A fluorescent light shone above us, lighting the room. I looked around and saw that we were in some kind of holding cell. I looked to the far wall and saw a cot with someone lying on it, someone with a very distinctive head of rainbow hair. "Dash!" I yelled as I ran over to her. I picked her up and sat on the cot with her head in my lap. Her eyelids fluttered open for a moment. "Jet?" She asked weakly. "I'm here, baby." I said as I noticed she was no longer wearing her wedding dress. She was lying there in just her underwear and bra. Her breathing was shallow and she looked pale. "What' wrong with her?" I asked. Twilight came over and examined her. "It looks like she's been deprived of food and water for days. She's..." Twilight started to say. "No. That can't be right." I said as I pushed her hair from her face. By the sound of her breathing, I knew Twilight was right. She wouldn't last much longer in this condition. "No! I won't lose you again!" I yelled. Her breathing was getting more shallow now. I raked my brain for anything I may have learned in the academy that would help. I couldn't think of anything. We were trained for almost everything, but not for this. I looked up with a pleading look to the others. AJ was trying to kick the door down, Rarity stood there and wouldn't meet my eyes, Pinkie had finally passed out and was sprawled on the floor, and Fluttershy was sitting in the corner crying. Only Twilight and Wind were looking at us. They both had tears in their eyes. Wind put her hand on my shoulder. "There's nothing we can do. I'm sorry." She said. I looked at Twilight. "Isn't there a spell you can do?" I asked. "I'm sorry. Not even magic can cheat death." She said. I felt tears stream down my face. "No! I refuse to let her go!" I screamed. 'We can heal her.' The voice said in my head. 'Really?' I thought. 'Yes. But, you must do something for us.' It said. 'Anything. I will do anything.' I thought. 'Excellent. If we are to heal her, we will need to take something from each of you.' It said. 'What do you mean take something from us?' I asked. 'It is the law of equivalent exchange. In order to perform a feat as great as this, something must be taken in order for something to be given.' It said. 'What are you going to take?' I asked. 'Nothing too important. We do not require much to thrive. We simply want what all others want. Love.' It said. 'What are you talking about?' I asked. 'We will take away a loving memory that you two share.' It said. 'Which one?' I asked. 'We will decide once you make your decision. But, we would not waste any time if we were you. Her life force is fading fast.' It said. I thought about what it was telling me. If I agreed to this, it would save her life, but we would lose a happy memory of us together. If I didn't, I would lose her forever. 'Tick tock, tick tock.' The voice said. 'Okay. Do it.' I thought. 'Excellent.'
I felt the back of my head starting to burn up. My hands began to glow dark purple and that light encompassed Dash as I watched. After about a minute, the light faded and her eyes opened up. I was terrified she wouldn't remember me. She jumped up. "Jet! You came for me!" She yelled as she wrapped her arms around me. She brought me into a long, passionate kiss. After she pulled away from me, I took a deep breath. "Of course I came for you. Why wouldn't I?" I asked. "The two pegasi guarding me kept saying that you had been corrupted and weren't coming for me." She replied. "Well, I'm here now. What happened to your dress?" I asked motioning to her current attire. "They ripped it off me. Something about being able to hide weapons in it." She said. "They didn't hurt you did they? Or do anything else to you?" I asked. "No. They just ripped my dress off and stuck me in here." She said. "That's a relief." I said. "How did you guys get captured anyway." She asked. I looked away and put my hands in my lap. "I... well... I kinda gave the bad guy the means to destroy Equestria." I said. "You what?" She asked. "Yea. I was going to destroy them in the lava, but he said if I did, I'd never see you again. I couldn't take that chance." I replied. She wouldn't look me in the eyes. "I can't believe you did that. You sacrificed all of Equestria for me? Are you nuts?" She asked. Her words stung like a knife in my chest. "But, if we didn't get thrown in here, you would've died." I said. "I don't care. You shouldn't have done that. You should've just thrown the stuff in the lava and been done with it. You could've found someone else." She said. I got up from the bunk. "I don't want anyone else." I said as I walked across the room and sat in the corner. I pulled my knees to my chest and propped my arms on my knees. I rested my head on my arms and hid my face. I felt the tears burst from my eyes. The only reason I put myself through all this was to get Dash back, but, now she hated me. In fact, I hated myself for being so selfish. How could I put myself before the fate of Equestria? I was so stupid. "Rainbow Dash, that's not fair! We. He went through a lot to come and rescue you. He almost got himself killed. Twice! All to rescue you and bring you home. And you have the nerve to tell him he could've just 'found somebody else'?!" Fluttershy yelled as I looked up. "What?" Dash asked. "It's true, darling. If it wasn't for his quick thinking, we never would have found you." Rarity said. "Yea. And I never would have gotten to go to a rave!" Pinkie yelled. Everyone just gave her a dirty look. "Yea, sugahcube. It was tha' thought of you that kept him goin'." AJ said. Dash got up and came over to me. "Is this true?" She asked. "Of course it's true. I would do literally anything for you." I replied. "Well, in that case. Get off your ass and show me the strong, brave, and resourceful man I fell in love with." She said. I stood up, revitalized by her words. I looked around, the door was too solid to kick down. But, I bet the wall next to it isn't. "Stand back, ladies, I have a rather explosive idea." I said. I harnessed the dark magic in my hand and hit the wall next to the door with all my might. It exploded into rubble. We ran through it and up the stairs we had come in on.
