At Her Hospital Bedby Eventide IndigoChaptersIn The Worst of TimesReminiscing Flight CampGoodnight, Rainbow DashEpilogue: Letting GoIn The Worst of Times"Excuse me, miss? I am here to see Rainbow Dash!" The secretary looked Pinkie up and down with an unimpressed look. Her greying mane was done up in a tight bun, and even her eyes seemed to scowl at her as she paused to skim over a sheet clipped to a clipboard. "Name?" she muttered. "Pinkamena Diane Pie. But you can just call me Pinkie Pie, that's what ALL my friends call me." she chirped. "I should be on the list to see my friend." The bedraggled secretary nodded. "Yup, there you are. Take this, Ms. Pie." she said dully as she handed Pinkie a visitor's pass. She pointed with her hoof down the hall. "Room 20, walk straight down there and it will be to your left." "Thank you!" Pinkie grinned, bouncing down the hallway exuberantly. Hmm. Room 20? Room 20. Room 20. Room 20! There you are! Pinkie sat her flank down on the cool tiles, raising a pink hoof to the door and giving a soft knock. She waited a few seconds outside, until a tall stallion wearing a white scrub and a stethoscope draped over his neck opened the door for her. He looked away, calling over his shoulder. "Rainbow Dash, we have a visitor here for you. Would you like me to let her in?" Pinkie could hear a feeble voice reply "Yeah, she's my friend." The doctor nodded and opened the door wider. What Pinkie saw melted her heart completely, tears caught in her throat so only a devastated squeak escaped her mouth. She galloped in, rushing to the hospital bed. "R-Rainbow?" Pinkie whimpered as tears stung her eyes. The crippled form of a once-great Pegasus lay with eyes barely open. Several tubes connected her forelegs and muzzle to plastic packets of blood and medicinal liquids. Bruises and scrapes were all over her body and both wings were bent at awful angles that could not be comfortable. A screen beside her bed showed a green line, which gave a mechanical beep as it indicated her weakened heartbeat. The doctor gave Pinkie a sympathetic look. "Rainbow Dash was in a horrible accident. She needs her rest, but she insisted she see you, Pinkie. I will leave you two alone, but if anything starts to go wrong, I have two highly capable nurses waiting outside." "Thank you, Doctor." Pinkie said with a meek smile. Her head snapped back to the injured Rainbow Dash. Rainbow blinked, groaning slightly in pain. Her eyes fluttered and then opened wide, as if she had only just noticed Pinkie's presence. "P-Pinkie?" she rasped. "You came." Pinkie grinned, taking a seat in a wooden chair beside her bed. "Of course I did, Dashie." Rainbow managed a weak smile, but it soon faded as another moan of agony escaped her mouth. She coughed and shifted to face Pinkie. "I guess I banged myself up pretty bad, huh?" she joked. Pinkie couldn't help but giggle along with her, it was in her nature. "Yeah." Rainbow blinked, craning her neck to survey the room. "Where's Twilight and the others?" she frowned, resting her head on the pillow once more. "They were all out of town, but they heard what happened and are doing their best to get here." Rainbow grunted as if saying 'oh'. "Look, Pinkie. I invited a *cough* -another friend over. I hope you don't mind." Pinkie blinked her blue eyes cheerily. "Of course I don't mind, silly! I LOVE making new friends." Rainbow struggled to laugh, but could only manage a pained sigh. "How about old enemies?" At that moment, the door swung open, revealing the doctor with yet another guest by his side. Pinkie's jaw dropped. "...Gilda." she growled through clenched teeth. She was immediately knocked aside as the griffon surged past her, over to Rainbow's bed. "Dashie? Aww, man. Dashie. You really got it bad this time. Are you okay?" Gilda blurted, her claws resting on the side of the bed. Rainbow smiled. "Hey Gilda. Meh. Wing's a little screwed up but I think I'll be fine." Gilda pivoted on her heel, turning to face Pinkie. "Pinkie! How good it is to see you." she sneered, obviously unimpressed to see the pink Earth pony that she found so annoying. She snapped her head to face Rainbow Dash. "Ugh. Dashie, when will you get rid of this lame-o pony?" she snorted. "Hey! I can hear you, you know! Why do you have to be such a meany mean-pants all the time?" Pinkie retorted, her voice nearly reaching a full-blown yell. "Seriously, Dashie. What gives? You know we hate each other, so why did you schedule for us to visit at the same time?" Gilda snarled. Rainbow Dash simply gazed at them blankly, a faint smile on her face. "Yeah, Dashie!" Pinkie piped in. Rainbow shrugged, wincing in pain."Because you two are my friends. I-" Her hoarse voice was interrupted by the slamming of a door as the doctor and two nurses cantered in. The doctor had a worried expression on his face. "Pinkie Pie, Gilda, I will have to ask you to step outside for a minute. I have some news for Ms. Dash." Pinkie and Gilda exchanged confused and horrified looks, and slowly stepped outside. Their was a long awkward silence between the two of them as they desperately tried to avoid eye contact. "Hey, um. Pinkie Pie? Look, I am sorry for being such a jerk back there. I realise that if Dashie here cares about you so much, you can't be all that bad after all." Pinkie blinked in surprise. Was this the real Gilda? The stuck-up obnoxious jerk? Apologizing? Despite her mixed emotions, Pinkie couldn't bring herself to be angry. "Thanks, Gilda." Pinkie turned and pressed her ear up against the door, straining to make out the doctor's mumbling. She could clearly hear Dashie sobbing. "I am so sorry to tell you this, Rainbow Dash. But it appears your condition is much worse that we anticipated. Your wounds are... fatal. We know this must be so devastating for you, but we feel you have the right to know. We estimate you have within two or three days. We extend our deepest sympathies for you and if there is anything I can do for you to make you more comfortable, please do not hesitate to ask." By this point, Pinkie had long since burst in to tears. Gilda stared in pure shock, she opened her beak but no words managed to escape. "We will let your friends back in now so you can spend time together. Once again, we are so sorry. We are doing everything we can for you." With that, the doctor, with his head hanging, escorted himself and the nurses out. He paused to speak. "I am so sorry for your loss." As if paralyzed in fear, Rainbow Dash lay sprawled out on her bed, her teary eyes fixed on the ceiling. She rotated her neck slightly, and her sadness seemed to deplete as two of her best friends came into view once more. "Pinkie... Gilda..." Rainbow rasped. "I'm dying." Reminiscing Reminiscing Pinkie fumbled for words among the bitter silence. She had already known that Dashie's fate was sealed, but hearing her best friend admit it aloud only stung her heart more. Pinkie crouched beside Rainbow Dash, lying a hoof on her's, Gilda stood behind, too choked to speak. "Dang." she murmured. "Dashie - I..." Gilda trailed off, incapable of mustering the words to describe how she felt. "You are my best friend." within seconds the proud Griffon was reduced to tears. Rainbow cast her a sad look, the sky blue mare seemed to dull. Her colour had faded, the life seeping from her eyes, as if an invisible clock were silently counting the minutes to her demise. "Hey, shh." Dashie cooed. Stroking her friend's dip-dyed feather hairdo with what little strength she clung to. "You know I hate to see you cry, G." The griffon sniffed, wiping a tear that had trickled past her beak. "Who, me? Cry, Dashie?" she giggled through the sobs. "I guess we never got that race in, huh, Dash?" Gilda sniffled, peering down at her shifting talons. Dashie shook her head. "Who needs a race? You're the fastest gal I know." Dash replied, pausing to cough. "Even faster than me." Gilda gave her a warm smile