//------------------------------// // Day 9 // Story: Crashing Equestria // by Zytharros //------------------------------// Day 9 Beep. Beep. Beep. I woke up to the sound of a heart monitor. I was on a soft bed. The air smelt of sterility and medicine – a hospital, I deduced. I was in a hospital. “How long have I been out?” I asked to nopony in particular. That same familiar voice with the Missourian accent spoke, “Four days. Four blasted days…” “A.J.” I said. Suddenly, her face appeared above mine. “I’m here…” She did not look that healthy. Her frame had lost a couple dozen kilos, her eyes had bags underneath them, her mane was an uncontrolled mess, and she smelt like a rotten apple pie. I was aghast. “Have you eaten anything in that time!? Showered? Helped on the farm? Anything!?” “Not with you in a coma, I was so worried,” she said. “We all were… Oh, I’m so happy you’re alive!” She nuzzled up to me, tears of joy streaming down the side of her face. I tried rolling on my back, but the pain was so severe I couldn’t. I returned to laying on my right side. It hurt to breathe. “Your back’s pretty banged up,” Applejack informed. “You have one heck of a bruise and a couple broken ribs on your left side.” I shot up in bed, “Omigosh… We forgot Pinkie Pie!!!” I exclaimed before collapsing back in bed in pain. I wasn’t going to move very far very fast. Applejack calmed my fears. “No worries. She had left for Ponyville on the train before Canterlot fell. She was halfway home to find Fluttershy when Rainbow Dash woke you up.” “How’s everypony coping?” I asked. “Fluttershy’s not comin’ out of her house. She’s frightened worse than I ever did see,” Applejack said. “Twilight’s been hittin’ the books harder than ever now, tryin’ to find us a way to protect ourselves from another attack. Rarity’s locked herself in her house. I’m guessin’ she’s tryin’ to forget what happened by workin’. Pinkie Pie’s been workin’ at the sweet shop. She hasn’t held a party since. Celestia’s been busy flyin’ all over, settlin’ all the chaos around Equestria caused by the fall of Canterlot. As for Rainbow Dash… she’s been training her body rigorously.” A raspy voice next to me said, “Yeah, and I kinda overdid it myself two days ago.” “Rainbow! You’re here, too? I’m sorry… I can’t flip over,” I said. Her voice dropped. “You… wouldn’t want to see me, anyway.” “She’s in a body cast,” Applejack said. “Flew hard into a mountain.” “Aww, geez, A.J.…” Rainbow whined. “Why’d you have to go tell him?” “I would rather know if a friend was hurting than for the friend to just sluff me off and act like everything was okay, Rainbow,” I informed. “Otherwise, that’s dishonest – and disloyal.” Rainbow Dash, the avatar of the Element of Loyalty, fell silent at the last two words. “Sorry, Dash,” I said. “I had to.” “That’s okay…” Dash replied, obviously still a little hurt that I had mentioned loyalty like I did. I looked back at Applejack. “You were saying the Princess is flying around trying to calm the chaos. How’s Equestria as a whole?” “I don’t rightly know, Zytharros, but I imagine it ain’t in the best of shape.” “Everypony flocked to the crash site,” Rainbow piped up again. “Celestia’s been working on investigating the crater that appeared where Canterlot was. The entire country’s been helping rebuild the castle, investigating the site, helping the Princess settle into her new, temporary home here in Ponyville… It’s been amazing to watch all Equestria come together for our Princess.” “I-I’m gonna go get everyone else,” Applejack said. “They’ll be glad to know you’re alright.” As she bolted out of the room, I shouted after her, “Get something to eat, too, you scrawny buckaroo!” A laugh came back to me from the hall. I smiled and relaxed back on the bed, happy to hear that hearty, full-bodied laugh again. It allowed me to release some tension. “A couple broken ribs…” I said, remembering the brush my tail had with the wall of an entire city. “It could’ve been a lot worse…” “You narrowly escaped that city,” Rainbow said. “I was on my way down to help, but I couldn’t get there in time… I’m just glad you made it.” I nodded, looking back at my tail. “A hair later – literally – and we both would have been goners.” I suddenly flinched, shuddered and moaned, seeing Applejack’s flattened, dead body on the ground flash before my eyes. I quickly focussed on an imaginary flotilla of butterflies gliding across the air over a pristine lake, trying to settle my mind. This was going to take a while to get over. A couple hours later, after the doctor came to check on Rainbow Dash and I, Applejack returned with every pony she could gather – Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Apple Bloom. Scootaloo, an orange pony with a deep purple mane and Sweetie Belle, a white pony with a light purple mane and pink highlights, also came to see me. Applejack informed me that Fluttershy was still barricaded in her house and wouldn’t come out for anyone. “This is the stallion that saved Applejack?” Scootaloo asked. I nodded. “Zytharros,” I said. “I’m Scootaloo. This is Sweetie Belle,” the young filly said, indicating herself and her friend. “We’re friends of Apple Bloom. She told us you were special, but we couldn’t get her to say why.” I smiled. “Nice to meet you,” I greeted. “And… that’s… my secret. I made Apple Bloom promise not to tell.” “Well, that’s not very fun…” Scootaloo said, just before darting off when she spotted Rainbow Dash. Apple Bloom approached me coyly… “As thanks for savin’ my sister, I want you to have this…” She han-er, hoofed me a card. I opened it, and out fell several gems, a bunch of bits, and the image of a happy Applejack and Apple Bloom. “The entire Apple family thanks you,” Applejack said gratefully. “So does all of Ponyville.” I blushed. “…Thanks…” “The mayor wants you to see her when you get better,” Applejack stated, “somethin’ about you gettin’ a house of your own, custom-built to what you want and paid for by the citizens of Ponyville.” “I don’t know what to say…” I said, shocked and touched. “I’m truly grateful.” I yawned. “My first task when I get out of here is talk to Fluttershy, though… I don’t want her hiding for long.” “I guess we should let you nap,” Twilight said, a concerned smile in her eyes. “Want anything?” I thought for a moment. “Bring a couple Daring Do books, one for me and Dash.” “How can I hold it?” Rainbow asked. “I can barely move…” “We’ll take turns. I’ll read a chapter, then use my magic to hover it over to you and flip pages.” Rainbow smiled a wide-eyed smile. “That’s right! We could!” Twilight chuckled. “Okay, kids… let’s go,” she said. There were various moans and groans as the three little fillies were ushered out the door. Applejack and Rarity stayed behind for a little bit. “I wanted to thank you two, personally…” Rarity said. “I did not feel right just sending a… a paltry card… with Apple Bloom. Without you two, Spike, Twilight, Applejack and I would be dead.” “How are you?” I asked Rarity. She shook a little. “I’m… still a little shaken, but slowly getting over the shock.” “This isn’t going to be something we forget any time soon,” I acknowledged again. “We’re going to have to help each other clear the hurdles of fear.” “We will, and we will.” Rarity said. “We will get over this together.” “What’ve you been working so hard on over the past couple days, Rarity?” I asked. As she walked out the door, she flicked her tail and looked back with a look I had to admit was sexy. She smiled that sultry smile of hers and replied, “It’s a surprise.” I lay back in bed. “Good night, Zy,” from Applejack. She placed a kiss on my forehead and left. I had a long recovery ahead of me, and I needed to make sure it was the best it could be just in case Tangerine Hopes made another appearance. Just before I drifted off, I asked Rainbow Dash… “Has Tangerine reappeared yet?” Dash’s reply allowed me to relax more. “No, she hasn’t, and I’m grateful.” “Thank you.” With that, I let myself drift off into dreamland.