couldn’t really tell what was going on from the window but Dash seemed really upset. I hope it’s nothing too serious” He said worriedly.

Twilight’s face fell a little at this, “Me to Spike, me too”, sadness creeping into her voice. At this she turned to the door, walked out of the library leaving it in the somewhat capable hands of Spike. Starting the short journey out of Ponyville and to Fluttershy’s little cottage by the edge of the Everfree forest.

Fluttershy warmed the tea she had made earlier which had been forgotten while she was trying to comfort Rainbow. Passing a cup to her friend they sat in silence for some time, while Rainbow recovered. Just enjoying the peace, which was something Rainbow did very rarely. Fluttershy was first to speak up.

“Uhh, Dash” she said in her usual timid voice.

“Ya, Shy” Rainbow replied, looking up at the mare sitting before her, with a hint of curiosity but with that ever present sadness still in her eyes.

“I’m uhh... supposed to go talk to Twilight today, if that’s ok with you” she began quietly but gained a little more confidence as she continued, “And I think you should stay here and rest. After last night you really need it.”

Rainbow sighed “Ya, I think your right” then she gave a weak laugh, “besides my head is still killing me”. Fluttershy returned with a smile just as weak. “Now you go and get out of here, don’t want to keep that crazy mare waiting do you”.

Fluttershy was walking slowly through the Ponyville market, thoughts of Rainbow weighing heavily on her head. She was so devastated by not making it to the finals, but at least she seemed to have gotten a little better by the time she had left. Fluttershy let her mind wander as she walked towards Twilights “treebrary” when she her somepony call out to her.

“Hey Fluttershy, I was just coming over to see you” It was Twilight and she didn’t seem particularly happy. The coming conversation was not something either of them were looking forward to, but it had to be done.

“Ohh hi, Twilight” Fluttershy returned shyly. “I umm, think it would be best if we talk at your house, if that’s alright with you. It’s just that Dash is stay at the cottage while she is getting better and...”

“Say no more, I understand. So shall we then”

“Oh yes, of course”

The two began walking towards the library, Twilight looking somewhat anxious but Fluttershy was first to speak up “So umm, about Rainbow last night...”

“Ya, what was that all about, I didn’t even know that she drank, let alone ever get like that” Twilight interrupted.

“Oh well she doesn’t usually get that bad, but...”

“Wait usually” Twilight interrupted again with a worriedly tone, “You mean she has done this before”.

“Uhh yes, but only a few times that I know of, mostly from when we were in school together, it hasn’t happened in a few years though.”

“In a few years?” Twilight questioned.

“I think we should wait until we are inside for this part, I don’t want anypony else hearing. I really shouldn’t be telling you this either, Dashie would be mad at me, but this a dire.”

“Well ok then, were not far now”

The two walked the rest of the distance to Twilights home in silence, passing only a few other ponies on the street. Despite her silence Twilight was burning on the inside, wondering what could be so bad that Rainbow kept it a secret from all of them. Rainbow Dash had never really talked about her past or her family, the only thing Twilight had ever heard was her Cutie Mark story. But she never put too much though into it as it just seemed like that was just Rainbow Dash’s way, Rainbow never did like talking about the “mushy stuff”, as she put it. Twilight mused over these thoughts as the two friends drew closer to the giant tree in the middle of town. Once at the library door, Twilight simply pushed the door open without a word and let Fluttershy in. Following her in Twilight motioned for Fluttershy to take a set at the table in her kitchen as she began preparing some tea.

“Twilight, your back early” said a surprised Spike, having expected her back at least a few hours after she left, not just a few minutes.

“I ran into Fluttershy on the way there and we decided that it would be better to talk here. Speaking of which, Spike can you give us a little privacy, you can go to Rarity's while I’m talking to Fluttershy”. At the mention of Rarity Spike perked up a little.

“Ok, that sounds nice, you have a fun Twilight”, he said quickly while turning to leave. Not too excitedly as he still remembered what the meeting the two were having was for but getting the day off to go see Rarity countered at least some of those thoughts.

“Would you like a cup of tea” twilight asked now that they were alone.

“Uhh, yes please, if it isn’t a bother” Fluttershy returned shyly.

While preparing a second cup for Fluttershy she decided it was time to continue their conversation about Rainbow Dash. “So you were saying something about when you two were in school few years ago.”

“Oh yes. Well you see, back in Cloudsdale, before we came to Ponyville she use to drink often. Usually not too bad but there were a few times were she came into our dorm, we lived together at the school, and she would be uhh, crying. Please don’t tell her I told you that” She added hurriedly. “She hardly ever cried and when she did I knew it was something very bad, but she would never tell me. So I would just hold her and try and comfort her…” The tea being finished Twilight hoofed a cup to Fluttershy, thanking her Fluttershy continued. “But she would leave and disappear until usually a little before sunrise, hardly able to hold herself up. It was horrible, I felt so useless not being able to help her.” Fluttershy began to tear up as the memories of those nights returned to her. Hours holding Rainbow Dash and helping when she passed out or cleaning up whenever she would vomit.

“Really you had no idea why she was so upset” Twilight questioned. “Surely there must have been something you noticed, people at school, her family, something going on with one of her other friends.”

“Well the kids at school were always mean to us Rainbow got most of it because she would stand up to them, so they would usually go after her more. But they never made her that upset, usually she would just get angry. Other than that I really don’t know, she never talked about her family, I never saw any of them and I was her only friend that I know of.”

“Why didn’t you tell any of use this before, we could have helped her before this happened again?” Twilight asked.

“It hadn’t happened for years, I thought she was better and she told me never to tell anyone...”

Twilight began to think about why Rainbow would have gone and gotten so drunk for the first time in years,wasn’t she was still supposed to be in Cloudsdale . Her eyes widened as the realization hit her, “Dear Celestia she didn’t make the Wonderbolts did she”. Fluttershy only looked down at her hooves, a look of heavy sadness crossing her face. This was the only answer Twilight needed.