//------------------------------// // Be At Peace, Eljunbyro, and Live // Story: Yaerfaerda // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash reached the arid peak sooner than she expected. A cold shudder rolled through her before there was even a wind. Perhaps this is what finally halted her hooves in place. She lingered there on the stone plateau of Val Roa, staring out across the Grand Choke, her eyes stabbed ever persistently-by the distant beacon. Nevertheless, she glared against the lavender shine. She felt the muscles in her body tightening, like the joints of a falcon ready to spring. It all seemed so terribly simple, and familiar, almost hautingly so. When the other hoofsteps scuffled up behind her, they felt strangely alien. It formed a lump in Rainbow's throat, and the only way to chase it away was with a courageous smirk that she bore on her blue muzzle as she wrenched her gaze from the Yaerfaerda symbol and turned one last time to gaze at her friends. “Y'know, the first time I ever crossed a desert, I slammed into a railroad sign and got surrounded by buffalo. Pffft... can you believe that?” Bellesmith, Pilate, and Kera trotted up the rest of the hill's height. Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Deserts are stupid. If anything, the dry air will just let me fly over it faster. Good thing I'm not leaping off at a swamp... or a beach... or—” Without saying a word, Pilate and Belle cleared the distance, wrapping their arms around Rainbow Dash and nuzzling her tight. Rainbow's muzzle hung open. Her ears folded back, and she clenched her eyes shut before the first tears could fall. With a shuddering breath, she leaned into her best friends' embrace. Belle sniffled, nuzzling Rainbow close, careful not to stab her with her stub of a horn—always careful. Pilate bit his lip as he reached a hoof up and caressed the mare's mane. The three remained locked together, their bodies slowly rocking in the desert breeze. Kera watched from a few feet away, biting her lip. It was Belle who spoke first, sending a shiver through Rainbow's body. “When I first saw you,” she murmured. “I thought you were the most adorable thing ever...” She sniffled and leaned back, her chestnut eyes brimming with tears. Nevertheless, she cracked a sweet smile across her yellow face. “...months and months later, and you're even more adorable than I imagined.” “There was a time when I would have bucked somepony's teeth in for saying that,” Rainbow muttered. “But now...” She looked at both ponies. Her teeth chattered before she found the strength to say, “I... I-I wonder why I never planned to settle down before. Getting hitched and just... nestling up with somepony always seemed so silly.” Rainbow gulped. “Marriage seems like such an awesome thing. You both are just so... so...” “We owe everything to you, Rainbow,” Pilate said. Despite the wavering tone in his voice, the blind zebra stood tall, bearing a sharp grin. “You rescued us out of the depths of Ledomaritan squalor...” “Heh...” Rainbow cleared her throat, smirking. “The Palace of Val Roa is certainly a step up from a log cabin in Blue Shelf, huh?” “A step and a half...” Belle shuddered, biting her lip. “You... uh...” Rainbow grinned. “You remember that one time I made you put on the beret?” “I-I remember...” Belle nodded, sniffling. “I remember everything, Rainbow Dash. You're a p-part of me. You'll always....” Her voice squeaked off. She shook her head as tears filled her eyes. Rainbow Dash crossed the distance between them one last time. She leaned in to nuzzle her dearly, murmuring. “All that stuff in your head... all of me that they put there? Don't let it consume you. Only dwell on the happy stuff, okay?” “I don't...” Belle shuddered. “I-I don't know how you do it...” “By not thinking,” Rainbow muttered. “Thinking is stupid. Just live... live and feel.” Rainbow leaned back, caressing the mare's chin. “Thanks... like, for real.” She took a deep, deep breath. “I didn't think I could ever have friends again.” She turned towards Pilate, quivering. “Didn't think my life could be so awesome twice...” “Don't ever give up, Rainbow,” Pilate firmly said. “Regardless of what the book or the Herald or any of that elaborate nonsense could have said...” The zebra smiled. “It's you and only you we have faith in. You'll make it to the Midnight Armory. And from then...” He sighed. “...a glorious future, by the Spark.” “Hmmm...” Rainbow smiled. “Ever optimistic... friggin' Stripesy...” Rainbow heard a shuddering breath. She looked down. Kera avoided her gaze, staring towards the south as she shiver. Rainbow Dash trotted over, squatting before the filly. “And you, ya little scamp. Try