Appledashery

*"Where we follow a pegasus' endless pursuit of snuggles."*

Or, One million words of pining, kickass and depression.

**This section contains spoilers.** Duh.

This is more detailed than an ideal synopsis should be because I wanted to capture more details first. I'll go back to edit it later.

> "It ends with them cuddling."
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> -- Narrator
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The story opens with Rainbow Dash right after the Grand Galloping Gala, practising a confession to Applejack in front of the mirror. She fails miserably in her attempts to muster up the courage to confess to Applejack.

The second chapter introduces us to the story by the Narrator, who promises cuddles at the end.

## Part One: Rainbow's Day After

> (In Which We Follow a Nervous Pegasus Visiting Her Best Friends)
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Rainbow Dash wakes up in her cloud home from a dream about Applejack asking her to stay with her on the farm after getting kicked out of the Wonderbolts. Rainbow gets up on wobbly hooves and downs two red-and-white pills from a cylindrical orange container with shower water. She sees her Gala dress on the door and wonders how she got back from Canterlot.

She flies out with her Gala dress stuffed in her saddlebag. Ponies ask her about the Gala and she notices news of the catastrophe on the papers. She lands in Carousel Boutique and sees Rarity gardening. She asks Rarity to help her fix her Gala dress. They chat for a while and Rainbow realises she doesn't recall anything that happened over the weekend. So she goes to ask Twilight Sparkle, and then Pinkie Pie, who tells her she should ask Applejack.

We get a flashback here of what happened the weekend before. Applejack and Rainbow Dash are sampling cider at Upper Diamond District of Canterlot, which Rainbow proclaims to taste "like liquid sandpaper". Applejack compares it to the cider at Sweet Apple Acres and talks about how putting love and commitment into something makes it of quality. She then mentions her problem: having invested a big cut of the harvest into the Gala and now being behind in stock, she hoped to bank on a big cider season to compensate.

Back in the present, Apple Bloom asks Applejack about how the Gala went. Applejack tries to avoid the subject. Apple Bloom points out Rainbow floating over Sweet Apple Acres, but the pegasus high-tails it outta there by the time Applejack looks up. She next goes to Fluttershy's house, and we get a flashback of how Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy first met in flight school. Back in flight school, Rainbow Dash always stuck up for Fluttershy against bullies and saw a need to protect her, and eventually developed a crush on her, but got rejected as Fluttershy only saw her as a friend. After being officially diagnosed with Pegasopalitine Atrophy, a devastated Rainbow dropped out of flight school and drank her sorrows away.

Rainbow Dash disappeared for a few months and returned to Fluttershy's cottage after having just broke up with Listing Breeze. The two friends make amends and Fluttershy comforts her. Later we see that Rainbow goes on a date with Gilda (who she had first met back at Junior Speedsters Flight Camp), and Rainbow Dash also encourages Fluttershy to go to one of Pinkie's parties. The flashback ends here with Rainbow entering Fluttershy's cottage.

Rainbow confesses to Fluttershy about her huge crush, or "true love crap", on Applejack and we get some deep insight on their relationship development and her reasons for having fallen in love with Applejack and her steadfastness. Then, Big Macintosh shows up to get the fixed collar for Winona and Rainbow finds out that Fluttershy and Big Mac have crushes on each other. They laugh about it, then Rainbow asks Fluttershy for advice on what to do, and she tells her that she should be honest with Applejack.

When Rainbow reaches home, she opens the mailbox and finds two bills and a hospital letter. Alone, she eats her meal, showers, stares into the mirror then sits on the balcony. Just before going to sleep, she considers taking a pill, then stops. She goes to bed muttering six words.

## Part Two: Remaining Applemistic

> (Where Rainbow Dash Life Sucks and yet it Doesn’t)
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Part Two opens with a flashback/dream of Applejack telling Rainbow Dash about when she insulted Filthy Rich when she was a filly. The two chat until Rainbow bets that she lies less than Applejack does and Applejack asks her why she is always hovering. Rainbow wakes up gasping. She takes another pill and is about to leave the house when she sees Green Saddle in a red balloon hammering a For Lease sign into her home. Apparently, Rainbow hasn't been able to meet her rental bill for 3 months is at risk of being evicted. After much pleading, Green Saddle gives her one more week to pay up.

Rainbow goes to Ponyville Central Hospital for her appointment and Nurse Redheart tells her that her body is acclimating to the chemicals and the medicine isn't working for her like it used to, especially after she took an extra large dosage in October (Running of the Leaves). Nurse Redheart advises Rainbow to undergo a procedure that would heal her completely, but Rainbow is adamant in her refusal, saying she has a reputation to maintain. Here a flashback of Rainbow flying and teasing a couple of racing earth ponies. Then (in present) Rainbow clearing clouds with stunts, but Thunderlane and Candy Mane try to get her to stop, saying they are paid by the hour. Rainbow huffs and leaves to do extra work, after which she asks Wyndi if the Climate Commission could pay her extra, but Wyndi says the Climate Commission "doesn’t pay for tasks that aren’t specified on the itinerary" and suggests that Rainbow get a second job. Later, Pinkie invites Rainbow to an evening dinner at Sugarcube Corner "to celebrate Gummy getting his first teeth", which Rainbow isn't interested in until she hears Applejack will be there. The girls chat, and Rainbow wonders why she feels so lame even though she's done plenty of cool stuff, while Applejack bucks apples all day and is genuinely happy.

Fluttershy suggests that Rainbow tell the girls her daredevil flight story and she regales them with a tale of how she flew through Ghastly Gorge at night, chased by the nocturnal Quarry Eels which slid out of their tunnels, and survived thanks to kicking down Boulder Pass. After the dinner, Applejack stays back to talk to Rainbow and Rainbow admits that she only made it out because the eels' eyes glowed. Applejack is incredulous that Rainbow could have flown out of the gorge at any time but still chose to stay all the way through, but Rainbow says "fear is the one thing that makes [her] feel like [she's] really alive. And conquering it." Applejack hugs Rainbow (and seems to stroke her mane?) and tells her to not become a "stranger".

We follow Rainbow Dash through another day until she heads to a bar called The Navel. We meet Lyra Heartstrings, Vinyl Scratch, Caramel and Bon Bon, her drinking buddies who haven't seen her in a long time. To her friends' surprise, she orders lemonade instead of cider- Vinyl first mentions Rainbow's regular cider intake here. Rainbow apologises for not coming to get-togethers more frequently, but her friends also say that they're "happy to have [her] around in some way or another". Rainbow tells them that she doesn't want them to think that she blamed them for introducing her to Listing. Then she asks about Caramel's (sex reassignment) operation, and Caramel says he's still trying to move out first. Finally, Bon Bon asks what brings Rainbow here, and she tells them that she needs a second job. They suggest working at Banner Company liked she used to with Listing and she reluctantly accepts. Later, as they are leaving, Bon Bon finds that Rainbow seems different and asks her about it, and finds out that she is in love with somepony; after being asked why she doesn't confess, Rainbow says that she "[doesn't] want to stop loving her". Back at home, she looks at the Mane 6 group pics before falling asleep.

Rainbow Dash wakes up brimming with energy, zipping straight out and pulling stunts during cloudkicking without downing a pill. She arrives at Banner Company where she meets her old supervisor Stamps, who remembers her is about to refuse her due to a lack of job openings when the pony at the door announces that their last chariot was busted and a delivery of Dream Valley salt licks was due at Trottingham before three o' clock. Rainbow and Stamps make a deal and Rainbow delivers the salt licks, one by one, with 40 minutes to spare including the time she spent recounting the incident to Fluttershy who reminded her that she had 3 salt licks to go. Stamps reluctantly considers her hired and Rainbow goes off on her next delivery- but not before taking a pill.

## Part Three: Trouble on the Farm

> (Where Rainbow Shares in the Sweat and the Dirt)
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This part opens with a flashback of Rainbow Dash conversing with Applejack. Applejack shares about the problems on the farm: having to replace Granny's hip soon, Big Mac's injury, the parasprite infestation and the Gala failure, and that she might have to even sell Sweet Apple Acres. Back in the present, she arrives at Sweet Apple Acres for a delivery. When Big Mac and Applejack are back from the field, they are discussing about share-cropping with the Radish Ranchers. When Applejack sees Rainbow, she jerks in shock and her hat flies off. Rainbow rushes to get it for her, but Applejack shouts and vehemently grabs it first, scooping it back on her head. While they are signing for the parcel, Applejack asks Rainbow why she now has a second job, but Rainbow brushes off the concern and asks Applejack about the farm's situation, to which Applejack admits that things are dire, but she puts on a brave face and say that they will pull through, before asking Rainbow to leave.