and stepped away, allowing Pinkie to move in closer. "Remember when we first met, Pinkie?" Dashie said, gazing up at the cement ceiling as if it were as marvelous as a night sky filled to the brim with stars. Pinkie nodded vigorously. "Of course!" "And your mom called you Pinkamena?" "Mhmm." * * * The autumn leaves had rustled in the breeze, like the ghosts of a once bountiful spring now lying dormant. September already revealed the beautiful crimson and tangerine hues of autumn. The air was chilled, and being the practical pony Mrs. Pie was, she had forced her daughter to wear the ugliest of sweaters to the first day of school. "Mooom." Pinkie frowned, her hair cascaded over her shoulders, an image of her old self before she discovered her love of parties. "This sweater-" she trailed off. "Will keep you nice and warm." her mother snapped. "Now go make some friends and be a good girl." Pinkamena shrugged angrily, setting her flank down angrily on a swing. "Hey Frowny Face." "Huh?" Pinkamena blinked in surprise, her head craning to see where the voice had come from. "Where are you?" "Up here." Sure enough, as the young Pinkie peered upwards, there was a sky blue filly hovering above. Her mane was ruffled and untidy, a stream of colours, as was her tail. She stuck out her hoof, lowering herself down to face the pink Earth pony before her. "The name's Rainbow. Rainbow Dash." with that, she surged into the air, far above the playground, and beyond the blanket of clouds that seemed like a barrier between Ponyville and Cloudsdale. Keeping all the unicorns and earth ponies at bay. Pinkie had looked around, unsure of what to expect. "Um - Rainbow?" she yelled. Immediately, as if the Pegasus had been listening for a cue of some sort, she emerged from the clouds and began a dive towards the ground. Her rainbow-coloured mane seemed to leave a trail of colours behind her in her rapid descent. Pinkie could only stare in awe. "Wow." However, as the filly neared the hard ground, it became apparent she had lost control. Her forelegs began flailing about as if she could stop the rush of air beneath her. Her tiny wings struggled to hold her aloft against the speed she had built up. "I'M GOING TO CRASH!" Rainbow shrieked. Pinkie winced as the Pegasus collided with a ground, a loud thud resonating in her ear drums. "Rainbow!" she gasped, cantering to her side. "Are you alright?" Rainbow Dash simply groaned, mumbling something beneath her breath and turning to her side. "Ugh. It didn't work again!" Pinkie cocked her head, a curious expression fixed on her face. "What didn't work again?" she inquired, bouncing around Rainbow. "My Sonic Rainboom!" Rainbow wailed, flopping onto her back. Pinkie raised an eyebrow, peering to her left and right as if whatever Rainbow was talking about would magically be explained. "You know, a Sonic Rainboom." Rainbow continued, noticing Pinkie's evident befuddlement. Pinkie simply shrugged, shaking her head. "No?" Rainbow Dash said, her eyes widening as if Pinkie had just committed a heinous crime. "Well, let me tell you!" Rainbow Dash said, rising to her back legs and holding her hoof up as if she were holding a microphone. "Only this past summer, the marvelous and totally awesomest Pegasus in all of Equestria, Rainbow Dash -" she paused, striking a pose as if for invisible cameras. "-performed the most rare, most daring, most dangerous stunt known to ponykind. The Sonic Rainboom. She flew so incredibly fast that she eventually caused this massive explosion of rainbows that covered the whole sky for an hour! It was wicked." Rainbow finished. "Thank you, thank you." Rainbow bellowed, taking two sweeping bows. "And that is how I got this baby." with that, the filly flashed her flank, where the symbol of a rainbow zig-zagging from a cloud was. Pinkie's jaw dropped, her blue eyes filled with wonder. "Oh my Celestia! That's how I got MY cutie mark too!" Pinkie exclaimed, leaping into the air with a cheery spring in her step. Rainbow flashed her an incredulous look. "Um, what? What does three balloons have to do with a Sonic Rainboom? You can't even fly, Pinkie!" Rainbow retorted. "I know, silly! But the first thing that ever made me smile was seeing a Sonic Rainboom.And I would bet my mane that it was your Sonic Rainboom. Oh my goodness! Do you know what this means? We are so totally connected even before we met....." Pinkie had begun to hop in circles about Rainbow Dash as she happily babbled on. "Pinkie." Rainbow said flatly. "We are going to be the best of friends! And we can play games and have sleepovers! Oh, wouldn't that be fun-" "PINKIE!" The pony's ears flattened as she gave a sheepish grin. "Oops, sorry." "So wait, you NEVER smiled before that?" Rainbow asked, resting her flank on a soft bed of dew-strewn grass. "Like, ever?" Pinkie shook her head. "Pfft. How do you even manage that? Where the heck do you live? Boringsville?" "... I work on a rock farm." Pinkie said quietly. Rainbow Dash burst out laughing, holding her hooves over her stomach. "That's rich, Pinkie!" she smirked, laughing even more. Pinkie frowned, looking awkwardly around. Rainbow stopped. "You aren't joking, are you?" "Nope." "Weird." Rainbow shrugged, "I have never heard of a rock farm before. What do you even do with them?" Pinkie was interrupted as a stout mare with a reddish coat and a white and pink mane trotted from the schoolhouse, tolling a large brass bell to signify the start of class. The two fillies exchanged a smile and slumped their saddle bags over their backs. "See you around, Pinkie!" Rainbow called, waving a hoof before flying off to the school. "Save me a seat next to you!" Pinkie yelled, running in pursuit of the filly. Her only friend. Flight CampRainbow smiled, her chest heaving as she inhaled through thin plastic tubes. "Those were good times, Pinkie." Rainbow rasped. Pinkie nodded slowly, giving a weak smile. It was hard to feel happy when you were forced to watch your best friend slowly weaken, slowly slip away, right through your hooves. And you could do nothing to stop it. "Hey, where's *cough* Gilda?" Rainbow asked, noticing a sudden absence of her flight buddy. Pinkie shrugged. "I didn't hear her leave. Maybe she is outside." with that, Pinkie rose from her seat and trotted over to the large metal hospital door. She turned the doorknob with her teeth, opening the door and slipping past before the sheer weight of the opening forced it to close once more. "Gilda?" Huddled in a plastic chair was the familiar face of a Griffon, tears streaked down her face, snaking between her white feathers. "What do you want, loser?" she snarled. Pinkie was taken aback, she hesitated, but continued to trot towards Gilda. Lying a hoof tentatively on her shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong, Gilda?" Pinkie said sympathetically. "Nothing! I don't need you!" she snapped, brushing Pinkie's hoof off with a flick of her talons. "Why don't you go visit with your best pal, Rainbow Dash? Huh? Why should she care about me anyways? She never liked me like she liked you." "So just leave me alone, okay?" Gilda murmured, burying her head in her hands. Pinkie frowned, and now she realised why all this time Gilda had been such a jerk. She had been jealous of Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash ever since the start. "Rainbow is supposed to be my friend." Gilda sobbed. Pinkie sighed, seating herself in the chair beside Gilda. "You know, Rainbow really missed you." Gilda paused and peered up, her eyes glistening with tears. "R-really?" "Mhmm, ever since that fight you guys had, she felt really bad. She told me all about you two and your adventures at Flight Camp, and how much she wished she could go back to the good old' days of racing and hanging out. The truth is, Gilda. I was jealous of you. You two were best buds, still are best buds. She cares about you, Gilda." Pinkie said with a