• Member Since 17th Jan, 2012
  • offline last seen Sep 22nd, 2020

theswimminbrony


I love to swim, write, and waste my hours away on this site.

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Follow-up to "The Things We Leave Behind"

After years and years of hard work, Rainbow Dash has finally achieved her life's goal: becoming a member of the Wonderbolts. But when things don't go entirely as planned in her first Wonderbolts Derby, a promise from her past drives Rainbow Dash to tears. Will Rainbow Dash be able to overcome what she calls her only fear with the help of friends both old and new, or will the pressure simply be too much?

Title inspired by the song by SoGreatandPowerful.

Thanks to all of my proofreaders! You know who you are.

Chapters (1)
Comments ( 79 )

assets.diylol.com/hfs/54d/dff/96d/resized/pinkie-pie-smile-meme-generator-it-s-so-beautiful-0c5789.jpg honestly one of the most beautiful and touching sadfics I have ever had the honor to read. Thank you, SwimminBrony, for writing such a great follow-up to TTWLB.

Good short read! Only thing that irks me of how Twilight died, and did Rainbow Dash end up moving on, getting together with Spitfire?

Such a great sequel to a brilliant story :twilightsmile:
"The things we leave behind" had me in tears of sorrow and anger, this however, had me in tears of sadness and happiness (makes no sense =D) You are such a great writer, these are the fics that should be read and featured on sites like EQD.
If anything, in my opinion, you are one of the top writers here on FIMFiction, and i would defienantly want to see more from you :pinkiehappy:

Loving your fics as always

~Dashing :rainbowdetermined2:

905901 Go readt 'The Things We Leave Behind' to find out how she died. As for Dash moving on, well, I did when I went through it, and Dash is portrayed as a hell of a lot stronger than my sorry ass so.
I think the mare's in good hooves.


Now as to the story. It was beautiful, sad, amazing...and brought back a number of memories. Now not that I go about suppressing my memories, but it takes alot to get me to turn back and look at my past. (I spend my days not dwelling and living my life.) This story...it hits close enough to home that I can feel myself in Rainbow's place as if I'm there.
I spent pleanty of nights feeling I'm a failure....Plenty of nights out in the rain(literally,just walking nowhere and everywhere all at once) and I will tell you that you captured the roiling emotions of despair, failure, sorrow and that tad bit of self loathing that people sometimes carry when they feel that they could have done something to avert the death of the one they cared for.
I don't know how you managed to catch those emotions, but it was amazing.
I hope you do a follow-up chapter...cause I'd love to see where Rainbow rises above and shows the world that she is alive!

The emotions in this bring me to have feelings.

I saw this posted on my way to work. Since FIMFic is blocked at work, I had to disregard policy and obtain ssh-tunnel to read it.

I will say that the earlier work had a bit more impact, but this is still a very well crafted look into healing Dash somewhat.

This still makes me cry even after the fourth reading and the ending was just. . . I think it's going to take me awhile to find the right words.

Amazing job! Yet, again, your story has brought me to tears as expected.:fluttercry:
The way you write your stories, they have a very deep impact on one's feelings, and that is a very remarkable gift you have there. It definitely didn't have the same impact of emotions as The Things We Leave Behind, but then again, this is after everything and Rainbow is just try to recover. Can't expect it to be as sad, and it was sad enough to my satisfaction. Keep up the good work, if you ever make any other stories off of this one, I will be there to read them to the fullest. :ajsmug:

From hell, to you, and back again,
Soto Konoha

904317 905913 906034 906041 906086 906166 906470 905901 906582 Thanks for the positive feedback, guys. I'm glad you all liked it. :twilightsmile:

To kits and Soto Konoha, you're right. It's not quite as emotionally packed as its predecessor, but I had a good time writing it nonetheless.

906649 Still hoping you plan a followup, if that's not too much to hope for. I dunno why, but I can see this story having A Lot of potential.

Beautiful. :pinkiesad2:

I still hope Twilight and Rainbow reunite in the afterlife.

906649 It is okay, there is nothing wrong with it. I didn't really expect it to be as sad as the first, since it was when everything happened. This is more of a recouping story to me. It has just the right amount of emotion it needs in the story. But I must certainly insist that you should continue on this story. Many people are still left questioning what happens after, and would very much appreciate more, even if it doesn't go their way.:twilightsmile:

SO AWESOME SO AMAZING SO BUEATIFUL SO EVERYTHING I CAN THINK :pinkiehappy:To bad it's the end:fluttercry: i love both these storys

well, it's by far not as touching as TTWLB, but it is a worthy followup. you didn't blow it like i was afraid you might. liked and favored.

:raritycry: I'm sooo happy my favorite fanfic got a sequel!

Before reading:
:rainbowhuh: What's this in the comments about Spitfire? :twilightangry2: Rainbow better not fall for that hussy!

