////
If this is the End, It’s the Best Place I’ve ever been
////
Alex felt a rush of energy pass though his body as he reappeared in a mangled and destroyed town. One that had obviously been flattened by a massive amount of water recently. In fact, it was the place Alex had first come in to contact with Rainbow Dash after he had been taken hold of by the Changelings. They had dressed him in their high-tech armor, and sent him to stop her from obtaining the Esuna-spell, that was capable of freeing Alpha from his stone imprisonment.
He had been tasked with this mission to destroy the dam, and destroy the town. However, something inside of him, he liked to think it was his amazing heart, forced him to stop and instead damage the dam first. It had been enough to trigger a large scale exodus from the town, and when all was said and done, the only ponies that had been in danger, he saved.
So, for what it was, Alex had been very happy with the turnout of the mission, despite his stealing from Dash, and deeply hurting her feelings in the process.
It was something that always irked him, how he had done that to her. It was one of the factors that drove her in to the arms of speed. Something that he would never be able to forgive himself for.
But, according to his own surveillance at the time, Dash had vanished for hours after the failure of her mission, and wasn’t seen by anypony until the official cleanup was called for, and she began that process. So, deciding that this would be the best time to find her, Alex brought himself here. And, as long as he was careful, he wouldn’t be seen by anypony.
“Hey mister!”
Alex almost jumped out of his golden armor as a very young earth-pony boy walked up behind him and tapped the metal on his side.
“Geez, kid!” Alex said, feeling like a complete idiot for being exposed like this, “What do you want?”
“My house got washed away… and I was wondering if you could help me find my sister’s doll!” He explained, simply melting Alex’s chocolaty heart with his plea, “She’s real sad right now, and I think this would cheer her up!”
“Hmm…” Alex said, tapping his chin, “Where was your house?”
Around them was nothing but rubble, and Alex knew that he would have no luck finding the missing item in the mess. So, if he was going to do a little more time traveling, what would be the damage?
“You’re standing right on it!” He said happily, “I think you’re even standing in my—well, what was my room.”
Alex looked around his feet, and was oddly surprised to see a lack of destruction immediately around him. It was as if the entire house had been picked up by the rush of water, and carried away to be destroyed somewhere else.
“You’re taking all of this pretty well,” Alex observed, knowing that he would have been a crying mess at that kid’s age if something like this had happened to him, “Why aren’t you crying?”
“Well, I was… But my dad told me that I needed to be strong for my mom and my sister! And that they’d feel better if I helped keep them strong,” He explained, proud that somepony was impressed with his grown-up attitude.
“Was there anything you wanted from your room?” Alex asked, feeling that the kid deserved something for himself too.
“Well, actually,” The child began, “I’d rather you got my mom’s book of photos. They’re all she has left of my grandma.”
“Jesus kid…” Alex winced, shocked that he was getting more upset than this rock of a child, “That’s—“
“Oh! And my dad’s engagement ring for my mom!” He spoke up instantly, “She always kept it away so it wouldn’t get scratched, or worn! My dad saved for years, while working three jobs to support her, because she broke her leg and couldn’t work for a long time!”
“Okay, I get it!” Alex bellowed, as he exploded in a bright light, vanishing from sight, leaving the boy bewildered.
Only a moment later, another, massively stronger light appeared in front of him, as his entire house was fazed in to existence.
His jaw was only just able to hit the ground when Alex stepped out, and give the kid the best no-thumbs thumbs-up he could.
“I got it just before the water washed it away,” Alex said, walking past the kid, “Take care of your mom and sister.”
Before the boy could thank him, Alex was gone.
Well, he wasn’t really gone. He just cast an invisibility spell. But he thought it looked way cooler to just vanish.
“Thanks mister!” The boy shouted over the howling wind, “I’ll go tell my mom and dad!”
With that, Alex watched the kid run off to find his family.
Now, Alex just needed to find his.
////
Stealthily, Alex moved his way through the town, making sure to not draw attention to his invisible self, as he looked for Rainbow Dash. It was a much harder task than he had anticipated it to be. He must have been over the destroyed town five or six times, and had seen nothing of her.