reassuring smile. "She missed you." Gilda smiled. "Thanks, Pinkie. You're a great friend. You deserve her, but I don't." "Don't say that! Now, go. Go talk to Rainbow. She's waiting for you. You two have a lot of catching up to do." Pinkie grinned, helping Gilda to her talons. She gave her a light push. "Go on." The griffon nodded her thanks and stepped into the room, shutting the door quietly behind her. * * * "What do you mean you "have to leave"?" Pinkie whined. Rainbow Dash flapped her tiny wings above her. "I am going to Flight Camp, Pinkie." Rainbow said apologetically. "If I ever want to join the Wonderbolts, I HAVE to train. You understand, don't you?" Pinkie folded her ears, her hair drooping. "Yeah, I guess." she sighed. Rainbow nodded and smiled. "Good. And don't worry! It'll only be a year apart and then we can go back to the way things were, okay? No one will ever replace you, Pinkie. We are best foal friends forever, remember?" Dashie grinned, ruffling Pinkie's frizzy hair playfully. "Promise me, Dashie?" "I promise." * * * It pained Gilda to watch Dash struggle for life like this. Imprisoned behind invisible bars that held her to this bed, the very one she was doomed to die in. How sad it was that she would never fly again, nor ever taste the sweet apple cider she had always craved. It disturbed her to see her energetic friend lying still, so still. The tiny scribbles of lines on the screen were the only signs that she still clung to life. "Hey Dash." Rainbow turned her head. "Gilda." she smiled. "You still remember the Junior Speedsters Chant?" Gilda sighed, rolling her eyes. "Only for you, Dash." The two friends sang in unison, Rainbow still with more vigor than Gilda. The harmony was only broken by the pained coughs and wheezes from Rainbow Dash. "Junior Speedsters are our lives." tears stung Rainbow's eyes as a wave of pain surged through her entire body, numbing her thoughts. "Sky-bound soars and daring dives." "Junior Speedsters, it's our quest." Gilda continued for her, holding her friend's hoof in her wings soothingly. "To one day be the very ... best." Rainbow finished, a tear escaping her eye. * * * "Cloudsdale." Rainbow gasped as she watched the passing images of the great Pegasus city from the back of a taxi. The stallion Pegasus drawing the carriage came to a stop atop a fluffy cloud. "Here you are, Ms. Dash. The bus to Junior Speedsters camp should arrive any minute now." he explained, pointing his hoof to a line-up of foals like herself, all chatting excitedly. "Thanks mister." she said, flying from the taxi with suitcases in hoof. Rainbow stepped behind two pegasi in the line, blushing as she realised she was the smallest filly present. One of the pegasi cast her a disdainful look. "And you are?" "Rainbow. Rainbow Dash." Rainbow beamed, striking a pose. "The awesomest filly in all of-" "Never heard of you." the Pegasus spat, returning her attention to her friend. Rainbow frowned, her ears flattening. She took a seat, sighing. She thought she would make so many friends at Flight Camp, but now she found herself longing for the company of her best foal friend, a little pink earth pony stuck on the ground. "Ouch!" Rainbow wailed as someone from behind her stepped on her hoof. Her head spun around to face the ....pony? What Rainbow saw was definitely NOT a pony, in fact, she had never seen it before. It was about her size, perhaps a bit bigger. She had the head of an eagle, but the body of some sort of cat? Perhaps a lion? "W-who are you?" Rainbow whimpered. The creature smiled. "The name's Gilda. I'm a Griffon." she said, offering a talon to shake. "My name is Rainbow. Rainbow Dash." she said, taking her talon and shaking. "You're new here, aren't you?" Gilda said, looking the filly up and down. "Don't worry. Stick with me and you'll be the coolest pony in no time." * * * Goodnight, Rainbow DashPinkie heaved a sigh, staring at the newly-waxed tile floor blankly. She was glad that finally her fight with Gilda was over, perhaps the two of them could even be friends. "Pinkie?" a familiar voice rang out from down the hallway. Pinkie's eyes widened. "Twilight! You made it!" Pinkie exclaimed, throwing herself into the open forelegs of a good friend. Behind her stood a rather flustered-looking Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy. "Of course we did, we came as soon as we could." Twilight said. "After we heard what happened -" Twilight trailed off as Rarity scrambled past her and grabbed Pinkie in her hooves. "Where is she? Is she alright?" Rarity screamed. She evidently hadn't gotten much sleep of late, there were deep bags beneath her eyes and her mane was in complete disarray. Streaks of black ran down her face where her mascara had run. Pinkie looked down sadly. "The doctor said she won't make it." Pinkie whispered. She searched the faces of her friends, perhaps for any sign of recognition that she had spoken. Rarity simply peered at her in disbelief, her eyes were wide and her lips was quivering. Twilight's mouth hung ajar with utter shock. Applejack lowered her head, hiding her tearful eyes from the group. Fluttershy simply shook her head, staring at Pinkie as if she had just seen a ghost. "Oh no, no, no." Fluttershy choked. Bawling, she galloped to Pinkie. "Say it isn't so." "I'm sorry, Fluttershy. She's still awake though, let's go see her." The five trotted in, past the large metal door, which they now propped open with a wooden wedge. Gilda turned to them, recognising the many familiar faces. "Hey girls." she said quietly, stepping from Rainbow's bedside. Pinkie took a seat, trying to fight the urge to glance up at the screen. Her ears twitched as the routine beep gradually grew less frequent. Rainbow looked up at them, her eyes half-closed as if she were just falling asleep. "Hey girls." Rarity slunk to another chair, taking it and pulling it up closer to Rainbow Dash. "Hello sleepy head." she said soothingly, as if she were a mother waking her sleeping child. "You simply must hang out a tad longer, Rainbow. We know you are stronger than this. You can fight it. Prove the doctors wrong." her lip once again began to quiver. "You musn't die." she sobbed, burying her face in the white sheets of the bed. Rainbow blinked, her eyes moved lethargically between each of the ponies, until she fell back on Rarity. "Naw, Rari. I don't think I can fly out of this one." Rainbow turned to face Twilight. "Could you *cough* get me a little water? I'm parched." Twilight nodded and trotted to her bed side, using her telekinesis to lift the glass to her friend's lips. "Better?" Twilight asked hopefully. Rainbow gave a nod of her head. The doctor trotted into the doorway, knocking on the open door to signal his presence. "Hello everypony." he said with a nod of his head. "How are you doing Rainbow Dash?" Rainbow Dash raised a hoof as if she were giving a thumbs up, flashing him a sarcastic look. "Just great, doc." "Listen, girls," he turned to the visitors. "It's already getting pretty late at night. We usually don't allow visitors to stay over night, but I talked to my boss and he said we could make an exception for you." Rarity nodded. "Thank you, doctor. I am sure I speak for us all when I say it means a lot." the five ponies and griffon all nodded in unison. "Alright-y then, I will leave you seven alone then." the doctor said, turning to leave. As the night grew darker beyond the shelter of the lamp light, the ponies gradually grew tired, until many could hardly keep their eyes open. They agreed each would take an hour shift keeping Rainbow Dash company through the night, for Rainbow was in far too much pain to sleep comfortably. Applejack had volunteered first shift, and as the others slept peacefully, huddled up with blankets on the floor, the two good friends whispered jokes and reminisced in the memories of days on Sweet Apple Acres. Of the sweet taste of apple cider. "That