Pinkie Pie walked slowly over to Rarity’s shop, the next day, not hopping along the way, her normal method of getting around. When she arrived, she knocked gently at the door, which was opened two minutes later by Rarity herself. Pinkie looked at her, and saw Rarity’s mouth move, but the words failed to reach her ears. Rarity ushered her in, and Pinkie looked around.
Fluttershy was sitting in a corner, her eyes red from all the crying she had done. In an opposite corner, Scootaloo lay flat on her stomach, staring at the floor in front of her, only looking up to glare when Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle tried to get near.
In the middle of the room, Twilight and Applejack were talking again, only glancing as Pinkie Pie entered.
“How are you doing, Pinkie Pie?” Spike asked, walking up to her.
“I feel horrible. I wish I could do something.” She responded in a dull tone of voice.
Spike nodded. He followed Pinkie Pie as she walked over to Twilight and Applejack.
“Hey Pinkie, are you feeling better? Applejack told me you went to see her after everyone else left.” Twilight said, smiling in an effort to cheer Pinkie Pie up.
Pinkie’s eyes welled up with tears, and she didn’t answer. The image of Rainbow Dash’s body laying there, looking like she was only asleep came back into her mind, crystal clear.
“Everypony’s hurting right now sugarcube, if it helps, go talk ta Fluttershy. We’re discussing things that’ll probably make ya feel even worse.”
Pinkie simply nodded, and walked away.
She didn’t talk to Fluttershy while there. Pinkie instead just lay on the floor. Every so often, she heard discussions coming from Applejack, Twilight and Rarity, about how they would bury Rainbow Dash. It was decided early on she would be buried in the clothes she had worn to the Gala. Another detail Pinkie heard was about some memorial to her. Pinkie closed her eyes tight. ‘This has to be a dream, like what she had when out cold last week. That must be it, I must have hit my head against something I didn’t see. I’ll wake up and it’ll be fine.’
What she saw instead when opening her eyes was the gazes Applejack, Twilight and Rarity gave her. It wasn’t a dream.
“Are you sure you’re ok, Pinkie Pie?” Twilight asked walking up to her.
“No… I was hoping this was another nightmare, like what Rainbow Dash had last week about the Corrupting Element of Loyalty. But I’m not waking up.”
“I’m sorry Pinkie. Maybe I should walk you home, it’s probably too much for you since you saw the accident then saw her in the tent.” Twilight stated as she walked over.
Pinkie looked hopeful at Twilight.
“Maybe that kind unicorn, Ulysses, will turn up with the solution on the way!”
“Yes maybe he,” Twilight’s eyes opened wide, “wait, what unicorn?”
“His name was Ulysses. He said Dashie shouldn’t have died, and that he’d come back with the way to ensure she doesn’t.”
All eyes were now on her. In the corner she had taken, Scootaloo stood up, looking hopeful. Twilight meanwhile checked Pinkie’s forehead.
“You’re not running a fever. Ulysses isn’t an imaginary friend is he?”
“Nope! Mrs Cake saw him too. Come on, maybe he has an answer by now!”
Pinkie Pie hopped along again, full of hope the mysterious Ulysses would appear with the way to make things right. Twilight, being cautious, kept some distance from Pinkie, in case Ulysses would only appear to her, and wouldn’t turn up if Twilight was by her side.
Then, a street or two from Sugarcube Corner, he did.
“Ah,” he smiled weakly at her, “Pinkie Pie, you seem in a better mood today.”
“I sure am, I was hoping you’d come back with the way to stop Rainbow Dash from being dead.”
Ulysses maintained his weak smile, and glanced behind Pinkie Pie. Twilight felt scared. Even though she was hiding, it felt like Ulysses could see her as if she were in an open field instead of behind a barrel.
“I do have a bit of bad news Pinkie,” Ulysses spoke, now looking back at the pink pony, “while with your sadness I was able to find the exact moment of Rainbow Dash’s death, so far I am unable to find how to prevent it. I have tried a few interferences on my part in the incident, like causing another cloud somewhere else to strike something harmlessly so she would go to it, but that very cloud that killed her always seems to get in the way.” Ulysses stomped his right front hoof across the ground in frustration.
