//------------------------------// // At a Cost // Story: Rainbow Dash Around the World // by MagicS //------------------------------// “I’d like you all to meet one of my new friends,” Rainbow Dash said to everyone in Twilight’s Castle as she stepped aside and gestured to the pony behind her. “This is Doctor Anathema, I met her on the other side of the world while I was on my adventure! Told her to come visit when she finally could so she could meet all of you and see Equestria, took her long enough but she finally made it here.” “Um, h-hi...” The doctor nervously said and waved to Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy as they all sat at their seats in the Cutie Map room. “Rainbow Dash told me a lot about you back when she met me for the first time in Pinetree Warren. It’s great to be here and meet you all.” “I’m very excited to meet a new friend of Rainbow Dash’s as well,” Twilight said with a friendly smile on her face. “And one from so far away—you’ll have to tell me about your home in as much detail as possible when we have the time.” “She can do the boring stuff after the fun stuff, Twilight. Right guys?” Rainbow said to the others. “Yep!” Pinkie Pie said, suddenly shooting up out of nowhere right in between Rainbow and Anathema and making the doctor jump away in shock. “Gah!” She grabbed her chest. “Heehee, sorry!” Pinkie giggled. “But I’ve totally already got a bunch of ideas for your ‘Welcome to Ponyville Party’!” Rainbow Dash wryly grinned and put a hoof on Anathema’s back. “That’s Pinkie Pie, she does that sometimes.” “Pleased to meet you...” Anathema said. “It’s very nice to meet a doctor,” Fluttershy now said to Anathema. “I have nothing but respect for ponies in your profession. My name is, um, Fluttershy.” “Well it’s not always all it’s cracked up to be but thank you,” Anathema smiled to her. “Miss Anathema, was it?” Rarity said as she got out of her chair and came over, eyeing Anathema up and down and walking around her in a circle. “Hm, yes, yes, I can certainly work with this...” “Um, work with what?” Anathema asked. “Oh, sorry dear, I was just thinking about what would look good on you. I’m a fashion designer and I’d love to make something for you before you left. Either something you can wear with your coat while you work or perhaps something for more casual occasions. Your indigo and orange coloring is quite striking,” Rarity narrowed her eyes as she inspected Anathema’s mane. “Thank you...” Anathema said and tried stepping away from the white unicorn. Rainbow Dash luckily stepped between them. “Okay there, Rarity. Personal space kind of still exists.” Rarity rolled her eyes. “But I’m trying to get some inspiration here, darling.” “Get some over there then,” Rainbow pointed back at Rarity’s seat. The unicorn huffed but backed off and sat down, still looking at Anathema with her very appraising and discerning eye. “Guess I oughta say hello now then too?” Applejack asked with a wide smile as she trotted out of her seat and right up to the doctor. She grabbed Anathema by the hoof and shook it vigorously. “Howdy! Name’s Applejack, you should be sure to visit my family farm sometime while you’re in town. I guarantee you you’ll find the best apples you’ve ever tasted and you’ll get a front row seat to Apple family hospitality.” “That sounds nice,” Anathema said. She meant it too, but if she could feel pain her hoof would've felt like it had nearly been torn off. “That’s everyone here right now, isn’t it?” Twilight Sparkle raised an eyebrow. “Now, boring as it may be to some ponies, I’d still like the doctor to tell us a little more about where she’s from.” She then grinned at Pinkie Pie. “And then we can have some cake and party.” “Woohoo!” Confetti shot out of Pinkie Pie’s mane and she bounced back to her seat. “I’ve got no problem with that either,” Doctor Anathema blushed. “As probably the first pony from that part of the world to come here it’s probably something I should be required to do anyways. And unlike Rainbow Dash I don’t find it to be boring. I’d love to tell you all about Pinetree Warren, but first I’d really like to thank Rainbow Dash for making this possible in the first place and making me welcome here. She spoke so highly of Equestria and her friends, I had to come and visit.” “Aw geez...” Rainbow Dash blushed and awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck. “You must tell us how the two of you met. What kind of adventure did Rainbow Dash get herself into where she came across you?” Rarity asked. “I’m