reminds me." Applejack whispered, reaching into her saddle bag and pulling out a metal thermos. "Ah brought some o' the finest cider for ya." she said proudly, handing it to Rainbow. The hour seemed to fly, just as these last two years had. "Goodnight Applejack." Rainbow Dash rasped. "Goodnight Rainbow Dash." Through the night, the shifts continued to quietly alternate as the rest slumbered. Rarity, then Fluttershy, then Twilight, then Gilda, until finally Pinkie Pie. It was three in the morning by this time, but Pinkie was hardly tired. She could see that through the night, Dashie had grown even weaker. Her every breath was pained and difficult for her. "Hey Dashie." Pinkie cooed. "How are you doing?" Rainbow peered up at her sadly. "I'm in pain." she whispered. "And I'm scared." Pinkie held the pegasus' hoof in her own. "Scared of what Dashie?" "I'm afraid to die alone, Pinkie." Rainbow sniffled, her eyes welling with tears. "I don't want to die alone, please don't leave me alone." Rainbow cried, grabbing Pinkie's arm. Pinkie looked at her sympathetically. "Shh, Dashie. You know I would never leave you. Wewould never leave you." Rainbow blinked away her tears. "Promise?" "Promise." "Pinkie? Can you sing me a song?" Pinkie gulped. "Of course." "Hush now, Dashie. Don't you cry. I know you're scared - but ... so am I. We will never leave your side Dashie, goodnight. And in that moment, Pinkie could see all the pain leave Rainbow's body. All the sorrow leave her eyes. Rainbow peered up at her, one last contented smile. "Goodnight Pinkie." she whispered. Pinkie stifled a sob as she felt Dash's grip go limp in her own. The screen gave one last beep, showing a scribble of green, until it disappeared, leaving a single flat line. Pinkie gave a weak smile, her hoof against her own heart. She pulled the blanket higher, tucking her in one last time. "Goodnight Rainbow Dash." Epilogue: Letting GoPinkie hadn't had the heart to wake the others after Rainbow Dash passed away. So, she sat alone in the plastic chair by Rainbow's bed, staring blankly at the clock on the wall, waiting for dawn. The doctor had been alerted and a team of nurses had arrived to move the body to the morgue, on their way out they had paused to offer their condolences in this hard time. Pinkie could hardly cry, for the tears seemed to well up inside. She felt as if she were drowning in a lake of her own emotions, bottled up within. She was not only sad, she was angry. She was angry at Rainbow Dash. She had always been reckless and boastful, and the thought of injury had never been a deterrent for the stubborn mare. Why? Why did she have to hurt herself? Why did she have to die? Pinkie didn't care if her death was out of her control, something in her drove her to blame it on Rainbow. So, the pony sat in silence, wallowing in self pity as the first signs of light filtered in through the flower-patterned curtains. Gilda was the first to wake. "Pinkie? Where's Dash?" she said, rather groggily. Pinkie frowned, walking over to the Griffon. "She didn't make it through the night, Gilda. I'm so sorry." Gilda's eyes widened. "She's g-gone?" she stuttered. Pinkie could only nod. "No. She was my... best friend. My... only friend. I didn't even say goodbye to her." Gilda slumped down to the ground. "Was... was it painful?" "No, she died peacefully I believe. It was all pain, but death was finally a relief for her." Gilda smiled. "That's good, that she was happy." The thought that Rainbow Dash truly rested in peace offered some solace for her. "Should we, um. Wake the others then?" Gilda said, turning to where the ponies slept, oblivious to the events of last night. Pinkie nodded and made her way to where they were huddling. She tapped Rarity on the shoulder, then Twilight, while Gilda took care of Applejack and Fluttershy. "Everypony, I have some sad news. Last night, Rainbow Dash passed away." Pinkie announced in a somber tone, turning to the now empty bed where she watched her good friend die. Several gasps chorused through the group. Rarity turned, bawling into Twilight's shoulder. Applejack removed her hat, holding it against her chest as tears escaped her eyes. Twilight used her magic to levitate a tissue, which she used to dab at her tears. Fluttershy simply shook with grief. "The hospital says we are welcome to stay a little longer if we need, but I think it's best if we go back home. We all need a little time to recover." Rarity wobbled to her legs, "I'll call a taxi right away." she sniffled, eager to find something to occupy herself with. The taxi arrived soon after and the friends all piled into the back. Everyone was silent for the duration of the ride back home, Pinkie could hardly bring herself to even cry. She did not feel any pain, not anymore. She felt numb. Nothing. Smiles didn't exist for her. What was the point of smiling if the one pony who gave you your first smile was dead? And for the first time since her day-long spiral of depression so long ago, when she had thought her friends no longer wanted her, Pinkie's hair cascaded over her shoulder, straight. The bounce had disappeared. She was once again Pinkamena. The ponies had hardly managed to squeeze onto one taxi, so the extra size of Gilda meant she had to sit alone in the back. Pinkie glanced at her from over the seat. The Griffon held her head in one talon, a tear running down her cheek as the images of Ponyville rushed past her. Eventually the taxi came to a halt at the town square and the ponies flooded out of the carriage. They all exchanged sorrowful goodbyes before trotting of in their separate ways. Pinkie waved farewell to Twlight as she returned to the library. Which left Gilda and Pinkie, their backs facing each other as they waited awkwardly at the stop. Pinkie turned to Gilda. "Do you need somewhere to stay? If you do, you can crash at my place." Gilda's eyes lit up. "You would do that for me?" Pinkie nodded, "Of course." "Anything for a friend." The two made their way to Sugarcube Corner, where a sad-looking Mrs. Pie stood in the doorway, a platter of freshly-baked treats in her mouth. "Pinkie, I heard the awful news. I-I am just so sorry. You can have these if you'd like." Pinkie eyed the selection, taking a cupcake with pink frosting. "Thank you." The two headed upstairs to where Pinkie's room was. Gilda looked around, her eyebrow raised. "It's very... pink." she remarked, with a giggle. Pinkie felt the corners of her mouth lift slightly, as if her mouth were fighting to smile once more. To reveal her true nature once more. Pinkie trotted over to a desk where several books lay, papers littered the ground surrounding. She pulled a large book with a leather cover from a row and set it on the ground. "What's that?" Gilda questioned, taking a seat next to Pinkie. "A photo album of me and Dash." Pinkie said, a hint of sadness tainting her voice. And so, the two new friends, however bitter their hatred for each other once was, huddled over the album. Every picture held the familiar smiling face of Rainbow Dash, the confident mare that once lived and breathed. Every picture held a whole new story for Pinkie to share, from the time she and Rainbow were mere fillies enjoying a picnic together to the day Rainbow Dash performed her second Sonic Rainboom for the world to see. Many tears were to be shed betwixt the Griffon and the pony as they poured over the album, the frozen images of their best friend at the happiest points in her life. Mrs. Pie brought up two glasses of pink lemonade as well, which they enjoyed thoroughly. Despite the pain they had all experienced in this last day, despite how much their lives had changed with the death of a single pony, Pinkie and Gilda managed to salvage the happiness lasting in their old memories. Tomorrow, the ponies would gather for her funeral, to celebrate the life of a good friend. Of a loyal companion. Of the most marvelous, totally awesomest mare in all of Equestria. Rainbow Dash. The End.
