The second coming of Sombra had been ended. Equestria had once again conquered its enemy, and peace and harmony had once again been restored.
But not entirely.
As always, the Elements of Harmony were sent to destroy Sombra once and for all, and as always, they succeeded. But there was a price, and it was the highest anyone could ever pay. For the greatest flier in Equestria, and the loyalest of the Elements, Rainbow Dash, proved her loyalty by sacrificing herself for her world, her friends, her family, and the ponies she cared about the most.
In the midst of the battle, the Mane Six were setting up to hit him with their best shot, enough to completely destroy Sombra forever. The problem though, was Sombra had stationed himself within the kingdom, and a blast of that intensity would not only destroy Sombra, but the Empire as well, and everyone in it. But something had to be done, and the one to think the quickest was Rainbow Dash, who knew what she had to do, and get him out of the Empire, by any cost. She took one look behind her, and instructed her friends to build up their strength, and hit him with all they had. They of course did not agree with her plan, and outright refused to use their power against their own friend. Dash convinced them that it was the only way to get Sombra out of the Crystal Empire far enough, and fast enough. With a heavy heart, Twilight knew it was the only option they had, and they had to make their move now. Dash gave her final regards to who ever wasn't there, and after they said their goodbyes, Rainbow Dash grabbed Sombra, and shot up at near Rainboom speed. No matter how much he fought, Dash would not release him. And with tears in their eyes, the magic of friendship was released, and it eradicated what was left of Sombra, and as she saw her friends one last time, she smiled and shed a tear, knowing that her friends were safe, that her stallion back home was safe.
There was no celebration. Only a few days passed until there was a memorial ceremony held in Rainbow Dash's honor, fit for a princess. Her colleagues of the Wonderbolts were there to give her a final salute. The princesses of the night and day revealed a monument that would've made her eyes light up in a millisecond if she could've seen it. The king and queen of the Crystal Empire showed their respect as well, and later on in their own kingdom, they would reveal their own monument that would stand next to their statue of "Spike, the Brave and Glorious". And of course, the friends who were the closest to Rainbow Dash were given time to make speeches about the good times they had, the legendary pranks she played, how enormous her ego truly was, and hoe much of a bigger friend she proved to be. Nothing but laughs and tears were shared that day, and everypony who wanted to show their respects came to the service.
All except for one pony. One who couldn't bear to attend it. One who knew that even though it was a way to show his respect, he didn't want to be reminded that she was gone. Rainbow Dash was the mare who not only was there for him, but who gave him more than anypony could ever give: her heart, even though the pony she gave it to was the size of an ant.
Vanilla Beam sat on a stone, overlooking the castle from the far distance of his home town of Ponyville, in front of the castle of Friendship where the only pony as close to him, Twilight, let him live. From where he sat, the castle was blurred, but visible. The skies were not clear on that day. It was a muggy looking grey, where even Pinkie Pie would be nothing but blue. With that though, there was no speck of rain to be felt, which was good for the case of the ant-pony. He wouldn't want to drown on the same day as the only mare he gave his heart to was being remembered. No he wouldn't, but he felt as though he was slowly decaying inside. He felt as his soul was trying to tear away from his own flesh and pull his Dashie back to him, but he was always anchored back. Like something kept him from leaving this world to see his friend in the next.
When he got the news of her passing, of course, he didn't take it well, but you couldn't tell from the outside. He wasn't usually allowed to go on one of his friends' adventures to save the world. Dash only though for his safety, and left him behind to watch the others, just to make him feel big. Even though he wanted to help out so much, and wanted to make sure he could protect her, he understood his limitations, and agreed to always stay behind. And every time, before she left, she'd say she loved him, and that she'd come home safe, with another trophy or some award to inflate her adorable ego. The day that she didn't come home with the rest of her friends, a lump built up in his throat, and his heart nearly stopped beating out of shock. After Twilight regretfully explained what had happened to her, Vanilla understood, and as hurt as he was, put on a brave face, and accepted what she did was an act of heroism.
