//------------------------------//
// 15. Coconuts and Clinics  
// Story: Raising Rainbow 
// by Pizzema Forte 
//------------------------------//

   Rainbolt entered his usual office with a sigh. At long last it was spring! Planning out weather would become much, much easier on him. Winter was a hassle, fall was a headache, and summer was a disaster! Spring, however, proved to be a much, much more calm season each and every year. The ponies of Equestria just finished their annual winter wrap-ups and it was finally time to bring down the wondrous weather everypony had waited potentially for. 
“Let’s get your sleeping bag set up,” Rainbolt suggested in a calm, almost happy tone. Dash looked confused. 
“Daddy…. you seem happy. And you're working. Is there something wrong?” 
The stallion chuckled. “No, Sweetheart. I’m just so, so happy it’s spring. Spring is one of the easiest seasons to handle. Especially in comparison to winter!” 
“Oh… Well, that’s good.” She stated, starting to pull out her sleeping bag. “I like summer the best.” 
“I know you do, Dashie.” He smiled and sat at his desk. “Remember when you begged Mrs. Skies to make it summer all year round?” 
“Yeah…she said no…” Rainbow replied and her ears flopped down, remembering the disappointment. 
Rainbolt giggled. Kids could be so silly sometimes. “Better get started on my assignment…” 
The stallion pulled out a yellow folder from the drawer placed directly in front of him. It was the same location his boss put his assignments every day since he started working there. He opened the folder and looked at his assignment for the premier of the new season. There was a large chart that listed the individual cities in Equestria, what they’d be receiving in the early spring, the amount they’d be receiving in comparison to the capital; Canterlot, and the minimum and maximum amount of clouds for each city. Everything was quite complicated, but it was nothing Rainbolt couldn’t handle. Along with the chart came a fresh copy of the map of Equestria. He smiled at it. 
“Looks like they finally charted that wildlife preserve and damn rock farm…” 
He winced at a not-so-pleasant memory and decided to get to his dreaded work. He grabned a pencil with his mouth and took a piece of paper out to work out some math. The math was always the most boring part of weather scheduling. He’d rather be put through long hours of cloud busting than have to do five minutes of math.
Dash finally had her sleeping bag spread out as she tucked herself into it and snuggled under the warm covers. She yawned and hugged her usual, little teddy bear. She could only wait until morning. She’d be able to go home and rest all day long. Then she could go to sleep that night in her own bed at home. When the morning came, it would be another glorious Sunday and she would start her day with pancakes like she always did. With that joyous thought in her mind, Rainbow drifted off into a deep sleep. 

Rainbow’s hooves reached up and covered her twitching ears. Muffled sounds of speaking still managed to seep through her hooves and crawl through her eardrums. Her pink eyes shot opened and she turned over to see her father speaking to Mrs. Skies. She removed her hooves from her ears with a sigh. 
“Daddy…” She moaned out. Both ponies turned to the annoyed little filly. “I’m trying to sleep!” 
“Sorry, Sweetheart. You know how important it is to discuss the beginning of the seasons… We’ll try to be a bit quieter.” 
Rainbow grumpily turned around and ignored her father’s comment. 
“Hey, now…” She heard a much more feminine voice start. “Don’t be that way. You’re daddy’s  a very hard worker…”
“I know…” Rainbow grumbled. “But I’m a very light sleeper.” 
“You can get to sleep when we’re done with our discussion…” 
Rainbow grunted and stuffed her face into her pillow aggressively. 
“Hey! Don’t have a little attitude problem or I won’t be giving you your little surprise!” 
Rainbow’s ears perked up and she sat up in bed all the way. She knew Mrs. Skies loved her, and showed it with occasional, little gifts. She loved it whenever she received something from her unrelated aunt. 
“What is it, Aunty?” She asked with large eyes. 
Mrs. Skies smiled, and Rainbolt looked confused. 
“It’s just some leftovers from my family reunion.” The friendly mare turned to Rainbolt. “Does she like cookies?” 
“Yes!” Dashie said with I smile before her father could reply. “I like cookies!” 
