Princess Twilight, the ruler of Equestria, sighed as the report was finished by the guard. There was no response she could give. Instead she walked out onto the balcony where she raised and lowered the sun. It usually gave a beautiful view of the world she ruled over, but that was no longer so. There was nothing that could have prepared her for the trial she had faced over the past week, or the trials to come in the months, no years, ahead.
Half of Equestria was still burning from the fires, and they had no ability to get what little water they had left to put them out. The earth ponies were doing what they could to create separation zones to halt the flames, but it was slow and dangerous work. It wasn’t like the surviving Appleloosans had anything better to do with their homes and farms reduced to charred remains from the fires that swept through the area. The fires had started there.
The Buffaloes had been in the area too. Their survival rate was unknown, but none had come to give any assistance against the fires or coming seeking aid.
The fires were not the only thing to worry about, flash freezing had ruined crops inside and outside of Equestria. Famine was at the doorstep of everycreature. If it wasn’t the flash freeze, the rest of the crops were destroyed or being destroyed by massive droughts that were cascading across the lands as the water was whisked away from the very soil.
Yakyakastan had melted in a matter of hours as the balance of the world's weather was destroyed. Only a few Yaks survived the sudden mudslides that buried half of them alive. Their attempts to smash their way through the mud to save their fellow yaks had triggered further slides. They were unprepared for the situation they had to face.
But the Yaks were not the only ones decimated. Mount Aris was plagued by a category 5 hurricane that was sitting on it and unable to move due to the rapidly shifting weather patterns. They had taken shelter in Seaquestria, but no one had heard from them about how they were fairing. Twilight feared they had been destroyed by the strong and violent tides and currents that had torn apart the harmony of the seas and were shifting their patterns every few hours.
She never could have grasped how much the Weather Factory impacted all of Equestria and stabilized the entire world’s ecosystem.
Twilight Sparkle had given it her all when it came to spells, but even her fix all spell had failed. She needed the pegasi, and they were practically useless in their current state. Discord’s magic was doing some things, but even he was not able to turn the tide. The whereabouts of Luna and Celestia were unknown, but their last known location was hit hard shortly after everything failed. If they hadn’t made it to Canterlot, they most likely would never make it.
The pony death estimates were in the tens of thousands, on the conservative side. Cloudsdale was gone, Ponyville was in the direct blast zone. What survived the immediate impact was destroyed by the rain of jarred lightning. Not even her castle had survived.
Manehatten was on the water, and Twilight was waiting for a report on their situation, but that couldn’t be going well. Las Pegasus was also on the list of places she hadn’t gotten recent reports on. The Crystal Empire had disappeared from Equestria.
Somehow, things could get worse. Ignoring the impending unknown catastrophes that were being whipped up by the unbalanced world, there was a law she had to uphold. And she couldn’t hold off on the sentencing any longer.
Twilight took a deep breath in and walked back into the throne room. She took her seat.
“Guards!” Twilight called.
The door was opened by her former student, the Griffon Gallus. He threw a quick salute. “Yes Princess?”
Twilight steeled herself. “Fetch the prisoner. It is time.”
“Yes, princess,” He replied, bowing.
It was too hard sitting and waiting. Twilight Sparkle was forced to stand and pace. The time came to lower the sun and raise the moon. She did it with a heavy heart as she watched them fall and rise above the smoky skies. Most of her subjects wouldn’t see it, and few, if any, would be able to enjoy it.
Twilight heard the doors open and the sad plod of chained hooves walking forward to her throne. She took a moment to compose herself. Her grief was great, but right now she needed to lay down the law. She had to be stoic. She reentered the throne room with her chest out and head held high.
She decided she couldn’t sit and do this. She had to stand, and look down on the chained, and charred, Rainbow Dash. Both her front hooves were chained together, along with rear hooves and they were jointly connected to the wing cuffs that Pegasus Ponies had to wear. Rainbow flashed her a nervous smile. She hadn’t escaped without her own injuries, but that didn't make any difference.