Outside, he wanted to be there for his grieving friends, trying to be strong and lend them the tiniest shoulder to open up to, wanting to keep his composure, and not try to appear as a wreck. His other giant friends couldn't take the pain of her loss, especially Pinkie Pie. Vanilla hadn't have seen her smile in a long time, partially due to being gone for a long time as well, but when she returned, nothing. Not even a little one. Even back at home, Spike was a mess, but Twilight couldn't keep her strong mentality as well, and that's where Vanilla came in to help them let it out, and feel better, when in actuality, they should've been helping each other.
Inside, when Vanilla heard the news, everything around him just went black. His brain went limp. He didn't know where he was, who was in front of him, or even who HE was. Nothing in the world existed anymore, without Rainbow Dash. And when the shock wore off, his broken heart just sat in his chest, slowly expanding, nothing being let out as he held his feelings in for his friends. Now, it had gotten to where no pony was in the town, and he still couldn't release his emotion to anyone. Not even to himself.
KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
His stare was interrupted by what felt like a huge earthquake, but even one hoofstep felt like an earthquake to him. But this one was HUGE, like somepony fell over or something. He sharply turned to see what had just landed behind him, and the sight shocked him. Standing as big as a mountain itself, was not a pony, but a changeling, a GIANT changeling, her majesty, Queen Chrysalis. She had to be about five thousand hooves tall, and she just gazed around at the city, her head rumbling as it turned from side to side.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" she boomed, high, deep, and mighty. Vanilla had to cover his ears to keep his ears from bursting.
"At last, this town shall have enough love to feed my children! And soon after this town, then we shall conquer Canterlot! Then ALL OF EQUESTRIA! HAHAHAHAHA!" she stomped a hoof in arogence, shaking Vanilla off of his stone. She then rumbled her head side to side once again, now with a confused look on her face.
"Hmmmmm.... where are all the ponies? I was SURE there were ponies in this town!" she boomed in frustration.
"Everypony is gone. They all left for Canterlot." said Vanilla, hoping that the queen could even hear his tiny voice. Her ear did flick, and she rumbled her head around.
"Huh? Who's there? Show yourself! And speak up!" she boomed, demanding whoever spoke to reveal himself, even though he was right below her nose, and next to an aggravated hoof stomping in front of him.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
"I'M RIGHT HERE! IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU BIG OAF! AND I'M THE ONLY ONE HERE!" Vanilla yelled up, not only for her ears to pick up, but out of rage, for he truly did not want to be bothered right now. This use of assertiveness got the bug giantess to peer down to the white speck at her hooves. A devilish grin then grew across her face, accompanied with a displeasing and mischievous chuckle.
"Well well well. If it isn't Equestria's smallest pony. Standing in front of *BOOOOOOM* Equestria's BIGGEST ruler!" she boomed, showing off her might. Vanilla was shaken and fell over, but he was not shaking in fear. In fact, he stayed pretty still.
"Nice to meet you." he said in an empty, drained type of voice. The kind where you feel nothing but depressed. Chrysalis smirked, and knelt down in front of him, rumbling like the moon itself was coming down to mock him. Her titanic face soon appeared mere inches from his entire body, her sharp stone-like teeth dripping in saliva and cast a reflection of the pony. Above it her nose, equip with two caves that gave off winds that sucked in, and blew out.
"AWWWWW, WHAT'S THE MATTER? GIVEN UP ON YOUR MISERABLE TINY LIFE, AND WISH FOR A GIANT LIKE ME TO COME SQUISH YOU?" she boomed, nearly blowing him back with the tidal wave of humid air that bellowed out of her cavernous mouth. He stood his ground though, and did not get intimidated.
"I don't think it would make that much of a difference if I did or not. I don't care about that anymore." he told her, looking right into her.... nose. But still, he knew she could hear him, and he knew she would either grant his wish, or reveal her bluff. The second one seemed more plausible, as the giantess nearly snickered in his face, making another humid hurricane.
"Oh yes. I heard about your "marefriend". It was quite the loss. You know, if you ever want a mare for those, heh, lonely nights, I can always lend one of my changelings to fill in for Rainbow. Heck, they can BE Rainbow for you. After all, they'd get a nice meal out of it." she cooed to Vanilla, clearly in it for herself, just to get her kids fed, not caring about her words towards Vanilla, who by now, had just snapped.
