Decay

Chapters

The Only Moment We Were Alone
They Move on Tracks of Never-Ending Light
First Breath After a Coma

The Only Moment We Were Alone

Decay
Part Two – The Only Moment We Were Alone
Thyrai

Rain crashed against the window in unrelenting droves. It was the perfect night for a storm. While most citizens of Ponyville were fast asleep at such a time; the two equine figures within the Ponyville Library were far from slumber. A cyan pony lie sprawled on her back atop a star-printed bed, her limbs held firmly down with powerful magic. Her eyes were wide in a sort of shock.

A unicorn lazily sauntered up to the bed, delicately placing a hoof upon the wriggling pegasus. She ran it down from the top of her captive's chest down to her haunches, pressing down slightly on what she found there. The pinned pony responded with a high-pitched groan. Grinning, the purple pony climbed on top, locking their bodies together in a sensual embrace. She leaned in closer and gave the cyan pony a long kiss.

As their lips parted, the magic restraining her prisoner's mouth faded away. The victim coughed and gagged as she desperately tried to refill her lungs. “P-Please Twilight...” The cyan pony managed through her heavy panting, tears had begun forming in her eyes. “What’s your problem? This... This isn’t funny anymore!”

Twilight giggled as she brought a hoof down hard upon the hapless pony's snout, giving a sickening crunch as it snapped. The pegasus yelped loudly as her blood painted her captor a new shade of deep red.

The unicorn gasped as her expression changed to one of rage. “Rainbow! Look what you've done! Now I'll have to take a bath because of you!” Twilight slid herself off of the pegasus, then levitated the her prisoner up before ruthlessly slamming her down on the hardwood floor. Rainbow screamed in agony, but was stopped by a hoof to the neck.

Rainbow's eyes grew wider still with terror, “... I can’t .. breathe..” she choked as her body quaked in tremendous pain. Tears continued to flow from her eyes as she writhed around on the blood-drenched floor.

Twilight erupted into fit of laughter. “Don’t worry, you won’t have to for much longer.”

The unicorn beamed as she produced a small knife and levitated it in front of her. Dash's eyes bulged as she let out another gut-wrenching scream. The hysterical pony struggled with all of her might against Twilight’s hold, but to no avail. She was able to effortlessly keep Rainbow firmly grounded with her magic. A savage grin appeared on Twilight's face.

One final blood-curdling wail broke through the monotony of the stormy night.

Twilight was up in a shot, screaming at the top of her lungs. It took her a long moment to realize she was back in her library. Another nightmare. She brought her head to her hooves and sobbed quietly for a long while. She should have been used to them by now, as sleep without the horrible dreams was becoming a distant memory.

The nightmares began when Dash fell into a coma from her fall. They weren't so bad at first. In fact, they were bearable. But ever since Celestia's last visit, they seemed to grow worse with every passing day. Each one more sadistic than the last. Each ebbing away at her sanity one night at a time.

As Twilight began to collect her thoughts, she noticed that her body was drenched in sweat from head to hoof. The book she'd been sleeping on had numerous pages torn and ripped from its bindings. Normally she would have kicked herself for such an unforgivable sin to one of her beloved tomes, but they seemed so unimportant now.

“Twilight?” A voice from behind called.

Twilight instinctively wiped the tears from her eyes. “Oh, Spike. Did I wake you again? I'm sorry.”

“Another nightmare?” She felt the baby dragon attempt to give her a comforting hug.

“... Yeah.” She kept her eyes locked on the book before her.

“Hey... Maybe you should get out of the library. How about visiting Rainbow? Doctor Essall said she might be awake any day now.”

Twilight absentmindedly rose and trotted up to one of the mostly-depleted bookcases, levitating a book from the shelf. “I will sometime later. I just... I can't sit around and do nothing while... while...” her voice trailed off as lump in her throat prevented her from continuing. The last thing she wanted was to burst into tears in front of her young assistant.

Spike hesitated for a moment, but decided to speak up anyway, “but.. What about what Celestia said?”

His question was answered by a glare. “I... I have to try.”

“But, I mean. Celestia has been around for thousands of years and--”

“Spike!” The anger in Twilight's voice was unmistakable, but her tone turned, “Please. Just let me try.”

Beep Beep Beep

Rainbow Dash awoke slowly and did her best to sit up in her bed. She did her best to rub the grog from her eyes with her casted forehooves, wishing she would have had something other than that annoying beeping machine to wake up to. She desperately wanted to get up and smash it to bits as each consecutive beep irritated her more and more. The machine was taunting her; reminding her of what the doctor had said the night before. Each beep counting down to the inevitable.

Beep Beep Beep

“I know! Stop it! Shut up! Leave me ALONE!” She screamed, feeling a familiar warm wetness slid along her already hot cheeks. Pressure welled up in her throat and in her eyes. It rapidly became overwhelming, and she couldn't hold it back any longer. A whimper escaped her lips, blooming into a fit of heaving and sobbing.

Unable to stop, she cried into her pillow for what seemed like hours before she felt something nudge against her flank. “Rainbow Dash?” It was a calm, feminine voice.

“G-g-go a-away.”

“Please...” The figure gently prodded her shoulder.

Rainbow bit back her tears and resisted the urge to lash out at whoever it was. She was glad she did, as she was greeted by none other than the kind face of Nurse Redheart when she turned around. The white mare wore an expression of the purest sympathy and heartache.

Dash sniffled, “W-what do you w-want?

“I just... You seem like.. I thought that maybe you'd want to talk?”

Rainbow dropped her head back to the pillow. “No...”

The nurse looked like she was about to burst into tears herself. Dash almost wished she would. It would serve her right for poking her nose where it shouldn't be. After a short while, Redheart spoke up again, “are you feeling alright?”

Was she trying to be sympathetic or was she really that dumb? “Fine. Never been better,” Rainbow answered through clenched teeth.

The nurse sat for awhile before trying again.“Is there anything you need?”

“Yeah. I need you to to leave me alone.”

“I was just wond--”

“Get lost!” Rainbow was yelling now, and almost surprised herself with the sheer volume and spite within her voice. A twinge of remorse brushed her conscience.

The nurse recoiled a bit with the sudden outburst, “sorry.” Redheart slouched back a bit before withdrawing something from under the bed. “Somepony dropped this off for you.” Rainbow felt something flop against the foot of her bed, but refused to look at whatever it was. Instead, she rolled over in her bed, turning her back on her.

Undeterred, the nurse spoke up once again. “Your friends should be visiting soon. They come every day for hours, you know. They... They really love you. They're going to be so happy you're awake.”

“Yeah. Whatever.”

Nurse Redheart stopped by the door. “I'll be back, okay? Don't hesitate to call if you need anything.”

Rainbow waited in silence as the nurse left the room and closed the door. Slowly, she looked at the gift at the end of the bed, immediately closing her eyes when she saw it. It was a blue and yellow uniform, topped with a pair of high-grade goggles.

Was it sympathy? Did they know? Crashing into the ground and breaking two bones surely wasn't a part of the audition. Or were they so impressed with her perseverance that they gave it to her anyway? Regardless, it left a bitter taste in her mouth. It felt was like a slap in the face. They gave her a uniform to fly. A token of pride, of freedom. But here she was trapped in the hospital.

Her whole life had been spent working for no other purpose than to become a Wonderbolt. She had dreamed of the day she would receive this uniform since she was a filly, and now it finally belonged to her. Her life's greatest goal was at last achieved. But she still felt empty.

Her eyes drifted to a pile of flowers, cards and balloons that littered a good portion of the room. Normally, she would have scoffed at how uncool it was to have so much sappy junk everywhere. Somehow, it didn't seem to matter so much anymore. Her gaze fixed on a photograph somepony had placed on one of the nightstands. It was a candid shot of her and her five friends in Canterlot castle the night they had defeated Discord. Celestia had organized a huge celebration just for them. Pinkie had one of the goofiest smiles Dash had ever seen; Applejack and Rarity looked like they were in the middle of an argument with eachother again, and Fluttershy was on the far corner of the shot, hiding as much of her face as possible with her hair. Then, there was Twilight. The egghead had such a beautiful smile. And that purple mane with that infernal streak of pink hair.

