The door was drawing close now. Too close.

The two steps in front of her seemed to be too short of an ascent for her taste.

She was scared of what came after.

Flashes of memories built up in her mind. But that's all they were... memories.

She couldn't change the past and, for all that she tried to put it off,... she no longer had control of her future either.

Helpless was the one word the mare had always despised. Weak was the last thing she wanted to be. Numb was the worst thing she ever had to feel.

Funny how all of that can change in an instant.

Flashback

Staring at the sky, Rainbow turned to the closed door.

A silvery like substance covered the crater the meteor had caused which also trailed halfway up the bomb shelters door, sealing the bottom to the floor.

Rainbow walked across the middle of the crater to investigate the door.

What if they can't get out... Her mind thought in panic.

She ran a hoof along the bottom of the doorway. It was solid.

Looking back up at the sky, she realised something that eased the panic within her. As soon as the main part of the meteor was over, Twilight's magic would not have any electrical imbalance to prevent the alicorn from bursting though the door.

As the meteor in the sky came closer, Rainbow felt a sudden surge of sadness.
They will be able to get out... but how do I get in...

There was only one answer to that. She wasn't...

Slowly, she picked herself up from examining the strange metal and pushed a small button on the outside of the door thinking about what she would inevitably have to do.

Say goodbye.

"Rainbow, can you here me?"

"Yeah,..." Rainbow replied trying to steady her breathing. "I hear ya."

"Is is it safe to open the door?" Twilight asked.

"I don't think that you will be able to do that Twi..."

"Nonsense, I can just..." Rainbow heard a small fumbling sound coming from the speaker near her hoof followed by Twilight asking what was on.

Rainbow prepared herself to tell them what was really going on. They deserved to know.

"It won't work Twilight!"

"Why not?"

"The meteor,..." Rainbow replied, looking at the crater over her shoulder.
"It contained some kind of metal..."

Twilight hesitated.

"Which means?"

Opening and closing her mouth, Rainbow tried to get the words out.

"Rainbow! What does it mean?!?!?!?!"

She couldn't put it off any longer. Her first priority was letting them know that they were ok or, as ok as they could be.

"The door is soldered shut,... but when this is all over, I am sure that you, Twilight, will get your magic back and you can all leave."

A very distraught voice came from the other side of the door. "Yes, that's true but what about you Rainbow?"

She shut her eyes tight and bowed her head, ears folded back in an attempt to stop the sadness from sounding in her voice.

"I-I... I want you all to know that I love you... and...and..." Rainbow stammered, trying not to let her voice quiver. The last thing they needed to know right now is that she too was scared.

"Don't you dare Rainbow Dash,..."

Rainbow snapped her head up to look at the speaker with wide (yet tear filled) eyes.

She knew it had to happen. She knew that it was goodbye but, like Rainbow, could not face it.

"Listen to me," She begged "I don't have the time..."

The other line fell silent.

Taking it as a 'we are listening', she continued.

"I don't want to do this more than any of you do... but while I have the time, I want you to understand just how important you are to me.
Fluttershy, my best friend since flight camp. No matter what happened, you were always there beside me. You showed me loyalty when nopony else would and... and even though you don't realise it, you were the reason I continued to be brave. You were why I became who I am now. So, don't you dare let anypony tell you that you are weak, you got that?"

A small voice came over the speaker.

"Rainbow, I know that you don't like anything too sappy but, I-I-I love you. Pagasisters for life, yeah?"

She was very clearly crying... though Pegasus on the other side was hardly doing any better.

The mare took a deep, shaky breath.

"Y-y-yeah. Alw- always." Swallowing hard, she moved on. "Pinkie Pie,... when I first met you, I am not going to lie, I thought that you were too annoying."

Letting out a slight, tearful chuckle (and receiving one back from what she assumed was the pink mare herself), Rainbow smiled a sad smile at the speaker. "You proved me wrong. You are funny and an extremely selfless pony, something that even after all these years I have never mastered. You put your friends happiness and,... heck, even ponies that you have just met, you just want them to be happy. So I know that it will be hard but all I ask is that you keep you and the others smiling for me."

