Author's Notes:

Sorry this episode was so late. Kind of had to save the world. Can't have anyone else destroying it before I rule it, right?

Speaking of, please check out my patreon and help me in my campaign for world domination.

Shout out to Kiba the wolf, who recently joined my campaign. I will give your OC a cameo in something soon. If you are reading this, THANK YOU so much. Your contribution means a lot to me.

Forgiveness

The next two days were tense for everyone. Rainbow Dash hadn't left her house at all since the incident and had fallen into an intense depression, from both Soarin cheating and her magic failing. Everyone tried to pay her a visit, but her door was locked and she refused to see anyone.

The rest of the Elements hadn't been able to find the Nightmare again. At first Twilight and Spike thought this was a good sign, but Applejack had told them that unless the Nightmare was banished it would strike again. They continued patrols like normal, but Twilight took it upon herself to keep an eye on Scootaloo. She wouldn't tell anyone why, not even Spike.

Scootaloo was in a daze the entire weekend, and her friends were getting worried about her. Apple Bloom had to stay home from school to help around the farm again, so it was only Sweetie Belle with her at lunch. Normally Scootaloo was the life of the party, but today she was keeping quiet, looking at her lunch with a dazed expression.

“Scootaloo?” Sweetie Belle said, using her stuffed bunny to tap her on the shoulder.

“Y-yeah Sweetie Belle?” Scootaloo asked, turning to her friend, who was holding up her stuffed bunny as if it were talking.

“Why are you so gloomy pants, Scootaloo?” Sweetie Belle asked, speaking in a higher voice that was supposed to be the bunny's voice, “You were so happy on Saturday. You didn't find your Mommy?”

Scootaloo sighed. Sometimes Sweetie Belle was hard to understand, but when she really was worried about someone it showed.

“I'm… not sure,” Scootaloo said, “I saw… something, but…”

“But…?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Sweetie Belle, your sister goes out a lot at night, right?” Scootaloo asked.

“Yeah,” Sweetie Belle said putting the bunny down, “She thinks I'm asleep when she does, but I hear her all the time.”

“And you don't know what she's doing when she's out?”

“Nuh uh,” Sweetie Belle said, “I used to think she was going on dates, but after she met Spike she didn't stop leaving the house.”

“Okay, good,” Scootaloo said, “So that checks out.”

“Scootaloo, what did you see?” Sweetie Belle asked slowly.

“I… don't know what I saw,” Scootaloo said, “I'm not sure what's real and what's a dream. I remember leaving the club house, I ran into Rainbow Dash, and we went looking for my mom together, but things get weird after that.”

“Weird? Why?”

“Well, we were in the park, and Dash got really weird. She had been weird all day, but all of a sudden she looked afraid of something,” Scootaloo explained, “The whole park got wavy, and then…”

“The park changed…?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Yeah! Yeah!” Scootaloo said, “There was this giant bird! And it was hunting us down! She told me to hide, and ran out, and then I heard what sounded like a fight! But…”

“But you didn't see who?”

“Not until the end. I saw alicorns everywhere, and the two librarians were there.”

When Sweetie Belle heard that, she tensed up and held her head as if trying to remember something.

“But that's not even the strangest part,” Scootaloo said, “Everything gets really fuzzy now, but I vaguely remember hearing Dash scream. She looked like an alicorn… and she…”

“Scootaloo, you don't think…?”

Scootaloo looked at Sweetie Belle intently, “Remember that bad dream you told me about after the school play? And that in the dream you saw Rarity turn into an alicorn? I saw one of the alicorns, and it was your sister!”

“But… Rarity said…”

“After that, I remembered waking up in my bed, but I still had the picture that Apple Bloom made of my mom. I've been looking at it for a while, and I'm beginning to think,” Scootaloo pulled out the picture and looked at it, “If we alter the color slightly, make the mane more vibrant, and change the expression, this looks like Rainbow Dash.”

“Scootaloo, no,” Sweetie Belle said shaking her head, “Rainbow Dash is a pegasus, and Rarity is a unicorn. They're not alicorns.”

“What if they are! What if they're alicorns passing as normal ponies! That means your dream two months ago was real, and-” Scootaloo suddenly had a realization, “Rainbow Dash… is my mom…?”

“No…! That's not…!” Sweetie Belle said shaking her head, “Rarity isn't an alicorn!”

