All around her was white. The smooth, polished floor, the pillars that held the ceiling above her head. Even the clouds seemed a bit whiter today. The only thing was she couldn’t imagine why. Where was this place? More importantly, what in the world was she doing here?

The place glistened in the pale sunlight, making the unearthly white just a bit brighter. It seemed to be an ancient ruin of some sort. Something you would see that would belong to the buildings and palaces of the ancient Romanes. It looked Godly, breathtaking even. The shining pillars, carved by only the finest of craftponies, the shining white, marble floor. They all had one thing in common. They made her feel like she wasn’t good enough to be here. She hated that feeling with a passion.

Rainbow Dash walked hesitantly down the marble floor, staring accusingly at the temple. Looking around, she began to pick up speed. Soon, she was walking at a brisk pace, but it was not without examining her scenery. She took in everything she felt she needed to know about this place. Even this didn’t help the feeling this place gave off. The feeling of wanting, belonging. At the same time, the feeling of regret, and sorrow.

The feelings scared her, and she hated feeling scared. She was always the brave pony. Reckless, brash, and fearless. Here? She felt alone, scared, and sad. She hated yet loved everything about this place.

“Rainbow Dash.” The silence was broken in a calm instant as a bellowing voice resounded in the light. It had the boom of authority, but yet it was calm and gentle. Such an odd combination, she thought.

“There you are,” she heard behind her as a sharp blow pierced her neck. Somepony had just socked Rainbow Dash in the neck. Nopony did that without getting beaten to a pulp the moment after. On instinct, she flung her hoof out and grabbed the ponies head. After getting a firm grip, she flipped the assailant on the ground where she could see him, but his black trench coat was going to be a problem.

She moved her mouth down to try and tear the coat off his body, but that was a rookie mistake, and she knew it the second he bucked her in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her harshly.

“Who’s there?” Her memory was fuzzy for some reason. She couldn’t seem to remember anything before coming to this strange place. That wasn’t going to stop her though. She was Rainbow Dash, the awesomest pony in all of Equestria. “I’m not afraid of you!”

“You have no reason to.” Stepping into her field of vision, she saw a huge white alicorn. He had a shimmering gold mane that almost seemed to have a life of its own. Almost like royalty, except he wore no regalia. No crown or horseshoes. That was somewhat odd.

“W…who are you?” she asked bluntly, drawing herself to her full height, which, compared to him, wasn’t that large at all.

“That is of no importance at the moment, Rainbow Dash,” he replied calmly. He slowly paced over to her. She tensed. Why was this strange pony even here? Who was he? How did he know her name? Although, everypony in Equestria must’ve known her name. She did save Equestria twice, after all.

“Alright…what am I doing here?” she asked just as coolly.

“That depends…do you remember?”

“Remember what?”

“How you came to be here?” He stared at her. Those eyes. Those golden eyes. She swore she could see to the depths of his very soul in those.

She blinked numbly. How DID she get here? All she could remember was kissing Tank goodnight, then going out to a secluded spot just outside of Ponyville. It was a meadow, and a peaceful one at that. The moon could be seen so clearly from it, and the grass was luscious and cool as it tickled her stomach. She was thinking, thinking about mostly nothing. A far-off look was all she had to bear of her face as the cool night breeze tousled her mane. It was a calm night.

“Rainbow Dash.” There were those eyes again. Those damn eyes. Suddenly, vivid memories rushed back at her. The silence being broken all at once, that punch…

She landed on the ground hard. Barely given time to cough, she felt a hoof wrap around her neck, cutting off her air supply. She kicked desperately, her thoughts being mumbled by the rush of adrenaline circling her body at the moment. Primal instinct took over as her hoof connected to his soft spot. He doubled over in pain, but was swiftly kicked in the head by a cyan hoof, knocking him over.

Flinging her wings out, she barreled at him. This guy was gonna pay, big time. She tackled him, tossing him head over hooves onto the grass once again. Rainbow quickly hurtled at him and her hoof made contact with his face, successfully sending blood splattering over his face. She wasn’t done yet, not by a long shot.

She pivoted on her back hoof as she kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying into the air a good five feet. Flapping her open wings, she met him halfway and delivered a brutal punch to the cheek. A distinct crack told her she had hit her target. Grimacing, she grabbed him head and smashed him into the ground. The ground around the crash site was picking up dust. Must’ve hit harder than she intended. Then again, that was a good thing.