“Rainbow Dash,” Twilight Sparkle proclaimed. “You knowingly designed a dangerous Wonderbolt routine, and then you knowingly flew it by restricted flight zones. I am keenly aware that you were trying to impress everycreature at the upcoming Friendship Festival, but you crossed a line. And worse, your outright negligence destroyed half the kingdom! Just our kingdom. That doesn't count the Changlings, Hippogriffs, Yaks, Seaponies, Zebras, Kirin, Buffalos, the Griffons, the Dragons, or the other creatures. There is no fixing what you caused, despite our best efforts.
“Unfortunately, the law is clear. And it has been clear for generations. There is nothing I can do despite our personal past, or our friendship. And since you no longer physically hold the Element of Loyalty, there is no way I can stay the law.”
“WHAT!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “BUT I! I...I...I...IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!”
Twilight Sparkle shook her head. “Intended or not, the end result is the same. You were negligent in your duties and now thousands are dead and those numbers will only rise. The initial explosion when your teams crashed into the Weather Factory destroyed the entirety of Cloudsdale, immediately killed all but one of those Wonderbolts, Captain Vapor Trail, who died of her wounds a few hours ago, and Ponyville was almost instantly obliterated. Fires rage, snow and permafrost melted causing flash flooding, and the seas are permanently altered.”
Twilight Sparkle pointed her hoof at her friend. “All because you chose to ignore the rules. I thought you would have learned long ago that there are things you can not do, lines you should stay away from, and that the weather factory doesn’t take much to break. But you just proved that you still haven’t learned some lessons.”
Twilight Sparkle sighed, losing her strength. “I really had thought you were beyond some of those foalish ways. You are the head of the Wonderbolts. You have trained dozens of our best fliers. You taught at a school! My school! You did well as a teacher.
"And yet, you were cocky and arrogant. You pushed your teams too far, despite their insistence against the routine and their inability to perform it safely. You were also warned about the proximity of the restricted flight zone near the factory, and you knew how far off they were going when they missed the turns.
"And I haven’t touched on the fact that you had 8 injuries from team members that stopped them from being in the routine. One or two may never fly again! And four are certainly dead because they were in Cloudsdale’s hospital, not here in Canterlot!”
“I’m sorry,” Rainbow Dash said, with a heavy sigh. She couldn’t even look at Twilight. “What is the punishment?”
“As I said,” Twilight began, gathering her strength. “It is an old law, but valid nonetheless. The crime you are guilty of is treason against the three pony kinds of Equestria. And for that, the punishment is the gallows.”
Rainbow Dash was taken aback. “The what?”
“The gallows,” Twilight Sparkle stated again. “The noose?”
“Uh, what?”
Twilight Sparkle rolled her eyes, trying to keep it together. “Death Dash. The punishment is death. And there is no way around this. My hooves are tied by Lady Justice.”
“Go!” Twilight ordered Gallus before she completely lost it. “Take her away. The sentence is given. It will be carried out as soon as we are able too. For now, I still have a world to stabilize. That is what my crown means.”
“Wait!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she was dragged away. She struggled against the cuffs on her hooves and the set around her wings. “Please! Twilight!”
Twilight Sparkle turned her back on Rainbow Dash. She couldn’t do anything. Dash had made a mistake, but it was too much this time. There was no protecting her after her negligence.
The doors burst open and Twilight spun around. She almost unleashed her anger at the intruder, but halted. It was Rarity. A very ragged and worn Rarity.
“Sorry,” she panted. “I…I came as fast I could. I was in Manehatten, tending my store.”
“What has happened there?” Twilight Sparkle asked.
“Well, Darling, I was hoping you could tell me the why first.”
Twilight Sparkle shook her head no. “I need a report on the state of the city. You are the first news I have been able to get. Everypony I sent has not returned.”
“Well,” Rarity stalled. “Well half the city is under water. Buildings toppled and fires broke out in the ones that didn’t.”
“How many survived?”
