"I only have a few days."
"Don't say that. I'm sure-"
"That's what the doctor said." Rainbow Dash's voice is firm, emotionless.
"You can't lose hope," Twilight Sparkle swallows.
"I did the minute I found out, Twi. It's over."
Twilight chokes. "No. You can't. You have to stay with us."
"I'm sorry."
The Ponyville General Hospital was familiar with Rainbow Dash. She had experienced a short visit a while ago, when she sprained her wing. It was only a memory now, a faint ghost of the times when Rainbow and her friends had laughed together, played games with each other, enjoyed the other's company.
It's gone now, their fellowship. Because of her sickness.
"Tell the others." Dash rolls over to face the wall, away from Twilight. "Just..." Her voice quivers. "I don't want it to be sad."
Twilight begins to argue, wants to, even, but she can't bear to say anything else. "Okay." She leaves the room.
Rainbow Dash strains her neck, trying to flex her wings.
She isn't feeling sad. She has hardly felt any emotion since the doctor told her.
She tries to let her mind wander, to explore her thoughts of her friends, especially what she will say when she sees them next. For the last time.
Instead, she falls asleep, almost immediately. She doesn't dream. She doesn't stir. Not until her friends come back.
"Rainbow Dash."
Dash keeps her eyes closed.
"Rainbow Dash."
Maybe if she pretends to be asleep, the impending sorrow will be postponed for a while.
"Rainbow Dash, I swear, these medications have only made you more selfish." Rarity is in tears. "Please wake up."
Dash opens her eyes. "I guess you're here to see me for the last time," she says, emphasizing the word "last".
Rarity looks like someone punched her in the stomach. "Oh, Dash. I-" She trails off. Tears trickle down her face.
"Stop that. You're making a foal out of yourself."
Instead of bursting into tears as Dash expected, Rarity calmly wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. "You're right. That is no way for a grown mare to act. I'm sorry."
Dash looks away, her cheeks reddening. She wishes she hasn't said anything to Rarity.
"I brought something for you." Rarity's horn glows a light blue and a small basket hovers onto Dash's lap.
The Pegasus looks through it. "Ribbons?"
"I want to do your hair."
"This is the last time you'll ever see me and THIS is what you want to do?"
"Yes." Rarity takes a step closer, standing a few inches away from the patient.
"All right." Rainbow Dash closes her eyes, trying not to think about the times when Rarity would style her mane, against Dash's will. She bit her tongue. "Get it over with."
Rarity went to work, weaving ribbons through Dash's rainbow mane, combing it gently, and twirling it with her hoof.
"Your hair is beautiful, Dash. When I was a filly, the only thing I wanted to change in myself was my mane. I wanted several colors in it, at least three or four. I never thought about having a rainbow in it."
"Thanks." Dash's eyes remain closed.
"Have you ever thought about your mane before? Did your mother ever style it?"
Dash pauses for a moment, then opens her eyes. "Once my mom put my mane in pigtails and forced me to go to school like that. I took them out before anyone could see me, I was so mortified. When I got home, I expected her to be angry. But she just sat me down and told me how my mane was beautiful and nothing to be ashamed of. Still, I never really listened to her."
Rarity lifts a small mirror up for Dash to see her reflection.
Dash's mane style is simple, yet completely ravishing. It is put up in a simple bun, tied with a pink ribbon. Two strands of hair, one on either side of her face, escape from the bun, each strand colored with every shade in Dash's mane.
"Thank you," Rainbow Dash coughs out. "I love it."
"You're welcome. Goodbye." Rarity turns to leave.
"No!" Dash grabs her hoof. "No. Please, promise me one thing first."
"Yes?" Rarity's tears are back again, but Dash doesn't care.
"I....I want my hair to look like this. When I'm buried."
"Oh, Dash..." Rarity plants a small kiss on Dash's nose. "Of course."
"Goodbye. I...I love you."
"Love you too."
Rarity is gone.
Then the memories come flooding in. Every outburst, every complaint, every offer of a simple favor from Rarity. The beautiful, magnificent, generous Rarity. Rainbow Dash bites her tongue and takes deep breaths, trying hard not to cry.
The door opens again.
"Rainbow Dash?"
No. Not her, not when Dash is trying not to cry. It's too much.
"Is this a bad time?"
"No, of course not," Dash lies. There is no sarcasm, just kindness, in her voice. "Come here."
Fluttershy walks slowly towards the other Pegasus in bed.
"Hi, Rainbow. I, um, wanted to come see you sooner, but..." The yellow mare's eyes welled with tears. "I couldn't."
Rainbow understands this. Fluttershy was too busy crying. Mourning.
"It's okay, Flutters. Um, you need a hug?"
Fluttershy leaps into the hospital bed, hugging and kissing Rainbow until Rainbow herself is in tears as well. They lay in the bed together or a while, neither of them saying a word.
