//------------------------------// // Family // Story: Shattered Rainbow // by TheMajorTechie //------------------------------// Following the conference with the reporter, Rainbow had returned to her new habit of staring out the lone window in her room. It had quickly grown dark in the hours passed, and if she squinted, she could barely make out the vast cityscape of Canterlot below. As she watched, she didn't notice as Fluttershy entered the room with a clipboard. "Rainbow?" She began, "You're cleared to leave tomorrow morning." The mare left the room without another word, while Rainbow subconsciously processed what she had just said. Leave. Tomorrow. Free. "Wait!" Rainbow suddenly burst as she tumbled from the bed, "Fluttershy, wait up!" She raced from the room as fast as her legs could carry her, into the vast expanse of hallways and corridors of the hospital. Immediately, she found herself lost. Though, without her wheelchair holding her back, she was able to quickly search the halls for her supposed friend. The mare turned a corner, and found herself face-to-face with Fluttershy. "Oh, Rainbow?" Fluttershy exclaimed as she saw her patient, "What are doing here?" Rainbow's gaze dropped to her hooves. "Um... I was just wondering..." she began, "I was friends with you in my dreams. Do you think that we could be friends now too?" Fluttershy smiled. "Of course, Rainbow. After all, I've been ordered to stay by your side while you recover out in the real world. I'm sure that you'd like somepony to stay by your side." "Thanks," Rainbow replied, "I needed to hear that. At least I know that I've got one friend still." "But what about your family?" Fluttershy suddenly asked, "Aren't you going to stay with them?" "I'm not sure if I'm ready to see them for real, after all this crazyness I've been through recently. I mean, seriously, I pretty much woke up from my own life, don't forget." Fluttershy shrugged politely. "I remember. Though, I've heard that your mother and father are coming later today to see you." "Really?" Rainbow replied, "Why didn't you say so earlier?" The yellow pegasus chuckled. "I was actually on my way back to your room to tell you just that," she replied, "I forgot to bring you the news, and I didn't really expect that you'd come to me instead." Windy Whistles nervously shifted in her seat as she waited alongside her husband to see their daughter awake--for the first time in seventeen years. Within those years, she had birthed their second daughter, Spectral Glider, who was currently enrolled for next year's first grade of flight school. The filly was rather stunted for her age, being quite slow compared to her older sister. In addition to this, she hardly, if ever, joined any groups with other foals, be it in school, or simply in parks and events. However, with the foal's current fidgeting, it wouldn't be hard for one to say that she was, at the least, the embodiment of excitement. Rainbow sat back down in her wheelchair with a wince of pain. "Are... are you sure that they're ready to see me again?" She asked, her eyes pleading for an answer as she gazed towards her caretaker. Fluttershy remained silent as she folded her patient's bedsheets, opting instead to lightly nod, her mind focusing elsewhere at the moment. "What if they disown me?!" Rainbow asked, "What if they don't want a flightless pegasus in the family? Wha--" "Shhh..." Fluttershy reassured the nervous mare, "Trust me, Dash, they won't." Fluttershy gently nudged the door open with a hoof, guiding Rainbow's wheelchair into the hallway. To Rainbow, this was all an entirely new experience, and nearly surreal in nature. For Fluttershy, however? This was simply another day at work... As the waiting room door drew ever closer, a new feeling began to develop inside Rainbow-- a nervous, sickeningly anxious brew of emotions fluttered about her mind. After all, who was she to say that her parents would be the same? Fluttershy noticed Rainbow's thoughtful stare. "Would you like to push the button?" she mused, tracing Rainbow's line of vision towards a comically large handicap access button on the wall. Rainbow Dash didn't reply. "Suit yourself." Fluttershy shrugged, opening the door. A cool blast of air hit Rainbow's face the moment she entered the room. Humongous windows lined each wall, allowing for the golden sunlight to illuminate what the mare had expected to be a yellowed, lanky, smelly room. Her eyes flew about the room in a hurry, scanning the faces of the various ponies until she found the ones she loved the most. "Mom! Dad!" Rainbow cried in joy. With a painful grunt, she attempted to raise herself from the wheelchair, only to fall flat on her face with a wail. Windy Whistles gasped, rushing to her daughter in fear. "Are you alright?" she asked softly, lifting the mare with a hoof. Bow Hot Hoof nudged the wheelchair closer, much to a panicked Fluttershy's protest. "Yeah, mom..." the mare replied, "Thanks."