The Fall of the Elements

Her wings beat until they burned, a devilish smirk on her face. Both hooves stretched out as she watched the river below her pass in an instant, the water becoming a bluish-green blur. Soon would be the falls!

This was what Rainbow Dash existed for. The thrill of feeling as if her wings were going to snap, going so fast her eyes almost could not keep up. Her magenta eyes narrowed, tears rushing back from the biting winter air. So close.

Up ahead, the biggest waterfall within ponyville, located just near the Ponyville Dam. It was colossal, around a thousand miles just to get to the end. Rainbow had found out that as she flew right next to the falls, the water would spray her body, and sometimes she would go faster then the water it's self. She began to count.

Five. A large log passed her, threatening to grab her tail with a long, clawed branch. She brushed past it, flicking her tail just slightly upwards to avoid the claw. She slowed a little.

Four. Rainbow Dash dipped a hoof in the water, grinning wickedly into her reflection. This was gonna be awesome!

Three. Angling upward, Rainbow flew at an angle that sloped upwards just slightly. Just a little longer.

Two. Flapping her wings to gain speed, Rainbow glanced over to see a splash of yellow on the shore.

One! Rainbow dash shot down, not bothering to look before she did so. She had done this a billion times that day! She could do it!

Or not.

Rainbow dash had miscalculated. When she had avoided the branch, she slowed, when she angled herself upward, she slowed. It could not have been much, but it was enough for one hoof to slam onto a rock that protruded sending her spiraling.

Any other time, she could've righted herself with ease, but as Rainbow was trying to do so, she somehow flew right into the waterfall. Hundreds of tons of water slammed into her body, and Rainbow let out a cry, trying to breath. Only water went into her lungs, and, coughing, she shoved herself out towards the air.

All it did was suck Rainbow Dash back in, slamming her back and sides against the wall and other rocks again and again. Her sides, back, and wings ached horribly, but her hooves were starting to go numb. She had to get out.

Trying one more time, Rainbow Dash shoved away from the wall, trying to move her wings to fly out, or at least slow her landing.

The first thing she noticed was a horrible pain everywhere. Her wings flopped limply at her sides, and one of her legs was twisted at an unnatural angle.

The second thing she noticed was that she was upside down, and she tried to turn in the air to right that. It didn't work, her brain wouldn't let her move. Her body was so numb. Rainbow just wanted to sleep.

The last thing she saw was a yellow face framed with pink, one with wide eyes, pupils as small as pinpricks. It's mouth opened and a scream came from its mouth.

“RAINBOW DASH!”

***

Fluttershy walked along the Ponyville Dam, starting along Beaver Creek to try to find the natural-growing clumps of carrots that Angel liked so much. She had found a small patch, and was pulling them out and placing them in a basket.

She had no way of knowing Angel would never get the Carrots.

She felt a rush of wind and glanced up, spotting a rainbow streak in the sky. Fluttershy felt a smile on her lips. Rainbow Dash was flying, and now the Rainbow looked so vibrant and so full of color. Joy filled her heart.

Then the rainbow shot up, then down, just over the waterfall.Fluttershy couldn't even see her friend from the speed she was going. But she noticed that the rainbow streak stopped, and right at the rock a cyan mare spiraled into the waterfall.

“Rainbow!?” Fluttershy screamed, darting to the edge of the Beaver Creek waterfall, looking over. The mare was nowhere to be seen. Fluttershy saw a shape pop out of the water, about half-way down the thundering waterfall.

She had to do something. Why wasn't Rainbow moving? She had to do something. Why wasn't she even trying to fly!?

Fluttershy forgot all safety and launched over the edge, avoiding the water completely and flapping her wings to speed her up. She was going faster then Rainbow was just falling. She had to catch her.

Just an inch away, Fluttershy reached out. They were too close to the bottom, if they went into the water, the waterfall would suck them in and batter their bodies. She looked straight into the pink eyes of her best friend, then screamed.

“RAINBOW DASH!” Her front legs wrapped around the Pegasus, and she flapped her wings as hard as she could, trying to get away from the waterfall. Her weak flight and Rainbow Dashes limp form wouldn't keep them from hitting the water, but maybe Fluttershy could soften the blow.

They were still so high in the air, and Fluttershy felt her wings begin to cramp up, not used to the physical exertion they were getting. She tried harder, pushing through the pain to save her friend.

Fluttershy felt the ground rush up and slam into their bodies, rocks slicing at their skin and cutting new gashes along the both of them. She didn't even feel it, a numbness grasping onto her as her vision faded away.

All she could do was hope that Rainbow Dash would be alright.

***

The next morning and the day after that, nopony saw Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash. Search parties were sent out, but the two would not be found for weeks on end.

As Fluttershy laid against Rainbow Dash, her life faded away, a wound on the head smashing her skull in, the shards stabbing into her brain. She felt nothing as she died, the cold winter air numbing her pain.

Rainbow Dash awoke later, unable to move. Half of her wounds became infected, and she found she could not move. After discovering Fluttershy, she sobbed over her friends death, devastated that the pony who had come to save her had fallen too.

Over the next three days, she guarded Fluttershy's body, calling out hoarsely for anyone to find them. Why weren't they looking for her and Fluttershy?

On the fifth night, Rainbow Dash awoke and couldn't feel anything but numb. She looked up at the moon, full and bathing her and her friend in a soft glow. Her breath began to labor, but Rainbow did not fight. Fluttershy would need her. Rainbow would protect Fluttershy in the afterlife.

In the dead of night, a second pony, the Element of Loyalty, passed away, exhaling a shaky breath into the frosty air. Though she wouldn't see her other friends for a long time, a smile was on her lips. She was dreaming of flying up in the clouds, higher than anypony had gone before, a warm glow on her body. She dreamt of all her friends with her, as if nothing had happened.

She didn't know that her best friends dyeing wish had not come true.