In The Worst of Times"Excuse me, miss? I am here to see Rainbow Dash!" The secretary looked Pinkie up and down with an unimpressed look. Her greying mane was done up in a tight bun, and even her eyes seemed to scowl at her as she paused to skim over a sheet clipped to a clipboard. "Name?" she muttered. "Pinkamena Diane Pie. But you can just call me Pinkie Pie, that's what ALL my friends call me." she chirped. "I should be on the list to see my friend." The bedraggled secretary nodded. "Yup, there you are. Take this, Ms. Pie." she said dully as she handed Pinkie a visitor's pass. She pointed with her hoof down the hall. "Room 20, walk straight down there and it will be to your left." "Thank you!" Pinkie grinned, bouncing down the hallway exuberantly. Hmm. Room 20? Room 20. Room 20. Room 20! There you are! Pinkie sat her flank down on the cool tiles, raising a pink hoof to the door and giving a soft knock. She waited a few seconds outside, until a tall stallion wearing a white scrub and a stethoscope draped over his neck opened the door for her. He looked away, calling over his shoulder. "Rainbow Dash, we have a visitor here for you. Would you like me to let her in?" Pinkie could hear a feeble voice reply "Yeah, she's my friend." The doctor nodded and opened the door wider. What Pinkie saw melted her heart completely, tears caught in her throat so only a devastated squeak escaped her mouth. She galloped in, rushing to the hospital bed. "R-Rainbow?" Pinkie whimpered as tears stung her eyes. The crippled form of a once-great Pegasus lay with eyes barely open. Several tubes connected her forelegs and muzzle to plastic packets of blood and medicinal liquids. Bruises and scrapes were all over her body and both wings were bent at awful angles that could not be comfortable. A screen beside her bed showed a green line, which gave a mechanical beep as it indicated her weakened heartbeat. The doctor gave Pinkie a sympathetic look. "Rainbow Dash was in a horrible accident. She needs her rest, but she insisted she see you, Pinkie. I will leave you two alone, but if anything starts to go wrong, I have two highly capable nurses waiting outside." "Thank you, Doctor." Pinkie said with a meek smile. Her head snapped back to the injured Rainbow Dash. Rainbow blinked, groaning slightly in pain. Her eyes fluttered and then opened wide, as if she had only just noticed Pinkie's presence. "P-Pinkie?" she rasped. "You came." Pinkie grinned, taking a seat in a wooden chair beside her bed. "Of course I did, Dashie." Rainbow managed a weak smile, but it soon faded as another moan of agony escaped her mouth. She coughed and shifted to face Pinkie. "I guess I banged myself up pretty bad, huh?" she joked. Pinkie couldn't help but giggle along with her, it was in her nature. "Yeah." Rainbow blinked, craning her neck to survey the room. "Where's Twilight and the others?" she frowned, resting her head on the pillow once more. "They were all out of town, but they heard what happened and are doing their best to get here." Rainbow grunted as if saying 'oh'. "Look, Pinkie. I invited a *cough* -another friend over. I hope you don't mind." Pinkie blinked her blue eyes cheerily. "Of course I don't mind, silly! I LOVE making new friends." Rainbow struggled to laugh, but could only manage a pained sigh. "How about old enemies?" At that moment, the door swung open, revealing the doctor with yet another guest by his side. Pinkie's jaw dropped. "...Gilda." she growled through clenched teeth. She was immediately knocked aside as the griffon surged past her, over to Rainbow's bed. "Dashie? Aww, man. Dashie. You really got it bad this time. Are you okay?" Gilda blurted, her claws resting on the side of the bed. Rainbow smiled. "Hey Gilda. Meh. Wing's a little screwed up but I think I'll be fine." Gilda pivoted on her heel, turning to face Pinkie. "Pinkie! How good it is to see you." she sneered, obviously unimpressed to see the pink Earth pony that she found so annoying. She snapped her head to face Rainbow Dash. "Ugh. Dashie, when will you get rid of this lame-o pony?" she snorted. "Hey! I can hear you, you know! Why do you have to be such a meany mean-pants all the time?" Pinkie retorted, her voice nearly reaching a full-blown yell. "Seriously, Dashie. What gives? You know we hate each other, so why did you schedule for us to visit at the same time?" Gilda snarled. Rainbow Dash simply gazed at them blankly, a faint smile on her face. "Yeah, Dashie!" Pinkie piped in. Rainbow shrugged, wincing in pain."Because you two are my friends. I-" Her hoarse voice was interrupted by the slamming of a door as the doctor and two nurses cantered in. The doctor had a worried expression on his face. "Pinkie Pie, Gilda, I will have to ask you to step outside for a minute. I have some news for Ms. Dash." Pinkie and Gilda exchanged confused and horrified looks, and slowly stepped outside. Their was a long awkward silence between the two of them as they desperately tried to avoid eye contact. "Hey, um. Pinkie Pie? Look, I am sorry for being such a jerk back there. I realise that if Dashie here cares about you so much, you can't be all that bad after all." Pinkie blinked in surprise. Was this the real Gilda? The stuck-up obnoxious jerk? Apologizing? Despite her mixed emotions, Pinkie couldn't bring herself to be angry. "Thanks, Gilda." Pinkie turned and pressed her ear up against the door, straining to make out the doctor's mumbling. She could clearly hear Dashie sobbing. "I am so sorry to tell you this, Rainbow Dash. But it appears your condition is much worse that we anticipated. Your wounds are... fatal. We know this must be so devastating for you, but we feel you have the right to know. We estimate you have within two or three days. We extend our deepest sympathies for you and if there is anything I can do for you to make you more comfortable, please do not hesitate to ask." By this point, Pinkie had long since burst in to tears. Gilda stared in pure shock, she opened her beak but no words managed to escape. "We will let your friends back in now so you can spend time together. Once again, we are so sorry. We are doing everything we can for you." With that, the doctor, with his head hanging, escorted himself and the nurses out. He paused to speak. "I am so sorry for your loss." As if paralyzed in fear, Rainbow Dash lay sprawled out on her bed, her teary eyes fixed on the ceiling. She rotated her neck slightly, and her sadness seemed to deplete as two of her best friends came into view once more. "Pinkie... Gilda..." Rainbow rasped. "I'm dying."
Reminiscing Reminiscing Pinkie fumbled for words among the bitter silence. She had already known that Dashie's fate was sealed, but hearing her best friend admit it aloud only stung her heart more. Pinkie crouched beside Rainbow Dash, lying a hoof on her's, Gilda stood behind, too choked to speak. "Dang." she murmured. "Dashie - I..." Gilda trailed off, incapable of mustering the words to describe how she felt. "You are my best friend." within seconds the proud Griffon was reduced to tears. Rainbow cast her a sad look, the sky blue mare seemed to dull. Her colour had faded, the life seeping from her eyes, as if an invisible clock were silently counting the minutes to her demise. "Hey, shh." Dashie cooed. Stroking her friend's dip-dyed feather hairdo with what little strength she clung to. "You know I hate to see you cry, G." The griffon sniffed, wiping a tear that had trickled past her beak. "Who, me? Cry, Dashie?" she giggled through the sobs. "I guess we never got that race in, huh, Dash?" Gilda sniffled, peering down at her shifting talons. Dashie shook her head. "Who needs a race? You're the fastest gal I know." Dash replied, pausing to cough. "Even faster than me." Gilda gave her a warm smile and stepped away, allowing Pinkie to move in closer. "Remember