The latest group of ponies that had ever heard the Royal Sisters argue had been dead for over a thousand years, so the deafening yells and the sound of crashing furniture coming from Celestia's room was a new experience for the entirety of the servitude that had stationed in front of the ornate door to her room.

They didn't think that they had ever heard Celestia use the traditional Canterlot voice ever in their lives. It was an archaic custom from the times before voice projecting spells were invented, and she had stopped using it as soon as those came around. So, listening to Celestia equate her tone of voice to that of her sister was not something they were used to, and considering how deafeningly loud they were being, they doubted that they could ever get used to it.

The walls muffled their accusations, so whatever they were saying, was only gibberish to their audience outside, but whatever they were fighting about must have been important to have them go at it for the best part of an hour.

Inside the room, Luna yelled at Celestia.

"… You wouldn't even understand how she feels right now! You have never been in a position like hers! In all these years I thought you had started to understand the ponies below you, but you haven't changed at all!"

"Apparently neither did you! You have the same propensity for murder that you had when you were Nightmare Moon!"

In a move that would surprise the ponies outside as much as Celestia, Luna did something unexpected, she walked slowly towards her sister, and lowered her voice, barely above a whisper as her body twisted and contorted into a darker and sleeker form, wearing a set of Royal, dark blue armor, as well as a helmet. By the time she got up to her sister's face, Nightmare Moon was the one talking.

"Do you think you can even begin to understand what Rainbow Dash is going through?" She said, wearing an ugly frown on her face "We can, for a thousand years we laid dormant, trapped and immobile in the moon's core. Yet we knew that we had hope, because when the moment was right, the stars would aid in our escape, and we would be free to come down and get back at you for what you did to us"

With her sister surprised and silent, Luna was free to continue.

"You cannot understand the pain and impotence of being paralyzed, all the guilt, all the self hatred, all the regret you feel when you're so denied of the most basic of sensations. We had hope, we knew that we would come down and move again, Dash knows that she won't. She will never trot or soar through the sky, she will never feel the touch of her lover again. Every single day for the rest of her life, she will look forward to a day of being still, of being fed and cleaned by her friends, a day of feeling like a burden to ever pony she has ever known. A day that will repeat until she dies. I'm not murdering a pony, I'm ending their suffering."

Even though defeating her had become easier in her old age, Celestia was still not easily intimidated. Yet, the clarity, empathy and honesty in her sister's voice made her feel cold to the bone. Not because of fear or impotent anger, but because of shame. Shame and hubris. She had become so used to ruling over her subjects, that this, this last act of freedom requested by one of her subjects, had offended her sensibilities, and she had believed herself worthy to overrule it. And her sister was able to see and cut through her with medical precision. And now, all she was was… stunned.

"We don't know how you can stand the suffering of our subjects, but we can't" Luna evaporated her armor as she turned back to the door "We will leave after you rise the sun tomorrow… With or without you"

In the halls of the friendship castle, a very worried Spike was walking laps near Dash's door. Ever since she made him send her mercy letter to the Royal Sisters, she had refused to speak to anypony until they got here. She hadn't eaten either, she had barely drank any water.

He couldn't even begin to imagine what was going through her mind, but he was sure that it couldn't be good. She wouldn't have asked him to send the letter otherwise. With Dash asking him to not tell Twilight about this, all he could do was sit in panic and hope that the princesses could get her out of this suicidal mood.

Ever since the sun came up, Bow and Windy were working hard on making their home accessible for wheelchairs and, in general, they were making their home fully comfortable for their crippled daughter. It was hard work, but if somepony worth it, that was Rainbow Dash.

What happened to her was a tragedy and a half, and the worst part of it, was that they didn't know about it for the longest time. It hurt them deep inside, and bringing her home in such a state brought them no joy, but at least they knew that in their home, she could be properly cared for.

After he was done paving the ramp in front of his house, Bow stood to wipe away the sweat from his brow. And as his wife trotted up to him with something to drink, something happened. The sky started to darken.