After making yet another delivery of salt licks to Trottingham, Rainbow Dash curiously questions the butler as to why the manor's occupant needed so many salt licks. The butler tells her that she talks too much and sends her on her way. When she is back at Banner Company HQ, Stamps tells her wearily that she has broken company records for the week, and Rainbow explodes in jubilant sass, while ignoring Stamps' jabs at her workplace conduct. Rainbow then—taking a pill first— heads to Fluttershy's home, where she finds her bidding Big Mac goodbye. After he has left, Rainbow and Fluttershy talk, and Rainbow explains to a surprised Fluttershy about the Apple farm's situation and how badly it has been affecting Applejack and her family. Fluttershy observes that Applejack must trust Rainbow very much to tell her about this, though Rainbow denies it and starts to leave. Fluttershy realises that Big Mac had forgotten to take half of the medicine he needed and Rainbow offers to deliver it to Sweet Apple Acres for her. Once there, Rainbow stumbles upon a heart-wrenching scene of Applejack crying helplessly into Granny Smith's lap. It turns out that the package earlier was a care package from Filthy Rich, who had decided to cut business ties with them. Overtaken with emotion herself, Rainbow leaves the medicine package at the window and flies off.

The next day, Rainbow touches down at the Trottingham manor with another chariot of salt licks, devoid of her usual talkative energy. Suddenly, she overhears some businessponies talking about apples and decides to eavesdrop. She finds out that Fancy Pants is bent on securing a trade deal with the buffalo tribe that lives on Granite Mountain to obtain Cloudstone which could power Equestria-revolutionising technology. He is planning on bartering salt licks, but is unsure if it will work. Rainbow then cuts in, saying that apple pies would be sure to win over the buffalo, drawing on her experience from Appleloosa. Fancy Pants objects at first, but then secretly meets on his own with Rainbow to tell her that he is interested in what she has to offer. They then agree that if Rainbow Dash can prove that the Granite Mountain buffalo respond favourably to apple pies, then he would fund the apple farm responsible for their production.

Rainbow makes her way to Sweet Apple Acres and eagerly asks for a barrel of apples, but Applejack refuses, saying that they are preparing for a special harvest and are too tight on supply. Unable to give up, Rainbow starts helping Applejack with the harvest, but the overexertion causes her to have to take more pills than usual, though she hides it with a big grin and lighthearted banter. Later, while taking a break, Applejack apologises for her earlier harshness. She admits that the farm is in dire straits and they might have to give it up. Rainbow expresses her concern for Granny Smith and Applejack looks at her funny for how much Rainbow worries over her whole family. They then both share what they admire about each other. Rainbow asks Applejack if she has a goal to maintaining the farm, and Applejack reveals her dream of starting a family with a handsome stallion, to Rainbow's poorly disguised disappointment. Applejack says that if the farm doesn't make it, it doesn't matter, since it was "having somepony special to come home to" that mattered.

Nearing the end of the applebucking session, Rainbow hears Applejack yelp and zips over to help pick up Applejack's fallen hat, only for Applejack to shout again and snatch it over. When they are all done with the harvest, Rainbow turns to leave, but not before Applejack stops her and offers her a basket of apples, who lightheartedly presumes that she had wanted those for apple cider. Rainbow starts saying something about how having been able to help her was more than enough, but Applejack had fallen asleep. Taking the basket, Rainbow whizzes to Sugarcube Corner and pleads Pinkie to bake the apple pies with them.

## Part Four: Granite Mountain Shuffle

> (Where Rainbow Dash Goes on an Adventure of Bison, Pies, and Pegasus Nerves)
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Following a drugstore map, Rainbow Dash flies northeast for Granite Mountain with the (totally not stolen) Banner Company chariot full of apple pies. Once there, she meets Churning Bag, a mountain ram who claims to sell mirrors to the buffalo. Churning takes her to the buffalos' cave, where the buffalo test their strength by headbutting them before letting them enter the cave. Rainbow brings up the pies, but the buffalo demand that she speak to the tribe leader, Buffalo That Bags Well. On the way to the main hall, Rainbow notices that the cave is covered in mirrors. Later, Churning also gives her a mirror for her "adorable shade of blue". Rainbow tries to convince He Who Bags Well to taste the apple pies, but he refuses, saying only mirrors are useful to them— to protect them from the Slithering. He then says that if Rainbow can purge it, then the buffalo will sample her apple pies. Churning helps to take her there. Along the way, he implies that he once had wings, and his left horn falls off, which he quickly twists back on. Once out of the cave, Churning admits his fear of losing his job if Rainbow defeats the Slithering, but Rainbow tells him she would direct Fancy Pants to hire him for the deliveries. Churning is confused as to how Rainbow would profit from this, but Rainbow says it's not for the profit.

Flying, they come across a cave, where they spot a massive creature slithering downward towards the buffalo dwelling. They follow it back down and find that all the buffalo have left. Rainbow sets Churning down to stalk the creature herself. She discovers a buffalo turning into stone, and the reptilian creature picks it up. Rainbow catches a glimpse of the creature's glowing left eye, which causes the tip of her tail to turn concrete. A last shriek from the buffalo causes the Slithering to give chase, until it hurls a wooden shack at her. Churning helps her out of the rubble, but is turned to stone by the Slithering. Legs numb, Rainbow is unable to escape, but the buffalo save her by using their mirrors to reflect sunlight onto the monster, which drives it away. When Rainbow asks how the buffalo had known the basilisk had returned, they reveal the beacon they use: its right eye, that the buffalo gorged out during a fight and placed in a jar, which glows whenever its host is near. Curiously, the basilisk can kill by glancing upon others with two eyes, but it kept only one eye open to petrify.

Rainbow takes a pill and carries the jar with the eye, which she names Squidgy, with her to root out the basilisk. She follows it to the top of the cliff, where she finds a large chamber which must have been the crashed pegasus sky city and the cloudstone supply Fancy Pants wanted. Peeking into the cavern, she discovers rows upon rows of frozen buffalo. The basilisk also uses its sticky spit to attach staglamites to the ram as if it were a unicorn, muttering that Polyph would not be able to tell the difference. Rainbow finds out that the basilisk, named Durandal, and a dumb cyclops named Polyph have been petrifying creatures and using them as chess pieces, with the cyclops having ice breath. While the monsters are discussing about eating creatures and Durandal's missing chesspiece, she tosses Squidgy into Polyph's bag, after which Polyph inadvertently knocks her off into a sack of flour, which covers her in thick flour, but also causes her to sneeze and draw the monsters' attention. Thinking fast, she pretends to be a chesspiece. While the two are playing and talking, Polyph mentions a 'Tartarusian Curse'. Rainbow remembers this from one of Twilight's lectures: this was a curse Princess Celestia and Luna placed on all monsters in Tartarus such that sunlight would burn their skin. She spots a set of thick doors toward the far end of the cave that could help her. Rainbow discreetly pitches into the conversation, making each monster believe the other is insulting them, which causes them to fight and nearly kill each other. Rainbow then guides Polyph to open his bag, revealing the basilisk's eye inside. Durandal explodes in fury, and the two begin brawling, giving Rainbow the chance she needs to grab Squidgy and fly for the doors, but the doors prove to be too heavy for her to push open. The monsters notice her and Polyph tries to punch her, but punches the doors instead. A glance at the basilisk turns her eyelashes to stone, weighing her eyelid down, and she has to pluck them off while hiding in a crack. Durandal swipes randomly through the marble columns which causes the lair to crumble. As Durandal attempts to help Polyph who is stuck under the collapsed columns, Rainbow takes hits at them and causes the monsters to crash into one another, then fall over, causing the doors to smash open... only to reveal that a dark, cloudy night outside. Polyph finally grabs ahold of Rainbow and prepares to freeze her, but not before the clouds break, and the moonlight—reflected sunlight—reflects off the pegasus architecture and shines upon the monsters, also melting Squidgy to smoke. The monsters flee down the mountain. Rainbow pushes Churning's petrified form into the moonlight, which unfreezes him.

After thawing all the victims, they gather back at the hall and the buffalo sample her apple pies, and of course, they fall in love instantly. Rainbow heads back to the Trottingham manor with a token from the buffalo tribe, thus sealing the deal. Rainbow, however, expresses her wish to remain anonymous. In short time, the Apple family receive the news and are exuberantly surprised. Rainbow Dash, overlooking the scene from above, chuckles in great delight and speeds off with the hugest smile on her face.

## Part Five: Remedy Dash

> (Whereupon Rainbow's Life Practices Gravity and We're Forced to Watch)
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Back at Sugarcube Corner, Applejack revels in her latest good fortune, while Rainbow Dash reels from a lack of sleep and numb limbs. Nopony seems to notice, save for a worried Fluttershy, but Rainbow waves off her concerns. Fluttershy hugs her and tells Rainbow to keep herself happy and well. Rainbow shows up for work at Banner Company and Stamps is surprised to see her, saying he had filled in her shift thinking she would overshoot her two days off, so she is put on warehouse duty. After work she considers taking her last pill left, but she gazes upon the happy Apple family and forgoes it. She joins her drinking gang and recounts her mountainous exploits to them while drunk. They get her home by creating a virtual slingshot with unicorn magic and catapulting her up onto her cloudhome,

Rainbow is awakened by Derpy, who delivers her mail. One of these letters is from Green Saddles. Yelling, she sprays herself with cold shower water and bolts for his office. She begs him for an extension for paying off the lease but he refuses. He tells her to go withdraw the money she has currently, and she does. She then goes for her appointment with Nurse Redheart, who tells her that she cannot prescribe Rainbow more pills on account of her alarmingly high dosage rate and said that the only option Rainbow has other than the operation is rehabilitation. Rainbow refuses anyway and flies off, telling herself that as long as she can make Applejack happy, she would be okay.

