All she could see was darkness... in front of her magenta eyes, below her cyan legs, even behind her rainbow tail... all Rainbow Dash could see was darkness.

Yet the pegasus wasn't falling, nor was she using her wings to keep her aloft. It was as if she was treading on an invisible platform. Yet all around it felt like the universe itself had its light turned off.

"Where.. where the hay am I?", she wondered to herself as she walked through the void, looking for any sign or any indication of where she was before calling out to the emptiness, "Hellooo? Anyone home??"

Getting no response, she continued her trek. It took only a few more steps before she finally saw something besides the darkness; a thick red mist hovering in the air and descending upon the equine like a calm summer rain. Yet, as the droplets of the mist fell around her, she didn't feel anything upon her coat or her mane... not even her tail was even remotely dampened by the watery shower. Looking around, she could see the drops of red water slowly expanding and growing.

"O..kay... this is getting weird....", Dash muttered as she watched the drops grow and take the forms of ponies, surrounding her like a crowd, "Red mist forming into ponies.... this is approaching the boundaries of creepy town..... Pinkie Pie? Is this some sort of gag?!"

"Rainbow Dash...."

Hearing that wavery ghostly voice calling out to her, Rainbow Dash could see the misty ponies were all fully formed and, from the shaking of the front one's gray-colored mane, she knew that the voice was coming from it even though their head was facing the ground and leaving only the slight vibrations from the sides of their neck as an indication that they were the one with the ghostly voice.

"H-hello?", she quivered, her voice starting to come off as Fluttershys. She wasn't one for being scared, but this was borderline fucked up, "Are you ok??"

But as the pony raised its head, what Rainbow Dash saw made her fall backwards in shock. Where there should have been a face was only a giant burger, pools of blood where its eyes and mouth should have been.

"What the hell?!?", she screamed in terror as the burgerpony approached her.

"Eat me.... Eat me... My juices are begging for you to consume me..."

"What?!? Are you crazy?", Dash yelled, turning her head and trying to shield her eyes from the sight of the crimson fluid streaming down its "face". She didn't even know how it was speaking with blood streaming from where its mouth would have been.

"Eat me... make my body one with yours... eat me...."

As she tried frantically to back away from the thing trying to approach her, she found herself bumping against another pony... only when she looked up, she found herself looking at a giant pizza... streams of red pouring from where it would have been sliced and she had a sickening feeling it wasn't tomato sauce she was seeing stream down.

"I'm sliced... and ready for you to suck me into your abyss... c'mon Dash... you know you want me..."

"N..no! No!!", she gasped, getting to her hooves and trying to escape. But no matter what direction the pegasus turned, she found herself surrounded by more of these creatures, all with bloody edibles where heads should have been. Whether it was a mug of dark blood or a buttered roll oozing pus where its buttery goodness should have been, all the heads were culinary monstrosities, all of them approached the terrified pegasus. It was then a thought clicked through her head.

"Duh! I've got wings!", she thought to herself before taking a leap into the air for her wings to take action, "See ya later, freaks!"

But instead of flying into the air, Rainbow Dash found herself crashing back to the invisible ground. Her precious wings, the tools that made her famous, were not working!

"What the?!", she gasped, feeling her sides with her forehooves and realizing her wings were frozen to her midsection, refusing to budge even a centimeter. Try as she might, her appendages refused to move.

"C'mon... C'MON!!", she pleaded, trying desperately to get her wings to free themselves and take her to the sky. It was then a cold husky voice rang out, one that she knew all too well.

"Oh ho ho ho! You thought you could be the great champion... the one who could beat ME?!? Ponyville will fall... and it will be all your fault.... you AND that ratty cowpony!"

Hearing Champagne's voice, Rainbow Dash looked up and found herself staring into the sneering disembodied head of the unicorn that she and Applejack were training to go against... and right now his very presence was making her sick to her stomach.

"What the hell is going on?!?", she gasped in terror.

"You pathetic foal.... you think you can beat me? When I destroy you and your friend... I'll not only take all the food in your insipid little city... but I'll make sure nothing ever grows there again!!!!"