Thinking that somepony must have been screwing up the cloud formations, they turned to give them a piece of their mind, only to find a very different sight. Bow dropped the glass of iced tea that Windy had brought him once he saw what it was.

In the sky above them, the sun was being covered by the moon, and the world around them was being thrown into darkness. Bow's eyes widened with a realization, this was a dark omen. One that had only happened twice before. And everytime it happened, it only meant one thing.

Nightmare Moon is coming.

They didn't even need to remember where she was the last time she attacked. They didn't have time, because both dropped everything that they were doing, and flew as fast as they could towards the castle where Rainbow was being housed.

Down at the boutique, Rarity was staring at her latest piece with a disapproving look. There was nothing wrong with the piece, she couldn't see anything ugly or out of place. There was nothing inherently wrong with it… aside from it's existence of course. It was as if the dress itself was telling her "How dare you. How could you even think of making me when you have Rainbow Dash to take care of? Did you suddenly forget what you did to her?"

It was a feeling that she couldn't name. A mixture of all her guilt and regret, a fusion that haunted her every moment, all of her dresses, all of her vain beauty products. Every single thing she had just told her that every time she saw them.

Ever since, thanks to her, Dash became a cripple, all of her days had become dark, empty, soulless like an infinite night that consumed all in its wake.

A feeling that was rather appropriate, considering what she saw once she took a glance outside. Darkness, almost total darkness. Ponies turning out the lights outside their houses, came rushing out to see the moon stationed in front of the midday sun. Fearing the that the monster that once attacked during the summer sun celebration so many years ago had returned, many started panicking, running to their friends and family.

But Rarity saw something else. The shadow of a couple of tall, majestic ponies flying towards the Friendship Castle.

Just like the other ponies of the town, Rarity feared the worst, and promptly started running towards the castle.

Celestia was used to the halls of her castle. She couldn't put her hoof on why, but somehow the ones on her student's castle felt… smaller somehow and the more that she advanced the smaller they became; She was used to leading, to being the one on the front, but this time she was the one following. Her sister, Luna was taking the lead this time. She had flown towards the little town as soon as Celestia had risen the sun, and she, having thought the words Luna shared with her on the previous night, had soon followed her here. They hadn't exchanged a single word on the whole way to the castle, but as Luna lead her in a slow, stoic walk towards death, voicing her thoughts became a necessity.

"Luna."

"Hm?" Answered the deep blue mare without stopping her step.

"Should we announce our arrival?" Truth to be told, Celestia didn't have a lot to say. She looked for a way to segway into mentioning her general discomfort at ending the life of a helpless pony. But she didn't find how.

"We already did. Everyone can see the signs of our arrival outside. And the one who asked for us, already knows that we are here"

"If you say so, then lead us to her"

Luna walked the halls as if she had designed them herself. She knew where Dash was. She had been in her mind, every night since the accident, always putting nice dreams in her head, trying to keep her away from hopelessness. Her presence here, was the ultimate sign of her failure.

As the Royal Sisters walked up the stairs, a purple pony saw them, and quickly ran to tail them.

"Princess Celestia? What are you doing here?" Asked Twilight sparkle

Without turning, or stopping her somber walk, Celestia answered "We are here to answer Rainbow Dash's request for release"

"Request for release?" Twilight stopped her advance for a second, thinking about what her teacher just said… Her eyes widened with a realization, and using her signature teleportation spell, she disappeared.

The older mares just kept walking.

At the same time, a panicked alabaster pony made her way into the castle, running through the path towards her marefriend's room.

The complete and absolute silence in Dash's room was broken by the noisy purple spark of Twilight's teleportation spell. Twilight herself came out of it, it was true that, considering how much she worked on that mythical healing spell of hers they had stopped looking at each other because she was always working. But seeing her like she was now, Rainbow had no option but to recognize that it was true. She was always working on it. Her personal health be damned.

Twilight looked like a completely different pony. Her coat was unkempt and fuzzy, the feathering on her legs had gotten so long that she looked like a draft horse. And her mane had become so wild and messy that if Dash couldn't see the very tip of her horn barely coming out of it, she may have thought that the Twilight in front of her was an earth pony.