Pinkie sat down, feeling sad again.
“But don’t worry. I will continue trying. I feel I may find the solution sometime around the Winter Wrap Up. Until then, keep strong,” Ulysses once again looked directly at Twilight, “and if you wondered, I would have shown for her regardless of if you did or didn’t hide Twilight Sparkle.”
As Twilight walked from behind the barrel, Ulysses had gone.
“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you Pinkie Pie. But now I’ve a few questions for this Ulysses. Next time, be sure to come find me rather than let him go right away.”
--
It was now much later in the day. Twilight had invited Pinkie Pie to the library, Twilight watched Spike gathering paper, ink and a quill with a serious look on her face, and Pinkie watched as Twilight dictated a letter to Princess Celestia, Pinkie sighed still upset over Ulysses’ bad news. Twilight cleared her throat.
Dear Princess Celestia,
a lot of strange things have occurred here in Ponyville since yesterday. First, I must start by saying Rainbow Dash has died. While clearing the clouds, a freak lightning bolt struck her in the back, and she died from the wounds and impact with the ground several hours later. I haven't told anypony what her last words were, out of worry as to how the others will react, but I feel you should know what they were princess,
Twilight looked at Pinkie Pie, who didn’t smile, and lent to Spike, whispering the next part of the letter.
the main purpose for this letter, shortly after her passing a dark blue unicorn has begun turning up to talk only to Pinkie Pie. He calls himself ‘Ulysses’. Should we trust this colt? He seems odd, especially with telling Pinkie Pie that Rainbow Dash should be alive right now.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle.
Twilight sat and looked at Pinkie Pie as Spike sent off the letter, then walked over to Pinkie Pie and hugged her legs in his own way of trying to cheer the pink pony up. Outside, several ponies walked past, the only indication of this was the sound of their hooves, as none of them spoke. Eventually, Twilight sighed.
“You have to stay away from this Ulysses.”
“But why? He seems nice and he just wants to help.” Pinkie protested.
“From what I’ve heard Twilight, he only wants to help out.” Spike added, earning himself a glare of disapproval from the purple unicorn.
Twilight shook her head.
“Maybe so, but he knew where I was when I went into hiding before he had turned around. He couldn’t have known I was there, yet he did.”
“But he’s a unicorn, Twilight! Can’t you do that?”
Twilight took a moment to think. Memories ran through her head, until she reached the present moment.
“I don’t recall that being something that I have ever been capable of. But I think Rainbow’s last words were related to this Ulysses.”
Pinkie narrowed her eyes.
“And what were her last words?”
Twilight shifted uneasy.
“I don’t think you’re ready to know them Pinkie.”
“Please Twilight… I want to know, I’m not a little filly, and I can handle what they were.”
Twilight mentally thanked Princess Celestia the moment Spike belched up her reply, which broke Pinkie’s determination to learn Rainbow Dash’s last words. He opened the scroll and read aloud.
To my faithful student,
indeed, it is sad to hear of the passing of one of your friends. It does explain why the Element of Loyalty appeared all of a sudden in the throne room. But of higher concern is this unicorn you mentioned. His sudden appearance can not be a coincidence. These two incidents may be related, so until the truth is revealed, it may be wise not to anger and lose the help of this ‘Ulysses’, though do be careful of him as none of us knows his true intentions. I will come to Ponyville as soon as I am able to try and see him personally. Extend my condolences to your friends, it is sad to lose a friend to death.
From your teacher and mentor,
Princess Celestia.
Pinkie Pie wasted no time as Twilight took in the details of the letter. She was suddenly up close to Twilight’s face.
“What were Rainbow Dash’s last words?”
“But Pinkie, I really don’t think you’d be able to handle the thought of what she said.”
Pinkie sighed and backed off a little. She turned around and looked at Twilight, pleading with her.
“I’ll keep it secret too if you tell me.”
