Somepony groaned. It made Fluttershy’s ear twitch just before she fell asleep. At first, she thought it was her imagination, but then it groaned again. But this time, it was longer. Not just longer, but louder. Suddenly, even louder.
Fluttershy snapped her eyes open when the groan turned into both violent movement and a cry of pain. It was coming from Rainbow Dash. Her eyes were squeezed tightly as she was clutching her head in her hooves. She was practically trying to escape Fluttershy’s embrace flailing her body like that. But Fluttershy held her grip, using a hoof to stroke Rainbow’s mane.
“Rainbow Dash, please calm down,” Fluttershy pleaded. “I’m here, Rainbow Dash. I know it hurts, but please, stop. It’ll only hurt worse like this. Please, settle down.” She timed her brushing to be in sync with her last words. “Settle down…”
Rainbow’s wailing and flailing slowly settled as she listened to Fluttershy’s voice. She was in a lot of pain right now, but Fluttershy’s comfort was easing the pain. Tears had formed in her eyes due to the pain, but now they were stopping. All she could focus on was the warmth of Fluttershy’s embrace.
Fluttershy really felt sorry that Rainbow had to spend these last minutes suffering this intense pain. She wished she could do more to ease it. Rainbow was still sobbing a little. In an attempt to ease the pain a little more, Fluttershy leaned forward and kissed the bruise on Rainbow’s forehead again. A soft moan came from Rainbow as it was kissed again. And then, she went silent.
Fluttershy’s heart somewhat warmed when Rainbow Dash went silent again. The best she could find comfort in with this doomed fate they had was that Rainbow’s pain wouldn’t be present by the end of it. She was hopeful that this would be enough. But then, Rainbow started shifting again. Her teeth were clenched and her eyes were quivering. That was when Fluttershy’s heart raced.
”No…” Fluttershy whispered. The last thing she wanted was for Rainbow to wake up just before the end. And here she was waking up now. With silent groans, her head turned towards Fluttershy. Then, her eyes slowly opened.
Rainbow Dash was first greeted by the blur caused by her tears due to the pain. As her sight cleared up, she found herself greeted by the voice of her comforter, Fluttershy. But she wasn’t greeted by a smiling face. She was greeted by a sad and nervous one. When her vision cleared up more, she caught glance of where they were.
Rainbow blinked her eyes harshly, gasping silently as she looked again. It then registered to her what her body was feeling. It wasn’t just Fluttershy’s warm embrace. Her entire body, aside from her head, was covered in a warm pool of liquid. And behind Fluttershy, were slimy red walls dripping that liquid from above them.
Rainbow yelped and jerked violently. Fluttershy attempted to hold her, but Rainbow quickly broke out of her grasp, backing away as she looked around the place, then looked to her in stunned shock. When Fluttershy tried to reach a hoof out to her, Rainbow winced and placed a hoof near her forehead, groaning in pain. Her entire body was ringing out in pain, but her forehead was by far the worst, despite the bandage on it.
Fluttershy sighed in defeat. It was too late now, so she just came out and said it. “I’m sorry, Rainbow. I couldn’t stop this.” Rainbow slowly turned her attention back to Fluttershy as she spoke. The sound of her voice was sad and full of defeat. “Even after… you tried so hard…” There was a pause as Fluttershy thought back to when they were launched. “You tried so hard… to make sure I was protected from the fall. I…” She looked away. “I couldn’t do the same for you. I tried to hide. But… it found us. The tatzlwurm... it found us and ate us. I’m sorry...”
All Fluttershy could do was look away with her mane over her eye again. Rainbow was breathing heavily from that. It was like Fluttershy had already accepted that it was all over. It couldn't be over... not like this. Not after everything they tried so hard for.
Rainbow Dash looked around the area, spotting the esophagus above. That was their exit out. How could they get it open? There wasn't much room in here for her to fly. But she had to try something. Flaring her wings, her body winced in pain. Trying her best to endure that, she launched herself at the esophagus, causing quite a splash in her wake.
Fluttershy gasped upon seeing Rainbow making a move. "Rainbow! No!" Rainbow collided with it, resulting her head flaring up in pain as her body squished into it, then back out. That provided no responses from the monster, or any leeway of allowing them to squeeze themselves back up.
Fluttershy worried for Rainbow as she saw her attempting it again. She knew it wouldn't work. And sure enough, colliding with it again, even at Rainbow's speed, provided no results.
"Rainbow, please stop!" Fluttershy pleaded as Rainbow fell back down to the pool. "I already tried that. You're only gonna hurt yourself more."
Fluttershy attempted to approach Rainbow, but because of what Fluttershy was saying, Rainbow held both fear and shock in her eyes as she backed away. She couldn't believe that this was happening, that Fluttershy was acting this way. There had to be something, something that they could still do!
Rainbow backed herself against the opposite walls. She flared her wings above the pool’s level and started beating them fast. "No! Stop!" Fluttershy said as she covered her face. "I already tried that too!" But Rainbow didn't listen. Continuing to beat her wings, all Fluttershy could do was back away.