He had seen the royal guard, the various displaced families that he forced himself to not help, and even a few aid workers. But, no Rainbow Dash. Where could she have possibly gone?
Alex wondered to himself. She came for the spell that would have freed him from his stone imprisonment, but, it had been stolen away from her. So… if she were anywhere, she would be looking for another copy of the spell, in a place he had not yet checked.
The library.
Zapping himself to that location, Alex appeared on a large cliff, looking down on the rubble of what once was the largest library in the region. But, now, it was nothing more than a mass of wood and paper. It was the kind of thing that would take years off of Twilight’s life… Good thing he wasn’t Twilight.
After a few moments of scanning, Alex finally made contact with a cyan rump that was sticking in the air, as the owner of said rump dug through piles of soaked wood, pulling out every book she could find, despite all of them being completely waterlogged.
It broke Alex’s heart to see her trying so hard in vain. She had been so close to a victory, only to have it be snatched away, by him.
Silently teleporting himself closer, and taking care to keep himself invisible, Alex winced at the sight he was presented with on the mare. Her arms were ripped apart from digging through the soaking wet rubble. She was bleeding enough to make Alex truly uncomfortable, and she wasn’t showing any signs of slowing down. On top of that, her mane was slicked against her coat with mud, and her eyes were puffy.
She had been crying.
Seeing all of this made Alex realize just how much she had put in to looking for him when he was turned to stone.
She was never the type to take loss well, whether it be a race, or a loved one. And here she was, at her core, still being Rainbow Dash. Refusing to give in. Kicking the world in the face, even though she was just a speck on its surface. She would fight until she died, or she won.
Alex was pulled from his train of thought as Dash pulled her arms out of the rubble, and smashed them on a massive plank in front of her, covering it in her blood.
“This isn’t fair!” She shouted, her tears once again running down her cheeks, “I was so-- close!”
She hit the plank of wood again, smashing it in half and sending splinters flying around her.
Collapsing, she rolled on to her back and wrapped her dirty, and matted wings around her body, only leaving her face exposed to the sky, as she pressed her damaged hooves to her face and sobbed.
“Oh Dash…” Alex muttered, having no control over himself at that point.
“W-who’s there?!” She said, sitting up, fearing that one of her subordinates would see her out of uniform, and in this hysterical state.
But, there was nopony. She was alone.
“Who…?” She said again, before her breathing became short, and painful once again, as she bit her lip to keep herself quiet.
Dropping her head once again, she inspected her hooves, and exhaled weakly, regretting her lack of control. She was going to have to see a doctor about this. It was the kind of thing that was prone to get infected, and would likely lead to getting her taken off of work for a while. And that was something she simply couldn’t risk.
Shakily, she stood up on her legs, and spread her wings. She wouldn’t be able to walk in this condition, and was thankful to be a pegasi at this moment more than anything else.
Spreading her wings, she gave a few powerful flaps, and gained an initial burst of movement, but, the coat of mud on her wings made it impossible to keep altitude, and after only a few seconds of flight, she fell to the ground, throwing her already mangled arms out in front of herself, deciding that two broken legs was better than slamming her head in to a pile of destroyed building.
Closing her eyes, she waited for the impact of the ground to hit her… But, by some grace of Celestia, it never happened. She was kept suspended in the air.
Slowly opening one eye, she realized that she was being held in a magical field.
Snapping them both open, she came face to face with the same armored pony that had done this to her. The same guy who had taken her spell away, and had put her in this terrible position.
“You!” She shouted, fighting frantically to break out of the spell so she could show him what she does to ponies that keep her from her goals, “You son of a bitch! Let me go so I can kick your ass!”
Alex actually felt happy to see her so fired up, so soon after she had been breaking down.
“Let me heal your wounds,” Alex said in a deep voice, as his levitation spell turned in to a healing spell, quickly pulling out more splinters than he could count, so the flesh would be able to heal without wood in the way, “You need to calm down.”
“Calm down!?” She shouted, secretly happy to have the burning pain gone from her arm, “You took away almost a year of work! A-and you took away something much more important than that with it!”
