After so long...

by Orfearus

Epilogue: Remembering

"Spits. If ever you need a friend to talk to, you know where to find me."

...

...

...

She was shocked.

She didn't believe what had just happened.

She couldn't do anything to stop it.

The rainbow Peagasus walked away
Into the distant town of Ponyville
Accompanied by her friends.

Spitfire was left alone.
Truly alone.
For the first time since she had taken that pegasus under her wing,
She had no-one.

How could Ponyville be more important than the Wonderbolts? Than her?

After all they had been through together, did she really mean that little? Or did her friends mean that much?

Confusion clouded her mind; she needed to clear it. Flapping her wings, Spitfire launched herself into the burning air. But even under the raging sun, the cold feeling of betrayal still filled her soul.

She had given that pegasus everything, and yet in those few minutes she had destroyed every dream she had been cultivating for the past year. Every hope, every desire, smashed by the only pony she had truly cared for in… in such a long time. She had finally been able to see a future, for both the Wonderbolts and herself, but now it was gone as swiftly as the pegasus who destroyed it.

Gone...

Her mind was overwhelmed by a piercing pain, causing Spitfire to let out a slight wimper as her wings folded in upon herself. The pain of crashing on the open Equestrian plains was nothing compared to the pain that tormented her soul: the pain of loss. Pain so sharp it was like nothing she had felt … in a long time. Memories rose unbidden to her mind.

“If this is your dream, then chase after it. Don’t worry about me; true friends put each other’s dreams before themselves.”

The pain brought forth by the long forgotten voice faded in her mind. She had chased her dream, and given everything for it. She never looked back, not even for a second, because to look back was to stop moving forwards. And she had achieved that dream; the little pegasus from Fillydelphia had become the greatest flier in Equestria! She had given so much up for this life, and had never doubted her choice before. But the loyalty and dedication of a single rainbow pegasus threw her entire life into question. Had she made the right choice?

She tried to look back, to see for herself that she had been right, but doubted the memories of the past still existed. It had been so long ago when she last thought of them, it seemed like a different life. With the greatest determination she had ever exerted, she tried to call back the memories of her childhood friend.

The memories that came back to here were plentiful, but clouded; the whispers of emotions were a pure joy she had long forgotten could exist within this world. Tears streamed down her mane as the image of a cloud-white pegasus drifted through her mind.

“Meriweather…” She whispered the word through the tears and memories. The long forgotten name brought forth a different memory, crystal clear, to her mind.

………

“Cummon Meriweather, let’s race!” she shouted back at the white pegasus, as she launched herself into the sky.

“Wait for me!” came the reply. She looked back to see her friend struggling to keep up. Slowing her pace to be just ahead of her friend, she threw a smile over her wing.

“You don’t need to slow down for me” Meriweather said.

“I’m not leaving you behind.”

“I don’t want to be holding you back. Go on and see how fast you can fly!”

After a hesitant glance over her shoulder, she took off as fast as she could flying low over the open plains. She flew faster than she had ever allowed herself to before, so fast that she could feel the heat building up around her. But still she pressed onwards.

Suddenly, the grass beneath her wings burst into flames, leaping up into the air. Tumbling into the ground in surprise, she looked back in fear as the fire started to spread across the field.

“MERIWEATHER!” she screamed, as the flames advanced upon her. Her wings were sprained from the fall, and would be unable to lift her up.

“HOLD ON” came the shout, as the pegasus landed beside her. Grasping onto her back, Meriweather tried to fly away with the two of them, but was unable to life their combined weight.

“You can do it!” She encouraged.

“I’m trying!” the shout came back. But try as she might, they could not leave the ground.

Meriweather looked back, a small light in her eyes. “I’ll be back” she said, taking to the skies before Spitfire could protest.

As the fire approached, her eyes were transfixed upon the white pegasus flying circles in the air above her. The more she flew, the whiter the sky grew, until the sun was blocked out by a single cloud. As she continued to fly, the cloud grew darker and darker until it was on the verge of raining. However the pegasus was running out of energy, and could not bring the rain to the ground.