A small smile crept its way onto Rainbow's face as well.

It was a week after Rainbow's crash, and she was still asleep. It was driving Twilight more insane than the time she ran out of ideas for her letter to the Princess. Speaking of which, the Princess had set up an abrupt and 'informal' meeting with her today. The letter sounded serious, but then again, all of her letters did. There was just something about this one that didn't quite feel right.

The hours went by in the hospital as she awaited Celestia's arrival. She found that she couldn't take her eyes off of the cyan pony as she took in deep breaths, then exhaled. It may be bizarre, Twilight supposed, but the mere sight of the mare of her dreams in a peaceful slumber was enough to make her heart melt all over again. Temptation arose to trot up to her a kiss her on the forehead, but the pegasus' previous reaction led her to the decision that it might not be entirely appropriate.

It was nearly nightfall before the door opened, and Princess Celestia entered. “Twilight, I'm so sorry I'm late.” Her words sounded less eloquent than usual, as if she had let her formality slip away. There was also something different about how the Princess was standing. Her typically regal and self-important pose seemed much more reserved. Her head hung lower than usual, and her mane no longer shimmered with magic. It was disconcerting, to say the least.

Twilight stepped off of the cushion and bowed. “Are you alright, Princess? If you don't mind me saying, you don't look so well.”

“I'm fine. Please, will you sit down with me?” The fact that Celestia was avoiding eye contact with her sent a chill straight to her bones.

“S-sure?” Twilight sat back down, and was soon joined by Celestia. Silence ensued for a few agonizing moments. Something was dead wrong. “Was there... something you needed to talk me about?”

“Yes.” Celestia took a long moment to mentally prepare herself. “It's... It's about Rainbow Dash.”

Twilight's heart sank like a stone. She didn't need to be a smart pony to know where the Princess was going. “No... No no no no..” Twilight backed herself into the wall, as if Celestia was about to attack her. She couldn't feel her breath, but she knew she was hyperventilating. Tears began to stream down her face. Her mind turned to muck, and soon the only noises she could make were a frenzied sobs. This all had to be a terrible dream.

Though she couldn't see through her tear-blinded eyes, she felt Celestia kneel down and hug her tightly. Twilight cried for what seemed like hours while the alabaster alicorn wordlessly held her in a firm, comforting embrace. The princess stroked the back of her mane, just like her mother used to do when she was a filly.

The view of the falling sun from the window told Rainbow that the day was nearly at its end. Despite spending three weeks in a coma, she was still exhausted enough to sleep through the entire day. Sleep had a sort of mercy about it though, it took her mind off of things and seemed to calm her down. She stared out the window for a while before hearing a collective gasp through the thick hospital door. Those voices sounded familiar. Intrigued, she strained to hear what they were saying.

“Awake!? Dashie's awake?” A voice squealed.

“Yes, but do be careful with her. Three weeks of a coma is hard on the body, especially when combined with her previous condition; of which I'm certain you are all aware.” .The mere voice of the doctor evoked unnerving memories of the previous night. She tried her hardest to will away the leering anamnesis, but his tactless words once again blistered at the back of Rainbow's mind.

“Yeah, we are. Can we go see her now?”

“By all--” The door flung open and collided with the adjacent wall with a loud, dull crack. A effulgent Pinkie Pie stood in the doorway, brandishing a rather hefty load of new balloons. Applejack and Rarity stood behind her, looking slightly shocked. “...Means.”

“Dashie! It's about time you woke up, you sleepyhead! Do you know how many balloons I've had to refill for you? A lot! That's how many!” Pinkie's facade of cheeriness was paper thin; her voice was distraught and a tear dribbled down one of her cheeks. Even her hair looked halfway deflated from its usual poofy state.

Rainbow tried to give a small grin, “there wasn't a whole lot I c--” she was cut off by the charging pink pony, who had dropped her balloons and pounced on her; entangling her in the most tenacious bearhug she'd ever experienced. It wasn't long before she felt tears drench her shoulder.

“Hey... Be careful with the casts,” Dash gasped through the ferocious constriction, but her trembling friend didn't seem to pay any mind. Rarity and Applejack had trotted inside, followed by a previously unseen Fluttershy. They were all smiling, but the pain in each was obvious.

Applejack was the first to speak up, just as stoic as ever. “Gosh darnit, RD. Ya scared me half 'ta death when y'fell like that.”

“Heh, sorry.”

Rarity and Fluttershy circled around the crying party pony and each took a turn giving Rainbow a nuzzle. “It's so wonderful to see you awake again. We were so dreadfully worried.”

“Um... Are you okay? I mean, feeling alright?” Fluttershy's hopelessly caring nature was just as bad as Redheart's.

“Yeah.”

Pinkie began to pull herself together, and released Rainbow with a sniffle. “You silly filly. You should have told us you felt so down!”

“If I did, you guys would have pulled me out of the auditions.” Dash thought for a moment, “I will next time, trust me.”

Rarity shot her a glare, obviously unimpressed with her attempt at such humor. “It's a shame Twilight couldn't be here. She hasn't been the same since Celestia's visit. She's been cooped up in that old library for weeks,” Rarity continued, “And the whole incident in the field didn't seem to help, either.”

Rainbow wheezed, “she told you about that!?”

“Well, yes. More less. It was more of an accident, really.” Rarity's eyes stared off into space out for a moment. “But that's a story for another time.”

“B-but it wasn't-- I mean, I didn't want to leave her there. I had to.”

Rarity pressed a hoof to her Rainbow's mouth. “I've heard it a million times, darling.”

Dash wanted to press the issue futher, but arguing with Rarity about social matters was one of the most futile things a pony could do. She decided it best to let let this one go.

Fluttershy turned to the doctor. “Can she... Come back with us?”

“I'm afraid not. Her condition is so unstable that we must keep her monitored at all times. Besides that, the painkilling magic we've used will not last for very long without continued booster doses. I also need to run some tests.”

Pinkie tried next, “Oh please! Please, please, please! We won't be long! Only a few days! Please Doctor Asshole!”

“Doctor Essall,” the stallion corrected indignantly before continuing. “I'm sorry. You and your friends may stay here with her as long as you wish, but I cannot permit her to leave this room.”

“So that's it then? 'Yer just gonna let her rot here? Make her spend her last days in a hospital bed?”

“Hey! Quit talking about me like I'm not here!” Rainbow interjected.

The doctor started towards the door, scribbling something down on his notes. “I'm just doing my job, miss,” he said bluntly as he magicked the door behind him closed.

“Ugh, he is a buckin' asshole,” Applejack fumed, inciting a cringe from Fluttershy at the use of such language. “Sorry, Rainbow. And uh, Fluttershy.”

“It's okay.”

Dash waved a hoof as best as she could with her cast. “Don't worry about it,” she said before a new expression of determination appeared on her face. “But you all know what we have to do now, right?”

The lone candle flickered and lapped at the air around it, casting long shadows along the library floors. The sun was going down, but Twilight didn't notice. The blinds were drawn all day long anyway. It wasn't so much the sunlight that bothered her, but the prospect of accidentally looking outside. She couldn't bring herself to look up into the sky anymore. Thoughts and memories of her dying friend seemed to haunt the clouds above Ponyville.

She would find a cure. A spell to take away the abominable necrosis. Even if Celestia wouldn't help her, she would find a way. She had no reason to doubt her teacher – she'd never lied to her before. But Twilight knew that she would never be able to forgive herself if she didn't try. Somewhere, somehow, there might be a way tucked deep within the pages of her books. Sure, there were thousands of spells and remedies for sickness within the pages, but none of them had cures. In fact, disease curing was dismissed as mythology in almost every book she had read. A hint of desperation loomed over her search, as her rather bountiful supply of books was beginning to run out. Even the giant stack of medical and magic volumes 'borrowed' from the Royal Canterlot Library were beginning to run thin.