Mrs. Skies smiled at Dashie, then returned her attention to her father. “I have them in my purse somewhere. Just thought I’d bring some for your kid.” 
The pegasus began digging through her large, black purse and eventually pulled out the desired item. She kept the cookies in a small, blue container, and when she opened them, it revealed a few rows of the delectable-looking treats. She tilted the container, allowing Dash’s father to examine them. They were rather odd looking. They had brown-tinted coconut with chocolate drizzle and vanilla base beneath it. Rainbolt cocked his head at it. 
“An old family recipe of mine.” She explained. “They’re odd, but they’re pretty good. Try one?” 
“Uh, thank you ma’am.” 
Rainbolt unsurely grabbed a cookie and placed it to his mouth. He sniffed it before taking a bite. Instantly, he nearly felt like throwing up. The coconut flavor and dark chocolate mixed offended his taste buds. He forced down a bite and smiled at his boss. 
“They’re…different…” He commented at last. “I don’t think Dashie needs the sugar this late at night, though. I could save her some for tomorrow morning.” 
Rainbow’s ears flopped down and she became rather disappointed. She didn’t have a moment to argue as Mrs. Skies replied rather quickly. 
“That’s understandable.” Her boss agreed, setting the container on her employee’s desk. “Just don’t eat them all before she gets a chance.” 
“I won’t.” Rainbolt stated with a giggle. “Believe me.” 
Mrs. Skies smiled. “Well, where were we… Hm… Do you have any questions? Anything else I need to explain?” 
“No ma’am. I think I get it.” 
The mare smiled at her employee. “Alright. I guess I should be heading home, then. You two have a nice evening!” Sunny Skies headed towards the door and waved goodbye to the two ponies.  
“You too! Thank you!” Rainbolt politely called, bidding her goodnight. 
The green-coated mare left with a smile and closed the door. Rainbolt let out a sigh and placed the pencil back in his mouth.
“Daddy?” Rainbow questioned from her little corner. 
Rainbolt dropped the pencil in his mouth. “Yeah, Sweetie?” 
“Why can’t I have a cookie?”
“Because, it’s too late! If I let you have a cookie this late at night, you’d be bouncing off the walls!” 
“But…you got a cookie.” 
Rainbolt sighed and turned around to meet eyes with his daughter. Her ears were flopped against the back of her head and she looked at him with eyes larger than the moon. 
“Well, for one; I’m a grown stallion. Two; I’ll be spending the rest of the night working my flank off! And three; it’s just not good to eat before you go to bed!” 
“So…?” 
Rainbolt grunted and shook his head. “Sorry, Sweetie. I just don’t think it’s a good idea. Besides… they really don’t taste that good.” 
“I might think they taste good! Can’t I just have one cookie?” She begged with innocent eyes and a sweet tone. 
“No, Rainbow…” 
“Half a cookie?” 
Rainbolt sighed again in irritation. “Listen; I let you get your way a lot. I let you eat what you want, I let you do a lot of things you want, and for the most part, I don’t force you to do anything. Don’t you think if I’m actually restraining you from something that means I have a reason?”
Rainbow forced tears to swell in her eyes. “But… I love you.” 
“I love you, too Dashie. Now go to sleep.” 
Rainbow grumpily crossed her hooves and turned over into her sleeping bag. She stuffed her head on the pillow and grabbed her stuffed bear. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep as well as she could. Sometimes, her dad was just a meanie-head. 

Rainbolt stretched with a yawn. His eyelids grew heavier as the night had progressed. He looked at the clock hanging over his desk and frowned.
“Ugh…. Two in the morning?” He said with a sigh. He turned his head and saw his little girl sleeping peacefully in the corner, then smiled. She was snoring softly and drooling on her pillow. 
Rainbolt looked down at his work with a satisfied smile. He finished. It took him a good four hours, but he was finally finished and ready to move on. 
“Better check on some of the machines…” He whispered to himself and removed his body from the chair he’d been sitting in for ages. He stretched out as his body awoke from its long hibernation. 
As quietly as the stallion could be, he walked out of his little office and went into the main room. It was full of colossal machines and shelves of documents. He flicked on the nearby light and the room awoke. The air smelt musty and was full of dust. 
