They were staring at her again. Their many watchful eyes followed her along in silence, like a predator to prey. Of course, she knew she was being ridiculous. They weren't really as dangerous as she liked to believe; it was only for her own benefit that she made imagined them as the villains. They were just kids, as simply said by the eyes of her teacher. Yet they were still as horrible to her as anything, each word adding salt to the wound they had created.

She shut her eyes tightly against the rushing wind, and then quickly opened them again despite her pooling tears. It was just from the wind, she fancied to herself. But the whistling wind against her cheeks didn't cause the sinking sense of hopelessness. Where was she supposed to go? The vultures were still there by the bleachers, watching with expressions she couldn't place.

Her sneakers slapped out a rhythm on the asphalt ground as she spun on her feet to race around the track. Perhaps they would just go away, and leave if she stayed out long enough. Although doubtful, the girl didn't sneak a look, and instead kept her wide eyes forward on the bumpy track. Her feet flew in a unsteady blur.

"Just ignore them, Dash," she whispered in a gasp as she continued to lower her head down. "Nothing else exists except for you."

Dash found that once she blocked them out of her mind, it was quite easy to focus on her running. It filled her once again with the wonderful weightlessness and exhilarating speed, her breaths coming out in quick pants. She dashed down across the asphalt, pumping her arms and grinning determinedly.

Her face shone with a brilliance that she didn't even realize, and she pushed herself harder. They didn't exist, her father didn't exist, only the fast world going by. Her feet pounded harder, and the single sound she heard was the whooshing wind going past her ears. She imagined a larger track, an endless race where she was the winner, and never had to stop. Perpetual excitement, thrilling empty thoughts and the golden sun.

The crowd would cheer; they would love her! The crowd would shower her with praise and gifts as she broke each record, never to cease her running.

Dash let out a whoop, almost feeling the confetti falling around her like rain, and the many faces that cried out in cheer. She reached to the hands that came from the crowd and gave them all high fives as she circled around. It was awesome! She would receive the most money in the world; she could afford anything!

But she was still missing one more thing; the final level. As the lean girl pushed herself further, she could hear the crowd gasp in amazement. Her sneakers drifted up. Dash lifted off the ground, her body propelling her forward as she went higher in higher into the sky. Her stomach dropped in fear and excitement as the clouds whirled by and the people below screamed out her name.

She was weightless, she was energy, she was pure strength! The world shrunk below her and her hair flew behind her. Cyan colors filled her vision and tears streaked down her face. For some reason, no matter how many times Dash pondered it, she would imagine a rainbow trail. A smattering of colors that fell behind her as she gained speed. It just felt right! She belonged in the sky!

Dash opened her mouth in a raspy laugh. Down below she could see her small, grey house, as tiny and minuscule as an ant. She waved mockingly at the figure of her father. But it didn't even matter--she was too far away.

Dash let her eyes slide close. Suddenly she felt something grab her foot, and with a jerk, Rainbow fell from the sky. Screaming, she dropped like a stone back down to the rushing earth, and stumbled across the track.

The girl found her mouth filled with dirt, and her hands skinned and burning. She gasped, shaking her head violently. Dash shakingly pulled herself up, hearing the mocking laughs of her watchers behind her. Oh no, she had really done it. She sighed heavily, a frown forming on her features. It was time to head home.

She got up, vainly dusting off her worn jeans. Dash looked up at the faces of her fellow classmates, and slowly walked towards them. There simply was no way to avoid it.

"Oh, hello, Ivy Rose," a mocking voice drawled to her. Dash froze, gazing back at Crystal's smug grin.

"It's Dash," she growled in response, driving her hands deep into her pockets.

Crystal laughed joylessly, joined in by her friends that flanked her on each side. "Aww, of course sweetie. You did simply dash into the ground a moment ago," she tittered.

Dash glowered. "I happen to like the taste of dirt, thank you very much," she retorted, starting to push her way past.

Crystal stared at her for a moment, as if contemplating whether or not to continue tormenting Dash. Perhaps she felt she wasn't quite getting through.