Twilight levitated a book entitled Advances in Medical Science and Magic from a nearby bookshelf, unintentionally knocking over a rough brown tome. The binding broke on impact, causing its contents to spill out across the floor. It was her old scrapbook.

Intrigued, Twilight levitated some of the contents closer to the candlelight. They were priceless photos of adventures past. There was a photo of the dragon flying away from his home after an encounter with Fluttershy, another of her friends during Winter Wrap-Up, and a few of the disastrous Grand Galloping Gala. One photograph in particular caught her eye, though. It was of Rainbow Dash the day she won the Young Flier's Competition. In all her years, she'd known it was scientifically impossible to smile from ear-to-ear, but leave it to Dash to prove science wrong.

Twilight returned her smile.

Applejack pulled her head away from the tall cupboard in the corner of the room. “Hey Rainbow, Look'a here,” she said as she heaved a metal device from the closet and dropped in on the floor.

Rainbow recoiled in horror. “No. No way. There is not a chance in all of Equestria that I'd ever wear that.”

“It's the only way. Y'sure as hay can't walk 'till we get those casts off 'yer legs. Ya can't fly outta here either, unless you break that there window. And the doc's sure to hear that.” Applejack had a point, but Dash couldn't bring herself to even look at the horrid contraption.

“Rainbow, darling. It's the only way. Please.”

“Come on Dashie! It's not that bad! Nopony will see us anyway! We'll be super sneaky!”

Rainbow sighed, they had a point. “Alright. But if I hear anything from any of you about this, you're all going to pay.” Dash said, squirming to the edge of the bed to where Applejack held the device upright. A short push later and she felt herself snugly secured into the most humiliating orientation she could ever imagine.

Thoughts of legless dogs crossed Rainbow's mind as Applejack fastened the buckles in order to anchor it to her body. It was a simple mechanism, consisting of four metal rods, two wheels and an ergonomically designed cushion. It would allow her to roll herself along the ground with her hind legs, the wheels would remove the need for her forelegs. Needless to say, it looked ridiculous.

Applejack took a step back to admire her handiwork, and visibly stifled a laugh with a brief snort. That was forgivable, and expected. Pinkie Pie merely snickered. Her biggest shock came from Fluttershy, who brought her hoof to her mouth to stop her giggling.

“And what are you laughing at!?”

“Nothing! Really. It's... nice...”

Rarity silently closed the door she'd been peeking from and turned around. “Alright, we need to go now before he comes back.” Her eyes widened as she saw Rainbow

The five ponies made haste out the door. That is, after unjamming one of Rainbow's wheels from its frame. Before long, they were off down one of the expansive hallways of the rather unnecessarily-large Ponyville hospital. It was a slow process, as each window had to be ducked and every open door checked for alert staff members. By dumb luck, however, the five ponies were able to remain unseen through the vast majority of the hospital.

Rarity peeked around the corner of the final corridor before the exit. “Uh-oh. We've got a nurse coming straight for us, go back!”

“No can do, we've got a doctor comin' from that'a way.”

“Oh no..”

“Quick! Into the storage closet!” Thankfully, the door was unlocked and the five ponies piled in the dark, cramped space before anypony noticed. Pinkie couldn't help but giggle at the completely misfortunate situation the ponies had gotten themselves into.

“Hey! Get your face out of my flank!”

“Sorry, I didn't mean to.”

“Ugh, it's filthy in here.”

“Shh! Somepony's coming.”

A long silence ensued as the ponies tried to stay as silent and calm as possible, which was, for them, quite a feat. The dull clopping of hooves as they walked past slowly faded away, leaving only silence.

“Are they gone?” Somepony whispered through the darkness.

“Hey Rainbow, check the door”

Rainbow sighed, “I can't, dimwit.”

“Oh, sorry.”

The ponies started as a shimmering blue aura appeared around the doorhandle. The door flung open, revealing none other than Doctor Essall standing in the hallway. He was again writing something down on his clipboard. A few seconds passed before he set down his pen and up at them. “Cute. Alright, now if you'd all please step out of th--”

The doctor was interrupted as a large sack careened off of his forehead, exploding into a shower of baby powder. Blinded, the doctor reared violently and swore loudly.

“Run!” Applejack yelled.

The five made their way as quickly as they could to the exit. Pinkie Pie had to practically drag herself to the door, as her nonstop laughter left her in a state of paralysis. Fluttershy's instictive reaction was to apologize and ask if the doctor was alright, but was quickly yanked away by a sighing Applejack. One of Rainbow's wheels fell off from her erratic jostling, but it was quickly mended with a little help from Rarity's magic.

Laughter accompanied them all the way to the Carousel Boutique. Tears of joy fell from their eyes for the first time in weeks.

The impromtu gathering was met by Pinkie's regular zeal. The ponies recounted stories of their exploits over a large helping of cake that she had produced from nowhere specific. Fluttershy confessed that she was the one who threw the bag of powder, and how terrible she felt for doing so. Applejack slapped her on the back and told her how proud she was of her. Dash cringed as Rarity's industrial-strength scissors sliced through her casts. Thankfully, she was able to keep the tool stable without cutting into her tender legs.

All things considered, it felt like something was missing.

“And... There! Alright darling, how do your legs feel?”

Rainbow tentatively put weight on her hooves. It felt a bit odd, and she wondered how the rest of her body could be betraying her while her legs healed up just fine. “A little sore, but they seem fine.”

“Heeyaw, Ah knew it would work!” Applejack boasted.

Pinkie gasped, “you know what we should do!? We should have a party! We got Dashie out of the hospital! And her legs are all healthy again!”

Rainbow looked down at the floor and subconsciously scratched the back of her leg with a hoof, preparing for what she had to do. “Thanks Rarity. Thanks everypony. But there's somewhere... Somepony I need to see before I go back.”

Fearing her friends, especially Pinkie, would be disappointed, she kept her head down until a white arm wrapped around her. She looked up to see a grinning Rarity. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy also shared a smile nearby, and Applejack tipped her hat in affirmation, “Yeah. We know. Go ahead, we can have our party later.”

Rainbow waved goodbye and stepped out of the Boutique. She ruffled her wings, preparing for the first flight in a month. A cough escaped her before takeoff, coating her tongue in something metallic in taste. She spat it out, leaving a red stain on the pavement below.

'Looks like I'll have to make this fast.'

“Useless!”

Twilight screamed as her magic slingshotted the book she'd been reading across the room, where it collided with one of the bookcases and exploded into a shower of displaced pages. The force of the impact knocked its few remaining books onto the floor and nearly toppled the bookcase itself.

She was a tornado of emotions. It was sort of a mixture if wanting to explode with rage and break down crying at the same time. All of her searching was fruitless. Every single book that had anything to do with powerful magic or medicine in the library was exhausted. All of them failed. She'd failed. Celestia was right.

Tears once again bit at her eyes. “I'm a failure. I'm... I'm just too weak...”

Twilight collapsed on the floor and began to sob once again. Mere seconds passed before a warm body crossed her flank and tugged her close. At first, Twilight suspected she'd awaken Spike again. But the figure was much larger.

“You're not weak, Twilight. You're the strongest pony I know.” A gentle voice whispered. It was female. It was... no.

Twilight opened her eyes, meeting the rose-colored eyes of Rainbow Dash. Dumbfounded and unable to help herself, she leaped at the pegasus, who wrapped her in a warm embrace. “I'm sorry... I'm so sorry.” Twilight cried.

Rainbow hugged her tight while she cried into her shoulder. “You have nothing to be sorry about. It's not your fault. It's not anypony's fault.”

Twilight wept for a long time, but her sobbing eventually came to an end within her friend's calming embrace.

