Eyes of Grey
by Paton Pendeng
First published
Original Character Content within. Rainbow Dash is the fastest flier in Equestria, but what one pony sees as achievement, another might see with a different view.
Original Character Content.
Rainbow Dash loves her life. She has a good job, a good house, and most importantly the best friends a mare could ask for. She's also one of, if not, the fastest flier in all of Equestria. She made it into the WonderBolt Academy. She can even pull off a Sonic Rainboom!
But what one pony might define as "living the dream," another might consider a nightmare...
What happens when Rainbow Dash learns of somepony who was born fast? More importantly, what will she do if she hears that they reject it?
Black- to be devoid of light or color: dark.
Sonic RainDOOM
'Oh Celestia, why? Why did it have to be me?' the mare thought to herself. She had a pure black coat, mane and tail. The black mare tried as best she could to try and not shake in fear. She looked over the cloud and at the ground. 'Maybe if I cloudhop, I can still get away.' She bit her lip. Her heart sank and fear rose. There were no clouds below her. Just a straight drop. 'If I jump and just spread my wings to slow my descent, I might be able to make it with one broken leg,' she thought in sarcasm. The grey eyes in her head shrank and closed shut. Swallowing her fears, she forced back another spine-tingling shiver. She sat back trying not to make herself look as weak and feeble as possible.
"So," said a voice from behind her. "Are you nervous?" Her head turned, but she knew who it was. It was the cyan, rainbow-maned, pegasus that had come for her. The one who she hoped never to cross or to even be near. She was Rainbow Dash, and she wanted to race against her.
Now, the black pegasus in question was not afraid of heights. That would be ridiculous! Imagine, a pony who was made to travel the world by flight, but took the train because she got the chills everytime she went past 30 feet. No, this mare was not afraid of heights. She had tachophobia. The fear of moving at high speeds.
The black mare put a fake smile on and nodded, thinking about the events that led up to this very moment.
She came to the small town of Ponyville in search of some mediocre job that she could do. Something that didn't require her to fly around too much. Something easy, like tax returns or rock farming. Something that she thought this small town could provide her with. She had tried in other small towns, but never really found anything that suited her requirements. The outlook was looking bleak for this town as well. She was low on bits and had no way to contact her family, not that she would've. She didn't like having to rely on others. At that moment, she dejectedly sauntered over to the Weather Management Department in the town hall.
With a final stamp of approval on her hastily made application, she was signed up. No turning back now. The job interviewer said that she made the cut, welcomed her to the team, and shuffled the black mare out the door. She left the building looking for the nearest hotel. She got a room that was well under her price range for one night. It wasn't going to be the crummiest place she would have to sleep in. Before she could make any further judgement, she fell onto the mattress wanting to just lie there and not think. It didn't work. She sighed and decided to make a plan. First, make enough money for a train ticket home. Second, leave. An overall simple plan. It was those plans however, that always seemed to backfire.
She woke up early, reporting directly to her job to meet the co-workers. They did what any other veteran employee would do in this situation: they played "initiation" with the fresh meat. They poked and prodded, making fun of her hair, eye color, mane- she had heard it all at this point. She went into the locker room, not knowing what to do, other than make herself look like she was doing something in her locker. When it was time to get her work, she tried sneaking out, but was blocked by a lilac pegasus with a wind-whipped snowy mane and wicked grin across her face.
"So your the new blood, eh?" she asked rhetorically. "Well, it's time I tell you the rules we got around here..." The black pegasus heard hoof-steps from behind her. She bowed her head, making eye-contact with the floor. "Rule one," the opressor said pullling her victims head to meet her gaze. "You look at me when I'm talking to you." The black mare pulled her head away and backed up. "Second, I'm head pony, always." She emphasized the last word. The black mare shoved past the lilac pony. She didn't care. She would do her job, check-out, and leave. After recieving her orders from a Weather team veteran named Cloud Kicker, she began the task trying to not go any faster than the slowest mare or stallion out there with her.
The job itself, was menial enough. Bust the clouds in the northern quadrant of the town. She glided over there and began her assault.It didn't go as well as she wanted it to. There were even a couple times where she felt like breaking down and bawling her eyes out, but the day passed quickly, and soon enough it was quitting time. She left and went to bed, crying her tears out at how miserable she felt. There was a point where the slowest mare was a stallion whose name she forgot. Thunderhumper, or something like that. He would move around so quickly, and effortlessly. She tried to pick up her speed a little, but ended up needing to fall into the cloud to stop herself. It was so embarassing, and the clique in the locker rooms lead by their overlord Cloudchaser, were already snickering before she came in. She cried herself to sleep.
The next few days went along relatively smoothly, with a few bumps and obstacles along the way. She at last made it to the last work day and that's when the boss- the sky blue, polychrome pegasus made her way into the locker rooms.
"Looks like we've got a long day ahead of us today," Rainbow said tossing a towel into her locker. At that moment, the black mare had been as casual as she possibly could to not draw any unwanted attention, and then left the first chance she got. When she turned to leave, she saw a clique-pony whisper something to Cloudchaser who got a devilish grin. After the sky was cleared, the black pegasus was about to fly back to check-out, quit her job, and recieve her paycheck.
"Hey!" she heard her boss call. Holding her breath she turned on the last cloud left in the sky and saw her flying toward her with Cloudchaser right behind. "I heard you're the new cloud patroler," she said.
"Y-yeah..." she said trying to figure out what she wanted.
"Aren't you also the one who said that you could beat me in a race?" she looked at her with an eyebrow raised.
Before the black mare could respond, Cloudchaser said, "Oh yeah, she's definatly the one I told you about." Cloudchaser had a triumphant smirk on her face. The black pegasus' ears fell back against her head as things spiraled downward from there.
Her ears were still flattened against her head. She looked to the sky and saw Cloudchaser, contently hovering in a gloating fashion. The black mare turned to Rainbow Dash. She was doing wing-pushups showing off her clear superiority.
"Now, I know that you're the new guy and all, but don't think for a second that I'll go easy on you," she said with her eyes closed still doing all sorts of preparations for their, hopefully, short lived race. "Before I whoop your flank, I wanna know your name," she ordered.
