MLP: The Portal

Chapter 38: Goodbyes

Alex was sitting in his living room playing video games, patiently waiting for either Twilight or Starlight to arrive so that he could go to Equestria again. He was planning on spending the day with Rainbow Dash today; they were gonna go to a Wonderbolt practice so he could watch her fly again, and then they'd pick up some ice cream afterwards.

That knock on the door finally came. He opened up the door, and there was Twilight. She was slumped over a bit, looking rather upset. Alex's eyebrows furrowed strangely.

"Hey, Twilight. You don't look too good."

"I don't feel too good. Can I come in?" She asked.

"Sure." He nodded, and she came in. He looked outside to see if anyone else was there, but she had come alone again.

"First off, I wanna say that I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable before. I just wanted to say my thanks, I didn't mean anything else by it." Twilight said, sitting down.

"Oh. Um, it's alright, I guess. I really kind of overreacted to it, I've just…never been thanked like that before, and you know, I just started this thing with Rainbow Dash, so I wasn't sure what to do about it…" Alex explained awkwardly.

"That's not why you look so hung up, is it?" He asked. She shook her head.

"Oh, poor Rainbow Dash, she's gonna be crushed." Twilight said in realization, dropping her face into her hands and shaking her head.

"Crushed by what? What's going on?" Alex asked, sitting adjacent to her and putting a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him.

"I'm sorry, Alex, but I've been asked to not take you to Equestria anymore."

"What? Why? What happened?" Alex asked again. Twilight sighed.

"It's been brought to my attention that the portal that we've been using to go back and forth is posing dangerous risks to both your world and mine, so I've been asked not to open it anymore." Twilight explained.

"So…that means that…you won't be coming back?" Alex asked. Twilight shook her head.

"Can you have Evan come? I'm sure he'll want to say goodbye too." Twilight said. Saying the word 'goodbye' made it clear to Alex that this was serious; this was the end…

"I'll call him right now." Alex said.

"I can't believe this… Twilight, surely there must be something that you can do!" Rarity pleaded with her. Twilight shook her head.

"I don't have a choice… Princess Celestia didn't give me one." Twilight said with a sigh.

"But-but that's not fair!" Pinkie said, looking highly upset by this.

"We-we just…" Rainbow Dash's voice broke off as she leaned against Alex sadly. Alex wrapped an arm around her.

"Yeah…" Alex sighed.

"So… We'll never see each other again…?" Fluttershy asked with tears in her eyes as she looked at Evan. Evan just hugged her; it was difficult to see her cry.

"It looks that way, I'm afraid." Applejack said quietly.

"We just…wanted to have a chance to all say our goodbyes…" Starlight said. The raw emotion in the room was weighing heavily on her as well.

"Well, I guess this really is it then…" Rarity said acceptingly, sighing once more.

"We really can't thank ya'll enough for all ya'll have done for our friends. We'll never forget it." Applejack said, being the first to hug both Evan and Alex.

"Thanks, Applejack." Alex said with a nod.

"I'm really sorry it had to be this way." She said before stepping away.

"I guess we never will get to have that Pony Tones performance. And I was really looking forward to it too. Oh well," Rarity said, managing a sad smile as she hugged them both, first Evan and then Alex.

"I hope you know, Alex, that this really did mean a whole lot to all of us. This certainly isn't how any of us wanted things to go." Rarity said, patting him on the shoulder.

"Thank you again, Alex. I'm really sorry." Fluttershy said, hugging him.

"Don't be. There's nothing to be done about it now." Alex said, letting her go back to Evan.

"Gosh, uh… I'm really bad at goodbyes." Starlight admitted as she went to hug them.

"Yeah, me too." Evan said.

"That's alright. Thank you for taking us back and forth." Alex said to her.

"Of course." She nodded.

"I know this is really unfair to you both, and I wish there was some other way." Twilight said, hugging them both next.

"Me too man…" Evan shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, Twilight," Alex said, hugging her back. "It'll be alright. It'll just take some getting used to." He said.

"Yeah…" She sighed.

"We didn't even get to have a party!" Pinkie Pie sobbed as she hugged them both, almost pulling them to the ground. They returned her hug, letting her get her crying out for a bit before letting her go.

"We know it would've been awesome." Evan said, trying to be reassuring.

"Thanks for the cupcakes though. They were really good." Alex said, managing a smile.

"You're welcome." She nodded through her sniffles as she stepped away. Lastly, Rainbow Dash went up to Evan first.

"You seem pretty cool, and you and Alex are really close. Take care of him for me, please?" She asked. Evan nodded, hugging her for a bit.

"You know I will."

Finally, as the others began to clear out of the apartment, it was just Alex and Rainbow Dash. She waited until they were left alone inside, and the rest had cleared out.

"I… I don't know what to say. I'm mad, I'm upset, and just…really really sad. It isn't fair…" Rainbow Dash grumbled as she stepped into his arms and clung to him. He wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"Yeah, I know how you feel," He sighed. "But I am happy that we did have a little bit of time together, and I definitely wouldn't have traded the chance to meet you and your friends. I just, you know, wish that it didn't have to end, or at least, have it end this way." Alex admitted.

"I just didn't want it to end." She said, hugging him tightly and beginning to cry too. She kissed his cheek once before burying her face in his shoulder. He held her for awhile before loosening his grip.

Rainbow Dash looked up into his eyes, full of sadness, but also with some hints of hope and expectation. Alex looked back down at her, pained. He was idle for a moment, and then finally let her go…

"You should get going. Your...friends are waiting for you." Alex said.

"Yeah…" Rainbow Dash nodded in disappointment, going to the door. "You're not coming?" She asked, trying again. Alex shook his head.

"No…sorry. I, uh, wish you the best though…with everything." He said.

"Yeah, you too…" Rainbow Dash nodded once more before opening the door, drying her now red eyes as she stepped out with the others.

"Is that it then?" Fluttershy asked. Apparently the others had been waiting on both of them as well. Rainbow Dash nodded.

"Yeah, let's go home."

It was a silent and solemn walk back to where the portal would open. As they neared it, Rainbow Dash hugged herself, fighting back tears in his eyes. She didn't let her friends comfort her there. The only arms she wanted around her had stayed behind.

"We won't forget any of you. I can say that at least." Evan said, unsure what else to say.

"Neither will we." Twilight said.

Fluttershy turned and hugged him one last time. Evan hugged back with a hand behind her head. He let it slip to her cheek, wiping a tear away before giving her a farewell kiss. The others patiently waited, but Rainbow Dash just looked away…

Finally, Evan waved them off and turned away, walking back the way he had come. Twilight joined hands with Fluttershy and Starlight, and the others all joined hands as well, Rainbow Dash being the last in the chain. They took a deep breath…

And then they were gone…