Rainbow slowly released her and climbed to her hooves. “Hey, come on. I want to show you something.”

Dash nudged her up the staircase, past a contentedly-sleeping Spike. She led her out to the deck that branched from the top of the Library. The cool air of the night blew past Twilight's mane as she looked at the sight before her. The stars above shone like a thousands of luminescent lights in the black sky. The moon was full and large, cresting just over the balcony; silhouetting Rainbow in a dark shadow. It was a perfect night.

“It's awesome, isn't it?”

Twilight down beside her friend, “Beautiful.”

The two of them sat down together and gazed in silence. Twilight wondered if she'd remembered the abrupt kiss a month earlier. She didn't blame her for flying away, it's what any sensible pony would have done. The experience had to be one of the most embarrassing moments of her life.

Rainbow eventually turned her gaze from the moon to Twilight. “So...”she began.

'Please don't.'

“Uhm,”

'Oh, dear Celestia.'

“What was that kiss all about anyway?”

Twilight froze. “Y-you... Remember that?”

“Yeah.”

Twilight looked down at the floor. “It just me being selfish. Forget about it.”

She felt a hoof under her chin, gently lifting her face to meet Rainbow's eyes. She wore a mischievous grin, and a bright red blush contrasted against her cyan coat. “I enjoyed it.” The pegasus leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. A hot tingle passed through her body, warming her from head to hooves. It felt good.

Minutes passed until Twilight finally parted lips. “But... Why did you fly away?”

Rainbow stared back at her, looking conflicted. “I uh...” Rainbow looked like she was going to be sick as she replayed the memory in her head. “Erm, that's really not important. But this is.” The cyan mare dropped her head and began kissing Twilight's neck. She couldn't help but give a soft moan as she felt Dash's tongue run along her neck and back up to her lips. She moved closer still and kissed her back.

The two mares lie together in eachother's embrace for the rest of the night before drifting off into a peaceful slumber, both with smiles on their faces.

Massive thanks to ambion (imambion@gmail.com) for pre-reading this!!

They Move on Tracks of Never-Ending Light

Decay
Part Three – They Move on Tracks of Never-Ending Light
Thyrai

Live Reading by lk12lk21

The warm morning sun on Rainbow's coat was a pleasing contrast to the chilly dew of the morning. The air carried the sweet smell of spring, welcoming the return of new life to Equestria. Birds chirped and sang from their roosts, and a rich floral aroma from fresh flowers happened by from the breeze. The aged balcony floorboards creaked lightly as she breathed. It would be a perfect day to laze around and wait for the world to go by.

She kept her eyes closed as inched closer to the body in front of her, smirking to herself as pleasant memories of the previous night crept into her mind. Embrace reassumed, she gently stroked a hoof across the purple unicorn's coat. Tendrils of pain rippled through her hoof and into her foreleg. The magic holding her together was fading, and fast.

Rainbow did her best to ignore it by watching Twilight sleep. Her lavender chest lifted and relaxed lightly in blissful slumber. Her coat was much softer than Dash's own, likely because to her less physical occupation. It was almost like gossamer, soft and groomed to near perfection. She wanted to hug her tightly again just like last night, but after a short deliberation, she decided that didn't want to wake her. Not yet, anyway. Just lying with the beautiful lavender unicorn in her forehooves was enough. She never wanted to let her go.

Rainbow moved her muzzle closer the back of Twilight's mane. That very same purple mane she'd obsessed over since she met her. It accounted for many sleepless nights; and of which many left her wide awake in bed, covered in sweat and panting fiercely. She’d had feelings for Twilight for the longest time, and not just because of her looks. The bookworm had a sort of charm to her that drove Rainbow nuts. Truth be told, she was too nervous to ask her out. It was a constant irritation that she wasn't as brave as she thought she was. Admittedly, it was impressive that Twilight had the courage to make the first move. Though she wasn't nearly as socially inept as a certain yellow pegasus, Dash certainly hadn't expected the egghead to be so bold. And such a good kisser.

Her muzzle made contact with the back of Twilight's mane. But something was off. It was matted and sticky with something much thicker than the sudor from last night's affair. Her usually fragrant perfume was dwarfed by a now pungent aroma that made her feel sick all over again. The sensory cacophony drowned the spring air in a disgusting, fetid aura.

Blood.

Rainbow's eyes snapped open, she jumped and reeled back against the tree, her back smacking against the bark with a blunt thunk. Breathing intensified as she looked with disbelief of the sight before her. It wasn't the dew of the morning that soaked them, but a mix of blood and bile. The fluid drenched the entirety of Twilight's back and mane.

Twilight shifted slightly, jerked awake by the sudden movement. “Mmm...Rainbow?”

“I...” Dash began, but no further words came. She remained pressed against the tree as Twilight lazily rolled over and brushed the haze of slumber from her eyes.

“I-I'm sorry...” Rainbow managed, barely audible even to herself. She could feel herself beginning to tear up as anger and embarrassment began to rage inside of her, pulling at her eyes as the furnace of emotion boiled beneath.

“Hunh?”

Twilight turned around on her flank, her eyes growing wide as she saw the blood caked on Rainbow's coat. “what is..?” Her gaze flickered to the blood-drenched floor, and she gasped in horror.

Rainbow slid down the tree and sank down onto her haunches, unable to support herself. “I didn't mean... Twilight... I'm sorry. I'll clean... clean it up.”

Twilight had already jumped to her hooves and had raced over to the pegasus, grabbing her by her withers in desperation. “We need to get to the hospital. Right now.”

Dash's sensitive nerves screamed out in agony at the sudden grapple. Pulling away violently, she gave a sharp yelp as her skull cracked against the unforgiving bark of the tree. Her vision filled with millions of phantasmal stars, distorting the world before her.

Twilight's expression turned to the purest shock, “Dear Celestia, I'm sorry!” Rainbow merely groaned in response, rubbing the new injury with a forehoof. “I'll to send a letter to the doctor, we’ll get you better. Just hold on.”

A resolve appeared in Rainbow's eyes as they locked on Twilight. “No.”

“Wh-?”

“I'm not going back.” Rainbow announced sternly, vainly attempting to cover her mouth with a hoof as she let out a cough. Blood sprayed across her foreleg and dribbled down onto the floor. A bit of blood caught in her throat induced a gag, serving to cause another fit of coughing. Sanguine liquid leaked in a steady stream from Rainbow’s mouth, branching off into several tiny rivers down her chin and spilling out down to her chest and legs. Twilight tried to give some futile assistance, but was pushed away by the hacking pegasus.

“We have to go! Now!”

“No, Twilight!” Rainbow wheezed. “I'm not going to waste away in a hospital bed!”

“They can help you!” Twilight softened. “Please go... for me.”

“We both know I... I don't have much time left.” Rainbow sniffed. “And a hospital isn't going to change anything. Come on, let's get away from here.”

“But I... they can find a way.. to heal you.”

“That's not true and you know it.” Rainbow convicted through gritted teeth. “I don’t care about the pain. I just want to be with you.”

Twilight cried for what seemed like hours wrapped in Celestia's embrace. She didn't hold anything back. If somepony heard her hysterical weeping from miles away, she wouldn't care. It felt like nothing else existed except the pain in her heart. In fact, she didn't want anything to exist anymore. The unbearable blaze of emotion rattled her mind so much that she sometimes forgot what she was crying about. Though she tried, she couldn't restrain herself. The whitewashed hospital walls were collapsing in on her, slowly squeezing the life from her body. Suffocating. Unbearable, searing pain.

“No... No, no...”

Through deep sobs, she could only muster that one word from the depths of her wracking mind. A word of false solace. A word she could use to will away the cold grip of reality from her soul; to deny her corporeal existence and dismiss the whole thing as a bad dream. It had to be another nightmare. Only this time, she couldn't wake.