Twilight bit her lip as she tried to decide if it was right to tell the message to Pinkie Pie. Finally she gave in.
“Rainbow Dash’s last words were ‘Tell Pinkie Pie I don’t blame her, this isn’t her fault.’ And that was it. She closed her eyes and was gone. I watched as the Element of Loyalty appeared above her, then it vanished. We at least know the princess has it safe.”
Pinkie begun to cry, small streams of tears rolled down her face as she sobbed. Had it really been her fault that Dash was dead? She had, after all, managed to walk into the same street twice. But then, Dash had said she didn’t blame her. What if this was like how Rainbow had said she saw a future of Equestria, that the Element of Laughter had done this. If that were true, then Pinkie really wasn’t to blame, and that was good. It was still bad that Rainbow was dead, but it wasn’t her fault.
But she didn’t stop crying. She wanted nothing more than to hug Rainbow and say sorry to her, something she would never get to do if Ulysses failed to find a way to bring Rainbow back. Pinkie stared at the floor and continued crying, as Twilight simply sat opposite her, and after a moment, moved to beside Pinkie. Twilight lent against Pinkie, trying to comfort the pink pony.
Both ponies looked to the door as yelling erupted on the street outside. Hurrying, both ponies saw what was going on. On a nearby roof, Scootaloo stood at the edge, wings open. Down below, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle pleaded with their friend to come down. Together, Pinkie Pie and Twilight rushed over.
“Apple Bloom, what’s going on?” Twilight asked.
“Scootaloo is still feeling pretty upset over Rainbow Dash’s death, she said she had something planned to never forget her hero, but when we looked for her, and we found her up there!”
Pinkie Pie looked up at Scootaloo, who glanced at her for a moment before looking ahead again.
“Come down Scootaloo! You’ll get hurt!” she shouted.
“No way!” Scootaloo walked closer to the edge of the building.
“But Scootaloo! You don’t know how to fly!” Sweetie Belle yelled, jumping on the spot.
“There’s always a first time for everything!” Scootaloo shouted, and jumped.
--
Time had stood still the second Scootaloo had jumped from the roof. Looking around in confusion, Pinkie Pie saw something. Down an alley, staring at her, was a dark brown unicorn colt. Strange markings lined his eyes and the sapphire blue eyes stared intently at her. She felt herself growing weak as she stared directly at him, but couldn’t break free to look away.
She was only slightly aware of the arrival of Ulysses, who finally broke the hold this new unicorn held on her, and chased him off. She shook her head clear, and looked up at Ulysses.
“Ulysses, who was that?” she asked, fear in her voice.
“I rushed back as soon as I realised. The corruption in the Elements of Harmony, it’s taken a physical form. That’s why I can’t find the way to help save Rainbow Dash. She saw him too, just before the bolt struck her. I don’t know if she was aware of what he really was, but she saw him.” Ulysses shifted, apparently still uneasy of the appearance of the brown unicorn.
“She knew. She said with her last words before she died.” Pinkie stated, she said the words aloud, despite not meaning to.
Ulysses nodded.
“I see… the only way to stop her death could be to prevent the corruption in the Elements of Harmony from taking a physical form before the moment. It won’t be easy,” he seemed to finally take in the surroundings Pinkie Pie was in, and saw the little orange Pegasus frozen in time in the air above them, “ah, trying to fly for the first time. It is always an important moment in a young pegasus’ life.”
Pinkie too snapped back to what had begun before the mysterious new unicorn turned up.
“Are you crazy? She’s going to hurt herself! All Pegasus ponies take flight school before they can fly!”
Ulysses grinned knowingly.
“Maybe, and then again maybe not.”
--
Colour returned to the scene, as gasps echoed around the street. Looking up, Pinkie watched as Scootaloo fell, and then suddenly begun moving up in the air. Pinkie Pie smiled weakly as Scootaloo begun flying over the heads of the gathered ponies, cheering to herself as she flew around in circles.
Beside her, Twilight seemed to notice that Pinkie’s thoughts were on something other than the now flying Scootaloo.