Alex hated this. He needed her to be on his side again.
“I’m going to put you down, but you can’t attack me, okay?” Alex asked.
Dash responded by trying to attack him, despite the magic preventing her.
“Okay, one more time!” Alex said, shaking her up and down a few times, eliciting a deep growl from the blue girl, “Will we behave?”
She scowled as she reluctantly nodded.
“Thank you.” Alex said, placing her down on the ground, and carefully stepping back, as to avoid her wrath, should she change her mind.
“Why are you here?” She asked, fighting every urge to put him in his place, “Have you come to give me the spell?”
“I think you and I should go somewhere more… private.” Alex said, not wanting anypony to see him out of his armor, besides her.
“What? Do you plan on exchanging the spell for sex?” She scoffed, “I’ll find another spell, thanks.”
That one hurt.
“No… It’s nothing like that.” Alex shook his head, exhaling and stepping toward her once again, “There is something I need to tell you about Alex.”
Dash went wide-eyed. How did he know about that? Alex’s turning to stone wasn’t exactly news in Equestria… But, obviously, it had gotten around somewhat.
“What about him?” Dash asked, giving this mysterious golden pony a look over, “Tell me, and then I’ll decide if I’ll go with you.”
“Please?” Alex asked, growing nervous that he’d be spotted, and mess up the future somehow, “I don’t have much time.”
“Where are you going to take us?” Dash asked, looking around the completely destroyed town and frowning, “It’s not like we have anywhere to go.”
Walking to within an inch of her, Alex slowly raised a hoof to her cheek and stroked down it softly, earning a hard look from her, as she clearly disapproved.
“I’ll take care of that.”
////
The next thing Dash knew, she was standing in her living room, back in Ponyville.
“H-how do you know where I live?!” She demanded, backing away from his proximity, as she darted her gaze around the room, “Have you been spying on me?”
“Dash, you brought me here,” Alex said, his voice no longer masked, “This was my home for months.”
Narrowing her gaze, she took a step toward him. She knew that voice anywhere.
“Dash, it’s me.”
Deciding that the retraction of the helmet would take too long, Alex undid two clasps on the base of his neck, and pulled the helmet off of his head.
Dash gasped. His mane was matted down with sweat, he had massive bags under his eyes, and he was smiling the same way he had the last time she spoke to him.
“Oh my god…” She muttered, closing the distance between them, and instantly inspecting his face, by pulling on his cheeks, and separating his lips, to see inside his mouth, as if it could tell her something, “You even have the scar from a thousand years ago…”
Alex instinctively rubbed his cheek, where his element had pierced his cheek after the battle between Nightmare Moon and Princess Celestia.
“Only one pony has this face, Dash,” Alex smiled brightly, his own heart racing at seeing this mare once again, “And I’ve missed you so much.”
Wasting no more time, Alex pressed his lips to hers, and shared in a kiss that he had been without for weeks. One that he was sure he’d never feel again. It was amazing, but… truly harrowing.
This experience was gone from his life. All he was doing now, was exploring an echo of the past. One that he was going to enjoy every second of.
Dash made no fight to separate the two of them. Even though she had an endless list of questions in her mind, they could wait for this glorious moment to end. She had spent so many hours ordering her soldiers around, that she had almost forgotten what it felt like to be taken over. The way he smoothly pushed toward her, forcing her to lose just an inch of ground to him… it was exhilarating. She’d boss him around for the rest of their lives. But, as long as he was willing to take charge over her in these situations, she would be more than satisfied.
Finally pulling back from her mouth, Alex couldn’t help but smile at the bewildered face she made, as her mouth still hung open an inch.
“I’ve missed you, Colors.” Alex said, fighting back the urge to cry in front of her.
“I’ve missed you more.” She said quietly, “Where- or, how did you get out of the stone? And what are you wearing?”
“That’s a complicated question to answer,” Alex said, sitting down on her couch, “There’s a lot to explain, and I don’t think you’ll exactly like the answers I give you.”
“Alex, you’re home.” She said, joining him in sitting, as she leaned her head on his shoulder, “I don’t give a crap how you did it.”