curious too,” Fluttershy said. “Normally Rainbow Dash wouldn’t stick around with a doctor any longer than she absolutely needed to.” Anathema shot Rainbow Dash a knowing look and the two smiled at each other. “Oh boy… now that’s a story,” Anathema said. “Why don’t I take it from the top?” While Rainbow Dash listened (and chimed in when needed to make herself look better) Anathema retold the story of how she and Rainbow first met and how they tackled the problem of the spore plague together. The other girls gasped when appropriate, laughed when appropriate, even clapped their hooves together a little. It wasn’t exactly the happiest of stories but it was important for Anathema to tell it so the others could understand what she and Pinetree Warren had been through. By the time Anathema had gotten to the end of the story, the other girls were crying. Rainbow Dash felt a drop of water hit her hoof and looked down. More drops were falling onto her hooves. She lifted them up and started wiping at her cheeks, trying to clean away the tears that were streaming from her eyes. “Why are you crying, Rainbow Dash?” Anathema asked. “Because… because none of this is real, is it?” Rainbow Dash sniffled loudly and looked at her friend. “This is all a dream isn’t it?” Anathema sadly smiled back at her and nodded her head. “Yes. I’m sorry.” Rainbow Dash reached forward and pulled Anathema into a hug, crying against her shoulder. “Anathema!” Rainbow Dash shot up in bed, flinging the comforter off herself and looking around while a sweat broke out over her body. She was in the cabin. The sun was shining in from the window, it was the middle of the day. By her side was a table covered in small boxes, flowers, and baskets of fruit and other sweets. Doctor Swab was sitting beside her bed, a strawberry held halfway to his mouth. “S-Swab!” Rainbow said, rolling out of bed on shaky legs. “T-The plague, we have to go get Anathema, she… she’s going to...” The doctor set the strawberry down and shook his head at Rainbow Dash, a morose expression on his face. “I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash, but it’s already over.” “Don’t… don’t say that,” Rainbow Dash glared at him. “Anathema is gone.” The strength left Rainbow’s body and her anger evaporated into despair as she collapsed onto the floor. “Don’t say that!” Swab knelt down and hugged her. “I’m so sorry, Rainbow Dash. I’m so, so, sorry.” “What… what’s happened?” She choked out. “She succeeded. The spores are gone, the forest is back to normal, and all the patients have been cured. I was inside the auditorium when it happened. The green spots covering everyone just disappeared. Everyone is okay,” Doctor Swab sadly smiled. “Almost everyone. I-I went into the forest shortly after things ended to try and find her… and I did. There wasn’t much left.” “Ohhh...” Rainbow moaned. “We got a coffin for her, a nice pine box just like the less fortunate patients, and we were going to be burying her and the others soon. But I wanted for you to be able to say your goodbyes first,” Swab said. “Thank you...” Rainbow Dash sniffled and stood up. She looked at the table of gifts next to the bed. “What’s all this?” “That’s from my fellow villagers,” Doctor Swab proudly beamed. “Everyone has heard of your important part in saving the infected ponies and how much hard work you’ve been putting in despite not even being from here. They’ve sent gifts to you while you’ve been resting here. I, uh, took the liberty of eating one of your strawberries.” Rainbow Dash looked through the various bags and boxes and found a plate of blueberry muffins. Her stomach was pretty empty so she grabbed one and started morosely eating it herself, just to try and overcome that sorrowful feeling. “Tasty… so Pinetree Warren is back to normal?” “Yes. There’s been a lot of celebrating going on. And mourning as well, it hasn’t all been happiness and the villagers are getting ready for the burial as well. But for the first time in a while the village is truly alive again.” “Anathema would be happy to hear that.” “Yes, she would be. She’d be happy to know what she’s helped accomplish.” Rainbow’s lip quivered. “Why couldn’t she just… why couldn’t she just hold out hope for a little longer?” She looked at Swab. “Why did you let her do that?” “I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash. I know you weren’t going to like that, but to us there wasn’t another way and we all believed in the doctor. We did what we did for our patients. That was always the only