ADOR Chapter 6: Forlorn Endeavor
#6 of A Dash Of Recklessness
ONE MONTH LATER: Red's POV
It's been about a month, and Rainbow Dash actually looks like she is cheering up. While I still believe she is sad, as it sometimes hits her early in the morning, when she usually flied around, clearing clouds, feeling the breeze in her face. I was with her every day, whenever she needed me. There were times she wanted to be alone, and I respected her wishes. I have searched every day for a spell, potion, or doctor that can fix her. But it looks like Rainbow Dash is starting to accept what has happened. Although most of the time, I can tell when she is just putting on a smile so that I won't worry, but I know.
THE NEXT MORNING: Red's POV
I woke up this morning to something strange. Rainbow Dash wasn't in bed. Where was she? At first I had thought maybe she was just using the rest room. Maybe she got up early, making breakfast? Usually when she does that I can smell it right away. But.. Nothing. I told myself I was just paranoid and to stop worrying. So I got up, did my average routine. Ate some food, drank a glass of orange juice, brushed my teeth, and took a shower. After I got dressed I went out for a stroll. Maybe she was at Twilight's? I got to her house in about 10 minutes and knocked on the door. She opened the door and smiled,
"Oh Red! I'm glad you're here, come in." She said, motioning to her couch.
I walked in and sat down, watching as she finished up a couple things.
"Just a moment." She said, putting a few books back on a shelf, "Just tidying up".
I waited patiently, thinking about Dash. Doesn't look like she's here, maybe she just left? Twilight finished up and sat down.
"Sorry about that.. How are you doing?" She asked.
"Good. You?" I asked with a sigh, stretching my arms and legs.
"I'm fine, how about Rainbow Dash? I haven't seen her at all today." She said, tying a knot in my stomach.
Starting to get worried, I asked, "You... Haven't seen her? She wasn't in bed when I woke up. She wasn't even home. I know it's probably nothing, but I just worry about her."
Twilight looked at me with a relaxed look, "She is probably just out on the town having a good time. I wouldn't worry too much. I could help you find her if you want?"
I held up my hands and said, "No no.. That's alright. I'll ask around Ponyville, maybe someone els has seen her." I got up and gave her a hug goodbye, and left. I was walking down to town square, but was stopped by Pinkie Pie.
"RED!" She yelled, stopping mere inches away from my face. I flew back from the sudden materialization of Pinkie, falling straight on my ass.
"Oh jeez! You okay Red?" She said in a sudden concerned tone, holding out a hand to pull me up.
"Yeah I'm fine, just startled me is all." I said, grunting as she pulled me up. "What's up?".
"Have you seen Rainbow Dash?" She said as I brushed the dirt off my pants.
"No? You mean you haven't seen her?" I asked, very surprised.
"Of course silly! Why in Equestria would I be asking if I knew? Although the thought of me not knowing where everybody in Ponyville is all at once at all times confuses me a bit..."
With both a raised eyebrow and the knot in my stomach growing tighter, I asked "Where was the last place you saw her?" I asked.
"In town square! I heard her in my head, like I hear all ponies, then I didn't hear her anymore!"
"That's weird.... Wait what??" I said, a curious tinge in my voice.
"Nothing!" She said, hopping off.
My brain needed to process what she said... But It can wait. Pinkie doesn't know where she is? Okay now I am getting nervous. Where the hell could she have gone? I suppose the best place to start would be town square. So I headed down and looked around, asking people along the way. With a long sigh, I sit down at the bench near the fountain. She isn't anywhere to be seen.. I need a break anyway. Then.... I heard something. People talking, gasping....screaming... I looked around to see a large crowd gathered around the clock tower, looking up at it. When my eyes rolled up, and my heart sank. It was Rainbow Dash! Standing on the ledge at the top of the clock tower. Oh my god! She's going to jump... But I.. I didn't... There would be time for questions later. I jumped up and bolted towards the crowd, never taking my eyes off Dash. I pushed my way to the front of the crowd, knocking people over in my charge. I had a clearer look at Rainbow Dash, and could see her crying.
"RAINBOW DASH!" I yelled, a look of horror pasted on my face.
Her expression changed from sadness, to surprise. Her sobbing stopped, looking down at me. The sudden shift of weight caused the thin surface to break under her feet. She spun around and grabbed onto the minute hand of clock. She was just dangling there, holding on to the long metal hand, the only thing keeping her from plummeting to her death. Thank god it was 10:15. I ran into the clock tower and climbed up the stairs, running as fast as I could to the top. After climbing 10 stories, I was a sweating. I ran into the inside of the clock room, seeing the gears grinding and clicking away. Then I saw her! Behind the glass, I saw the shadow of her body, flailing and hanging from the hand. I ran over to the glass, looking for a way to get to her. I banged my fists on the glass, yelling her name.