Unfortunately through the crack of the door, a large stripe of light bled through and landed on Rainbolt’s sleeping daughter’s face. Her eyes slowly drifted opened. 
“Is it morning yet…?” She asked herself quietly. 
The little filly lifted her head and looked at the clock. She grew disappointed as it was only the middle of the night. She looked out in the room and then felt an odd ache in her bladder. She sighed and arose from her little sleeping bag. She walked out tiredly with heavy eyelids. She exited the little room and saw her father inspecting the hail machine. He was peering into the whole that held the teeth of the machine. 
“Daddy?” She called out. Rainbolt turned and looked down at his little filly. 
“Dashie?” He called down. “What are you doing up at this time?” 
“I have to pee!” She answered as her father swooped down to her level. 
“Oh. Well, give me a minute. I need to unlock the bathroom.” 
“Okay…” 
The little filly was so tired she was practically falling down on her own hooves. The only thing keeping her eyelids from falling closed was the dull ache in her full bladder.  
Rainbolt came out of his office short moments later with a set of keys. 
“Sorry about that, Dashie. I’ve been locking up the doors earlier so I don’t have to worry about it as I’m leaving. I guess I’ll start leaving the restrooms unlocked until we go….” 
“Okay, Daddy…” She responded weakly. 
Rainbow followed her father as he made his way to the restrooms and unlocked the mare’s room’s door for his filly. Dash weakly made her entrance and closed the door behind her. She could hardly stand on her own hooves as she wobbled in. Poor little filly… 
Rainbolt abandoned his daughter to give her privacy as he flew back to his little office. He set the jingling ring of keys on his desk. He looked right where the keys landed and spotted a framed picture of him and Dashie together. They were smiling widely and hugging. Her face was nuzzling his chest. The stallion picked up the picture and smiled at it. His heart warmed up and his expression turned into a smile. At the time the picture was taken, his little girl was only three. 
“Man…she’s growing so fast…” 
Rainbolt truly loved his Dashie. He considered her the greatest thing to ever come into his life. She was worth every ounce of heartbreak, financial struggle, and annoyance he had to put up with. He may not have been the most responsible parent, but he did know that he loved his daughter, and he’d do any damn thing in the world to see her grow into a beautiful, good-hearted mare who was nothing but happy in life. That vision satisfied the stallion more than anything else. 
Rainbolt spent nearly a minute thinking about everything he and his daughter been through before the subject of his mind entered the room. His daughter wearily entered with a haggard expression on her face. 
“Wow… That was fast…” Her father commented. 
“Of course it was fast.” Dash replied. “Speed is important.” 
“Yeah, yeah… Now get to bed…” 
Rainbow nodded with a frown and climbed back into her welcoming sleeping bag. Its warm covers never felt so welcoming and soft. Rainbolt smiled at his daughter and leaned down, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek. 
“Sweet dreams, Sweetheart… I’ll see you in the morning…” 
Rainbow admired the affection with a grumble and nod. Her father left the room with a smile, and gently closed the door all the way with a click. Rainbow proceeded to shove her head in her pillow, attempting to rest. 
“I can’t wait ‘til morning….” The little pegasus grumbled to herself. “I get to go home… and make pancakes with Daddy…and eat a cookie…” 
The little pegasus’ ears perked up. She was in a room with the cookies…unattended. 



Rainbolt awoke with fluttering eyelids. He lifted his tired head and shook it. His rainbow mane was sticking up in all directions as if it had been rubbed against a balloon. His yellow eyes had crusties in the corners and he yawned loudly. 
The stallion had fallen asleep the previous night after checking all the machinery. He normally didn’t think twice to bring a sleeping bag for himself, considering he usually never had the time to sleep. At the time, putting his head in his hooves and drifting off didn’t seem too bad of a solution, so that’s exactly what he did. 
It wasn’t until Rainbolt’s loud yawn shrunk and his mouth closed that he heard… noises;  quiet, sustained, pitiful noises. Rainbolt turned around to see his little daughter holding her stomach in pain and flattening her ears against her head. She was moaning in anguish softly as she caressed her stomach. Rainbolt stood from his chair and made his way over to his daughter swiftly. 