"M-Monochrome," was all she could say. She had wanted to say that she wanted to go home. She wanted to express how much of a crappy job she had. What she really wanted to do though, is shout every single curse that her Uncle Shanty had used in the navy. She wanted to, but her voice was in the constriction of fear that was starting to bubble to the surface.
"Alright Monochrome," she said cracking her neck in confidence. "You ready?"
Cloudchaser had drifted downward behind Monochrome. "Yeah, she's totally ready."
Rainbow Dash approached the edge of the cloud and Monochrome followed suit. Cloudchaser would count them off. Monochrome shivered violently. "Ready..." Rainbow Dash crouched into a starting position in a flash, making Monochrome jump into a shaking form of it. "Set." She shut her eyes and wondered if the fall would kill her if she didn't fly at all. "GO!" Rainbow Dash rocketed off the cloud leaving Cloudchaser with the black mare. "You should see-
The bully's sentence was cut off as a pair of huge, black wings unfurled themselves from under Monochrome's body and gave a powerful 'FLAP!' Monochrome was sent shooting off like her opponent.
Monchrome's wings beat in a slow rythym. She hoped that this would make her slow enough for a landing. Her hopes were literally dashed.
"Wow! You're pretty good!" She heard from beside her. Squinting her eyes open, she saw a cascade of objects rushing past her. Buildings, clouds (that were scheduled), and other pegasi. Her eyes looked beside her, and she saw the other mare, in her element. "You'll have to be better than this to beat me, though!" She swooped downward, and Monochrome, against her will, followed. They were aiming for the ground at a steep incline. Rainbow Dash was already recovering from the dive and shot back up into the sky. Monochrome only sat and watched in fear as the ground came closer and closer. At the last moment, she gave her wings a large thrust and she recovered. She kept flapping, and was soon neck in neck with her competitor/torturer. They kept climbing high into the sky. Rainbow Dash took a lead getting some distance between Monochrome and herself. Mono looked at her in confusion as she stopped, closed her eyes and began falling towards the planet below. Rainbow, being very well versed in flight had folded her winds inward. She began gaining speed at an alarming rate. Meanwhile, Monochrome had reached the point where the blue pegasus had began falling toward the ground. She did the only thing she knew: keep flapping. With a mighty gust caused in her wake, she zoomed past Rainbow Dash her eyes forced shut, hoping that this torment would stop. She blocked out every sense she had and concentrated on the sound of her own heart.
Thump-thump! Thump-thump! Thump-thump! Thump-thump! Thump-thump! Thump-th-- BOOM!
Her eyes shot open as she heard the earthshaking explosion from behind her. The world came flooding back, and she saw a rainbow fly past her and level out with ease. She noticed that it was going rather slo-
She froze and realized how fast she was going. She knew this speed all too well. Panicking, she tried to correct herself but it was already too late. The air around her hooves had formed a cone- a mach cone and felt her body being pressured from all sides. Then,
KA-BOOM!!!
For the second time that day, a Sonic Rainboom shattered the sky.
Rainbow heard a boom and looking back she saw something shoot right past her. Behind it was a sight she wasn't familiar with at this angle. It was a rainbow, and creating it was a tiny black dot. It took her a split second before she realized what was happening.
Monochrome's worst fears had come true. She broke the sound barrier, shattered the light spectrum, and had no idea how to slow down. All she wanted was a quiet job. That was all she asked for. She wanted a job to earn her money honestly. She even thought of getting one story house on the ground in a nice little neighborhood, maybe even getting a basement. Did the universe really hate her this much?Should she just give up? Yes. That was it. She just had to give up. In response she folded her wings underneath her belly and dropped. She saw in the blurred images a brown stallion with an hourglass cutie mark coming up very, very quickly. Monochrome recovered barely. She wanted to die, but not at another's expense. She sighed. She couldn't even get suicide right. She looked up and saw in the distance of the ever-moving horizon a chain of mountains. Maybe she could just crash into it, and maybe she could land in a dragon's horde where the reptile could get a nice little bite to eat. With her luck though, the reptile would get a stomach-ache. She rubbed her temples, trying to drown out that voice-
Voice?! She turned her head and saw a very overworked Rainbow Dash buzzing her wings like a humming bird. She was shouting something. She concentrated on her. "Slow! Down!" The other pegasus said.
"I can't!" Monochrome shouted back. A lump began materializing in the back of her throat. History was reapeating itself.
"What?!" Rainbow said, her eyebrows the only thing that indicated confusion.
"I CAN'T SLOW DOWN!" She cried. Tears now were rolling down her face, making her vision more blurry. "I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!" she repeated over and over.
"What?!"Rainbow Dash shifted between surprise and worry to determination. "Hang on! I'll be right back!" The rainbow pony disappeared from Mono's view and she cried once more at the destruction she would cause.
Rainbow Dash drastically dropped her speed as she aimed herself for the Golden Oaks Library. She landed running up to the door hammering on it with a flurry of knocks. She was panting heavily and sweat pouring from every inch of her body. Twilight answered and was about to say "Hey Rainbow Dash. What's up?" but changed it to "Rainbow, what's wrong? Are you alright?"
Dash in between breaths said, "Black pegasus... Racing... really...really good... I... totally winning... Rainboom... Another rainboom... out... out of..."Twilight's horn lit up and from in her libray's kitchen came a glass of water. It floated a few inches from Dash's face. She took it and gulped it down. After a few deep breaths, Rainbow looked twilight in the eye inhaling a for a long time.
"IwenttoworkthismorninglikeanynormaldaywhenCloudchasercomesovertomylockerandsaysthatanewponyintownwantstochallengemetoaraceandsoIsaid"Idon'tknow"butthenshesaysthatthisnewguycandoasonicrainboomandsoafterworkIconfrontMononchrometheonewhowantedtochallengemeandweraceallovertheplaceandsheisgoodTwilightImeanreallyreallygoodlikeshecankeepupwithmegoingsonicrainboomgoodwhichshedidbutIwasstilltotallywinnigbuthenshedoesasonicrainboomandflesrightpastmebutIcaughtupandtriedtellinghertoslowdownbutshesaysshecan'tandstartscryingaboutitImeanwhywouldshedoasonicrainboomifshecan'tslowdownandnowshe'sflyingallaroundtownwithnowayofstoppingandwe'reallinreallybigdangerbecauseifshecrashes, I don't know what will happen!" She threw her forlegs into the air to illustrate her point.