"No one will EVER replace Rainbow Dash! You think just because one of your changelings LOOKS like her, or SOUNDS like her, that I'll see her the same way? NO! Don't you EVER get that crossed into your mind!" Vanilla turned around to look at the castle. Chrysalis was taken back a little bit by the tiny pony's rage. She knew that Dash was together with Vanilla, but she didn't know just how close they were. She could feel the love that use to be there, but it was slowly fading. But even for a leech that does nothing but use love for nourishment, she felt a little sorry for the ant-pony. To lose the only pony who truly loved him, and gave him her heart fully, in a world that would only settle for its own kind, made her feel sympathetic.
"It's not even like I'm sad or anything. I mean, yes, I am sad that she's gone, but she had to do what was best for everyone. I know she did what she had to do to protect me and everypony in Equestria. I-I get that, and everypony is i-in Canterlot sh-showing their respects for her. And she deserves every bit of it. But did... did she have to do it? Did she always need to be the hero? I mean I could've helped out. I-I could've been there, a-and I could've h-helped save everyone, a-and Dashie would still be here. W-We'd all be here, h-happy and safe, and together, and... and...."
Just then, he hears a huge explosion behind him, accompanied by a bright light that he didn't even need to look behind to see how bright it was. Once the light cleared, nothing appeared to had changed. So again, it was only for Vanilla's perspective. And he waited to see if it was that Chrysalis decided to leave him alone once again.
"Vanilla....."
An all too familiar voice boomed behind him. He gasped, because it was a voice he had believed to be gone forever. He turned around as quick as he could, because if it indeed was a ghost, he wanted to catch it before it would vanish into the air. What he saw in front of him, was no ghost. It was an image that was as clear and full as the day itself. Standing as big as a mountain, perfect coat of cyan fur, eyes that shame the rose, and the colors of the world that made up her mane. It was no illusion, and a pinch proved it to be real. Rainbow Dash.... stood before him, and called out his name. But he knew it wasn't her, it was the queen, in another one of her disguises, probably wanting to pounce on any love he had left in his broken heart.
"No... NO! You're not here! You're not right in front of me right now! You're DEAD! You died! You left us all behind by sacrificing yourself in war! They saw it! You...... you left me behind... you're.... gone...." Vanilla just felt every word he spoke making him weaker and weaker. But it wasn't the work of the queen draining his love, for it was his own heart weighing him down with the agony that had been building up ever since that dreadful day. Seeing the image of his best friend, the pony who loved him til the very end, the one who didn't care of his stature or his worth, but for his own intentions and his own passion to love her and her alone, busted a hole in his heart, and began a slow breakdown of his pent-up sadness, as it finally began to pour out.
"..... D-Dashie......"
He could barely get her name out. His throat was getting choked up, that trying to hold it back like he had been doing was becoming impossible, even though he had done a masterful job at it the days before. And being the changeling queen, you would expect her villainous, conniving, malicious ways to take hold, attempting to seduce him or something to lure her food into the trap. But in this particular instant, the queen was not hungry at all. In fact, she already had her fill earlier on another pony's spouse. This instant, the queen had other plans.
"Come here, Vanilla." she said, in the most perfect Rainbow Dash impression ever. And with that ringing in his ears, the hole blew a huge gaping chunk out of his heart, and he burst into tears, wailing like a child who had just found his mother. On wobbly legs, he stumbled as fast as he could to the giant, who had knelt down in front of him, and opened her legs like a great wall. When he drew close enough, with all of his strength, he leaped into the huge wall of cyan fur, and felt the thunder of the heart that beat behind that wall. Soon, the longer walls that made up her forelegs wrapped themselves around the minute pony, and caressed him within a tender hug, while the pony inside still bawled his eyes out.
"Dashie! Wh-Why did you have to go? Wh-Why did you *sniff* you have to do it? Why couldn't you let me come with you? I *sniff sniff* could've he-e-elped you! You could be *sniff* here with us now! I-I m-miss you *sniff*.... I miss you so much!"
