“Rainbow Dash, are you coming?”
Her eyes jerked away from the envelope on the desk before her. “Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.” As difficult as it was to tear her eyes away from the official-looking wax seal of a winged lightning bolt.
She stood and stretched, her back and shoulders popping pleasantly. The act left a dull, soreness in her joints, but it quickly faded as soon as her mind dismissed the thought. Shaking a lock of rainbow mane out of her eyes, Rainbow Dash turned and trotted briskly across the library.
Her friends were waiting by the door. The sight was as wonderful as she always knew it to be. Pinkie had ladden herself with every sort of inflatable water toy imaginable, the costume topped off with flippers, goggles, and a green snorkel. Applejack and Twilight were engrossed in a conversation about fertilizer that could have bored an earthworm to death while Rarity listened with a look of disgust. Fluttershy just sort of sat there, like she always did, looking humble and timid despite the presence of her lifelong friends.
Twilight looked up at Rainbow’s approach. “What was in the letter?”
“Don’t know.” Rainbow shrugged and flared her wings, stretching each in turn and feeling the same soreness that lingered around the rest of her body. “Didn’t open it.”
“Yeah, I don’t know why it got mailed to me.” Twilight stood and made her way to the door, holding it open for the others as they sidled out in a routine manner. “It had your address on it. Maybe they just didn’t have a pegasus to deliver the mail.”
Again, Rainbow shrugged as she exited second from last from the library. Twilight followed on her heels, closing and locking the door behind them.
There was nice, and then there were days like this that made nice days look like the apocalypse. This was one of those days. The sun shone down from the gentle sky, dotted here and there with fluffy, white clouds that knew better than to block the light for the ponies below. A slight breeze ruffled Rainbow’s mane, tickling the tips of her ears and parting her coat just enough to send cool prickles to the flesh.
“I must say, Pinkie,” Rarity smiled and tilted her head up towards the sky, closing her eyes to the sun, “you picked the most excellent of days to visit the lake.”
“Well duh,” the happy mare replied with a little bounce in her step, the plastic inflatables around her neck hiding most of her expression. “It’s not like I would choose any other day that was less than perfect to have a wonderful amazing get together with my friends at the lake. Who do you think I am?”
“You’re Pinkie Pie,” Rarity replied with a chuckle, giving her head a little shake.
“You bet I am!”
It was impossible not to smile as the six of them made their way to the lake. The trail was only wide enough for two to walk side-by-side, and Rainbow Dash found herself walking in silence, taking comfort in the yellow pegasus who walked beside her and the occasional singing of birds in the foliage.
“Hey, Fluttershy?” Rainbow tossed a glance towards her yellow friend, the question on her mind seemingly formulating of its own accord.
“Yeah?” Fluttershy returned gently.
It seemed a little question to ask, fueled solely by the thought of nostalgia. “When was the first time we all went to the lake together?”
“Oh my goodness, um, let’s see.” Fluttershy tilted her head to the side, eyes flicking to the upper right. “That was the same year we met Twilight. So... twelve years, maybe?”
Rainbow Dash balked for a moment and shook her head. “Wow... it’s crazy how time flies.”
Fluttershy laughed her gentle laugh. “Especially with friends.”
“Yeah... especially with friends.”
It was hardly an eyeblink before the lake came into view amongst the trees, its mirrored surface reflecting the the trees and sun itself in a green and gold pattern across the glassy surface. It was a small lake, so small that it had to fight for its title of lake instead of simply being known as a pond.
In all the years, it hadn’t changed a bit. There was the grassy knoll that sloped down towards the water’s edge, and across from that, Rainbow’s favorite bathing rock that dominated much of the bank. The giant, shady oak stood as tall as ever, its heavy branches reaching out over the water for the perfect temperature control.
Rainbow smiled and closed her eyes, drawing in the scent of the trees around her and the overall tranquility of everything.
“Woohoo!” Pinkie screamed, rocketing off towards the water in a spray of dirt and grass. The splash that followed shattered the silence like a gunshot.
“Hey, no fair!” Applejack hollered, taking off after the mare. Right as Pinkie emerged, the orange wrecking ball that was Applejack crashed down upon her and they both went under, leaving nothing but a stetson floating on the choppy surface.
Rarity chuckled and rolled her eyes as Twilight took off next.
Cracking a wide, toothy grin, Rainbow’s wings snapped open and she rocketed forward. “Not without me you don’t!”
“Off my rock!” Rainbow bellowed.
Applejack lowered herself close to the ground and drug her hoof across the stony surface. “Who said it was your rock?”
“I did. That’s who!”