The fire was closing in on Spitfire, and there was only one thing she could do.

“Meriweather. You’re doing great, just a little bit farther.”

Her speed picked up slightly, but the fire was moving faster. The heat was growing.

“Almost there, you need to push yourself a little harder.”

There was no response, as the pegasus started to falter.

“Please. For me. I need you.”

With another flap of her wings, and a kick of her legs, Meriweather unleashed a downpour of water upon the burning fields. The fire that was spreading immedeatly simmered out to steam, as the two pegasi became drenched in water. The exhausted friends lay down beside each other, not noticing the flaming lightning bolt and raincloud that had appeared upon their flanks.

………

Tears streaked across Spitfires face as she realized just how much she had given up to be a Wonderbolt. She had given up the best friend she had ever made, and the happiest days of her life. A more recent voice floated through her mind.

“They’re the only ones holding me up, the only reason I’m still flying”

It was only now that she started to see the truth in Dash’s words. That she wouldn’t be here without her friends, and they wouldn’t be themselves without her. That together they were stronger. That she had only become the greatest because of Meriweather. And that made the next thoughts more painful.

After getting their cutie marks, she and Meriweather had parted ways. She went off to pursue her dream as a Wonderbolt, while Meriweather stayed behind in Fillydelpia. Plains fires were common, and destructive to farmer’s crops, so she was needed within the community. She was probably still there, just like the day she left all those years ago. With a new thought in her mind, and a hope in her heart, she took off into the sky.

Even in the turmoil of her emotions, her wings found the strength to carry her onwards. She flew hard towards Fillydelphia, and tried to organize the thoughts that ran rampant in her brain. She would need to thank Dash for all this, and they had so much to talk about! Friendship, the Wonderbolts – but those were thoughts for another time. Right now she had one thing to focus on.

As a town approached on the horizion, a sharp fear cleared her mind of all thoughts, and allowed doubt to enter her mind. Was this showing weakness? To fall back on your friends when you faltered yourself? Her wings started to feel weak, as she started to lose altitude. No! she screamed in her mind. She couldn’t doubt herself now, let herself fall after coming so far. She had been pushing back her past for so long; embracing it took the most strength she had ever used. Pushing herself to her limit, she used her determination to keep herself moving forwards.

The city was right below her, and it came into clear focus as she slowed herself down. Circling the skies, she searched for anything that resembled the hazy image of a cloud house she remembered. But after so much time had passed, would it still be there? Would she still be there? As she expanded her circles around the town, her attention was captured by what looked like a pure white cloud resting in the shadow of a tree. There was only one pegasus that had such a cloud-white color. Pushing aside the slight hesitation in her mind, she landed by the tree.

The pegasus looked up. A face she had not set her eyes upon in… in too long a time. A pegasus she had never though she would see again. But there was no doubting who that pegasus was.

“Hey Meriweather. It’s been a while” she said.

Realization dawned upon the white pegasus’s face, leaving her too stunned for words.

“How have you been?”

The pegasus was still silent, taking everything in. Spitfire decided it was time for action.

“Cummon, lets race!” She said, taking to the sky.

Glancing behind her shoulder, she was filled with the utmost joy, as her first true friend was following behind her once more.

Comments

[ArcaneTrex]

yes...:D
thast all i have to say

[Orfearus]

After many delays between updates, the final epilogue is finished.
Of course, I could extend this to writing about Dash returning to the Wonderbolts instead of just insinuating it will happen, but I feel that this is a more fitting ending. A literary decrescendo.

Thanks for reading through, and of course all comments/criticism is appreciated.

[tubaguy]

Really well done but these plot set-ups always piss me off because no job, except for things like military, or secret service requires you to give up everything but the job. Especially not sports. ESPECIALLY not racing/action sports. It's a great arc for stories, but damn does is bother me that so many people think that this would be how it is.