“Sweetie Belle! Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo said embracing her friend, “I'm sorry, okay! You're right. You're sister isn't an alicorn. I didn't mean to upset you.”

She said that, but she wasn't sure. What was real? Did Scootaloo see an alicorn that looked like Rainbow Dash? And did that alicorn call Scootaloo…

“Dash, it's me,” Applejack said standing in front of Rainbow Dash's door, “Ah know yer in there, so come on out,” after a second, Applejack wilted, “Seriously? Ah know yer feelin real bad right now, but Ah'm yer best friend. Ah just wanna talk, see how yer doin.”

Applejack had given up and was about to shift shape to fly away, but stopped when she heard the door click. She turned and saw the door opened slightly, and Dash peaking out.

“I'm not exactly decent, so…” Dash said softly.

“Hey, Ah ain't Rarity,” Applejack said with a smile, “Ah just wanna see my best friend.”

Dash snorted to herself looking aside, but she moved out of the way letting Applejack into the cloud house. When she saw Dash, she wasn't too surprised. If anything, she looked better than Applejack thought she'd look. She was wearing her blue and white robe, and her mane and tail hadn't been brushed yet, but beyond that she looked well.

Unless one looked into her eyes and saw the deep sadness.

Dash escorted Applejack to the living room, where she lied down on the couch. Applejack took a nearby chair and sat down.

“So, how are ya feelin?” Applejack asked.

“About as good as I probably look right now,” Dash said somberly, “Have you guys found your replacement for me yet?”

“Stop that Dash,” Applejack said, “We ain't replacin ya.”

“You mean you can't replace me,” Dash said, “But if you could, you would. I'm useless now. I can't use my magic, so I can't fight the nightmares. It's a miracle that I can still take on my alicorn state.”

“The alicorn ascension is permanent,” Applejack said, “Once ya make that leap, ya can't go back. Yer the Element of Loyalty; no one else can carry that title.”

“Well that sucks,” Dash said, “Sorry I'm the worst Element of Loyalty ever.”

“Dash, yer not-”

“I abandoned my kid, I wasted my entire life living for myself, and when I try to be a good pony, I get taken advantage of,” Dash closed her eyes bitterly, “If this is what it means to be loyal then screw loyalty.”

“Dash…” Applejack said, incredulous and devastated to hear those words come out of Dash.

“I'm beginning to see why Rarity is so bitter about the power, and why you guys are always so serious. This isn't an honor. It's a curse. Element of Loyalty, huh? Why should I give a shit about anyone out there when they don't care about me?”

“You know that's not true,” Applejack said, “You've got lots of ponies that care about ya.”

“Yeah, as long as I'm giving them something!” Dash shouted glaring at Applejack, “They only care about me if they can get something from me, but the second they can't get it they throw me away!” Dash closed her eyes as tears streamed from her eyes, “Even you! You only came here so you'd get me to rejoin your team! Well I'm not coming back! So go ahead and leave! Abandon me like Soarin! Like my mom! Like everyone in my GODDAMN WASTE OF A LIFE!!!”

“Dash, stop it RIGHT NOW!!!” Applejack shouted galloping over to Dash and placing her hooves on her shoulder, glaring deep into her eyes, “Ah ain't gonna abandon you, ever! Ah didn't come here just to ask ya to come back! Ah came here because Ah'm scared! Ah've never seen ya like this, ever in my life! Ah'm worried that yer gonna mess around an' hurt yerself, or worse!”

“It's not like anyone would really miss me…!” Dash sobbed.

“AH WOULD!!!” Applejack screamed, tears in her eyes now, “Ah would miss ya… So would Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, an' Scootaloo… What is she gonna do without her mother…?”

“But I'm hardly her mother, Applejack!” Dash said, “I didn't raise her! I left her in an Orphanage because I was too weak to take care of her! Even now I can't do anything! That nightmare is out there somewhere probably looking for her, and I can't-” whatever she was going to say was lost, as she broke into heavy sobs. Applejack pulled Rainbow Dash into a tight embrace as she cried.

The two mares held each other for a few minutes, until Dash calmed down a bit. She was too torn up, and Applejack realized that she wasn't going to be able to do much for her. After spending a little more time with Dash, Applejack left her place and started walking through Ponyville.

“How is she?”

Applejack turned to her left and saw Rarity walking up to her.

“She's pretty bad. Soarin wrecked her somethin fierce,” Applejack stated.