"You can't do that!!!", the pegasus yelled in fear, only to be met with a loud cackling laugh.

"Oh, pathetic Rainbow Dash.... I can do whatever I please.... But I'm not without remorse... I'll let you have one last meal...... my minions, feed yourselves to her!!!"

"No...!!!" Rainbow Dash screamed as she tried to run away from Champagne and all the monsters around her, but she'd barely gotten a step away before a tug on her wings left her running futily on air as two of the bleeding creations took a hold of her, keeping her from escaping.

"Yes, my fool... Eat.. EAT....... EAT!!!!!!"

Before Rainbow Dash could do anything, she found her mouth being pried open by an invisible force and leaving her to watch as the first monster, that burgerpony, shoved itself into her gaping maw, pushing itself down her throat. The pegasus retched, trying to prevent it from going into her stomach, but only found herself heaving up air as the creature finally moved its way down into her belly, leaving it to swell as another culinary nightmare forced its way into her gullet.

"Blurg... Stop... PLEASE!!!", Dash gagged through the mouthfuls of hell that were being shoved into her. A hollow demonic laugh was all the answer she got.

"Eat... EAT.... Greedy arrogant ruffians say they want to eat..... well EAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

As more and more of the creatures pushed themselves down her throat, she found her belly growing larger and larger, literally beginning to tear at its seams.

"Stop....... PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", she begged tearfully, pressing her forehooves together in mercy, "PLEASE LET ME GO!!!"

"Ho... ho.. ho hoh hoh hoh ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!!!"

With one more push into her stomach, Rainbow Dash watched as her belly tore open....... her vision fading as she watched all the monsters climbing back out.... With her last breaths, she called for someone to rescue her

"No...... help me!!! Josh.... Twilight... Soarin... Someone........ help...... me..."
----------------------------------------------------------
With a silent scream, Rainbow Dash shot up in the bed she and Applejack were sharing. The nightmare she'd had was running through her mind like a perverse slideshow as sweat poured down her head. She felt sick to her stomach and looking down, she could see her belly gurgling and rumbling.

The enormity of the visions she'd just seen in her head ran through her, causing a fevered sweat. She wiped her head with her hoof, trying to regain some sense of sanity, but she just keep seeing her belly ripping open, exposing its innards against an invisible surface. She felt queasy, almost like what little was left in her abdomen from her early expulsion was swirling and pounding against her chest, threatening to come up and she quickly covered her mouth with her fetlock to keep from spilling her insides all over Applejack.

She laid back down and tried to go back to sleep, as if wanting to let the nausea subside through her dreams, but her belly continued to spasm uncontrollably. She felt weak and wanted nothing more than to curl up and burn away from the agony that was consuming her. Hot tears were stinging her eyes as she felt herself losing her battle with her insides.

"Come on... Don't do this.... Please....", she begged to her quivering midsection, "Please, I already embarrassed myself once, please.... Please stop... Please stop this....."

But the visions of her dream... Champagne's laughter, the grotesque looking food abominations, her slow and painful end.... It was growing too much. More than ever, she just wanted Josh or SOMEPONY to console her. She wasn't used to such vivid nightmares and she knew it wasn't just from overstuffing herself earlier, that the dreams had much more to them.... She even wished the Cowpony beside her could hear her cries and hold her, but Applejack was a very heavy sleeper and her snores were the only thing breaking the silence of the dark room.

She knew there was no way to avoid it, she was going to be violently sick. She could feel her stomach clenching immediately and it was only by the grace of Celestia she managed to put her hoof over her mouth in time to avoid throwing up all over the blankets.

"Ulp... Uh oh...", she whimpered as she covered her mouth and looked over the side of the bed for the bucket to deposit her stomach in, only finding a bare floor, "Oh come... Urp... on!!", she thought to herself.

She could feel the vomit starting to come up her throat and as she looked at the ground, she wondered how mad Applejack would get if she threw up on the bedroom floor. She lowered her head and looked underneath the bed for Applejack's bucket, only finding an empty space where Fluttershy had put the two receptacles.