“Sweetheart…” He started. “Are you…alright…?” 
The little filly moaned and held her stomach. 
“N-no!” She choked out. “It hurts….” 
Rainbolt could do nothing but gently wrap his hooves around his suffering daughter and carefully cuddly her. 
“I’m so, so sorry, Sweetheart…Where’s it hurt?” 
“My belly…. Ugh…” 
Rainbolt gently massaged his daughter’s stomach and comfortingly pat her back. 
“What’s wrong? Is it something you ate?” 
Rainbow blushed and looked down, remembering how she may have snuck more than a few cookies last night… 
“I, uh… don’t think so…” 
Rainbolt picked up the obvious nervousness in his daughter’s tone. 
“There’s nothing you know of that could have caused this?” 
Rainbow blushed and looked down at the ground. “I…Daddy… If I tell you something will you promise not to be mad?” 
Rainbolt nodded and smiled. It was then he knew it. She ate the cookies. He may not have checked the container before he crashed the previous night, but he knew the tone only a guilty little filly could produce. 
“Well…. I… I ate a few of the cookies…” She confessed hesitantly. 
“This is why I told you not to… You probably should have listened.” Rainbolt continued comforting his disobedient daughter with his gentle rubs to her back. 
“I know… I’m sorry, Daddy…” 
The little filly cringed as a bullet was fired into her gut. She let out another long, distasteful moan and hugged her belly. 
“Daddy…take me to the doctor’s….” 
Rainbolt gasped. “Dash… I don’t think so…I mean, if this continues up we might but….” 
“But it hurts so bad!” She whined again. “Just…please….Daddy…W-we learned in school that doctors make ponies feel better… I want to feel better.” 
Rainbow looked up at her dad with large, pink eyes and a pleading expression. Rainbolt didn’t know what to do exactly.  
“No, Sweetheart, not unless this gets more serious….” 

Rainbolt wrapped his hoof around his daughter as they waited patiently in the small, walk-in clinic. The air was crisp and smelt like disinfectant spray. Rainbow tucked her head into his chest and cuddled within his fur. Her moaning vanished long ago, but all the aching pain in her belly hadn’t subsided quite yet. 
Rainbolt had only agreed to take Rainbow to the clinic if her condition became a more serious problem. Unfortunately; it had. Later that morning, she ended up throwing up her stomach. If that wasn’t enough; her problems had only gotten worse. The more time passed, the worse she felt. By only one that afternoon, Rainbolt felt terrible and was left with no choice but to bring the suffering filly to a nearby clinic. 
“Daddy… It hurts…” 
“I know, Sweetheart…” Rainbolt gently stroked his hoof down his daughter’s back. “I’m sorry this happened, but I’m sure you’ll get through it. You’re a strong little filly.” 
Rainbow did nothing but quietly nod. She had an upset tummy all day long, and the thought of any minor relief would have helped, even if she had to take icky medicine to stop it. 
“Daddy?” She asked. 
“Hm?” 
“When will we be called in?” 
“Soon…” He stated bluntly. “Just hold through it…” 
Agonizing minutes passed as they tried to provide each other with much-needed comfort. Luckily, the nurse came shortly. They were only there nearly twenty minutes before they were attended to. The white-coated mare with a tight, blue bun came out of the room and stared at her clipboard. 
“Rainbow Dash?” She called as she read the name aloud. 
Rainbolt sat up and held Rainbow’s hoof, guiding her into the unfamiliar room. The entire clinic was painted white and smelt awfully clean. The pretty mare led the father and daughter into the nearby room. There was a small bed, two chairs, a sink, cheesy posters, rows of white cabinets, and a large box of medical supplies. Rainbow was too concentrated on her aching body to pay much attention to where she was though. With a gently grasp, Rainbolt led his daughter to the seat and set her down. 
“So…” The mare started off. “What’s the problem here?” 
