The small white corridors stunk of bleach. And various other cleaning products. Smelling like an indoor swimming pool. Blue doors were dotted around, with small numbers placed just under the tiny windows. The echoing of hooves was the only sound in this building. Along with the faint beeping of other machines in other rooms.

It had been at least two weeks since the master assassin, Rainbow Dash, had left Iuana Tartar. Leaving that devastating, disgraceful, horrible place behind to rot. The pegasus cheated death as she recovered in the Canterlot Hospital.
After the first week, Rainbow had woken up. Weak, but awake at least. She didn't seem herself at first. Applejack and Twilight were first to notice. Whenever somepony went close to her, or raised their hoof, she would wince. As if preparing for pain. The girls knew that this was due to the torture she had to endure at that prison. The others hated to see her like this. In her broken state. She hardly spoke. In fear that she would be punished. Twilight tried to reassure the pegasus, that she was free once more. To be with her loved ones. But Rainbow replied that she was not free. She was as much as physically free, but not mentally.
To make things more difficult, their dear assassin friend was claustrophobic. For a pegasus like her, that was quite normal. But now, she refused to stay in any building for longer than an hour. So, Applejack and Fluttershy had to take her out, into the gardens, to give her relief. Princess Celestia granted the pegasus and her friends access to the Canterlot Gardens. She gladly did. The pegasus deserves so much from the princess. As she risks her life to protect Celestia's subjects. The sun goddess was deeply upset about the sudden change in Rainbow Dash. She knew how to help, but didn't know how to do it. And this made her feel useless.

The prison had taken it's toll on the mare. She seemed more distant. Every time she did go outside, into the Canterlot Gardens, she just sat there. Staring at the sky. Letting the air cool her wings. The doctors had said it would take at least several months for her wing to heal properly. The girls were worried. Not knowing the mental pain she must be going through. By the second week, she was finally trotting around. Stumbling every so often, but still walking. She still hardly talked, and it always looked like there was something on her mind. Something big.

Twilight knew what this thing was. She knew what was bothering her friend. Or shall I say, who.

~~~

The purple alicorn sighed as she stopped at one particular door. Door thirty five. The door to a certain, famous pony's room. A certain dying pony. Twilight felt guilty. It was her fault, really. That the Wonderbolt was behind this door, bed stricken, because of her big mouth. If she didn't laugh and boast at the Lords, Soarin wouldn't have got stabbed. If she just quietly grinned, and celebrated later, both Soarin and Rainbow wouldn't be going through as much heartbreak.

"I'm going to make it better. For Rainbow." She whispered as she creaked the door open. Holding her breath as she did so. For her plan could either go brilliantly, and reunite the two pegasi, or smash every bit of hope. Sucking it dry.

~~~~~~

The wind howled viciously. Screaming like a pained soul. Ice cold droplets splashed to ground. Thundering down like bricks. Broken branches and leaves whipped around, ripped from the trees, which were being battered by the tremendous weather. The dark clouds ruled the sickening sky. Blocking the light of the full moon.

Upon the sticky, wet mud, was a purple alicorn. Her violet wings tightly folded by her sides. The cold rain stinging her skin, as the wind whipped her hair around her face. She winced as the violent wind and rain ravished her body. Her eyes were brimmed with her own salty tears. That streamed down her face. But what hurt her the most, was not the sharp wind. Or the slicing rain. It was the throbbing pain in her chest.

Before her purple orbs, was a cyan mare. Her own wings bandaged up. Her scruffy multi-coloured thrashed around her face. Her own rose gem eyes overflowing with her aching tears. She stared at the alicorn before her. Her face painted with pure grief.

"H-How...how could you?" She croaked. Her voice making the princess shudder.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Rainbow. I was...I was only trying to help." Twilight coughed. Choking on her tears. She had destroyed her friend. She had smashed the final flicker of hope her friend had. She had killed her lover. The very pony who made the pegasus' complete. Who made her life worth living for. And now he was gone. Because of her.
"I didn't mean to...I just..."

"He's dead....he's dead....snatched out of my life....again...why does this keep happening?" The pegasus wailed. It broken Twilight's heart to see her like this. To see her shattered friend.

"I know. I know you loved him. And I am so sorry, Dash." The alicorn tried to apologise. But the pegasus just shook her head. "Please. Just come back to the library. With me and the girls. Please, Rainbow. We all love you. We hate to see you like this. Please. We love you so much...it hurts us to see you upset and broken." She begged.

"That's the thing. We're like a family. We all love each other so much. So much...it could kill us." Rainbow Dash muttered.

"..yes. Yes! We are like a family! And family take care of each other. So come back inside, so we can take care of you." The princess beckoned the pegasus over. In hope she'll come over.

"Twilight...I'm not an idiot. I may have dropped out of school, but that's only because I had other things to do. I still think, Twilight. And right now...I think it's time...time for me to go."

The young alicorn gasped quietly. Covering her mouth with her violet hoof. She feared the worst. Her friend had given up. Given up all hope and faith. It made the princess feel so useless. To know that her friend, was disappearing before her.

"I'm sorry, your highness. I'm sorry that I couldn't be a better protector. I got too caught up in my emotions, I forgot my objective. To serve and protect. And that is what I shall do, Princess." Rainbow Dash bowed. "From the day Celestia hired me, I was just a simple, filthy assassin. But then you girls took me into your hearts. And became my friends. My family. I swore to protect you and the girls. Which I did, but now...my vow is broken. For I swore to protect all the innocents in this land. And I have failed. I failed to protect the pony I loved." The cyan mare began choking on her own tears. "Now, I must leave. This is all too much. It hurts so much."

"No, Rainbow-"

"I am nothing more, and nothing less. Just a waste of space. Taking the cowards way out.
Goodbye, Princess Twilight Sparkle. It was pleasure doing service with you. And a pleasure to be your friend."

"Rainbow! Wait!!" Twilight lept forward towards the mare, but in a flash of lightning, her dear friend was upon the floor. A pool of her own blood dripping from her chest. Her now red stained chest bore a dagger. The dagger that the assassin had cherished for many years. Her parents dagger. And now, it was used to take her own life.
Twilight cried into the side of the pegasus. Screaming and wailing among the wind. Yet, her cries were unheard under the sound of the wind. Her hoof ran through the soaked rainbow coloured mane, stroking it as she cried.
"I didn't mean to!! I didn't mean any of this!! I'm sorry!!! It's all my fault!!!"

Author's Notes:

...I ain't saying crap.

Except....
HAPPY NEARLY NEW YEAR!!