OOO
She was falling, falling down and down into the black abyss. The fiery flames flickered around her vision, her hooves scrambled for grip, but only empty air greeted her. The flames hungrily lapped onto her fur, devouring the fur and flesh. Pain was scorching through her. She was scared, scared to the core. She was going to die, die in the place she loved so much: the Sky. Ironic is it not? She loved the sky, the way she flew into the white puffy waves of clouds, racing fellow ponies. Now she was going to die in the place she loved so much.
She was going to die, never to watch younger ponies grow big and strong, never to race any other ponies. Never to grow old...
Never to love, marry, or kiss any pony, or by one means, one pony.
Her love, her beautiful shy animal-loving love, will grow old without her. Marry some pony else, without her watching over her. Have little foals with her stallion, without the falling mare's loyal heart protecting them. Her love's image filled the falling mare's eyes. Her love's dark green eyes filled the falling mare's vision. Her soft voice echoed through her ears. The long bubbly river of pink, seemed to bring warmth and a little bit of courage in the falling mare's heart.
Maybe she will die, and maybe she will never see her love again. But she will damn well die saving her, knowing she saved her. Knowing that her love will live on, a happy life. A sweet life.
The falling mare slowly felt the fiery claws fading away, leaving bare skin. Ash was filling the mare's vision. The soft pale little dusts of clouds, lifting high into the air.
Closing her eyes, the mare let out a small smile, spreading out her hooves wide. She will welcome death, she wasn't afraid of the consequences that will come, no she will welcome it. She knew of the mistakes she made in her life. But at least she saved a life..
At least she saved Fluttershy's life.
OOO
Rainbow Dash woke in a jolt, the soft sound of the hospital monitor going: Beeep...Beeep...Beeep.. brung soothing to the cyan coloured Pegasus mare.
At first Rainbow Dash thought she was dreaming, she was dead right? No pony could survive that fall, that fire surrounding the body, that..that pain. Rainbow Dash shuddered.
Yet again, here she was. Slap bang in a warm cozy hospital bed, the heart monitor beeping soothingly. She was alive, and still fighting. Turning her gaze the cyan Pegasus blinked as she gazed at a large open window. The sun was rising up on the horizon, the grassy hill horizon.
Yawning, the Pegasus lifted a surprisingly strong hoof, and lifted the bed sheets off of her body, the Pegasus slowly raised her wings and lifted into the air...
Only to fall down face first.
Surprised, Rainbow Dash blinked, scrambling up she quickly turned her gaze to her wings, and frozen in horror. Two little stumps of blue were lying there, almost seeming to mock her.
This can't happening...Rainbow Dash thought in horror.
At once the Pegasus raced around, her heart screaming in horror and mourning, her wings, her precious wings that she flew with. Created a sonic boom with, saved ponies with. Were gone. Gone like the soft wind that brushed against her, and died off the next. The little powerful wings that helped her glide in the cloudy skies. Were gone.
No...no no no NO!
Rainbow Dash flapped her little stumps and jumped in the air, hoping for a little miracle to make two brilliant dazzling new wings appear and let her fly out of this nightmare. But no, only the cold hard hospital ground awaited her, mocking her.
The voices laughed around her, and Rainbow collapsed in a sobbing wail. Tears flowed down her eyes.
The Element of Loyalty never cried, she once told herself. She would never chicken out of any danger, she would never let her friends down, or leave them hanging.
But how, how? Can she hold that Element, if she couldn't fly? Couldn't fly to save other ponies? Teach new Pegasi joining the skies? Fly up and above officer and into the heart of the Wonderbolt's?
How?...
How...
OOO
"It's seems that you, Fluttershy, have preformed a spectacular Rainboom in order to save Rainbow Dash" the doctor informed, lifting his glasses up higher, to prevent the Pegasus to see his amazement in his facial expression.
The shy Pegasus blinked, the sparkling aura of pink and yellow was faintly surrounding her. Her dark green eyes sparkled in surprise, blushing the Pegasus lowered her head in a shy fashion and let the pink bubbly river of hair fall down, hiding her face.
"No need to be shy my dear, this has been a blessing for both of us" The doctor soothed.
"H-how? How I-is it a blessing? If you don't mind me asking!" Fluttershy added quickly, crouching down.
"No need for crouching down my dear, but otherwise, it was a blessing for you saved a fellow Pegasus, and brought yourself in the attention of both Wonderbolt's and Princess Celestia herself" The doctor informed, charging his magical horn with a light brown energy and handing the Pegasus the golden and blue letter.