Twilight stood aghast. 'I wish Pinkie were here. She would've understood that,' Twilight thought. Pinkie was at her families' home visiting and would be back tomorrow. She was about to ask something when overhead, she saw a rainbow zig-zag over the rooftops of Ponyville. Then she understood, and before she could say, she was interrupted by a different rainbow.
"C'mon Twilight! I need your help to make this plan work!" Rainbow turned to look at the rainbow overhead. Her eyebrows arched up in worry.
"Uh... plan?" Twilight raised a skeptical eyebrow. Rainbow Dash wasn't the greatest when it came to making a plan.
"Yeah! I'll try and slow her down, and then you stop her with magic!" Rainbow flew off the ground a few feet and watched the rainbow zoom off.
"Rainbow, I don't-Wait..." She thought for a moment. "Actually, that might work."
"So, you'll help me?" Rainbow turned to her unicorn friend who nodded. "Great, you concentrate while try to catch her." With that, Dash took off after the rogue pegasus.
Monochrome was trying so hard to try and fly straight at the mountain, but it proved difficult to manuver at this speed. She thought about then to just nosedive and let her body liquify on impact. Her thoughts were interrupted by another boom and she looked around, fearing that she had done a double. She breathed in a moment of half-relief when she saw a familiar blue approaching fast. Soon, they were once again necak and neck.
"Okay, I'm going to try and slow you down!" Monochrome watched. "Do exactly as I do!" Rainbow Dash barely lifted her wings up and she instantly faded from view. A few seconds later, she appeared at Monochrome's side. "Got it?!" Monochrome nodded, and attempted to do what Dash did moments before. She barely angled her wings and slowly she began to spin.
"No no no no no no!" Mono chanted as she spun faster and faster. Meanwhile, the ponies of Ponyville looked up and saw a rainbow twist around and around and dart every direction in the sky. Some stared, others applauded, and some took pictures. Monochrome eventually leveled out and she shouted, "Bad idea! Bad idea!" Her terrifying reality was just made worse.
Dash rolled her eyes, and soon was directly above Monochrome. "Alright, I'm going to grab you!" She shouted below her. "I need you to fold your wings in as soon as I get a hold on you!"
Monochrome, terrified, slowly nodded. Rainbow reached out with her forlegs, wind fighting against her. She took hold of the black pegasus. In response, Monochrome folded her wings in. Dash grunted as she felt the wait of Monochrome in her grip. They soon straightened out.
On a hill, just outside of town, a house sat overlooking Ponyville. The house was in neither good or bad condition, but looked fairly used. A stallion, who had an odd shaped leaf for a cutie mark took a step outside of his door. Under his eyes were large dark, circles that would normally indicate lack of sleep. He looked at the town, hoping he could make it to the market. He had the munchies for some celery chips. Before he could his eyes widened and jaw fell. His eyes were transfixed on the sight above the town.
"D... double rainbow all the way!" he said his mouth forming a smile. "Oh my Celestia! Look at that rainbow!"
Rainbow felt the incredible strain on her wings, but she didn't care. She looked for Twilight. Something caught the corner of her eye and in the distance, she saw a bright familiar magenta glow eminate from the library. She made a wide turn.
"At the count of three!" Rainbow began. Monochrome turned her eyes upward. "I'm going to let go and I need you to NOT, I repeat, do NOT pull up! Okay?!"
Monochrome thought for a moment. Was she really aiding in her suicide? Although it was strange, she didn't turn her down. Swallowing back her fears, she closed her eyes and nodded. Rainbow acknowledged this and turned her wings upward slightly. The two began to slow down. Rainbow Dash gradually lifted her wings up and the soon left Rainboom speed. The target was approaching fast. "One!"
Monochrome tensed up."Two!"
Twilight concentrated all her magic into forming the pillow charm. Although useless in any other situation, in this case, she found a use. She waited expectantly, watching the two cascading color streams moving at her with great velocity.
"Three!" Rainbow let go and shot upward into the sky. Monochrome flew right into the middle of the spell and created a dent in it. Twilight rocked back. Her body tensed up as she tried holding the pony. She couldn't let go, not at the expense of somepony's life. She then heard a crackling ripping sound. The spell was breaking. Hastily, she poured more magic into it, but, like many things today, was too late. A sound of breaking glass was heard and the black pegasus flew out of the other side. Twilight fell forward, hearing a thud followed by another.
Rainbow Dash recovering looked down expecting her plan to have worked. Her enthusiasm was dashed away when she saw Twilight lying in the dirt with two large craters behind her. She went to help her friend first.
"Twilight! Are you... okay?" Twilight rubbed her temples. She had the worst headache she has had in a long time.
"Yeah. I'm fine, but..." She stood up and turned looking back at the craters. What she saw over after second crater was a black hing leg sticking upward. The two bolted to the other mare.
"Oh my-" Twilight placed a hoof in front of her mouth. The horrible, disfigured form she saw could only be barely recognized as a pegasus. All over the ground were black feathers. Rainbow looked in horror, her lunch wanting to escape from her stomach. She flew down towards her. "I'll get her to the hospital-
"NO!" Twilight stopped her by grabbing her tail with magic. "Don't touch her!"
"But she'll die if-
"She might get worse if you try to move her."
Rainbow hovered. She looked from the body to her friend. "Well, what are we supposed to do?!"
Twilight bit her bottom lip. Her horn sparked to life once more. The magic released from her horn and struck Monochrome.
"What'd you do?"
"Her body is now frozen in place, and I'm going to see if I can't teleport her." The black form floated in Twilight's magic. After concentrating for a second or two, they both disappeared into a bright flash of light. Rainbow Dash only stayed there for a full minute before jetting off in the direction of the hospital.