But the thing that would always identify her as Twilight was still there, the eyes, those worried eyes of her, always looking out for her friends. Yeah, Twilight was so worried at the moment.

"Dash?! Please. PLEASE. Tell me that you didn't do what I think you did" Twilight yelled with that worried tone of voice that only mothers could master.

"I asked the Princesses to come here and put me down"

"What?! WHAT?!"

"Twilight, this isn't living" Answered Dash "We both know that no matter what you do, or how much you try, you won't find anything that can get me to move again"

As she said that, the door opened, letting Spike and the Royal Sisters into the room.

"You don't know that!" Continued Twilight, not registering the new occupants of the room "I've developed new spells before, and I could do it again"

"Twi, I don't want you to spend the rest of your life in a lab trying to heal me. I know that I can't be healed, I, I… I think I made peace with that a long time ago."

Feeling one of Celestia's hooves on her shoulder, Twilight turned to her.

"Twilight, my pupil. This is a decision that Rainbow Dash has taken, and that we have no intention of going against. We're here to ease her suffering, and allow her passage into the next life"

"Do not worry Twilight Sparkle, It will be quick, and painless" Interjected Luna, speaking from her other side.

"Twi" Said Dash, faintly, looking at her as if her life depended on it "Can you do me one last favor before I go?"

"Anything" answered Twilight, trying to stop herself from tearing up and failing miserably.

"Pop into Scoots' house and bring her here, I need to tell her something"

Closing her eyes, Twilight disappeared into a flash of purple light, and not even two minutes later, she came back in by the same method. This time bringing with her the orange pegasus.

"Dash?! Twilight told me what you said. Is it true?"

"Yep" Said Dash, unbothered by the prospect of her own demise. She was just glad that she could finally let these thoughts out of her head "I'm about to bite it kid. And I wanted to tell you and Spike something. Something I really want you both to do"

Scootaloo got closer to the purple dragon, both advanced to be at the side of their flying teacher.

"Fly"

"What?" asked both of them.

"I want you both to fly. Fly strong, Fly hard. Fly freely. Fly high enough to reach the sky beyond the sky and conquer it. And when you two get there, I want you to spit down, so it falls on the head of some egghead or authority figure. Train yourselves, and be the best. Do it for me, would you guys?"

"We will" Said Scootaloo, barely able to hold her tears in. Spike didn't bother to, he was crying freely.

"Than I have nothing left to say. Okay sisters It's time, I'm a very busy mare and I don't have all day" She said to the Princesses, who moved to her sides.

Before they could start however. Somepony came into the room. An exhausted, Rarity ran up to her. "Rainbow!" Rarity shouted in a voice so high that It almost felt like an ear-piercing yell.

"Hi sweetie" Said Rainbow, looking at her lover standing at the side of Celestia "Came to say goodbye?"

"Good bye? Rainbow what are you saying there was an eclipse outside and-" when Dash turned her head to point at the rest of the ponies in the room, all looking between solemn, sad and somber. Rarity came to a realization. This wasn't a normal visit. Something terrible was happening in here. With a terror creeping from the base of her hoofs to the top of her head, Rarity asked. "Dash, what is happening here?"

"They're here to say one final goodbye, one that I really didn't want to say to you"

"Rainbow… are you..."

"They're going to put me down"

"Why?! No! There must be another way" The panic in Rarity's voice was palpable. Celestia herself had to kept her from jumping onto Dash's bed

"Rarity, I want to hug you, to kiss you and tell you that everything is going to be okay. But I can't even do that." Dash teared up. This was what she had feared, telling her lover goodbye was going to be the hardest thing ever "You're a beautiful, powerful and amazing mare. I'm sure you will find somepony soon. Somepony who isn't a vegetable. Somepony that can actually make you happy. Somepony who can actually love you back this time. And I know that soon enough, after you live a full life, filled with love and affection and friendship, after you go surrounded by your family and ponies who loved you, I know that we will find each other in the next life. I'll be there waiting for you, ready to start again"

Rainbow's tears were stinging her eyes, but she couldn't do anything to remove them. But they kept coming and coming, because nothing made her cry so much as the sight of Rarity crying for her.

