Chapter 18: Please...Catch Me
Another night of restlessness, another day of boredom. Sparrow found himself becoming too accustomed to the trainee lifestyle. It had been 2 months now since he left Ponyville. He hadn't received a letter back from Applejack yet, she seemed too busy for him. His bond with Split Shifter was as strong as ever, but none of the training seemed to be sticking with him. The exercises were fine, but not enough. The classes were interesting, but they didn't force Sparrow to excel. He knew he was growing bored, and was worried about what was to come if he was already considering this kind of life tedious.
Sparrow started sticking to himself more than ever, just going on his own back to the dorms to clean, or just sit and ponder the future. He didn't really know what to expect from a full blown Wonderbolt lifestyle besides the things he'd read in his book. Which all of those things sounded wonderful to him, he just wanted more of that now, rather than later.
****
"Hey!" Split shouted into Sparrows ear.
"Gah!" Sparrow yelped out and fell over. He had been lost in a daze over the last few minutes. "Sorry Split, what'd you say?"
Sighing Split repeated "I said, I hope you're ready for the flight exercise today. Remember?"
Sparrow thought for a moment, "Sorry, no, what was it again?"
"Princesses, what is with you Sparrow, you've been out of it for a while now. Anyways, the Academy is going to be floating over the Everfree Forest." Split looked absolutely giddy with excitement, "They want the trainees to practice flight in actual dangerous conditions!"
Sparrow remembered one of the professors mentioning this training a few days ago. A monitored flight over the Everfree Forest to see how trainees can handle tougher flight conditions that can change at a moments notice. They'd had trainees get caught up in thunderstorms that turn into snowstorms and they even had one year where the clouds turned pink and started raining chocolate milk. It was all the instructors could do to keep the trainees from drinking their fill. "Yeah, I remember. You sound excited Split. You think it's your chance to impress Fleet Foot again?"
Split gave a half grin, "Oh har har. But yes, that's exactly what I want to do. I want her to see us flying and say to herself 'Holy mackerel! I need to be flying with those two sexy boys!' You get the basic gist of it though I'm sure."
Sparrow just nodded. He was excited for the flight as well, it would finally be something to break up the monotony of school life and basic training exercises. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he saw it as a chance to prove to himself again how good of a team he and Split were.
Later on that night, Sparrow couldn't get to sleep because of how excited he was for the next day's flight. Then thunder crackled outside. Sparrow hadn't been in a storm since the farm, with Applejack. The sound of the storm brought back that happy memory, and then with it came the worse memories. He began to toss and turn in his bunk. Listening to the rain patter against the window, Sparrow would be lulled to sleep almost, just to be awakened by a crash of thunder a few minutes later.
Sparrow wanted to go over to Split's bed and wake him up to talk, to just sit and be comfortable. But he couldn't bring himself to just get up and reach over to him. He didn't want to ruin his friends sleep as well as his own. So he let it be and stayed in his bed wide awake all night, with nothing but the storm and its anger keeping him company.
****
"Alright Trainees! Listen up!" Spitfire walked down the row of trainees all in their uniforms, they stood along the flight line staring straight ahead at the dense fog that lay just outside the academy grounds, "Today, you and your wing pony will be making a trip into the air above the Everfree Forest. I know all of you have been briefed on the risks countless times at this point but we need to ask once more. Are each and every one of you sure you have the strength and fortitude to make this flight. If even one of you needs to step out now then everyone must step out." Spitfire stopped in front of Sparrow, staring directly into his eyes, he could feel her gaze drilling into him as he stared straight ahead. He was tired beyond belief, but he wasn't about to let that get in the way of Split getting to enjoy himself and all the other ponies standing here today. "Remember, if you hear the horn blow, then you must return immediately to the academy grounds, failure to comply with this will bring nothing but risk to yourself and your wing pony." Spitfire took one last look at all her trainees, then turned around to face the fog ahead. She'd never seen it this thick before, but these ponies, and griffon, needed to experience the danger of the Everfree if they were to become Wonderbolts. "TRAINEES, MOVE OUT!"