Author's Notes:
I had the thought of making a character that was parallel to Rainbow Dash in terms of Personality and physical traits. To me, Dash is the sort that will assume whatever makes sense to her. She's a speed-demon, an athelete, determined, competitive, social, egotistical, hot-headed, short-fused, obsessive, and of course, loyal.
With the exception of loyal, Monochrome is supposed to be the opposite.
(And, yes. The cutie marke is based off of Pink Floyd's album "Dark Side of the Moon")
I don't understand
Twilight Sparkle paced around the hospital lobby. Her mood was clearly visible. Her eyebrows were creased, bottom lip bitten, and her eyes shifted about. ’It’s okay,’ she thought. ’Maybe she’s just… Just taking the scenic route.’
Twilight appeared in the lobby of the emergency wing of the hospital. If the linoleum floor already had a large scorch mark in the middle of it, then the custodial staff needed a stern talking to. The unicorn clerk snapped to attention as she saw a mangled black shape. On instinct she slammed a button on her desk, and before Twilight could even say help, 3 doctors were already bursting through the doors. They were two unicorns who gingerly took the black mare from Twilight’s magical grasp, encasing her with their own. The third doctor was not a unicorn, but in fact an oddly familiar tan earth pony. He appeared to be using some sort of magical device that Twilight could not recognize. The clerk behind the desk had given Twilight a clipboard of medical documentation and submittal forms for emergency situations. The doors flew open once more as 2 rather muscular earth ponies wheeled in a gurney. The two unicorn doctors levitated the unconscious onto the gurney, while the clerk instructed Twilight on how to fill out the forms. The tan stallion, ’Time Turner was it?’, shouted an order that the purple unicorn did not expect to hear: “Patient requires immediate surgery.” She wanted to grab a glance at the mayhem, but the clerk shoved herself in front of Twilight’s view. She tapped her hoof against the clipboard, but Twilight could only hear a high pitched whine as the shouting turned to silence. She hastily filled out half the documentation which was enough for the clerk as it was yanked from her magical grasp. The last thing Twilight saw was the clerk handing the clipboard off to the tan stallion as he walked through the doors.
Twilight sat there for a moment. She slowly rose up and made her way to the doubled doors. Looking through the thin window, she could make out a long hallway with doors on either side. She placed a hoof against the door, when the world around her came back.
“You can’t go in there ‘mam,” said the clerk not looking up from a tabloid rag. Twilight let out a sigh. She heard the sound of a clock and looked for it. The clock was hanging above the doors to the emergency center. 5:20.
“When did I get here?” she asked aloud.
“About five minutes ago,” the clerk answered flat. The voice echoed in Twilight’s head. Was she really in here for only 5 minutes? It felt like more of a life time, but when she tried to recall the events leading up to this point, she could not. She was only briefly distracted by this, however when she realized, that Rainbow hadn’t arrived yet.
Twilight glanced back up at the clock. She stopped as all her attention was pointed at it. The long hand clicked. 6 minutes had passed and Rainbow was nowhere in sight. ’Where are you Rainbow Dash?’
Suddenly, the doors flew open as the pegasus in question burst through the doors. She stopped in the air as she returned the purple unicorn’s gaze.
“Where have you been? What took you so long?” Twilight winced as she spoke the last statement she didn’t want to say.
“Hey!” Rainbow replied in annoyance. “I flew through all the other areas of the hospital before getting here, so don’t badger me!”
“I’m not badgering you,” Twilight said in a commanding voice. “and it didn’t occur once as you were flying to check the Emergency Wing?”
“I’ve only ever been to the hospital here once. When I broke my wing, Remember?” she stated as calmly as she could. “Even then, I was stuck in my bed for most of it.” Rainbow floated to the ground. “Where is she anyway?”
Twilight bit her bottom lip again, and looked away.
“Did we make it in time?” Rainbow Dash showed a look of dread.
“I… I don’t know,” Twilight admitted. “One of the doctors said that she required immediate surgery though.” Her smile she put on did not improve Rainbow’s mood.
“S-surgery?” Rainbow sputtered. The tension hung in the silent air as Twilight nodded. “Surgery… is good, I guess…” she mumbled half-heartedly.
Rainbow took a seat in a plastic chair. It was probably designed to be the most uncomfortable chair in existence. The polychromatic Pegasus didn’t care. Her head was downcast. Twilight approached cautiously. Twilight phrased her words carefully.
“Don’t worry Rainbow Dash,” she said taking a seat next to her friend. These were obviously not the most appropriate of words as the Pegasus didn’t move an inch. “I won’t leave your side for a single moment.”
Rainbow looked up. "Really?" her voice cracked.
"Of course." She placed a reassuring hoof around her shoulder. "What are for friends for if they can't be there for each other?"
Rainbow returned the gesture. After the day she's had, she needed all the support she could get.
"Alright, now get off me," she said gently brushing off Twilight's embrace. "You'll get my coat all sappy." Twilight chuckled, happy that she got her friend to smile.
"Really?" Twilight said raising a skeptical eyebrow. "Then maybe you could tell me how this all happened." Before Rainbow could respond. "This time though, do you mind going less than 900 miles an hour?" Twilight laughed as the pegasus remembered. She started from the beginning...
Twilight was an excellent listener during the entire lenth of the story. At first, her face showed curiousity but as the story went on, it slowly shifted to a crossed expression.
"...and that's when I came to you," Rainbow finished putting forth a sheepish smile.
"Rainbow," Twilight said flatly.
"Yeah?"
"I have a few questions that need answering." Rainbow gulped.
"Uh... okay," she said twidling her hooves.
"First," Twilight began. She inhaled as if she were going to say something, but bit her lip, closed her eyes and rubbed her temples in frustration. "... when you were warming up for the race, did it ever strike you as odd that your "competitor" was shaking?"
"Not really," Rainbow said scratching the back of her head. "I thought she was nervous. After all," she flexed her foreleg. "I would be nervous if I went up against me."
"Okay..." The purple mare opened her eyes again. "Second: why did you race her in the first place?"
"She challenged me."
"Did she say it?"
"No, but Cloudchaser said that she was talking big in the locker rooms all last week," Rainbow said defensively.