Agonizing time passed as Celestia held her student. Her silence was finally broken once Twilight's sobs began to dissipate into a soft cry. The unicorn began to release her grip slightly. “I'm sorry, Twilight. I'm so sorry.” the princess cooed softly.

“N-No.. Please.. No... She can't be... ”

Celestia's cloudy eyes met with Twilight's own bleary gaze. “I'm sorry Twilight. I'm so sorry.”

Twilight buried her head to the princess's alabaster chest. She couldn't look up. She couldn't look at the dying pegasus. Another surge of emotion rushed through her. She did her best to bite back another flow of tears; taking short, rapid gasps for air. “W-w-will she ever wake up?”

“I... don't know.”

Twilight tentatively peered down from the cloud they were perched on. Granted, her magic was powerful, but being a unicorn in the domain of the pegasi still made her uneasy. The expansive horizon included a scene of Ponyville, Canterlot and the infinite reaches of the Everfree Forest splayed out beneath them.

After a short cleanup of themselves and the library, the bullheaded pegasus and reluctant unicorn set off to the outskirts of Ponyville. 'Last night was kinda cool, but you've gotta see this!' Rainbow had said. Her eyes were lit with a burning desire, much like the times she would talk about joining the wonderbolts. Twilight couldn’t turn her down. Not only was Dash absolutely adorable when she wanted something, but she knew she was right. The hospital could only make things worse.

Dash had tried to hide the agony she'd been feeling, but it was all too obvious. She'd winced in pain with each hoofstep she took on the way. She was clearly in desperate needed medical attention, but they both knew Dash would never let go of her pride. As if Twilight hadn't hated herself enough for not being able to cure her, a period of self-loathing pricked at her for not learning any painkilling magic.

“Scared?” Rainbow quipped playfully. Her voice had become scratchy once again.

Twilight retreated back to one of the cloudy bulges, plunking down beside the lovably arrogant pegasus. “I don't think I'll ever get used to it. Heights aren't exactly my area of courage.” Twilight grinned, “last time I was up on a cloud was when you won the Young Flyer's competition. ”

“Oh yeah, that was a snap.” Dash bragged with a nervous shuffle, “I never doubted myself for a second.”

“That was right after the whole incident with Pinkie Pie and the hydra, wasn't it?”

“Heh, yeah. We sure did a lot back then, didn't we? I mean we saved the world. Twice.”

Twilight nodded her head in agreement. “And we crashed a royal party.”

Rainbow giggled. “Yeah, and how about the time Fluttershy totally lost it on that dragon!”

”And the situation with the parasprites, what a mess that was.”

Rainbow gave a contented sigh. “We've had a lot of awesome adventures together. I only wish we could have had more.” Rainbow continued, “you know, I wasted so much time thinking all that counted was how cool I looked to everypony else. Making it to the Wonderbolts was the only thing I wanted to do with my life, but now.. It seems so worthless. All that really matters is who you meet along the way. I guess friendship really is magic after all.”

A small, pained smile found its way onto Twilight's face. “You always were a smart pony deep down, weren't you?”

Dash waved a passive hoof, “yeah, whatever.”

Twilight lowered her head and kissed Rainbow. Her cyan mouth still carried the metallic taste of blood, but she payed no mind. Moving in for an embrace, Dash visibly flinched in pain as their bodies made contact. Twilight recoiled. “Sorry.”

“No, it's fine. Come on.”

“But-” Twilight was cut off as Rainbow hugged her tight and gave her another kiss on the lips. They held it for a long time before they released reluctantly. Twilight lay her head on top of Rainbow's neck in a tender nestle. The two of them remained there alone on their own little cloudy empire, enjoying the mere company of the other as the overhead sun began to wane.

“Hey, Twilight?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks. For everything.”

Ponies that happened by gave shocked and occasionally fearful stares at the goddess and her student as they trotted along the winding country road out of Ponyville. Celestia had decided that sobbing in the hospital room was not going to get them anywhere. Twilight needed some air, anyway. She'd spent the entirety of the week in her library studying, or in the hospital waiting.

Celestia had seemed to regain much of her lost composure as they continued along the path, Twilight suspected she did so as to not create a stir among the citizens. Maybe she did it as preparation, to steel herself for the conversation they both knew was coming. Perhaps both.

They travelled in silence for a long while as they slowly trotted down the rocky dirt path. Twilight took it upon herself to count each of the octangular-shaped stones along the way. Thirty-seven so far. Pointless mental stimulation was a habit she'd developed as a filly. Granted, it didn't serve much of a purpose at all, but at least it helped keep her mind off things.

The sun had already begun set by the time they found themselves in Sweet Apple Acres. Luna's moon slowly crept up on the horizon as they continued, providing vague illumation for the path ahead. The tree branches cast long shadows upon the ground, their convoluted fingers spanning out like a road map to some busy city.

“Twilight...” The princess started finally, “I know what it's like. I know the pain you feel now feels unbearable; like somepony is kicking you in the chest and won't stop. And I know it's even harder because she's still alive.” Twilight felt a tear run along her cheek, but managed to keep herself from breaking down again.

“It's a cruel joke.”

“My student, you must understand that these things happen. We cannot control life, only how we choose to make our way along its journey. Rainbow's flame is going out. Everyone has their time, but hers was far sooner than anyone could have expected. It's beyond tragic, but the only thing we can do is carry on.”

Celestia's words were a burning iron to Twilight's soul. She could feel her face becoming unbearably hot with emotion. “But can't you heal her? Is... Isn't there some kind of magic that can take it away?”

The alicorn's expression darkened. “Magic is powerful, Twilight, but it is not more powerful than death. Believe me when I say that, if I could, I would never go through the suffering of seeing generation after generation of ponies close their eyes for the last time. As much as I wish it were, magic and life are entirely separate energies.”

Twilight sat down, her legs had become too wobbly to stand any longer. Celestia joined her and wrapped a wing around her student, hugging her close. “But there is one other magic. The magic of those who have come before us and the legacy they leave behind. How they've influenced us and made us who we are. Your friends will come and go, but there's always a part of them that stays behind.”

Twilight sniffled as tears rolled down her cheeks once again. “Does... Does it ever get easier?”

Celestia suspired gently. “No. It never does. They say time heals all wounds, and it's true to some extent. Time will heal the some of the sting, but the scar will always remain.” The princess looked up to the moon before continuing, “but I guess that's for the better.”

“W-What do you mean?”

“Scars are a permanent memento of our past. If they heal, their stories are lost.” Celestia continued, “There will always be a place, a scar, in your heart and in the hearts of her friends. The magic of friendship is one that never fades away.”

Twilight leaned in closer her mentor as she stared across the landscape of innumerable apple trees. The moonlight spilled across the valley, bathing the landscape in the pale whiteness of nightfall. The wing wrapped around her offered a tranquil sanctuary from the frigid air, and from her own thoughts.

“Princess, will you stay with me tonight?”

Celestia smiled down at her, “of course I will.”

Rainbow laid her head back into the cradle in Twilight's neck, snuggling closer into her forelegs. Her eyes had become dark with illness, the spectral coward of disease was visibly taking a toll on her ravaged body. “What do you think it's like? You know... when you die?”

Twilight lifted her head from the rainbow mane. A tear shimmered in the corner of her eye. “I... are you sure you want to talk about this?”

“Yeah, I'm curious.”

Twilight released a saddened breath. “Well.. To be honest... I don't really know. I don't think anypony does. I’d always thought that it would... be sort of like...” the lump in Twilight’s throat prevented her from finishing. She didn’t want to cry. Not again.

Rainbow's gaze alighted over the horizon, a sincere look of contentedness crossed her eyes. “I always imagined that the lights in the sky would shine and take me home. To a place where I could see my mom and dad again, and where I wouldn't be sick anymore.”

The tear in her eye moments ago finally let go and rolled down Twilight’s cheek. Rainbow didn’t seem to mind the ensuing silence, as she cuddled even closer into Twilight’s embrace. There they stayed, watching the sunset and wishing to be nowhere else in the world.