thing on Anathema’s mind: how to save these ponies from the plague,” Swab told her. “I could’ve done something...” Rainbow muttered. “Tch, I don’t deserve these gifts. I don’t deserve anything.” “Yes you do. Not even just the cure, if it wasn’t for you we all would’ve lost hope already. The patients would’ve died the moment the disease got worse. Don’t sell yourself short, Rainbow Dash.” “Not being able to save Anathema is just another failure. I should be better than this. I should be able to save everyone—anything less than that and I can’t even call myself awesome,” Rainbow Dash smacked over some flowers. “I just… I’m a hero. And a hero saves everyone, so why? Why did I fail again? The plague is gone but, but… I know I can do more and Anathema should still be alive. I’m not a pony who fails.” “You didn’t fail,” Swab said. “I did by my standards.” Swab frowned and sighed, reaching to the table of gifts and finding something else that was left there. A small letter. “I have something else for you.” “Yeah what?” Rainbow Dash snorted. “A letter from Anathema. She left it for you.” Rainbow Dash sucked in her breath and grabbed the letter from him. It was in an unsealed envelope that she still tore open anyways, once she saw the letter her eyes scanned back and forth to read Anathema’s last words: Hello, Rainbow Dash. By the time you’re reading this I will be dead. Hopefully though, the plague will be gone and all of the sick ponies will have been cured. I’ve moved you to my bed so you can rest comfortably by the way. I’m sorry for sedating you but it had to be done and I think you’ll agree with me when it comes to the fact that you would never have let me go otherwise. I need to thank you for everything, and I know you’re going to be very angry at me right now too but still, thank you. And I’m sorry things couldn’t turn out better. You were right about hope. I couldn’t see it the same way you could. When that first bit of hope reached me, it drowned out everything else and there was nothing I could do but grab onto it and refuse to let go. I don’t regret what I’m about to do but I’m sorry that I’m just going to have to leave you behind with this letter. Without you none of this would be possible and I don’t just mean your magical resilience and how you helped us cure things that way. I mean how much you brightened things up in these last few days. Thank you, Rainbow Dash. Goodbye and take care out there. You can use my bed and cabin for as long as you need to. Rainbow Dash was crying heavily by the time she finished, holding onto the letter so tightly she was almost tearing it. “Crying… crying is so lame.” She had been here before once with Anathema but now today there were many more ponies from Pinetree Warren around. The large mass grave that was made for everyone who had died from the plague was being filled in today. Ponies had come to say goodbye to their loved ones and also to pay respects to Anathema. Her coffin hadn’t been put down with the others yet, it rested on top where others could come by and say something before moving on. Rainbow Dash saw quite a few ponies she recognized from the auditorium out here, and in turn she was recognized by many of the villagers thanks to her unique looks. It ended with her and Doctor Swab being on the receiving end of many thanks and him trying to get Rainbow Dash some space. For once she wasn’t in the mood to be the center of attention and get heaps of praise thrown on her. Thankfully most of the villagers could tell she needed to speak to Anathema as well. The box was sitting by the edge of the grave, Rainbow Dash rested her hoof atop it once she had walked close. “We wrapped her remains and put in some of her personal items,” Swab told her. “Anathema never cared to write any instructions for what to do after her death.” “Sounds like her,” Rainbow said. “Do you want to say anything? Should I give you some time alone?” Rainbow Dash grimaced but nodded. “Y-Yeah, sorry but I’d like some time alone...” “You don’t need to apologize for that,” Swab smiled and stepped away. “Take all the time you need, I’ll be talking with some of the families here.” As soon as he left, Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and stared down at the pine box that her friend was resting in. “I… I really don’t know what to say. Or if I should even really try saying anything. You’re right about me being angry, even though I’m happy for the village, and happy the danger’s gone. I know you’d be happy if you could see it all right now