> Final Gift > by ChilvarousHistory > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Final Gift > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The time has come for Rainbow Dash to say goodbye. But she wasn't prepared. And she knew she never would be, even for years to come. Her "little sister", Scootaloo, has one last day to live, and the day had gone by so fast. The horrible disease, leukemia, was constantly draining the energy out of the young filly. Rainbow Dash was not prepared to say goodbye, she never wanted to. Scootaloo was one of her best friends, her biggest fan, the first pony she'd ever considered as a sister, the first she'd took under her wing. And now she was going to leave. Forever. Rainbow Dash would no longer be able to see the filly's bright smile that could light up even the darkest of days, would no longer have a number one fan to hang out with, would no longer have a friend she could consider a younger sister. She looked at her number one fan's weak state. The doctors had given permission for Scootaloo to have a day out of the hospital one last time, and Rainbow Dash was going to make it awesome, even as awesome as she was, maybe even better. “C'mon Squirt, let’s go,” Rainbow attempted to joke by calling Scootaloo by the nickname Rainbow had given her as she wheeled her sister's wheelchair out of the hospital. They both went to a park. Some ponies were staring at them and giving them weird looks but neither Rainbow Dash nor Scootaloo cared. Scootaloo’s final day on Equestria was not going to be ruined by the ponies who knew nothing about her. Not if Rainbow could help it. The duo were strolling around for quite a while. Rainbow Dash didn't even know why she had gone there so early, perhaps she was just so worried Scootaloo would pass before she could show her what she had intended to. At the same time as they were walking, though, Rainbow Dash could not help but daydream to herself a little bit. Dream for the day she and Scootaloo could meet again. They could fly together forever, side by side. It would be the best day ever, Rainbow Dash thought to herself. Though she was trying to comfort herself with those thoughts, she could not help but pity Scootaloo at the same time. The filly still had a huge life ahead of her, she hadn't even gotten her cutie mark. Beneath those small, orange feet should have been a trampoline, a field, a rainbow, anything but a wheelchair footrest. Seeing the pony she'd known as a strong, determined filly who never gave up reduced to such a state of weakness shattered Rainbow Dash's heart to dust. At last, night came. Everypony else had already left the park, leaving just Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo there by themselves. The night was quiet and peaceful. It was dark, save for a few lights from houses and buildings. A gentle breeze was blowing into Rainbow's mane. This could've easily be one of her favourite nights, if not for the fact Scootaloo would leave her forever. “Rainbow Dash…It’s time we returned to the hospital,” Scootaloo uttered softly. Rainbow Dash looked at the little filly's pale face, and shook her head stubbornly. “No, Squirt, there’s one last gift I have to give you. I must…” Rainbow’s voice trailed off as she ruffled the magenta mane of the filly, though more to comfort herself more than Scootaloo. She knew that Scootaloo wanted to die comfortably in the soft bed of the hospital but Rainbow Dash was determined to go to one more place before Scootaloo was gone forever. Rainbow Dash wheeled Scootaloo’s wheelchair to a stop at the bottom of a small hill. There was a bench and that was where Rainbow Dash sat down and locked Scootaloo’s wheelchair beside her. “Look up,” Rainbow Dash whispered softly to the pony beside her. Scootaloo did so and she was fascinated by the sight she beheld. Millions of stars were sparkling in the sky, like little shining jewels in the distance, gleaming beautifully in the dark, night sky. Though most nights were indeed beautiful, this night seemed exceptionally majestic, as if it was specially made to bid Scootaloo a last farewell. Rainbow Dash put her hoof on Scootaloo’s and squeezed it tightly. “Rainbow Dash…Thank you,” Scootaloo smiled weakly at her idol. Rainbow Dash smiled back, a tear rolling down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away, remembering her vow never to cry in front of Scootaloo, though this time it wasn't just about her pride. She vowed to always to smile to Scootaloo and to leave her a beautiful memory. Scootaloo looked back up at the sky, enjoying the view tremendously. Rainbow Dash couldn't recall the last time Scootaloo had smiled that way since the disease hit her. “Scootaloo, I want you to know…to know…that…that…I love you. I will miss you.” Rainbow Dash’s voice cracked as she struggled to say the words to her sister. Now , against her will, more tears were streaming down her cheeks. “I love…you…too…Sister…” Scootaloo uttered with her final breathe, smiling her sweetest smile, and the hoof that Rainbow Dash was holding went limp. Rainbow Dash grasped Scootaloo’s cold hoof for another few hours while fighting back more tears that threatened menacingly to fall. At last, Rainbow Dash forced a smile as she looked lovingly at her dead sister. Now, after months of pain, Scootaloo finally looked so at peace, so beautiful. She looked as if she was just a sleeping like a baby. Rainbow Dash leaned her head close to her little sister's, and planted a small, sisterly kiss on the center of her forehead. At the same time, though, Rainbow regretted not showing much affection to the filly while she was still alive and well. “Goodbye, if we could have a next life…” Rainbow Dash sobbed, “let’s be together as friends, or maybe even real siblings, once more.” And just at that moment, a shooting star burst forth across the sky not too far away…