A/N: Inspired by Prototype. First fanfiction published, comments and criticism much appreciated!

Pain.

It was all he could feel.

The outside world was a blur to him. Most of his senses weren’t working properly. His sight only returned blurred images, beyond any recognition. His ears were filled with distance voices, none of which he could understand. The all he could taste or smell was blood.

And all he could feel was pain. A burning, unbearable pain.

How did this happen? He wondered, Why now? This was supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life.

“Well, ain’t you lookin’ nervous.”

Ash’s head shot up at the voice. He knew who it was, the thick southern accent had given that away. “Hello to you too, Applejack.” He said without looking.

The charcoal grey coated Pegasus was sitting in the shadow of an apple tree in the orchard of Sweet Apple Acres, his near white mane moving slightly with the breeze. Ash turned his head to face the orange mare, watching her with violet eyes as she sat down beside him.

“So, ya gonna tell me why ya’ll so worked up?” she asked.

He grinned. “I’m going to ask her.”

Applejack stared at him for a moment, a look of surprise on her face. “Ya mean: THE question?”

Ash could feel blood rushing to his face as he nodded. “Yep.”

A huge smile broke out on the farmpony’s face. “Well,” she chuckled, “It’s about dang time.”

Fear.

He had felt fear a lot over the past month, but that was a different kind of fear.

That was fear of rejection, fear that something wouldn’t go according to plan, and a fear of making a fool of himself. The new fear was much stronger, making the other kinds seem trivial. It was the fear of lose. The fear of losing everything.

Especially the one he loved most.

Ash had never been so nervous in his life. He could see her tail dangling off the side of a cloud, like a rainbow lure. If it was a lure, it was working.

He gathered his courage and took to the sky, circling around the cloud before landing. It was fairly small, but had enough room for more than just the two pegasi. He stood on shaky hooves and watched her for a moment. Her cyan coated body rose and fell slowly with her breathing, and rainbow mane swayed in the gentle breeze.

Ash took a deep breath then gentle shook her with his hoof. Her eyes opened and she blinked repeatedly, before standing, and annoyed look on her face. “Huh? What is it?”

Rainbow examined the one who had woken her, and her face softened when she realised who it was. “Hey, Ash! How’s it going?”

Ash tried to meet her gaze, but failed and looked at his hooves. “Well, umm, I wanted to talk to you.”

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? About what?”

Ash could feel the sweat beginning to form on his body. “Well, we’ve been together for a while now...”

The cyan mare’s heart began to beat faster. He’s not going to end it with me, is he?

“...so, I’ve been thinking, and I wanted to ask you something...”

He reached into his saddlebag and withdrew a small box. Using his wings to help himself balance, he sat back on his haunches and held the box in one hoof, whilst opening it with the other.

Rainbow’s eyes widened when she saw the gold bracelet in the box. Gems of all colours adorned its surface, creating a rainbow pattern around its circumference. Ash noticed the expression. Thank you Rarity.

“Rainbow Dash.” he finally found the courage to look her in the eyes, “Will you marry me?”

Am I ever going to see her again?

It was something he couldn’t answer. The pain had begun to lessen, but the fear was there in its full strength. There was nothing that he wanted more than to hear her voice, or look into her magenta eyes.

Why me? Why now? Am I going to die?

His mind was slowing, and he was beginning to lose his grip on consciousness.

NO! I am not going to die! I am not going to die! I am going to live! To see her again!

But no matter how hard he fought, he couldn’t keep it back. He was slipping into the void.

It was getting late. Celestia’s sun was setting over the horizon, giving way to Luna’s beautiful moon. Ash lay on a cloud, watching the shining ball of light disappear behind distant hills, creating an awe inspiring, yet calmingly peaceful show of light.

The ceremony is tomorrow. He thought, I can’t believe she said yes!

He rolled over onto his back and shut his eyes, lying on the cloud in a state of bliss. Things couldn’t be better.

Ash stayed there for a few minutes, taking in the smell of the fresh spring air, and the feeling of the soft cloud beneath him. He soon opened his eyes and slowly raised himself into a sitting position. The last rays of the sun were visible in the distance, and the light was fading fast. He looked over the edge of the cloud and frowned when he realised it the cloud had drifted over the Everfree forest.

Should have paid more attention. He thought, I’d better get back before everypony starts worrying.

Ash took a moment to stretch his wings before leaping off the cloud. He launched into a downward spiral, then moments before hitting the canopy of the Everfree forest, pullet up sharply. He closed his eyes and glided over the tall trees.

Tomorrow is going to be a good day.

Opening his eyes, he slowly began to climb in altitude. The trees below began to thin out, signifying the edge of the forest. He could make out the pale glow of Fluttershy’s cottage in the tree.

Ash snapped to attention when he saw movement below him. Slowing down, he circled above, trying to get a look.

Probably just an animal, He thought.

The light was almost gone, and he decided to continue on his way, but he saw it again, a dark shape moving below. Something about it unnerved him.

Just leave it and go home.

He frowned. Curiosity overcame any rational thought and he descended into the trees. His hooves touched the ground and he looked around for any sign of movement. There was nothing.

Ash waited a few minutes, but everything was still. It seemed even the wind had stopped, and only the sound of crickets filled the air. The night was upon him, and he found it almost impossible to see in the darkness. Not wanting to hang around in the dark he decided to leave.

Bah, it’s just my mind playing tricks on me.

He lowered himself and prepared to jump back into the air when he saw something in his peripheral vision. He turned to look but wasn’t fast enough. It hit him.

It was as if the temperature suddenly dropped to freezing. A chill ran up his spine and he shivered uncontrollably. Then, as quick as the feeling had come, it passed.

