Rainbow Dash and Jideo emerged from Tarik's shack. The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon, yet the light was obstructed by a small, airborne object. Rainbow looked at it confusedly, as did Jideo. As it drew closer, Rainbow began to recognize it. It was a purple hot air balloon, with many familiar colors visible in the undercarriage.
Rainbow looked on in disbelief. Her friends had found her, and they were coming to save her. She turned to Jideo.
"My friends are here!" She said, very happily. "We can go!"
"We?" Jideo asked.
"Yes. I promised that I would try to bring you back to Ponyville with me, and I intend to keep that promise." Rainbow said, smiling at Jideo. He smiled back. The two embraced once more.
The balloon sped toward the duo. Rainbow confirmed that Tiwlight, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack, Zecora, and Spike were there. The undercarriage looked rather packed, but Rainbow didn't notice. She was too busy rejoicing at her rescue. It soon reached them.
"Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie exclaimed, leaping from the basket and embracing Rainbow in a hug. The rest of the group followed suit, excluding Zecora, who instantly approached her brother and embraced him.
"It has been too long, brother." Zecora said, smiling happily.
"It has, Zeco... It sure has..." Jideo hugged his sister back.
"We missed you so much, Rainbow!" Twilight said, hugging her friend tightly. The others exclaimed their happiness to see her again, hugging her tightly. "Come on, Rainbow, let's get you home." Twilight said, starting back toward the balloon.
"I can't wait!" Rainbow exclaimed.
"Excellent! We made sure to save enough room for one more pony. You!" Twilight said, turning toward her friend.
"Wait..." Rainbow said, her face changing from happiness to concern. "Only for one?"
"Yeah, why, is there a problem?" Twilight asked, rather concerned. Rainbow looked to Jideo, who held a fairly neutral look about him as he looked back at her.
"If Jideo can't come, then I'm not going anywhere." Rainbow said. She audibly choked out those words, bringing her great pain as she declined her friends. "I can't leave him, and I won't leave him."
"Rainbow... I'm sorry, but Fluttershy isn't strong enough to make the flight back, and it's too far for me to teleport. There's only room for you." Twilight said, her eyes holding a look of sadness.
"Well then I can't go." Rainbow said.
"No, Rainbow." Jideo said, catching her attention. "Rainbow... I truly appreciate your sacrifice for me, but you don't belong here." He was looking into her eyes. She knew he was being sincere, and that he cared for her, and wanted her to be safe.
"What?" Rainbow asked, a look of sadness in her eyes.
"The jungle is my home. This is where I should be. You should be with your friends." Jideo said. He was visibly hurt to say this.To abandon Rainbow.
"Are you sure?" She asked, approaching him and hugging him.
"Yes, Rainbow." He said. "Listen, no matter how far apart we are, I will always love you." He embraced her tightly as a tear escaped her eyes.
"I love you too." She said, holding back her tears. She turned to her friends. "I'm ready. Let's go." Her friends offered small smiles, feeling sympathetic toward their friend's pain.
Rainbow looked back to Jideo, and quickly moved her face to his. Their lips embraced, feeling one another, and loving one another. Jideo hugged her tightly as they kissed, and Rainbow hugged him back. After a minute, Rainbow withdrew her head and looked deeply into Jideo's eyes, both of them smiling happily.
"Finally." Rainbow said.
"Yeah..." Jideo said, grinning clumsily. Rainbow giggled.
"Goodbye, Jideo..." Rainbow said, still slightly smiling.
"Goodbye, Rainbow Dash." Jideo replied. He leaned in to her and hugged her tightly. "Love you." He whispered.
"Love you too." She replied.
Rainbow turned and approached her friends. She entered the hot air balloon basket and her friends followed. She waved to Jideo as the balloon lifted from the ground and departed over the horizon.
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Rainbow flew over to Zecora's hut within the Everfree Forest. She knocked on the door and was instantly greeted by Zecora herself.
"Hey Zecora!" Rainbow said.
"Greetings, Rainbow Dash." Zecora replied.
"When I was in the rainforest, Jideo told me about a way you two would communicate over this distance." Rainbow said. Zecora nodded. She led Rainbow over to the shelf where she kept the enchanted stone with which she would communicate with her brother. "Would you mind if I used it?"
"Please." Zecora said, handing the stone to Rainbow.
Rainbow picked up the stone and held it close to her mouth. She spoke into the stone.
"Jideo? ... Jideo, are you there?" Rainbow asked.
There was no response.
"Jideo..." Rainbow held the stone, just speaking his name into it repeatedly for about an hour, hoping for some response... any response.
"Nothing..." Rainbow said, a tear rolling up in her eye. She placed the stone back on the shelf and hugged Zecora, beginning to cry. Zecora held her friend close, feeling her pain. Rainbow backed up from her friend and made her way toward the door, crying the entire way.
...
...
"Rainbow...?"