“Uh,” Rarity stammered. She was not prepared to answer that. “I’m afraid not many, Darling. I don’t know a direct count, or even an estimate. I was doing what I could, but it’s been a week now. The ones we couldn’t get to in the rubble couldn’t have survived being trapped this long. And the water continued to rise. We were hit with a tsunami two days ago. Many of the rescuers were swept out to sea and drowned. There wasn’t a boat left to save them. If anypony was alive and still stuck in the rubble, they certainly didn’t survive the water. It is body recovery now, which is why I came. I was hoping I could help you. Have the others arrived?”
“No,” Twilight replied, sitting down on her throne in defeat. “Spike was in the dragon lands, and hasn’t returned. I have no idea where Pinkie Pie was, and I don’t know if AJ or Fluttershy survived the direct hit Ponyville took when the Weather Factory exploded.”
“THAT IS WHAT CAUSED ALL THAT!” Rarity yelled, panicking. “If...then…”
Twilight was spared having to explain more as Rarity fainted. At least, spared for a little longer. Several guards slipped in to carry her out to the palace infirmary.
Another one passed them as he came in to give a report. Twilight nodded for him to proceed. “Your highness, Luna arrived at the city a short while ago, but she was immediately moved to the hospital. I am told she doesn’t have much time. You might want to go to her.”
Twilight Sparkle’s horn glowed and she teleported to the hospital. The staff was shocked at the intrusion but immediately changed upon realizing it was their princess. Twilight Sparkle was brought to the emergency room where Luna was in.
When she slipped past the curtain, her heart stopped. Luna was unrecognizable. Half of her body was burned off, a festering wound that was days old. The only way they could tell it was either Luna or Celestia was because the patient had both a charred horn and wings. The size indicated it was Luna.
Luna groaned, recognizing she had a visitor. Her normally bright eyes didn’t glow as she opened them. “Twilight,” she whispered. “We did our best. Celestia…the sun, controlled the fire. But...Everypony we saved died. Every time...we saved more, they always…we did our best.”
“I know,” Twilight solemnly replied. “I know you did. I haven’t been able to do much either.”
“What happened?” Luna asked.
“The head of the Wonderbolts was negligent in their duties and pushed the teams too far for an impossible routine to perform at the Friendship Festival. Despite numerous warnings and multiple injuries, they were forced to continue by their leader. The team’s crash into the Weather Factory did this.”
“The Weather…” Luna sighed in pain. “I knew it was powerful, but not destabilize the world powerful.”
“The pegasi have little control over anything,” Twilight explained. “From the information I have recently gathered, the vast extent of their power over the weather was anchored in the factory. Flying and walking on clouds is one thing, but controlling the weather as tightly as they did was another level of magic I didn’t understand they had. I am almost certain they had help from the Unicorns to establish the foundation of the factory.”
“Twi...light,” Luna rasped. “Wasn’t Rainbow...in charge of the...bolts?”
“Yes,” Twilight replied.
Luna took a deep breath in and looked at her with the last bit of strength she had in her. “Then, is she… the ancient law?”
“The gallows,” Twilight affirmed.
“No,” Luna said with the last of her breath.
Twilight Sparkle teleported from the room in a surge of rage. When she popped into her throne room she wasn’t alone. Zecora was there. Twilight Sparkle staved off her rage once again to hear what her old friend had to say.
Zecora confirmed Twilight’s fears. Once Zecora had been able to escape the burning Everfree Forest, she searched what was left of Ponyville. Fluttershy was dead and so was Applejack. Luster Dawn had been found as well. The only relief was the knowledge that they most likely didn’t have a moment to fear the inevitable.
Zecora was taken to the hospital to be treated for the burns and at least a broken leg. She had made a solid splint, but she needed real care and rest off that hoof. What little care they could give her with the surge of injuries the hospitals were receiving.
Reconnecting with the world had been nearly impossible, even once the fires died, the parched land made others impassable, while the rest seemed to be covered in water. The Crystal Empire had yet to reappear. Most of the cities, reduced to crumbled ruins of no substance, had been abandoned and everypony was centralized in Canterlot for the upcoming winter. The only plus side was that their food supply was enough to feed the few ponies that remained.