Alex wasn’t sure if he should tell her the truth, or make up some kind of lie. It wouldn’t matter in the end either way, as he was going to erase her memories. She would be a blank slate in a few hours no matter what.
On one side, he could tell her everything. That he’s from the future, and that she had broken his heart to pieces, sending him in to such a terrible state, that he went back in time, just so he could feel her touch before she lapsed in to Speed. He could tell her that this was going to be his final moment with her… but, wouldn’t that just make this trip a pity party?
On the other hoof, Alex could tell her that he was free, that they were going to be together forever, and that he wanted her to marry him. She could enjoy every moment of this time with him, and then wake up in base camp in a few hours, with no recollection of any of it.
“Alex?” Dash asked, worried at his silence, “Are you okay?”
After all this thought, all he truly wanted from her, was pity. He wanted nothing more than for her to apologize. He wanted to be able to accept that apology, and move on with life with her next to him.
“I’m not… I’m from the future, Dash.” Alex said, moving his gaze to the floor, afraid of what she might say.
“The future?” Dash asked, completely thrown off balance by his statement, “W-what do you mean? Why would you come back in time to steal my spell?”
Alex wasn’t sure what she meant for a moment, before he realized that she was confusing him, with the changeling controlled version of himself that she had just encountered.
“Oh, no,” Alex shook his head quickly, “The one who took your spell is me, but it’s me from this time. Right now, I’m not trapped in stone anymore. I’ve been replaced with the changeling we met at Haven Station.”
Dash rubbed her forehead, only being pushed further and further away from making sense of all of this.
“I didn’t come back to explain the situation you were in, Dash,” Alex said, reassuringly smiling to her.
“Well, why did you come back then?” She asked, deciding to move past the insanity of his story, and get to the meat of the issue.
“I- well, I came to see you.” Alex said quickly, and very unconvincingly, “I figured you were lonely back here… so I came to see you.”
“Alex, that is the worst lie you’ve ever told me,” Dash said, her heart jumping at how natural their interaction still was, “You may have been gone for a year… but I know you.”
Alex laughed, while readjusting himself to have her rest her head on his shoulder.
“I’m lucky to have somepony that knows me so well,” Alex said, hiding his real feelings behind the euphoria she had also set in him.
“So… if you’re from the future, are you going back?” She asked, holding her breath, praying for some kind of ‘no’ from him, “Like, how long do I get to spend this time with you?”
“A few hours, and I have to go,” Alex said sadly, sharing her emotion in that sense, “I need to see you in the future.”
“I hope I’m not jealous about you hitting on past me!” Dash giggled, missing the grim look that Alex let slip, “Actually, I think I’d be okay with it. I mean, in the future, I must know how lonely I was…”
Alex looked at the clock, and felt his heart sink at just how fast time was passing them by. He had already lost almost an hour of the four he had budgeted for himself. He losing what little time was left for the two of them.
Of course, this trip truly had nothing to do with sex. At this point, he was overwhelmed by nothing more than her presence. He could sit next to her for the rest of their time together, and he would be just as fulfilled.
Sitting herself up from his shoulder, Dash winced as her muddy hair stuck to him.
“I… think I need to take a shower,” Dash mumbled, looking over her truly filthy body, “Digging around in that rubble did a number on me.”
“Oh,” Alex said, trying to hide his disappointment, “Well, I don’t have long, so could you try to be quick?”
“You aren’t going to join me?” Dash asked, raising an eyebrow as she got herself off of the couch, and looked at his stunned expression.
“Oh. Are you sure?” Alex asked, as Dash gave him the most dumbfounded look.
Stepping toward him, she whispered in his ear, “Alex. I’m in heat. It’s happening here, or the shower.”
”Holy shit dude. I’ve missed this so much. So so so so so much.”
////
Two hours later
////
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that they ‘spent’ the afternoon together.
The two had truly let out all of their frustrations in the hours past, and had finally calmed down to the point that they were doing nothing more than holding one another in her bed. It was one of the best moments in either of their lives.
“How much longer do we have?” Dash asked in to his chest, not daring look at the clock.
