It was a beautiful spring day. Twilight and her friends, as well as the Cutie Mark Crusaders, were just hanging around enjoying themselves without any particular goal in mind.

Pinkie Pie pointed out something of interest to her. It was a fortunetelling shop, with a sign asking if any had the courage to enter.

Following Pinkie Pie, all of them entered the tent.

The shop was set up in typical fashion. On the table in the middle of the tent was a crystal ball, with cushions to sit on. There was a figure covered with a shawl, face in shadow with a hood upon their face. Candles were lit in several areas, giving the tent a grim atmosphere.

“Greetings, dearies,” came the voice from the elderly sounding mare. “Hath thou come to have thy fortune told today?”

“Sure!” said Pinkie. “Sounds fun.”

Twilight rolled her eyes slightly. She still had her skepticism of the supposed magic of fortunetelling. She had been forced to accept that Pinkie Pie was beyond explanation sometimes, but she had no reason to believe that fortunetelling was actually a real magic.

“I must warn thee, child. Few have what it takes to stand before me. I am not like thee, of a cute, fluffy pink and cheer. I go by the moniker of the 'Pony of Misfortune.' Why is that? Because I only prophesize of the bad things to come in the future. Fate can be a scary thing to some. Doth any of thou have the courage to see the fate of a future misery?” She let out a cackling laugh that sent shivers up some of their spines.

“This is pointless,” remarked Twilight. “Who would want to see that? Let’s go, girls.”

As she went to leave the mare commented, “I understand. I guess there isn’t a single brave one among you.” She let out another cackle. “I don’t blame thee for that.”

Rainbow Dash started to walk out too, but then hesitated, looking back and forth between the exit and the mare. Letting out a growl she flew a few feet and sat down in front of the table.

“Rainbow Dash!” cried out Twilight.

“I’m not afraid of anything!” Rainbow Dash responded indignantly. “Do your worst.”

The old mare laughed again. “I am impressed with your courage. I wonder what the world has in store for you. When you feel ready place your hooves upon the ball and let your future be known.”

“And just how much is this going to cost?” asked Twilight, annoyed.

“Nothing,” she responded. “I never claimed to be a noble mare. I enjoy seeing people’s reactions. It’s worth doing it for free just to see their faces contort in misery.”

“Hmph!” Rainbow Dash scoffed as she placed her hooves on the ball. “You won’t get much enjoyment from me, then. Your dumb predictions won’t scare me.”

“So you say, dearie.”

Her horn began glowing red, revealing her face. The ball turned a bright white as she began muttering an incantation, “Oh, ball of fate. Show me what lies ahead. The pain and the agony, the hurt and despair. Illuminate for us the fear and discomfort of this one’s future. LET US SEE!” At her last words the glow from the ball became greater, and an image appeared upon it. “I will increase the size so all of them might see and hear as well.”

The image floated up into the air, blocking the face of the mare as it expanded.

In the scene that began playing it showed Rainbow Dash flying around Ghastly Gorge. She turned around and was flying backwards when they heard her voice begin speaking. “Come on, kid! Try and keep up. How much do I have to hold back for you?”

“S-sorry, Big Sis,” came a panting voice, and a weary looking Scootaloo appeared. “I’m still trying to master this thing.”

Scootaloo instantly rushed forward. “Cool! If this is really the future it means I am going to fly. This is awesome! I don’t see what’s so terrible about this future.”

She got her answer a few seconds later. Rainbow Dash, from not paying attention, crashed into the edge of the canyon. A big rock slide occurred, engulfing her and knocking her to the ground.

Scootaloo cried out her name, rushing to the ground and throwing rocks out of the way until she uncovered her idol. Rainbow Dash was shaking in pain, her wings looking out of place and various bruises and cuts covered her body. She rushed Rainbow Dash to the hospital.

The memory skipped a little further ahead, to Rainbow Dash in a hospital bed and all of her friends around her. A doctor came up to her, putting an x-ray on the board. “I’m sorry, Ms. Dash, but as you can plainly see your wing muscles are completely destroyed. There is no recovery for this. We only have one choice. Those wings of yours have to be completely amputated. You’re never going to fly again.”

The glow and the image faded to nothingness. Rainbow Dash was stock still, not even breathing, seemingly beyond a response.

“Oh my,” said the old fortuneteller. “It seems a grim fate awaits you. I have to say, your reaction is glorious.” She let out a few laughs.

Twilight slammed her hooves on the table. “Oh, will you cut it out! All of this is ridiculous. No one can tell the future. This is all a big joke. I refuse to believe this!”

The mare pulled back her hood and began laughing uproariously, her creepy demeanor fading away. “Can’t put anything past you, can I, young alicorn? Of course it’s just a joke. Nothing but a prank. I can’t believe how many people fall for it.” She wiped away a tear that had formed from her laughter.

Rainbow Dash started panting as she began sucking in oxygen. She let out a nervous laugh. “Y-yeah. I… I knew it all the time.”

“Well, thanks for the good times. Come back again soon if you want me to have some more fun.”

As they left for real this time Twilight scolded her friend. “Serves you right, Rainbow Dash. I told you not to do that. You got all worked up for nothing.”

Rainbow Dash was still looking really troubled.

“What’s wrong?” asked Scootaloo. “It was all fake, right?”

“I… I’m not sure,” responded Rainbow Dash.

“Why not?” asked Rarity.

“Because it felt real. I can see myself acting like that. Also, think about it. I’ve never seen that mare before in my life. So how could she know that I’ve been giving Scootaloo flying lessons or what I’m like?”

Applejack’s eyebrow rose. “Y’know… you’ve got a good point.”

“Scootaloo may have been nearby when we walked in but she couldn’t possibly know our relationship of calling each other sisters, nor that I practice by Ghastly Gorge.” Rainbow threw a hoof to her face, “What if it is true? What if I’m never going to fly again?”

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight said sternly. “Knock it off now. Just because you’re too busy focusing on your own abilities sometimes doesn’t mean that no one else has noticed you and Scootaloo around town. There are plenty of explanations for why she could know that stuff about you. She said herself it was only a bad joke designed to get a reaction out of ponies.”

“But even if it was only a joke that doesn’t mean it CAN’T happen. I already had one accident at Ghastly Gorge before when I had that contest to find a pet. I was only caught by one feather, but it could happen again. I can’t take that chance. What if the next time it IS worse? I can’t lose my wings! I’d die if I could never become a Wonderbolt. This is bad! What do I do?”

“What can you do? We’re going to prove her prediction wrong, right now!”

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s go to Ghastly Gorge right now. If anything happens to threaten you I’ll just use my magic to keep you out of danger. You want to tell me you’re that much a coward that you’d just accept that future she predicted? Don’t surrender to fate. Make your own fate. And if you need help all of us will help you.”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Let’s go.”