to be easy on Val Roa, y'hear? After what went down in Blue Nova, I'm not sure another city could handle your sass.” “Mrmmmff.... what's it matter...?” Kera tried to frown, but the tear rolling down her tattooed cheeks betrayed her resolve. “What's any of it matter?” Rainbow ruffled the filly's mane. “Rule Number One—stop friggin' asking that. Rule Number Two—you're too awesome to care.” Rainbow winked. “The Kera I know wouldn't bother with the details.” “Yeah, well, the Rainbow Dash I know wouldn't give up so easily.” “I ain't giving up, kid,” Rainbow Dash said, taking a deep breath. “There... there isn't anything in this world I'd rather not do.” Kera looked up at her finally, her lip quivering. “Then why are you doing it...?” The filly's face melted as more and more tears flowed. “Why leave?” She sniffled, shaking all over. “Stay with us... pl-please... stay with us...” Belle held a muzzle over her chin while Pilate leaned in to comfort her. “... … ...” Rainbow stared at Kera as the little filly doubled-over in sobs. She finally reached a hoof up and rested it on the foal's shoulder. “Kid, I... I've danced this same sorta dance before. And the last time I was kneeling before a scrappy little pony I respected, I said things... so many things... all but one. And I'm not gonna make that same mistake again. So... here it goes...” Rainbow Dash gulped hard, resting both hooves on the filly's shoulders. “I love ya, kiddo.” Kera collapsed entirely, whimpering as she rested her fuzzy head against Rainbow's chest. Rainbow gently wrapped her forelimbs around the child. “I love you so much. You make me happy... you fill me with so much darn pride. And I...” She gnashed her teeth, nevertheless leaned in to nuzzle the foal's neck. “...I care for you too much to just give up and die on ya. I have to carry on... I have to believe in myself and buck this chaos crud in the teeth. Not because I love myself, but because I love my friends... I love you...” She looked up, eyes glossy. “I love every single one of you...” Belle and Pilate rushed over and sank, enfolding their arms around Rainbow and Kera. All four huddled together, a bastion against the winds, serenaded by sighs and sniffles. Rainbow rubbed her cheek against Belle and Pilate before leaning back to grace Kera's forehead one last time. At last, she opened her mouth with a shuddering breath. “You're going to have to be the one who takes care of them, Kera,” Rainbow murmured. “I'm gone. Roarke—for all her strength and awesomeness—is far away. So it's up to you, got it? Don't let me down.” “I-I won't, Rainbow Dash,” Kera stammered. She backtrotted and leaned against Pilate while Belle reached down to caress her. “I'll... I'll make you proud.” “I'm already friggin' proud. Make them proud. Make yourself proud.” Rainbow stood up, wings flexing as she faced them and the melting crimson landscape to the west. “I just... I just can't get over how awesome you all are...” Rainbow bit her lip. “...and how dang cool it is that you've got yourself a radical place right here in Val Roa.” “We're where we want to be, Rainbow Dash,” Pilate said. “All thanks to you.” “Thank you, Rainbow Dash,” Belle stammered. “We'll live and we'll do wonderful things.” Pilate gulped. “Now... you do the same thing...” “Please...” Rainbow blinked, her wingtips fluttering as she delicately smiled. “I already am...” A warm, warm breath funneled through her. Then, with a nervous lip-bite, she reached a hoof back and fiddled with her saddlebag. Her ruby eyes turned aside and gazed at Bellesmith. “Ding Dong...?” Belle struggled to keep her composure. “Yes, Rainbow Dash?” Rainbow shuffled over, shivering slightly. “Belle...?” Belle's muzzle hung open. “Yes...?” Rainbow stood before her, trembling at this point. Finally, with a soft breath, she leaned forward and nuzzled the mare's head. Then, as her muzzle lingered besides the pony's ear, she murmured, “Always hold on.” Belle felt a dull weight in her hooves. Rainbow clenched her jaw, spun around, galloped east, and took off. Fwooosh! Kera leaned forward, stumbling slightly. With a quivering lip, she watched as the blue speck grew more and more distant over the desolate landscape of the Grand Choke. With a curious shudder, she turned to look at Belle. Pilate was shuffling over. “Belle...?” He leaned in towards her. “Bellesmith, darling, what is it?” Belle breathed evenly. A tear ran down her muzzle as she held a familiar green book in her grasp. “Memories, beloved,” she said. With a soft sigh, she hugged the book to her chest while leaning her head against his striped shoulder. “Nothing more.” And as Kera trotted over to nuzzle her leg, the mare smiled into the east winds.