The walls were completely bare and white, not a speck of dust, not anything that could turn her away from the flashes beneath her eyes.
Rainbow didn’t know what to do.
All she could remember was that a bomb or shell struck, and there were large gashes and burns on her legs, as well as her singed mane. She hadn’t had the time to cut it again, and it was flowing past her shoulders again. The worst burns were at the base of her neck, after her mane had started burning. Rainbow couldn’t even turn or move, for the fear of opening the wounds again.
Scootaloo was sitting silently beside her bed, a strangely cold expression on her face. Lightning was sleeping, her head on the desk on the other side of the ward. Spitfire was tugging and biting at the cast applied to her foreleg. The two awake wore an unreadable expression.
“So I guess you’re awake.” Spitfire smiled.
“I guess?” Rainbow murmured.
“Scootaloo, can you please wait outside, I need to have a word with Rainbow.” Spitfire ushered Scootaloo out of the room before turning to Rainbow. “You’ve been hanging out around Soarin for a while, haven’t you?”
“Yeah? Sort of.” Rainbow was a bit fazed by Spitfire’s question.
“Listen.” Spitfire whispered. “I’ve known Soarin for longer than you did. And I do know what he does for fun.”
“What, then?” Rainbow was intrigued.
“He gets with the mares.” Spitfire replied bluntly. “I did thought that he loved me once, but I caught him in a closet with a fan-mare. If it wasn’t for the war he probably would be just as mare crazy as he was when he was a Wonderbolt.”
“WHAT??!!” Rainbow exclaimed.
“It’s all true.” Spitfire sighed. “I don’t want your heart broken, so just leave him. He’ll understand. He’s the type to notice everything. I had never heard so many true compliments from someone, ever, before. He notices everything. Hopefully when you ignore him he’ll take the hint and leave you alone. Celestia knows what’ll happen if the Sergeant gets pregnant with the 2nd Commander’s foal.”
Rainbow had no words to say as Spitfire excused herself, standing up and turning.
But she didn’t catch the wisp of the smile that Spitfire wore as she opened the door and took a last look at her.
“Serves you right for messing with my stallion.” Spitfire muttered.
~~~
Soarin didn’t understand why Rainbow wasn’t there at the cove, and when he went to the hospital, Rainbow had refused all visitors. It was strange.
He lay in bed, Braeburn and Thunderlane chatting about the strange events of earlier.
“How is it possible?” He heard Braeburn’s accent as he whispered the question.
“I have no idea.” Thunderlane’s quiet reply came. “Rumor has that he is harvesting the life force of various prisoners of war to keep up. I have no idea why though.”
“Life force…” Braeburn muttered. “I thought Sombra wasn’t strong enough to do that.”
“I’m afraid he is now.” Soarin spoke up.
“You’re awake?” Both Braeburn and Thunderlane were surprised.
“Yeah…” Soarin replied.
“So I guess you heard all that.” Thunderlane said.
“I did.” Soarin replied.
“Have you heard?” Thunderlane asked.
“Yeah, Rainbow told me a bit after Scootaloo was taken. She thinks Scootaloo might’ve been taken for the purpose.” Soarin said.
Thunderlane and Braeburn exchanged glances. “So are you being sweet on her…” Thunderlane asked slyly.
“No!” Soarin was quick to disagree.
“Then why are you all of a sudden being so nice to her? I don’t recall that happening.” Thunderlane smirked. Braeburn hid his smile and both stared at Soarin.
“Busted!” Braeburn laughed.
~~~
Luna crept along the dark alley. The former Princess was supposed to be on the moon, but it seemed that Celestia wasn’t doing her job of keeping her sister away very well.
The snowstorm that edged towards the small town was fierce, and she realized that she had to be at the Crystal Empire by the next day. Otherwise, the danger would be too great.
How was Sombra even scraping by in weather like this? The fierce winds were enough to blow her back, and she was an immortal princess, second in power only to Celestia. If she had even as much as a mere earth pony’s life force, she could overpower Celestia, but nature was stronger than all of ponykind combined. Winds and other elements of nature were so beyond her control.
However, it was the only chance she had to reach the Crystal Empire, or she would have to wait another year.
Months had turned into years, years had turned into decades. It was her time to show what the truth was. And she couldn’t hold back anymore.
The cold banishment she received had told her everything she needed.
Tentatively, she tested the snow with a hoof. Cold, sharp, and numbing at the same time, each step was an effort with only a cape. How much did she wish to be back were she rightfully belonged.
Yet time was a river. The water would never flow back. The old times were gone for good. Nothing could bring them back.
Luna wished silently that everything would go back to peace and harmony, but nothing were to change. The path of destruction was already built, and what Luna could only do was to destroy the path, and build a new one, filled with hope of a bright future.
As much as she wished, everything were all mere memories.
Could it go back? As much as she wished, it wouldn’t. It was a certainty.
How had it come to this point? For a Princess, no less?
~~~
Spitfire’s words rang heavily in Rainbow’s head, as she sat outside her tent, still awake despite the stars and moon shining bright over her. The eerie, haunting glow shrouded the entire compound. She had been discharged, and the words in her head were not the doctor’s, but rather the words of Spitfire.
She couldn’t stop thinking how honest Spitfire had been with her about Soarin. Was he that awful, or was it just Spitfire’s broken heart? Somehow, she found it slightly hard to believe. Soarin had never asked for intimacy, and he seemed content with just being friends. It just didn’t fit.
Who was lying to her?
It wasn’t a question with a definite answer.