“Hey there, old timer.” Rainbow Dash grinned down at the weathered pony lying in the hospital bed.

“Heya there, Rainbow,” Applejack replied. “Is Twilight here?”

“Yeah, she’s coming. The doctors said they needed to talk to her first, so I flew on ahead.” Rainbow Dash shrugged.

“That’s… that’s good,” Applejack said, her voice wavering.

Rainbow Dash blinked. “That sure doesn’t sound good. What’s up?”

Applejack sighed, shifting her ancient body beneath the blankets as she sat up to get a better look at her friend. “I suppose there ain’t no use hidin’ it. I’m old, Rainbow.”

Rainbow Dash laughed. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Applejack paused for a moment before smiling. “I know.”

Rainbow Dash tilted her head. “You know what?”

“You and Twilight.”

Rainbow Dash fell to the floor with a loud thump. “We didn’t do anything, honest! I’ve just been helping her out, that’s all!”

Applejack laughed. “I know. Twilight would never cheat on me.”

Rainbow Dash’s ears fell. “No, she wouldn’t.”

“Heh, you sound disappointed. You ain’t been hittin’ on my wife, have you?”

“No way!” Rainbow Dash waved her hooves in front of her chest rapidly. “I’d never do something like that!”

“But I bet you want to, don’tcha?”

Rainbow Dash licked her lips, avoiding her friend’s gaze. “C’mon, Applejack. Why are we talking about this now?”

“Cause it’s important now. Do ya?”

“Applejack…”

“Do ya?”

“Knock it off!” Rainbow Dash slammed her hoof into the floor with a loud crack. “This isn’t funny.”

“I’m not funnin’ ya, Rainbow. I’m dead serious.” Applejack leaned forward, trying to meet Rainbow Dash’s gaze before the tug of the catheter stopped her.

Rainbow Dash tossed her head. “Why are we talking about this? We both know that Twilight is yours. That ship sailed a long time ago.”

“Cause that ship came back for ya.”

“What are you talking about?” Rainbow Dash finally looked back at her friend. “It’s not like you’re going anywhere anytime soon.”

“Rainbow. Why do you think they stopped Twilight and wanted to talk to her alone?”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened, her breath catching. “No.”

“Yup. They already done told me. I ain’t getting’ better. Fact of the matter is, I’m getting’ worse and there ain’t a danged thing anypony can do about it.”

“No!” Rainbow Dash ran over to the side of the bed, grabbing Applejack’s wrinkled hoof between her own. “You can’t die.”

“’Fraid Mother Nature don’t agree with you on that.”

“Look, Applejack. Twilight and I can come up with some spell to—”

“Rainbow, look at me.” A wrinkled orange hoof slid over an immaculate blue one. “If this was somethin’ magic could fix, do ya really think I’d be sittin’ here right now? Do ya really think anypony would haveta go through this?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head, her eyes shimmering with tears. “Come on. You know how much Twilight loves you. You gotta pull through.”

“Fact is, I do know how much she loves me. That’s what I’m afraid of. Rainbow…” Applejack squeezed her friend’s hoof. “Twilight took losin’ the rest of us mighty hard, but I steered her through okay. But this time, I ain’t gonna be there to help her. I want you to take care of her.”

Rainbow Dash gulped audibly, nodding. “You know I will.”

“And I mean all of it. I know you still love her; you always have.”

“Applejack—”

“Shush. Mind yer elders.” Applejack smirked. “Look, Rainbow. I know how much she means to ya, and I think… I think you can take real good care of her. Don’t let her sit around mopin’ after me forever. Let her be happy.”

Rainbow Dash licked her lips. “Are you telling me to…?”

Applejack nodded gravely, stroking Rainbow Dash’s hoof. “You love her, and I think she mightn’ love you just a bit more than she should. You’d be good together. Knowin’ she’s taken care of… that’s the best medicine for me, now.” Applejack leaned forward, gripping Rainbow Dash’s hoof tightly as a pained gasp echoed through the hall outside. “Promise me Rainbow. Promise me that you’ll take good care of my wife for me.”

Two teardrops fell on Applejack’s withered hoof. “I promise.”

“Good. Now why don’tcha go look after her? She’s probably hurtin’ mighty fierce right now.”

Rainbow Dash swallowed again, nodding once more before she turned away. Applejack watched her go, a sad smile on her lips as the alicorn glanced back at her one final time before stepping through the door.