when we first met, Pinkie?" Dashie said, gazing up at the cement ceiling as if it were as marvelous as a night sky filled to the brim with stars. Pinkie nodded vigorously. "Of course!" "And your mom called you Pinkamena?" "Mhmm." * * * The autumn leaves had rustled in the breeze, like the ghosts of a once bountiful spring now lying dormant. September already revealed the beautiful crimson and tangerine hues of autumn. The air was chilled, and being the practical pony Mrs. Pie was, she had forced her daughter to wear the ugliest of sweaters to the first day of school. "Mooom." Pinkie frowned, her hair cascaded over her shoulders, an image of her old self before she discovered her love of parties. "This sweater-" she trailed off. "Will keep you nice and warm." her mother snapped. "Now go make some friends and be a good girl." Pinkamena shrugged angrily, setting her flank down angrily on a swing. "Hey Frowny Face." "Huh?" Pinkamena blinked in surprise, her head craning to see where the voice had come from. "Where are you?" "Up here." Sure enough, as the young Pinkie peered upwards, there was a sky blue filly hovering above. Her mane was ruffled and untidy, a stream of colours, as was her tail. She stuck out her hoof, lowering herself down to face the pink Earth pony before her. "The name's Rainbow. Rainbow Dash." with that, she surged into the air, far above the playground, and beyond the blanket of clouds that seemed like a barrier between Ponyville and Cloudsdale. Keeping all the unicorns and earth ponies at bay. Pinkie had looked around, unsure of what to expect. "Um - Rainbow?" she yelled. Immediately, as if the Pegasus had been listening for a cue of some sort, she emerged from the clouds and began a dive towards the ground. Her rainbow-coloured mane seemed to leave a trail of colours behind her in her rapid descent. Pinkie could only stare in awe. "Wow." However, as the filly neared the hard ground, it became apparent she had lost control. Her forelegs began flailing about as if she could stop the rush of air beneath her. Her tiny wings struggled to hold her aloft against the speed she had built up. "I'M GOING TO CRASH!" Rainbow shrieked. Pinkie winced as the Pegasus collided with a ground, a loud thud resonating in her ear drums. "Rainbow!" she gasped, cantering to her side. "Are you alright?" Rainbow Dash simply groaned, mumbling something beneath her breath and turning to her side. "Ugh. It didn't work again!" Pinkie cocked her head, a curious expression fixed on her face. "What didn't work again?" she inquired, bouncing around Rainbow. "My Sonic Rainboom!" Rainbow wailed, flopping onto her back. Pinkie raised an eyebrow, peering to her left and right as if whatever Rainbow was talking about would magically be explained. "You know, a Sonic Rainboom." Rainbow continued, noticing Pinkie's evident befuddlement. Pinkie simply shrugged, shaking her head. "No?" Rainbow Dash said, her eyes widening as if Pinkie had just committed a heinous crime. "Well, let me tell you!" Rainbow Dash said, rising to her back legs and holding her hoof up as if she were holding a microphone. "Only this past summer, the marvelous and totally awesomest Pegasus in all of Equestria, Rainbow Dash -" she paused, striking a pose as if for invisible cameras. "-performed the most rare, most daring, most dangerous stunt known to ponykind. The Sonic Rainboom. She flew so incredibly fast that she eventually caused this massive explosion of rainbows that covered the whole sky for an hour! It was wicked." Rainbow finished. "Thank you, thank you." Rainbow bellowed, taking two sweeping bows. "And that is how I got this baby." with that, the filly flashed her flank, where the symbol of a rainbow zig-zagging from a cloud was. Pinkie's jaw dropped, her blue eyes filled with wonder. "Oh my Celestia! That's how I got MY cutie mark too!" Pinkie exclaimed, leaping into the air with a cheery spring in her step. Rainbow flashed her an incredulous look. "Um, what? What does three balloons have to do with a Sonic Rainboom? You can't even fly, Pinkie!" Rainbow retorted. "I know, silly! But the first thing that ever made me smile was seeing a Sonic Rainboom.And I would bet my mane that it was your Sonic Rainboom. Oh my goodness! Do you know what this means? We are so totally connected even before we met....." Pinkie had begun to hop in circles about Rainbow Dash as she happily babbled on. "Pinkie." Rainbow said flatly. "We are going to be the best of friends! And we can play games and have sleepovers! Oh, wouldn't that be fun-" "PINKIE!" The pony's ears flattened as she gave a sheepish grin. "Oops, sorry." "So wait, you NEVER smiled before that?" Rainbow asked, resting her flank on a soft bed of dew-strewn grass. "Like, ever?" Pinkie shook her head. "Pfft. How do you even manage that? Where the heck do you live? Boringsville?" "... I work on a rock farm." Pinkie said quietly. Rainbow Dash burst out laughing, holding her hooves over her stomach. "That's rich, Pinkie!" she smirked, laughing even more. Pinkie frowned, looking awkwardly around. Rainbow stopped. "You aren't joking, are you?" "Nope." "Weird." Rainbow shrugged, "I have never heard of a rock farm before. What do you even do with them?" Pinkie was interrupted as a stout mare with a reddish coat and a white and pink mane trotted from the schoolhouse, tolling a large brass bell to signify the start of class. The two fillies exchanged a smile and slumped their saddle bags over their backs. "See you around, Pinkie!" Rainbow called, waving a hoof before flying off to the school. "Save me a seat next to you!" Pinkie yelled, running in pursuit of the filly. Her only friend.
Flight CampRainbow smiled, her chest heaving as she inhaled through thin plastic tubes. "Those were good times, Pinkie." Rainbow rasped. Pinkie nodded slowly, giving a weak smile. It was hard to feel happy when you were forced to watch your best friend slowly weaken, slowly slip away, right through your hooves. And you could do nothing to stop it. "Hey, where's *cough* Gilda?" Rainbow asked, noticing a sudden absence of her flight buddy. Pinkie shrugged. "I didn't hear her leave. Maybe she is outside." with that, Pinkie rose from her seat and trotted over to the large metal hospital door. She turned the doorknob with her teeth, opening the door and slipping past before the sheer weight of the opening forced it to close once more. "Gilda?" Huddled in a plastic chair was the familiar face of a Griffon, tears streaked down her face, snaking between her white feathers. "What do you want, loser?" she snarled. Pinkie was taken aback, she hesitated, but continued to trot towards Gilda. Lying a hoof tentatively on her shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong, Gilda?" Pinkie said sympathetically. "Nothing! I don't need you!" she snapped, brushing Pinkie's hoof off with a flick of her talons. "Why don't you go visit with your best pal, Rainbow Dash? Huh? Why should she care about me anyways? She never liked me like she liked you." "So just leave me alone, okay?" Gilda murmured, burying her head in her hands. Pinkie frowned, and now she realised why all this time Gilda had been such a jerk. She had been jealous of Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash ever since the start. "Rainbow is supposed to be my friend." Gilda sobbed. Pinkie sighed, seating herself in the chair beside Gilda. "You know, Rainbow really missed you." Gilda paused and peered up, her eyes glistening with tears. "R-really?" "Mhmm, ever since that fight you guys had, she felt really bad. She told me all about you two and your adventures at Flight Camp, and how much she wished she could go back to the good old' days of racing and hanging out. The truth is, Gilda. I was jealous of you. You two were best buds, still are best buds. She cares about you, Gilda." Pinkie said with a reassuring smile. "She missed you." Gilda smiled. "Thanks, Pinkie. You're