Alex opened his eye, and glanced at the wall mounted clock.
“An hour.” Alex sighed, his voice cracking slightly at the terrible truth, “Can we just… stay like this?
“Of course, Spot.” She said softly, leaning forward and kissing him softly on the nose.
Alex tightened his grip on her, and pulled her directly in to him. Her warmth was something he’d never forget. Not for the rest of his lonely life, would he forget this moment. The moment where he said goodbye to Rainbow Dash for the final time.
It was getting to be too much for him. The bliss of her presence wasn’t able to trump the deepening sadness in his core.
He was even starting to quiver slightly, and Dash was picking up on it. After a few moments, it had started to raise an important question in her mind. From Alex’s passing remarks of herself…well, her future self. It didn’t sound like that version of her, had any idea that Alex had come back.
Why would that be? But, more importantly, should she bring it up, considering the insignificant amount of time he had remaining?
“When was the first time you realized you were interested in me?” Alex asked, catching her off guard with the odd question.
Dash opened her mouth to reply, but caught herself, as she wasn’t entirely sure what the answer was.
“Because the more I think about it, for me, it was as soon as I forgot your name,” Alex said, separating from her enough to look down and make eye contact with her, “My first night in Equestria.”
“You were in to horses that quick?” Dash asked coyly, smirking at him, “Weirdo.”
“The personality.” Alex smiled, “Where’s the fun in a girlfriend if she doesn’t kick your ass a little bit?”
“I agree with that one,” She laughed, “You may act tough, and always be the one saving me… But you and I both know who the real boss is.”
“No arguments,” Alex said, reaching forward to kiss her quickly, as he pressed his question once again, “So? When did you first know that you liked me?”
Dash had never really considered the question. She had thought Alex was cute from the moment he found them in the Everfree forest during their battle with Nightmare Moon. But, what was the first moment that she had considered him boyfriend material?
“Was it on the hillside?” Alex asked, remembering the place that they had originally reconciled their differences, and made friends, “The first time we had a civil conversation?”
“No.” Dash shook her head, when the moment finally came to her, “It was when you covered my house in garbage, to be honest.”
Alex narrowed his gaze to her.
“Are you joking right now?” He asked carefully, half-worried that she might smack him over the incident once again, as she had then.
“When you put yourself in front of that cart, and saved Big Mac from… well, whatever would have happened, I saw what kind of guy you were.” She smiled, shrugging and biting her lip a little, “Is that good enough?”
“But, you were furious!” Alex laughed, “I didn’t think there was a positive thought in your mind for weeks after that!”
“Well, I was mad.” Dash agreed, “But once it wore off, I realized that I would have done the same thing.”
“But you still wouldn’t talk to me?” Alex asked, remembering that they hadn’t made up for a short period after that.
“I had my pride, Alex,” Dash explained, shaking her head at the foolish attitude she had just two years ago, “I know better now. The next guy who covers me in garbage will be forgiven immediately.”
The two had a laugh, but quickly degenerated to silence once again. Alex was enjoying every second of his time, and Dash was starting to pick up on it to the point that it was bothering her.
“So… how does it go when you finally come back to us?” Dash asked carefully, hoping not to elicit a negative response for her prying, “Is there a big romantic exchange between us?
“Well, there is one between you and that Alpha guy from Haven Station.” Alex said, as she recoiled.
“Does he take advantage of me while in your form?!” She asked instantly, hating every little bit of that possibility, “Does he hurt any of us?”
“Oh, no!” Alex retracted quickly, “He actually lives with Twilight now…”
Dash was lost at first, but after recalling the exchange between Alex and Alpha before, he seemed like he at least had a shred of honor in him, as he released Dash before she was taken to the Changeling hive.
“Is he the same tough-guy?” Dash asked, feeling a little ashamed that she was gossiping at a time like this.
“No.” Alex said somewhat grimly, recalling the way he was treated at the hooves of the Queen, “When he failed that mission at Haven Station, he was taken by the queen, and broken… He’s a much more docile pony now.
“That sounds terrible.” Dash said, feeling pity for the stallion who once tried to enslave all of her friends.