"I love you Dashie... I will try..."

"Good...that's all I ask Pinks.
Rarity, I always thought you my opposite in many ways, but after I got to know you, you're a lot cooler than I thought. At least 20% more anyway. When we went together to the Canterlot Wonderbolts show, you stick by my side and believed in me, even when everypony else, including me, didn't. For that I am so grateful. You are an amazing fashion designer don't ever forget that."

"Thank you Rainbow Dash... I wish it weren't goodbye."

Rainbow's voice became caught in her throat. "Me too Rarity... Me too."
Wiping away the many tears she had shed already with a hoof, she asked for Applejack.

"Though we may have clashed before, I do believe that you are the only earth pony who has given me a great competition, even when I was, um... let's put it at slightly advantaged. You are a fantastic athlete and a great friend. I can always count on you to show me a good game even it wasn't entirely fair. But just remember, even though you are a great sportspony, your friends and family love you for who you are, not how many events you win. Don't want to have to use pinkie pie against ya again."

A small chuckle was heard in the speaker followed by Applejack's voice. "Ah promise ya Rainbow."

"Twilight, your next."

"I'm right here Rainbow Dash."

"Cool. Um... ok." Dash said sniffling and looking over her shoulder at the sky.

"Twilight, when I met you... well, my life got a lot more interesting to say the least. We have fought so many battles together which only made us stronger. You are super talented and many things you do could leave any mare or stallion speechless. But after I saw your raw ability, time and time again, I saw just how gifted you are. The only thing that you need to do is realise that too."

"O-ok Rainbow. I will always give it my all just like you have shown me too."

"Heh, thanks."

She was running out of time. It was getting harder and harder for her to talk without breaking down.

"Sweetie bell and Applebloom. I know that I don't really know you two that well, but Scootaloo has told me lots about you. I want you two to always look out for one another. You have been through many trails and are destined to go through more unfortunately. But no matter what happens, always stick together, ok?"

"Ok Rainbow Dash." Said the two in unison.

Something seemed a little amiss with the two normally cheerful voices. They didn't know Rainbow that well either, but they were effected by her departure just the same as the rest of them.

A large explosion occurred as the next collision took place.

Shaking violently, the rainbow maned Pegasus screwed her face up as if she were in physical pain while calling out her little sisters name.

"Rainbow Dash!" The young filly cried.

That was the last straw for Dash. Her hind legs gave way beneath her as she began to say goodbye to the one filly she had ever truly opened her heart to.

"I l-love you more th-than anything S-Scootaloo. You are the only filly who ever got to know the real me whereas many just looked up to me for being a hero. Y-you are a great filly and I know you will grow up to be an amazing mare."

Another explosion.

with her Jaw trembling, Dash closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. "Can you promise me one thing Scoots, before I l-leave?"

"Anything Rainbow, anything."

"Promise me that you will love yourself as much as I love you. You are a better pony than I will ever be. Your funny, talented, smart, loving and a great leader. Promise me that you will believe in yourself."

"I will... I will b-but just please... please just live. I know it's impossible to ask of you but,... just somehow, someway...come out safe. Come home. Please?"

That did it. Rainbow's mouth opened to gasp for air as she cried and wailed at the ground. Her hoof slid down the metal frame as her whole body shook.

"I'm sorry..." She pleaded "I am so sorry for everything..."

Not even noticing the shock wave that travelled through her body, she rested her head against the metal. Her hoof was now above her head on the frame still supporting her body with what little stregnth she had left.a

"I love you all... Please forgive me!"

Author's Note

Happy New year's day! Only one chapter left!

Thank you all for your amazing support. I hope that the last chapter will answer all of your questions.

ITS THE FINAL COUNTDOWN! Dee Dee Dee Dee, De De De De Dee!