Failure

Grief

The day, much like the previous, was splendid. The air was cool, the breeze was light, and the sun shined brightly. And yet, no one cared or payed an attention to the good weather, for today was a sad day. One for mourning. One for grief.

Of course, the funeral was quick to happen, as soon as everypony had gotten over their shock and surprise enough to organize it, of course.

The viewing was held early in the morning, and the coffin, in which lay the strangled corpse of Rainbow Dash, was carried out to the Ponyville cemetery. The graveyard was small, tiny even. Death, even with natural causes, was not a common occurrence in Ponyville.

And so it began. As the casket was slowly lowered into the open grave by a solemn-looking unicorn, Princess Celestia herself, who had arrived as soon as possible, along with her sister, began to speak. Even with her voice magically amplified, it was quiet, distant. Sad.

Barely managing to hold back tears, she addressed the crowd, "My Little Ponies. Today is a day of mourning, of sadness, as we all gather here to grieve over the tragically unexpected death of our Element of Loyalty, Rainbow Dash."

The very mention of the name sent a jolt down Twilight's spine and made her gut clench.

"The circumstances surrounding her death are almost entirely nonexistent. The day before, she was fine, happy even. But then...then she went missing..."

Celestia trailed off and began to choke up. She had to leave her spot, and was replaced by a similarly grieving Luna.

"Anypony who wants to say a few words may...may do so now."

Applejack went first. Then Rarity, and then Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy declined. Then it was Twilight's turn.

The previous speakers all looked at the devastated mare expectantly. Twilight wanted to, but when she tried to move forward, her hooves were made of lead. Her vision became fuzzy. Twilight shook her head, but her the distortion of her vision remained. She couldn't hear anymore. No, that was a lie. She could hear, but not her friends, nor the birds, nor the blowing of the wind and its disturbance of the trees and the bushes.

Instead...she heard something else. It was like a whisper. In fact it was a whisper.

"She's not gone."

Twilight jumped at the sudden intrusion. It came not from the outside, but from inside.

"She is not truly gone...but you will never have her again."

Twilight blinked rapidly and stumbled backwards.

"Who are you? W-w-what do you mean?" she asked, warily.

"It matters not. All that matters is that Rainbow Dash is dead. And it's all your fault."

The voice's last sentence was like ice, sending jolts down her spine. The harshness of the words, alongside the very accusation, made Twilight feel sick to her stomach. Made her feel tiny.

"N..no." was all she could muster.

"Twilight?"

The Alicorn blinked again. She was back, and everyone was looking at Twilight with looks of concern, fear, and even one or two of anger. Applejack was closest to her, and it was apparently she who had snapped Twilight out of her trance.

"I...I'm so sorry." Twilight said right before she dashed away for her library.

The door slammed shut, sending shudders up the wood of the massive tree. What had gotten into her? That voice...was it...right?

"No, of course it wasn't," Twilight said, answering her own question out loud. Twilight eventually chalked it up to the stress of the recent dilemma, but, of course, she couldn't stop thinking about Rainbow's death. Rainbow Dash was the Element of Loyalty. Suicide was quite a selfish thing to do, wasn't it?

In fact, the more Twilight thought about it, the angrier she became. How dare Rainbow do that to her? To her friends? Did she have any idea what she was doing? And now, if something requiring the Elements of Harmony happened, they would be useless!

But...Rainbow Dash was a strong pegasus. The taking of her own life...it couldn't be. It wasn't something Rainbow would do. And yet it was. Twilight and Applejack had...found the body.

Frustrated and saddened, Twilight shrieked and stormed upstairs. She was going to bed, and no one could stop her.

Scootaloo was lonely. Her parents were practically nonexistent, her friends were at Rainbow's funeral, and Rainbow...

What did she have to look forward to? Nothing? Her hero was gone...forever.

The small, orange pegasus lay huddled on the living room sofa. The fireplace was empty of flames, and therefore it was cold and dark. But she didn't care; she wanted to be alone.

Scootaloo had cried herself dry ages ago, so she had felt no need. Her initial grief had ebbed, but she still felt awful. Her parents, though always working, did still love their child, and they did understand how devastated she must be. Scootaloo, unfortunately, had refused to speak with them. Her parents were worried for her, but they gave her space. They left for work the next morning. Again.

After all of this, Scootaloo found that she had regained the ability to cry. And cry she did.

Sleep? What a joke. Twilight's bed was warm and comfortable, as always, but rest was futile. Twilight tossed and turned, her shoulders heavy with her newest burned. She lapsed into anger and back into grief again and again. Her pillowcase was soaked and stained with tears, her sheets with sweat.

The voice hadn't returned, though Twilight always feared it. Despite all of her attempts, her thoughts, after Rainbow Dash, returned to that voice. It had all seemed so real...and the blurring of her vision.

With a groan, Twilight pushed the thoughts away once more, and turned in her bed, once more. Of course, being Twilight, she had tried to read, but that had been as futile as sleep.

Twilight knew that this would be a long night, week, month even. She had no idea.