“I think he and Twilight are gonna hook up pretty quick too,” Alex whispered, as if somepony could hear them, “They have a lot more in common than I realized.”
“Well, you don’t need common ground to have a relationship,” Dash said quickly, as a few examples came to her mind, “Spike and Rarity, for example.”
“They have plenty in common,” Alex replied, “They both really love Rarity.”
Dash let out a loud, but short ‘Ha’ that she had tried to hide, resulting in an awkward snort. Which, in turn, led to her and Alex laughing over that instead.
Neither of them were even truly sure why they were laughing at something like this. But, it just kept coming out of them. He would feed off her reaction, and she would do the same. It was a short reprieve from the loneliness they were so used to.
When the two finally calmed down, Dash decided to move the conversation in the same direction.
“Since you vanished, I always find myself thinking back to my days at the Wonderbolt Training Center,” Dash said, unable to hide her smile at the fond memory, “Did I ever tell you how happy I was when you fell out of the sky that day?”
“You told me.” Alex said, rubbing her cheek with his hoof, “It was the best, and worst days of my life, while I was trying to get you out of there.”
“Worst?” Dash asked, recoiling slightly and giving him a dangerous look.
“Well, I was told I’d never see you again, I was thrown around, beaten up, kidnapped, and dropped out of a blimp.” Alex listed, as Dash started to look satisfied with his answer, “But, it was the best day of my life, when I half-assed my flying ability, and wound up crashing in to you.”
“Just let me say, when you called me Rainbow Dash for the first time on that field, I would have jumped your bones right there.” She chuckled, “I was so happy to have you back.”
“Like now?” Alex asked.
“You have no idea,” She said, her voice cracking slightly, “I don’t think I could ever emphasize how hard this past year has been.”
“It’s terrible for me too, Dash,” Alex said, sighing, “Stealing all of your victories from you, breaking your heart again, and again.”
“You don’t have any choice,” Dash said, “So I forgive you.”
The two reminisced for what seemed like hours, as they went over every romantic moment, every adventure, and even the times they wanted to kill each other. Every second that they had spent together in the past was precious to them. Every interaction was bliss. They equally longed for the days of the past, but they both knew they were gone. The only difference between them, was that one was hopeful for the future, while the other was in a terrible state of fear over it.
After they had finished their reminiscence, they had fallen in to a sort of silence. Dash was just enjoying his warmth. Alex was fretting, and she could tell.
Seeing the odd expression plaguing his face, Dash decided to strike conversation up once again, not wanting to waste another moment in silence with him.
“You know, sometimes I look at myself in the mirror, and I wonder just how I got to where I am now,” Dash said, wondering how many time she had wanted to talk about this with anypony, “I was the lazy weathergirl of Ponyville… and now, technically, I have control over half of the Canterlot guard.”
“It’s funny, the things you do for the ones you love,” Alex smiled, as she blushed, “I mean, I froze myself in stone for a year.”
“Now, I’m running around all over the world, looking for a miracle spell that will break you out,” Dash sighed, “And maybe it’s just me, but I kinda get offended when somepony tells me to slow down… don’t they get that I’m trying to save you?”
“Well, you said it yourself, Colors,” Alex smiled, “You were the lazy pony. The jump from that, to the work-crazed mare is a big one. They don’t want you to burn yourself out.”
“Well… do I?” Dash asked hopefully, “I mean, I know I rescue you, but when I was digging through the rubble of the library, I felt like I was going to break down.”
“You spend every minute of the next two years looking for me,” Alex half-lied, “You’ll come close to a cure three of four more times before you beat me—well, the armored me. And in all that time… you don’t falter once.”
Dash looked at him carefully. There was something behind those words. His eyes were telling her that something was off.
“What’s wrong?” She asked, catching him off guard in a bad way, “I’m not blind Alex. Over the last few hours, every time we bring up the future, or you and I… You get this look in your eye. You look like somepony got murdered.”
Alex didn’t answer her. He didn’t want his last moments with her, to be this conversation.
