//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Stone of the Body // by Dracoliat //------------------------------// "Twilight?" Rainbow Dash asked as she walked through the doorway of the library. The entire structure was carved out of an enormous tree. "Yes Rainbow Dash?" Twilight Spark "Have you found anything?" Dash's voice was extremely eager, she already knew the answer. "No, I can't seem to find anything that will help her..." Twilight's head drooped slightly. "I know, you're sorry but DAMN IT! WHY CAN'T YOU FIND ANYTHING?" Dash's voice raised unexpectedly causing Twilight's head to snap up. A steady clop sound coming from the floorboards as she slowly retreated into a corner. "I don't know, I know I caused it, and I'm sorry but I can't do anything." Twilight stated in a hushed and fast voice. Dash's eyes averted Twilight for a few seconds as she remained silent. They stood there in silence and grieving over Fluttershy for about a minute. Hesitantly Dash's mind began to except what was, Fluttershy was going to die, period, and she couldn't do a thing about it. The blue pegasus eyebrow's' narrowed as she looked back at Twilight and she said in an absolute voice, "you will find a way to help Fluttershy, understand." It wasn't even a question it was a statement of fact. When Twilight stayed silent Dash's wings sprung out to the side and she flew straight into Twilight. A sharp pain traveled up Twilights' abdomen as her hooves felt the floor disappear before her back hit a large bookcase. Books rained down around Dash as she held Twilight firmly and painfully. Her face only a inch from Twilight's, "You will find a way to help Fluttershy!" Dash's voice had lost all semblance of her usual calm demeanor. The light reflected of the edge of Twilight's eyes as tears began to form. She opened her mouth and said ever so quietly, "there is no spell I know that can help... and I can't find any, I'm sorry..." Dash's hooves lowered as she allowed Twilight to fall roughly before the pegasus told Twilight, "Write a letter to Princess Celestia." Twilight nodded and quickly retrieved a piece of parchment and a quill. Before long her voice rang out into the mess, "Spike!" The small dragon emerged from beneath a small house he had made out of large books and he breathed in deeply. With a powerful blow the letter disappeared into green smoke. The smoke slowly traveled around the room before flying out a window and flying off rapidly. "There, that's all we can do now..." Twilight muttered under her breath. Dash's head nodded slightly as she walked out of the library into the street where a small crowd consisting of at least ten ponies was gathered due to the ruckus inside. Luckily for them, they did not bother Dash and let her pass without question. ======= Once Dash had flown to the nearby hospital she smiled as soon as she saw Fluttershy conscious. Her speed was unparalleled as she sprinted towards her bed only stopping a second before impact. Her hoof felt slightly cold and shaky. A effect of the malicious magic working it's way through her body. "So, how was the latest procedure?" Dash asked hopefully. "Um, well I feel a bit better, maybe..." Fluttershy whispered in her normal hushed voice. "So more of the same huh?" Dash asked smiling and laughing morbidly. Fluttershy had undergone more procedures then Dash cared to think about, all trying a new technique to remove the dangerous magic. None of them were successful, and if one didn't succeed soon... Dash's thoughts were interrupted as she saw Fluttershy's hoof lift up slightly. Smiling brightly, Dash held it silently and kissed her gently on her cheek. The hoof fell limp soon after as Fluttershy fell back into unconsciousness. Over the last few weeks, Fluttershy's gorgeous pink mane had started to gray ever so slowly, but it was still noticeable. Her eyes always had a glazed look over them as she fought the enemy inside of her. A enemy she, according to everyone, had no chance of defeating. "I'm sorry Ms. Rainbow Dash, the procedure..." Doctor card started to say before Dash cut him of. "I know, it was unsuccessful, as always," her voice had a strong poisonous tone in it as she had heard the doctor's words a hundred times at least. "I also know that she is undergoing another procedure in two days, correct?" When the doctor remained silent Dash turned curious to see the doctor looking down at the floor. "Ms. Dash, we have tried everything imaginable, science, magic, even Zecora couldn't do anything. now the most we can do, is try to sustain her for as long as possible, but it may be painful for her." "How long?" Dash asked in a monotone voice. "At most," Doctor Card paused before continuing even lower then before, "at most a month." "Thank you for your honesty," The blue pegasus said as a shadow came over the room. Presumably a cloud had covered the sun for a moment only darkening the mood. "We have one more option," Card said as he looked towards Dash slightly. Without waiting for a reply he continued, "we can help her, by ending the pain now." Dash said excitedly as the cloud shifted allowing some light into the room, "that's wonderful, why haven't you done that befo..." The words caught in her throat as she realized what the doctor was suggesting. "You," Dash's words tripped over themselves on the way out, "want to kill her." For the first time in months Dash had become completely silent, and she couldn't think properly. Silence pervaded that moment and blocked everything out before a unsteady rhythm was heard as Dash stumbled over to Fluttershy looking at her closed eyelids silently. The eyes beneath them could be seen shifting quickly as parts of her body twitched every so often, evidence of the internal struggle. "No, you can't kill her, you'll never kill her while I'm still alive," Dash stated quietly so as not to wake Fluttershy. She drew up onto her two back hoofs using her wings to keep her balance as she held her upper hoofs out to the side, preventing Card from getting any closer. Finally when Dash realized Doctor Card wasn't doing anything she stood down. "I'm sorry Ms. Dash, but as I'm sure you are aware, we don't have the money or the resources to keep her much longer. Even if we could extend her life past another month, we couldn't at the same time." "If you touch her, I will tear out your spine with my bare teeth," Dash threatened. ======= Soon afterwards Doctor Card exited and Dash sat next to Fluttershy as she took in the news that Fluttershy would die, it was not a prediction now. No, now it was fact. A minute later Twilight ran into the room panting loudly, a letter hovering in front of her. "Dash, Celestia," Twilight stopped for a second as she took a deep breath, "She said she may be able to help. She might have found a spell, she's asked to see you immediately."