“My daughter’s having really harsh pains in her belly…” The stallion explained. “We think it may be connected to a few cookies she took last night, but she’s been throwing up and stuff…” 
The mare looked at the little filly for a moment then wondered. “Was there anything in the cookies that could have lead to this? Or anything at all from the previous day?” 
Rainbolt thought for a moment. “Not that I know of… I mean… She hasn’t eaten anything too weird. And the only thing weird in the cookie was dark chocolate and coconut…” 
The nurse thought for a moment. “Coconut isn’t that unusual for some ponies to get sick from. Some just can’t digest it right. Chances are it’s just that and not too serious of a bug in her tummy.” 
Rainbow looked up at the nurse with sad eyes. “Can you make me better?” 
The mare smiled. “Sure thing, Sweetheart. I think the antidote should be nothing more than a simple over-the-counter stomach medicine…. In fact, this clinic may have something useful… Will you excuse me for a moment?” 
Rainbolt nodded and the nurse exited the room. Dash looked up at her father. 
“Daddy?” She asked. “Will I feel better soon?” 
Rainbolt smiled. “I sure hope so. I think the doc’ll come back with something to cure you real quick.” 
Dash forced a smile to her daddy. “O-okay… What if I die, though?” 
Her father nearly giggled. “You won’t die. Trust me, Sweetheart.” 
Rainbow looked down. “Okay…” 
Rainbolt sat next to his daughter and rubbed her back. “It’s okay… I’m sorry about this whole thing…” 
“It’s not your fault, though….” She commented, curling up and hugging her daddy. 
“I know, I know…” He smiled and kissed his baby’s head. 
The two remained snuggling for a good minute or two before the nurse came back in. She was carrying a purple bottle in her mouth and she smiled. 
“A little bit of this will surely help that stomach ache vanish… Now, it’s around twenty bits for the medicine…” 
“That’s fine. I work for the Weather Factory and have great health benefits.” 
The mare smiled. “Alright… I hope she likes grape.” 
Dash moaned to herself. “I don’t care what it tastes like, as long as it helps…” 
The nurse smiled and undid the lid. It screwed off with a pop and the mare poured the contents within into the cap itself. A little waterfall of purple liquid spilt from the bottle. Rainbow’s eyes glued on the running liquid. She knew the awful taste it would bring, but also knew from experience it’d be worth it. 
“And…there we are…” The nurse picked up the filled cap and brought it over to the little filly. Rainbow gazed unsurely at it and frowned. When the liquid remedy was handed to her, she took it with hesitation. She swallowed. 
Come on Rainbow… She thought to herself. Just gulp it up real quick and get it over with.
     The filly’s cyan hooves brought the nasty liquid up to her mouth and shut her eyes. She tilted her head back and swallowed the medicine down with two quick gulps. She let her hooves down and swallowed a few mouthfuls of spit, trying to get the bitter taste away. 
“Adda girl, Dashie…” Her father nuzzled her gently and smiled. “I’m proud of you.” 
“Thanks, Daddy…”
Dash handed the mare the cap, who twisted it securely onto the medicine bottle. She smiled at the stallion. 
“Anything else she might need before you go? When did she last get shots? Or any kind of check-up?” 
“Well…” Rainbolt blushed. “When she was like, I don’t know… A month old?”
“A month old!? You haven’t taken her since then?” The mare questioned, almost shocked. 
“Well… not really.” The stallion admitted. “I guess… I just never got around to it. I mean, I normally get her medicine when she’s sick. I actually would have never thought about taking her here if she weren’t begging me the majority of the day.” 
Rainbow seemed rather confused. The mare was shocked more than anything. Most little fillies and colts were taken quite often the first six years of their life. Hearing about a five year-old filly who’d only gone once when she was an infant was very shocking. 
“Well… I think she’s beyond due for a few shots to help strengthen her immune system. It'll keep her away from the flu for a while."   
“Alright….” Rainbolt leaned down to his daughter. “Did you hear that, Dash? You’re going to get a few shots before we leave.” 
Rainbow gave her father a confused look. “Shots?” 
“Yeah… like, it’s a needle that she’ll inject into your skin. It helps prevent you from getting sick.” 
“A…A needle?” She asked in a shaky tone. 