Landing on the ground, she slowly trotted to where the dust was blowing about in the breeze, confident that the stallion was down for the count. She was sadly mistaken.

The stallion then had her by the neck. She gasped and struggled, trying to get air, even just a small breath. She started panicking as her world began to grow dark. “Ohnonononono…” she screamed in her mind. Suddenly, she was pulled away from him, and her air supply mercifully returned to her. She took deep breaths frantically, trying to pump air back in to her lungs. As she looked up, she froze.

The stallion was still holding her by the neck, but she could see that he was an earth pony, and a large one at that, maybe even a head taller than Big Macintosh. He had a warm brown coat, but the feature that stuck out the most was his ice blue eyes, piercing into her soul.

She took a step back, tears starting to stain her cheeks. Rainbow felt so vulnerable in this position. It was all coming back to her, but she didn’t want it to. It was too painful. The eyes…

The knife…

Magenta eyes locked with ice. It was a moment that seemed frozen in time to Rainbow Dash, a moment she would never forget. And it was then he did the weirdest thing. He pulled her close, holding onto her tenderly. His strong hooves gripped around her midsection, they were warm and strong. She felt numb to the world, cold and distant.

“I’m sorry.” A cold feeling washed over her as she felt something pierce her back. It was sharp, that she knew, but everything started getting colder all at once.

“It’s so cold…” she thought inwardly, wondering why the temperature seemed so low, and why sounds were so mumbled, and why she could barely feel anything except for the cold embrace that seemed to be surrounding her.

Another pierce in the same place as before. What was going on, she had an idea, but she prayed to Celestia she was wrong. Horribly wrong, and this was all a dream, a horrible nightmare that she would wake up anytime now.

Anytime now…

She held her head in her hooves, and let out a shriek that seemed to last forever. No, it couldn’t be true. Why was this happening? She remembered her last feelings on Equestria. They were so cold.

It never happened. The stallion let her go, and she crumpled to the ground with a knife deep in her chest. She saw it, that horrible gleam of the weapon, but everything seemed so distant to her now. Her eyes would’ve widened, but she just wanted to go to sleep. She was so tired. It was then that it hit her.

She was dying. She was dying and nopony was coming to save her. But wasn’t this the part where somepony would’ve been watching her, and this is where she would be saved? That always happened in books and movies.

It wasn’t happening now.

Tears started to fill her eyes, and she could barely feel them dripping down her cheeks, and dripping onto her chest.

The stallion towered over her. He had such a sad look on his face. Dash couldn’t figure that part out for the life of her. He just stabbed her. Twice. What did he have to be sad about? She wanted to be mad at him, she wanted him to rue the day he stabbed her, but she didn’t think about that. She thought of her friends, her times in Ponyville, they were all so happy. Hopefully they wouldn’t be too sad when they found out she had been murdered. She didn’t want them crying over her, but then again, she really didn’t want to die either.

Then he did the funniest thing, he sat next to her, looking into her dying eyes. He had tears in his eyes too. She laughed distantly and gave him a small smile. It she was going to die, she wanted to die with no regrets. But there was so much she wanted to do, like join the Wonderbolts. She was never even given the chance. It was too late for that now, sadly.

She took a deep tittering breath, and everything soon became brighter. She smiled as she took her last exhale, and then was still.

Rainbow Dash was dead.

“But…I…I can’t…no…the others…” she rambled on, shaking her head in every which way. The stallion sighed. He walked up to her, and put his hoof on her shoulder.

“Rainbow, it will be alright.”

“NO! How can it!? I’m DEAD! My friends…my…” She started to cry again. At this point, she couldn’t care less who saw her, or what they thought, she just wanted to go back, try to fight harder, try to call for help-

“Your friends will miss you, yes, but it is not good to dwell on the past. You have to let go, and make room for the future.” It was then that she looked ahead. Everything was so bright, so welcoming, it made her smile, but then she paused, and looked up at him.

“Is this heaven?” she asked innocently.

“Only if you want it to be,” he smiled back, draping a wing over her.

Taking a deep breath, Rainbow Dash started walking peacefully, she was ready, maybe not quite willing, but ready. Even in death, Rainbow Dash would still be the coolest in all Equestria.

In front of her was a bright light. Inhaling calmly, she walked into it.