Sparrow and all his fellow trainees lifted off and headed straight into the fog. As soon as he and Split hit the wall of the fog they couldn't see any other of the trainees, just barely each other. "Split, stick close okay?"
"You got it. Man, this is disappointing." Split looked dejected.
"How so?" Sparrow tilted his head to look at his partner on his right.
"With all this fog, how is Fleet Foot supposed to see me?" The two shared a quick laugh and continued forward into the unknown.
****
The fog disappeared. There was nothing in the sky with Sparrow and Split Shifter, except for one single lonely black cloud.
"What in Celestia's name is that?" Split said drawing a little closer. Sparrow reached out with a talon and stopped him.
"I don't know, but I don't think we should go near it Split." Sparrow didn't like this one bit. They were in a section of sky with the fog clearly in a circle around this one cloud, almost as if it was avoiding it. Below them Sparrow could see the twisted and gnarly trees of the Everfree.
"No Sparrow, you don't understand, I think this is a pony made black storm cloud. I think it wandered out here to the Everfree and never found its way back to any pegasi. I've never seen one that black before. We need to take it back with us." Split pulled away from Sparrow and continued slowly flying towards the cloud.
"Split, this seems like an incredibly bad idea. C'mon, Fleet Foot won't care if you bring a silly cloud back with us." Sparrow joked.
Split looked back at Sparrow, frowning "This isn't about Fleet Foot, Sparrow, this cloud is an incredible find for all pegasi, it must be hundreds of years old. If we brought it back and released the energy it has stored up, we might be able to bring water to some towns in Equestria that are really struggling right now. We'd be recognized all over the place for finding this, here, help me with it."
Sparrow began to back away "I can't Split. I'm sorry but I can't go near that thing."
Split looked at Sparrow like he'd gone insane "Are you serious? After all we've been through and now you won't help me with something so simple as moving a cloud?"
"You don't understand Split, I just can't" Sparrow turned away from his friend.
"Fine, then I'll do it myself." Split Shifter said. That was the last sound Sparrow heard before a deafening CRACK blasted through his ear drums.
Sparrow screamed in pain and as he recovered himself he saw his friend plummeting towards the ground.
He flew as fast as he could. Faster than he'd ever flown before. His body cried out in protest, but he needed to catch his friend.
Split wasn't moving, wasn't flying, wasn't flailing. Sparrow saw traces of blood along Split Shifter's muzzle.
Faster damnit! Go faster! Sparrow's right wing was screaming at him to stop. Horrible pain hit Sparrow all at once and he let out a scream as he reached out his talons towards his friend.
He caught him, and then pain, horrible horrible pain as tree limbs crashed against Sparrows body, he held close to his friend, shielding him from all the pain.
An eternity of pain passed before Sparrow grew aware enough to notice he was on the ground. He looked around only to see ponies standing near him and Split, he couldn't hear what they were saying, he didn't know what they were doing. The pain blocked out everything else. A white unicorn mare stepped close next to Sparrow and he could barely focus on the light of her horn, before he slipped into unconsciousness.
*********
Muffled voices and a blurry white light greeted Sparrow as he awoke, he could hear the consistent beeping of some machine that he realized beeped along with his heart rate. All he could do is look around barely as he noticed a single nurse walking around the room, a white unicorn mare, she was levitating a clip board and making notes as she walked around the machines in the room.
Sparrow couldn't feel his body at all, he wanted to move, but couldn't. All he could do is look around slowly. The last thing he remembered before getting here was catching Split, then pain. Unimaginable pain. He decided to just go back to sleep. That was easier than thinking right now.
****
Sparrow woke up and realized he was able to move a little more now. He couldn't lift his body, but he was able to barely raise a talon. He did his best to stay awake until the nurse came back in to check the machines. It took all of his willpower to lift his talon towards her and in a whisper "Nurse." It was all he could say but it was enough. She looked at him and her eyes grew wide before she darted out of the room without a word.