The unicorn's gaze shifted to one of confusion, but the aggrevation in her voice carried through. "Well..." Twilight's voice trailed off.
"Twilight, I'm just as confused as you are," Rainbow sighed. "How could somepony whose talent is pulling off a Sonic Rainboom NOT know how to slow down, let alone land!?"
Twilight paused. Did she hear that right? "Wha...?"
"I didn't mention that?" Rainbow said looking at Twilight shake her head. "That's what I heard anyway..."
"From who- wait, let me guess," Twilight started. "Cloudchaser, right?"
"Yeah, and if you think about it," Rainbow said looking back in thought. "It makes sense."
"How do you mean?"
"Did you get a look at her-" Rainbow cut off realizing the dumb question. "Uh... nevermind. Let's just say that I saw what her talent was."
Twilight reflected on the information she absorbed setting a silence between the two. The idea of somepony else being able to pull off a rainboom was always a possibility, but to have a talent in making them was another kind of improbability. The receptionist at the desk had been eavesdropping on the two mares. She slid the tabloid down onto her desk, and pulled some paers out of a box labled "In." Taking a clipboard and pencil, she approached the mares clearing her throat to get their attention.
"Excuse me," she said flatly. "I assume the pegasus that came in was your friend?"
Rainbow Dash said, "Yeah..."
"Mind filling out these medical forms?" She levitated the clipboard of papers to the pegasus. "It's not that we don't have the information required, but more along the lines of some formalities," she stated shifting her eyes between the two. "Such as previous medical conditions, preexisting trauma..."
"Uh... I kinda just met her..." Rainbow Dass looked at the clerk's bemused gaze.
"Can you at least give me her name?"
"Yeah, her name's Monochrome." The pencil floating in her magic scribbled the name onto the clipboard.
"And yours?" she questioned without looking up.
"Rainbow Dash." The paper tore off and disappeared in poof of magic. The clerk went back to her desk sighing in her wake. Twilight glanced at the clock. It was 5:30. She was content to wait by her friend for however long it would take for them to finish.
Three and a half hours later...
Rainbow Dash was circling the lobby in impatience while Twilight was barely fending off her own.
"What's taking so long?!" Rainbow Dash finally shouted.
"These things take time," Twilight assured. Rainbow threw her hooves up frustration groaning. She had been bored before, but not like this. The pegasus was not used to staying in place for such a length of time. Although the aerial pacing helped relieve that itch to fly somewhat, she still craved that feeling of the wind in her mane. There were the unanswered questions rattling around her brain. Then, there was the worry that the surgery—
NO! She would not die. She is still alive. She just had to be! The doctors were just taking their sweet time about it.
Rainbow's train of thought was suddenly lost. Floating in the air, she turned to the only friend with her. Twilight had just stood up, stretching the pins and needles away.
The purple unicorn took a few tentative steps towards the pegasus. "Rainbow?"
Dash, fell to the floor. "Yeah?"
"It's getting late, and..." Twilight averted from Rainbow's gaze.
Sudden guilt of having dragged her friend into this finally set in the peagasus' mind. "It's alright, Twilight," Rainbow sighed. Twilight looked at the rainbow maned pony. "You need to make sure Spike hasn't eaten all the ice cream, right?" Rainbow's eyes were half lidded in understanding.
"Thanks, Rainbow," she said giving her friend a hug before trotting out into the night. Rainbow stood there for a few moments longer before going back to sit down. She waited another ten minutes, before the Emergency wing doors opened. A petite earth-pony nurse who was exactly the same color-scheme as Pinkie-Pie. She held a clipboard, which she scrutinized, and wore saddlebags.
"Miss... Rainbow Dash?" she called out into the empty waiting room. She looked around, much to Dash's surprise, intently. Silence followed as the pony called out again, "Rainbow Dash?"
"Uh... right here?" Rainbow said cautiously lifting a hoof.
"Oh!" she said with genuine surprise. "You can see your friend now," she said placing the clipboard in the saddlebags. Rainbow Dash shot up and landed directly in front of the nurse with relieved look of anticipation. "This way," she said way too cheerfully. Rainbow followed.
She was lead down hallway after hallway, before finally stopping at a door labled 042. She reached for the doorknob, but was stopped by the pink nurse.
"I must warn you," she began taking a cheerful and serious tone, a tone once thought impossible by Dash. "She is on some very high medication." The nurse released Rainbow's hoof. They exchanged looks for a moment before they stepped inside. Rainbow's heart sank.
She could hear the repetative heart moniter of the life support. Next to it was an IV, with a long, plastic thread leading to the pure black pegasus, lying belly down on the bed. Her hind legs faced the wall with each leg jutting out from the body. The wings were splayed with needles and bandages alike sticking out. They hung from the ceiling by metal clamps and twine. From what she could see, the body was covered in stitches with one long stitch going down the spine of the back. There were solid casts around all legs brilliant white standing out against the black fur. A metal neckbrace held her head up and in place bringing the rainbow pegasus' eyes to her face. From this side, half her mane was shaved with another long stitch in a crescent shape swapping between metal strips and thread in a sick and twisted manner.
What lie on the bed was a broken pegasus body.
Rainbow Dash never understood what the phrase "taking the wind out of your sails" meant until that point. Her breath was caught in her throat, unable to escape. Her hooves felt magnatized to the spot with wings and legs quivering under their own weight. Rainbow felt a scratchy lump materialize in the back of her throat.
"If you need anything, or something goes wrong..." Rainbow was snapped from her stupor. She glanced about regaining her surroundings. She turned her attention to the pink nurse. "...just ask!" The nurse finished.
"Thanks, uh..." Rainbow drolled awkwardly.
"Nurse Joy," the nurse finished. The pegasus nodded as the earth pony left.
Dash turned to the room. She saw a chair nearby and quickly took a seat. She looked at the endless night sky, her mind swirling with mixed emotions.