“Rainbow, it won’t hurt at all, I promise. All you’ll feel is a pinch in your arm, and it’ll be over.” 
Rainbow turned her attention to the nurse. She kept her pink eyes locked on the mare, who was grabbing an injection needle at the moment. It was filled with a clear liquid. The tip of the needle looked wickedly sharp. Rainbow’s eyes grew at the sight and she flew off the bed. 
“No!” Was all that managed to come off her trembling lips. 
Rainbolt looked down at his daughter. It was evident she was afraid. She looked up at her daddy and tried stayed tucked into his chest. 
“It’s alright, Sweetie… It’ll only take a minute, and I’ll hold your hoof the entire time.” 
Rainbow quietly sat back down in her previous position. “O-okay… Promise it won’t hurt too bad? Or I won’t die?” 
“I promise. You won’t feel anything but a little pinch, and then we can go home. And I know for a fact you will not die.” 
“Now, Sweetheart. I promise you it won’t be nearly as bad as you think it is. I’ve never once had a filly cry over a shot.” The nurse reassured her. 
Rainbow cringed at the sight of the silver needle. The mare approached her and placed the shiny tip at Rainbow’s unshielded arm. Rainbow looked at her father, who was holding her hoof securely. The filly then looked back at the pony with the needle in her hooves. The little pony shook as she felt the cold surface touch her. She immediately shot back and rejected the needle entrance to her bloodstream. 
“No! Don’t let it touch me!” 
Rainbolt was shocked. She was a brave little filly, and stood up to anypony who tried to challenge her, and there she was…. Afraid of an inanimate object. 
“It’s okay, Sweetie… It’s nothing to fear, I promise…” 
Rainbow was trembling. She couldn’t stand to think of the evil needle penetrating her skin! She struggled in her father’s hoof-hold. 
“Let me go!” She cried. “I don’t want it!” 
Her father felt so bad for the little filly. He never remembered being that scared for a little shot. 
“I promise you’ll be okay, Sweetie Pie. It’ll only make you healthier!” 
“Let me go!” The filly demanded once more. 
Rainbolt only held onto his frantic girl even tighter as she began struggling. Why was she acting so crazy over a little poke in the arm?
“Rainbow, listen, I love you very much, and I know this is what’s best for you!” 
Rainbow struggled further. Her arms tried to desperately break away from her caring father’s grasp as if her life depended on it. She even gave his arm a few useless hits to try and break away. 
“No! Getting killed is not going to help me!” 
Rainbolt sighed and shook his head. “Listen Rainbow, this will not hurt, this will not kill you, this will onl-!” 
The stallion was suddenly cut off by a sharp pain in his arm. He instantly let go of the little filly and examined his hoof. There was a little row of tiny dents. Rainbolt gasped. 
“Did you…. Bite me?” 
Rainbow didn’t stick around long enough to answer. Instead she sped out the door as fast as her little wings would carry her. She shot down a hallway and beyond where she’d normally be taken. She passed by several inspection rooms and down a few corners. Her little wings beat fast, and the thought of that large…terrifying needle encouraged her to speed down the halls. 
“Rainbow!” She heard a very aggravated tone call her. 
“Uh, oh…” 
The little filly gained speed as she turned a left with great power. As she turned the corner, she accidentally bumped a table, knocking over an object she didn’t have the time to identify. She did hear the fallen object’s ear-piercing shatter, however. 
“Rainbow Dash!” The stallion called out. “Stop right this… minute!” 
Rainbolt grew nervous as his speeding daughter whizzed around corners and flew as fast as her wings would carry her. He whipped around the walls, as well. He had to admit, his daughter was far more agile than he could dream of being. How the little girl had been so damn blessed was beyond Rainbolt’s comprehension. 
It wasn’t until Rainbolt flew around a corner for the third time that he noticed a familiar landmark; the room his daughter had been placed in for examination. It had taken him three trips to even consider they were circling –or squaring, as the case may have been- and in realization he hid into the room. The nurse stared at him. Her green eyes were shining brightly. 
“Did you catch her yet?” 
