It was dawn. The gentle indigo sky slowing glowing with orange and gold flames as a great bright orb began to rise into the moonlit sky. A light mist rose from the hills and the the critters began to wake. Dew drops sparkled under the light. A scent of wet grass and morning mist floated around every town. Barely anypony was out this early into the day. A couple of shopkeepers and ponies readying the market. Fillies and colts were still asleep, waiting and dreading the next day of school. A certain boutique, although a complete mess of stray material, it was filled with sparkling sequins and beautiful dresses on white mannequins, it was awfully silent. And so was a bakery in the middle of Ponyville. And a cottage by the Everfree Forest. An amber earth pony was wide awake as it was normal for her to be this early. Along with her brother. And started to work with trees in the dear orchard they own and love. A large hollowed out tree sat quietly, near town hall. Bearing two sleeping alicorns, a dragon and two princesses awake as they welcomed the new day. A large cloud house floated atop of a small hill. Inside was a sleeping pegasus stallion and a pegasus mare. Who was now wide awake and was placing a black cloak over her. The shadowed mare glanced at a slightly ajar door as she trotted out. She quietly and slowly opened the fluffy white door. As soon as her eyes met the pony the within, her heart melted.

Laying belly down on a bed was Soarin. His wings twitching and spread out, across his ice blue body. His usually windswept mane, ragged and drooping over his gently closed eyes. His foreleg hung over the edge of the bed and his mouth was slightly open. Saliva dribbled from his mouth and onto the pillow. Rainbow managed to make out what the stallion was mumbling in his sleep. Words like 'apple pie' and 'with a crusty pastry'. Dash smiled sweetly at the scene but mentally slapped herself.

"Quit it, you stupid mare! You're going soft!"

"Am I?"

"Of course! You haven't properly killed anypony in weeks or months. And this stupid stallion is just making you softer."

"I don't think-"

"You don't think? You don't think?! Open your eyes!! You are falling in love with this stallion. Stop it!"

"But-"

"But what? Hmm? Do you want to have heart ripped out?"

"What? No. It's just that-"

"Just nothing! You the think you're tough and cold and all, but you're not. You're like glass, Rainbow. And you've barely put yourself together again since the day Thunderlane died."

"..."

"Listen. Your heart, it's weaker than glass. Weaker than the most thinnest glass ever. And it was already cracked. When Thunderlane died that was the breaking point, Rainbow. You smashed completely. And although you and your friends tried to pick up the pieces and put them back into place, it wasn't right. It always fell apart again."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that if you let Soarin into your life, into your heart, it would break. Smash. And it wouldn't be repairable. Wasn't the pain from your family and Thunderlane enough?"

"...yes."

"So, leave him. He's nothing but another friend. Another pony who is innocent in this whole thing. Along with everypony else. Now save all of them before it's too late."

"Okay then."

"What's that Fluttershy? I can't hear you!"

"Yes yes! Of course. Now bugger off. I've got work to do."

"Now that's the assassin, I know."

Rainbow shut the door and quietly fluttered out of the house. But she stopped at the doorway.

"Goodbye...Soarin." She whispered before jumping down and gliding through the crisp morning air.

~~~~~~

A bright light peeked through the nearly transparent curtains that were gently blowing with the breeze. The light danced through the curtains and onto the sleeping pony. His snores filling the emptiness of the lone cloud house. The sun's light warmed his skin. He fluttered his outstretched wings in delight. He then began to stir. His emerald green eyes snapped open and he shot up.

"Crap! What time is it?" The stallion tumbled out of the bed and fell down the stairs to the kitchen.
"Thank Celestia, this is a cloud house." Soarin muttered as he rubbed his wing. He quickly jumped up and zoomed out of the cloud towards the library.

~~~~~~

Meanwhile, on a small white cloud sat a golden mare. Her fiery orange mane messy and dangling over her face. Her strong wings rustled and drooping over her sleek and athletic body. Her eyes were red and sore. Her throat dry and croaky.

