Rarity screamed; She plummeted downwards, her legs flapping in the wind. Quick as lightning, the three Wonderbolts in attendance zoomed towards her, but her flailing kicks knocked them in the face, causing them to fall unconscious.

The scream caught Rainbow Dash’s attention, and she stopped in mid-flight. “Hold on, Rarity! I’m coming!” Spinning around, she took off towards Rarity.

Her wings held close to her body, Rainbow Dash dived. Thrusting both hooves outward, the air resistance pushed against her body.

Glancing around frantically, she noticed the group of ponies heading towards the ground with increasing speed, but no matter how fast she went, she couldn’t seem to catch up.

“Just a little more... I can make it...”

The three Wonderbolts and Rarity sped towards the ground, landing with a sickening crunch.

"No-no-no-no! This can't be happening!"

Rainbow stared at the bodies below her. The ground raced towards her, threatening to embrace her with a lethal impact. Rainbow closed her eyes as she continued to fall.

Suddenly, her body stopped in mid-air. She tentatively opened an eye, and saw that she was several feet off the ground. A purple magical aura surrounded her and gently lowered her to the ground.

“Rainbow! Are you o—” Twilight ran up towards her, but stopped at the sight of Rarity. She turned and threw up into the nearby bushes.

Rainbow hovered over her friend.  "Rarity! Don't worry, we can fix this. Twilight can make you better. She has to!"

"Rainbow. It's too late."

"No..."

[hr]

“It’s your fault, Rainbow. You weren’t fast enough. You weren’t good enough,” a voice boomed.

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes and found herself floating in white space. A mysterious cloaked figure floated nearby, pointing a hoof at her.

“If it wasn’t for you, she never would have went to Cloudsdale. Then she would have never entered the competition that led to her death.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “No! That's not true!”

“Isn't it? She went there to support your dream of impressing the Wonderbolts. But you weren’t good enough to save her.”

“No! No, I didn't force her to enter. I didn't force her to fly too close to the sun. I...”

“Stop making excuses to yourself. Because of you, four ponies died. Join the Wonderbolts? Ha! You don’t even deserve to fly after what you did.”

Rainbow Dash hung her head in silence.

“This wasn’t the only time that you endangered your friends. “What about Fluttershy? You almost killed her too, remember? Remember when you were a filly and you knocked poor Fluttershy out of the sky? She could have died, you know?

“I didn't know! I didn't see her fall.”

“No matter what you do, you always seem to bring trouble to those you love. You're too careless, Rainbow Dash. Can't you see that if you don't shape up, you're just going to keep hurting those close to you?” The figure hovered closer until it was a foot away. ”Maybe it would have been better if you never existed at all. You just seem to cause more and more pain.”

“No! Stop spouting lies!”

"But Rainbow Dash, it's true. Why else do ponies keep getting hurt around you? Perhaps you should start taking yourself more seriously. If you keep messing around, your friends are just going to keep getting hurt.” The figure reached a hoof towards Rainbow Dash. “

“No! Stay away!” Rainbow Dash waved her arms around frantically, trying to escape but she only stayed in place. His hoof drew closer and closer.

“Never forget, Rainbow Dash. Never forget...”

His hoof grabbed her shoulder.

[hr]

Rainbow Dash woke up screaming. Sweat dripped down her forehead, the bed soaked from cover to cover.

“Rainbow Dash? Rainbow, it’s okay. You just had a nightmare,” said a familiar voice.

Rainbow took a deep breath, and looked around. Each of her five friends were next to her.

“Rarity!” Leaping from the bed, Rainbow Dash pounced on Rarity.

“Oh my. What’s gotten into you, dear?” Rarity squirmed.

“You’re okay? Seriously? Everything’s perfectly fine?” Rainbow lifted her forelegs one by one, as she looked Rarity over for any injuries.

Rarity blushed, and pushed Rainbow away. “Now see here. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I’m perfectly fine.” She brushed herself off. “Really now.”

As her friends looked at each other in confusion, Rainbow Dash sighed in relief. But worry tugged on the back of her mind. What if she wasn’t good enough to save her friends next time?