Here we have a flashback of Rainbow Dash flying drunk back at Canterlot the night after the Gala, and crashing into a mysterious object, causing it to shatter. She wakes up and heads to the park where she chitchats with Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie and Rarity for a while. They meet the Cutie Mark Crusaders too. When Rarity brings up cure-it-all zebra Zecora, Rainbow Dash immediately flies off to seek from her a cure to her atrophy. Twilight, observing Rainbow's busyness of late, hypothesises that Rainbow is seeing somepony.

Rainbow explains to Zecora the effects of the disease she is afflicted with, Pegasopalitine Atrophy, a genetic muscle degenerative disease which eventually will attack the immune system and kill the infected pegasus. Her only way out is an operation which would transfer the essence from her wings into her legs, which would cure her completely of the disease, but leave her with non-functional wings, which she isn't willing to surrender. Zecora says she has no permanent solution, but can mix up a brew to stave off the effects temporarily. While they head to Ponyville to get ingredients for the brew, Rainbow talks some more about her past and, happily, about the Mane 6, except for Applejack. They buy some Star Spider silk (or Sapphire Spin in Zebraharan) from a vendor named Golden Gaze, who gives it to them for free this time, but says the next time they would have to pay a hundred bits. They then go to Amethyst Star's lab and get the alicornia dust required to activate the silk after Zecora helps Amethyst solve her parasprite neutering problem by giving her a sample of cockatrice eyes. Rainbow expresses her admiration for Zecora's generosity to the ponies around her. On the way back, Zecora bumps into Big Macintosh and becomes momentarily flustered. Back at the hut, she explains to Rainbow how the potion will work through excessive stimulation, and its possible side effects of hallucination, and tells her to consider it seriously. Back home, Rainbow tells herself that to win Applejack, anything will be worth it. The next morning, she tells Fluttershy that she is going to "cheat again" to be as strong as Applejack, before flying off to Zecora's. She decides to take the potion, declaring that she would "rather die a winner than live as a loser". Rainbow starts to hallucinate, seeing strange sights, Applejack, followed by Rainbow's father, pale with gangrene, who tells Rainbow to "not let her kill [her]".

Cut to Scootaloo, who is trying to get up on the clouds with her scooter until it gives out from under her and Rainbow Dash swoops in to save her. Flashback to Zecora telling Rainbow that the potion will only last a week and a great deal of bits would be needed for the doses next. Rainbow attempts to tell the smitten Zecora about Big Mac's relationship with Fluttershy, but loses the nerve and lies instead about Big Mac being happy seeing Zecora, to her delight. Rainbow begs Stamps for a higher-paying job and Stamps discreetly slides her a card with an address on it. Rainbow follows as instructed to the eastern Fillydelphia Air Yards behind a golden-striped building and finds a hooded gray stallion who informs her of nothing but the strict confidentiality of the delivery job and passes her a notecard with addresses on it.

## Part Six: Underworlding

> (Where the Quest Towards Dashing Apples Turns Weird)
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Rainbow Dash arrives at a swamp with her large wagon in tow. A red-eyed, bald creature emerges from within a dark well and tosses a black obelisk-like box at her. Then, she delivers the box to the second destination, a geothermal field. The cloaked gray mare who accepts it examines the box, which lights up from the inside with glowing blue lines and shoots out several black panels while emitting the sound of "rattlesnakes and foalish sobs", before shrinking back to normal. On the next delivery, she collects a brown box from a gangly stallion in a country cottage, who warns her not to look inside or be blinded and killed. She delivers the box to Dream Valley where a bucket connected to a rope slams in front of her and she puts the box in, before it slides back into the lake. The third delivery turns out far more innocuous in comparison— a lavender box containing petticoats from a friendly old mare in Trottingham to Shining Armor in Canterlot, who pays Rainbow to pretend she didn't see it. Once done with the deliveries, she collects her bits from a hole in the bottom of the northwest cornerstone as earlier instructed.

Satisfied with her earnings, she treats all her friends to lunch at a Hay Burger joint, to their delight. Rarity also mentions how nice it is to have her around, and Pinkie Pie points out how occupied Rainbow has been in the last week. Twilight Sparkle asks if she is taking a second job, saying it is normal for her at her age, but Rainbow blows that off. They also notice how Rainbow is now uncharacteristically dismissive of the Wonderbolts. Applejack proposes a hoof wrestling match. Fluttershy tries to gently intervene but Rainbow takes up the challenge. In the middle of the wrestling, she suddenly sees a vision of both of them on a starry Canterlot rooftop, and loses the match. Rainbow later explains to Fluttershy about her new potion from Zecora and Fluttershy expresses her concern for her, as well as how Rainbow suddenly got her bits, saying that she "missed [her] best friend" and wanted Rainbow not to destroy herself. Applejack then comes along and Fluttershy leaves. Applejack apologises to Rainbow and nervously asks if she hurt Rainbow inadvertently, saying she must have some kind of Farmer's curse, destined to be "denser" than most. (Truly.) The two then share a hug, and Rainbow seems to feel an errant gust of wind in her mane. After that, she promptly plunges herself into the lake. She finds Zecora again to thank her, asking how she can repay her, but Zecora tells her that she simply desires some company. So Rainbow does, regaling her with her tales of the Sonic Rainboom.

The next Tuesday, she returns to the same spot, only to find that this week's delivery job has been given to Romulus, a veteran delivery griffon who has apparently insulted and killed clients before, but whose experience outweighs Rainbow's. Though she is extremely upset about this, the hooded pony insists on sending Romulus for this job. However, as Romulus is flying off, the envelope falls out of his cloak. Smirking, she grabs the envelope and is reading it on the way back to Ponyville when Applejack greets her, remarking on how busy she has been. Rainbow asks her a strange question: how far she would go to get what she wanted. When Applejack asks if anything is wrong, Rainbow simply says she has been thinking a lot and rushes off. Applejack is left confused.

Rainbow arrives at the Canterlot Gardens as instructed. She notices that one of the pedestals is missing a sculpture. A young guard (Flash Sentry) hurriedly loads a wooden barrel stuffed with gray canvas bag onto the chariot, which rattles like knocking stones. Flash tells her not to lose any of the pieces, or disaster awaits. She flies the chariot toward a place called The Pit. The canvas bag also seems to be moving, but she decides it must be the wind or her hallucinations. She is intercepted by a horde of fireball-breathing dragons who start chasing her, and she is forced to unhitch herself from the wagon, which implodes shortly, and protect the barrel. While hiding, she overhears the dragons discussing something about their Big Boss wanting the shards. After the dragons have left, Rainbow darts west with the bag of shards. She arrives at the Pit. Three robed stallions, Methusaleh, Nebachunezzer and Steve receive the delivery and welcome her to Tartarus. They put it in a chute and incinerate it. Steve advises her that nothing is worth doing such a dangerous job, but Rainbow says she isn't doing any of this for herself. Steve laughs and tells her that she's "in a worse place than [he could] ever be in". Once back home, totally exhausted, she goes to sleep. Unbeknownst to her, a silver granite horn slides out from the pouch of her saddlebag.

## Part Seven: A Rainbow in the Horn Section

> (That Part Where You Wonder if Dash Has Actually Lost It)
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Rainbow Dash goes to Twilight Sparkle's library to ask about and look for books which could help her figure out who Big Boss might be. She manages to get a dragon name 'Aatxe'. She mysteriously finds the granite horn in her satchel, not knowing how it got there, and it also seems to move when she is not looking. Then, she suddenly hears Applejack shouting and flies over to find that Applejack is chasing off some vampire fruit bats. She volunteers to help right away. Fluttershy and Big Mac get to the farm and they talk with Applejack, who seems happy but also mistified at Rainbow's sudden workaholicism and the spate of lucky coincidences that have happened to her recently. Applejack approves of Big Mac and Fluttershy's relationship. Meanwhile, Rainbow wears out the last of the potion's strength and collapses, but suddenly an ugly gargoyle-like statue appears on the grass and scares off all the bats. When Fluttershy, Applejack and Big Mac rejoin her and coo in admiration, the statue is gone, replaced by the granite horn.