“You’re doing it again!” She said, looking around, before making eye contact with him again, “Celestia! I mean, if you don’t tell me, I’m going to be going crazy over the next two years, while I wait for you to explain this shitty future to me!”
Alex visibly frowned this time.
“Wait…” She stopped, her gaze falling from his eyes, and she tried to work out another problem in her head, “In two years, future me knows that you come back here, right? Future me would know that you come back to here, because she’d remember it happening to her, wouldn’t she?”
Alex exhaled, as he slowly shook his head ‘no.’
“Why not?” Dash asked, seeing the sad look still riddling his features, “And why are you acting so sad? I don’t—Wait. I’m not dead, am I? Alex, do I die? And that’s why you came back to see me?”
Alex laughed softly at her worry, his expression still hard as stone, “No, Dash. You don’t die.”
Exhaling in relief, she moved on in her questioning, “So what then? Because you look terrible! Like, what? Did I fuck some other guy or something?”
Dash laughed as she asked the question, but Alex seized up when he heard it.
And she noticed.
She gave him a serious look, as she closed her mouth.
The look exchanged between them was truly terrible, as she finally reached where he was at.
“A-Alex… What do I do?” She asked, her breathing now shallow, and panicked.
He didn’t answer her, as he began gathering magic in his horn.
“Alex!” She shouted, seeing him begin casting a spell, “Stop! You—You need to answer me!”
“I’m so sorry, Rainbow Dash.” He said softly, leaning toward her.
“No! You need to stop!” She shouted, backing away from him on the bed, until she was able to step on to the ground, “I’m not stupid! You’re going to erase my memory!”
Alex didn’t respond, as he climbed out of the bed himself.
“You need to hear me out!” Dash shouted, as he continued walking toward her, “Please!”
Alex stopped, it killed him, but he would let her speak her mind.
“Alex, I need to remember this conversation!” She said desperately, her breathing ragged, and her eyes watering, “I-If I’m going to do something stupid, and screw up our relationship, I need to know! So I can stop it from happening!”
“It doesn’t work that way, Dash,” Alex said sadly, “It’d rip the world apart if you did it.”
“B-but… H-how could I ever do something like that to you?” She asked, biting her lip, “I couldn't imagine myself with anypony else, ever!”
“I couldn’t picture it either,” Alex coughed, his own eyes tearing up, “And I don’t know what I’m going to do without you, Dash.”
She didn’t respond, as she raised a hoof to her eye, and caught the first tears to make their way down her cheeks.
“That’s why I did this,” Alex managed, his throat closing up itself, as he approached her, “One final night, with the mare who could never hurt me.”
Dash was reduced to a quivering pile, collapsed on the floor, as Alex reached her, and knelt down himself.
“I love you more than anything in this world, Dash.” Alex said softly to her, bumping the side of his head against hers, “And right now, this moment with you… Will be the happiest moment in my life. Being next to the mare I love, before she could ever hurt me.”
Looking up from the floor, she gained enough control over herself to ask him one final question.
“When do I do it?” She asked, knowing it didn’t matter if she knew.
“In a few hours.” Alex answered softly, as her face went from sad, to horrified, “You’re going to help set up a bunch of temporary houses for the ponies who lost their homes to the flood. You’re going to drink a little too much… and with that on top of your heat, you’ll give in to him.”
With surprising clarity, and drive, Dash spoke up once again.
“No.” She shook her head, looking in to his eyes, “I’m not going to do it.”
“You don’t have much say in the matter, Dash,” Alex said, appreciating the effort she was making, “It happens. History says it happens.”
She shook her head determinedly. “Time isn’t my boss, Alex.”
He wished that he could trust her. He wished that she could win this battle.
“I love you, Colors,” Alex said, his voice cracking, as he readied the spell once again.
“When you get home, Alex,” Dash said, running a hoof down his cheek, “We’ll be together again. I promise.”
She leaned in, and kissed him.
And then, the afternoon was forgotten. Alex had never come home, and Dash had collapsed in the ruins of the library, as far as she could remember.
It killed Alex to see her be so sure of herself. But, it was just the mare she was.
...Funny thing though, Dash was a stubborn mare. Maybe even more so than Alex knew.