The field of Equestrian clouds across the skyline had been set ablaze with the the burning redness of the waning sun. The great Equestrian vista shared in the glory of the last rays of its light. Golden orange sun shafts lit Rainbow's face, caressing and illuminating each of her features. She looked completely calm and placid. The sunlight had a way of erasing the pain that was so visible on her face only moments ago. A complete serenity shone from the mare of Twilight's dreams.

Rainbow turned her gaze over the expanse; to the picture-perfect sea of conflagration. “It's awesome, isn't it?”

Twilight leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. "Yes, it's beautiful.”

Dash smiled as she lowered her rosy eyes to the world for the last time. She was exactly where she wanted to be. The sky had always been, and forever would be her home. She was truly ready to go now. Ready for one final adventure.

“...I love you, Twilight.”

Sequel

'till next time,
~ Thyrai

First Breath After a Coma

Decay
Part One - First Breath After a Coma
Thyrai

Live Reading by lk12lk21

“We’ll be washed and buried
One day my girl
And the time we were given
Will be left for the world
The flesh that lived and loved
Will be eaten by plague
So let the memories
Be good for those who stay."

Rainbow Dash ground her teeth together. If finishing this race killed her, she wouldn't care. Her stomach ached with nausea and her chest was on fire with a searing, unbearable pain. Her head was pounding like a drum, and her vision was fragmented. Although she usually enjoyed the feeling of wind pulling on her mane, it now felt as though it was being ruthlessly ripped from her scalp.

She fought with all she had. 'I've worked my entire life for this.' she repeated over and over in her head. Failing now was not an option. It never was.

Despite her condition, Dash had managed to keep up with the three top racers. Normally, they wouldn't have presented much of a challenge for Equestria's Self-Proclaimed Fastest Flier. But things were different now.

The racers rounded the corner after the ninth gate, closing in on the finish line. A straightaway. Perfect. Rainbow did her best to streamline herself, aligning her hooves with the rest of her body. Her limbs screamed out in agony, but she managed to gain enough speed to rocket past the other racers.

She was almost there, and the finish line was now clearly visible in the distance. 'I can do this. I have to finish. I have to win.'

500 meters out.

The blazing pain in her lungs only allowed her to take quick, shallow gasps for air. It was as if there was a knife lodged inside her chest, cutting into her with each breath she took. Rainbow could feel herself beginning to black out.

300 meters.

The announcer said something over the megaphone. The crowd was roaring. It was loud. Too loud. The sound echoed inside Rainbow's head like a drum. She could have sworn her skull was beginning to split at its seams. It was cracking under the strain of sound. The pain was unbelievable.

100 meters.

Rainbow's body finally had enough. Her wings gave out, leaving her in an uncontrolled spiral towards the finish line. Her body flipped and tossed in the air, and she caught a quick glimpse of the rest of the racers sprinting behind her.

She briefly heard the crowd grow louder before the world faded into darkness.

Three Days Earlier

Rainbow yawned and fell back onto her sofa. It had been a long day of training. After completing her weather duties for the day, (taking no more than a mere ten seconds) Rainbow had practised her tricks and stunts from dawn till dusk. The Wonderbolts Auditions were rapidly approaching, and she was finally qualified to enter due to her performance and the Young Flyer's Competition. She had to be in perfect condition, as the Wonderbolts only held one audition every five years. Rainbow had worked her whole life for this chance, and she sure as hay wasn't going to wait five more years

Dash took a bite of her dandelion-oat sandwich and stared blankly at the wall of her cloud-home for a while. It was a nice wall; clouds sure did make nice homes. They were soft, reliable, and inviting. Pity that unicorns and earth ponies were cursed with cold, hard wooden and concrete buildings.

She shook her head, 'Ugh, I'm doing it again. Focus, Rainbow. Tomorrow I need to work on my sprints, then--' Her thoughts were interrupted as she swallowed. A burning sensation bit through her throat and into her nostrils. Strange, she hadn't felt that since...Rainbow froze.

Maybe it was just a once-off thing, but she had to know for sure. After a moment, she took another tentative bite and swallowed. Same feeling. It was that bittersweet feeling that she would occasionally get back in flight school. It was an omen. It meant she would have an excuse to skip a few days of boring lectures, but it also meant she would have to spend those days in her dorm.

A sore throat. It almost always acted as a precursor to a cold. 'You have got to be kidding me. Two straight years of perfect health and my body picks now to get sick. Bucking awesome.' she thought with an irritated groan.

She sighed and dropped the sandwich on a table. Whatever the case, she wouldn't let something as trivial as a cold, if it even was a cold, distract her from her training. Least of all the Wonderbolts Auditions. It might just nothing anyway. Just a side-effect of being too tired from all of that training.

She slumped back deeper into the sofa.

Dash perked her ears up, she could've sworn she heard something outside. Whatever, or whoever it was, they would have to wait until morning. She was too exhausted to even consider opening her eyes, let alone investigate the disturbance. She rolled over in the sofa, trying in vain to get comfortable in her irregular sleeping spot. Something was pressing against her head, but she couldn't be bothered to move it.

“Rainbow Dash!” A voice called from outside. She definitely heard it this time, and she tried to ignore it. Who in their right mind would be calling her in the middle of the night? Didn't they realize that even the coolest of ponies need their sleep too?

“Rainbow Dash!” The voice called again. Though the voice was distant, it was still loud enough to make Rainbow's ears ache. The aching spread through her head, somehow making whatever it was that was pressing against it feel a bit heavier.

'Confound it all.' Rainbow cursed to herself. She sure as hay wasn't going to be able to sleep now. She opened her eyes, instantly regretting it. A barrage of light seared into her eyes like a thousand tiny needles, burrowing deep into her brain. The pressure on her head increased tenfold, she could almost feel her skull crack under the strain. The morning had come. She tried opening her eyes again, slowly. The pain trickled through, but she was able to bear it after a few moments. She began climbing to her hooves, noticing that her joints were aching as well. There was no doubt about it. She was getting sick.

“Rainbow Dash! I know yer up there! Come out or Ah'll find a way up there m'self!” The voice called again, the accent clearly giving away its owner. Rainbow stumbled drowsily towards her door, absentmindedly unlatching the cloudbolt and stepping outside. The sunlight intensified, searing once again into her already tender eyes. Squinting as tightly as her eyes would allow, she peeked over the side of the cloud.

“Hey Applejack, what's up?” Rainbow asked, surprised by the gruffness of her own voice.

“Rainbow! What in Equestria are ya doin' in there? D'ya have any idea what time it is? I know yer big event is comin' up soon, but this is ridiculous!” Applejack convicted.

Rainbow began to register her surroundings. The sun was high in the sky, she could feel it beating down on her from above. She had overslept. A lot.

“It's past high noon an' you haven't even started on yer cloud buckin! M'apples won't grow under clouds, Dash!”

“Yeah... Sorry about that, I must have overslept.. I'll go get those clouds bucked in ten seconds flat...” Rainbow said groggily, confused as to how she'd managed to sleep far into the afternoon while still being dead tired.

“Aw, forget the clouds. We're gonna be late if we don't leave now.”

Rainbow twisted her face in confusion. “Late? Late for what?”

Applejack seemed caught off-guard by Rainbow's question, almost like she wasn't expecting it to arise “Uh, Ah mean, Pinkie Pie wanted to talk to you-- uh, us over at Sugarcube Corner. She mentioned something about, uh, pastries. Yeah. Pastries. Eatin' Pastries!” She beamed with a wide, fake grin.

Rainbow couldn't help but smirk while she glided down to the ground. Applejack was the element of honesty, and she couldn't make it any more obvious. She was, bar none, the worst liar in all of Equestria. She was up to something, and rest assured, it wasn't about eating pastries. Nevertheless, Dash was intrigued and decided to play along.