Twilight Sparkle stood on the balcony that overlooked the palace courtyard. They had little raw materials to spare, but the time had come to carry out the sentence on the criminal Rainbow Dash. She watched as they built the gallows out of tree trunks and branches, lashed the poles together with rope.
The law covered everything, from design of the gallows to the actual execution. It even had things in place to counter Pegasi. The records of those who actually faced the gallows was incredibly short. It was almost entirely Earth Ponies. The unicorns died fighting rather than be caught and the Pegasi escaped the clutches of the law to live a rogue life in hiding.
But that was the old Equestria. Since Celestia and Luna had come to power, it had only been used twice. Once was early on in their reign, and the other was about the middle of Celestia’s lone reign. Things calmed down under their rule; order and peace was brought to the land.
Order and peace would once again reign as the world healed. Equestria was healing, and it was braced for the winter that had come early. While most of the survivors waited it out in Canterlot, they planned how to heal the land as soon as the warmer weather came. Farms were being organized, supply chains and the logistics of supporting those farms were also being designed. Everypony had a role to play, and they were cooperating well. The Reconstruction Committee was essential to rebuilding everything. But that was on hold as the committee members and other organizers were all in attendance.
To hang a Pegasus Pony, the rope had to be kept short, preventing even the best of the fliers from sprinting fast enough to break the rope. A physical barrier above the hanging point was also installed to keep them from sitting on that point. With a short leash, they couldn’t get up onto anything to wait it out. And finally, their hooves were tied together to prevent them from grabbing the rope to break or untie it.
A small crowd of citizens began to gather as the time neared. Twilight Sparkle glided down to the courtyard for the actual sentencing. Rainbow Dash was brought out, flanked by multiple guards on the ground and air.
The look she gave Twilight was cold. Twilight had never visited her, but she had sent her the book of law that the Princess of Equestria was bound to uphold.
Rarity stepped up to Twilight’s side. “I couldn’t stay away. I know you have to be present, so I decided I had to be here in your time of need. I just…I…”
“Me too,” Twilight replied solemnly. “Me too.”
“I read the book you sent Dash. There…really wasn’t anything you could do. She tied her own hooves.”
Twilight Sparkle just nodded back as she watched Rainbow Dash stoically step up onto the stool they were using and the noose secured around her neck. The guards looked over at their Princess, but she didn’t even blink. They undid the wing cuffs and Rainbow Dash instinctively looked at Twilight Sparkle. Twilight’s heart stopped as she realized Rainbow Dash was going to drag it out. She thought she could get away, but that simply wasn’t the case.
“Rainbow Dash,” Twilight Sparkle said, using the Royal Canterlot voice to gain the attention of everycreature gathered. “Your repeated negligence caused the destruction of the land we loved. That you too, loved. Friends and family were lost in that time. Intended or not, it still is a grave crime against the Ponies of Equestria. You killed thousands of ponies, and thousands of other creatures. Your sentence was declared months ago, while things were still fresh and changing. Now that this wasteland is calmer and we are regaining control, the time to carry out that sentence has come. As everypony here is aware, that punishment is to be hung by the noose until dead. I wish there was something I could have done to change the sentence, but my hooves are bound by lady justice and the law that my crown represents. May Celestia and Luna care for you.”
Before Rainbow Dash realized what was happening, the stool she was standing on was yanked out from under her. She instinctively opened her wings and bolted. The rope went taunt and the noose tightened under the sudden pull, like it was supposed to do.
Rainbow dash didn’t say a word as she floated in place. She tried to loosen the noose, but the hoof cuffs prevented her from doing anything. She stared Twilight Sparkle down as she defiantly floated in place. Twilight Sparkle knew the rough breathing wasn’t anger or being short of breath. The noose was stopping her from taking in a full breath of air.