Fluttershy held out a hoof and grabbed the paper softly, blushing she opened up the letter and skimmed through it, her dark green eyes widening with every second she read.
"O-oh...my.." Fluttershy gulped.
"Indeed, a great honour for one Pegasus to perform this terrifying saving and Rainboom" the doctor agreed, nodding his head in agreement and picking up some X-Ray scans of other patiences.
"C-Celestia, a-and the wonder-Wonderbolt's w-want me to v-visit them?" Fluttershy spoke softly.
"Yes, but you don't have time for that now, you need to meet someone first" The doctor interrupted, as the shy Pegasus began to rush to the door.
Fluttershy skidded and turned her gaze to the doctor blinking. The doctor smiled and waved his hoof for the Pegasus to follow. Fluttershy blushed in embarrassment and followed, the large door opening and closing behind her. Fluttershy lowered her ears as wails of pain and sorrow echoed through the long corridor, ponies in pain, or suffering from loss.
The doors passed by her, the numbers flowing into her brain, 34...35...36...37...
...38
Fluttershy let out a gasp of surprise as the soft echoing of sobbing entered her ears. The doctor blinked and quickly threw the door open and rushed over to the weeping figure, dressed in green and blue hospital clothes.
Fluttershy saw the pools of tears beside the crumbled figure, the figure was crouching, the doctor was trying his best to sooth the figure but nothing was working. Not when the figure didn't want to love no more.
Fluttershy gulped and pressed forwards, crouching lower and lower with every step of her hooves, fear clouded in her stomach as the colours of the figure appeared before her. The blue fur, the glorious rainbow coloured mane, the familiar voice clouded with sobbing.
It was Rainbow Dash.
OOO
She wanted to die, die. She didn't have her wings, she couldn't fly, she will never fly again. She will never escape from the thoughts that plagued her head, her brain, her heart.
You will never be loved by Fluttershy now. The voice that plagued her seemed to say.
She will never want you, now that you look like this
"S-stop.." Rainbow sobbed, as she felt a soft hoof press against her shoulder.
"Miss Dash" A unfamiliar voice spoke.
The wingless Pegasus lofted her tears gaze, to look at a tall brown unicorn stallion, dressed in white doctor clothes. His blue eyes sparkling in concern. At first, Rainbow Dash would've asked why she was in hell, in Tartarus. But now, her eyes narrowed, tears still falling down. She spoke, her voice cold as ice.
"Why didn't you kill me?" Rainbow spat coldly.
The doctor blinked, his blue eyes sparkling in surprise behind those glasses.
"I-I'm sorry?" The doctor stammered.
"Why, did you let me live!" Rainbow snarled, leaping onto her hooves and crouching into an attack stance.
"Miss Dash, please! Calm down!" The doctor begged.
You let me live! You expect me to calm down just like that?! I lost my wings! My whole dream! My life! I will never be able to live up to that! I will never..." Rainbow cut off, as a small whisper filled her ears.
She turned her angry, tearful gaze towards the centre of the voice, but froze in horror. The beautiful Pegasus that stood before her, widened her eyes in surprise.
"R-Rainbow Dash? I-is that you?" Fluttershy asked.
Rainbow Dash blinked, this couldn't be happening! Fluttershy? Of all ponies! Here in Tartarus?! In this hell? In this..
"R-rainbow D-Dash...p-please calm down.." Fluttershy spoke softly, flapping into the air and hovering in front of the wingless Pegasus.
"F-Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash finally said.
"R-Rainbow Dash...please...it's alright-" Fluttershy began, only to be dragged down into the floor and wept upon.
"Fluttershy! O-oh please get-get me out out of this hell.." Rainbow Dash sobbed.
Fluttershy blinked in surprise, the doctor let out a sigh of relief. The shy Pegasus lifted her hooves and wrapped then around the Pegasus.
"Rainbow Dash...what do you mean?" Fluttershy whispered, rocking the wingless Pegasus back and forth in a soothing manner.
"M-my wings...t-there gone..f-for...forever" Rainbow sobbed, pressing her head into Fluttershy's fur, letting the tears soak into the yellow fur.
Fluttershy felt tears soak in her eyes as well, turning her gaze to the doctor she flicked her eyes to the door, a sign of leave-us-for-a-minutet-please. The doctor obliged and ran into the corridor, skidding and shutting the door tight behind him.
