Chapter One
Aftermath
The aftermath of the tragedy that had entered Ponyville had left the town with several badly, or even severely hurt ponies - homeless, but lucky to be alive. Twilight Sparkle lay exhausted inside the Ponyville library while the Princesses continued to sort through rubble. The levee teams were still busy finishing directing the river away from Ponyville, and Mayor Mare was trying not to puke as wounded ponies were pushed into Ponyville Hospital's emergency care. Almost everypony was helping, others lethargically ambled through the town, trying to locate friends and family beneath toppled buildings or among the wounded. Some ponies completely lost it. The Ponyville police swarmed the town, stopping ponies that were looting shops and wailing like animals. Granite Smash later gave an account of the madness.
"It was as if every foul thing inside of them had come out. I think some ponies are convinced this is the end, but this is only a new beginning. I know there's loss, I've seen it all across the board. I lost a lieutenant, a friend, but I can't fixate my mind on it, and the ponies of Ponyville can't focus on their loss either, it'll consume them. We all have to deal with this tragedy and keep moving forward... No more questions."
"Chief of Ponyville Police, Granite Smash. I'm Fuchsia Mare, and this is Manehattan news."
"I'm Fuchsia Mare and I'm here with a member of one of the rescue teams. Is it true that your team has been the most active since the beginning of the flood?"
"Yes, we were ordering some cakes from Sugarcube corner -at least, that's what I was doin'- when the door was flung open by the wind that was bein' rushed up by the flood. I didn't know what was happenin', and I stepped outside to have a look. Then I saw this glowing, and there was the princesses, and this huge wall. I didn't know what it was, but it was probably the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life! Then, it shot back and Luna was shouting for the mayor, and then she pointed at me and the others who had come out by now. I was terrified, then she told me to come to her. As soon as I started moving, she pulled up this huge sheet of stuff in her magic, sortin' out what was big from what was small. Then, she told me to look in the other piles of wood, and to look for anypony that hadn't made it out of their houses before the flood had happened."
"So you were asked by princess Luna herself to search the debris?" Fuchsia asked, impressed.
"Yes, and I can tell you that she is a real mare of action! She isn't what I expected at all."
"What was it like searching the debris?" Fuchsia continued.
"Well, we had just started on that first pile when I heard somepony yelling from somewhere nearby. I figured that I should start with places that I knew ponies were trapped at. So, me and the others, we went into this hole that I guess was once a basement. There, we found this one pony floating in the water right off. I fished him out and told Caramel to check on him while I looked for the pony callin' for help, but she found me. She was limpin' over to me and her mane was soaked. I picked her up in my muzzle by her mane and flung her on my back, then I took her to Nurse Sweetheart's house because she had the night off from the hospital."
"Very heroic, did you catch the name of the mare you rescued?" Fuchsia asked, dramatically leaning in.
"Oh of course! I've gotten a lot of names over the night, but you don't forget a mare as pre- um, I mean, her name was Berry Frost, heh.."
"Well, that's all the time we have and besides you have some well-earned rest coming to you Baritone! I'm Fuchsia Mare, reporting live from the disaster area in Ponyville."
When Rainbow finally made it back to her house in the clouds, it was nearly three a.m. After groggily crossing the room, she collapsed into her bed.
Outside of Rainbow's cloud home, Soarin' was landing softly on the fluffy lawn outside her front door. Spitfire was on his back, unable to fly due to her broken wing. She carefully slid off of Soarin's back, using his mane as a hoof-hold to guide her to the cushiony ground below.
"Are you sure this is her house?" Spitfire couldn't see anything during the flight from her position on Soarin's back.
"I'm absolutely positive, I followed her here when she left earlier like you told me to. Hey, why do you want to see her so badly anyway?" Soarin' queried.
"She saved us from the hydra, didn't you see the sonic rainboom? Nopony but Rainbow Dash could pull off something like that." Spitfire bit her lip, she had said that last part too dreamily and Soarin' had noticed her change in attitude. But before he could question it, Spitfire sent him off.
