Rainbow Dash woke up, when she heard roaring.
"What the hay?" said sleepy Pegasus. She went to the window and what she saw almost made her fall over. There was 3 manticores attacking Ponyville. Without even thinking she soared out.
Within a second she reached town hall, what had turned into war place. She took closest Manticore and just kicked it's face. Not the best idea, because manticore kicked her with it's scorpion tail. Rainbow Dash flew hundreds of meters away. She got up right away and took glances around. She saw that hospital, many houses and bowling house were totally destroyed. She thought for a second and then promised to herself that she will destroy those manticores, no matter what.
Rainbow Dash had chose one manticore to get over with. She had somehow got it's tail broken so it couldn't hit with that again. But doing this she had broken her left front hoof. But she ignored it and kept punching half-dead manticore.
First manticore was dead, now other two. Then for her horror one was attacking Pinkie Pie, her best friend. Dash flew there fast as she could. That fast speed knocked manticore off feet. But it got up really fast. Rainbow Dash didn't expected that and got knocked down. Manticore put claws on Rainbow's chest and pulled it's claws through Dash's skin.
"DASHIE!!!" screamed Pinkie in horror, but nopony except her and Rainbow didn't heard it.
Pinkie's scream put new strength into Rainbow and she could push manticore away from her. Manticore hit her again with it's clawed paw, but this time it hit Rainbow's wing.
"Pinkie, run away from here!" insisted Rainbow.
"No, Rainbow. I can't leave you here."
"You have to! Go to the Sugarcube corner. There is no manticores." said Rainbow but this time softer voice, herself trying to avoid scorpion tail, what tried to kill her.
Pinkie doubted for a bit and the turned around and ran to the Sugarcube Corner, few times looking back to see Rainbow Dash fighting with almost 3 times bigger monster. She felt it will not end well.
Dash could barely finish that monster off. She felt how things won't end well. She had now two broken hooves, wing what had deep wound, chest was bleeding, she had got strong punch into stomach, and few wounds on her neck. These weren't good combinations.
Rainbow heard a roar somewhere near of Twilight's castle. She ignored pain in her wings and hooves and dashed there where she heard roar.
I have to finish this one off too. I just have to thought Rainbow. She felt getting weaker, but if she was going down she was going down
awesomely and being a hero.
She saw big group of ponies trapped by that last manticore. She knocked on it's back. When manticore looked towards her, Rainbow Dash said:
"Hey, mind some face punch?" she smirked and punched it right into face. Of course only one punch didn't killed so powerful creature like
manticore. It made it only angrier.
"Rainbow come away from there!" said Twilight Sparkle when Rainbow bit manticores tail.
Rainbow came, but for other thing. She flew up high and then soared down in huge speed. She tried to kill manticore with Sonic Rainboom. But she already knew she won't be living after this or if that will success she would be alive but hardly.
This is for you Ponyville... she thought before crashing into manticore with huge explosion after her. She crashed into manticore and then fell on the ground. As both fell down, there was big cloud of dust.
When dust was gone, everyone saw that last of 3 manticores was dead. There was big applause, but that stopped instantly when they saw Rainbow Dash laying few meters away from dead monster. She didn't moved.
Twilight ran to her and checked her pulse.
"She's alive, but hardly." she said with little sigh. Princess levitated RD to Friendship castle.
Dear Soarin
Ponyville was attacked by manticores and Rainbow Dash tried to save us. She could do it, but she couldn't save herself. She's alive, but not for long. We thought you might want to see her.
Twilight Sparkle
Soarin read it with tears in her eyes. He couldn't believe it.
"Oh Horsefeathers. Please be lie." he whispered.
"What's wrong, Soar?" asked Spitfire worriedly.
"Read that letter." was only answer Spitfire could get from him.
Spitfire picked letter up, few moments later she said:
"I'm sorry Soarin. You can go to see her. We don't have any performances any time soon, so we don't have to practice."
"Mhmh. I'll go now. I just need to see her." said Soarin and soared away.