Rainbow Dash quickly purchases the ingredients and sends them to Zecora's for another brew of potion. The whole way, her saddlebag rattles incessantly. After she downs the potion, the saddlebag stops. Rainbow proposes that they go out to town together one day and get Zecora closer to Big Mac. After flying home, she decides that she must have been hallucinating the rattling saddlebag. She falls asleep and has a series of dreams concerning her latest struggles. When she wakes up, she heads to Fillydelphia again to find Romulus getting fired for losing the job. After he has left, Rainbow touches down and reveals that she knows his name is Noir, to his disbelief and fury. She flips him over and reveals that he is a sarosian. Noir guesses correctly that she was the one who made the delivery, and Rainbow admits that one of the pieces ended up in her saddlebag, and that was why the Tartarusian Binding Spell backfired and the pieces ended up back in Canterlot. However, Rainbow says that the horn did not disappear, to the stallion's great confusion. Wanting to speak somewhere more private, Noir leads her into the building. They enter a mirror portal which leads them to Sanctuary, a library-alchemy lab chamber on the Moon (also known as New Saros). Noir refers to the Chaotician Chronicles and explains about how a long time ago, there was a great war between the Chaoticians and the alicorns that discovered their world. Rainbow catches sight of a statue recognises its horn; Noir says that that the statue is of Discord the Devourer of Peace, who was one of the last surviving and most dangerous Chaoticians. Noir hypothesises that with the Spell's failing, the shards of Discord could have entered the Continental Equestrian Black Market and scattered all around the world. Noir says that the initial spell used to cast Discord into stone should render him spiritually inert, but tells Rainbow to hold on to the horn and make sure that it does not get close to the other pieces. However, when she gets home, she realises the horn is missing.

Rainbow goes to Twilight's and asks her for help. The unicorn is befuddled and points out how stressed Rainbow has been of late, and that they never see her around anymore. She advises her to retrace her steps, so Rainbow flies to Sweet Apple Acres and finds the Apple family raising a barn. Rainbow nervously cautions Applejack, but she tells her not to worry. Rainbow randomly trips over something and finds the horn in the grass. At the same moment, the barn wall fractures and falls over, nearly crushing Granny Smith, before Rainbow hears a snap behind her and the wall explodes in mid-air, scattering safely around Granny. Rainbow turns to find the horn upright. The Apple family rush to Granny's side, and afterwards Applejack invites her in for some pie, but Rainbow refuses, saying she is busy. After Applejack has left, the horn turns into a full granite serpent, a mini talking and moving statue of Discord.

Rainbow Dash freaks out and does everything she can to get rid of it as the statue nonchalantly teases her. Her attempts are unsuccessful. The statue explains how he is now tethered to Rainbow, since she broke his statue in the Canterlot gardens while drunk. The statue wants a favour from Rainbow for having saved Granny Smith, but Rainbow refuses all his offers up till he mentions he could help Applejack. Rainbow asks him if he is Discord, but the statue denies it, asking that she refer to him by Lancie instead. Lancie goes on to explain how his power is now scattered in the various pieces across Equestria and for every piece he gains back, he will gain back enough power to fulfill one wish of Rainbow's. Lancie points her in the direction where he senses his closest shard. Rainbow is unconvinced, well aware of the danger, and flies off to Sweet Apple Acres to reflect. She watches Applejack tending to Granny Smith and wonders how Applejack could be content with her simple lifestyle. Then, she witnesses Fluttershy and Big Mac doing the Lovers' Nuzzle. After Big Mac has left, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash have a chat about love. When Rainbow returns home, she tells Lancie that she agrees to the deal.

## Part Eight: Dig Dash Dug

> (Where the Shipping Story Turns into a Fetch Quest)
>
>

Rainbow Dash wakes up with Discord early in the morning. She grabs breakfast at Sugarcube Corner and then flies north. Lancie senses the shard in a quarry of Diamond Dogs and their slaves. Rainbow uses a rainshower to drive the Diamond Dogs inside the tunnels. After they are gone, they venture into the burrow, with Rainbow expressing how she wants to free the slaves but Lancie saying to focus on getting the shard. Rainbow ignores him. They come across a group of Diamond Dog guards insulting and beating a slave doe, who also mentions that she could help them build a 'machine' for their boss Top Dog. Rainbow swoops in to the rescue and beats up all the dogs. The doe, Autumn Rush, says that they were on a university research trip when they were captured and enslaved. Autumn Rush leads them to the rest of the slaves. They also find out that this Diamond Dog colony is not just a colony of a few hundreds but a subterranean metropolis of ten thousand dogs. Rainbow clears the guards patrolling the slave pens and tries to question them for information on Top Dog, but they are only low-level guards. They find Iron Will in the cages, and he explains to them about the strange and magical rock Top Dog has been using to power his machine. Iron Will and Rainbow Dash head to the boiler room and eavesdrop on two canines who are talking about how this magical Turkey Bone can teleport the machine and help them destroy other clans. Iron Will and Rainbow Dash head out the doorway. They stumble into a huge, behemoth steam-powered machine with a canine engineer in the cockpit who is demonstrating the capabilities of the "B-cubed" to Top Dog and a line of canines on a catwalk above the machine. Rainbow starts demanding answers but Iron Will hurls a barrel at the Dogs, starting the fight.

Rainbow Dash beats Top Dog, but Top Dog jumps into the cockpit of B-cubed. A robotic arm drops a glass canister with the shard resembling a leg into the back of B-cubed, and it whirrs to life. The machine, now known as the Big Bitchin' Bitch, starts slamming enormous robotic arms and drills at the two of them. Iron Will does most of the fighting, but the B-cubed proves too strong and Rainbow is knocked out. She has a brief dream of Applejack asking her why she is running away, followed by a vision of herself with red-on-yellow eyes, surrounded by five piles of ashes. When she comes to, she is bolted up in the slave pens and the slaves persuade her to give up on hope of escaping. Then, Autumn Rush arrives with the prison door keys and releases her. Rainbow tells her to free them all and lead them down the tunnel while she looks for an escape route. Along the way, she comes across some guards playing poker and figure out that they cannot see well, only smell. She picks up her dropped saddlebag and Lancie in it from the now empty cavern.

Rainbow follows the sound of cheering and finds Iron Will chained to the top turret of the B-cubed. Rainbow considers freeing Iron Will but realises there would be no way out from there, so she instead climbs into the cockpit and seizes control of the machine, wiping out the canines. However, Top Dog uses his remote to eject Rainbow from the seat and they engage in a fistfight. Iron Will wakes up and punches him off the ground, the remote caught under the tire treads and pulverised. The machine goes haywire and bursts into a chamber where the slaves are escaping. Rainbow breaks the shard out of the container by stabbing it with Lancie, stopping the machine completely. An armed battalion of Diamond Dogs shows up, surrounding the hapless slaves.

Rainbow tells Lancie to use his shards' power on saving the slaves, giving up her original plan to wish something for Applejack. Lancie causes a cave-in that smothers the canines and forms an escape route to the surface. Rainbow hides so as to have the canines assume she is dead and not have them following her back to Ponyville. But when Rainbow Dash is nowhere to be found, the distraught slaves also take her for dead. Rainbow asks Lancie if he knew that she would end up using the shard for saving the slaves, and Lancie says that if she had asked for something for Applejack instead, he would have done it, saying that neither the slaves nor Rainbow Dash mattered to him. When Rainbow asks how she can trust him, he says that their relationship is merely transactional.

## Part Nine: Easy Dashing

> (Where we catch up with being caught up)
>
>

Rainbow Dash tells a flabbergasted Noir about what has transpired. Noir brings up about him and his associates have found that the Castle of Aatxe the Red Brood King has disappeared, and suspects that Aatxe may be gathering the rest of the shards, which would signal an apocalypse. Noir asks how she knew the shard was and Rainbow sweats nervously, but Noir supposes that her essence had attached to the shards on the initial delivery. Rainbow offers to gather up all the shards while Noir and his associates hunt down Aatxe's brood.

Rainbow wakes up in Sugarcube Corner, in the middle of treating her friends to another meal. They go for a walk in the park, and Applejack mentions hosting the Sisterhooves' Social soon. Rainbow is obviously sleep-deprived and her atrophy is returning, but she insists on hanging out with them, saying that there might be a time when she wouldn't be easy to do so anymore. After the group has split ways, Fluttershy checks on Rainbow Dash, saying that she, Big Mac and the rest of the girls have been worried about her frequent absence and poor health condition, to the latter's usual dismissive annoyance. Fluttershy also says that Applejack has been missing her, and advises that she attend the Sisterhooves' Social.