Rainbolt sighed. “I will… She’s circling around the area… She should be coming around any moment now…” His voice was at a whisper, considering he wouldn’t want to be heard by his daughter. 
The stallion waited as patiently as he could, and within the minute, a little cyan filly could be heard coming around the corner. Rainbow’s father hopped into the hallway and was instantly tackled by his worrisome filly. He landed on the cool, tile ground with a thud and Rainbow continued to struggle in her father’s grasp.  
“No! Lemme go!” She screeched, whining. 
Rainbolt held his daughter securely with one hoof and rubbed her back to calm her down with the other. Even through running away and biting him, Rainbolt knew it was best to comfort her then when she needed it the most, and discipline her for acting up later. He knew fear brought out the worst in someponies, so he didn’t entirely blame her. 
“Shhh… It’s okay, Sweetie…” 
Rainbow eventually struggled less and soon, not at all. She looked up at her daddy with pitiful eyes. 
“Daddy…. I’m scared.” She admitted. 
Rainbolt snuggled his daughter closer. “I know you are, Sweetie… I promise it won’t be that bad. How about I get one with you?” 
Rainbow’s ears perked up. “Can you do that…? Would you do that?” 
Rainbolt smiled. “Of course I will, Sweetheart.” 
Rainbow’s trembling subsided and she smiled at her papa. 
“Thanks, Daddy… I love you.” 
Rainbolt got up off the cold floor and guided his nervous filly to the room she’d previously run out of. The doctor turned around when she saw the two enter. She had been searching through a medical bag, looking for who knows what. 
“You two got yourselves situated?” Rainbolt nodded and Rainbow simply went along with him. “Good, have the little one sit down.” 
“Actually…” Rainbolt started. “Is there any way I could get one, too? I think seeing me get one would calm her nerves.” 
The mare smiled. “As long as we get paid, I couldn’t care less.” 
The stallion smiled at Dash. She forced a cute smile back. The dull ache in her stomach had returned from nerves. 
“Well…” The mare started. “I may as well give you the kid’s since I already had that one prepared.” 
“Sure thing.” Rainbolt held the hoof of his daughter securely. Rainbow looked up at his dad as the mare held the needle to his arm. Her heart began beating faster than her father’s as the needle penetrated the skin of his right arm. To Dash’s shock, the brave stallion didn’t wince or make any sound to acknowledge the needle. 
“It…didn’t hurt?” Dash asked. 
“Not one bit.” He reassured her. “Think you’re brave enough to take yours?” 
“Promise it won’t kill me?” She asked. 
“Of course not, Sweetheart….” 
Rainbow sat back onto her little bed and awaited her shot. She stared at the mare as she opened the bag and grabbed another needle. She pushed the bottom up, letting a little liquid squirt out of the top. 
“Alright, this is the first of three you’ll need…” 
Rainbow’s heart pounded quicker. “Th-three…?” 
The doctor nodded. “Don’t worry, Sweetie. It’ll be over before you know it…” 
Rainbow held onto her father’s hoof securely and looked at him in the eyes. 
“It’s alright, Sweetheart…. I promise, it’ll be over before you know it. You saw how fast mine went by…” 
“I know… But you’re braver than I am.” 
“It’s not about being brave…” Her dad reminded. His eyes were glued on the pretty mare, who’d finished injecting Dash’s first shot. She pulled the needle out carefully, and fortunately, Dash didn’t notice whatsoever. Rainbolt smiled. “It’s about just taking it because you know it’ll help you. It’s for the very best. You didn’t feel good when your tummy hurt, did you?” 
“No…” She admitted. “I hated it…” 
“Well….” Rainbolt started. He watched as the white pegasus stuck another needle in the pony’s upper arm and injected the fluids. She pulled it out a second later and winked at Rainbolt. “If you get these shots, it’ll make sure your body doesn’t suffer like that again.” 
“Oh…It’ll make aches go away?” 
“Well… not go away, but prevent them from ever happening.” 
The nurse cleared her throat and Rainbow turned her attention to the pretty mare. 
“One more. This one’s for the feather flu. I’ll warn you, it’ll sting a bit…” 
“O-okay…. I thought you said I was getting three, though?” 