"Go talk to the reporters from Manehattan, they'll want to hear all about the battle with the hydra."
"But what about you? You're the team captain, you should be representing us." Soarin' said plaintively, he didn't want to leave without Spitfire.
"Look, I'm not the team captain anymore, Fleetfoot is team captain and she's with the reporters, so go." This was something Spitfire had to do alone. She needed to know what Rainbow was thinking.
"Well, if you're not team captain, then I don't have to listen to your orders." Soarin' was going to be stubborn about this.
"Fine, I'll be your damn captain, but I want you to leave! This is something I have to do alone..." Soarin' didn't look too convinced, but the way Spitfire was looking at him told him that this wasn't negotiable. Grudgingly, he left Spitfire alone.
Spitfire knocked on Rainbow's door, but Dash didn't answer. Pushing open the cracked entrance, she made her way into the dark room. From the moonlight, Spitfire was guessing that this was Rainbow's living room. It was a mess, but Fire was cool with that. Finding the rails, she slowly moved up the stairs towards Dash's room.
Rainbow Dash was tossing and turning in her sleep. That kiss was unexpected, and she didn't know what to do. Thinking that a good nights rest would help she had gradually fallen asleep, but now she was being haunted by dreams of Spitfire.
Fire was slowly removing her Wonderbolts costume that had become slick with sweet-smelling sweat from training. As she took off her goggles, her mane fell slowly down her face and neck, and she looked expectantly at Rainbow Dash, who stood paralyzed in the corner of the Wonderbolts' private locker room. Dash cleared her throat, she hadn't ever really thought about how attractive Fire was before. Circling, Dash eyed her long legs and tight flank, how her hair landed perfectly across her gorgeous eyes... Then she noticed Spitfire's quivering wings and tail...
"Come on Dash, don't make me wait..." Spitfire pleaded longingly.
"Wow Spitfire, I never noticed how sexy you are." Dash said, playing it cool, hehe.
"What? Dash, wake up!"
"Huh!?" Dash shot up from her bed, eliciting a scream from Fire. It had all been a dream, an awesome dream, and somepony had woken her up! "Alright who..!?" She started, but then realized just who had awakened her. "Fire!?"
"I'm sorry Dash! I shouldn't have come here, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you I just -whaaAA!." Fire fell down the stairs before she could finish her sentence.
"Fire!" Dash was up in a second, her primal instincts taking over. However, Fire hadn't gotten more than a few steps down the stairs before stopping - and subsequently getting knocked over again by Rainbow Dash.
They rolled down the stairs, which didn't hurt all that bad due to the steps being made of clouds, finally stopping at the foot of the staircase after their grueling fall. Dash was on top of Spitfire, who was groaning in pain. Fortunately, the bandages and splint on her wing kept the injury from worsening, but that didn't mean it hurt any less. Unfortunately, Dash was still hot under the belt from her dream, and was reluctant to get off of Spitfire. "Get off of me!" Fire pleaded in pain.
"Sorry!" Dash came to her senses and carefully lifted off of Spitfire with her wings.
Fire slowly got up, minding her injured wing, and sat down on the couch across the room. Rainbow Dash landed on the floor of her living room, still confused about what had just happened. She finally managed the question "What are you doing here?"
Spitfire didn't answer for a while, looking down at her hooves or in any other direction than that of Rainbow Dash. "I... I came to thank you for your help with the hydra." Had she already done that? She couldn't even remember. The night had progressed so quickly, hardly anything wasn't a total blur. She was starting to regret coming here...
Rainbow, on the other hoof, was trying not to freak out and play things cool. Spitfire was in her house. She had broken into her house... This. Was. Awesome! "Umm, yeah, no biggie." Keep it chill, don't scare her off, just talk. "Sorry about the stairs, is your wing okay?"
"Yeah, it's okay." A mare of many words, come on Spitfire, just tell her! "Listen, I..." But she didn't know how to say it. Just do it!
"What is it?" Dash thought Spitfire looked even more pained now than when she had fallen down the stairs.