The winds were strong, and they were causing bubbles to form in the pool quite quickly. But beating her wings like this was causing Rainbow an agonizing amount of pain. Groaning and moaning, she pressed on. All she needed was enough to cause this monster to burp, or cause enough discomfort to make it vomit.
But before it could reach that point, the entire belly shook and rumbled, followed by a screeching roar. It caused Rainbow to stop as she had to cover her ears with gritting teeth. Fluttershy had to do the same. Just like last time, the roaring was causing the bubbles to stop, negating all of Rainbow's work.
After the roaring stopped, Rainbow moved her hooves away from her ears and proceeded to brace her head. Due to the roaring, the pain in her head shot out again. It was practically unbearable. And it was causing her to pant and sweat, moreso than the heat inside this room.
Fluttershy soon recovered from her ordeal, and witnessed Rainbow’s. This was why she was hoping Rainbow wouldn’t wake up before the end. She wouldn’t have had to spend these last moments suffering like this. And the more she struggled, the more pain she would bring herself.
“Please…” Fluttershy pleaded. “Don’t hurt yourself anymore. There’s… nothing we can do…” She sat where she was, looking down to the pool at her own reflection. Even to her, the look of defeat was clear. And she had already accepted this look. It took a long moment of full out crying and wailing, but she managed to.
Rainbow Dash however still couldn’t. Something in her nature was preventing her from ever accepting this, something about her that wasn’t willing to give up like this. But if Fluttershy had already given up, what could she do? She needed Fluttershy’s help, Fluttershy’s cooperation.
Slowly, Rainbow opened her eyes, looking at Fluttershy with sadness. But at the same time, hope. Hope that Fluttershy would be able to tell her something. There was something she needed to know, the only thing left that might save them. She needed to…
“...Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy’s ears twitched. One, two, three seconds it took for her to register where it came from. That was Rainbow’s voice. It had been quite a while since she last said anything to her that she could hardly believe it. When she looked forward, Rainbow continued.
“What’s… wrong with it, Fluttershy? ...Why is it suffering?”
A strange feeling welled up in Fluttershy upon hearing that voice again. It mixed with both happiness and disappointment. One side of her wanted Rainbow’s animal side, the other didn’t. They were conflicting with each other so much.
Fluttershy sighed and looked away. Right now, her mind had to focus on the question that Rainbow asked. In that instant when this tatzlwurm lunged at her, she did notice. She knew now why it was suffering so badly. But there was nothing they could do about it now. Why would it matter?
In the end, Fluttershy looked to Rainbow. It was probably better that she answered anyway, rather than having Rainbow having to wonder on these last moments. So she began telling.
“This wasn’t a natural cause,” Fluttershy said. “Somepony did this to it. Somepony…” Thinking about it was painful. If it wasn’t for their current fate, Fluttershy would be able to express just how sorry she felt for this creature. “It’s eyes… the sands that gives it the ability to sleep… they’re gone…”
Rainbow blinked. The ability to sleep?
“No matter how hard it tries, it can’t go to sleep anymore. It can only stay awake now. Because of that… it rampages. Rampages blindly... eating everything it can to restore its strength. It eats... even when it’s not hungry... even when it’s full… even to those friendly to it… even to those scarier than it… it eats.” A tear fell from her eye. “It won’t stop. It’ll never stop… until it can rest again. There’s nothing we can do…”
Fluttershy squeezed her eyes as she began sobbing lightly. She couldn’t cry any harder than this. All her tears seemed to have been used up during her moment of defeat.
As for Rainbow, she was devastated by the answer. It couldn’t sleep? No… Their current circumstance was an issue because this thing was currently awake and suffering. If they could’ve found a way to stop its suffering, it might’ve allowed the tatzlwurm to calm down, calmed it to the point of falling asleep. That would’ve allowed them the chance to escape without its interference.
But its suffering was because it couldn’t sleep? That was the worst case scenario. Even if they had the option, they couldn’t even stall out long enough for it to calm down and fall asleep. It would never calm down anymore.
Rainbow squeezed her eyes shut and groaned. This couldn’t be the end. It just couldn’t end like this. What could they do? Now, more than ever, she needed Fluttershy’s help on this. But… Fluttershy…
“Please…” Rainbow pleaded as she approached Fluttershy. “Don’t give up…” Slowly, she was treading the pool to get to Fluttershy. And Fluttershy was just looking at her with that same defeated expression. “There must be… something…”
It pained Fluttershy to see Rainbow pleading like this. As much as she wished there was a way, there wasn’t any that she could think of. Everything Rainbow tried, she already tried too. Even if there was something, they’d sooner dissolve before they could ever figure it out.
“I’m sorry, Rainbow,” Fluttershy answered. “There’s nothing. ...Nothing.”
