Steelhoof stood atop a lonely cloud, at least six kilometres away from the rolling landscape below him. Froggy bottom bog lay below him, and as he stared down, it began to rain, almost as if the heavens themselves knew what was to come. He shifted closer to the edge, mentally preparing himself for his next move. In many ways, it was thanks to Rainbow dash that he was able to do this. Without her training, he would never have made it far enough up to reach terminal velocity.

Rainbow dash. Just her name felt powerful to him. You lied to her, he thought. All this time, you lied to her. You sat, and selfishly lived a happy life, and hoped you'd never have to tell her. That you're a monster. Nothing but a cruel, heartless, vicious monster. All you can do is hurt people, that's all you're good at. And now she hates you. The one thing that made sense, the one thing that gave you hope, and happiness, a reason to get up in the morning and a reason to stay alive hates you. She's probably scared of you too. And why wouldn't she? You are nothing but a monster and a killer, after all. The world's a better place without you, Steelhoof.

The six mares tore through the streets of Ponyville, Rainbow dash taking the lead. Five of the six wore grim expressions, Rainbow dash's lined with dried tears. Only Pinkie pie smiled, clearly not quite understanding the stuation. As they continued their search, Rainbow hurtled upwards into the sky, in order to get a better view as rain began to fall.

"Ya'll sure you've got no idea where he is, sugarcube?"

"No. Sorry."

"Do you have any idea how he might… you know…?" Twilight asked. Rainbow thought for a moment.

"He's gonna try falling."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. We were talking about it once. It was the only way he hasn't tried before, but now he can actually get up that high… oh Celestia. It's always my fault."

"Calm down sugarcube. It's not your fault. What did he do, anyway?"

"I'd rather not say. Anyway, he thinks that I think that he's a monster, and that I hate him, and I don't. All I see when I look at him is just a big, grey pony. I know he doesn't look like one, but… and now he wants to… just because of me. I'm the monster, not him."

"No you ain't." Applejack said firmly. "And when we save his sorry behind, we're gonna make him very sorry that he made you feel this way."

"No, it's not his fault… he's just… unstable at times."

"Ya'll don't say."

"Girls, now is not the time for this. Rainbow, Fluttershy, could you fly up higher and tell us what you can see?" Twilight said, taking control. Rainbow and Fluttershy nodded, and soared upwards into the sky.

Steelhoof looked one final time over the edge, his eyes so dark a blue they were almost black. As his grief corrupted his circuitry, his mind was filled by an image of Rainbow dash, covered by enormous curved wounds all over her body. As she bled to death, he could see the unfeeling monster that was himself standing over her, blood staining his forelegs. All you can do is hurt people.

"I love you, Rainbow dash."

With a sob, he stepped over the edge of the cloud, wings folded tightly against his body.

Rainbow dash stopped, mouth agape. Even through the rain, she could see the black shape in the distance drop from the cloud. The others noticed her expression, and following her gaze, gasped in horror. The world slipped away from her, and all she could see was herself and the falling Steelhoof. She raced through the driving rain, eyes closed to slits due to the rain. Even as the mach cone of her sonic rainboom began to form, the dreaded realisation that she would never reach him in time started to form in the back of her mind. She forced herself faster, pushing herself to the limits of her ability to save the one pony that meant more to her than anything else.

She was still at least twenty seconds away when Steelhoof hit the ground.

As he impacted, the crash was audible for over a mile around. Birds flocked from their perches and flew away from the area of damaged canopy that was once Steelhoof. She could only stop and stare as her entire life crumbled around her.

As Steelhoof's broken body sank into the mud, he saw the light fade through cracked and blurry eyes. At least you can never hurt anypony anymore… he thought to himself, and everything went black.

Rainbow dash stared blankly, feeling numb inside as she slowly drifted downwards towards her friends, who had finally caught up.

"Rainbow? Did he…?" Rainbow dash nodded.

"Are you okay, Rainbow? 'Cos if you-"

"I'm fine." She choked, tears streaming down her face.

"What're you gonna do now, sugarcube?"

"I think I'm gonna… I think I'm gonna go home. I need to be alone for a bit."

"Well, okay, but remember, you're not alone. We're here for you if you need us."

"Sure. See ya girls." Without waiting for a response, she flew upwards, away from her friends, towards the cloud castle she called home.

As she touched down and made her way towards the front door, she noticed something fluttering in the wind, caught on the architecture. It was a very wilted rose petal. As she picked it up, memories stirred in her mind.

"That's an extremely rare species of rose, Rainbow." Twilight said, looking at the mystery rose that had been left on the doorstep. Even without water, a single petal can last for years without wilting. They only grow in the deepest and most dangerous areas of the everfree forest, so whoever they are, they certainly like you."

As she stared at the petal, a gust of wind stole it from her hooves and carried it over the edge, where it slowly began to fall towards the ground. Just like Steelhoof, she thought. Quietly, she opened the big front door, and stepped inside. Without Steelhoof, the once cosy little castle was now a cold, unfeeling shell of emptiness. As the front door shut, her emotions finally escaped her. A scream of grief, sorrow, anger and despair tore its way through her, filling the castle. As tears flowed freely down her face, she screamed until her throat was so sore she could scarcely speak above a whisper. Still she wept, and vented her anger and sorrow on anything in reach, knocking over or smashing anything she could get her hooves on. Finally, exhausted by her outburst, she threw herself face down on her bed, and wept in the very place that Steelhoof had slept that morning. All you had to do was say something, anything! Now he's gone and it's all your fault. Then she could hear her father's voice, one she had not heard since she left home years ago. "You worthless pile of dung." He had said. "No wonder your mother died, she was probably too embarrassed about what a failure you are!"

"I'm sorry dad." She whispered, and the memory replied.

"Why can't you be a success like your sister! You're nothing!" He threw a half-empty bottle of liquor at her. She had dodged, and that had made him only more furious. "Just get the buck out of my house!" He had yelled. "We don't want you anymore! Never come back!" She had left, and she'd never returned. She'd also never believed she was worthless, until now. She cried all day and long into the night, only sleeping out of exhaustion.