"I... you look tired, maybe I should just wait until you've slept then tell you.." Spitfire, you cowardly piece of-
"Hey, if you need to talk then lets talk." Dash had sat down on the cluttered couch beside Fire, blushing slightly. She's right there, and she's SOOO much cuter in person. Dash thought, murmuring dreamily under her breath.
"Look, about that kiss..." You can do this. "I mean, if you don't want to do anything, that's fine. I mean, I must have caught you off guard. It's just... I'm interested, if you're interested." Shit, what's she gonna say?
"Totally! I mean, uhh." She told you, don't be so nervous! "Totally."
"Good" Fire sighed with relief. "I wasn't thinking straight, then you flew off and I wasn't sure, and then I broke into your house, and now I'm babbling." Man am I nervous...
"You weren't thinking straight? Are you saying that you're not interested?"
"No, I'm interested! I just, what you told me after the hydra. I've been dealing with depression, being captain of the Wonderbolts is seriously stressful and I don't have time for a special somepony. And I'm always treated like a Wonderbolt, not a mare. For the longest time I thought nopony cared, but then that tear, and I wasn't thinking and I kissed you. But I'm glad I did it." She was looking directly at Rainbow Dash now, unloading all the baggage that had held her down for so long. Then Rainbow leaned in, slowly, and kissed her.
"This is Fuchsia Mare, and it is 3 o'clock AM in Ponyville. We're here with Herald on the other end in Manehattan. It has been three hours since the initial disaster and paramedics won't arrive for another hour. Herald, what is taking them so long?"
"Well Fuchsia pegasi from the REA are already hauling supplies via air-drops, they left about twenty minutes ago, luckily as you know flying is much faster than travel by land. Unfortunately the unicorns and earth ponies, making the vast majority of doctors and construction workers, are now underway in emergency Manehattan vehicles. Supplies had to be gathered short-notice, and hauling them and the ponies is no easy task. But rest assured Ponyville, you are not alone." Herald replied with a grimace.
"And how have the Manehattan authorities responded to the disaster?" Fuchsia asked.
"Well, they were the ponies that gathered the supplies for Ponyville. They're also headed into Ponyville with the trucks that left with the volunteers. Other than that, all Police Chief Blackjack would say was that the police force is doing everything they can to help, and so are the communities of Manehattan."
"Thank you, that's comforting to hear. Up next, an exclusive interview with the Wonderbolts!"
Soarin' was making his way back to the other Wonderbolts, flying through the darkness that was illuminated by the full moon in the sky. He could see the floodlights lighting up Ponyville in the distance. The stars in the sky were barely visible, overshadowed by the activity both above and below. It was all too bright in his opinion. There was a wink of magical fluorescence in the direction of Foggy Bottom Bog. Soarin' wondered what that could have been. He started in the direction of the Bog.
"Hey, watch it!" An unnamed voice called out in the sky.
Soarin' hadn't been paying attention and had bumped into a pegasus from the REA who was carrying supplies to relieve Ponyville. One of the crates on his chariot shook and started to fall. "No, my crates!"
Soarin' acted quickly, diving to reach the crate, barely missing several pegasi flying below the pegasus he had just bumped into. Finally, he retrieved the crate and returned it to the grateful pegasus unscathed. But now he couldn't remember just where the magical flicker had been. Groaning, he decided it didn't matter and headed for Ponyville with the REA pegasi instead. As he and the others closed in, Soarin could see the other Wonderbolts being interviewed. He quickly sped up to join them.
"I'm Fuchsia Mare and this is Manehattan news. I'm here with the Wonderbolts, who tell me they just faced a hydra in Foggy Bottom Bog. For ponies who don't know, a hydra is one of the most dangerous creatures in all of Equestria! Some dragons even turn tail if they know a hydra is on their path! So tell me, what was it like fighting such a ferocious beast!?"
"Well" Fleetfoot began. "it was an impossible endeavor. Mostly, we just avoided its attacks. Most of the squad was down, including Spitfire, when Rainbow Dash showed up and saved us all."
"Yes about that, where is Spitfire now?"