"RAINBOW DASH! I'm here just....Just hang on okay!" In a panic, I looked around the room, looking for something to break the glass. Then I looked up at the bell, gazing straight at the clapper inside it. I ducked inside the bell and began tugging on the long lump of metal. Finally I managed to rip it off, and hoist it over my shoulder.
"Hold on! I'm going to break the glass.." I announced, before hitting the thick blurred glass of the clock tower. It didn't break, but it did crack! I winded up for another swing and hit it again. The crack got a little larger. Panting and sweating from running up here, and trying to tear this thing off the bell, I backed up, lifting it over my head.
"BREAK DAMN IT!" I cursed, before throwing it at the window. It passed right through the glass, falling down into the crowd, who dispersed quickly before it hit the ground, along with the falling glass. From my point of view, she was hanging off the center of the tower, gripping onto the minute hand. I managed to break a large hole in the right side, I leaned out, only 3 feet away from her. I reached my arm out,
"Grab my hand Dash!" The knot in my stomach only growing tighter, filling me with fear. She reached one hand off towards me. Then, my eyes widened as I heard a loud clicking behind me. The minute hand slid from 10:30, to 10:31. Rainbow Dash slid from the center to the arrow at the end, slipping away from me. She screamed, quickly putting both hands back on the metal arm. When she hit the end, the pointed metal dug into her hand, blood beginning to drip down her arms. She grimaced as her hands were stabbed by the small metal, nearly letting go then and there.
"RED!" She yelled, tears streaming down her face.
"PLEASE HANG ON!" I yelled back, beginning to tear up myself. I got a grip on the glass and started to pull, breaking bits off as I inched closer and closer to her.
Rainbow Dash's POV.
"RED!" I yelled, slowly slipping from the blood stained steel.
"PLEASE HANG ON!" I heard him yell, barely managing to hear him with the sharp pain running down my arm. Strength leaving me, I closed my eyes.
"I'm so sorry Red..." I said aloud. Not being able to sustain my grip, I let go. I began to fall, but then... I was grabbed. My eyes shot open, and I looked up. Red! He was holding me up, dripping with sweat. His hands were cut open from the glass.
"For what?" He said, a smile on his face, covering up his exhaustion. I reached my hand up, holding on to his arm with both hands.
"Can you climb up?" He asked in a panic.
"No... It hurts too much!" I cried, holding on as tight as I could. "Can you pull me up.."
"Ya.... That's going to be a bit hard..." He said. I looked at his arm, seeing a large shard of glass, still attached to the clock tower, embedded into his arm, holding it in place.
I looked at him, His eyes were twin flakes of ember floating into the light from a roaring inferno. Our eyes locked, knowing we couldn't hold on forever. The blood and sweat covering our arms causing us to lose our grip.
"I can't hold on much longer..." I said in a calmer tone, having accepted my fate.
"Don't you DARE let go... DON'T YOU DARE!" He yelled, a new batch of tears welling under his eyes. A soft breeze blew around them. Sweat glistened in his hair, shimmering under the pale glow of the sunlight. His eyes were shadowed beneath wispy fringes, but the silver in them glinted like pools of liquid mercury. Her breath caught. It must have made a sound because his fingers tightened. His shaky exhale whispered down across her face.
"This," he whispered so quietly I almost didn't hear him. "Is why you are so bad for me."
"What?" I said aloud. Slightly raising my tone.
"This life has no meaning to me if you are gone.." He said with his eyes, burning red from tears. "I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to you. No matter what I had to do, I said I would keep you safe."
"Red..." I said, never losing eye contact.
"Sometimes bravery is nothing more than gritting your teeth through pain, and the work of every day, the slow walk toward a better life." He said, then giving a long pause.
"And sometimes it isn't." He said, his grip tightening harder than ever.
"What are you..." I said, suddenly falling. I saw him fall forward out with me, pulling me into a hug as we fell.
"RED NO!" I screamed as we began to fall together. He gripped me with both arms, pulling me close and embracing me.
"So long as I'm alive, I will keep you safe!" Time slowed down as I put my head on his chest.
"I'm sorry.. I am so sorry..." I said, listening to his heart beat, which was beating out of it's cage.
"Shh.." He whispered into my ears, rubbing his hand through my hair. "No words.."
We held onto each other, knowing the end was near. And just before we hit the ground, he quickly shifted his weight. I looked at him, as his back was now facing the ground, holding me to his chest. And before I could say anything..
Everything went black...