Every word was like a wail. He still could barely speak, trying to catch his breath, warm tears falling down his cheeks like waterfalls. Chrysalis could feel more love now than she could've ever imagined, and from his tiny body. But she could also feel how much in pain he truly was. He had been holding it in for so long, that it grew like a virus, and had now become so big that the impact would have a greater toll. Not to mention, she could see how much Rainbow truly meant to him, and how much she changed his life. And she couldn't let this poor tiny creature just suffer with all of this sadness inside him, and with an empty heart. She might be evil, but she isn't heartless. She has young of her own, and when they are in need or are sad, her motherly instincts take in effect.
"I know. I know you do. I had to do it so that way I could keep the rest of you together and safe. I wanted to make sure that Twilight would come home to look after you, and I know you love her just as much as you love me. I needed to make sure you all could still take care of each other, and I'm so proud of how you made sure the others were not so sad as well. But Vanilla, please don't always try to be the strong stallion. I know it's what you think I'd want you to be, but it's alright if you need to be the one to cry in someone's hoof or chest. I know how much this hurts you as well, and you don't have to hold that in. I miss you too, Vanilla. Just know that I'll always love you, and I'll be here for you whenever you need me, I mean, that's what I was born to be: Loyal."
"*sniff sniff* I-I-I l-l-love yo-o-ou too." he said, barely able to get it out. "So much." He continued crying into the chest of what appeared to be his Dashie, and she in turn just held him and slowly rocked him, insuring that he was in a safe place, and that he was not forgotten by the mare who loved, still loves, and always will love him.
A few hours later, after the memorial had finished, Twilight Sparkle had finally returned to her castle. It had proven to be an easier day than she had thought it would be. All she wanted as of now was to see her "little bro" and see how he was doing. She entered the castle with Spike and Starlight, who both went off to do their own thing, as Twilight went up to her room, where Vanilla's sleeping quarters was. She thought about him all day, how when he decided not to join in on the memorial ceremonies, and how he must have been doing alone in the castle.
As she drew close to the door frame, she heard a muffled voice from the other side of the door. It was a familiar voice at that.
"Goodbye, Vanilla Beam. I love you, always."
Twilight felt her heart skip a beat, and her mouth dried up. Was she hearing things, or could it have been...? She quickly opened the door and galloped into her room. She looked all around and saw..... no one. No one was in her bedroom, which almost made the alicorn think she was going crazy, until she saw what looked like a rainbow tail flying away from the window. She galloped to the window and pushed them open, nearly bursting them off their hinges.
She gasped at what she saw. Down below on the ground was the very pegasus that Twilight had earlier spoken highly about, and gave her final goodbye to. She was standing right there, gazing up to the princess, with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face.
"Rainbow Dash?...." Twilight could barely get out of her mouth, tears welling up in her own eyes.
"Bye, Twilight. Thanks for everything." she said, and bowed her head, and in a burst of flames, changed into her original form. Twilight at first was shocked at the presence of the changeling queen, and how she actually managed to get inside of her castle. But what eased her nervousness was the tears that were still in her eyes, and the warm-hearted smile on her face. Twilight couldn't be angry, because she knew what the queen was doing for Vanilla, and was thankful that she actually went out of her way to help Vanilla open up. She gave the queen a nod of appreciation, and with an instant, she flew away, and was presumably heading back to where her kind lived now in Equestria.
As she watched her fly away, Twilight heard a faint noise from on top of her bed.
"She said she loves you, and she misses all of you." the voice said. Twilight turned and saw Vanilla, sitting in the middle of the bed, and still with tears running down his face. Twilight, without hesitation, sat on the bed, levitated Vanilla up to her chest, and hugged him as tightly as she had ever done.
"Yes she does. And she misses you too, and loves you the most out of all of us." she replied back. "And just know if you ever need to talk about anything, no matter what, you can come to me, or any of the others. We're here for you just as much as you are for us. We love you just as much as she does."
The two ponies sat on the bed together, opening up to each other, and just talking about Rainbow Dash. On the nightstand next to the bed were two pictures: one of the entire group of six friends since the beginning, and the other of the special someponies, that never let anything like size difference, ability, or even death, come between their love. Rainbow Dash might have given her life to save her friends, but she never left them, even if it wasn't truly her. After all, that's what be loyal is all about.