Monochrome felt a wave of dizziness first. It was as if she just came out of a twister. Her eyelids felt like they were glued shut. She squinted open and pain surged through her body. A high pitched whine droned in her ears as she did. She shut both eyes tightly waiting for the sharp needle-like pain in the back of her head to fade. When it did not, she tried once more making her eyes water. She saw color, but it was mostly bright, white light. As her pupils constricted tothe light, she saw greys anx beiges blob together. In the middle she saw a blue form. Straining her vision, she focused. Sound returned as she took a ragged breath inward.
She saw a familiar shape. A shape she knew and dreaded seeing again. 'Buck me, I can't die even if somepony helps me,' she thought as her heart rate increased. The Rainbow pegasus straightened once as the heart moniter increased. Silence permeated the room.
Rainbow was the first to speak up. "Uh... hi."
Monochrome stared at her. Rainbow Dash gave a sheepish smile. She did not do this sort of thing.
"Well, I guess I can cut to the chase," she said, figuring that the black pegasus was just as bewildered as she. "You're in Ponyville General, and uh... you just got out of surgery..."
Monochrome's hearing faded as he mind began panicking. She had nearly died, again nearly killed another, again. This time, though, she was alone. Nopony was there for her. Nopony to make the world go away. Nopony to make her feel safe. Her thought process was halted by sound returning again.
"... my friend, which kinda brings me to what I wanted to know," Rainbow Dash said feeling confidence slowly return.
Monochrome focused as best as she could.
"Why didn't you slow down?" Mono's heartbeat increased slowly, but Rainbow Dash payed it no heed. "I mean, it's just basic stuff and I know it's a rainboom-" her chest tightened as her eyes were on the breaking point. "-but if you're a pegasus that can do it, then you should now how to stop!" Rainbow Dash, back at full confifdence had anger return to her that hadn't shown up at during the event. "If you did it just to show off and you don't know how to control yourself at the speed, then I have to assume you were just trying to show off! It was reckless and stupid!" She was at a mild hover. "Challenging me to a race just to prove that you're faster?! Do you know how many ponies could've died if you crashed!?"
"I know..."
"And don't get me-"
"I! KNOW!!" Monochrome said between gritted teeth. Her erratic breathing only increased as her anxiety was released. She said in a hushed tone, "Don't you think I already know what I've done?"
Rainbow glared at her.
"And you think," she continued, her voice getting louder with every word. "That I?!!!! CHALLENGED YOU?!" Tears streamed from her place through a crazed look. "I NEVER WANTED TO RACE TO BEGIN WITH!!! I HATE RACING! I HATE MY JOB! I HATE THAT I CAN'T DO ANYTHING RIGHT!" she shouted as the heart moniter went crazy. "BUT MOST OF ALL!!!" Monochrome took one breath in as the shrinking form of Rainbow Dash backed into the chair.
"I HATE MYSELF ! I SHOULD BE DEAD FOR WHAT I'VE DONE!! I SHOULD BE SHOT, HEAD CHOPPED OFF AND MOUNTED ON A PIKE!!! I HATE THESE!-" she paused to rip her head from the metallic brace. Her casts cracked open as they extended to her wings as she torn open the stitches. pain flooded through her adding to the ongoing storm of self-loathing passion. "I HATE THESE STUPID, MOTHERBUCKING, DAMNEDABLE THINGS!!" Her eyes were ablaze with untold rage in the next statement. "I WISH I WOULD JUST DIE!!!"
Rainbow fell numb as the words sunk into her. The world around seemed to fade away. She didn't feel anything. She watched as three muscular ponies burst in attempting to restrain the mad pegasus on the bed. She didn't hear what was said, which was probably good. She found herself escorted out, by who she did not see. Her mind felt like it was going to burst out of either total shock or wild confusion. The words said by Monochrome kept repeating in her head like a record skipping. Her eyes tilted downward at the floor seeing through them and sat in the hall for an undiscernible amount of time. One thing was clear to her though:
For the first time in her life, Rainbow Dash did not want to fly ever again.
Author's Notes:
New chapter, finally!
The reason why I added Time Turner (or Doctor Whooves) is that the Doctor shows up at any crisis or emergency. I also wanted to make a pun on the whole "Doctor Doctor" thing.Pretty heavy chapter, if I must toot my own horn. I didn't want to rush, but I don't feel there is a lot I can still say. It's like wanting to tell someone what they got for christmas. I can't stand it! >_<
Advice
The wood creaked as a loud, thunderous boom echoed outside. The loud sound caused most of the animals to bound about the deck underneath. This was expected and was better than the alternative. They've been at sea for 23 days, and whatever food her husband packed had long since been eaten. She couldn't stand the sight of the couples starving. It tore her heart up inside. It was better for them to panic now than for them to remember their empty bellies. She shook herself. She shouldn't think that, even if it was true. Nothing, no matter how mean or cruel should have to suffer in any way. She picked herself up and trotted up the stairs to the deck above.
There, she found one of her three sons. It was her youngest, Shem, taking care of a small mouse who was feeling under the weather from their voyage. She still could hardly believe it. When her husband told her that Faust almighty came to him with the plans to build an ark ten thousand hoofbits high and ten thousand hoofbits long, she thought that he had given into the chaos in his heart. That night, an angel appeared to her in a vision and told her to remain ever-faithful in his judgment. Slowly, the ark was built before her eyes and finished on the day of the great flood. That same day, animals of all forms filed inside two-by-two. She was amazed and thrilled to see so many of them. Next to her family and faith, animals were where she felt her place in life should be. This teaching along with the teachings of the almighty were passed down to each son.
She ruffled her son's mane. Even though he was well into his adulthood, she couldn't help but see him as the same small bundle of joy that she held in her forelegs. It was hard sometimes to see that face that she had clean now a well managed beard. He turned to her and smiled. "It seems that the patient is doing just fine," he said. She nodded and moved to the top deck.
She rose from the threshold and saw him. She saw the stallion she had fallen in love with all those years ago even if he was a bit more wrinkly than she remembered. His once deep blue coat was now a dull and more grey. His robes, disheveled and salted by the sea hung loosely swinging with his beard in the breeze. His mane used to be a handsome gingered color, but was now tattered and white. He stood looking out the window into the world with his back to her. She sat beside him, draping her wing across his back. His eyes didn't budge. They were the only thing that remained after his youth. The were a soft lavender hue, but also had an unseen edge to them. They were truly a gaze that only a true father could give. He stared stalwartly out into the raging storm just outside the wooden hull. She nuzzled closer feeling his warmth through the robes.