"I'm so sorry about that, Ivy. Although you know if you ever feel bad, you can always go home to your parents, right? They'll comfort you through your weird issues," Crystal said with a sickly sweet smile.

Dash glared daggers, trying to sidestep around the older teen.

"I can just imagine it, your whole family, sitting around a huge dinner table," she said.

Dash face contorted and she whirled back around on her heels. "Don't you dare, you little-" she hissed.

Crystal squinted. "Oh, whoops--my bad. You don't have parents, do you? Only that excuse for a dad that leaves you alone every night. But who can blame him?"

Dash's fists balled up, and she felt a lump rising in her throat. Not again, she wouldn't dare.

Crystal drew her eyebrows together in a simpering facade of empathy. "Why would he do that to such a beautiful, young child? Maybe he just thinks you're so disgusting, that he'd rather go to the club all night long, such a shame.

"He saw right away what a poor little fool--" Crystal foot shot into her stomach, and Dash gasped, making a whimpering noise.

"You're just upset 'cause how awesome I am," Dash hissed through clenched teeth, clutching her stomach.

Crystal's eyes went wide, and then she laughed. "As if, Ivy. I'm pretty sure your mother even knew what you really were. She was so disappointed to have born you that she decided to go and kil--"

Before Dash knew what she was doing, her fist connected with the side of Crystal's face, and she sent the blond girl flying to the ground. Dash froze, glancing down in fear. Crystal shrieked, tumbling over in the dirt. She looked up, clutching her cheek in one hand.

"What the heck did you do?!" she screamed, stumbling up in the dirt. Her cyan eyes were full of rage, as her friends rushed behind her.

What had she done?! She should never of fought back! Breathing heavily, Dash's mouth went dry. "Uh--I--"

Crystal didn't give her time to finish.

-------

"Ivy? Ivy! Are you okay?" The sweet, panicked voice brought Dash awake. She groaned, her ears ringing loudly as she pulled herself up. Her head pounded, and her lip felt wet.

Cursing to herself, Dash struggled to her knees and squinted at the blurry face of a light haired girl.

"Wha?" she mumbled. She dragged an arm over her mouth, and it came away with blood. Aww

geez.

"Oh my goodness, you're alright!" the voice exclaimed, relieved. Dash moaned, making out a pair of aqua colored eyes.

"I saw those horrible girls walk away and then you were just laying on the ground!"

Dash slowly looked up.

"Who are you?" the girl asked carefully.

With her body shaking, Dash managed to conclude that she was the shy girl from her science class, the one that sat in the back and doodled little bunnies are her folder. But she seemed nice enough.

"Ivy Rose. But you can call me Dash," she muttered, taking up the frail hand that she offered.

"Violet Angel," the girl replied almost in a whisper.

Dash nodded absentmindedly. "Thanks," she said, already turning around and stumbling off. Her vision blurred and her head ached. She gave the girl one last look.

She heard her stutter, and could feel Violet's eyes burning questionly into her back.

"Are--are you sure you are alright?"

"Don't worry," Dash called behind her with a hand waving dismissively.

"I'm nobody important."

The house was silent. As always. Dash pushed open the peeling door to a stuffy darkness.

"I'm home!" she screamed, slamming her fist against the wall and causing a vibration to shake throughout the whole house. And of course, there was no reply. Just as Dash preferred it.

The girl slid to the bathroom, ignoring the putrid smell that came from inside. She greeted her reflection with a curt nod, gazing over her face in the cracked mirror. Her eyes traveled from her puffy, grape colored eye, her cut, bloody lip, to her mane of a hair covered in dirt and grime.

She could see her natural mouse brown hair starting to show through the roots of her unprofessionally dyed rainbow color.

Dash sighed, bringing a crusty wash cloth over her cheeks with a few drips of water.

"I love you."

The words, as empty and hollow as they were, made the 14 year old smile half heartedly. There had been a person who had once said those words to her, the words that made her feel like she was full of warmth. Yet, she could never fully understand why. Why would that one person who truly cared about her, leave her?

"Why?!"