After reading:
:fluttercry: Rainbow why u no like Spitfire?!
I actually wanted it to happen, and that's saying something because I'm a TwiDash fanatic as depicted by le avatar.

If only I was half as good as this author...

Astoundingly good, I hope we'll see some more follow up stories eventually!

I never posted my compliments about The Things We Leave Behind, so I would like to include them within this.

I found these stories to be touching beyond what I was expecting! I feel like you protray the characters' emotions and actions exceptionaly well.
I joined this site hoping to find adventurous tales and stumbled upon The Things We Leave Behind. At the first mention of the word "Pass", I instantly teared up because I knew I found a story that was going to express the feelings of a spirit who has yet to fully move on. Throughout which I continued to tear up because of emotional attachment to the story.

I'm sorry I'm writing a lot, however, I wish to convey my thanks for writing on a subject dear to my heart with excellent form and portrayal.

This story is of no exception. You again wrote a touching peice that I felt makes for an excellent follow up to your other writing! I enjoyed both stories all the way through and I am looking forward to more of your future writings if you are so inclined to continue :D

You know a story is good when DESCRIBING it to a semi-Brony gets her to go into full-Brony mode, and TTWLB did that for my wife
This was a worthy successor to it. I dearly hope that you write several more follow-up fics, at the very least taking a glance at each of the remaining cast (perhaps even Trixie, if you can find it in you to redeem her).

It's sort of sad that this is the only way she can connect with Twi right now. Otherwise, I liked it.

This was really good and worthy of a sequel to TTWLB. It was sad, sweet, confusing in the right amounts and pretty hopeful and stasifying as well.

I like that RD didn´t forgot about her promise to Twi nor her love for her, as well as her being shocked and sad when "breaking" her promise as she believes it. I was between "d'aaww" and "WTFAREYOUDOINGSPITFIRE??? That´s not what you´re supposed to do in this situation!" when Spitfire suddenly kissed RD, it was a damn interesting turn as normaly this would have been a sweet and lovely action, d'aawwed by most readers, here it got a confusing angle, a hurtful one even with Dash´s unsolved feelings. As she has said she hasn´t moved on. Yet. Maybe she will be ready for somepony else sometimes, maybe she´ll never feel the same what she had felt for Twi for another pony. Such stuff happens too. Doesn´t mean she´ll be lonely and sad, she has her friends with her, old and new, her job, a promise to live up for and a dream she´s about to fulfill herself. She has lots of reasons to be happy and look with optimisn to the future.
It´s why i liked her last sentence so much in this fic "That's for me to know.", cause it can mean and imply alot of stuff which happend and will happen.

I liked this one alot, not as much as the first i admit, but its still a great read. Hope it wont be the last one regarding this world you build up. :twilightsmile:
Maybe i had liked it more if we had seen more interaction with her other friends or get to know what happend to all of them when RD became a wonderbolt in that time. Maybe some of them returned to the grave and noticed the extra white rose laying there in the center of the red ones and questioned herself who could have put it there. Or RD visits Twi´s graves sometimes to lay another white rose down there, kinda like a ritual like when she spoke to Twi´s picture before going out for the race.
Maybe i just expected more/too much. ^^

906667

This could make a sweet third and last story to TTWLB and IH,M. Like RD is really old in this one and will die in a few hours. Her friends are around her, the ones who are still alive and kicking that is, their children and maybe their grandchildren too. Her old comrades from the Wonderbols who had retired just like she did as well as the rookies who had been under her.
We see, hear and read how RD´s life had been, what she had done and successed in, how she had changed, what had changed and how she herself sees her whole life. If she regrets anything and if so what exactly, maybe that she might have liked to life a different life than she had but doesn´t cry after it as she had some amazing and awesome experiences in this one.
Something about Twilight, something about Spitfire, her promise, her job as Wonderbolt, her friends and how their lives went... such stuff is always good for a tearbreaker.
Especially when in the ending RD meets up with Twi who welcomes her to heaven.

It's so bright... So beautiful!!

So very beautiful!

OMG OMG OMG
mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw473_hophappyhop.gif

I have been hoping there would be a sequel to this masterpiece! :pinkiehappy: :rainbowkiss: :raritystarry:

I'm glad that I was able to read this one after The Things We Leave Behind. It complements The Things We Leave Behind and yet it also has a happier uplifting feel to it. :ajsmug: Thank you for your writings. They are extremely well done.

This story makes me wonder how Twi would feel if RD moved on and grew to love Spitfire? If there was another installment, I'd prefer to see how Twilight would handle herself, seeing Rainbow Dash move on. It could make things pretty awkward in the afterlife, no? That and maybe she makes some friends in the afterlife who help her deal with her feelings on the subject.