"Rainbow Dash...it's ok.." Fluttershy soothed, as soon as the door slamming quietened.
"I-it's not...it's not..I won't be able to love my life in the Wonderbolt's" Dash replied.
"I will never be able to teach Scootaloo" Dash continued, Fluttershy's heart sinking in sadness.
"I will never be able to meet my parents in Cloudsdale"
Fluttershy felt tears fall down her soft face, her friends sorrow was horrible, why did Rainbow Dash have to suffer? Why?
"Never to fly, never to perform the sonic Rainboom..." Rainbow Dash continued, pushing Fluttershy slowly away from her grasp.
"R-rainbow-"
"Never to...to.." Rainbow Dash stammered, sitting down on the cold hospital floor, her rainbow at curling up behind her. The wingless Pegasus gazed at the floor.
"To..?" Fluttershy whispered.
"To love.." Rainbow Dash finished.
"L-love?" Fluttershy asked.
"I will never impress the pony I love, now that I have no wings. She-she would hate me" Rainbow Dash murmured.
Fluttershy narrowed her eyes, lifting her wings she slowly flew to Rainbow Dash and lifted the mare onto her hooves, her green eyes sparkling in anger. She never knew Rainbow Dash had a crush, no less than a mare. Fluttershy did love Rainbow Dash, but to make her friend happy, she will encourage the mare. Just like Rainbow Dash did to herself.
"Now look here, Rainbow Dash! If you don't mind! No pony will deny you! You are the most greatest mare I have ever met! The bravest, most loyal, fastest, strong pony I have ever, and I mean ever met!" Fluttershy encouraged.
But the blue mare just blinked and lowered her head. Her rainbow mane flicking down sadly as it's bearer did.
"She will never love me...not when I was weak in front of her.." Rainbow Dash murmered.
Fluttershy blinked.
"I-in front?" Fluttershy asked, flapping down onto the floor and landing before crouching her head down. Her wings folding down her sides.
"Fluttershy.." Rainbow Dash sobbed.
"Y-yes?" Fluttershy asked.
"I-I..." Rainbow Dash began.
"Oh Rainbow.." Fluttershy gasped, her forehoof lifting up and over her mouth in surprise.
"I-I love you.." Rainbow finished.
"How-how long?" Fluttershy asked.
"Ever since I stood up for you back at Flight School" Rainbow Dash replied, her voice growing fainter and fainter.
"Rainbow Dash..." Fluttershy began.
The mare looked away in shame, her rainbow mane seemed duller than before. Her eyes were pale and expressionless, her whole body seemed weak, and easy to break as glass.
"You don't deserve me Fluttershy...not when I was weak, to weak to save myself" Rainbow sighed, lifting herself up and walking past the mare.
"Rainbow Dash.." Fluttershy replied, spinning around and placing a hoof onto the wingless mare's shoulder. Rainbow Dash stopped dead.
"Rainbow Dash..." Fluttershy begged.
The mare blinked, shoving Fluttershy off her shoulder gently she walked towards the door and opened it slowly with a weak hoof. Fluttershy felt tears flow down her face, as well as her heart. All parts of her screamed for Rainbow Dash to stop, to stop leaving.
And the words that escaped Rainbow's mouth, the words that dreaded. Made Fluttershy, flow tears out of her eyes fastly. The peaceful dull words that haunts Fluttershy to this day.
"You don't need me Fluttershy....no pony does.." Rainbow murmered.
And with that the wingless walked out and shut the door behind her. Leaving Fluttershy alone, alone in the hospital, tears falling down.
Alone...and never telling Rainbow Dash that she loved her too...
OOO
Rainbow Dash hobbled down the corridor, throwing the hospital clothes of her body. Tears flowing down her eyes. Her little stumps of wings twirled and flapped furiously, the wingless mare sobbed and hung her head low. It wasn't a dream, it was real.
She was wingless, she had no heart, no loyalty left in that cold weeping heart. She left the love of her life, made the love of her life cry, she became a weak stupid pony. A stupid pony who thought she could save her love and herself. But no, she couldn't. She was just to weak.
Lifting her gaze, Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes. Lifting her head high she raced down the corridor, ignoring the protesting unicorns and earth ponies. The cyan coloured wingless pony lowered her head and smashed through the doors, slamming them open. Taking quick action, Rainbow Dash threw herself into the world and raced down the muddy path.