Rainbow returns home to find the kitchen in a mess thanks to Lancie. Grumbling, she cleans it up, the tingling in her hooves getting worse. The next day, she goes to the bank to withdraw bits and finds little left. She goes to her weather-flying job lethargically, and then to Banner Company to beg for more jobs. Stamps tells her indirectly to take better care of herself. Rainbow is flying a delivery when she passes over the Apple family preparing for the Social. Distracted, she flies into a hill. She wakes up to Scootaloo and tells her that she was just practising crash landing. She chats with Scootaloo about life while on the way to her delivery and dishes out motivation for the filly. Strangely, Scootaloo seems to flinch when her family is brought up. She then shows Scootaloo some aerial tricks and Scootaloo talks about how much she admires Rainbow Dash, saying she is the strongest and fastest pony alive. Rainbow gulps and fiddles with her limbs. Rainbow takes Scootaloo for a fly and Scootaloo says she wants to see the forward filly flip. Rainbow is nervous about doing it at first but Scootaloo cheers her on, so she obliges. She nearly drops her due to her numb limbs but catches her in time again. Rainbow quickly sends her home after that.

Rainbow hits the bar with her drinking buddies, asking them if they have a role model. After the four take their turns guessing what is eating at Rainbow again, Rainbow asks what is it that makes her a role model for so many foals in Ponyville. Her buddies notice that she has changed. Bon Bon asks if it is really so hard for Rainbow to imagine worshipping another pony. Rainbow blubbers about Applejack and why she couldn't just drop it, and Caramel says that it wouldn't be love if she could. Rainbow goes back home. She dreams about her dad's passing. When she wakes up, Lancie pesters her to go looking for the next shard, threatening her with the end of the world. Rainbow snatches him up and tells him that the end of the world happens every single day.

Rainbow takes a shower and goes to weather-flying. Thunderlane and Candy Floss notice her lethargic demeanour and attempt to cheer her up by complimenting her. She mehs. Rainbow overlooks Fluttershy and Big Mac nuzzling each other. Feeling the tingling in her hooves, she flies to Zecora's. She asks how Zecora deals with being alone all the time, and Zecora replies that facilitating nature gives her meaning. Rainbow thanks her for being a good friend. Zecora says that they could try hanging out as Rainbow had once suggested. The two venture toward Ponyville and Rainbow convinces Zecora to leave her shaman stuff behind so that she can really relax. They stop by Roseluck's and Rainbow gets Zecora to try eating flowers. After, they go shopping and Zecora tries on some clothes. Rainbow tries on a brown Stetson and blushes in the mirror. Then they go for a meal in a fast food joint. Zecora sees Big Mac from afar and goes up to him asking if she can assist in his farmwork. He agrees. Rainbow goes home and asks Lancie if one should burst others' bubbles of hopes and dreams before they hurt themselves further believing in them. Lancie says that she might be projecting her own feelings onto other ponies, and says she could solve it by getting his next shard in Manehattan, to her facehoof. Rainbow asks why she should bother hoping for more when her life is already so good, and Lancie says that being as explosive as she is, she deserves it. Rainbow thanks him indirectly for being someone she can talk to like this other than Fluttershy and her drinking buddies.

Rainbow comes across the CMC discussing excitedly about the Sisterhooves Social and finds out that it is tomorrow. On her weather-flying job, Thunderlane and Candy Floss ask her if she wants to hang out, thinking that she is depressed. Rainbow rejects them. saying she is too busy, until Applejack calls out to her and she zoops down immediately. Applejack asks if she can help to clear the sky above Sweet Apple Acres for the social and Rainbow agrees without hesitation. Applejack also asks if she could stay for the event... to make the foals happy. Rainbow goes to Fluttershy's and tells her about it. Fluttershy congratulates her and says it would also make Scootaloo happy if Rainbow could be her sister for a day. Rainbow assumes she is talking about Applejack and flies off. Back home, Rainbow goes to bed early saying she needs to get up at eight the next day to buck the clouds for Applejack. Lancie also mentions her that she has twelve shards in total to collect.

On the day of the Social, Lancie wakes her up the next day saying that it's already lunchtime. In a panic, Rainbow Dash rushes to the farm and babbles an apology to Applejack, who tells her it is only seven in the morning. Rainbow seethes, but also realises that the adrenaline rush has sent blood to her limbs, relieving the numbness. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo enter the first races together while Fluttershy asks Big Mac if she can help Granny around the kitchen. Big Mac says that she's practically already family. After Rainbow performs another set of tricks, she takes a break while Applejack approaches her. They have a small chat about the origins of the Social. Then Fluttershy comes and they have another chat about loving. Fluttershy suggests again that she be Scootaloo's sister for a day again and Rainbow talks about how she felt at Scootaloo's age after her dad's passing and said that she didn't want to risk Scootaloo finding out about how terrible of a role model she is by being too close to her. Fluttershy reminds her that Rainbow obviously loves the filly very much and should share her love with Scootaloo. Rainbow thus joins Scootaloo and Apple Bloom returns to Applejack, and the two pairs of 'sisters' compete for the rest of the Social, to Scootaloo's extreme delight. They are preparing for the big race, and Fluttershy also convinces Rarity to enter with Sweetie Belle. A poststallion new to Ponyville by the name of Stu Leaves also delivers a wooden crate to the Apple Family residence. The big race starts and Team Rainbowloo have a great time, beating all the other competitors easily and neck-and-neck with Team JackBloom until the last hurdle when Rainbow Dash is unable to clear it, limbs noodling. Rainbow tells Scootaloo to get on her back and buzz her wings, allowing them to cross and finish the race in second place after JackBloom. Rainbow feels bad that they didn't do better, but Applejack and the others say that she's already made Scootaloo really happy.

Rainbow and Scootaloo have a heart-to-heart talk. Scootaloo wishes that Rainbow could be her sister forever, but Rainbow says that she doesn't want to pretend they are something they're not. She instead says that they can be friends, but in the end, Scootaloo has to be her own best friend that she can depend on when other ponies aren't there for her, but still surround herself with ponies she loves and who love her, so that she doesn't become isolated. Scootaloo nods. When Rainbow goes home, she gives Lancie a hug, to his great confusion.

## Part Ten: Manehattan Masquerade

> (Where Rainbow Has To Learn a Few New Tricks)
>
>

Rainbow agrees to go looking for the next shard, but has to do a few jobs first to get the bits for another dose of potion. She makes a delivery to Braeburn, and then a last one to Carousel Boutique, where Rarity invites her to sit down and rest. Rarity also asks if she is struggling financially and Rainbow brushes it off. Rarity shows Rainbow a wedding gown she has been working on for Rainbow's presumed lover stallion. Rainbow is aghast, but agrees anyway when seeing Rarity's pouring passion. Gleefully, Rarity dolls her up and makes her look uncharacteristically elegant, even demure. Rarity leaves to get another bow and Rainbow's legs buckle. When she knocks into a row of ponyquins, she indulgently nuzzles one of them. Rarity gifts the dress to her and she takes it back home. Rainbow finds Zecora at Sweet Apple Acres helping Big Mac out. Rainbow and Zecora head back to the hut to brew potion while Rainbow advises her to get a solid response out of Big Mac soon. Later, as they are flying to Manehattan, Lancie advises her to stop keeping secrets from Zecora and also her friends. Rainbow tells him to mind his own business. Lancie also observes that the two of them are more similar than they think. They reach and Rainbow sneaks into the building through a service elevator to the 35th floor and then an air-conditioning shaft. They end up in an art museum exhibit, and find a panic room with an iron black safe that contains the shard. They try to guess the password, but to no avail. She hears lots of ponies approaching and scrambles to escape, but bumps into a painting, which falls off, and a bunch of paint cans, creating a haphazard mess of clashing colours and intersecting lines on the artwork. She finally slams herself into the aircon grate as Photo Finish arrives with her guards. The guards are appalled by the break-in, but Photo Finish marvels at the masterpiece before her eyes, saying it must've been created by an angel. Rainbow makes her escape and washes herself off before flying back to Ponyville. She asks her drinking buddies if they have heard of Photo Finish and Vinyl Scratch mentions that she has a DJ event with her coming up in a week in Manehattan. Vinyl gives her advice on how to get closer to Photo Finish by dressing right. Rainbow Dash asks Rarity for another dress, to the latter's delight. Rainbow consults Vinyl and Fluttershy for advice on the dressing. Rarity gets Rainbow shampooed at the spa and Twilight Sparkle suggests flashcards for helping Rainbow get proficient in 'art crap' quickly.

