Rainbows Are For Fillyfoolers: Chapter 8: Loss
Applejack was extremely tired. Every day she was more and more exhausted, even though she just laid there, doing nothing. She lost blood by the pint.
Rainbow kept an eye on her, and looked in her direction every five or ten seconds, to say the least.
It was Tuesday. Again. Like it was ever any different.
She was told she would not need to worry. That was two weeks ago.
After her morning tests, the doctor looked into Applejack's eyes. His face was slack, and he frowned as he said her most feared words:
"Applejack, I'm so sorry... I don't know how to tell you this. I can only estimate you have approximately six days to live."
Applejack's eyes widened. She forgot her pain. She wanted Rainbow. Now.
"Get Rainbow Dash."
"Of course, ma'am."
Rainbow was walking (running) back to her and AJ's room, when a doctor stopped her.
"AJ, she wants your attention."
"Uh huh," said Dash, blankly. She practically flew down the hall, despite her pain.
She finally reached their room.
"What is it, AJ-" Her face was solemn. "...Uh oh."
"Dashie, babe..." she choked out.
"Yes?"
"Ah have sum'm ta tell ya."
"And what's that?"
"Ah have about six days ta live."
Rainbow Dash looked at her face. Then she looked past her face, past the wall behind it, past the horizon and into space. Her mind stopped. All her motors creaked to a halt. She lost herself in one thought: Why her?
"Dashie?"
"No."
"Rainbow?"
"No, no, no..."
"Rainbow Dash!"
"No, no, no no no no... no no no NO!"
"Rainbow, PLEASE!"
But Rainbow had already broken, broken down, she was a mess of tears and screaming.
"NOOOO!"
Rainbow saw her life after she lost AJ. She saw years of sadness, years of agony, a life without life. She would be dead. A dead husk. A living ghost. A shell. Nothing but a lifeless exoskeleton.
"Dashie, Ah'm ok now, Ah'm fine, sugarcube, don't you worry 'bout me..."
Applejack held Rainbow, cradling her head on her shoulder. Rainbow's tears streaked her back, her body shaking and tense.
Applejack whispered into Dash's ear,
"If Ah do die, Ah want you to know that I'll always love you. No matter how far away we are. Ya hear?"
Rainbow nodded. She sniffled, and croaked,
"I'll always love you too, no matter how far away we are... and... and... I'm sorry... for dragging you to your grave..."
"Sugarcube, don't say that, you didn't drag me to mah grave, Ah stepped in and did it to myself... And Ah'm sorry for that, Dashie."
"We... were never... careful..."
"Ah know, and Ah don't care, because it brought me here, with you."
"Promise me somethin'..." said Rainbow.
"Anythin'," said Applejack.
"Promise me... you won't leave me without sayin' goodbye."
"Ah promise."
For the next four days, Rainbow never, ever left Applejack's bedside. She stayed up every night as long as she possibly could, and watched the meters on everything.
Every night, Applejack said goodbye, just in case she never woke up.
At 4:56 in the afternoon on the fifth day, Applejack felt faint. Faint as in, exhausted to the point of no return.
"Rainbow..."
"Yes, AJ?"
"...Ah... Ah think it's my time to go."
"...what?"
"...It's mah time, Dashie..."
"No, please... stay with me..."
"Ah... don't think... Ah... can, sugarcube..."
"You can, I know it! Please..."
"Goodbye, Rainbow Dash... Ah'll always love you...no matter... how far away we are..."
"I'll always love you too... I... Goodbye, Applejack..."
"Maybe... we'll find eachother... again... some... ... ... ...day."
...she breathed her last breath.
The beeping went to a single note.
Applejack was gone.