When she returned she was followed by a stallion in a white coat, he wore black glasses and had a stethoscope wrapped around his neck. He had dark blue fur and a white mane with a small mustache over his muzzle. "Hello there, uhm," the doctor took a look at his clipboard "Sparrow. I'm Doctor Oats, pleased to meet you. I hope you've been feeling comfortable during your stay with us. We've been doing all we can to keep you without pain. Hopefully you aren't too groggy from all the magic and medication."
Sparrow nodded, he couldn't really bring himself to speak.
Dr. Oats continued "Well my friend." He took another look at his clipboard "You, are one lucky griffon. That high of a fall has never been seen before with a survivor." Sparrow didn't know whether to be happy about that or not "Now, this is going to be a bit of a shock, but you have been asleep for, 9 days." Sparrow's eyes widened in terror. He thought about Split and wondered if he was okay. He had protected him, hadn't he? "Now Sparrow, I need you to stay calm. This next bit of news may hurt a bit. I need to know you are ready for what we tell you. Do you think you can handle it?" Sparrow didn't want to know but felt that he had to, so he nodded again. "I'm afraid your friend, didn't survive the fall."
All Sparrow could do was whimper. He felt warm tears begin to flow. The machine on his left began beeping faster and the nurse started turning a knob on the medicine bag attached to him. He felt the drug immediately in his system as his heart slowed down. The tears didn't stop though, and his heart hurt. "I am sorry Sparrow, we tried all kinds of healing magic on him. But the damage was too great on him." Dr. Oats began to turn away, "We will be back tomorrow for another check up Sparrow, you still have a few days of recovery ahead of you, and some other news we must attend to. But we can speak on that tomorrow." Dr. Oats made another check on his clipboard, then he and the nurse left.
Sparrow laid there sobbing. His friend, gone. Just like that. There was nothing that would change it and he had to accept it. But he had done all he could, hadn't he? Hadn't he?
****
A few hours or a few days, Sparrow felt so numb from the medications he couldn't even tell anymore. Dr. Oats and his nurse would come in and ask a few questions, then leave. It didn't matter anymore, Sparrow just wanted to be out and back at the Academy, if they would have him.
"Sparrow, did you hear me?" Dr. Oats said.
"Huh?" Sparrow replied groggily.
"I said it's time we told you some news." Dr. Oats looked solemn, "We recently got in contact with the Wonderbolt Academy and we asked them if they would be able to take you back in. They said no."
Sparrow lowered his beak to his chest as he lay there in the hospital bed, they didn't want him back. "Was it because I couldn't save my wing pony?"
Dr. Oats looked kindly at Sparrow and put a hoof on his shoulder gently, it was cold. "No Sparrow. They actually commended you for how much you two accomplished together, they intend to give you a medal for what you did. No. There is another reason for why they can't take you back. You have been under such strong anesthetics to keep the pain to a minimum and you've been so out of it, I thought for sure you might have noticed by now. I'm sorry Sparrow, we should have told you sooner."
"Told me what?" Sparrow raised himself up from the bed a bit and felt light headed.
Dr. Oats pushed lightly on Sparrows lower beak and turn his head to look at the right side of his body. Sparrow caught a scream in his throat, not a scream of terror, it was a scream of anguish. Where there had once been a strong limb of bone and sinew, there was now a bandaged stub. The machine on Sparrow's left side began to beep rapidly and if it weren't for the medication, he would have jumped out of the bed. "I know Sparrow, I know. You must understand, when you fell out of the sky, you first broke your wing from how fast you were going, and then once you hit the trees the limb was nearly torn off. We found you two in a pool of blood and if it weren't for the loud crack of that cloud, we wouldn't have know where to look. Call it a blessing in disguise."
Sparrow looked at the Dr. incredulously "A blessing in disguise!? My friend is dead and I can never fly again! How is that a blessing?"
