Turbulence

by Rainbow Hyphen


Chapter 14: Soul For A Soul - Part 2 (Epilogue)

There was a beeping... a heart rate monitor. Talking too. Her whole body was numb. She tried to open her eyes but she was too weak.

"I think she's starting to wake up!" A voice said. Rainbow knew this voice... Celestia. What was going on?! Where was she?! She tried again to open her eyes. This time was slightly more successful. Rainbow's eyes opened just enough to be blinded my the lights above her. She closed them again as a reaction.

"Rainbow Dash?" A voice said. She knew this one too, Pinkie Pie. Rainbow tried one more time to open her eyes. This time looking in front of her instead of up into the light. It was blurring but she could see them. Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Twilight, Fluttershy, and behind them stood Celestia... but... somepony was missing.

"Wh-..." Rainbow managed.

"Wh?" Pinkie repeated. Twilight glared at the Pink mare.

"Rainbow Dash..." Fluttershy said, she seemed like she was about to cry. Applejack put her hoof around Fluttershy as tears began to roll down the pegasus' face.

Rainbow Dash's vision slowly came back until she could see her friends perfectly.

"Wh... What happened," Rainbow Dash asked. They were silent... until... Celestia walked over to Dash's bedside.

"What was the last thing you remember, Rainbow Dash?" Celestia asked. Rainbow thought back...

"Soarin... I remember... he saved me."

"He did... he did..." Celestia ended. Rainbow was confused.

"I... don't understand." Rainbow replied "Where is he? Where's Soarin!?" Twilight looked at Celestia. Her fellow princess' expression was cold, and serious. She had never seen her like this... ever.

"Rainbow Dash... you were stabbed." Rainbow nodded and lifted up the covers... there were no bandages... stitches... not even a scar!

"H-How did I... I was bleeding out!"

"You were... you fought bravely for your life 'til the very end."

"To-... To the end?"

"You... died... Rainbow Dash."

The room was silent... not even Pinkie piped in with a joke to break the mood. Rainbow Dash looked around.

"I'm... no! I survived! I'm alive!"

"What I'm about to tell you isn't easy..." Celestia said "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes, I'm Sure!! Quite screwing with me! What's going on?! Where's Soarin!" Rainbow Dash yelled. Fluttershy cried more into Applejack's chest.

"Very well..." Celestia began. "After Soarin rescued you, you two sat atop the tower roof looking at a Rainbow... moments later... you died of Exsanguination... Blood loss. Myself and Twilight arrived at the castle just minutes after your death. We would have arrived sooner but... the day you went missing, Spitfire had explained this was a wonderbolt matter, and she'd take care of it."

"You didn't even bother helping look?!" Rainbow screamed, furious at the princess. "Soarin and I were both Wonderbolts, and I am an element of harmony! Do you even care?!" Rainbow Dash raised a hoof about to strike Celestia but Twilight quickly teleported and restrained her friend.

"Let me go! Let me go!!" Rainbow screamed. Fluttershy ran out of the room and sobbed in the hallway. Applejack and Rarity ran after her. Twilight continued to restrain the pegasus.

Pinkie just watched. Her hair slowly falling into it's straight combed style.

"It's not her fault Rainbow! She trusted Spitfire, just like you!" Twilight defended.

"She still could have helped! She should have used her princess magic to tell Spitfire was lying! Or something! Anything!!" Rainbow Dash screamed at the top of her lungs.

"G-Guys?" Pinkie said quietly.

"WHAT!?!" Rainbow screamed at Pinkie.

"C-Celestia hasn't finished the story yet..." Pinkie said "Just um... thought you ought to know..." Pinkie said.

Rainbow slammed down in her hospital bed and turned to Celestia waiting for the princess to continue.

"I'm am truly sorry Rainbow Dash, but Twilight right. I too was lied to by Spitfire, a pony I had come to trust." Celestia explained.

"Just continue the story!" Rainbow Dash grunted.

"As you wish... When Twilight and I arrived, we found Soarin atop the tower. He was hugging your body refusing to let go. It was clear you were dead but he refused to accept it. When we approached him, he screamed at us to leave him. So we did. We waited at the bottom of the spiral stairs for nearly two hours. Finally we decided it was time to get him to go so we flew back up..." Celestia said looking at the floor. "Soarin was dead, there was a steel dagger stabbed right through his heart. There was also a book with scratches on the cover next to him... we had no idea how it got there or what it was."

Rainbow looked at Celestia in disbelief.

"Wh- What happened... next?"

"We noticed that your body was fully healed... you were simply unconscious. So we brought you back to Ponyville hospital," Celestia answered.

"A soul... for... a soul..." Rainbow Dash said to herself.

"What?" Twilight asked.

"Soarin... sacrificed his soul... so I could be brought back... I... I should be dead... But Soarin... no..." Dash manage before tears started rolling down her cheeks.

"Rainbow... Dash..." Twilight asked.

"Soarin gave his very soul so that yours may be given a second chance at life... He wouldn't want you to spend that chance grieving for him," Celestia stated.

"Every since we met up in the Castle he was there... to save me. He defended me from Sunset. He stuck with me in the woods. He even defeated Spitfire for me... he deserved to live... not me..."

"It was his choice, Rainbow!" Twilight stated "Nopony made him do it, he did it because he wanted to!"

Rainbow didn't reply... she just stared at the blankets over her body.

"Don't grieve for me, Rainbow Dash," A voice said. Rainbow's head jerked up.

"S-Soarin?!" Dash yelled looking around. Celestia and Twilight looked around then back to Dash. "I heard him... I know I did..."

"What did he say?" Celestia asked

"D-... Don't grieve for me..." Dash replied. She couldn't help but feel guilty over Soarin's death but... Soarin was right... grieving won't change anything... if she continued along that path she'd end up like spitfire. She had to stay strong... not just for herself but for Soarin too. He gave her the chance... and she would make the most of it.

"I'm sorry for yelling... at you two... at everypony." Dash said. At that moment the rest of Rainbow Dash's friends trotted back into the hospital room. All of them, even AJ, looked like they had been crying.

"I'm really sorry guys..." Rainbow apologized hold up both her front hooves in a hugging manner. The six friends all embraced each other in a group hug.

After about a straight minute of hugging Rainbow turned and smiled at Celestia.

"What happened to that book with the scratches?" Rainbow asked.

"R-Rainbow Dash maybe we-" Twilight began but was interrupted.

"It's alright Twilight," Celestia smiled turning from her pupil to Rainbow Dash. "It's sealed away protected by many magic barriers deep within Canterlot Castle. This is only temporary until we find a way to destroy it."

Rainbow nodded and relaxed in her bed.

"It's finally over."