“Alright, but I can't stay for long. I've got traini-- hmpf!” Dash stumbled a bit as she touched the ground, her joints felt weak and cumbersome. Applejack, of course, took notice.

“You alright there Best Young Flyer?”

“I'm fine.” Rainbow lied, somewhat irked by Applejack's sarcasm.

“Y'sure? Ya look like Big Macintosh did after he tried to finish an entire barrel of hard apple cider by 'mself.”

“I said I'm fine! Let's go.”

Twilight mused at the sight before her. Decorations and streamers hung from every possible nook and cranny; the tables were filled to the brim with pastries, cakes, punch and confectionery. The whole building was packed with ponies, all of whom seemed to be having a great pre-surprise celebration. Pinkie Pie was a master of parties indeed. The pink pony was bouncing around, singing one of her signature songs with her usual, over-the-top gusto. The anticipation of the upcoming Surprise-Good-Luck-Rainbow-Dash-at-the-Wonderbolt-Auditions-Party was weighing on all of them.

Today would be the day, Twilight had resolved. It would be the perfect opportunity to pull Rainbow aside and finally let her know. The feelings inside were tearing her apart for far too long. She had to get them out, and get an answer. A simple yes or no would be so much better than living in a constant state of unknowing.

Fluttershy tapped her on the shoulder. The shy pony had 'volunteered' for lookout duty. “Um... Twilight.. Excuse me.. Sorry to interrupt but... I think you should know... They're coming.. I think..”

“They're coming! Everypony get to your positions!” Twilight bellowed.

Ponies scrambled this way and that, hiding under, over and inside anything in sight. The lights were quickly shut out, and the music stopped. Twilight quickly hid herself behind one of the counters, next to Rarity. Even the exquisite white unicorn looked excited for the upcoming celebration, seeing as though she didn't complain about sitting on such a dirty floor.

Muffled voices were soon heard outside, growing clearer as the two ponies neared.

“Alright Applejack, what's up? I know this whole pastry thing is a load of horseapples.”

“Uh, what makes y'say that?”

“This place isn't even open.”

“Sure it is! Just take a look inside”

“Why? Aren't you coming?”

“Uh, yeah. After you. I mean, my leg is broken. Uh, fractured. Sprained. I need you to open the door.” Twilight couldn't help but bring a hoof to her face. She knew tasking Applejack of all ponies to collect Rainbow Dash 'discreetly and without notice' was a terrible idea.

The door creaked open, and Rainbow stepped into the dark parlour.

Every light in the room suddenly ignited, “SURPRISE!!!” The ponies cheered in unison, cheering and clopping their hooves.

Rainbow recoiled at the sudden bombardment of sound, dropping to her flank and clamping her hooves to her ears while letting out a sharp cry.

Half of the ponies in the room fell silent, and the other half burst out in laughter. None of them were expecting the infamous Rainbow Dash of all ponies to react in terror to a simple surprise. Twilight and Fluttershy ran over to their cringing friend.

“Rainbow Dash! I'm so sorry. We didn't mean to scare you like that,” Fluttershy coaxed. Slowly, Rainbow released her ears and opened one eye, then two.

“Hey, everypony...” She began to climb back to her hooves with some help from a hopelessly apologetic Fluttershy.

Rainbow's manner genuinely concerned Twilight. It wasn't like her to pull a Fluttershy when surprised. In fact, Rainbow's wings would usually always explode outwards when something exciting occurred. Something was wrong. Before she could say anything, however, an ever boisterous Pinkie Pie was on the scene.

“Come on Dashie! Turn that frown upside down! It's time for a PARTY!” Rainbow's eye visibly twitched. “And not just any party! It's a super special Surprise-Good-Luck-Rainbow-Dash-at-the-Wonderbolts-Auditions Party! We know you can do it! You're the best and fastest flier in all of Equestria!”

Rainbow seemed to perk up a little with the last comment, regaining a bit of her regular, chesty pose. “Thanks Pinkie. Thanks everypony, this is... great.” Her voice was rough and laboured.

“Then... Let's party!” Pinkie squealed, bursting into song from which instrumentals came from nowhere in particular. The ponies quickly began their celebrations; eating, drinking, dancing, talking and laughing.

The three of them watched Pinkie for a few moments before Fluttershy turned to Rainbow. “Are you okay? You seem a little strange today. Not that it's a bad thing. You look nice.. Sorry.”

“I'm fine. I'm just a bit tired I guess.”

Twilight opened her mouth to press Fluttershy's question further, but was immediately cut-off again, this time by a fulminating Rarity. “Rainbow, darling! You look simply dreadful! Your mane is all frazzled! You look like you haven't slept in days!

“I'm too busy training to care about how I look. I'll catch up on sleep after I win.” Her bravado was accompanied by a swooping motion with her hoof, which was quickly retracted it with a grimace.

“That is no excuse for such unfabulousness and you know it!”

“Oh yeah?”

Twilight trotted off, this argument could last hours. Besides, it would give her some more time to mentally prepare herself.

The party went on as planned for around two hours, though she noticed Rainbow wasn't nearly as lively as she normally was at such events. Twilight found herself pacing anxiously around the room, fighting with herself in an interior monologue. 'Alright Twilight. You can do this. Just ask see her outside and tell her the truth. I can't do this. Yes I can, I have to. She'll just say no. But there's always a chance. Maybe I should ask her after the auditions, when she isn't so busy. No, I can't wait that long. I'm being selfish. Confound it. Just go.' Twilight took a few deep breaths and glanced around for Rainbow, but she as nowhere to be found. Pinkie Pie and Applejack were at one of the tables stuffing back ridiculous amounts of food.

“Hey girls, have either of you seen Rainbow?” Twilight inquired as she trotted up to them.

“Yep.” Applejack responded concisely as she devoured a donut.

Twilight sighed, “Recently? Like in the past five minutes?”

“Oh! I have! I got her to eat one of my famous cupcakes! Made with my special ingredients! I don't think she liked it very much though. Or maybe she just had to use the bathroom real bad! It's a mystery!” Pinkie said excitedly before resuming her unending buffet of rather unhealthy food.

Twilight trotted off, trying her best to not think too much about what she was about to do in fear of losing her nerve. 'Just tell her how I feel about her. No big deal'

She waited outside of the swingdoor entitled 'MARES' for quite some time. She wanted to be sure to intercept Dash before anypony else got to her. Eventually, however, impatience got the best of her. She needed to do this before she lost the dwindling nerve she still possessed. She opened the door and trotted inside, gasping a little as she found Rainbow Dash stooped over the sink, coughing in between dry heaves.

“Rainbow!”

“Ugh, hey Twilight.” Rainbow groaned before beginning another short coughing spell.

“Wow, I didn't think Pinkie's cupcakes were so volatile. Are you alright?”

Dash pushed herself away from the sink and started for the exit. “Yeah. I think I'm gonna go home and start training. Tell Pinkie I said thanks for the party.”

This was her chance. “Uh. Hey, how about I walk you home?”

“Sure. Whatever floats your hay.”

The two mares left the still lively party and walked in silence for some time. The normally talkative Rainbow Dash seemed to have other things on her mind, and her usual arrogant pose had deflated. She also seemed to grimace with every hoofstep she took. It was odd, but Twilight couldn't blame her. The audition she'd been waiting for her whole life was finally just around the corner. Twilight wracked her mostly socially-inept mind for some sort of conversation starter.

“So, you must be really stressed about the audition in a couple days.” she tried.

“Huh? No way. I know I'll win. I'm the fastest flyer in all of... um.. Equestria,” Dash boasted with the least amount of gusto Twilight had ever witnessed.

“Oh really? Then what's up with your behavior? It's not like you to freak out like that.”

“I was just surprised, that's all.”

Twilight stopped mid-trot. “That's a load of horseapples and you know it. You never cower like that. Tell me the truth.”

“W-well to be honest, I haven't been feeling that great today. My head kinda hurts when there's a lot of noise.”

“What? Why didn't you say so earlier?” It was so obvious now. How could she have not noticed?