Fluttershy breaks the silence. "Do you remember when you stood up for me? That day in Cloudsdale before you got your cutie mark?"
"'Course I do. How could I forget?"
"Are you...glad you did?"
"Flutters, why wouldn't I be?"
"What if you had lost the race? Would you still be glad you did it?"
Rainbow doesn't say anything.
"I'm saying that...if you hadn't, I probably would have killed myself."
Rainbow had always assumed this. She says nothing.
"But if you hadn't gotten your cutie mark in flying, you might not have hit your head so hard a few weeks ago. You might not be here today, if it wasn't for me."
"Flutter-"
"No! Let me talk!" Fluttershy's face is covered in tears. "I keep thinking about how if you weren't so...kind. If I wasn't such a freaking wimp." Fluttershy was bawling. "You might live."
"That's not true," Rainbow hugs her. "You know that isn't true."
"I don't...want...you...to...die!" She gasps, sobbing hysterically.
"Shhh, shh, it's okay. It's okay, Fluttershy. It's not your fault." Rainbow strokes her soft, pink, mane. "You are the best friend a mare could have, okay? You made my life in Ponyville amazing. Memorable. Don't you ever think it was your fault. Promise me."
Fluttershy can't stop crying.
"Promise me!"
"I- I- I promise."
Rainbow kisses her on the nose, immediately tasting the saltiness of her tears. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
Fluttershy drifts out the door, her yellow wings lifting her just a few inches off the ground. And then she is gone.
Rainbow can't stand to think about who is next. She can't stand to think about Fluttershy, the kindest pony she knows. She turns to her pillow and sobs into it, leaving it soaking wet. She doesn't notice who is in the room with her until she turns around.
"Applejack," Rainbow Dash chokes.
"Howdy, Rainbow Dash. Ah came to say goodbye." Applejack is smiling. She is the first one to not come in tears. Probably the only one.
"Applejack, I'm going to cry." This isn't what Rainbow wanted to say, and she immediately regrets it.
Applejack almost laughs. "Ah can tell, sugar. It's okay, Ah won't tell nopony."
Rainbow sniffs, wiping away her tears with her hooves.
"Here." Applejack hands her a handkerchief. "Don't get your beautiful eyes all red."
Rainbow dabs her eyes.
"Dash?"
"Yeah?"
"Uh... Ah want to sing for you."
Sing? Dash had never heard Applejack sing. "Why?"
She looks embarrassed. "Mah pa used to sing a lot, and when he passed, this was played at his fune'rl. It was his favorite song."
"All right," Dash blushes.
Applejack clears her throat several times before she begins, clearly nervous.
"I wanted you for life
You and me
In the wind
I never thought there come a time
That our story would end
It's hard to understand
But I guess I'll have to try
It's not easy
To say goodbye.
For all the joy we shared
All that time we had to spend
Now if I had one wish
I'd want forever back again
To look into your eyes
And hold you when you cry
It's not easy
To say goodbye
I can remember all those great times we had
There were so many memories, some good some bad
Yes and through it all
Those memories will last
Forever
There's peace in where you are
May be all I need to know
And if I listen to my heart
I'll hear your laughter once more
And so I got to say
I'm just glad you came my way
It's not easy to say
Goodbye.
Goodbye."
Dash opens her mouth to speak, but no sounds come out.
Applejack pulls her hat over her eyes, like she used to do when she is embarrassed. "Ah'm...sorry, if that embarrassed you or anythin'. Ah just wanted to sing for you before you go."
"Applejack, you sing like an angel."
"Thank you," she blushes. "I felt like it was Pa singin, not me."
Rainbow Dash pulls the earth pony towards her and kisses her on the forehead. "Goodbye."
"'Bye. I'll miss you, Dash." Applejack seems to be gulping back tears.
"Applejack," Dash says before the mare is out the door. "I'll tell him about your voice."
She nods. "Tell him 'hay' for me. And-" she pauses. "Sing him that song. For me."
"I will."
Rainbow wishes that she hadn't been so mean to Applejack in the past. And that she had asked about Applejack's parents before, she had never even thought of them. She collapsed back into bed, rubbing her eyes with the handkerchief Applejack had left behind.
"Rainbow Dash?" A pink mare walks solemnly into the room.
"Pinkie," Dash says softly. "Why is your mane down?"
Pinkie Pie shrugs.
"I don't want you to be depressed, okay?"
She nods, her face emotionless.
"Come on, Pinkie, I want the old Pinkie Pie back!
Pinkie erupts into tears. "How can I be cheerful? How can I SMILE?" She sobs. "When you're gone?"
Rainbow Dash lifts up her blankets. "C'mere, Pinkie."
Pinkie Pie crawls into the bed, stroking Dash's hoof with her own. "I wanted to throw you a goodbye party. But the others said that I shouldn't."
"Why not?"
"Because you're not well enough to come. And it would only make us sad. But I wanted to do something for you before you die."