Time seemed to slowly down, as memories poured through Rainbow's mind. Her flying in the air, her sleeping on clouds, her meeting Fluttershy, her performing the sonic rainboom, her racing Applejack, her drinking cider, her pranks with Pinkie Pie. And many more, the memories clogged up Rainbow Dash's vision. Pain of her loss screeched in her heart.
The voice, the cold evil voice spoke to her again, as the wingless pony raced down the muddy path, it spoke to her again sending chills up her spine.
You know you could end this, end the pain and suffering to yourself and Fluttershy. The voice cooed.
No! I will not! Rainbow Dash thought.
Do you really want to live a life where you broke Fluttershy's heart? The voice asked.
Rainbow Dash raced down the town of Ponyville, ponies gasping in shock of their Element of Loyalty in front of them. Few screamed, few cried, and few gave whoops of delight, or was that the voice messing with her head? She didn't know, all she knew was that she wanted to die...yes the voice was right...
How condo she live with the memory of breaking Fluttershy's heart? How could she even live with that?! No! She must get rid of herself, even if Fluttershy will mourn for her. It will be a few years until she gets a handsome stallion in her life.
Yes, she will kill herself. A life without wings, a life of heart breaking, means no life at all.
Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes, skidding and scrambling down the new dark undergrowth road, she felt the cold stone sink into her stomach. She will die, die without wings, die in a cowardice way. But yet again, she was weak in that hospital, weak in front of the doctor and Fluttershy. Weak..
Weak.
Rainbow Dash snarled and pressed a strong hoof into the ground, flipping over Rainbow Dash let out a yell of surprise before landing face-first into the grassy floor.
"Owwwwww..." Rainbow moaned, lifting herself for the ground and onto her hooves once more.
The wingless Pegasus blinked, lifting her gaze she stared blankly at the tall cliff before her. With a sigh, the pony began to climb, the stone in her stomach sinking deeper, and deeper with each pull and heave on the cliff.
A few minuets or maybe a hour, she didn't have a clue. Rainbow Dash found herself gazing at the bottom of the cliff, by a stroke of luck and wish, Rainbow Dash was near the Ghastly Gorge. A perfect way to disappear and die as well.
A perfect...way..
Taking a deep breath Rainbow Dash slowly placed a hoof on the cliff's edge.
"LEAVE HER ALONE!"
"Please Rainbow?"
"But Shy! It's just a silly butterfly migration!"
"Please? Please for me?"
...
"Well I guess.."
Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, and let her body heave forwards. The air at once rushed upon her face, the body began spinning and spinning. Rainbow Dash felt sick, but no matter. She will die soon...
She will spare Fluttershy from the weak pony on her life...
Rainbow Dash?
Rainbow Dash slowly opened her eyes.
Yes Shy?
The jagged rocks were close to her now, not long..
Have you ever wondered something?
What do you mean?
I mean do you wonder something, or somepony at times?
Well I do wonder about one pony..
Who?
Not telling you I'm afraid...not yet anyways..
Oh..
Don't worry Shy! You'll know one day!
Thanks Rainbow Dash...you're a good friend..
Well duh!
Rainbow Dash closed her eyes once more, the shadow of the rocks slowly appeared into her eyes. She braced herself for the hit...
It never came.
Wind flew behind her, Rainbow opened her eyes and gasped. The jagged rocks slowly faded under her. Trashing Rainbow screamed, throwing hooves in the air.
Only to widen her eyes as she gazed at a glowing angel, a beautiful glowing angel of pink and yellow. It was Fluttershy. Her glorious yellow wings were flapping slowly, sending sparkled with every flap she made, her soft bubbly pink mane sling into the wind. Her cutie mark glowing brightly as millions of little butterflies flew around Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.
Fluttershy...and angel.
Rainbow Dash widened her eyes and Fluttershy gazed down at her, a warm smile spread across her lips, bringing warmth into Rainbow's heart. And...
As happiness flew into her heart, Fluttershy lowered her head and pressed her lips onto Rainbow's locking them both into a kiss. Rainbow Dash blinked. But slowly closed her eyes and let in the kiss. Fluttershy loves her...she loves her!
Slowly Fluttershy lifted her head away and focused on flying, while, Rainbow let out a sigh and collapsed in Fluttershy's hooves.
Fluttershy smiled.
"You May Cry, And Want To Die" Fluttershy murmered.