The forest was calm again, nothing moved, and even the crickets had stopped. There was only silence, and eerie lack of noise. Nothing stirred.

Ok, that’s enough sight-seeing for me!

Ash took to the skies as fast as he could, heart racing. Feeling a longing to hear another’s voice, he changed course to Fluttershy’s cottage. It only took a few minutes for him to reach her small abode, and he landed lightly at the door.

The crickets have started up again, he noticed, relieved that the deathly silence from before hadn’t followed him.

The Pegasus trotted up to the door and knocked his hoof against its wooden surface repeatedly. He could hear something stirring inside, then the door opened to reveal the small yellow owner of the home.

“Oh, hello Ash!”

He smiled warmly, “Hi Fluttershy.”

“Rainbow Dash is inside. She was looking for you. Why don’t you come inside... I mean, if you want to, that is.”

Maybe I did spent a bit longer out there than I intended.

“I’d love to.”

Ash entered, and a rainbow mane immediately filled his vision. “And just where have you been?”

He couldn’t help but grin at his fiancée mothering him. “Fell asleep on a cloud and it drifted over the forest. Sorry to worry you like that.”

The rainbow maned mare rolled her eyes. “You and your sleeping habits.”

“Coming from you of all ponies.”

The pair laughed, then embraced.

Ash felt her push on his chest, and he withdrew. She was looking at him with a concerned expression. “Is something wrong?” he asked.

“Your nose is bleeding.”

He touched his nose with a hoof and examined it. Crimson blood rested on the tip of his hoof, and he became aware of the warm liquid travelling down his snout.

“Oh dear, I’ll get you a cloth.” Said Fluttershy, who disappeared into another room.

“Are you alright?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine.”

As if on cue, the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth, and a ringing started up in his ears. He winced and his legs buckled beneath him, causing Ash to fall to his knees.

“Ash!” Rainbow cried. Her voice sounded distant.

Ash looked into her eyes. He saw fear. Blood dribbled out of his mouth and down his chin and the ringing intensified.

Then the pain began.

Iwillnotdieiwillnotdieiwillnotdie.

He couldn’t hold on. He was slipping.

Just... hold on... for her.

He was fading. He couldn’t fight it.

I WILL NOT DIE!

There was nothing he could do.

I... can’t go... not yet... not... now...

Then he was gone.

Ash awoke with a loud gasp, as if he had been emerging from underwater. He examined the room, taking in the white walls, pale floor and the single door on the other side of the room. He felt soft pillows underneath him, and a warm blanket covered most of his body. He realised he was in a hospital.

“Hello?”

There was no response. He tried again, louder this time. “Hello? Can anypony hear me?”

He heard the echo of hooves striking the floor, slowly growing louder, when a head appeared in the doorway. “Oh! You’re awake!”

A golden coated mare with a pale blue mane entered. She wore a nurse’s cap with a hole cut in it to make room for her horn and wore a white uniform that covered her body, but ended just before her flank, revealing a red cross mark. She trotted up to the bed.

“You gave us quite a scare, we thought we’d lost you.”  She looked him over, “Are you feeling alright?”

“I feel fine. What happened to me? Where am I?”

“You’re in the Royal Canterlot Hospital, and you’ve been here for three days. As for what happened to you, I’m afraid we’re not entirely sure. You were admitted in a critical condition, you were unresponsive, bleeding heavily and appeared to be in a lot of pain. There was a lot of internal bleeding, but we couldn’t find a cause, and then, it just stopped. Healed. Completely gone. You appeared to have slipped into a coma, and we couldn’t find anything wrong, so we decided to keep you here under observation.”

Ash sat in silence as the words sunk in, but then he remembered something. “Where’s Rainbow Dash?”

“Your friends were staying in the Castle.”

“Can I see them?”

“Not yet. I’d like to give you an examination, just to be sure you’re alright.”

Ash growled in annoyance. “I feel fine! Nothing’s changed! Nothing’s wrong!”

The mare stared at him for a moment, then spoke. “I... I’m afraid that’s not true.”

“What do you mean?”

She her horn glowed and a small object levitated from a pocket on her uniform. Ash soon saw that it was a small makeup mirror.

“Look.” The nurse said, her voice low.

She held the mirror in front of his face, which twisted into a look of horror when he saw his reflection. His eyes were no longer the violet hue they were before.

They had turned a crimson red.

Rainbow Dash sat alone on the balcony, looking up at the night sky. Her tears had dried, but the feeling of sadness remained, tormenting her in all her waking hours.

I just want him back.

Her friends had done their best to comfort her, assuring her that everything would turn out for the best, and that they could finally get married and spend the rest of their days together, but Ash’s condition did not improve. For the past three days he lay in the hospital bed, unmoving and unresponsive, with only his steady breathing and heartbeat informing them that he was still alive.

Fluttershy and Applejack had returned to their small home town, for they each had commitments that they needed to take care of, but at least they returned.

Her ears perked up when she heard hoofsteps from behind her. She turned to see Princess Celestia herself, along with her friends. Celestia spoke.

“I have received news from the hospital.”

Rainbow’s heart skipped a beat. He’s going to be fine, we’ll be able to marry and this will all work out.

The expression on Celestia’s face told her otherwise. She looked toward her friends, who bore similar expressions of sadness. Pinkie’s hair was deflated, and Fluttershy eyes filled with tears.

“No...”

“I’m sorry, Rainbow. There was nothing they could do.”

“NO!”

The rainbow maned Pegasus fell to the ground, her legs suddenly unable to support her weight. Her vision blurred as tears clouded her eyes, spilling down her face.

“No...”

A/N: Thanks for reading, and remember to track/comment/rate!