Resurrection

Inside the gate, she was confronted with thick darkness. The Rainbow Factory had always been gloomy, but never this bad. The generators were disconnected, so there weren't even emergency lights. She waved her hoof in front of her face. Nothing.

Dash felt a restless need to go further in, even though it was black as a tomb. She started walking forward, and after a few meters she turned left to avoid the wall. She didn't even need to feel her way through. She would stub her hoof in her own house, but she knew this place too well. Even when she was away from the factory, she couldn't stop seeing it in her mind. She was still trapped here.

She paced through the eerie maze of hallways. With all the pipes and machinery finally silenced, the echo of her steps seemed unnaturally loud. She thought of those stories about monsters in a labyrinth, but she wasn't scared. She was the monster.

The despair of the place was palpable as always. Dash mused that if they had actually had to work in utter darkness like this, everyone would have gone insane within a week. At least now it was just a cold, dead shell. She wandered from section to section, to assure herself that it really was empty. It's over, she finally accepted. It's really over.

She felt just as empty, like a ghost. She wondered where she should be when the end came, but there was really only one place. The only place she had avoided going is the one place she was destined to go—to the Machine.

As she reached the corridor to the factory floor, she was stopped in her tracks by the brightness of the light at the other end. She blinked. It was like sunlight, but had the sun come up in the last few minutes? After her eyes adjusted and it was no longer painful to look at, she headed to investigate.

When she had almost there, a young filly stepped into view. The little girl looked at her a moment, then scurried away. There was something so surreal about it.

Am I hallucinating? Is this place haunted? Dash was in no mood to run away from vengeful spirits, not today. In any case she had to be sure there wasn't really a kid in danger. She started into a run, and rushed into the light.

A soft, colorful glow was coming down through the broken ceiling, but the brightest light was coming from the direction of the Machine. The entire device was a twisted mess. It had already gone into meltdown before the rainbow burst out. The source of the light moved in and out among the wreckage.

Dash looked for the girl. To her shock, there wasn't just one foal, but many, running and playing among the debris. They were see-through, half real, like a vision. Frightened by Dash's sudden arrival, they stopped their carefree activity and retreated to the light.

The thought crossed her mind that she might already be dead. She approached the machine to see where the light was coming from, but now with slow sensitive steps. There she saw him.

A golden alicorn, wreathed in fire, stood among the mangled steel that was supposed to destroy him. Light emanated from his regal presence. The children flocked around him and hid behind him, peeking warily at Dash. As she watched, he stooped to examine a large fragment of crystal.

The Machine used the crystal matrix to store magical energy, but it had cracked and shattered. Something inside the shard shimmered and moved erratically, almost as if trying to escape. Yeshua pulled the energy out of the crystal. No longer refracted and scrambled, it reverted to its true form—a foal. He embraced the soul for a moment, then set it down among the other child spirits.

He turned to Rainbow Dash. "Come," he beckoned.

She did approach, slowly, stammering, "You… you're alive! But, but…" Was he a ghost too? He wasn't see-through.

"Yes, I died," he acknowledged. "But I'm far too fundamental to this universe to cease to exist." He reached out and touched her shoulder. "See, I am just as real as you are."

"What about the kids?" she wondered nervously. If he was real, then maybe they could come back too, and everything could be undone like it didn't happen… but she could sense that wasn't quite right.

He shook his head. "They don't belong here anymore. I'm taking them home with me."

She had been overwhelmed with surprise and relief to see him again, but now the shame flooded back in. "I—I'm so sorry. I killed you, and these poor little foals, I did everything wrong!" She hung her head, embarrassed to look him in the eye.

He lifted her chin and brought her focus back to his kindly gaze. "I know. I forgive you."

This is why she had been afraid of those eyes—it looked like he could see inside her, like he knew everything good and bad about her. Surely anyone who knew who she really was would reject her, but he didn't. "But why would you want me? I haven't been kind or generous or anything, I haven't been loyal to you at all. Why would you be kind and loyal to me?"

"You aren't, but I am," he replied, with inescapable simplicity. "I came to save you from yourself. Someone had to pay for all the evil deeds, to restore the balance of it all, but I've always loved you and I didn't want it to destroy you. Just like I came to rescue these fillies, I came to make a way for you to be whole, be clean. To give you real life, my life, so that you can live in my kingdom forever. One day, I'll bring you home, just like these little fellas."

"Wow, I don't deserve that," she said. What else could she say? He was freely giving her more than she could ever earn.

"I know. I want you anyway." He smiled and patted her head, tussling her mane affectionately. "I brought someone you need to meet."

Another ghostly form floated into view, made of light and colors like stained glass. It was orange and purple, with an attitude, and beating her underdeveloped wings. It was Scootaloo, and she was flying just fine.

"Oh, hey Scoots…" For a moment, Dash was afflicted with the stupid temptation to act cool and be casual, but she got over it. "Geez, I really screwed up. You know I always thought you were cool and wanted to help you succeed. And then when I saw you in here… I promised your parents I'd help you fly better, and when it didn't work out I got so upset. I think I was mad at myself? Wow, I was such a monster to you, but I guess that's what I became in this place."

"Yeah," Scootaloo said with a nod, "it was a pretty awful thing to do, but somehow, I still care about you. That's what I was trying to say, before… you know. I still don't get it, but… I forgive you." She held out her hoof.