Among her sobs and attempts to get on her bed to stop anything from happening to her, Rarity had to be removed from the room. It took the strength of Scootaloo, Twilight and Spike, to take her out for enough time to let the Princesses close and lock the room.

"Let me go!" Rarity screamed "They're going to kill her! they're going to kill my darling!"

"Rarity this is what she wants! She is suffering" Twilight said, pushing Rarity away with all of her strength.

"No!" Rarity yelled, almost crashing into a flower pot.

She took a look around, not registering the sadness and grief of the ponies in front of her, all she could see were murderers. She saw to the corner, the furthermost one away from the room, was Spike, who sat on the floor looking down. She trotted to him with the fury of a scorned kelpie.

"YOU" She pushed him against the wall "This is your fault! You were jealous of our relationship! You did this!"

Her accusations wouldn't have stopped if a furtive slap hadn't knocked her off him. It came from Scootaloo, who even with the tears still in her eyes, was furious with the white mare. "We are all losing a friend here today, and you can only think about how you feel" Unlike in Rarity's, there was no venom on Scootaloo's voice.

"Rainbow has been suffering, and none of us noticed. This is the only decision she can take for herself right now. And all we ask you is that you respect it"

Rarity directed her sight to the ground, like most of them, and started to cry.

With haste, Windy Whistles and Bow Hothoof came running through the hall. Seeing their daughter's lover crying on the ground, they wasted no time in asking "What is happening?" and "Where is Rainbow dash?"

Rarity told them, with a tone of utter defeat "In there, they're, they're killing her"

He was as stunned as his wife, but unlike her, he wasn't paralyzed, his body acted on instinct. He tried to use all his strength to bring down the door. But all he managed to do was hurt himself, he was a pegasus, he had hollow bones, being strong wasn't a part of their skillset.

He didn't want to give up, it took Spike shooting fire at the door to get his attention, and a thorough explanation to make him stop, at which point he sat, looking at the floor defeated, because he realized what this whole time he wasted in conversation meant for his daughter.

Once the commotion outside had died down a bit. The Princesses looked at Rainbow Dash one last time, and in unison, they asked.

"Are you ready?"

"As much as I'll ever be"

Celestia's horn began to glow, engulfing Dash's body in a golden light, so bright that it made Rainbow close her eyes on instinct, then, she heard her chant.

"Fausticorn. We thank you for creating all things. We thank you for the east, because no matter how sad we are, we always feel happy when the sun comes up. We thank you for the west, because when the sun goes down we are happy to have lived another day. We thank you for the north, because it feels good when the cold wind comes down and the leaves change and fall. And we thank you for the south because it feels good when the world gets warm and everything turns green again. We thank you for our ever changing world, and the ponies that live in it. We thank you for the lives you gave us, and we ask that you help us guide this soul through the white path in the stars so she can go and live with you."

The chant had calmed her, so much so that she barely noticed when Luna touched her forehead with her horn and then… nothing. No noise, no feeling, nothing at all.

Rainbow Dash found herself sitting in front of Luna, on top of the moon. The sky beyond the sky everywhere around them.

"Is this a dream?" Asked the pegasus.

"No. This is a place beyond the dream. This is the realm of the eternal sleep. Where ponies come after their lives are over, it's my duty to guide them there" She said, pointing towards a point above them.

Dash moved to look, she could see the immensity. Stars surrounding them on all sides, and the brightest of them all on top of them. It wasn't until she turn her head a bit too far back that she fell backwards and noticed that she could move the rest of her limbs.

"How? How am I moving?" Rainbow asked, as doubtful as she was her doubts were overshadowed by a morbid sense of euphoria.

"Your body was broken" Answered Luna, adopting a casual and compassionate tone "Where we are now, we are not bound by the limits of our bodies. We exists as we perceive ourselves. It is the reason why you're in peak form right now"

As she stood up and started to move around, Dash looked at her body, her musculature was back and she could actually feel herself move, she enjoyed actually feeling herself, and her joints and the feathers and the cold stillness around her.