Even after that answer, Rainbow just couldn’t accept it. She looked away and replied. “No…”
Fluttershy could see the tears escaping Rainbow’s eyes. It must’ve been much harder for her to accept it. What she needed was comfort. Lifting her hoof above the pool, she responded. “Rainbow…” Her hoof was held out for Rainbow, inviting her over. But when Rainbow saw the hoof reaching out to her, she did the unexpected.
Rainbow… smacked Fluttershy's hoof away.
“NO!!!”
The world came crashing down on Fluttershy. Despair, depression, guilt, everything slammed into Fluttershy’s heart in that instant. Rainbow... her expression... for the first time since all of this started, Rainbow was mad at her. With that angry look, Rainbow was walking away.
“No! Please Rainbow!” Fluttershy pleaded with more despair than ever. “Please don’t do this! Don’t spend these last minutes like this! Rainbow!” New tears were spreading in Fluttershy’s eyes. She thought things couldn’t get any worse than they already had.
They have. Rainbow was walking away from her… angrily…
Rainbow was mad. She couldn’t figure out why. For the first time that she could remember, she was mad at Fluttershy. This feeling that she had just wouldn’t allow her to accept this to be the end. Fluttershy had given up. And it was because she had given up that was making her so mad. Why was it like this?
Rainbow reached the opposite side of the belly, bracing herself against the wall in such a harsh manner, wincing. She didn’t want to be mad at Fluttershy. But she just was, was so angry at her. There were so many things she wanted to blame her for. Blame her for giving up, blame her for failing to hide them, blame her for not finding the problem sooner.
But, Rainbow knew that she couldn’t blame her for any of these reasons. Fluttershy really tried her best. Yet… hearing Fluttershy give up like this was making her want to blame her so much. It was the only outlet she had. Right now, she needed Fluttershy more than ever. And Fluttershy just wasn’t cooperating. Despite her anger, she kept forming tears in her eyes.
Rainbow didn’t want to put blame on Fluttershy. She didn’t want to. But she couldn’t accept what Fluttershy was doing. Couldn’t accept accepting their fate. Was there really nothing they could do? What did they know?
Rainbow finally discovered the identity of that silhouette that she kept seeing in her memories. A lot of good that did now. What were the times she saw it? The first was when it came and attacked her and her Rescuer soon after being released. She abandoned her rescuer, yet still felt no guilt from that abandonment.
The next time Rainbow saw this silhouette was in that clearing with a destroyed cabin and a small shack. Near that place was a graved section covered by debris. Now that she thought about it, it almost looked like that used to be the place where this monster was held captive, possibly caged. It was the same monster that was there, and the same monster that attacked them.
And then there was that last time she saw it. Well… moreso heard than saw. During her time being held captive by X, she had a dream, a memory of the exact time she was transformed by the Spellcaster. The Spellcaster was a female unicorn with red eyes, along with small cracks in them that indicated a number of strains. It was also a pony who had practically no tone in her voice. This monster was around during that transformation.
Well… that answered one thing. But it still didn’t help with their predicament right now. The pony who had robbed this tatzlwurm of its ability to sleep must’ve been that Spellcaster. Why would she do it?
It didn’t matter anymore. Pursuing that was like trying to pursue why she would want to turn her into a tatzlpony in the first place. They needed to find a way to escape. And they weren’t gonna find that out by learning the reason for the Spellcaster's actions or motives.
Rainbow groaned as the pain returned to her head. But she didn’t rub it this time. Instead, she just let her head drop and bury itself against the slimy walls. Besides slimy liquid drops and the echoes of movement and gurgling, all she could hear was Fluttershy whimpering, crying. There were even a few times Fluttershy would try calling out to her.
“Please Rainbow. Please... come back. I'm sorry...”
It must’ve been painful for her to see Rainbow mad at her like this. As much as Rainbow wanted to, she just couldn’t go to Fluttershy right now, couldn’t even look at her. If she wasn’t gonna help, then Rainbow was gonna have to figure this out herself.
But… as she thought, and thought, nothing was coming up. The more she thought, the more she regretted showing that angry side of her. She never wanted to show that side towards Fluttershy, never had any reason to. Yet, it just happened out of instinct, probably from her past memories. If only her memories would help her figure out how to get out.
Rainbow shifted her wings, and it caused her body to shiver up at what they felt. Her feathers… they were starting to dissolve. They wouldn’t last much longer. It was just a matter of time before the more solid parts of their body would start to dissolve as well. Soon it would all end, end with them separated from each other. Yet, even with this fate coming closer and closer to them, she still couldn’t find it in her to accept it.
Fluttershy had gone quiet, devastated. Slowly, Rainbow closed her eyes, continuing to think. If this was how it would end, she didn’t want it to end by giving up. But her body was in too much pain for her to continue struggling. All she could do was use her mind and her memories. Her eyes were closed, leaving her only to her thoughts and memories. Still, nothing came up.
Nothing… was coming up.
___
...
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Rainbow’s eyes snapped open.