***
Soarin landed front of Friendship Castle. She doubted for a second, but then knocked. He was almost instantly greeted by Twilight. She didn't looked very happy.
"Come in Soarin." said Twilight without any emotions. Soarin stepped in and saw other girls doing their own things, but then saw pony why he had came here.
"Dashie..." he said quietly, when he saw Rainbow, laying there, eyes closed. That looked like she would have been dead all along. Soarin sat on floor next to couch where Rainbow was.
"Please wake up. I need you. I can't make it without you. Please...wake...up." continued Soarin, almost crying. He leaned forward and kissed Rainbow Dash on the lips. That was short, but said about 1000 words.
"That's just sad." said Applejack for this scene.
"Yeah...I feel sorry for Soarin. He loves Dash so much. And even I can't cheer him up." said Pinkie, who had been deflated a bit.
"I can't even cheer myself up." Pinkie continued.
Then Soarin's head popped up and he said quietly:
"Girls...I think...she's going to wake up."
Twilight was first to go near the couch. That was true, Rainbow's eyes were a bit open. She groaned quietly and then whispered weakly:
"What...happened?"
"You killed some manticores." explained Rarity.
"Then why I'm in pain?"
"Because, before killing last one, you weren't in good shape anymore, you barely survived. You only have 3 percent possibility to survive this completly. There's nothing I can do." said Twilight, decided to be honest with prismatic Pegasus.
"You're saying...that...that..."
"Yes, Rainbow. You're practically dying." said Twilight again very honest.
Rainbow felt tears in her eyes and she even didn't tried to hide them. But Soarin wiped them away and said:
"Ssh, it's okay. You will live in my heart forever. I'll never let memories of you disappear."
"When I...y'know...go away, you can try hit on Spitfire. I'm sure she would like to date with ya." Rainbow joked. She tried to chuckle, but couldn't because pain in her chest.
"At least one of us is in mood for a joke. And I would never hit on Spitfire. She already has a coltfriend and for second I've never known somepony as special as you. I don't want to replace you." said Soarin and then gave sad smile.
Rainbow smiled weakly and reached for Soarin's hoof with her hoof what was fine. Soarin gladly accepted it.
Applejack gave a sign to others, that they should leave those two alone, enjoying each other company as long as they could. They went outside.
"Ah still can't believe that we're goin' to lose Rainbow Dash. That's not right pony to die, when she's still 16." said Applejack, almost losing it.
"Yeah, but she accomplished almost all what she had wanted to do in life. Being fastest pony alive, getting friends with Wonderbolts, being a hero and the newest one, getting Soarin for her coltfriend. Only things she didn't had time to accomplish were getting a family, getting into Wonderbolts and being better prankster than Pinkie Pie." said Fluttershy. When Fluttershy mentioned last thing, Pinkie Pie lifted her head and said:
"That will never happen. I'm too good in pranks." she left out a soft giggle. But then stopped suddenly and shed few tears instead.
"That will never happen..." The reality hit Pinkie in full force now. She deflated completely and started sobbing uncontrollably. Applejack took Pinkie into her strong hug, what calmed pink earth pony bit down.
"Cry that out, Pinkie." whispered Applejack.
In 5 minutes Pinkie was done. They decided to go back inside where they found Soarin still sitting besides Rainbow, who was now sleeping. Actually there was only one thing what kept everyone thinking that she was dead and that was that her chest rose and went back down. Soarin still smiled his sad smile.
"I still think that she is so cute while sleeping, even if she herself denies it." said Soarin who seemed totally lost in his thoughts.
"You might be right..." agreed Fluttershy.
"And how you realize how much you care about somepony, only when they are dying." Soarin continued. That was happening to him, he
only now had realized how much he loved Rainbow Dash.
"Soarin...I'm sorry to interrupt your thoughts, but it's getting late. We should get some sleep. You can stay here." said Twilight softly.
"Thanks, I really appreciate that. I want to be with her until...time's right." said Soarin, who seemed totally calm.