She could feel the irony of the situation as well. She hadn't felt this alive in a long while, how funny was that? Once she realized it, and the emotion had died down a bit. She felt an overwhelming feeling of melancholy.

She was dead. This was her after her life. A life that would last forever, without her friends, without her family. She was relieved that her suffering was over, but she didn't even get to say goodbye to many of her friends.

She let out a sigh. "This is really the end isn't it?" she thought out loud.

"Yes it is" answered Luna

"Did I say that at loud?"

"Yes you did" said Luna, adding a giggle at the end. She put a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder and asked "Is there anything wrong little one?"

"I… Its just… My mom, my dad, most of my friends, I... I didn't say goodbye"

"I understand. Do you want to tell them'"

"You can do that?"

Instead of answering, Luna, rose her head, and let her horn glow, letting shining silver strands out of it, where they went, Dash didn't know. What she knew, is that as they became longer, the transparent bodies of her friends started to appear around her until finally, the circle was closed by her parents.

Terrified by their appearance, Dash asked "Did you just?"

"No. They're merely in the realm of the dream, separated from where we are. But they can see and hear you. Rainbow Dash, say what you need to say. Do not leave with any regrets"

Rainbow didn't have any time to think though, as her parents basically tackled her to hug her. Among the most painful pressions of their overbearing love as her parents, Rainbow could hear them say things like "We were so worried" and "We thought you were in danger. We saw the black moon and…"

It took them a second, but they finally noticed the imposing figure of Princess Luna staring down at them. They did the first thing that came to them, they moved to defend their daughter.

"Dashie, stay back. Its Nightmare Moon!" yelled Bow Hothoof, as he put his body between his daughter and what he perceived as a threat.

"We won't let this monster hurt you any more"

"Mom, dad. Princess Luna is my friend!" She said, pushing through their barricade and turning to them "Sorry that they're saying these horrible things to you"

"Not the first time, nor the harshest" said Luna, taking it with grace.

"But, but she tried to kill you"

"No mom, she did kill me… Because I asked"

In unison her parents yelled a deafening "What!". And as Dash started to explain the rest of the ponies present started to get closer to them.

"I… I asked the Princesses to come and put me down." Said Rainbow Dash, while she had a hint of sadness in her voice, there were no traces of defeat on it. "As the months went by with no progress on a way to heal me, I started to realize that my life would end up being just me staring at something in front of me, with life going by in front of me, stuck forever in that stupid chair. And with you two coming to take me away, I saw how little power I had to make my own decisions anymore. So, I took the last decision that I could. To end it"

There were plenty of buts among the crowd, but a stomp from Princess Luna was enough to remind them that they were in a sacred place and that they needed to pipe down. Thanking Luna. Dash moved to each one, and started.

"Rarity. You were the best thing that ever happened to me. The months we spent together were the happiest of my life, and something that I will never forget. All I ask from you is to be happy when you remember me" Dash gave her a kiss on the lips, and then moved away from her marefriend, who was trying to contain her tears.

"Applejack. You were a great rival, and an even better friend. I'm going to miss competing with you. But you can be sure that I'll be waiting for your next challenge once you come to this side"

"I'm sorry I couldn't do anythin' to prevent this Rainbow Dash"

"There was nothing you could do AJ, don't blame yourself for anything."

"I'm going to miss you so much!" The tough earth pony hugged her best friend, who hugged her back, and reassured her that she had nothing to blame herself for before moving onto her next friend.

"Twilight. Thank you for being the best egghead that a mare like me could ever hope to befriend. My life would have been a bore if you hadn't become a part of it. I owe so many things to you, and I wouldn't have been able to pay you back in a whole lifetime. Please, don't ever stop being you, and… before you ask, yes, you can have my signed Daring Do box set" Twilight received her words with a smile and tears in her eyes. As she knew these were going to be Dash's last words to her.