Pinkie cheered as the two ponies met each other in a brutal clash.
Rainbow Dash reared up to meet her friend at the midpoint, and although she was going faster, Applejack had more weight to her. Applejack’s forehooves met Rainbow’s shoulders and pushed. In order to avoid falling backwards, Rainbow was forced to take a few steps back. She grunted and heaved, bringing forth enough strength to push Applejack backwards. The orange mare staggered a little and her stetson fell from her head. Rainbow pushed harder and dropped low right as Applejack tried to shove her back. The orange mare wasn’t prepared for Rainbow’s next move.
Fast as lightning, Rainbow slipped one hoof around Applejack’s thigh, the other one going to her friend’s chest. With a heave and a strangled cry of effort, Rainbow hauled Applejack into the air.
The audience of four seated at the opposite bank cheered as Rainbow hauled a squirming Applejack above her head.
Rainbow staggered, fighting for balance as she held up the heavier mare. Muscles she hadn’t used in months strained with the feat and sweat beaded on her brow. “You shall not claim this land!” she roared, hefting Applejack a little higher as she took a step towards the edge of the rock, looking out over the lake.
Applejack, realizing what was about to happen, squirmed harder. “No, wait, Rainbow, no!”
Summoning every bit of strength she had, Rainbow twisted her body and swung her friend forward.
“No, Rainbow, you win. Come on, ah just got dried o—AAAAHH!” Out over the water the earth pony went. She landed with all four limbs spread out, and with an impressive splash, disappeared below the surface. Applause and cheers came from the enthralled audience.
Rainbow Dash bowed, panting like a dog. With a small grunt, she flopped over on the rock and rolled over to the shady spot where it was cool.
With a wet, splashing sound, Applejack dragged herself out of the water and flopped down on the rock beside Rainbow, but in the sunny spot. “Darnit, Rainbow, now ah gotta dry off again.” Despite her irritated tone, she laughed and gave Rainbow a playful shove.
“I figured you needed to cool off.” Rainbow shoved Applejack back, chest still rising and falling as she caught her breath.
“Yer’ pantin’ like you just went an’ ran a marathon.” AJ sat up to get a better look at Rainbow. “Ah remember when ya’ could do wing-ups with me on your back.” She smirked. “Don’t go gettin’ flabby now.”
“It’s these old bones,” Rainbow joked, though it was more of an excuse if anything. “I’m not the Wonderbolt I used to be.”
Applejack flopped down down on the rock like a wet towel. “Oh yeah, how’s that goin’ by the way?”
“What, the Wonderbolt thing?”
“Yeah?”
Rainbow shrugged. “I’m waiting on the results.” Her thoughts flicked briefly to the official letter she’d left back at the library. “I flew all the test trials last week.”
AJ frowned. “Why’d y’all wait until now to start doin’ all that Wonderbolt stuff?”
Rainbow shrugged uncomfortably. “You know... I was just busy and stuff. Hanging out with you guys. You know, with my friends, and the Elements of Harmony and all the other stuff that was going on, there was no way I would have ever had time to be a Wonderbolt. That’s like, a full-time dedication thing. This last year, it seems like things have finally calmed down enough to try.”
“Well ah say, it’s about time they put you on the team.” AJ closed her eyes and rolled over to start drying her still-sopping backside.
“You know it, sister.”
‘Rainbow Dash’
She read the name scrawled at the top of the paper at least a dozen times. It had the Wonderbolt’s seal at the top, but the hoofwriting lacked in the normal formality or discipline that usually accompanied a letter from the Wonderbolts.
The torn envelope lay off to the side on the dining room table.
Her friends had insisted that she stay longer, but Twilight had been able to guess why Rainbow was so eager to take her letter and go and kindly quashed the others’ complaints. “I’ll come back later,” Rainbow had said. “I know this is like, one of the only days we can all get the time to hang out with each other, but I have to do something really quick.”
Rainbow couldn’t quite keep the butterflies out of her tummy as she unfolded the paper.
Rainbow Dash
I bet you know who wrote this letter, but for some reason if you don’t, name’s at the bottom. I know you were expecting this letter to be it, Rainbow, but I have to break you the bad news. I could have just had the boys send you the default letter of denial like they do everypony else, but not for you.
I hate to say this, Rainbow, but your flight scores went down. The last test you performed, you barely scraped the bottom of the bar. Under most circumstances, this would be grounds for re-evaluation or acceptance onto the professional training team to see how things turn out, but I can’t let this happen for you.