906166 FIMFic blocked? Why would they do this? (Although, I can think of 3 reasons.)

This wasn't as sad as the last one (the description should have a link to the other story for those that haven't read it) but was still brilliant!

Poker Face Shield Report:

Beginning: 98% (she "failed" to keep her promise to Twilight and that was sad)

Mention of Barrel Roll: 100% (Seriously, that should be the manager's name)

Mid: 95%

Tombstone: 87%

Final Words: 90% (The words of a badass)

Sequels should be made to show how the others got on after the battle or after the Tombstone Speeches.

Good story

Who disliked this :flutterrage:

Just fucking amazing :heart:

"She smiled weakly at Rainbow, whose eyes had turned a slight shad of red."

I believe that should be "shade".

But I can't believe I missed the sequel to one of my favorite fics of all time! It was a very good read, even if it wasn't as good as its predecessor (in my opinion). It was pretty close though!

Bravo!:twilightsmile:

I LOVE YOUR STORIES!!:rainbowdetermined2:

Manly tears were shed! Faved!

I really did love the first one and I believe that this one lived up to any expectations I could have held for it. :pinkiehappy:

Huh, well, not what I was expecting from a follow-up for TTWLB but still a good read. I would have liked to see more Rainbow-Twilight things, a bit more of how much Rainbow loves Twilight and maybe, just maybe, just how much she loves her. But well, that is just my opinion.
Apart from that, it was a nice read, seeing that Rainbow made it into the Wonderbolts is always awesome and great to read, if presented in the right way, which you did. So props for that.
Although I have to admit, Spitfire being in love with Rainbow Dash, that was a bit sudden for me, maybe even a bit unexpected. Anyway I am rambling on here. :pinkiecrazy:
It still was a very enjoyable read, I liked it very much. Thanks for writing this one and I hope to see more from you in the future.
Until then, see ya :-D
:coolphoto:

My emotions have returned! I am eternally thanking you.

Nice follow up to a very tragically sad first one has some sadness but is made up for in the end. I like it!

Beautiful.
Just...
Beautiful.

I don't want even more distress and depression (I'm sad enough as it is), but maybe a sequel where Celestia enchants Rainbow Dash with a special brand of magic that lets her fly into "heaven" and speak with Twilight.

Add more feels into that, too.

:raritydespair::fluttershbad::applecry:
Y U PLAY WITH MY EMOTIONS

This story was a great addition to your previous story. I say "addition" because of really the overall events. Rainbow made the promise to Twilight, that hasn't changed, and this story was about how she had trouble with that promise. It didn't really bring in much new plot, except for the wonderbolts acceptance.

Of course, it was a great read. Like the last one, you nailed dialogue, actions, behavior. The only thing for this one was Spitfire trying to romance Dash. A little out of place here, I think.

Honestly, not as good as its predecessor, and consequently no favorite, but still worth the read. And again something to be proud of. :twilightsmile:

906667 That's a given.

A good, beautiful story you have made here, good sir...

Didn't put as much tears in my eyes as the predecessor, but still, it did. And that, is enough.

Bravo, good sir.

It's nice to see Dash getting back into character again. I think I love this sequel just as much as the main-work. :raritywink:

what i dont get though is why was twilight not even in this story you would have thunk that she would have at least show up at the derby and watch rainbow dash race she did after all get granted that ability by a spell that celestia casted on twilight before she went back to heaven in the last story:rainbowderp::twilightoops::trollestia::moustache::moustache::moustache:

That was good. Having ripped into TTWLB, I feel a need to dissect this properly as well.

You nailed conflict in this one. It's not an obvious, in-your-face conflict, no, but it's there.
[strike]This is something Dash could end up doing based either[/strike] While it flows well off of TTWLB, reading that is not actually necessary for this. Sometimes, the best sequel isn't entirely a sequel.

I dunno. I just liked this better than TTWLB.

Fucking awesome. Please, I know these all take a long time to make, but if you were to make one story per character about how they were doing since after the party celebrating Twilight, meaning the Spike + Mane 6 - Twilight, then you would be come world fucking famous, not just on the internet, but everywhere, giving a great name to bronies!

1459016 I know this would be up to the author, but maybe Twilight was there, and they couldn't see her because the spell just lets her see them there, not actually talk to them, just see them do what they do.

1684716 yea but remember when rainbow dash said she felt something and she thought she saw twilight out of the corner of her eye in the stands but when she actually turned to look she wasn't there then the scene at her grave made me think that she was going to show up then as well and actually comfort rainbow dash telling her its ok that she lost and that she is proud of rainbows accomplishments.

thats what i thought was going to happen but the story still made me cry manly tears just like the first one did. my gosh i didn't know that a story could get that sad and touching. the only other time i cried for a story like THE THINGS WE LEAVE BEHIND and this story was when i read my little dashie for the first time

i dont know, what did these stories do for you

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