"Fluttershy" Was all she was able to say, before the pegasus in question hugged her and started to cry on her shoulder. "Flutters, please. Don't cry. I know it's hard to see a friend go, but you're one of the bravest ponies I've ever met. You will be able to manage" Dash broke the hug and looked directly into her eyes "Fluttershy, don't ever forget how strong and awesome you are, you have the heart of a manticore inside of you, and you're as tough as an ursa major. I know the world is scary, but you're more than equipped to handle it, and I will be cheering for you" Fluttershy tried to stop herself from crying as Rainbow moved away, but she was having no luck.

"Pinkie" Dash said looking to a deflated looking version of her friend, with her hair looking straight and discolored "Pinkie, don't be so sad. I'm not. Don't look at this like the end, think of it as a new beginning. Tell you what. When you're a merry old mare, and is your turn to come here, I'll be waiting for you, and we'll spend the rest of eternity partying. Does that sound good?" Pinkie nodded weakly, and Dash continued "It made me so happy to be your friend for all these years, because that's what you do, you bring happiness to everypony, don't ever stop doing that Pinkie, because I know there is plenty of ponies out there that really need it" Pinkie gave her friend a hug and whispered into her ear "you made me happy too". After a long mutual hug. Dash moved onto the next one.

"Scootaloo." The young mare looked at her with admiration and melancholy, so Dash put her hoof on her shoulder before talking "Squirt, you were the best fan, pupil, sister and friend that I could have ever asked for. You have awesomeness in you. And you'll do great things, I know you will, because I can see it in your eyes. I don't know what your future will bring, but all I know is that I will be cheering for you from beyond. Always remember to tell yourself that you can do it, because I always believed that you were going to be a great flyer. Now I know one thing, you're going to be the best" Rainbow gave the yearling the strongest hug she could muster, trying not to show the tears that were forming in her eyes. She really was going to miss the little squirt.

"Now, Spike. You were a great friend during all these years. You took my pranks like a champ, and… oh man. I'm… I'm so sorry you had to take care of me for these few months. I'm very thankful for you, you were the best nurse and caretaker I ever had. All I can say to you is, never stop having such a huge heart" She took a hug from the dragon, that she exploited so she could whisper in his ear "If you break her heart, I'll come back to haunt you" he answered with "I wouldn't dream of it". The two friends had a small giggle, before Rainbow Dash gave her farewell and started walking towards the last set of ponies.

"Mom. Dad. You were the most awesome ponies on equus for me, I know that sometimes I could be mean, but it was because you two were overbearing and overprotective. I know it came from the best place, I know that you love me to no end. But for once. You need to let me go. I know that your love for me is endless, and I do want to make you happy, but I can't spend a life suffering just so we can be together, I…"

"I understand" Said Windy Whistles, giving her daughter one last hug, one that her husband joined in soon after. And Spike, And Scootaloo, and Pinkie, and one by one, every single one of her friends joined in. Dash could feel it. The emotion running through the ponies in the pile of ponies that formed that group hug, she could feel their affection, and friendship, their sadness, melancholy, and above all thing, love. Love for her, and what would become a memory of her.

The last memory they would ever share with Rainbow Dash.

Soon, Rainbow felt the hug become lighter, and lighter. She looked up to see the ponies becoming more and more translucid, a look at Luna confirmed that It was time, the last memory she would have of these ponies would be this hug, so with a smile she told them.

"Goodbye everypony" as they disappeared into the ether.

Luna asked her "How are you feeling?"

"Better, I guess. You know, I never thought I would ever see this place again"

"It's a magnificent sight don't you think?"

"Yeah."

"Do you leave anything behind? Any regrets?"

"No… hey, can I ask you something?"

"Of course?"

"When will it be over? When I'm going to… you know"

"It's already over. Your body was left behind, you're in a place beyond the suffering of your mortal coil. All that is left for you to do now, is to come to the white road, so you are able to start the next life."

Dash gulped a bit, looking upwards from the floor of the moon. It looked like those were an infinity away.

"Rainbow Dash. Tell us, do you want to fly there?"

With a faint smile, Rainbow spreaded her wings for the last time. "I will race you there!"