Chapter 19: Epilogue
It was a dark, rainy day as the seven ponies, along with most of the royal guard, gathered to do what should have been done a month earlier.
They attended the funeral of Thunderspark. Celestia had held the ceremony back, until she had been sure everypony could attend.
"He was a good pony. He was a great flier. He was a great soldier." Celestia said. Her face was like a mask, trying to hide any real emotion from her subjects. But a few tears sneaked by here and there. Twilight hadn't seen her master this sad in a long time.
"He will be remembered for what he was. A headstrong, but brave and faithful pegasus."
Tears streamed down Rainbow's muzzle. The coffin was placed into the ground. This had been a part of the pegasi's will. He wished to be buried, not in his birthplace of Cloudsdale, but in Ponyville.
And the coffin was empty. That was the worst part. They had no body to bury. They had only received his tail.
Rainbow Dash did not deliver a eulogy. She was a pony of few words when it came to matters like this.
Scootaloo was sobbing. She had been close with Thunderspark. He had been like an older brother to the young pegasus. And Rainbow could see that little Scootaloo was hurting. She put a hoof on her shoulder.
"It's alright. He's in a better place."
Scootaloo looked up at her. "How can we know? How will we ever know?"
Rainbow sniffled. "I promise. He's in a better place."
She couldn't know of course. But anything had to be said to end this young pegasi's suffering.
Scootaloo hung her head. Rainbow's word would have to do.
Celestia continued her eulogy. "Thunderspark was a casualty of war. War. In Equestria. Just saying it sends shivers up my spine." She paused, her tears overcoming her again. "Equestria must grow stronger now. It must recover. And everypony here must learn to forgive. And remember, we have allies even in the darkest corners of the Earth. Love and tolerate." She sniffled.
"That is all." She left the podium. The grim looking ponies began covering the coffin with soil.
The ponies began filing out. Scootaloo spread her wings and flew away. Rainbow watched her go, concerned.
"I'm so sorry Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy said, giving her friend a hug. She looked and saw Scootaloo flying away. "Is she okay?"
Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure she's fine."
Fluttershy looked into her eyes. "Are YOU okay?"
Rainbow sniffled, then nodded again. "Yeah. I'm fine Shy. Thanks."
That night, Scootaloo came home late. The next morning she was gone. Rainbow checked her room. She checked Sugar Cube Corner. She checked Twilight's tree house. She searched the Everfree forest. She wasn't in any of the usual places.
She was already breaking the terms of her probation. Rainbow knew this would be bad, should law enforcement find out.
She knew of only one more place.
She took the quick flight up to Cloudsdale.
On the very edge of Cloudsdale were the burial grounds.
Rainbow entered. It was a rainy day. Strange, a city made of clouds being rained on.
Rainbow quickened her trot to a gallop as she finally spotted her orange friend.
Scootaloo was hunched down in front of two gravestones.
She noticed as Rainbow Dash came up behind her.
"Hey RD." She said softly.
"Hey kiddo. You can't just run off on me like that. You're in my custody. You could get in serious trouble."
Scootaloo looked up at her, her eyes glistening from tears.
"I'm sorry."
Rainbow sat down next to her. "It's okay squirt. So what are you doing hanging out here?"
Scootaloo gestured to the gravestones. "My mom and dad."
Rainbow sighed. "I'm sorry."
There was a silence. Scootaloo sniffled.
"Rainbow? Do you think they watch us from up there? The dead?"
Rainbow nodded. "Yeah. Well...I know my dad does."
Scootaloo didn't seem happy with this news. "Do you think they saw me...the way I was?"
Rainbow shrugged. "Maybe."
Scootaloo hung her head in shame. "They're probably so disappointed."
Rainbow sighed. "Maybe. But I'm sure they still love you."
Scootaloo looked at her with a slightly angry expression. "How can you possibly know that?"
Rainbow patted her mane. "Because I still love ya, squirt."
Scootaloo leaned her head on Rainbow Dash's shoulder and cried.
They stayed at the grave stones for about an hour, just talking things through.
They talked about their parents. About their anger problems. About their shared dreams.
They finally went silent, staring at the grave stones, enjoying each others company.