"I'm not sure, she left with Soarin' a while ago to see Rainbow Dash, but I'm not really sure where Dash even is. Fire left me in charge in the meantime. I'm not saying that I'm permanent captain or anything, but Spitfire is going through something right now and I'm willing to take on the responsibility of the team until she figures it out."
"So Spitfire has abandoned the team?"
"No, she was just a little shook up after the fight with the hydra. She also broke her wing, and I guess she just needs some time to cope with what's happened is all."
"And how did Rainbow Dash defeat the hydra?" Fuchsia continued.
"Well, there was this huge flash of light, and then the rest of the team and myself fell from the shock-wave of what I'm pretty sure was a sonic rainboom. I seriously wish I'd gotten a better view of it.." Fleetfoot trailed off, remembering the glistening trails of rainbow-colored light that had covered the sky at Foggy Bottom Bog.
Just then, Soarin' flew into the interview, without Spitfire.
"Excuse me Fleetfoot. Soarin', where is Spitfire?"
"Oh um, she's with Rainbow Dash, thanking her for helping us with the hydra I guess."
"Did she leave you with any comments regarding her status as captain of the Wonderbolts?" Fuchsia was actually genuinely interested in that question.
"Well, she said that she's still officially team captain, but Fleetfoot has to take on as temporary captain in her absence." He lied. He knew that when she had yelled at him it had only been to get rid of him. He just needed to convince himself that good ol' fun-loving, confident Spitfire would be back soon and that she'd be captain again.
"Well there you have it, Fleetfoot is the new captain of the Wonderbolts! That's all the time we have I'm afraid, I'm Fuchsia Mare and this is Manehattan News."
The Ponyville hospital rarely saw patients and was incredibly understaffed. Emergency volunteers were immediately sent to the hospital under the supervision of hospital staff. Despite these volunteers the facility still lacked medical staff, let alone experienced medical staff. Many ponies who had come in with severe injuries didn't last the night.
"Nurse Redheart, we need to get these patients to sector B!" Doctor Polio shouted. Across the room Nurse Redheart was trying to get the janitorial staff to move the patients to sector C, much to Polio's dismay.
"We can't! Nurse Hope just moved five patients to that area, it's full!" But Polio cut her off. "They'll lose some limbs if we do otherwise!" Then he considered something... "How badly were the other patients injured?" Nurse Redheart stopped moving, trying to remember, trying to not break down. "Badly enough to not be able to survive a relocation to sector C!" Nurse Redheart was becoming more frantic by the second, these ponies were beyond injuries she knew how to treat... The only ponies qualified enough to help any of them now were Doctor Polio and Nurse Hope. She felt useless... Suddenly Doctor Polio shouted behind her, tossing reports into the air and giving up on even general documentation. "Damn it!" Doctor Polio didn't want to see anypony die, but if the ponies in sector B couldn't manage a trip to sector C... "Take these ponies to sector B!"
"B-but there isn't room, I already told you!" Nurse Redheart cried.
"Get a hold of yourself! Tell Nurse Hope to put the most badly hurt ponies in sector B on morphine and to put them on gurneys. She needs to make room for new patients!"
"But Polio, you can't-"
"Triage Redheart! I'll not see these ponies lose their legs for ghosts!"
In the morning, the obituaries were swamped with names of ponies. Mothers cried, fathers drowned themselves in alcohol... It was a dark day for Ponyville.
"Local PHD Doctor Polio is now suffering charges for the medical murders of several ponies that were being treated in the Ponyville hospital, and is being held in the local prison until a proper hearing can be procured. Paramedics from nearby towns and cities arrived this morning in droves and were horrified by the number of dead patients the hospital housed. Nurse Redheart, Doctor Polio's assistant, reportedly broke down upon the sight of the emergency paramedics. The only words she could say at the time were apparently 'triage'. All reports on her current condition are being withheld by local authorities for now, and several pony workers and volunteers that helped at the hospital in the aftermath of the tragedy are now heading home to get some rest after a long night of some of the worst medical happenings in the history of Equestria. I'm Fuchsia Mare, and this is Manehattan news."