Rainbow gets to the Paint Bucket Flat and knocks all the guests off their hooves— figuratively, of course. This includes Suri Polomare and her assistant Coco Pommel. Later, we see Photo Finish bemoaning the lack of true "art magiks", saying that she has yet to find a pony who can understand what she is going through and appreciate her latest masterwork. Rainbow attempts to get closer to Photo Finish and deflects a couple by acting like an SJW. Meanwhile, Trenderhoof tries to chat up Photo Finish, claiming to be a big fan and seeking for a collaboration, to her contempt. Vinyl Scratch shoots a magic beam, disguised with the party light, at Photo Finish, causing her to fall over. Noticing, Rainbow Dash immediately rockets over and catches her. Photo Finish is enraptured by her outfit's beauty, while Trenderhoof falls in love at first sight. She asks for Rainbow's name and Rainbow introduces herself as Madame Firefly of Awesometopia. Exuberant, Photo Finish introduces Rainbow to her friends, including A.K. Yearling. Rainbow yawns and says she wants to see art, and is promptly whisked away. Photo Finish presents her artworks proudly, and Rainbow reads off her notecards when asked for comments. But when her purse drops and a waiter disposes of her notecards thinking they are napkins, Rainbow gives her brutal and honest opinion on Photo Finish's artwork. Gasping with inspiration, Photo Finish calls Rainbow Dash her new muse. The surrounding ponies observe that they have never seen Photo Finish this bright and happy before, "considering her health". Meanwhile, Suri watches them from afar and speculates on the mare's identity, while Coco is ordered to scribble notes. Photo Finish, Rainbow and Trenderhoof hang out at the bar and drink themselves piss-drunk until Photo Finish's butler arrives with her carriage. Rainbow wakes up the next day in Photo Finish's apartment, and Lancie has also arrived after convincing two pigeons to bring him there. Photo Finish introduces Rainbow to her twins, Hans Jaeger and Hans Gustav, and Rainbow joins them on their strange morning routine. For a week, Photo Finish drags her on a bunch of photoshoots, and Madame Firefly starts to gain fame throughout Manehattan. Rainbow keeps trying to ask for her favourite number but gets nothing. A jealous Suri Polomare plots to expose Firefly's ruse.

Photo Finish receives news that Don Canter and his associates are coming, and the guard advises that she double security or even postpone the upcoming 'open house party', but Photo Finish says that cannot happen. Photo Finish tells Rainbow she must leave to create another gallery, but that she is inspired by Rainbow, who is to her like a 'white dove', just like in her dreams. Once alone, Rainbow breaks down in frustration and decides to break the shard out from the vault by force. While in the panic room, she finds Photo Finish's wig there, recalls her excessive splurging, and puts two and two together— Photo Finish is suffering from a fatal illness. It's then when Photo Finish enters the room and discovers her, blowing up in rage until Rainbow reveals that she was the 'angel' who created the masterpiece on the first day. Photo Finish is overcome with joy instead and hugs her tightly, asking her to show her another masterpiece. Rainbow does, and the both collapse in laughter. Photo Finish tells Rainbow about how her days are numbered, but how she has had a vision of stretching out her bare hoof, and releasing a flock of doves. Rainbow tries to ask her about what this means, but Photo Finish has fallen asleep. Lancie awkwardly asks Rainbow if she would still be able to get the code, and Rainbow says that they might not have to, since Photo Finish will take it out to display at the party. But Rainbow also visibly hesitates at the notion of stealing from the poor mare. This also causes Rainbow to see something like herself from another perspective.

Rainbow sees Photo Finish talking to her sons for one last time. Then, the open house party starts. Photo Finish greets her patrons, including a 'Baron von Claw'. Rainbow stumbles into Fancy Pants, who mentions a new joint deal he has that she could secure for the Apple farm, but she is interrupted when a crowd of ponies surge toward a spectacle. Looking to the stage, she sees Baron Von Claw beside Photo Finish and recognises him as Romulus by the scar on his beak. Sapphire Shores announces that she would be playing as the unnamed hero who saved a cavern of slaves from Diamond Dogs. Suri Polomare tries to chat it up with Rainbow and expose her, and Rainbow frantically uses Trenderhoof to deflect her advances. Photo Finish, Romulus and Sapphire Shores come over, and Romulus thinks she looks familiar, but doesn't recognise her. He pesters Photo Finish to unveil her 'masterpiece', but she refuses. Just then, Don Canter pulls Photo Finish to a side and tells her to hoof over the shard, which Photo Finish had apparently outbidded for during the Underground Auction, at the threat of her two sons' lives. Meanwhile, Rainbow sends Trenderhoof to distract Romulus. Rainbow bumps into Filthy Rich, who apologises for cutting off the Apple family, saying that he had to do it to keep them out of the Canter takeover of Manehattan. Now noticing Photo Finish's absence, Rainbow suspects she might be in danger, and rushes to the panic room where she finds Photo Finish inebriated and in despair. Panicking, she asks Photo Finish to tell her the code, but the latter falls asleep. Left with no choice, Rainbow disguises herself as Photo Finish and tells Lancie to try reviving the mare while she heads back outside to buy time. Fancy Pants asks 'Photo Finish' where Rainbow Dash has gone, saying he has a business proposition involving Applejack to talk to her about. Romulus spots 'Photo Finish' galloping toward a walled partition and wallops Trenderhoof, following to where she was last. In the panic room, Rainbow changes back to Madame Firefly and distracts Romulus for a while before going back to Fancy Pants to ask about the proposition. Fancy Pants explains that a retiring old mare in Orlandoats, Serenity Shindig, is looking to give up her juice mill and fields, and tells Rainbow to pass along the information to Applejack. He is also about to offer a life insurance plan when Rainbow is interrupted by one of Don Canter's henchstallions, who tells her to get Photo Finish. Rainbow agrees and changes to Photo Finish again. 'Photo Finish' promises the henchstallions they will have the shard when it is quieter. Suri Polomare gets suspicious and tries to call her out, and Rainbow forces her to chug champagne under the guise of a spontaneous game of Das Boot. More swapping ensues, and Romulus finally recognises her, threatening her that whatever Rainbow's pulling won't work. Rainbow uses his feathers to create a blindspot while she escapes to the panic room where Photo Finish has awoken. She begs her for the code but Photo Finish says there is no point and falls asleep again. Rainbow thinks about Photo Finish's earlier words about releasing doves from her hoof, and figures out the code: 7333, opening the vault and finding the shard, which is an enormous granite torso with an arm. Rainbow realises that when she first came here, it was to selfishly get the shard and go, but now she realises she hasn't been a loyal friend.

She decides she has to show Photo Finish's last masterpiece to the world, and also uses this to buy time for Lancie to drag the shard out. When she sweeps the tarp off the piece, it turns out to be a paper mache doppelganger of the shard, covered in photos of the real shard. Upon laying their eyes on it, the watching ponies turn grey and start getting violent with each other. Rainbow flies to Lancie and asks him what is going on and Lancie says that multiple photos of the chaos shard can cause ponies to turn chaotic, but Rainbow is confused as to why she isn't affected. Rainbow decides she has to destroy the masterpiece and pushes it down the elevator shaft with the help of Suri Polomare and Trenderhoof, who are unaffected by chaos since they are drunk. 'Photo Finish' orders the recovering ponies to evacuate, then rushes to check on the Hanzes, which are being hauled out by the thugs. Tossing the shard on her back, Rainbow races after them, until the thugs lock all of them into the stairwell and threaten her. Rainbow Dash pulls off her disguise and mops the floor with the thugs, then escapes with the freed Hanzes. Meanwhile, A.K. Yearling knocks out Romulus and keeps her eyes on the shard, Sapphire Shores strikes a partnership with Coco, and Trenderhoof and Suri Polomare fall in love. Lancie persuades her to take the shard and zip, saying that a background pony like Photo Finish isn't worth sacrificing the wish over, but Rainbow insists that it would not be fair to her. Lancie is shocked, then slumps in resignment and snaps his fingers, curing Photo Finish completely. On the way back, Lancie hints to her that he could cure her atrophy too, but Rainbow merely says "we'll see". Meanwhile, Top Dog, Don Canter and Romulus form an alliance to hunt Rainbow Dash.

## Part Eleven: Ends of the Rainbow

> (Where Rainbow Finds Herself Having to Catch Up With... Herself)
>
>

Rainbow Dash wakes up in Sugarcube Corner where she has dozed off. Pinkie Pie mentions that Applejack has been in a grouchy mood all week and Rainbow rushes there to find Stu Leaves helping Applejack on the farm. As they talk, Rainbow realises how much has gone on in Ponyville without her. Back at home, Lancie is aghast that Rainbow hasn't told Applejack about the cider mill nor her feelings. Rainbow says that in her heart, they are both as how she's always dreamed them to be, and that she is afraid telling Applejack will shatter that. Lancie also brings up how Rainbow could use the next shard (which he pinpoints at far northwest) to cure her atrophy, but Rainbow says she'll think about it and leaves for Twilight's. Pinkie is there, too, and after some chatting Pinkie drops the ball that everypony thinks Rainbow has a coltfriend. Rainbow confronts the gossiper Rarity, who assures her that she only told their closest friends. When Rainbow is still upset, Rarity says she could stand to trust her friends more. Fluttershy says the same thing when Rainbow tells her about it, the former being shocked that Rainbow is now lying to them. Rainbow says she does it to protect their friendship, and that her kind of love is a burden. While Zecora is mixing her her new potion batch, she talks to her about secrets and her love.

