//------------------------------// // The Light You Leave Behind // Story: Utaan // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// Silence. Thunder rolled. Kepler craned his neck. Remna stood dead still. Twilight and the rest hovered in a tense cluster, their wide-eyes glued to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash remained staring at the heavens. One ear twitched, then the other. For a moment there, her wings drooped worrisomely... Then Scootaloo's voice broke through with a wandering: "Uhm..." Rainbow's body flinched. She swallowed a dry lump down her throat and droned: "So what are you tinkering on as of late?" "Huh?" The awkwardness was mirrored between them. "Oh! Well... with the last manacrystals that Spike lent me, I've... uhhh... fused this tiny motor to a modified shopping cart. Then... erm... I carved a wooden base-board and slathered some upholstery to it, along with a short handle." "Uh huh..." "And after some extra modifications, I was able to keep the thing under a minimal speed. It's a super slow, double-wide scooter... I guess you could describe it. But there's a point to the whole thing. Just the other day, I saw the poor old folk at the Ponyville Retirement home just... hobbling around on cranes and crutches. And so I figured that this thing could be useful in getting them from Point A to Point B without having their joints ache." Rainbow smiled, breathing happily. "That's pretty snazzy there, champ." "Of course... eheh... I first gave it a test run without the speed modification, and I was able to get the sucker to hit a ramp and leap over four whole carriages—which, for its size and weight—is pretty dang cool, if I do say so myself. Heheheh..." "Heheh... awesome." "I know, right! I mean... sure, I can fly now and stuff... but... erm... I-I remember what it was like to not be able to fly for so long and... and sometimes I kinda miss that... I miss being able to create a thrill out of nothing. And... uhm... I... uh..." A swallowing sound. "Those old folk don't need to be leaping over any carriages anytime soon, but... I figured they deserve to have something made out of nothing all the same." Rainbow nodded. "That's really cool, Scoots." She nodded again. Her muzzle opened, but no words came out. The voice on the other end was likewise still. Rainbow's friends looked on. "Ahem..." Rainbow gulped. "Oh! Uhm..." She fumbled through her saddlebag before producing a familiar article. "Your goggles. They work like a charm." "No way... you're still using them?" "Well... wh-when I fly long distances, sure. The straps are still tight as ever, and it fits like a glove. But... eheh... things get bumpy from time to time. One of the lenses has a slight crack... up along the top." "Oh. I'm sorry." "Pffft! Nothing to be sorry for, Squirt! These things have survived entire wars, y'know! And... it's not really that big of a crack. Just... just feel kinda bummed out that I let them get damaged, y'know?" "That's alright. Really, it is." "But... y'know..." Rainbow took a deep breath, holding the goggles to her fuzzy blue chest. "...perhaps you could look at them... when I get back, I mean." She gulped. "Only your touch can get them looking perfect again." Silence. Rainbow stared. Rainbow blinked. "Kid...?" More silence. And then: "I know... that I should be wishing you good luck, Rainbow. After all... every pony ahead of me has." Rainbow clenched her jaw shut. "You don't have to swim with the flow, Scoots." "That's not it," Scootaloo said bluntly. Then: "I just... want you to know... in case anything happens—" "I'm coming back, Scootaloo." "—that... you mean more to me than you'll ever know. And that... while you might not think much of it... you were there for me, Rainbow Dash. You were there for me in my life where... where most ponies weren't, and I-I..." Her voice broke. It almost sounded as if there was some distortion, but Rainbow knew better. "Well..." A firm breath. Rainbow could almost sense a daredevilish smirk through the silvery air. "...now you're gonna be there for the whole wide world. And that makes me happy. I'm happy, Rainbow Dash. Just... know that... and take it with you." "I will, Squirt." Rainbow clenched her teeth. Then: "I'm proud of you, Scootaloo." Thunder rolled. Rarity and Fluttershy cried quietly. Pinkie and Applejack held them close while Twilight Sparkle kept her eyes on Rainbow. "I'm so very proud of you," Rainbow said. Firmly. "And I always will be." Her brow furrowed. "You look after Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, okay? You know what kind of blubbering messes those little saps can become." "Yeah..." A shaky voice breathed. "...yeah, I do." "And try not to be too awesome between now and my return," Rainbow said, smirking slyly. "I've got a reputation to maintain, alright? Don't need a little scamp like you stealing my thunder." "Sure thing, Rainbow Dash. I'll... I'll try to... to..." Scootaloo's voice trailed off, and then—after an uncomfortable silence—there was a squeak: "H-here are the Pr-Princesses..." Rainbow Dash leaned forward, as if reaching for somepony. Her lips pursed. "Rainbow Dash?" Princess Celestia's voice flickered in and out of a tapering band of silver light. Rainbow gulped. "Yes, Your Majesty?" "Luna's sp—...—ading." "I gotcha, Princess." "I will be in constant comm—...—he Durandanans through the Sword of Solstice." "Right..." "Xarchellus' brothers and sisters shall be properly received in Val Roa. That is my solemn promise." "Thanks a ton, Princess Celestia. And best of luck with the rift." "I a—...—eady lucky, Rainbow Dash. Harmonic blessings t—...—ou on the Dark Side. Twilight, my g—...—hful student, stay strong, as only you know how." Twilight inhaled, tears trickling. "Yes, Your Majesty." The air distorted more and more, the silver light fading. Enix and her flock looked back at the Stardust worriedly. The glow in their slitted eyes dimmed and dimmed. Rainbow wanted to say something— "My child." Rainbow panted. "Yes, Luna?" "This conc—...—ommunication on the Light Side. We cannot follow you into the Dark." Rainbow gulped. "Hey... don't sweat it. We'll speak again—" "My sister and I h—...—rted our wisdom, but I know you for your brazen courage, Rainbow Dash. If y—...—ust take it upon yourself to encounter the Dark Vigil, then I implore you t—...—voke the Blood of Luna. It might sustain you long enough to negotiate, although I doubt it." "I hear ya." "On the Dark Side, you won't have us, but you wil—...—ve your allies. You will h—...—ur friends. But, most impo—...—ill have your conscience. And if I had listened to that s—...—ny years ago, I would never have become Nightmare Moon." Rainbow listened intently. Shivering. "Rainbow Dash. Your conscience is the only true beacon. And i—...—ike a furnace in such chaotic darkness, more than Yaerfaerda and more than any l—...—hat this world has conjured. Trust in yourself. Trust in th—...—are who has saved Ledomare, Val Roa... and now Rohbredden." "I... I will, Luna." Rainbow gulped. "Trust me." "I do, Rainbow Dash. We all do. Fear n—...—or we will b—...—iting. Shining Armor and C—...—re paving the path for you in Ward, as you have b—...—ving the path for my lost children back home to Equestria." "Awesome, Your Highness. Everything's cool, Luna." "—on't forg—...—ere's hope at th—...—nd of ev—...—orizo—" "I'll see you on the other side." And then... ...the silver light dissipated. Luna as gone. Only lightning and thunder remained. Kepler blinked. Remna silently hung her head. Rainbow's friends exchanged glances before looking at their anchor. Rainbow stood in place like a silent sentinel, her ruby eyes still planted firmly against the broiling sky. Her nostrils flared as she raised a hoof up to her dim pendant. "Well then..." She summoned the courage to breathe. "I guess that's that."