too. I know you’d say it was all worth it.” She shook her head and started scratching her mane. “Idiot. You big idiot… I’m going to miss you. I’ll make your bed before I leave.” Rainbow sighed. “I’m not used to this. At least it’s not a real funeral, I’d be even more out of place.” She dragged her hoof across the top of the box and stepped away. “Goodbye, Anathema. You did a good job.” Rainbow Dash walked along the edge of the grave for a bit, not going back to Swab yet. She saw a few other ponies standing by the edge as well and throwing things like flowers and other items down on the coffins. Despite most in the village having reason to be happy, it was still a fairly sad occasion right now. Her eyes drifted over in a different direction, towards where the spores and the green clouds used to be, where it was now just another empty and peaceful part of the forest. Anathema had done a good job. Rainbow just couldn’t accept the cost. “Excuse me? Your name is Rainbow Dash, right?” A small voice called from behind Rainbow. She turned around to see Turnip standing behind her. “Yeah, it is,” Rainbow said, nodding to the young filly. “And you’re Turnip, right?” “Mhm,” The filly nodded. “What’s up?” Rainbow asked. She knew she had to be a little careful around this filly—remembering that she didn’t have any family left. That begged the question of what she was going to be doing now and who was going to take care of her, but Rainbow assumed someone in Pinetree Warren had already stepped up. “Um… I just wanted to thank you. For not listening when I said I wanted to die,” Turnip kicked at the dirt. Rainbow Dash snorted. “No duh I wouldn’t listen to something like that, kid.” “I’m sorry about what happened to Doctor Anathema too. I saw you at her coffin. My parents are down in the grave already,” Turnip said. “I’m really sorry about what you’ve been through too,” Rainbow Dash said to her. Turnip sniffled slightly but shrugged. “I’ve had a lot of time to just lie in bed and think about things. It’s tough telling how I feel sometimes. Everyone in the village is being really nice to me though.” Rainbow Dash stepped forward and affectionately rubbed her back. “One day at a time.” “Anyways, that’s just what I wanted to say. Thank you for everything you did for me and the other patients. I remember you being in there helping us,” Turnip said and hugged Rainbow Dash briefly before turning and going away. “No problem, kid...” Rainbow Dash sighed and watched her go. She sat down by the edge of the grave and had a few more ponies wave hello or give nods of acknowledgment, but for the most part she was left alone while the rest of the service continued. At some point, Doctor Swab sat beside her and put a hoof around her shoulders. Ardent Elm, Honey Sight, and Cocoa Bean showed up shortly after that. Cocoa Bean had a box of chocolates tied in a pink ribbon that he tossed into the large open grave. Honey Sight threw in a drawing of a bird, and Ardent Elm a picture of himself and Anathema. “Almost time?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Almost,” Swab said. “I saw it when it happened,” Honey Sight said. “All the green just disappeared and I ran right to the auditorium to tell everyone. Of course they already knew what had happened.” Cocoa Bean looked over at Rainbow. “If you’d like to come by later, food will be on the house. I just figured you might want someplace warm.” “That actually does sound pretty nice,” Rainbow smiled. “I’ll join you if you don’t mind?” Ardent Elm asked. “If you just want someone to talk to. I could also use that.” Rainbow Dash nodded. “Sure. I really don’t know how much longer I’m going to stay here, but I can make it at least one more night.” Some extra chatter from the ponies around got Rainbow Dash’s attention and she looked over to see the villagers crowding around Anathema’s coffin. Along with another group that had shovels milling about on the other side of the large grave. It seemed like it was time to finally bury the victims of the plague. Rainbow Dash stood up with her acquaintances and joined the main crowd. She was quiet as she watched it all proceed, there just wasn’t anything else she had in her. It was a cold, depressing moment. Another good friend of hers was gone and she felt even more helpless this time. The coffin was carried down into the ground. Rainbow Dash spent the next few hours watching as the grave was slowly refilled. As soon as the dirt fully covered the last bit of Anathema’s box, she felt a tear roll down her cheek.