Finally Scootaloo spoke. "Before all this, I was so sure of myself. But now...I don't know who I am anymore. I mean...I was actually glad, after all this, to look at my flank and NOT see a cutie mark." She chuckled.
Rainbow chuckled with her. "Hey. Chin up. I got a surprise for you."
Rainbow entered her dressing room. Spitfire and Soarin were pulling on their flight suits.
"Hey Spits. Soars. We feeling ready today?"
"Always." They said simultaneously.
"It's gonna be good getting out there again." Rainbow said. He turned to Scootaloo. Scootaloo was ecstatic. She loved the Wonderbolts almost as much as Rainbow had before joining them.
"Oh Celestia. Can I get an autograph Rainbow Dash? Please?!"
Spitfire smirked. "Sure kid. Soarin'll give you one too. Right Soars?"
Soarin smiled. "Of course junior."
They both signed a picture for Scootaloo. Her eyes brightened up immediately.
Rainbow allowed herself a grin as she pulled the mask over her looked like a filly again. That child-like glint in her eye. That innocence. It had returned. She was so far from that demon creature of a week ago, that Rainbow Dash allowed herself some pride.
And there was more pride to come.
"Rainbow Dash? You ready? You're not gonna fly apart out there are you?" Scootaloo asked, chuckling.
Rainbow shook her head. "Nah. I'm gonna amaze em. Just like I always do. You can only make one comeback."
Scootaloo smirked. "Give it a couple years RD. I'm gonna be up there with you."
Rainbow subjected the orange pegasus to a noogie. "I know you will be squirt. You should probably find your seats."
Scootaloo excitedly skipped off to her special box seats. She would be joining the other five, plus Spike.
Rainbow sighed. "You can only make one comeback." She repeated.
She joined the other Wonderbolts at the tunnel.
"Alright everypony. This crowd sounds pretty pumped up already." Spitfire said confidently.
All of the Bolts knew why. They could hear the chants.
"RAINBOW DASH! RAINBOW DASH!"
They looked at her proudly. She turned a little red. Thank Celestia for that mask.
There was a shot. Fireworks erupted around the tunnel. The Wonderbolts exited.
Rainbow Dash remained. Her second special introduction in her second performance. Another reason for some loose pride.
"And now, fresh from a brilliant recovery! She's fast! She's bold! She's a force of nature! RAINBOW DASH!"
Rainbow Dash pumped her hoof and flew out into the stadium.
The cheering was deafening. She looked up at the box and saw all her friends on their hooves. She let the wave of happiness wash over her. She did some aerial twists. Some weaving. Some flyby's. A filly flash or two. Childs play.
Then, she prepared for the mother of all moves. She began flying up towards the moon again.
She thought of the last time she'd been here, her first performance, a couple months ago. How much had changed in Equestria. Still, things like flying held that thrill. That feeling that with every foot you climb, you are laughing in the face of death. And she wondered, since her injury, had she changed? Had having to hobble around her cloud home for months changed her outlook on flying?
Perhaps a little more hesitant to pull off the super dangerous stunts? Perhaps an enhanced sense of self preservation?
Nope.
She reached the zenith of her stunt. She looked down at the stadium, all those thousands of feet beneath her.
The wind blowing around her. The cold night air biting at her through her suit. How had she survived living without this?
She blasted down towards the stadium. She felt the wind pushing at her, telling her to slow down. She loved ignoring the wind.
She was going at ridiculous speeds now. A sonic bubble began to form. She put her legs out in front of her and made herself as long and aerodynamic as possible.
The sonic bubble became a cone.
The wind became even angrier now, begging her to slow down, ripping and tearing at her flight suit. She let out a soft cackle.
Then, with a grand colorful explosion, she punched a hole in the sky.
It was good to be back.
The End
Voice Cast:
Rainbow Dash: Ashleigh Ball
Scootaloo: Madeleine Peters
Shadow: Idris Elba
Chrysalis: Kathleen Barr
Applejack: Ashleigh Ball
Twilight Sparkle: Tara Strong
Fluttershy: Andrea Libman
Celestia: Nicole Oliver
Luna: Tabitha St. Germain
Pinkie Pie: Andrea Libman
Rarity: Tabitha St. Germain
Thunderspark: Chris Pine
Spitfire: Maryke Hendrikse
Soarin: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Lightning Dash: Denzel Washington