"I know it might not be my business, but I just have to ask: How can you be so calm when she's...like that?" asked Rarity confusedly.
"Because I know how is to lose loved ones. I know how to deal with that, but after little depression." answered Soarin, while he caressed Rainbow. He quickly flinched away when he accidentally touched Dash's broken wing and Rainbow groaned in her sleep.
"Twilight?" said Applejack quietly
"Yeah?"
"Is that so, when somepony is so...broken as Dash now and she/he is completely still, then it won't hurt?" asked Applejack.
"No, well not very much. Why?"
"Ah just wondered, that Dash is broken from everywhere, but she still isn't in pain, well not much."
"At least she can die without pain. As long she lays still." said Twilight looking at Rainbow.
Then Twilight remembered that they should have gone to sleep a long ago.
"Okay everypony, time for sleep. I'll go to my own room. Rarity if you would be so kind, please go to Spike's room and spend night there. Poor little guy is same devastated as we are."
"Alright Twi." said Rarity and headed to Spike's room.
"'Shy you can go to the guests room. Applejack sorry but I don't have any bedrooms anymore, so you might have sleep in the library, there are some pillows to sleep on."
"That's okay Twi. Ah don't think any of us gets 'nuff sleep anyways."
"And Pinkie, same story. I'm afraid you have to sleep in laundry room. Luckily there's warm and some blankets."
"Don't worry Twilight, I can sleep everywhere and anytime."
Everyone headed to their places where they should have get some sleep. Like that would happen in this case.
Soarin still sat there and watching her. He felt sadness raising in his chest. Everyone knew, Rainbow will not last long. Soarin wasn't even sure that she will come through the night. But he hoped she would.
***
Applejack knocked on Twilight's bedroom's door.
"Come in!" Twilight's voice sounded through wooden door. Applejack went in and found Twilight reading a book by the candle light.
"Ya can't sleep either?" asked country mare.
"No...I just can't take my mind of from Rainbow. I thought to read a book, that sometimes makes me so tired. Nothing today. And that doesn't help that I hear Spike talking with Rarity." said Alicorn princess.
"Well, at least there's 2 ponies who can actually sleep. Ah could only get 5 minutes nap, even if that." Applejack said.
"Wait, I know that Rainbow is sleeping, but who's second?" asked Twilight confusedly.
"Pinkie." answered AJ.
"She told me that she can sleep everywhere and anytime. But I didn't thought that she meant that truly."
"Yeah...But the actual reason why Ah came here was, that Ah suddenly didn't wanted to be alone."
"I know. I don't wanna be either. Luckily there's only 5 hours to Celestia raising the sun." said Twilight quietly.
Applejack sighed and frowned.
"And to Rainbow's death."
"But she might will have chance to last until evening or noon." Twilight consoled Applejack..
"Hopefully, but Ah suddenly think that she would go faster, so non of us would suffer." whispered AJ.
***
"Soarin..." whispered Rainbow Dash.
"Dashie?"
"You're still awake?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"I can't sleep, when you're like this." explained Soarin.
"Heh, it seems that I'm keeping many ponies awake." Rainbow smirked.
"Sure you do." chuckled Soarin.
"I want to tell you something...I will die in morning. I feel it. My body is here, but I feel to be somewhere very far away." Rainbow quietly said. That brought tears into Soarin's eyes and he let them fall freely.
"Aw...Don't cry Soar. I'll come to visit you. Okay?" asked Rainbow.
"Okay."
Soarin gave a little kiss to Rainbow and she smiled.
"I'm lucky to have you." Rainbow said to Soarin.
"And I'm lucky to have you." Soarin replied.
***
Twilight heard another knock on her bedroom door.
"Come in." she said. Door opened and Fluttershy came in.
"Hi Fluttershy. Felt lonely?" Twilight gave a guess.
"How did you knew?" timid pony asked
"We both had same problem." answered Applejack.
