The Next Lesson

by Bandy

Death 1

Let us clarify a few things before we continue.

Death was not really a robe-wearing skeleton. What Rainbow Dash saw was merely the small piece of the larger universal consciousness tasked with ferrying dead souls into the higher-dimensional plane and preparing them for their next life.

It appeared to Rainbow Dash in that form because her mind, conditioned by a very specific set of cultural circumstances, would recognize it for what it was. She understood it the same way a two-dimensional creature would understand a three-dimensional creature if the duo somehow crossed paths. That is to say--she barely understood it at all. But she could wrap her head around that one little part of it that was on her level. Had Dash been born a yak, Death would have appeared to her as a flying three-headed wendigo with a beard that wrapped around the world. It was all very circumstantial like that.

But let's get back on track.

The soul formerly known as Rainbow Dash had done an exceptional job this time around. This iteration had been a test of her ability to empathize and love--something her previous twelve iterations had struggled with. The trajectory of her soul, buoyed by her connection to the elements of harmony, had met the challenge with a signature tireless bravado. Her soul was powerful and learning more all the time. It didn’t have far to go before it flew out of the wheel of life and death altogether.

But there was still work to be done. In order to discorporate completely, a soul had to be clean of all fears and attachments. No easy task, especially when you considered how much fear and attachment was woven into the thread of the mortal world.

Such a task was impossible for a pony to accomplish in one single lifetime, so the lessons had to be spread out over a few dozen millenia. In the entire history of Equestria, a grand total of twelve creatures had achieved enlightenment. They had all been ponies at one point or another, but only two had achieved it as ponies. The majority of the twelve, interestingly enough, achieved the last stage of enlightenment as common housecats.

But we are getting off track again.

The next order of business was something even more difficult than learning to be vulnerable. Her final moments had shown some glaring flaws attached to her ego and lust for life.

Before she could move on, she needed to learn to let go.

In the near-infinite catalogue of creatures about to be born, the creature known to some as Death found the soul formerly known as Rainbow Dash a new body. It had a starting point suitable for her prior accomplishments and a trajectory that would challenge her to grow more humble.

It was an earth pony form, to boot. What better way to instill humility in a pegasus?