Let’s face it, Dash, you’re getting old. Heck, we’re getting old. Why do you think I stopped flying for the team years ago? It’s time to move into management and let all the new blood have at it. You’ve still got your whole life ahead of you... just not as a Wonderbolt. You know how it is—the Wonderbolts is a thing for young ponies right out of school with nothing to lose and a lot to gain. If I accepted you onto the team, you wouldn’t last more than a year and you and I both know this. You’re the same age as Soarin and Misty, and they retired two years ago. I was really hoping you’d come to this conclusion yourself so I wouldn’t have to break the news, but I can’t wait any longer.
When I say this, I say this with all my heart. I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash. You always were an amazing and loyal friend and I’ll always remember that, so will the others. But you’re past your prime. You need to stop trying so hard and settle down into your life.
Come visit me sometime, Rainbow. You’re still my number one flier.
Your friend,
-Spitfire
She wasn’t quite sure how long she sat there, the letter held in a numb, shaking forehoof. Some deeper part of her, that she had subconsciously chosen to ignore, had tried to warn her about this, but the voice had been little and insignificant. Now that voice danced happily about within her brain to a set of golden spotlights singing I told you so I told you so!
It had been expected, really. Sooner or later the self-induced fantasy would have crumbled. Some days it had, a little bit, but today was the day of its abolishment.
“You are not gonna cry,” Rainbow said in a hoarse whisper, setting aside the letter and covering her muzzle with a forehoof. “You’re too good for that.”
Cry she did not, but what came was a wetness of her eyes and a tremble of her jaw.
Where had the years gone? What had she been doing? All this time when she should have been training, flying for the Wonderbolts, what had she been doing?
“The entire prime of your life is gone...” Her voice was a bitter crackle somewhere between a murmur and a whisper. “...and for what?”
“Rainbow?” The voice couldn’t have startled a pony had the mare behind it been trying.
“Fluttershy.” She refused to look back at the mare, not with the water in her eyes. Fluttershy couldn’t see her like this; none of them could. “How’d you get in?”
“The door was open... and you didn’t answer when I called... so I came in to check up on you... You don’t mind, do you?”
“No... I don’t mind.” Rainbow wiped her eyes with a forehoof and made half an attempt to turn around before stopping midway and brushing a quill onto the floor as an excuse to avoid the mare’s eyes. “Why’d you stop by?”
“We were wondering where you’d gone.” From the sound of the mare’s voice, she was getting closer. “Twilight told us not to worry, but we all said it’s not like you to skip out on your friends... is something wrong?”
“No, Fluttershy, everything’s fine.” The lie was perfect, executed with perfect tone and dismissal. “I just had to do something really quick.” Blinking the last few blurs out of her eyes, Rainbow turned and gave her friend a smile. “Let me wrap this up. I’ll meet you at the door.”
Fluttershy smiled and bowed her head, backtracking out into the hall. “And sorry again for intruding. I just... um... yeah.” Bowing her head lower, she continued, backwards, down the hall.
Rainbow heaved a sigh and deflated onto the desk, laying her head on her forehoof.
The entire prime of your life is gone, and for what? Her own voice echoed about her skull, forcing its way into her brain.
The outline of a pony flashed somewhere between her eyesight and mind, trapped in limbo like an eye-floater. But it wasn’t the only one. Four more stood around the first one, two on either side.
The entire prime of your life is gone...
The color started in the middle, a tiny dash of yellow on a black sheet on canvas, and spread slowly like neon paint, breaking and flowering wonderfully to other colors and hues, and as the colors spread, Rainbow knew exactly where they were meant to go.
...and for what?”
Rainbow staggered to her hooves and waved her forehoof in front of her face, blinking her eyes a few times with a shake of her head.
“Rainbow Dash?” called a quiet voice from somewhere down the hall.
“Coming, Fluttershy!” The butterflies were back in her tummy, but they were cold and moving sluggishly. It only made the rest of her feel warmer as she strode down the hallway, forcing the start of a smile but feeling the rest of it come naturally as the sunlight pouring in through the windows of the foyer lit up the room in a golden hue.
There in the doorway stood a yellow pegasus, and Rainbow knew that far below were four more ponies.
Fluttershy stood aside as Rainbow stepped out onto the front porch. Rainbow closed her eyes against the warming sun and took a deep breath of the fresh air, mane fluttering softly in the wind.
The prime of her life was gone, but that didn’t mean it was over.
And for what?
Rainbow flared her wings, the golden sun catching the tips and glinting brilliantly off the sheen of her feathers.
The entire world went silent as she looked up to the sky. Lips curving into a smile, a single word formed within her mind.
“Friends.”