“I didn't want to spoil the party for anypony. Especially not Pinkie Pie. She puts a lot of effort into those things.” Rainbow admitted.

“I'm sure she would have understood.”

“Pinkie? Understand? Her fix for everything is more parties and more cupcakes.”

Twilight couldn't help but give a brief giggle. “Yeah, I guess you're right”

It wasn't long before the duo arrived at the patch of field below Rainbow's looming cloud-home. 'It's now or never, Twilight. Just do it you stupid egghead.'

“Hey, um, Rainbow. There's something I need to tell you. I've been putting it off for far too long.”

“Huh?”

'Just go. Stop Thinking. Just go.' Twilight trotted up close to her cyan-coated friend and planted a kiss directly on her lips without a moment's hesitation. Sure Rainbow was sick, but she didn't care. Besides, actions always spoke louder than words. That's what her books said, anyway.

Rainbow stood with a look of shock on her face for a short time, gazing at Twilight through watery eyes. She looked like she wanted to say something, but her expression quickly changed into one of disgust and repulsion. She almost looked like she was going to be sick.

The pegasus pony abruptly launched into the sky, leaving a hurt and confused unicorn in her wake.

Rainbow was freezing. The cool chill of the day was amplified as it blew past her soaking wet body. It wouldn't be so bad, she supposed, but the stench of the bile she slept in made her want to retch all over again. She probably would, too, had there been anything left in her stomach.

She had been drifting in and out of consciousness since she had passed out on the floor after returning from the party. Rainbow rolled over, and her sides screamed in agonizing protest. She wanted nothing more than to fall back asleep to escape the pain, but the Auditions were starting soon. A gander at the clock indicated merely three hours until they began. She'd been lying there for fifteen hours.

This would be a fight won with determination and nothing else. Rainbow was a tough pony, but she realized this would be a struggle of a lifetime. In the end though, it will be worth it. Her lifetime had been filled with dreams of becoming a Wonderbolt. Dreams of this very day. A chance to prove herself once at for all. If only it wouldn't hurt so much.

'One hoof. Two hooves. Push. Ow, slow down. Almost there. Good. Now for the back hooves. Don't lose balance. Just a little further.'

After a tremendous effort, Dash was finally on her rickety hooves. Her vision was splintered. The world drifted in and out of focus, its colours distorted and erratic. The inside of her cloud-house seemed to churn and swivel on its axes. She stumbled around on her way to one of her household rainclouds, pain wracking her every hoofstep. Fire filled her lungs with each breath she took.

Rainbow gritted her teeth before releasing a powerful, upwards buck; releasing a sprinkle of rain from the overhead raincloud. Her front hooves buckled under the strain, causing her to plough face-first into the cloud below. The normally soft-feeling cloud felt like a rock as she collided with it, evoking a sharp pain to blast through her head. Though her mouth was closed, fluid was somehow filling her mouth. She tried to spit it out, but the red water kept on flowing. It burned her tongue.

She lay motionless under the cloud for what seemed like hours. Each drop of rainwater impaled her, each stinging like a tiny needle. She desperately wanted to crawl away, but she needed to get the vomit our of her coat. She couldn't even begin to imagine anything more embarrassing than meeting the Wonderbolts smelling the way she did.

After the vast majority of the vomit had been cleaned away, Rainbow once again struggled to her hooves and headed towards the door. A cough tugged at her throat, begging to be let out. She tried to stifle it, but it was persistent. A wheeze escaped her lips, followed by a series of hacking coughs. Each one rattled her brain, making her head feel as though it would explode under the excruciating pressure. She dropped to her flank once more, unable to stand any longer.

The coughing fit lasted a long while before she was able to recover and come back to her senses. Her head hurt more than ever now, the headache seemed to grow with every passing second. She crawled towards the door on her belly, deciding it best not to stand up just to fall down again.

Thankful that she didn't lock the door, she was able to nudge it out of the way with her nose and crawl outside. The sunlight burned as usual, but squinting seemed to help a bit.

The bones in her wings cracked as she lifted them into the air for takeoff.

'I guess I'll have to win on an even playing field.' She thought with a smug grin.

Beep Beep Beep

A deep breath filled Rainbow Dash's lungs as consciousness began to return. She was lying on something soft, but not quite as plumose as a regular cloud. Something was wrapped around her, radiating a soft, comforting warmth. A fleecy pillow was at her head, enveloping it in a delicate embrace. She had no idea where she was, and she didn't really care. It had been a long time since she'd felt so snug and cozy, wrapped in a soft embrace of linen. Her own blankets would always fall through the clouds of her home, so she had long since given them up.

Beep Beep Beep

If only that bucking beeping would stop. What was that anyway? Maybe she should open her eyes and investigate. No, that would ruin everything. It felt too good to just lie there. She'd just have to get used to it; but it was just so annoying. It reminded her of those machines in hospitals that kept track of a pony's breathing.

A hospital.

Memories of the past week returned with a flash. The sickness, the race, the pain, the kiss. Rainbow opened her eyes, finding a set for four whitewashed walls greeting her. Instruments and medical appliances filled the room, with an ever cliche IV drip stationed right beside her. She was tightly tucked into a hospital bed, though her forehooves stuck out and were wrapped in some sort of white bandaging. Half-inflated balloons inscribed with 'Get Well Soon!' were scattered throughout the room, accompanied by copious bouquets of flowers, cards and stuffed animals.

A male, brown unicorn pony stood near the doorway, levitating a clipboard while writing something down. He didn't seem to notice her waking up. She shuffled a bit in her bed, trying to sit up. Something felt different. Something looked different. Was that pain all a dream?

After a short while, the unicorn took a short glance upwards before returning to his notes. “Ah, you're awake. Good.” His booming voice carried a sense of gentle authority. “You just missed your friends.”

Rainbow cleared her throat to ensure she could still talk, and was pleasantly surprised when she noticed her throat was no longer a blazing inferno of agony. “H-how long have I been out?”

“Three weeks.”

Rainbow gagged, “three weeks?”

The doctor began to walk towards her bedside, levitating his clipboard and pen to a nearby table. “I would count yourself lucky. It very well could have been much longer.”

Rainbow stared blankly at the doctor for a moment as the words sank in. A new desire crept into her mind: a desperation to stand up and fly away, but her bandaged forelegs wouldn't move. “My legs...”

“Were broken when you fell. But that should be the least of your worries,” the doctor said as he produced a stethoscope and began pressing the cold endpiece against her chest.

Rainbow watched him for a moment, gasping as a horrifying thought grazed her mind. “Did ... Did I lose the race?”

The unicorn looked up and glared at Rainbow before answering, “I don't know anything about a race, but I can assure you that something much more serious than a trivial race is at hoof.”

“Try me.”

“Miss Rainbow Dash, as you probably already know, you are not in adequate physical shape. And I don't mean fitness.”

Her mind flashed back once again to the days previous. “Well, y-yeah, but I feel fine now.” It was true, too. Her previous afflictions had completely subsided, and her body seemed to be in perfect physical condition. Minus her forelegs, of course.

“You feel fine now, but it won't last. We've used our strongest magic and healing techniques to stop the pain and relieve many of the side-effects caused by this... Ordeal.”

Rainbow could feel herself beginning to shake. She wasn't sure what the doctor was getting at, but she knew it was bad. “W-what's wrong with me?”

"Perhaps I should let you get some rest before we move on."

"No. I need to know. Please."

The doctor sighed as he removed the stethoscope and placed it on a nearby tray. “Miss Rainbow Dash, you are undergoing an unexplained physical phenomena. The circumstances of your case are incredibly rare, even unheard of. The symptoms of this event are far from over, though we were able to slow them down.”

“W-what... What are you saying?”

“What I'm saying is that your body is shutting down. It's decaying from the inside out and there isn't anything we can do about it. Miss Rainbow Dash, you are dying. I'm so sorry.”