Rainbooms and Royalty

Moment

Rainbow Dash was doing what she was taught pegasi should NEVER do: fly directly at the ground. She wasn’t diving, not flying in at angle, but flying straight down as fast as she could go. There was every chance she could end up a pancake splattered on the ground below but that thought was pushed to the far back of her mind. Of course, this wasn’t the first time she’d done this, but usually it was the result of a juvenile dare and had started from much higher up. This time the stakes were much, MUCH higher.

Below, just out of reach, her friends were falling to their deaths. Fluttershy screamed as she tried to open her wings, but they were held tight by Nightmare Moon’s bonds. Even Twilight Sparkle’s impressive magic was contained. There was nothing to stop or even slow their descent except for the rocky ground below that was rapidly approaching.

The wind whipped at Rainbow Dash’s face as it blew her mane and tail back. There were tears trickling down her cheeks that had nothing to do with the rushing wind tugging at her eyes. Five ponies, five friends, and not enough time to save them all. Who gets saved? Who’s left to die?

Fluttershy. No, never! Memories twisted in her gut of Fluttershy falling to the earth below while she raced to defend her honor, oblivious of her plight…and this time there was no cloud of butterflies to break her fall. She swore she’d never let Fluttershy down again. She was her oldest friend…the thought of somepony as soft and gentle and kind as her lying broken on the ground squeezed at her heart so hard Rainbow found herself fighting for breath.

Pinkie Pie. How could she even think of letting Pinkie fall? As strange and weird as the pink earth pony was, Rainbow doubted that even she would just bounce up and be fine after a fall like this. She wasn’t full of life…it was like she WAS life. Always laughing, always bouncing, partying, bringing a smile to somepony’s face…how could the world continue on without her laughter making it better?

Applejack. A pony who offered to take her in without even knowing who she was, just because she could tell Rainbow needed a hoof. Always tough but remarkably gentle in her feelings. Honest and trustworthy…ponies like her were the backbone of Equestria. How could Rainbow Dash leave her behind, especially having met her large family, all of whom loved and cared for AJ?

Rarity. It had taken her a while to warm up to the fussy unicorn, but seeing how much she loved her little sister…everything she’d sacrificed to get them this far…Rainbow Dash couldn’t imagine a Ponyville without her.

Twilight Sparkle. The funny, dorky, initially withdrawn, and insanely powerful Twilight. Shining Armor had tossed the two of them together because he knew they complimented each other and countered each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Twilight had just started to finally come out of her shell and start making friends. She had a bright future ahead of her if it didn’t end at the ground…

Rainbow Dash grit her teeth. No, No, NO! She couldn’t do it! She couldn’t choose between them! Each and everypony was precious to her, in their own unique and different way. Picturing the world without any one of them was like trying to make a rainbow with a missing color, it just wouldn’t work!

“Wait a minute.” Her eyes narrowed at that. “Rainbows, rainbows…c’mon Dash, THINK!” She scrunched her eyes as she tried to probe the flicker that passing thought had provoked. On those occasions when Rainbow Dash needed to clear her thoughts or, conversely, think things through (a much rarer occurance) flying always provided her the best inspiration.

Rainbows…her friends…the Elements of Harmony…what did it all mean?

The voices of her friends floated through her mind.

“…it wasn’t until I found some gemstones after an explosion of light…”

“There was this—I don’t know—this big explosion and this light and then my magic just went crazy!”