Whispers from the crowd began to circulate. Few had understood exactly what would happen in the first place. Now they were thoroughly confused.
Only Twilight Sparkle and the guards understood what hanging a Pegasus actually required. Rarity soon looked up at Twilight and took a half step to the side, creating distance.
“No!” She begged. She understood now. “No. Please tell me no.”
Twilight Sparkle stood there as a light breeze began to flow. It caught her flowing mane, lifting it a bit more. The breeze was not welcomed though. It was cold and harsh. The snow hadn’t fallen yet, if it even would this winter. On the breeze came the ash of the torched land. Twilight Sparkle couldn’t help but believe she also smelled death and blood whenever the breeze brought the ash.
Slowly, ponies began to leave. They didn’t know what else to do as Rainbow Dash just floated there, staring at their Princess. The cold also drove them to seek the comfort of their shelters. Rarity didn’t leave though, and neither did the Restoration Committee.
Eventually, blankets were brought out to those still in attendance. Twilight Sparkle levitated the magic device Celestia and Luna had given her and she lowered the sun; putting the moon in its place. The temperature quickly dropped to near freezing without the sun’s warmth.
The guards were soon refreshed and a fire was started for the committee to keep them warm. They had the tough duty to wait it out. Rarity did her best, but even she had to join the others around the fire, which was fine for Twilight Sparkle. She felt calmer, stronger even, without her friend by her side. It helped stave off the pain that surrounded their friendship.
Twilight Sparkle would always love Rainbow Dash for who she was. She would always value their friendship. She wouldn’t rewrite history to blot her out of it. She was a key member of her council. Unfortunately, because of her, that council no longer existed.
Twilight Sparkle silently mourned the loss of her friend as she was forced to do her duty and watch her die.
There was a key moment, right before Twilight had to raise the sun, when Rainbow Dash realized she was truly fighting a lost battle. There was nothing to save her from the inevitable but her wings. She hadn’t eaten or drank in almost 24 hours. Her body was going to slowly run out of energy until she hung there. She couldn’t speak because the noose was too tight from her initial bolt, but her eyes conveyed the anger and defiance in her soul to Twilight Sparkle.
Ponies came back as the sun warmed things back up. They were curious to find out what had happened. They began to understand what the punishment actually entailed.
At noon Rainbow Dash faltered and dropped a few feet in the air before her wings caught her. She had to flap them much more rapidly as she struggled against the inevitable. She hadn’t ever quit in her entire life, and she wouldn’t let her life end with her quitting.
She slowly began to slide down towards the ground. The rope began to go taunt, so that it guided her to the hanging point. She still flapped, getting more desperate to avoid the inevitable. The safety of the ground was only a few inches from her rear hooves. She didn’t have the strength to try flying up again.
Her wings faltered and she dropped the last inch needed to tighten the noose. As it constricted around her neck she flapped, rising back up. But the curse of a noose was that it could not be undone. She fought to breath and flap and desperately tried to get to the rope with her chained hooves.
The cuff caught her collarbone and in Rainbow Dash’s panic the metal tore open her flesh. She seized up as she felt the pain and the noose tightened again as she gave it the weight needed to do its job. She never stopped fighting to get to the rope as it squeezed her throat, cutting off the air she needed to survive.
When Rainbow Dash exactly died it wasn’t clear. The rope swayed from her battle and the blood dripped from her gash for a while. The breeze once again came sweeping through the courtyard, bringing the ash, blood, and an icy nip with it.
With the bite of the air back, Twilight Sparkle gave a not to the guards. A unicorn’s horn lit up and he levitated a spear. The stab was clean, straight to the heart.
The liquid that came out wasn’t blood. That was coagulating in her lower body. The watery plasma that came out signified for sure that she had died a while ago.
Rarity came back over to Twilight and threw her hooves around Twilight’s neck. She openly sobbed, unable to control her emotions anymore. Twilight put a hoof around her friend to support her. The first tear slipped from Twilight’s eye. She would have to hold it in for a little longer, but it was going to be the first of many.