"Caramel...", she realized, "He musta... Urk... taken them... that... Ulp... idiot..."

She could feel her cheeks beginning to fill up and knew she wouldn't be able to make it to the bathroom. With a whimper, she braced herself on the bed and got ready to shower the ground with her stomach. She felt shame and horror mixed in with the agony she was feeling. It was taking all of her willpower just to keep her mouth closed as long as she was, her jaw threatening to lock open and allow her to spill her insides all over the bed and parts of the floor. She knew there was no time left and she just hoped, as tears welled in her eyes, that Granny Smith would forgive her for making another mess and that Applejack would do the same.

"Forgive.. Urk... me, Applejack...", she whimpered through her hoof as she got ready to open her mouth to release. She braced herself on her shaky hooves so the contractions wouldn't topple her over. But as she took her hoof away from her mouth and prepared to revisit the remnants of her large meal, a soft and calm voice entered her ears as a warm hand pressed against her forehead, feeling the matted sweat of her mane and looking at her with deep concern.

"Rainbow Dash.... What's wrong?"

Trembling, the pegasus looked up and found herself staring into the calm face of her human lover and immediately she covered her mouth again to keep from losing it all over him.

"J-Josh?", she gagged, "H-how'd you---"

"Granny Smith gave me a spare key. C'mon, I can take you to the bathroom...", he whispered, rubbing her back gently, "Can you hold it until then? Please? I don't think Granny Smith wants to clean up another mess... Just hold on, Sweetie."

As sick as she felt, Rainbow Dash knew Granny Smith was still upset over having to clean up her dinner from the hallway and she gave the teen a weak nod as he gently picked the pegasus up and held her like a baby as he carried her to the bathroom, cooing to her all the while.

"Just hold it in, Dash.. we're almost there...", he whispered as he looked at the pegasus covering her mouth to hold in her quaking cheeks. She didn't want to decorate Josh's face with her lunch, but she desperately wanted to get rid of everything that was almost seeming to contaminate her stomach. Her dream ran over and over in her head and she felt soft salty tears run down her face from the mixture of emotions she was feeling.

"Please... blurk... hurry....", she quivered, the tears in her eyes leading the human to nuzzle his head against her mane, trying to soothe her. He could see she was in terrible pain both physically and mentally and he just wanted to be able to get her feeling better.

It didn't take the teen long to get her into the bathroom and, using the tip of his wing to flick on the light, he gently set her down and got the toilet seats up for her to do her business in, much to the pegasus' happiness.

"Go ahead, Rainbow Dash... just lean in and let it out."

It was hard for the pegasus to move without wanting to spill all over the bathroom floor, but slowly she managed to stumble and stagger her way to the waiting porcelain goddess and finally she was able to place her hooves on the sides and lean in, looking at the pool of water below waiting to receive her lunch. But she didn't know if she could throw up in front of the teen and she gave him a look, as if asking permission to barf.

"It's ok...", Josh nodded, kneeling down and placing his hand on her back, "Go ahead... you've gotta let it out."

Gratefully, Rainbow Dash looked into the water and..

"Bleaurghh!!!"

She opened her mouth and began vomiting more of what she'd eaten earlier, feeling as Josh held her mane and rubbed her back to comfort her as she got sick in the toilet. Her stomach felt awful as the nightmare continued to ring in her head, an oatmeal-looking mess erupting from her mouth. She didn't even remember eating oatmeal that day, even at that training session, and the smell made her feel even worse.

"It's ok, sweetie.. it's gotta come out.. just let nature do its business..", Josh cooed to the nauseated pegasus as she retched into the bowl.

It took her nearly a minute for the vomiting to slow down into a few dry heaves and as she laid her head down on the side of the bowl, she felt tears come to her eyes. A mixture of relief and fear rushed through her body and before she knew it, she was crying.

"Dash, it's alright... we can stop the training... I know how it's making you feel...", Josh whispered to her, only to get a soft shake as his answer as Rainbow Dash weakly turned to where she was facing him and let out an ugly belch.

"No... no I can't....", she quivered.

