Confronted

Chapter 2: Homesick

The next morning, Dash decided to take a little flight above the village. For about an hour, she took the other ponies by surprise with her tricks, flying this way and that. Sometimes even doing a backflip, or tricking the crowd by faking being injured and falling to the earth, only to lash out her massive, newly made wings, and taking the skies once more. At one point, she saw the newborn colt and its parents even watching her, thus giving the idea to perform a better show just for the colt. But unfortunately, as she got to her last, and greatest trick yet, the colt followed her parents as they headed off to get some groceries from the village's only store. "I hope she stays safe" said Dash with a sigh. She flew down to the ground, now feeling tired from the air show she had just displayed. Just then, Princess Celestia came around to the fountain recently built in the middle of the village for helping keep the village from getting too hot on hot days. She said "Ms. Dash, you're quite the flyer here. How would you like a job as my personal messenger?" Dash replied " Wait, you're kidding, right? Is this a... you actually want me to help you?" Celestia spoke with eloquence, saying "It is an offer, not a demand if that is what you're implying. Also, my last messenger had gotten lost a few months back, and hasn't been heard from ever since. So yes, please help me." This pleased Dash, for she still owed Doctor Horse and Nurse Red Heart for helping patching her after... the "Cupcake Incident" she calls. So she accepted the job offer. Her first job was to head out to the recently discovered Mountains of Nulas village near where the last messenger had gotten lost. The princess warned Dash, saying "The area is extremely chilly. So I'm letting you borrow my crown. It has the power to control one's inner temperature regardless of the weather's terrible might. Still, go with caution, and perhaps try to find the messenger before you for for me. Now go, you have a long journey ahead of you." Dash headed off, crown atop her blue head and rainbow mane, to the mountain village to find the missing messenger.

      After several hours of traveling, Dash had reached the Mountain Village of Nulas. She began her search for the other messenger at the local inn, which showed signs that it had been there a long time by the numerous chippings and hoof prints of passersby. She shrieked "Hello, can anyone help me find a missing messenger?" All of a sudden, a familiar voice sounded from behind. "Dash, is that you? What are you doing here?" Dash turned and saw Sweetie Belle and her sister Rarity. She asked "Same to you two, right? I'm here to find the last messenger that Princess Celestia had sent out here. I have to find him and bring him back to the village for her." Sweetie Belle asked if she could help, but Rainbow Dash turned down the offer. "Sorry, kid. You'd easily get lost out there at your age, and I couldn't live with the idea of you getting hurt.Stay with your sister." Sweetie said "Okay..." as she and Rarity continued on with their visit to Nulas. So, with that done, Dash kept on looking for the messenger. She left the old inn and began to head to the outskirts, remembering that Celestia had said that her messenger was sent near the village, not to it. "Alright, let's just find him and return him home." she said to herself.

         With the cold air around, and constant heavy winds (though not heavy enough to carry people away, only push them aside a bit), Dash began to leave town. She knew of an old road that once led to Nulas from her village when she was a small colt herself, and followed the outlined path that she remembered as she searched. Suddenly, "Help me, please!" sounded from Dash's front right vision, and she replied back with "Over here! Just follow the sound of my voice! I'll take you back home!" Slowly, a faded shadow began to appear in the midst of the cold. It came closer and closer as if it was hunting her, when she met the lost messenger. He said " Who are you?" "I'm the new messenger for Princess Celestia. She sent me here to find you and get you home" said Dash. That made the other pony worry, so he said "You're replacing me? Oh no. Not good. This is not good!" Dash asked "Why?" The pony said "With no job, I can't help raise my family! My kid might think I left them behind or something! You... you have to get me back home as soon as possible! Please!" Dash was surprised, because he had said kid, not kids. So she asked "How old is your kid?", and was told that the kid was a newborn colt. 'Oh... my... god.That colt!' " Sir, I'll get you home as soon as possible, so don't you worry. Follow me, and stay close!" said Rainbow Dash. With the other pony following close behind, she hurried down the withered road in the direction of her village.

          Since Dash couldn't allow the young messenger get hurt or lost, she kept to the ground. But yet so badly she wanted to take to the skies, and let it go. Flying always helped her relieve any stress she may have had during the time she wasn't flying. It was too cold, however, and since the other pony had been trapped out there for a while now with little food and water, he began to fall behind. Then he fell to the ground. Seeing this, Dash hurried to his side. She said "Come on, get up! You have a kid to take care of! You have to hold on, even just a little longer." The other said "No... I can't... I can't go on... I just can't... Please... tell my family I love them..." He passed out. "Oh no you don't! You'll get home, and I'll make sure of that! Come on, you. You're getting home, I promise." There was no response. Dash picked up the pony, and carried him back to her home village on her back. However, the cold of the mountain was nothing compared to the heat of the Great Desert between the plains that held their village, and the mountain range that held the village of Nulas.

         By the time they got to their village, Rainbow Dash was ready to just drop and relax in the fountain in the middle of town. "So... tired..." she mumbled. Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack helped carry their friend to the fountain for a drink. They could tell just how warn out she was. Pinkie came along, saying "Looks like she's hurt. Something happen to her?" Rarity blurted "Nah, just tired. She just rescued the last messenger for Princess Celestia. She's warn out, so can you take her home while we help check on the other one?" "Sure I can!" said Pinkie, and with some scary sarcastic tone that creeped out the ponies a bit. She took Rainbow Dash, and escorted the tired pony home... or at least, her home, anyway. Dash was confused, inquiring "Why'd you take me to your... oh no. No! NO! You stay away from me! You're not gonna hurt me again! Go away!", she ran off to her " special place" at Twilight's house.