a great friend. You deserve her, but I don't." "Don't say that! Now, go. Go talk to Rainbow. She's waiting for you. You two have a lot of catching up to do." Pinkie grinned, helping Gilda to her talons. She gave her a light push. "Go on." The griffon nodded her thanks and stepped into the room, shutting the door quietly behind her. * * * "What do you mean you "have to leave"?" Pinkie whined. Rainbow Dash flapped her tiny wings above her. "I am going to Flight Camp, Pinkie." Rainbow said apologetically. "If I ever want to join the Wonderbolts, I HAVE to train. You understand, don't you?" Pinkie folded her ears, her hair drooping. "Yeah, I guess." she sighed. Rainbow nodded and smiled. "Good. And don't worry! It'll only be a year apart and then we can go back to the way things were, okay? No one will ever replace you, Pinkie. We are best foal friends forever, remember?" Dashie grinned, ruffling Pinkie's frizzy hair playfully. "Promise me, Dashie?" "I promise." * * * It pained Gilda to watch Dash struggle for life like this. Imprisoned behind invisible bars that held her to this bed, the very one she was doomed to die in. How sad it was that she would never fly again, nor ever taste the sweet apple cider she had always craved. It disturbed her to see her energetic friend lying still, so still. The tiny scribbles of lines on the screen were the only signs that she still clung to life. "Hey Dash." Rainbow turned her head. "Gilda." she smiled. "You still remember the Junior Speedsters Chant?" Gilda sighed, rolling her eyes. "Only for you, Dash." The two friends sang in unison, Rainbow still with more vigor than Gilda. The harmony was only broken by the pained coughs and wheezes from Rainbow Dash. "Junior Speedsters are our lives." tears stung Rainbow's eyes as a wave of pain surged through her entire body, numbing her thoughts. "Sky-bound soars and daring dives." "Junior Speedsters, it's our quest." Gilda continued for her, holding her friend's hoof in her wings soothingly. "To one day be the very ... best." Rainbow finished, a tear escaping her eye. * * * "Cloudsdale." Rainbow gasped as she watched the passing images of the great Pegasus city from the back of a taxi. The stallion Pegasus drawing the carriage came to a stop atop a fluffy cloud. "Here you are, Ms. Dash. The bus to Junior Speedsters camp should arrive any minute now." he explained, pointing his hoof to a line-up of foals like herself, all chatting excitedly. "Thanks mister." she said, flying from the taxi with suitcases in hoof. Rainbow stepped behind two pegasi in the line, blushing as she realised she was the smallest filly present. One of the pegasi cast her a disdainful look. "And you are?" "Rainbow. Rainbow Dash." Rainbow beamed, striking a pose. "The awesomest filly in all of-" "Never heard of you." the Pegasus spat, returning her attention to her friend. Rainbow frowned, her ears flattening. She took a seat, sighing. She thought she would make so many friends at Flight Camp, but now she found herself longing for the company of her best foal friend, a little pink earth pony stuck on the ground. "Ouch!" Rainbow wailed as someone from behind her stepped on her hoof. Her head spun around to face the ....pony? What Rainbow saw was definitely NOT a pony, in fact, she had never seen it before. It was about her size, perhaps a bit bigger. She had the head of an eagle, but the body of some sort of cat? Perhaps a lion? "W-who are you?" Rainbow whimpered. The creature smiled. "The name's Gilda. I'm a Griffon." she said, offering a talon to shake. "My name is Rainbow. Rainbow Dash." she said, taking her talon and shaking. "You're new here, aren't you?" Gilda said, looking the filly up and down. "Don't worry. Stick with me and you'll be the coolest pony in no time." * * *
Goodnight, Rainbow DashPinkie heaved a sigh, staring at the newly-waxed tile floor blankly. She was glad that finally her fight with Gilda was over, perhaps the two of them could even be friends. "Pinkie?" a familiar voice rang out from down the hallway. Pinkie's eyes widened. "Twilight! You made it!" Pinkie exclaimed, throwing herself into the open forelegs of a good friend. Behind her stood a rather flustered-looking Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy. "Of course we did, we came as soon as we could." Twilight said. "After we heard what happened -" Twilight trailed off as Rarity scrambled past her and grabbed Pinkie in her hooves. "Where is she? Is she alright?" Rarity screamed. She evidently hadn't gotten much sleep of late, there were deep bags beneath her eyes and her mane was in complete disarray. Streaks of black ran down her face where her mascara had run. Pinkie looked down sadly. "The doctor said she won't make it." Pinkie whispered. She searched the faces of her friends, perhaps for any sign of recognition that she had spoken. Rarity simply peered at her in disbelief, her eyes were wide and her lips was quivering. Twilight's mouth hung ajar with utter shock. Applejack lowered her head, hiding her tearful eyes from the group. Fluttershy simply shook her head, staring at Pinkie as if she had just seen a ghost. "Oh no, no, no." Fluttershy choked. Bawling, she galloped to Pinkie. "Say it isn't so." "I'm sorry, Fluttershy. She's still awake though, let's go see her." The five trotted in, past the large metal door, which they now propped open with a wooden wedge. Gilda turned to them, recognising the many familiar faces. "Hey girls." she said quietly, stepping from Rainbow's bedside. Pinkie took a seat, trying to fight the urge to glance up at the screen. Her ears twitched as the routine beep gradually grew less frequent. Rainbow looked up at them, her eyes half-closed as if she were just falling asleep. "Hey girls." Rarity slunk to another chair, taking it and pulling it up closer to Rainbow Dash. "Hello sleepy head." she said soothingly, as if she were a mother waking her sleeping child. "You simply must hang out a tad longer, Rainbow. We know you are stronger than this. You can fight it. Prove the doctors wrong." her lip once again began to quiver. "You musn't die." she sobbed, burying her face in the white sheets of the bed. Rainbow blinked, her eyes moved lethargically between each of the ponies, until she fell back on Rarity. "Naw, Rari. I don't think I can fly out of this one." Rainbow turned to face Twilight. "Could you *cough* get me a little water? I'm parched." Twilight nodded and trotted to her bed side, using her telekinesis to lift the glass to her friend's lips. "Better?" Twilight asked hopefully. Rainbow gave a nod of her head. The doctor trotted into the doorway, knocking on the open door to signal his presence. "Hello everypony." he said with a nod of his head. "How are you doing Rainbow Dash?" Rainbow Dash raised a hoof as if she were giving a thumbs up, flashing him a sarcastic look. "Just great, doc." "Listen, girls," he turned to the visitors. "It's already getting pretty late at night. We usually don't allow visitors to stay over night, but I talked to my boss and he said we could make an exception for you." Rarity nodded. "Thank you, doctor. I am sure I speak for us all when I say it means a lot." the five ponies and griffon all nodded in unison. "Alright-y then, I will leave you seven alone then." the doctor said, turning to leave. As the night grew darker beyond the shelter of the lamp light, the ponies gradually grew tired, until many could hardly keep their eyes open. They agreed each would take an hour shift keeping Rainbow Dash company through the night, for Rainbow was in far too much pain to sleep comfortably. Applejack had volunteered first shift, and as the others slept peacefully, huddled up with blankets on the floor, the two good friends whispered jokes and reminisced in the memories of days on Sweet Apple Acres. Of the sweet taste of apple cider. "That reminds me." Applejack whispered, reaching into her saddle