"Dash, you've got to pull out of this... it's nothing to be ashamed of...."

"Josh... if I do... Champagne will take out Applejack... and all of Ponyville..."

At this, Josh raised an eyebrow in alarm as he watched the pegasus struggle to flush down what she had just deposited in the bowl, barely managing to push down on the wooden handle to let the chunks go down the drain. "What do you mean?"

Rainbow Dash panted and wiped her mouth off on her hoof before she spoke, her tears still streaming down her face. "I... I had this dream...."

Josh sighed before he ran his hand through her messy mane. "Dashie, it's ok. Like Meowth and I said before, there's dreams so vivid that one can imagine themselves----"

But the pegasus cut him off. "It wasn't just that... there was more to it......"

"More?? What do you mean?"

At this, Rainbow Dash shuddered as she rubbed her head and sat against the bowl, shutting her eyes before looking at her lover.

"Before... hic... before AJ and I went to sleep... we put on the TV.... they had a report about Champagne.... Those reports that Twilight gave... they're all true!"

"True??? You mean about him actually cleaning out the markets of the towns he beats?"

Dash gave a sick nod before rubbing her eyes to try and wipe away her tears. "The dream I had... he was saying he'll destroy Ponyville..... and he was.... FORCING these.... ugh...."

Just the thought of those "creations" being forced down her throat made the pegasus retch, having to cover her mouth until she could swallow and talk again.

"These THINGS... into me! Saying I was a greedy ruffian... that we deserved to be put in our place... that I was just a pathetic foal......"

The pegasus couldn't control herself and before she knew it, she had burst into tears again. Within an instant, Josh had taken her into his arms and held the crying equine close, cooing to her.

"Shhh... shh.. it's ok."

Rainbow Dash just held onto him as tight as she could, her tears never ending. She almost was wishing she could go back to the nightmare of her in that other world.... at least that one didn't leave her stomach on the outside of her body.

"Just end this, Dash.... it's ok....."

But she wouldn't have any of it. "I can't! I've got to keep pushing myself... no matter HOW much I blow chunks! I gotta keep pushing my stomach to its limits!"

"Dash, are you nuts?? You've been having nightmares from all this food, you're vomiting.... Applejack and I can do----"

"Josh, I can't abandon her.... I can't abandon Ponyville.... I gotta keep training... no matter HOW much it hurts...."

As much as he hated to admit it, Josh could see where the pegasus was coming from. Her determination and loyalty was one of her most precious traits. She was willing to put her own body at risk to protect her friends and he knew Applejack would do the same. It's what made them the Elements of Loyalty and Honesty.

"If you're sure.... is there anything I can do to help you during training? I mean besides what we talked about earlier this morning?"

At this, Rainbow Dash gave the teen a quivering smile. Josh had agreed to take over Dash's shifts in the weather patrol while she was in training for the contest. For some odd reason, Hammerhead had only been too happy to have the teen take over for the cyan-colored pegasus.

"There... is one thing...", she whispered shakily.

"Tell me, Dashie."

"Whenever I have to.... To..... I can't even say it..."

But Josh said the words for her. "Throw up?"

The pegasus nodded. ".... Please... comfort me while it comes out... it really hurts.... But I gotta overeat and stretch my stomach out... I wanna help them.... I wanna help Ponyville.... Please Josh.... I.... I'm.... I'm scared... I'm... I'm so scared........ "

Finding her voice getting choked up, knowing what she would be going through to help her town and remembering the nightmare all over again, Rainbow Dash buried her head into Josh's jacket and let the teen just stroke her mane gently as the mare wept. He'd never seen her so scared and he had the feeling this wasn't a common occurance for her, something that would be more suited to their timid friend. But at least she wasn't alone....

"Don't worry Dashie.... In sickness and in health... I'll never abandon you... My sweet, sweet Dashie.", he whispered to the crying pegasus.

Even when she let her tears bring her to sleep, Josh never left Rainbow Dashs side, staying with her in the bathroom the entire night until the sun rose outside the farmhouse, stroking her mane the whole time....