Dash slammed her hand into the dusty mirror, sending spiderweb cracks along the glass and a splattering of blood.

Dash gasped, jerking back her hand and wiping in on her jeans. Crystal wasn't right... none of them were.

Shaking her head, she made her way back to the mudroom, pulling open the fridge against the wall. What she saw made her heart leapt in excitement. There was food! Her father must have finally picked up something from the gas station.

Dash blankly pushed past the many bottles of beer and liquor. She pulled out a large chunk of hard bread, already starting to bite into it as she sank down in her bed. The sooner she allowed herself to fall asleep, the sooner Dash could fly again.

Before she knew it, the bread had turned into a few crumbs among her sheets and a fading taste left in her mouth. Dash brushed her fingertips together, bringing her head back against her green pillow with a stomach that had finally stopped gnawing itself.

"Go to sleep," she commanded to herself and the growing shadows. "Just fall asleep, now." But no matter how aggressive she sounded, her mind refused to shut down.

Why did everyone think she was useless? Why did people pick on her? Wasn't she awesome?! Dash shuddered, furtively wiping her wet eyes. She was awesome, and she knew it. Why didn't anyone else?

The girl groaned in frustration, throwing the blankets over her face.

Through the light trickling through the thin fabric, Dash could make out the angry, red scars on her arms. Pain was helpful, when laying in bed at midnight, the sound of her dad stumbling around and her own ragged breaths.  But not tonight.

"Silly," she muttered. "Just stop thinking, okay?" Her eyes were leaking just a bit, for some reason she didn't know of. But she just wanted to shut everything out. She had to sleep.

"Ok," she started, breathing evenly in, and then out. In and then out. Her heart stopped pounding from anxiety, and her eyes closed loosely. In and out

She was back. Warm, soft whiteness beneath her, and a vast cyan sky. A light, summer breeze drifted across her face.

Dash felt a surge of euphoria in her heart. The sun around her was golden and hot, the land below her lush and green. She smiled at the beautiful scene, leaning forward in awe. It was always perfect here.

Dash giggled as a wind carried up the front of hair, ready to become part of the sky. She stopped suddenly when she caught a purple smudge in her peripherals. She turned, albiet rather slowly. This was no place for fear.

She was met with a small lavender pony, who stared back at her with a content smile and raised wings.

"Hi, Rainbow," she said softly.

Dash waved in return, a grin gracing her face. Rainbow. There was such a beautiful ring to it.

"Hey," she replied smoothly. It felt right.

"Are-are you my friend?"

The pony brought her hoof up and giggled, the sound like delicate bells.

"Yeah, I am, Rainbow."

Dash sat back. "I like that," she said simply.

The lavender pony tipped her head forward in agreement. Then she made a small humming noise.

"Would you like to fly with me?"

Dash looked up. "Of course! I mean, I usually just fly by myself, but yeah, you can join me."

The pony laughed, reaching out a hoof and touching Dash on the shoulder. "Wings never hurt, right?"

Dash started, throwing her a questioning look. But then she noticed the extra weight on her back, and the twinkle in her new friend's eyes.

Wings. Light blue feathered wings graced her back. Dash mouth formed a small "o". Hooves covered her hands.

The pony seemed to find a calm amusement in Dash's discovery. Yet Dash wasn't surprised; perhaps she always was a pony.

Dash carefully spread her wings, feeling adrenaline start to coarse through her veins. The pony beside her gave a gentle smile that send warmth to Dash's chest.

"Okay," she said, tilting forward on the cloud. "Let's go."

The lavender pony took a hold of Dash's hoof, and fell forward. Dash, whooping, fell right along with her, the wind roaring in her ears.

The two managed to level out, their wings outstretched, and soar lazily over the greenland.

Dash drifted closer to her friend. "Thanks for being here," she said.

The pony didn't turn her head, but Dash could hear the warmth in her voice. "It's no problem, Rainbow. I'm glad you're here too."

Dash smiled, gazing out to the golden horizon. She didn't care if all of this wasn't real. It felt real. And at least in her dreams: she could fly.