“She must have really loved him,” Rarity said, “We need to do something for her. Not just because of her psyche, but face it. We're not beating that nightmare without her.”

Applejack sighed, “Ah really hate it when yer right, but yer right. Fer now though, we need ta keep an eye out for that nightmare. Maybe we can at least drive it off if it shows up again.”

“I suppose that's as good of a plan as any,” Rarity said, “I'm meeting up with Spike to explore the park. If you find that nightmare, call us.”

“Ah will,” Applejack said. As she watched Rarity saunter off, her thoughts went back to Rainbow Dash. She needed to help her friend somehow. She thought about it for a second, and then had an idea. She knew one pony who could help Dash get through this.

The one pony who knew Dash better than she even knew herself.

The next day, Dash decided to at least clean herself up. She was tired of lounging around, and she knew that she'd have to report into work again at some point, so she at least brushed her teeth and showered when she woke up.

After getting cleaned, she thought about going for a fly around Ponyville. That thought was crashed when she realized the chances of running into either Soarin or Scootaloo, two ponies she didn't want to face for different reasons.

Right when she was about to say “fuck it” and go back to bed, the bell outside her house rang.

“Fuck…” Dash groaned. It was probably her friends coming to see her again. The bell rang again a few times. If she didn't at least see who it was they would keep bothering her. She trotted to the door and opened it, “Look, I'm sorry but I'm not in the mood to talk right now.”

“Not even to your old man?” a familiar voice said. Dash's heart skipped a beat when she looked at who it was. Standing before her, looking older than she remembered yet still possessing the same warm fire in his eyes was the one stallion she loved no matter what. Honestly, much like most fillies, the first stallion she truly loved.

“D-Daddy…?” Dash asked, looking at Rainbow Blitz with wide eyes. Immediately the two of them embraced, and Rainbow Dash found herself once again breaking down.

“It's okay Princess,” Blitz said softly, “Just let it all out.”

After a few minutes, Dash invited Blitz inside and lead him to the living room. Unlike with Applejack, she sat next to her father on the couch.

“So, what are you doing here?” Dash asked, “Not that I'm not happy to see you, but this is kind of short notice, isn't it?”

“Well, let's just say you have really good friends,” Blitz said with a sad smile. Instantly Rainbow Dash knew what happened.

“Let me guess, Applejack told you that I pretty much hate the world now?” Rainbow Dash said with a sigh.

“She told me that you needed to talk to someone who knew you,” Blitz answered, “But she didn't go into much more than that. What happened, Princess?”

Rainbow Dash didn't really want to tell her father what happened, but at this point she couldn't not tell him. He'd find out eventually.

“Soarin cheated on me,” Dash said folding her forelegs and looking away.

Blitz took a deep breath, “Did he now?” he asked, clearly trying to control his anger.

“Not like I shouldn't have seen it coming. I was an idiot, expecting anything from him or anyone.”

“Now where is that coming from?” Blitz asked.

“I wanted something worth while. A true relationship. All he wanted was a chick with a high sex drive who could give it to him anytime he wanted it. Once my job started keeping me away from him, he went off and found someone else to stick his dick into.”

“And that's your fault?” Blitz asked.

“It has to be! I mean, I'm still the biggest fuck up in all of Cloudsdale and Ponyville! I couldn't even take care of my own little filly! You wanna know the punch line?” Dash looked at her father, “Scootaloo has it in her head now that her mother is this amazingly heroic pony! If she knew the truth about me, she'd be crushed!”

“And what's the truth, Princess?” Blitz asked.

“That her mother is a filthy slut who did throw her away, and now can't even do anything to protect her! That's the reason why Soarin dated me in the first place, and why he was okay throwing me away! Because I'm easy, and a fuck up! That's all I'll ever be! I'm no better than my mother!”

“Princess, that's not true at all,” Blitz said wrapping his foreleg and wing around Dash pulling her close, “You're an amazing young mare who deserves all the happiness in the world.”

“You're supposed to say that…” Dash pouted, “That's the kind of shit fathers say to their daughters to make them feel better.”

“It's the truth though,” Blitz said, now stroking Dash's head lovingly, “You didn't throw Scootaloo away. I remember how responsible you were when you were carrying her. You didn't move around too much, you stopped drinking and smoking entirely, you ate right, all of which you researched and did on your own. You wanted your daughter to grow up healthy and strong, and she did. I still remember how depressed you were when they came to take Scootaloo away.”