"Please Sparrow, calm down. If you move much more you will likely tear open your stitches. Please don't hurt yourself anymore." Dr. Oats put his hooves on Sparrow and slowly lowered him back to the mattress of the bed. Sparrow's heart was still beating madly and he slowly became aware of the pain on his right side.
"How long will it take me to recover fully Dr.?" Sparrow asked as he tried to calm his breathing at least. Breath in, hold 4 seconds, breath out, hold 4 seconds.
"Around a year I would say, but I never studied griffon physiology much, it could be faster. I truly am sorry about what happened. I think tomorrow we might have a visitor for you though. Someone who's been neglecting her work for days to come and see you." Dr. Oats smiled as Sparrow looked at him.
"Who is it?" Sparrow asked.
"Who do you think?" Dr. Oats replied teasingly, then left the room.
Left alone with his thoughts, Sparrow looked at his right side once more. No wing in sight. It was terrifying. The more he thought about never being able to fly again, the more he slipped into despair. But maybe it would all work out. He didn't know anymore, he didn't care anymore. Sparrow looked out of the window on his left, and it was the first time he noticed what he saw outside. The streets of Ponyville. He knew who it was now. The pony who was going to visit him.
****
"Sparrow? Sugar cube, you awake?" A familiar voice called out to him. Visions of her blonde mane and orange fur with a few apples on a cute rump were what Sparrow envisioned, before being rudely awoken. By the real one.
Tears filled Sparrow's eyes as he saw Applejack sitting on a chair next to his bed. There was a basket of fresh pick apples on the table next to him, their sweet fragrance filled up the room and blocked out the ever present smell of formaldehyde. "Hey Applejack, how's it going?"
"Two months and you come back here missing a wing and that's what you start with?" He could see a single tear in her eye before she embraced him, she was careful to avoid his injury as she held him. He reached his talons up and wrapped them around her as well. After what felt like a comfortable eternity Applejack pulled away sniffling still and Sparrow's eyes were red still from all of his previous tears.
"Sorry, it just seemed like the right thing to say first. I don't have an excuse for the wing though." Sparrow grew somber, "Did they tell you what happened?"
Applejack nodded "They gave me the basic details but they didn't want to tell me everything."
"Do you want to know everything?" Sparrow asked her.
"Only if you think it will help Sparrow." Applejack placed a hoof on his talon. He felt the weight of her hoof press slightly onto him and he turn his talon over to grip her hoof and hold it closer. It turned into his lifeline, his link. He felt stronger with her there. So he told her. He told her all there was to tell, about every day at the Academy, his friendship with Split, and what had happened over the Everfree. She sat and listened, holding onto him and he held on to her.
He finished by telling her that the Wonderbolts couldn't take him back, "I don't know what to do anymore, maybe I should just go back to Griffonstone."
Applejack pulled on his talon and pulled him in to nuzzle his beak. "You're not going anywhere sugar cube. I want you here, with me."
"But I won't recover from this injury for a year. I'd be useless on the farm." Sparrow looked at her feeling broken.
"Granny gets plenty of things done and she's as old as Ponyville, if she can still help, then so can you. Either way, I wouldn't care if you couldn't help. I want you with me Sparrow. For the long haul."
Sparrow raised his head and looked at her, at her beautiful emerald eyes, full of conviction and honesty. He knew she meant it, and she wouldn't ever give up on him. "I'd like that I think."
****
The next day Sparrow was released from the hospital , Dr. Oats and the nurse both waived goodbye to him and Applejack as she wheeled him out in a wheelchair. Once they were outside he stood up from the chair and he and Applejack began to walk along the path back towards Ponyville and back towards Sweet Apple Acres. It hurt to walk but he managed well enough, but he felt so off balance now. There was too much weight on his left side now that his right wing was gone. So he put his wing over Applejack's back without asking first. She looked at him and smiled and stood closer to him and brushed up against his side to nuzzle his neck.
At that moment, Sparrow realized something. That this is something he'd wanted all along. To love, and be loved in return. And he would never give it up. This was his home. His love. And he couldn't be happier in that moment.
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The End