Dash met the gesture with her own hoof, pressing palm to palm. Usually it would have been a hoof pound, like a quick fist bump, but they held it there, not wanting to pull away. Scootaloo didn't feel solid, as if they could pass through each other, but she could still feel the warmth of her touch. "I missed you kiddo."

"Yeah. It would have really been fun to finish growing up with you. My parents didn't really want to deal with having a retarded kid," she said bluntly, and sighed. "They sent me here as soon as I flunked, like they were relieved to get me off their hooves. But you didn't look at me that way. You're kinda the one who made me actually look forward to living my life."

That felt really good to hear, but stung at the same time. Dash tried to hold in a tear, but it got out anyway.

Yeshua had stepped away from the conversation. When he came back, the vast, shining being cradled something tiny. He held it out to her. It was a sky-blue unicorn baby, with a bold rainbow mane and tail.

Although it wasn't a pegasus, Rainbow Dash was obviously the mother. Her eyes widened. "Ohmigosh, my baby!" She cradled the weightless filly to her chest. "Look at you. You're so adorable I can't take it."

The little girl smiled and burbled, "Mama!"

That was it. Dash immediately started to ugly cry. "My baby, my sweet little daughter.

I didn't even give you a name. I've gotta name you."

She held her tiny pony close to her face, almost nose to nose. "I'm gonna call you… Rainbow Crash."

Yeshua chuckled.

"WHAT!?" Scootaloo bust out, "Isn't that the mean nickname they used to call you when you were little?"

"Yeah," Dash said with a smile, blinking through tears. She couldn't take her eyes off that pudgy little face. "That's what ponies would say whenever I crashed, and I crashed more than anybody, and they said I'd always be a failure, but mom and dad believed in me. And they were never embarrassed about me, and I didn't quit, and I proved everybody wrong."

The waterworks returned in force. She blubbered on, "And you're a part of me, and I never should have quit on you. I was so afraid what everyone would think, but I should have been proud of you. So I wanna call you Rainbow Crash because I thought you were a mistake but you're actually awesome."

She squeezed little Crash close to her heart and rocked her side to side. They were like that for a while.

Yeshua prompted Scootaloo, "Remember what we talked about?"

"Oh yeah." Scootaloo encouraged her mentor, "I don't want all this stuff to make you afraid to have kids. Or, I mean, more kids. You'll be a good mom."

Dash shook her head. "No way. I can't." She had already failed the little baby in her arms, and she couldn't take the thought of doing that again.

"Yes way. Best ever," Scootaloo said with total certainty. "If they make you think of us, don't think that we're gone, remember that we're waiting for you. We just… beat you to the finish line."

"Waiting for me, where?" Dash asked, apprehensive. Scootaloo seemed to gesture to herself, to her own free existence as a body of light. Dash understood, sort of, but it still seemed out of reach. She looked down, afraid that she would have to disappoint them again. "Even if I kinda know where you're going, I don't think a pony like me could ever go there."

"No, you couldn't," Yeshua acknowledged, but in a tone that made it clear that didn't matter anymore. "I went through hell for you, to give you this rainbow, this part of myself, so that you can belong with me again."

"So I guess… you really do want me," she said. She was just now beginning to believe it, to accept it.

He embraced her, squeezing her tight. "I wanted you before you were born, and I still do, even after all this. I love you, my little Dashie." He kissed her forehead. She felt as happy and secure in his arms, as the little baby did in hers. She listened to his heartbeat.

She didn't know how long they were like that. She didn't want it to stop. For a while it seemed like they could really just live in the ruins forever as a family, and she would never have to let go of her ghost baby. But she knew it was just a passing moment, and she began to worry what life would look like after this, that it might never be this good again.

He sensed what she was feeling. "It will be a long time, but we will meet again. I've given you a part of myself that will be with you until then. That rainbow is proof that I love you, and a promise that I will come back and make everything right with this world. Anypony who wants to be forgiven of everything can be filled with the light of my magic, and restored to harmony with me. Just look up at that rainbow and trust me. Believe, and let it in. Now go, see for yourself, and then tell your friends and everyone you meet."

That didn't sound so bad, but she still didn't want to leave the warmth of the hug. "Do I have to go now? This is… nice…"

He let go, and told her, "I'm keeping that promise I made to you. This place is about to get wiped off the map."

"Whoa!" She jolted up straight, remembering that there were bombs somewhere in the building or under it. "Wait, what about you guys?"

"You're the only one here who hasn't died already," he pointed out. "Don't worry about us." He gestured for her to give little Rainbow Crash back to him.

She wanted to hold on to him, but there was hardly anything for her to hold. The translucent foal was already in another plane of existence. She gave him the baby; clearly he was the only one who could take care of Crash now. She trusted Yeshua with her baby, like she trusted him with herself.

"I do have one more mission for you, if you're ready for it," he requested.

"Anything," she said, with no reason to hold back.

"There's only one copy of the data that shows the truth about this place, and it's about to be destroyed along with the lab," he informed her. He didn't have to tell her how important it was for her to get it. If she didn't, the fake news would say the factory was a necessary evil, and she would have to hear it for the rest of her life. "Give it to Twilight, she'll know what to do with it."

"Is there enough time?" she worried.

"Only for you," he quipped, giving her an I-believe-in-you smile.

She grinned. I was made for this.

"Run your race," he encouraged, but added more urgently, "Right NOW."

She spun toward the south end and opened her wings. As she launched into flight, she heard Scootaloo begin to cheer, "Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash!" She zoomed through the open sun on the factory floor and disappeared into the dark offices.