“I remember too,” Dash said softly, “I knew that I couldn't stop them, and that it was the right thing to do, but deep down… I wanted to raise Scootaloo myself.”

“You kept asking them for more time with her,” Blitz said, “It got to the point where the doctors told you to stop stalling. Still, you did the right thing.”

“Did I?” Dash asked.

“We couldn't have raised her ourselves,” Blitz said, “You knew this, and you wanted the best life for her. Besides, she's the whole reason you moved to Ponyville, right?”

“It is,” Dash said, “I wanted to be close to her. Even if I couldn't get custody, I could just be near her, and maybe look out for her.”

“See? As much as I hate to say it, your mother did none of those things. She left us, and I had to fight her just to make sure she didn't abort you. You're a wonderful pony, Princess.”

“But I was so mean to you,” Dash said, “You didn't deserve any of how I treated you. All you did was love and cherish me. You never yelled at me, you never argued back, and you forgave me so easily. You gave me a second chance when I didn't deserve one.”

“I understood how upset you were,” Blitz said wrapping both his forelegs around Dash, “Actually, I felt like I failed you. I should have been more assertive, and tried harder to stop you from self destructing. Truth is, I was afraid that I would push you away even more,” Blitz let go of Dash and looked her in the eyes, “But its time for you to let go of your past and forgive yourself.”

“Forgive myself…?” Dash asked.

“You're a great pony, Dash, but you're far too hard on yourself. You hold yourself accountable for everything, whether or not its your fault. After Scootaloo's birth, you stopped being yourself, and kept yourself on a tight leash.”

“That's because being myself is what caused you so much trouble in the first place!” Dash fussed, “I… I didn't want you to have to worry about me anymore!”

“Dash, I worried about you even then,” Blitz said, shocking Dash, “I worried because you had stopped living, you became obsessed with doing your best in everything, and went out of your way to help everypony you saw. Not that those things were bad. I was proud to see you apply yourself so much, but it came at the expense of your happiness. Princess Diana “Rainbow” Dash, you don't have to punish yourself anymore. Set yourself free from this self imposed prison, please.”

It was really rare for Dash to hear her full name. It was a really pretty name, and hearing it from her father did have an effect on her. She could feel a spark within her spirit. She was about to say something to her father, but her awareness was pulled away by a feeling of dread. It was intense, just like before with…

“Daddy, I'm sorry, but I have to go,” Dash said urgently, “I can't explain it, but…”

“You're needed, right?” Blitz asked.

“This is different than before. If I don't go, ponies could die,” Dash explained, “I don't know if I can make a difference, but something inside me is screaming at me to-”

“You don't have to explain,” Blitz said once again embracing his daughter, “Whatever you have to do, do it. Don't hold yourself or your feelings back.”

“I won't,” Dash said returning the embrace, “Thanks for saving me again Daddy. I love you.”

“I love you too, Princess. I'll always be here for you,” Blitz said. Dash ran out of her house and flew off, allowing the magic of harmony to guide her. She didn't know if she'd make a difference, after all she still wasn't sure if she'd be able to use her magic correctly, but she had to do something.

That thing was after her child, and it wasn't going to get a hold of her.

After school, Scootaloo returned to the park. Twilight had been watching her for days and noticed that she seemed to frequent the park since the last attack.

“Does she remember?” Twilight asked, remembering the spell that Rarity cast on Scootaloo to put her to sleep. Maybe that spell hadn't worked fully or something.

“Mom…” Scootaloo said looking at the picture Apple Bloom drew again, “I didn't dream you. I know you're an alicorn. But if that's true, does that mean…?”

Twilight noticed that the area around Scootaloo was getting wavy. Was that…?

“Scootaloo! Get over here, quickly!” Twilight called out. Scootaloo was shocked, but she stood up, now noticing the environment around her changing.

“W-what's going on?!” Scootaloo asked frantically. Twilight looked around, realizing that none of the Elements were anywhere in sight. She swore to herself and galloped over to Scootaloo, embracing her as they were both pulled into the labyrinth. Unknown to both of them, someone had just run up to the park.

"Damn it!" Pinkamena shouted stomping her hoof, "I couldn't warn her in time!" She was so frustrated, having to watch while everyone else fought. Still, it wasn't time yet. She couldn't fight yet herself, so as much as she wanted to, she couldn't enter the labyrinth. Instead, she just had to trust her friend.

Hopefully they could get here in time.