The nurse giggled. “Already done, Sweetie.” 
“Already done…?” 
Rainbolt wrapped a hoof around Rainbow’s shoulder and kept her close. “Just go with it, Dashie. Just one little shot more, and we’ll be done.” 
“Okay….” She hugged her daddy back and tried to forget about the shot. The mare approached the filly with a new needle. She took the filly’s arm which was at that point shaking in fear. Rainbolt brought his hoof up and down the scared filly’s back. She cuddled into her loving father and closed her eyes. Her ears flopped down and she felt a sudden, mild sting. Her eyes opened and she clenched her teeth. It wasn’t the pain scaring her; it was the thought that at that very moment there was a needle through and below her pony flesh. She hated the very thought of it occurring, but fear consumed her as it was actually happening. 
Finally, after what seemed like centuries, the mare pulled the evil needle from the filly’s arm. It left a mildly stinging spot, but nothing too serious. Rainbow let out a sigh of relief as it ended. 
“There you go, Sweetheart… I’m proud of you…” Rainbolt lovingly pat his daughter’s back with a smile. He leaned down and gave his daughter a kiss on the forehead. 
“Well… I think I’ll go get the information you need to fill out for your insurance to cover this…” 
“Alright. We’ll wait for you to return.” 
Rainbolt hugged his daughter again, and then took a moment to clear his throat. “Listen, Sweetie…. I know it’s been a very long day, and you’ve been sick and all, but…” Rainbow looked up at her daddy with big eyes. She knew what he was going to say just as well as he did. “Your behavior was unacceptable…. I know you were scared, but you still acted reluctant, disobedient, and you bit me… So… you’re grounded for the rest of the week until next Monday…” 
Rainbolt felt his heart nearly combust. Even if he knew damn well Rainbow deserved it, he still hated punishing her. He admitted many times he was a bit too lenient with her, but he just couldn’t drive himself to be harsh. 
“But, Dad I was just scared….”  She started to argue. 
“I know you were, but that still doesn’t give you the right to run off like that, and bite me!” 
Rainbow looked down sheepishly and then back up to her father. “Okay… I understand. No flying for the rest of the week…” 
Rainbolt looked down at his little filly as she drooped her head down and stared at the floor. It was rather sad to see her like that… Rainbolt sighed and hugged his daughter. 
“Hey, I’m proud that you pulled through in the end, though…. It must have took a lot of bravery to do that…” 
“Thanks… Sorry I got so scared…” 
Rainbolt chuckled. “You don’t have to apologize for being afraid, Sweetie. Why were you so afraid, anyway?” 
Rainbow looked down. “I… I was afraid it would kill me.” 
Rainbolt giggled. “That’s so silly, Dashie. I would never allow you near anything that could harm you in any way…” 
“I know. Daddy… I’m afraid of dying…” 
“We all are….” 
“No… I mean, sometimes I get really scared…. I’m afraid of never seeing you again…” 
Rainbolt’s heart exploded when he heard that. He brought his daughter closer and hugged her tightly.
“Oh, Dashie… I promise, I’ll always be here for you. Don’t be afraid…. I love you.” 
Rainbow hugged her father back. “I love you, too…” 
The two ponies embraced each other a good minute before the door finally opened. The pretty mare walked in. She wore a frown and sighed. 
“Sir, was it your daughter who may have broken something in the hallway?” 
Rainbolt looked a bit confused, and also worried. “Break something…?” 
The mare nodded. “Another nurse here found a broken, glass plaque in out hallway. Considering you just went on a high-speed chase to get her…. I have reason to believe your toddler’s behind it.” 
“Well… She may have been… I promise I’ll pay for whatever damage was done, if she did break it…” 
Rainbolt looked down at his daughter. She was already in a ton of trouble, and knew that should would now be in more. 
“Rainbow?” Her father finally asked. 
Rainbow shamefully looked at the ground and dug her hoof into the hard, ivory tiles. The stallion sighed. 
“I think that’s a yes…” 
The mare sighed. “Well, you’re in debt nearly one hundred-fifty bits…”