"I'm sorry," he sighed after a long while. She looked to him. "I'm sorry for having you suffer through this." He closed his eyes. "This was a duty given to me by Her, and should be mine to do." He shook his head. She squeezed him gently.
"Don't beat yourself up. It isn't your fault. It isn't anyone's fault," she said delicately. "I stayed by your side because I have faith in you and in Her." She looked up at her husband. "I trust you."
He returned his gaze silently thanking her. They returned their gaze to the storm outside. A lightning bolt flashed in front of them-
Fluttershy sat up in her bed breathing heavily. Her room was dark, and she could scarcely remember the dream she had. She placed a hoof on her chest to prevent her heart from exploding from her chest. She inhaled deeply looking around the bedroom. She glanced at all the familiar shapes and sighed out in a slow breath. She did this several times before she had calmed herself. She assumed she had a terrible nightmare. Shaking her head and smiling to herself, she laid back down with her mind at ease.
She was about to drift back into the realm of dreams, when she heard a knock at her door. She waited, hoping that it was her imagination. After a few moments of silence, she closed her eyes. It came again. Fluttershy sat upright and waited for a second. For the third time, the noise resonated in her small little cottage. She slumped out of bed and lazily walked to the door. She rubbed a sleepy eye and opened it. Fluttershy made out a pair of crimson eyes shifting about nervously.
"Hey, Rainbow," she greeted with a yawn.
"Heh-hey Fluttershy," she said looking away. "Did I wake you?"
"Not at all-"
"'Cause, if I did," Rainbow interrupted turning around to fly off and bury herself in a cloud. "I-I could always come back tomorrow."
"No, you didn't wake me," The yellow mare said becoming more alert. "In fact, I was sort of already awake." Fluttershy was grateful for the cover of night. She didn't want her friend to see her shame. She mumbled out "...I think I had a nightmare."
Rainbow paused. She knew Fluttershy since the two were fillies. They had both been the torment of bullies. Dash had been the one to try and beat some sense into some of the colts who made fun of her and her friend, while Fluttershy had been the one to hold her back most of the time. The two formed a sisterly bond since then and shared secrets. They trusted each other, and Rainbow Dash was about throw it all away because of her nerves.
She mentally scolded herself.
"So... what's up?" Fluttershy asked.
Rainbow Dash took a deep breath in and faced her. "... I need to talk to you. I... don't really know who else to go to about..." Her voice was soft and trailed off as she concentrated on the ground. The cyan mare's mind was in a flux of emotions as she shifted about.
Fluttershy noticed the change in her mood almost immediately. "Come inside," she answered.
Rainbow tentatively took a few steps inside the cottage. Fluttershy found the magic powered lamp and flipped it on. Rainbow blinked in the bright light but found the couch and sat down. The yellow pegasus asked, "Would you like some tea?" Although she was not as gracious a host as Rarity, she still would try to make any guest feel comfortable. Rainbow Dash absent mindedly nodded.
Fluttershy disappeared in her kitchen, leaving Rainbow Dash alone. She could guess what was wrong. The rainbow maned pegasus was competitive, athletic and had a slightly bigger ego than most. That was a given, but other than that, she was aloof in certain topics. There was little that could make her this way now, but back in flight school, she would sometimes just fly off in the middle of a session. It was then that Fluttershy learned something about Dash. It changed their friendship forever.
~~~~~
"Dash, where were you?" The young pegasus asked. "You missed out on the flight test. You never miss those."
The smaller pegasus didn't look at her friend and mumbled. "Sorry..."
"Um... Dash? I-is there something wrong?" The timid pegasus asked leaning her head down to the other.
Dash sat there for a moment and suddenly looked up. Her eyes were wet with tears, and mane messy and unkempt. Her cheeks were red with tear stains, but not as red as those eyes. With a small voice, she asked "Do you think I'm pretty?"
~~~~~
It was just as shocking then as it was now. Not many didn't take Dash as an insecure one back then, and now. Fluttershy at the time thought she had figured Rainbow Dash out. Now though, she still was trying to unravel the mystery surrounding Rainbow Dash and her thoughts.
Fluttershy returned carrying a tray with tea kettles and cups. Her mind glinted with worry after seeing her that her friend hadn't moved an inch since she left. She was curled up on the sofa looking down at the coffee table. She set the tea tray on the table and took a seat adjacent to Rainbow. The silence sat heavily on them. Fluttershy would wait. If there was one thing about Rainbow Dash that she knew, it was that her friend had difficulty in expressing herself. She wouldn't pry. That would only scare her off like a small deer. Fluttershy would be patient and continue to be for however long it takes. She poured herself and Rainbow a small cup and took a small sip.
Time passed slowly around them until it came to a standstill. Fluttershy jumped a little after a grandfather clock sung the hour. Rainbow didn't move. Fluttershy wondered if her friend had fallen asleep. She bent down low and looked her in the eye. They were half-lidded and held a distant, featureless stare, as if she were in a trance. Dash sighed causing Fluttershy to recoil, nearly toppling the yellow mare over. Rainbow opened her mouth to say something, but shut it after shaking her head. Fluttershy set her cup down and proceeded to wait once more.
"I..." a small, raspy voice began. "...I think... that I nearly-" she stopped and raised her head to meet the other's. Fluttershy braced herself for whatever might come out of her friend. Dash swallowed a dry lump at the back of her throat. The yellow mare held her breath. She continued in a shaky tone, "I think that I nearly killed a mare."
The silence grew evermore still and deafening. Fluttershy blinked as thought ceased in her brain. Then, she snapped herself from the shock and asked, "Dash, are you drunk?"
"Wha-what?" Rainbow did double take as she put two and two together. "Why would you...?" Her voice trailed off as she rubbed her eyes. She took a deep breath. "This is serious..."