bag and pulling out a metal thermos. "Ah brought some o' the finest cider for ya." she said proudly, handing it to Rainbow. The hour seemed to fly, just as these last two years had. "Goodnight Applejack." Rainbow Dash rasped. "Goodnight Rainbow Dash." Through the night, the shifts continued to quietly alternate as the rest slumbered. Rarity, then Fluttershy, then Twilight, then Gilda, until finally Pinkie Pie. It was three in the morning by this time, but Pinkie was hardly tired. She could see that through the night, Dashie had grown even weaker. Her every breath was pained and difficult for her. "Hey Dashie." Pinkie cooed. "How are you doing?" Rainbow peered up at her sadly. "I'm in pain." she whispered. "And I'm scared." Pinkie held the pegasus' hoof in her own. "Scared of what Dashie?" "I'm afraid to die alone, Pinkie." Rainbow sniffled, her eyes welling with tears. "I don't want to die alone, please don't leave me alone." Rainbow cried, grabbing Pinkie's arm. Pinkie looked at her sympathetically. "Shh, Dashie. You know I would never leave you. Wewould never leave you." Rainbow blinked away her tears. "Promise?" "Promise." "Pinkie? Can you sing me a song?" Pinkie gulped. "Of course." "Hush now, Dashie. Don't you cry. I know you're scared - but ... so am I. We will never leave your side Dashie, goodnight. And in that moment, Pinkie could see all the pain leave Rainbow's body. All the sorrow leave her eyes. Rainbow peered up at her, one last contented smile. "Goodnight Pinkie." she whispered. Pinkie stifled a sob as she felt Dash's grip go limp in her own. The screen gave one last beep, showing a scribble of green, until it disappeared, leaving a single flat line. Pinkie gave a weak smile, her hoof against her own heart. She pulled the blanket higher, tucking her in one last time. "Goodnight Rainbow Dash."
Epilogue: Letting GoPinkie hadn't had the heart to wake the others after Rainbow Dash passed away. So, she sat alone in the plastic chair by Rainbow's bed, staring blankly at the clock on the wall, waiting for dawn. The doctor had been alerted and a team of nurses had arrived to move the body to the morgue, on their way out they had paused to offer their condolences in this hard time. Pinkie could hardly cry, for the tears seemed to well up inside. She felt as if she were drowning in a lake of her own emotions, bottled up within. She was not only sad, she was angry. She was angry at Rainbow Dash. She had always been reckless and boastful, and the thought of injury had never been a deterrent for the stubborn mare. Why? Why did she have to hurt herself? Why did she have to die? Pinkie didn't care if her death was out of her control, something in her drove her to blame it on Rainbow. So, the pony sat in silence, wallowing in self pity as the first signs of light filtered in through the flower-patterned curtains. Gilda was the first to wake. "Pinkie? Where's Dash?" she said, rather groggily. Pinkie frowned, walking over to the Griffon. "She didn't make it through the night, Gilda. I'm so sorry." Gilda's eyes widened. "She's g-gone?" she stuttered. Pinkie could only nod. "No. She was my... best friend. My... only friend. I didn't even say goodbye to her." Gilda slumped down to the ground. "Was... was it painful?" "No, she died peacefully I believe. It was all pain, but death was finally a relief for her." Gilda smiled. "That's good, that she was happy." The thought that Rainbow Dash truly rested in peace offered some solace for her. "Should we, um. Wake the others then?" Gilda said, turning to where the ponies slept, oblivious to the events of last night. Pinkie nodded and made her way to where they were huddling. She tapped Rarity on the shoulder, then Twilight, while Gilda took care of Applejack and Fluttershy. "Everypony, I have some sad news. Last night, Rainbow Dash passed away." Pinkie announced in a somber tone, turning to the now empty bed where she watched her good friend die. Several gasps chorused through the group. Rarity turned, bawling into Twilight's shoulder. Applejack removed her hat, holding it against her chest as tears escaped her eyes. Twilight used her magic to levitate a tissue, which she used to dab at her tears. Fluttershy simply shook with grief. "The hospital says we are welcome to stay a little longer if we need, but I think it's best if we go back home. We all need a little time to recover." Rarity wobbled to her legs, "I'll call a taxi right away." she sniffled, eager to find something to occupy herself with. The taxi arrived soon after and the friends all piled into the back. Everyone was silent for the duration of the ride back home, Pinkie could hardly bring herself to even cry. She did not feel any pain, not anymore. She felt numb. Nothing. Smiles didn't exist for her. What was the point of smiling if the one pony who gave you your first smile was dead? And for the first time since her day-long spiral of depression so long ago, when she had thought her friends no longer wanted her, Pinkie's hair cascaded over her shoulder, straight. The bounce had disappeared. She was once again Pinkamena. The ponies had hardly managed to squeeze onto one taxi, so the extra size of Gilda meant she had to sit alone in the back. Pinkie glanced at her from over the seat. The Griffon held her head in one talon, a tear running down her cheek as the images of Ponyville rushed past her. Eventually the taxi came to a halt at the town square and the ponies flooded out of the carriage. They all exchanged sorrowful goodbyes before trotting of in their separate ways. Pinkie waved farewell to Twlight as she returned to the library. Which left Gilda and Pinkie, their backs facing each other as they waited awkwardly at the stop. Pinkie turned to Gilda. "Do you need somewhere to stay? If you do, you can crash at my place." Gilda's eyes lit up. "You would do that for me?" Pinkie nodded, "Of course." "Anything for a friend." The two made their way to Sugarcube Corner, where a sad-looking Mrs. Pie stood in the doorway, a platter of freshly-baked treats in her mouth. "Pinkie, I heard the awful news. I-I am just so sorry. You can have these if you'd like." Pinkie eyed the selection, taking a cupcake with pink frosting. "Thank you." The two headed upstairs to where Pinkie's room was. Gilda looked around, her eyebrow raised. "It's very... pink." she remarked, with a giggle. Pinkie felt the corners of her mouth lift slightly, as if her mouth were fighting to smile once more. To reveal her true nature once more. Pinkie trotted over to a desk where several books lay, papers littered the ground surrounding. She pulled a large book with a leather cover from a row and set it on the ground. "What's that?" Gilda questioned, taking a seat next to Pinkie. "A photo album of me and Dash." Pinkie said, a hint of sadness tainting her voice. And so, the two new friends, however bitter their hatred for each other once was, huddled over the album. Every picture held the familiar smiling face of Rainbow Dash, the confident mare that once lived and breathed. Every picture held a whole new story for Pinkie to share, from the time she and Rainbow were mere fillies enjoying a picnic together to the day Rainbow Dash performed her second Sonic Rainboom for the world to see. Many tears were to be shed betwixt the Griffon and the pony as they poured over the album, the frozen images of their best friend at the happiest points in her life. Mrs. Pie brought up two glasses of pink lemonade as well, which they enjoyed thoroughly. Despite the pain they had all experienced in this last day, despite how much their lives had changed with the death of a single pony, Pinkie and Gilda managed to salvage the happiness lasting in their old memories. Tomorrow, the ponies would gather for her funeral, to celebrate the life of a good friend. Of a loyal companion. Of the most marvelous, totally awesomest mare in all of Equestria. Rainbow Dash. The End.