"Nopony in this castle is asleep. I heard Rainbow talking with Soarin. And I heard quiet sobs from where Pinkie was. Rarity and Spike are talking too, so I guess nobody gets sleep soon. Actually Rainbow gets soon. Death is like a long long sleep." Fluttershy said.
"Ugh...I can't take it any more. I don't want anypony say anything about death." Twiligh said losing it.
"Twilight, calm down! Ya can't do anythin'. Ya just have to deal with it." Applejack snapped at Twilight.
"Sorry. It's just hard. I want to cry, but as I'm almost as stubborn as Rainbow, I don't want. I'm confused." Twilight said.
"It's healty to cry in these situations...Why am Ah Voice of Reason now?".
*knock* *knock*
"Come in." Twilight said already 3rd time this evening. This time it was Pinkie who's eyes were bloodshot.
"Hi, girls. It seems, I can't sleep anytime and anywhere. I've tried to think about happy things, but my mind still drifts back to Rainbow." Pinkie said sadly.
"We all have that problem." said Fluttershy.
"I think we just have to accept the fact Rainbow isn't among us soon. We can't do anything. Let's just go on with life." Pinkie said.
"I'll just write letter to Celestia. I don't have nothing better to do." Twilight said as she grabbed quill and paper.
Dear Princess Celestia
I'm sorry to inform you, but we are going to lose Loyalty. There was manticores attacking Ponyville. Rainbow saved us, but not herself. She's just going to die.
Just thought you want to know...
Your Twilight Sparkle.
Few tears fell on paper, while Twilight prepared to send it. She held it in her hooves for a while.
"I'm going to get Spike to send it." Twilight said and left room and came back in 10 minutes.
"That took long." Applejack noticed.
"Yeah...I talked with Rarity a bit. Spike is asleep, so I think Rarity will join us soon" Just when Twilight said it, knock was heard.
"Come in." Twilight called.
Like Twilight thought Rarity came in.
"We just talked about you." Pinkie said, with a slight smile.
"I know. How you think I could knock on perfect timing?" Rarity winked.
Twilight peeked at the clock. 5.00 AM. Hour to Celestia's sun.
"I think we would go downstairs." Twilight said.
When they arrived downstairs, both ponies were sleeping. That was what they thought at start. Twilight noticed that something was wrong. She went closer.
Soarin's fine, but Rainbow... Then the reality stroke again. Twilight turned around. Fluttershy saw her face.
"What's wrong Twilight? She's fine right?" Fluttershy asked.
"No." was the only answer Fluttershy got and she knew what that meant. Fluttershy looked at others. From her face others got information what had happened.
"How are we gonna tell to Soarin? To Scootaloo? To her parents? To everyone else?" Rarity asked.
"Lets start from Soarin, then lets think about others." Twilight said, sadly.
Applejack walked to Soarin and woke him up.
"Huh? What?" Soarin said dizzily.
"We have bad news for ya." Applejack said sadly.
Soarin frowned and carefully looked at Rainbow. He knew from first eyesight what was for the bad news.
"Aw, man. I slept all the way she passed away." Soarin whispered. He buried his face into couch and started crying quietly. Actually everyone in the castle cried, but quietly. Rarity comforted Pinkie, Fluttershy cried on Twilight's shoulder and Applejack sat beside Soarin with a hoof on his shoulder.
Some minutes later, that felt like forever, Applejack could reply to Soarin.
"Ah think she would've want to go like this. Ah don't think she would want you to notice it. She could go peacefully. And she wouldn't like to see us cry, especially you." Applejack tried to comfort pale stallion.
"I know, Applejack. I'll try to get my tears under control. Somehow." Soarin said.
Then Twilight walked up with her magic x-ray machine.
"She fell asleep and died 10 minutes after it. That's perfect style for dying." Twilight said quietly. She had gotten her tears under control.
Applejack sensed that Twilight was trying to lift the mood, but that worked hardly. AJ looked at Twilight with a sad smile and mouthed: Good try, Twi.
