It was a bright summer's day when Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Fluttershy and Scootaloo watched in awe as Rainbow Dash practiced her routine for her audition to fulfill her lifelong dream to join the Wonderbolts flying squad, after perfecting the routine she went for her tryout and was successful in joining the Wonderbolts… is the story I would love to tell, however happy endings in real life are scarce and this is not one of those happy stories where my favourite pony steels the spotlight for a story that takes a half hour to read with nothing but all the same rubbish about the pony's life going all the right ways.
Let's go back to "as Rainbow Dash practiced her routine for her audition to fulfill her lifelong dream to join the Wonderbolts flying squad"
As Dash was about to perform her world famous Sonic Rainboom, she ran, or rather flew into an unexpected Pegasus weather patrol, as a result, she dropped her speed too quickly causing her to lose control of herself and collided with one of the Pegasi in her path and dropped like a stone to the ground below her, her concerned friends quickly galloped over to tend to her, one of her legs was bent at an unusual angle and her left wing was a crippled mess, Dash was conscious, but unable to move as result of the extreme amount of pain she was suffering.
Applejack quickly ran to call for an ambulance while Twilight, Fluttershy and Scootaloo stayed by Rainbow's side, Fluttershy, in spite of knowing that the answer was "No" asked if Dash was OK. She wasn't able to reply.
The ambulance quickly arrived and the paramedics quickly but carefully put Rainbow on a stretcher and loaded her into the ambulance, she was quickly rushed to the hospital and put in the Accident and Emergency ward for immediate x-rays and treatment, Scootaloo, who had rode in the ambulance with Rainbow was promptly send home.
The following day Twilight, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Spike and the Cutie Mark Crusaders when to the hospital to visit Dash, relived to find that she was not only talking, but making light of the situation, or as light as she possibly could. "Yep, they just keep pumpin' me full'a painkillers" she'd say in a jokingly fashion. The others tried to be as positive as Dash was, but their concerns were just too apparent for Rainbow to ignore. "Will you guys lighten up? I'll be fine in about three months" she told them. "I'd like to hope so, but I fear she'll be here much longer than that and even then she could never be the same" Twilight said under her breath.
"OK girls, come on. Rainbow Dash needs her rest" said the burly nurse as she ushered the ponies out of the ward. "We'll visit every week!" Called out Fluttershy as the door was closed behind them. I'm very sorry to say that those weeks were numbered, and that number, was one.
The following week, Applejack paid Rainbow Dash a visit as promised, they spoke about the ponyville gossip, what Twilight had learned about friendship, the latest antics from the CMC etc. however, as AJ was about to leave, she was intercepted by a nurse on the way out. "Can I talk to you in private for a moment please? It's about your friend" "Uh, sure" AJ said. The nurse had a very solemn face, so Applejack prepared for the worst. It was at this point that I would love to make the joke about Rainbow Dash being a stable condition, but that couldn't be anymore further from the truth. "I'm afraid that your friend suffered three broken legs, a fractured wing, head trauma and five bruised ribs, she will never be the same again and she will always suffer from terrible pain. I'm very sorry to tell you that we have had to come to the hardest decision anypony has to make" "Which is?" Applejack asked. The nurse, close to tears, said "We have to… put her out of her misery" That news hit Applejack like a tonne of bricks; she could never had prepared herself for such a shock. "What?! No! Ya'll can't do that!" Applejack protested "I'm sorry, but it's the most humane thing to do, she's up for the Lethal Dose tomorrow afternoon, you can come and say your goodbyes then."
The day of Rainbow's demise couldn't have come sooner, as her parents, the rest of the Mane 6 and Spike, all of them close to tears, stood outside the operating room with Rainbow laid out on the table and prepared themselves for the hardest thing they would ever have to do.
(I'm pretty sure that reading "Cupcakes" looks like a good idea right about now)
"Now remember, she thinks that she is going to receive a stronger painkiller, so try not to make this seem like a "goodbye forever" kind of thing" The doctor told them.
Her parents went first, they told her how much they loved her and how proud they were.
Rarity entered next and told Rainbow that she would work on a new dress for her when she got out of hospital.
Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy entered together, and told Rainbow that they would plan a big party for her with all her favourite flowers, the flowers part was of course Fluttershy's idea.
Twilight and Spike also entered together, Twilight told Dash that she had written a story about her, when Dash asked if she could here it, Twilight told her "You will have to wait until you're out of hospital Dashie, I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise"
Finally came the turn of Applejack, who told Dash that she was going to prepare some of the best Apple Family brand cider for her when she left the hospital. "Why are you crying AJ? This medicine is going to make me all better" Rainbow said. "I know it will Sugar Cube" said Applejack through suppressed tears.
She left the room and joined the others at the window, they watched as the doctor told Rainbow Dash that the medicine would make her drowsy. They then watched as the remote control mechanical arm came round and stuck the needle into Rainbow's shoulder. The ponies found it very hard to watch, in fact, Fluttershy, Pinkie and Spike couldn't watch, as Dash slowly faded away. Then she was gone.
That isn't quite the end of the story; I couldn't possibly leave you all thinking that the last things that Rainbow's closest friends told her were nothing more than reassuring lies.
Rarity did make Rainbow a dress, her funeral dress.
Twilight did have a story, a story celebrating Dash's life, which she read out to everypony at Rainbow's funeral.
Fluttershy did prepare flowers, the flowers which were arranged on a rack to spell "Rainbow Dash"
Pinkie did organize a party, which of course was Dash's funeral party.
And Applejack did prepare some of the best Apple Family brand cider, so that she could raise a toast to her absent friend.