Rainbow does some weather-flying, then joins the CMC as Scootaloo is doing a scooter stunt. They fly together and Rainbow finds out about more about Scootaloo's family, friendships and ambitions. When Scootaloo says she could be the Element of Honesty, she picks up on Rainbow's change of demeanour and asks what is wrong. Rainbow ignores it and just tells her to tell her parents she will be giving her more gliding lessons. She goes to Carousel Boutique and tells Rarity that she had dumped her 'coltfriend' back in Manehattan. She tells Applejack about Shindig's cider mill. Applejack is overjoyed and hugs her, saying that she couldn't think of a better and loyaler pony to hear the news from. Rainbow says she is just glad Applejack is getting what she deserves. Back at home, she admits to Lancie that she wishes she could forget everything, but that she would no longer remember what was it that made her feel like she could be happier. Lancie says if what makes her happy tears her up inside, then she should let go of it. Rainbow says she can't and asks if he has ever been in love. Lancie says a long time ago. Rainbow agrees to go for the next shard, but not before another lesson with Scootaloo.

## Part Twelve: We Dug Too Deep and Wheels Were Waiting

> (Where Rainbow Can't Even Pinch Herself to Stop the Insanity)
>
>

Rainbow arrives at Noir's warehouse to find a stack of dynamite there placed by Romulus and a bunch of Manehattan mafia mobsters. After being blasted away by the explosion, she flies back in to get a now injured Noir. With the mirror portal shattered, Rainbow flies out with Noir on her back, narrowly escaping Romulus' chase by hiding in a smoke column. Rainbow leaves Noir at the Castle of Two Sisters and then fetches Zecora, who heals Noir but sternly questions Rainbow about what she has been up to. Rainbow assures her that she is handling it, but Zecora is still concerned. Noir also expresses concern for Rainbow's safety in all of this, but Rainbow insists on continuing to fetch the shards. Noir agrees and brands her with the Lunar Code, but says she will be teaming up with another agent.

Lancie and Rainbow take a long trip before arriving finally at Dredgemane, a monotonous steampunk city. When trying to ask about where she is, the clothed locals scream at her nudity, so she gets a turquoise prom suit from a random store and goes back to asking locals about the shard's whereabouts, to no avail until she runs into Maud Pie who brings her to a sorter— who turns out to be none other than Trixie Lulamoon. Trixie figures out it is an enchanted stone before passing out. Maud stamps her hoof on the ground to clear the impatient crowd. They bring her to Trixie's house and Maud heals her with rock medicine. Rainbow and Trixie are arguing about the past when Romulus bursts through the roof. Rainbow and Romulus fight, effectively wrecking Trixie's house. Daring Do appears here, taking over the fight while scribbling notes for her future novel. Eventually, Rainbow knocks Romulus out cold, but the Don Canter mafia hurls grenades at them from afar. Daring Do tells them to get to the nearby Lunar Code safehouse, where all of them argue more until Pinkie Pie inexplicably shows up. A ragtag team to find the shard is thus assembled. Using Trixie's sorting of Lancie, they locate the shard to be underground at Elektra Site, an abandoned mineshaft. They venture into the cave with Trixie leading the way. Daring Do further claims that Rainbow is only a sidekick and that she has been letting Rainbow collect the shards she has. They reach a dark shaft, where Trixie says the shard is. Daring Do wants to fly down immediately, but Rainbow stops her, saying it is wiser to think things through first. Pinkie Pie suddenly mentions that Romulus and the mobsters have been following them down the tunnel for the past fifteen minutes because of the crumbs she left while eating a muffin. Maud seals them off by causing a cave-in at the tap of her hoof. They find a rickety elevator and get on it just as the mobsters blow apart the wall with explosives, which unfortunately snaps the cable of the elevator. It plunges, and the two pegasi struggle to outrace and hold the elevator, telling Trixie to leyline the wall to slow the fall. Pinkie uses Maud as a club and smashes a cavern in the wall that they jump into. Romulus dives after them but Maud seals the tunnel again. After walking for a couple hours, Rainbow suggests they take a break. Lancie mentions how Pinkie Pie now knows about her exploits and will tell the Mane 6, but Rainbow says it won't come to it. Lancie rebukes her for her constant running away from her problems.

Rainbow wakes up to Maud's shaking, who tells her that Trixie is gone. They go off to find her together and discover her at the other end of a bridge, walking toward a tall cylinder pulsing with glowing circles in sequence with Trixie's horn, which is pulsing green while she says "wheeeeeels" repeatedly. Daring Do arrives too and they stand around arguing until Trixie responds to "take down" and causes the cylinder top to drop inward like an elevator just as Pinkie hops down with them. At the bottom, Pinkie gets Trixie temporarily back to normal by sticking her saliva-covered hoof in her ear, but she snaps back into a trance. Daring suggests they let her wander in her trance and they follow her down a set of freshly-carved steps, likely by a unicorn. Trixie leads them to a cavern with an array of stone platforms and gigantic, glowing granite wheels attached to stone supports keeping the underground kingdom aloft. They all speculate about its origins until a cloaked Sunset Shimmer, who announces her plans to grind them to death with her wheels and then use her chaos shard— a granite tail which she brandishes— to destroy and conquer the world with her wheels. Daring Do provokes her to attack and the team run for their lives from the murderous wheels. They brainstorm fast and split up, with Pinkie distracting, Maud taking Trixie out and the pegasi attacking Sunset. While they do, Daring notices some cave art of a circle split into twelve curved lines. The team regroup and make their escape for the tunnel where Romulus and the henchstallions have caught up to them. The tunnel collapses, blocking them out and forcing them all to face off the wheels attacking from above. Daring Do grapples with Romulus as Rainbow Dash goes for Sunset Shimmer. It is then when Trixie wakes up and, in vengeance of her destroyed home, furiously shoots a beam of mana at Sunset, striking her down and snapping her out of her funk. The wheels become dormant and crash to the ground. Sunset no longer remembers what happened during her apparent possession.

In the debris, they all search around for the chaos shard but Trixie finds it first, causing her to become possessed and command the wheels to destroy most of Dredgemane. The team try to distract Trixie and get the shard, to no avail. Romulus attacks her again, and Rainbow blocks the daggers with Lancie. Romulus notices, but is thrown off from the counter-strike. Rainbow rushes to Trixie and tries to talk her out of it, which doesn't work, so Rainbow grabs her in an ultimate suplex that crashes both of them into the ground and renders Trixie unconscious. Lancie grabs the tail shard. The dormant wheels fall again, taking out most of the mobsters which are hoofcuffed by Dredgemane officials. The team members arrive at the crash scene and they get back to town to Pinkie's house to sort out Trixie's situation, but once there they find more of Don Canter's henchstallions holding Pinkie's family hostage. Romulus has also caught up from behind, blocking off their exit. Left with no choice, Rainbow tells Lancie to make everyone forget the whole incident. She wipes out the bad guys and later wakes up in the Pies' room. Everyone seems to have forgotten what just happened, calling it a curse. Rainbow finds Trixie sobbing over her shack, erm, house and invites her to Ponyville. Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer crawls from under the rubble, seething at Rainbow's figure overhead. Rainbow brings Trixie to Twilight Sparkle and suggests she be her apprentice. Twilight is surprised, but agrees. Daring Do confronts her saying she knows Rainbow has the shard, although she doesn't recall what happened in Dredgemane. However, she concedes that if Noir has trusted Rainbow this much and she did not destroy Dredgemane with the shard, Rainbow is the one who deserves it.

Romulus and the mobsters recover, having been bust out of jail by a Sunset Shimmer thirsting for revenge. Don Canter is incredulous at their sudden memory loss, and the thugs blame it on Rainbow having freaky magic powers.

## Part Thirteen: Double Dash Dare You

> (Where Things at Home Get So Awkward that Rainbow Would Rather Be Headbutting)
>
>

The scene opens on the Mane 6 warmly welcoming Trixie to Ponyville., minus Applejack, which Rainbow Dash- despite her exhaustion-induced delirium- notices quickly. She asks, and Fluttershy says that Applejack's been having "extra incentive" to work on the farm recently. True enough, when Rainbow reaches Sweet Apple Acres, she bumps into Stu Leaves, who apparently has been helping out Applejack with the farm a lot. After Stu goes off to deliver something to Granny Smith, Applejack tells Rainbow about her decision to take Shindig up on her offer. When Rainbow hears that Applejack intends to make the trip herself (as Big Mac will be off in Trottingham with Fluttershy), she volunteers to accompany her to Fillyda. Applejack agrees, to the former's ecstacy. Back at home, Rainbow rambles to Lancie in excitement. When Lancie suggests that she confess to Applejack on this trip, though, Rainbow refuses, in spite of saying she isn't afraid of rejection. She explains again how she just wants Applejack to be happier, even if it's with somestallion else.

