trans_9 | Later, dawg [Open!]

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Later, dawg [Open!]

|| Attention, crew. Those who wish to attend the funeral of Matthew O'Connor, please report to the Observation Deck. ||

Another death announcement so soon after the last. It's a sad day.

Once again, the Observation Deck is arranged for the launch. The departed crew member, better known as Punchy in his lifetime, is encased in a central pod. The deck is lit by the starlight pouring in from the open window, a blazing blue star that will soon be Punchy's final resting place.

Another life lost. Time to say farewell once more.

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"Rainbow."

That was all Applejack could say. Just one word, one pained, heartbroken word. She knew her friend was faltering---they'd been friends for so long, how could she miss it?

"I just..." She stamped again, furious that she couldn't think of a way to finish that sentence. "Just..."

She stamped again, then again and again and again, pounding the floor with her hooves like she could beat the entire ship into submission and get everything she wanted if she just kept stomping. And all she wanted was not to feel this way. "Punch!" she growled in time with her blows. "You stupid... lame... loser!"

"I'll miss him too."

Applejack decided it was finally safe enough to approach, though still with caution. She lifted a hoof to placate, offering anything Rainbow Dash might need.

"It hurts 'cause he's no loser, right?"

She'd been pummeling the floor with such fury that by the time Applejack reached her, she couldn't muster the energy to swat her away. Head bowed and sides heaving from her exertion, she grit her teeth. "Of COURSE he is! Look at what happened!"

Applejack shook her head firmly. No. Absolutely not.

"No! It ain't his fault. He was protectin' people, wasn't he? Sometimes...sometimes you've just gotta do what you've gotta do. No matter how much it hurts."

"That wasn't the right thing to do!" Rainbow all but wailed. "The right thing was coming BACK with everyone!"

"Yeah, and then what would happen if some other had gone in his place?" Applejack felt she could understand it. Sacrifice. Sometimes it just had to happen. "He sure wouldn't feel right about that. And...I know you don't feel right about what did happen. None of us do."

She dipped her head, touching it to the ground. "But he lived a good life. Too short."

"No one should have gone."

Rainbow Dash didn't believe in sacrifice. To her mind, there was only winning and losing. Second place was just first loser, right?

But abruptly she reached out a hoof to wrap it around AJ's neck and pull her in close.

Now there was the Rainbow she loved. Applejack leaned in, hooking her own hoof around Rainbow's neck.

"But they had to. And the worst happened. It'll be worse if we forget him, though."

Remember him. Honor him. It's what they have to do.

Rainbow didn't have any more words for the moment. She leaned heavily against the orange pony, not sobbing through force of will, just letting tears flow in a constant stream. Sorry, AJ, you're getting wet.

That's all right, Rainbow. Everypony's getting wet at the moment. She pulled her friend in, locking her legs and allowing herself to be the steady post for the moment.

That was her job, in this half of the duo.

The cry was unsatisfying, being as forcibly subdued as it was, but nevertheless somewhat cleansing. She shook against Applejack for a little while, till the worst of the stifled sobs worked their way out, then shook her head roughly. "Stupid Punchy," she muttered hoarsely. "I'll never forgive him just for making me get all wimpy."

"He doesn't have to know about it," Applejack pointed out, trying to get a handle on her own emotions. They'd both need some time out in the fake sun to dry themselves.

"Nopony else will neither. We can just...get back to work. But don't forget him."

"I know about it," she sniffed. And obviously Applejack knew about it too, though in a certain respect, that was okay.

"You can get back to work. I don't have a job... do you need any help? With anything?" Anything that would take her mind off her thoughts and feelings?

Ah, a distraction. Applejack knew the need for those well: she was feeling it too. She stepped back and readjusted her hat.

"Want to help make some cider? I promised some more to Mindy over at the diner."

"Yes!" she said, so literally jumping at the offer that she started hovering a foot off the ground. "Cider! That'd be perfect, let's go!"

Without any sense of patience and with just a little undercurrent of obvious desperation, she grabbed for Applejack to all but drag the poor earth pony to Hydroponics.

"Whoa there, easy!"

Applejack had to bite back a laugh as she got herself moving. It didn't feel like pure happiness, but this would be close enough.

It was a fake. Like a coat of paint over rotten wood. It just covered it up.

That was what Rainbow Dash craved. And it was better than violent anger, at least.

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Later, dawg [Open!]

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