"I am serious!" Fluttershy cut off. She had heard many confessions from her friend over the years. Up until now, the craziest confession she heard was that Rainbow had tried meat once on a dare from Gilda. That secret disgusted and horrified her, but this one had blown it completely out of the water. "If you want my help, then I need to know..." Fluttershy's tone was stern and motherly to the cyan mare. She looked at her once more and sighed.
"No..." she groaned. "Let me start from the beginning." Fluttershy was about to interrupt before she saw the Rainbow had. It wasn't defensive, or annoyed. It was a pleading look that Fluttershy saw. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and nodded.
Rainbow explained the events leading to the black pegasus' crash. Fluttershy's face contorted into a neutral gaze.
"So, you feel guilty because you think you caused the crash?" Fluttershy asked rubbing a hoof under her chin.
"I don't think, I know I did," Rainbow Dash said letting her head drop into her hooves. "I just don't know what to do..."
"Well..." Fluttershy began. Her eyes rolled back in thought. After a second Rainbow looked at her in desperation. Fluttershy's mouth grew into a small grin. "I think I have the solution."
"R-really?" Rainbow Dash said perking up a bit.
"Yes." Fluttershy sat up and placed her hooves together. "The best thing you can do is to be there for her."
"What?"
"Well, think about it," Fluttershy said taking the teacup into her hooves. "how long were you waiting for the surgery to get done?"
"A few hours, why?" Rainbow dash scratched her head in confusion.
"Don't you think that somepony might've come in looking for her?"
Rainbow thought for a moment and it dawned on her. "Oh... my... gosh!" she whispered loudly.
"Now, why don't you-"
"I'm an idiot!" Rainbow interrupted getting up from the couch. She began pacing around the room with her mind in a tizzy. "I'm such a stupid, stupid, idiot!" she repeated.
"Oh, Rainbow. Don't be so hard on yourself. Why, anypony in your situation wouldn't have seen it either," Fluttershy attempted to soothe.
"No, Fluttershy. You don't get it." Rainbow turned on her. "I royaly bucked up this time!" She was trying especially hard to not cry.
"What do you mean?"
"I... I was there after the surgery. She just got out and I was stupid!" she said finally breaking down into tears. "I was the one who made her crash and I should've been kind to her, but I wasn't!"
"It couldn't have been that bad," Fluttershy said without confidence.
"You weren't there, 'shy," Rainbow's eyes widened remembering the events. "She...she said that she hated herself, and wanted to... to..." Rainbow's voice lost momentum.
Fluttershy's eyes went wide and quickly embraced the Pegasus. Dash struggled away but eventually gave into it. They sat there for a while before Rainbow pushed her away.
"Dash," the yellow mare began. "I know you might think that there is no going back, and I might never change your mind, but I can honestly say that the best thing you can do, is to apologize and be there."
"But what if-"
Fluttershy cut her off with a shake of her head. "It doesn't matter. The worst thing that can happen is that she doesn't accept it."
Silence dominated once more before the cyan mare spoke up.
You're right," she conceded. "I'm just being... uh..." Rainbow wiped away her tearstains trying to remember the word.
"Dramatic," Fluttershy aided. "Also, I think you forgot something." Rainbow looked at her friend curiously. "You were the one who helped her."
"Hey... yeah, that's right." Rainbow said feeling like her normal self again. "I mean, I was the only one who could, technically, but anypony else who could've would've saved her, right?"
Fluttershy nodded.
"Thanks, Fluttershy," she said giving a genuine smile. She gave the mare a quick hug. "Sometimes, I don't know how you can put up with me."
"Oh, it's no trouble really." She watched the mare walk to the door before an epiphany happened. "Where are you going?"
"To apologize, why?" Rainbow paused at the door.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Fluttershy said trying to suppress a giggle.
"Wha...?"
"It's past midnight, silly," Fluttershy pointed out.
"Oh..."
"Go home, and get some rest. In the morning, you can go and visit her."
"Alright," Dash began with a chuckle. "G'night, and thanks again, 'shy." she said leaving.
"Hello?" Dash called out into the black nothingness. The surrounding silence didn't answer back. She felt cold. Dash didn't like it. It felt like she wasn't standing on anything, yet she was. There was no wind, no sound. Just the cold slowly creeping up the back of her leg. She took a few steps forward and didn't get anywhere. She began galloping until she was in flight. Still, she felt the sharp cold tingling and sliding up her. When it made it to her flank she found the her legs didn't work. Try as hard as she might, she couldn't move them. Slowly and meticulously did the cold reach her wings to which she slid hard onto the surface of the inky black nothing. Her eyes focused on a pair of large silver and white disks. She gasped as a voice trembled the world around her.
YOU THINK I'D ACCEPT AN APOLOGY FROM YOU?!!
Rainbow felt herself shift and shrink under the cold gaze.
WHAT KIND OF FREAK ARE YOU?! YOU PUT ME IN THE HOSPITAL AND NOW YOU SAY YOUR SORRY?!!
Rainbow fell...and fell... deeper... into the darkness... She was swallowed... she could feel herself ebbing away...
Rainbow Dash awoke from her nightmare in a cold sweat. she felt a prodding from her side. Turning around, she saw Tank. The tortoise's silhouette was being cast from the propeller on it's shell. For the moment, it was the only sound that permeated between the two. In Dash's mind, the words from the horrible dream echoed hauntingly. She grabbed the shell and hugged it to her chest. The reptile slowly nuzzled her in reassurance. "Thanks, buddy," she whispered. She laid back onto her bed. Tank retreated into his mobile home and fell asleep. Rainbow fell into a dreamless state with her pet nearby. If AJ saw this, she would never let Rainbow live it down. Dash had a bigger concern on her mind.
"What am I gonna do?"
Author's Notes:
Fluttershy's dream was inspired halfway from watching "Evan Almighty," and the concept of reincarnation and/or past lives. You can tell how tired I was from that statement alone...
Yeah... I need more sleep. Goodnight...
Oh, I bet you were expecting a backstory of some kind, right?
Tough stuff.I do have it, but it shall be released later. Until then, be patient. Also, Thank-you!
(Feeling iffy about the ending. Help welcomed)