When Rainbow can't find Zecora at the Castle of Two Sisters, she flies to Zecora's hut, where she finds her and Noir. Zecora explains that Daring Do had reported in and they moved back to her hut where it was easier for her to treat Noir's wounds. Noir mentions that Zecora has told him about Rainbow's atrophy, and also deduces, owing to the amnesia spell, that Rainbow exercises some form of control over the chaos shards. Noir wonders if she knows what she is getting into and Rainbow says no, and that it might be better if she were ignorant and thus less easy to be corrupted by the chaos. Rainbow says they shouldn't worry so much and just focus on getting the shards, but Noir says they should lay low for a bit lest Romulus, Don Canter and Gang tail her again. Rainbow then agrees, saying she could use a break. She gets a month's worth of potion supply from Zecora- paid for by Noir, which she initially tries to reject but he persuades her to just accept it to overcome her disabilities.

Rainbow stops by Fluttershy's to help her hammer floorboards and also tells her about her scheduled Orlandoats trip with Applejack. Fluttershy is happy for her. Rainbow asks Fluttershy about Stu Leaves and about how he's been helping Applejack a lot, to which Fluttershy says that Stu has been helping everypony around Ponyville. They talk more about Cloudsdale, and eventually Fluttershy asks her too if she's going to confess during the trip. Rainbow says she doesn't want to complicate things. Fluttershy groans, and then suddenly remembers that Rarity had wanted to see Rainbow.

At Carousel Boutique, Rarity eagerly introduces Rainbow Dash to Sharp Quill, who is modelling out a Wonderbolt uniform replica for some unknown client. Rarity strikes up conversation, before suddenly exclaiming she has run out of materials for pockets. After watching the unicorn wallow in pity over how much time she would have to spend searching the shops, Rainbow relents and volunteers to accompany her, and Rarity, delighted, invites Sharp Quill to join them. Rarity gets her suit materials from a soap and perfume shop, for some reason, and then insists on treating the both of them to dinner at a patio grill. Rainbow initially rejects but gives in at the promise of tater tots. The three of them share a friendly conversation before Rarity gasps, saying she has to pick up Sweetie Belle from her dance recital, and leaves early. Sharp Quill and Rainbow Dash continue conversing for a while before he suddenly gifts her a necklace and compliments her on her appearance. Finally realising what is happening, Rainbow sighs and tells him to go on a walk with her. Rainbow confirms her suspicions that Rarity had set them up. Anxiously, Sharp Quill asks what he did wrong, and Rainbow says that firstly he didn't even know her, secondly she wasn't into stallions. Sharp Quill is surprised that Rarity, as her friend, had not known. Rainbow talks about herself for a while and Sharp Quill suggests she just tell her friends but Rainbow refuses saying her crush is one of those friends and that she doesn't like mares. Rainbow wonders if she is alone in her rejection and Sharp Quill denies that, bringing up his own desperate pursuits after a relationship. Rainbow gives Sharp Quill advice on his dating game, mentioning her previous bad relationships along the way. At some point, she also admits how hopeless a situation she's gotten herself tangled in, not wanting to burden her friends or lose her friendships over her love. Sharp Quill still advises her to come clean, saying she deserves the best. In return, Rainbow says Sharp could use a little more faith. Sharp Quill insists that she keep the necklace, as a token of their friendship.

Back at home, Rainbow tells Lancie about her day before bed. Lancie teases about them actually being in love, but Rainbow says if she could befriend Lancie, she could certainly befriend Sharp. Lancie seems surprised that Rainbow considers him a friend, but Rainbow doesn't deny it. Later, he jocularly says she should really consider stallions instead. Solemn, Rainbow says the only stallion she's ever loved is her father, and- starting to break down- about how now she's going to die like he did, heartbroken or not. Quietly, wordlessly, Lancie nestles at her side.

Rainbow Dash shows up at Carousel Boutique the next day. It seems for a moment as though she might confront her harshly, but she simply delivers a sweater for repair from Fluttershy. Rarity still asks if it was a pleasant experience, to which Rainbow says it would be preferable to make her happy when she asks for it. Rainbow gives Scootaloo another flight lesson and Scootaloo excitedly mentions hearing about Rainbow's trip with Applejack from Apple Bloom, and wishes her a good trip. Back at home, Lancie sees Rainbow off, exchanging their usual dry banter until at the end Rainbow laughs, and Lancie is surprised once again.

Rainbow joins Applejack at the farm. To her disappointment, though, it turns out that Stu Leaves is coming along on the trip. The first part of the trip is through Whitetail Woods, where Rainbow and Applejack reminisce about running through these woods during the Iron Pony Competition. Applejack remarks how much Rainbow has matured since then, and also hums a tune contentedly. She then asks if Rainbow wants to fly around and stretch her wings, but Rainbow says she is just fine right here.

## Part Fourteen: Road Trippin'

> (Where Rainbow Dash Buckles Down for the Best and Worst Week of Her Life)
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Rainbow Dash has a frankly ridiculous dream where she is attacked by winged alligators until she has her back against the wall. An Applejack who is also head over heels for Rainbow swoops in to her rescue and fends off the alligators for her. In the dream, Rainbow is about to confess when Applejack suddenly starts talking like Stu Leaves. Rainbow wakes up on the cart to Applejack and Stu's bemusement.

As the ride wears on, Rainbow grows impatient and restless, looking for excuses to get moving. Stu continues to tell his lame jokes. Soon they decide to stop to camp for the night. Applejack gives Rainbow a cantene of cider. Applejack talks about a time when she camped with her family. The next day Rainbow wakes up in a sleeping bag and wonders how she got there. She interrogates Stu if he heard anything she could have said but Stu just says she snores. They continue on the road and find that there's a new road up ahead not reflected on the map; Applejack tells Rainbow to go scout ahead. Rainbow is nervous as it means leaving Stu and Applejack alone together but ultimately relents. Soon they pass through the new highway. They're talking when Rainbow starts acting rather inflammatory, especially towards Stu. Applejack thinks it's because she's hungry and they stop over at Dayton. They have breakfast at the Cracker Buck restaurant. Stu makes a comment about Applejack and Rainbow Dash being really similar. Applejack denies this, to Rainbow's confusion, but she doesn't explain further. Stu and Applejack laugh at each other over some apple sauce. In the gift shop, Stu wipes out Rainbow in checkers. Rainbow gets so competitive over it they buy the checker blanket kit and continue playing in the wagon until Stu falls asleep. Applejack tells Rainbow to cool off. They draw the wagon together, where Applejack confides in Rainbow about all the good things that have been happening to her and how she feels anxious that it's going to her head, and about how she feels she's not confident enough to draw clients. Rainbow encourages her. They catch up on life. Applejack worries about Rainbow's work at Banner Company and how she's taking so much time off but Rainbow dismisses her worries. Rainbow wonders if Applejack is going to have to move to Orlandoats after this. Applejack says she will do her best to stay in Ponyville, but that things will change. The next day, Rainbow wakes up alone, numbness setting into her limbs. She is about to take more potion when she decides to check out where Applejack and Stu are. She finds Applejack in a pond, Stu nearby picking peaches.

## Part Fifteen: The Cider Princess Lives

> (Where the Story Completely Flips its Lid)
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Epcot, Princessery, Fairytale AU, and Basically the best arc.

## Part Sixteen: Ponyville with a Side of Life Slices

> (Where Rainbow Dash counts her blessings)
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Rainbow writes a letter.

## Part Seventeen: A Heart That Blooms

> (Where Rainbow Dash counts her blessings)
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Apple Bloom dies, kinda

## Part Eighteen: Birds of a Feather

> (Where Rainbow Dash has to take two steps back to make four steps forward)
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Romulus is Romulus, Gilda shows up. They beat meat.

## Part Nineteen: Into the Muzzle of Madness

> (Where Rainbow Dash scales the impossible for a filly's life)
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Spiders, and ghost apples.

## Part Twenty: Draconian

> (In Which Everything Gloriously Hits the Fan)
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Big Boss Aatxe is recoloured Spike, I think there are squirrels, and there's a crater too!

## Part Twenty-One: Loyal Love

> (Where Rainbow Dash Bears the Full Weight of Her Element)
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The girls go CAMPING and it's JUST the girls! AppleDash play a revealing game of Never Have I ever, and they also snuggle in a TENT! And then of course everythang goes to shizzles. Applejack is in lurve, but with the WRONG PONY! Also the hurricane scene that made me cry.

also nuzzle scene from chapter "something out of nothing" of which I always forget the chapter title and have to run through 95 counts of "sugarcube corner"

## Part Twenty-Two: Stays in Las Pegasus

> (Where Rainbow Goes On Vacation, Whether She Likes It Or Not {But Mostly Not})
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Depression and the Drinking Buddy Gang, Lyrabonnery, dangerously near needing a Sex tag, Listing Breeze desert robbery arc, and the beautiful scene with the canyon

## Part Twenty-Three: Loyal to the End

> (When Even Her Last Leg Is Gone, All Rainbow Has Is Her Heart)
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The house buckin' dies, Noircora finally happens, Rainbow enters a race, things look up for a while but she buckin' dies, epic anime worthy ending scene, toot toot!