"I'm so sorry, Soarin. I just want you to love me." She croaked as she began to cry into her hooves. "I must have you."

~~~~~~

Knock-knock-knock.

"Sorry! The library is closed for today!" A feminine voice stated. "Please come back another day!"

"Princess Twilight! It's me! Soarin! Soarin Skies!! The Wonderbolt!!" The pegasus stallion frantically banged on the old wooden door. The knocks vibrating throughout the hollowed tree. "Please let me in!!"

"OHMYGOSH!! IT'S SOARIN!!"

"SOARIN!!"

"THE WONDERBOLT!!"

Soarin gasped as he banged his fist harder on the door.
"Your highness, please!" He begged as he leaned against the door.

"SOARIN WE LOVE YOU!!"

"SIGN MY FLANK!!"

Suddenly, the door opened. And Soarin fell inside, onto the hard floor boards. A bright pink light surrounded the tree, and as the screaming mares and stallions ran over, they hit the pink glowing barrier. Soarin rolled over and saw Princess Twilight. Her horn fizzed as it lit up with it's elegant magic. She smiled towards the young Wonderbolt.

"Please. Just call me Twilight. I'm a friend, not your superior." She soothed.

"Thanks, your high-I mean, Twilight. You saved my flank." Soarin shot up and glared at the mad ponies banging and screaming at the shield. All shouting his name.
"Urrg! They can be really annoying."

"Tell me about it." Twilight rolled her eyes as she giggled. The ponies trotted inside, ignoring the screams and shouts of the others outside.

"...w-where's Rainbow, Twilight?"

"She's gone. I haven't seen her all morning. She supposed to drop by. Oh, and Spitfire seems pretty upset." The purple pony hovered over cups of honey tea. Soarin nodded as he grabbed the cup with his wing.

"Don't mention her. I hate her." He growled before he sipped at the piping hot contents of the cup. Twilight gasped at this.

"What's happened? Why do you hate her?"

Soarin just mumbled under his breath. Twilight didn't hear what but just politely nodded her head. The two ponies sat in silence as they finished the contents of their cups.

"So...do you think Rainbow has killed them yet?"

"I have no idea. Neither do the others. Celestia and Luna returned to Canterlot. Cadence went back to the Crystal Empire. And the girls went home, along with the rest of The Wonderbolts. But I've heard nothing." Twilight turned away. Soarin gazed at the young princess. He could hear her slightly whimpering.

"Hey. Are you okay?" He asked in concern.

"I-I'm fine." Twilight sniffed. Soarin fluttered over, obviously not fooling for the princess's little lie, and hugged the violet alicorn. Who was surprised by the act. "W-what are you doing?"

"Don't cry, your highness."

"I can't help it. We've nearly lost Rainbow many times before, but..." Twilight pushed the stallion away. "We might finally lose her."

"You don't know that."

"Of course I do." She sighed. "We all love Rainbow. She's such good friend. She's loyal, determined, strong hearted, confident...she's everything. And although her harsh nature, being an assassin and all, she's still a lovely pony. We love to watch her perform her tricks and fly. Even though she doesn't train for the Wonderbolts. I-I just don't want her to go. Nopony does. We depend on her. Ponyville depends on her. Equestria depends on her. I-I-I...and I can't even help her. I feel so useless." Tears flowed freely down Twilight's cheeks. Soarin gave her a reassuring smile but she just continued to cry.

"Twilight. Rainbow...Rainbow is a good pony. And I'm sure she wouldn't want you to be upset over her."

"But she nearly died last time there was something this big! And I couldn't do anything! I'm a princess! And I can't even help my friends!! I'm useless!!" The mare sobbed. The pegasus sighed and patted her back.

"I felt useless the other night."

"How?"

"I'll tell you, just don't tell Rainbow I told you. And don't tell anyone else." Soarin whispered. Twilight snuffled but did the actions for a 'Pinkie Promise'. Crossing her heart, patting her back, and then placing her hoof over her eye. And nodded afterwards.

"A couple of nights ago, when Rainbow, Spitfire and I arrived at her house, Spitfire stormed off to her room, I went to my room and Rainbow went to the bathroom. She said she was going to be in there for awhile and I heard water running. After a while, I got hungry and went to get something to eat. And as I went to the kitchen, water was dripping through the cloud ceiling. I went upstairs and knocked on the door. When she didn't answer, I panicked. I then kicked the door door down. Rainbow was laying on the floor, completely soaked. Her eyes were shut and she wasn't breathing. But, I managed to perform CPR on her. She coughed up a lot of water and sat up. And I hugged her. I could tell she liked it but she flew off. Leaving me and Spitfire." Soarin explained.

"Oh my. Attempted murder of a master assassin is a very high offence. I bet it was the Lords. Trying to get rid of her." Twilight stood up and trotted to her desk. And began to levitate various objects like quills and paper. "I'll tell Celestia right away."

"No!"

The quills stopped scribbling and Twilight stared at the stallion.
"What?"

"It wasn't the Lords."

"What? Who was it then?"

"Spitfire."

"Spitfire?!"

"She confessed last night."

"She confessed?!"

"Yes! I saw Spitfire holding Rainbow down, but she wasn't struggling. Then I heard Spitfire saying that I was a good pony and stuff. And she slapped Rainbow. That's when she confessed."

"What did Rainbow do?"

"She said she would deal with it another time. She said she had bigger things on her plate."

"Indeed she does. But whatever she's planning, she won't succeed. She's weak." A voice teased. The two ponies turned to a shadowed pony by the doorway. "Rainbow Dash will lose. And The Creed will crash and burn along with her."

Author's Notes:

Sorry again for the late update. School is really frustrating me and I feel like jumping off a cliff. But I won't whinge on about me, it's about the story. I will try to update the story every week. Okay?

Comment any errors.

Hope you enjoyed it so far. :)

Oh and yes, Spitfire will continue to be a bitch.