Die. A word no one else dared to use in front of Dash. A word only Pinkie would be brave enough to face.
"I tried to think of something to give you as a goodbye gift."
"You don't have to give me anything, Pinkie. You're an amazing friend and that's all I want."
"I don't want you to be alone, Dashie!" Pinkie's tears splash Rainbow's face.
"Pinkie Pie," Dash whispers, running her hands through Pinkie's straight mane. "Did you know...before I met you, I was lonely."
"No, you weren't. You were popular in Ponyville. Everypony loved you."
"Everypony was afraid of me," Dash corrects her. "I was a bully. But I didn't really know better."
Pinkie Pie says nothing, just hugs Dash tighter.
"Then I met you. I learned what a true friend should be. Kind. Compassionate. And Pinkie-"
"Yes, Dashie?"
"You're the only one who can make me laugh. That's the best gift in the world."
"That's not true, you-"
"Pinkie, you are-" Dash struggles to think of the right word. "A perfect friend. I'm glad I met you."
"What am I going to do without you?"
"I want you to smile. There are still good things in the world. Good friends. Don't stop smiling for them. They need you to keep them happy."
"I will. I'll smile."
"Smile for me now. I can't go without seeing your smile."
Pinkie smiles. It is sad, pained, but it is a smile.
"I love you, Pinkie."
"I love you too, Dashie. Thank you."
"For what?" Dash watches Pinkie leave.
"For giving me a reason."
Pinkie's hair puffs up to her usual, curly style. And then she's gone.
"Twilight?"
Twilight Sparkle enters the room. "Hi, Rainbow Dash."
"Hi. Thanks for sending everyone in."
"You're welcome. Was it sad?"
"Yes. But...happy, too."
Twilight sits on the bed. "I brought something for you." Her horn glows and a book levitates in front of Dash's face.
"The last Daring Do book. I never finished it."
"That's why I'm here. I want you to read it before you go."
"Twilight?"
"Yes?"
"Read to me."
Twilight picks up the book and flips to the beginning. "Daring Do and the Phoenix's Curse."
Then she reads. Rainbow Dash is not plunged into the world of the adventure mare as she usually is, but finds herself captivated with Twilight's voice. How she rose and deepened her voice according to the mood. How she changed her voice for every character, giving them each a personality that the voice alone reveals.
Before Dash realizes it, the book is over.
"You better get some rest, Rainbow Dash." Twilight sets down the book and begins to leave.
"No!"
She turns around. "What?"
"Twilight...with the others, they left me something to remember them by. Rarity styled my mane. Fluttershy gave me encouragement. Applejack gave me a song. Pinkie Pie gave me a smile. And I gave them stuff, too. I gave them kindness, happiness, promises, hope. But...with you...you gave me a story. I want to give you something."
"All right."
"First, kindness. I think you are an amazing mare. You are talented, and I never meant to hurt your feelings when I called you an egghead. I know now that I was just jealous."
"Thanks." Twilight takes a step forward.
"I want to give you generosity. In my will-"
"Rainbow, I don't want any-"
"I'm leaving you my house. You can do whatever you want with it, live in it, give it to someone, but I have a suggestion. Give it to Scootaloo. She's almost a grown mare and she'll need someplace to crash. I mean that figuratively."
"Thank you," Twilight seems genuinely touched. "I'm sure Scootaloo will love it."
"I'm giving you laughter. I can't think of any jokes or anything so I don't know if I can make you laugh, so this is more of a request. Try to make all four of them laugh every day. Especially when things are hard. You'll thank me though, I learned that making people smile is an amazing gift."
"I will. I promise."
"I'm giving you honesty, too. I want you to tell the Wonderbolts that I'm glad they didn't accept me. I learned from it, that sometimes it's better to not have your head in the clouds. I'd rather be with my friends than in their team any day. And Twilight?"
"Yes?"
"I think you spend too much time indoors. Just being honest."
"I know." She half smiles. "Thank you."
"I also want to give you loyalty. This is kind of a hard one. I'd like to be buried-"
"Don't talk about that." Twilight is crying, actually crying.
"I want to be buried in Ponyville, not Cloudsdale. Near my friends. You will always have my loyalty. Which brings me to the most important gift I have. Friendship."
Twilight wipes her eyes.
"Don't forget. I love each and every one of you, and you have made my life worth living. You are worth more to me than any Wonderbolt team, any fancy trick. Even though I didn't always show it, or say it, you are the most important things in my life. Make sure everypony knows that."
"They do." Twilight's eyes are squinted shut, but tears are trickling through.
"Goodbye Twilight."
"Not yet." The alicorn grabs the Pegasus's hoof. "Please, stay for a little bit longer."
"I love you." Rainbow Dash kisses her.
"I love you too, Rainbow Dash."
Rainbow looks like she has something else to say, but she only manages to say, "Go."
Twilight obeys, not looking back, because she dares not to.
"I love you," Dash repeats, and then her eyes close.
The End
