The park was entirely silent as they watched the two ponies. Rainbow Dash, who was trying to convince the distraught Sweetie Belle, who was about to throw herself over a bridge, to come down. Everyone held their breath, including the Princesses who were staring with tears in their eyes, trailing down their faces. In all of their longevity they've never seen something like this. Sweetie Belle's parents and sister were shaking in fear. The Elements were shedding light tears, wanting nothing more than to rush forward and grab her. Pinkie, whose mane and tail was entirely deflated. And finally, her friend, or crush, Applebloom. Who just admitted to sharing her romantic feelings. She listened to both of their stories. She had no idea Rainbow Dash, The Rainbow Dash, felt that way.
Finally, Sweetie Belle closed her eyes and sighed. The rock over the lake slowly levitated back over the bridge, then dropped onto it with a crunch. She hopped down before she was swooped into a hug by Rainbow Dash, that she greatly reciprocated before sobbing into her coat. "It's okay, Sweetie Belle," Rainbow soothed, rubbing her back. "We're here for you. We gotcha."
Everyone breathed a sigh in relief before her family ran forward to get that rope from around her neck. Her head was blue, mind losing consciousness. One of the guards took a knife from his armor and cut it, allowing her to take in deep breaths and for the color to return to her face. The gem clattered to the boards of the bridge and Cookie stepped on it, shattering it.
"You're okay," Rarity cried, pulling her sister into a tight hug. Her mom and dad quickly joined in, creating a family moment. Then everyone started stomping their hooves, cheering. Rainbow glanced around, but didn't join in the festivities. Before somepony poked her in the ribs. She looked over and down at Apple Bloom, who promptly pulled her into a hug.
"Now I know why Scootaloo loved you most of all," she said into her coat. Rainbow sighed, giving her a slight smile and pulled her into a hug as well.
"Hmmm...." The two stayed like that before Apple Bloom went over and pecked Sweetie Belle on the cheek before pulling her into a bone crushing hug with her family.
"Don't ever scare me like that again," she whispered with tears leaking down her face.
"I won't....I....I promise," she responded hoarsely and tiredly. After a few more seconds, she passed out in her hooves.
They took Sweetie Belle to a nearby hospital. Unfortunately, it wasn't the one Magenta was in, which was East Manehattan Hospital. Instead it was in West Manehattan Hospital. Way on the other side of the city. Sweetie Belle was exhausted after all that running. Her family refused to leave her side, as did Apple Bloom, who was sitting in the bed right next to her, holding her hoof and letting her lay her head on her shoulder.
Rainbow Dash and everyone else was out in the hall. Discussing what had happened and what to do it about it once they were back in Ponyville. Rainbow herself was looking down at the granite flooring, thinking about what just transpired. When she saw Sweetie Belle about to take that jump, she saw herself. And everyone else.....was Scootaloo. Telling her not to do it. The squirt had made a big impact on her life. A very important one.
"Rainbow," Twilight called quietly, catching her attention. She blinked and glanced up at her, seeing everypony's eyes staring at her. "I never knew you felt that way...about what happened."
Rainbow Dash sighed and turned her head away before Fluttershy came over and sat down beside her. She grabbed her hoof and stroked it, giving her a sad expression. "Why didn't you ever tell us?"
"Kind of hard when you can't come down from your house," Rainbow replied tiredly.
"What do you mean, Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked.
"Remember what I said on the bridge? About the wings?" They nodded before she did the same and turned away. Twilight didn't get it at first before she looked down at her wings and gasped a little. Almost all the feathers on them were plucked off. On both of them. They were just bare. "Something was telling me not to cut them off....so I just plucked them."
They sighed before she continued. "You can't fly to the ground when you don't have any wings to fly with."
"But...you could've sent a letter."
"Egghead, I don't send letters. Let alone fly in and interrupt your day. You're a Princess, you have more important things to worry about." Okay, now Twilight definitely knew something was wrong with her. Besides the obvious feather plucking. Rainbow never cared about what others thought when she came in.
"Rainbow, we are friends," Twilight clarified. "Nothing is more important than saving a life, let alone yours. We're definitely going to talk more about this in private when we get back to Ponyville."
"Twilight, I—"
"No, Rainbow. You and I are having a talk. As a friend to another friend, we are going to talk about this."
"And you are living in my cottage until your wings get better," Fluttershy inputted, pointing a hoof in her face.
"Okay okay, geez. First the egghead, now you?" Fluttershy chuckled and wrapped a wing around her, pulling her close.
"Because I love you, Rainbow Dash."
"Because we love you," Applejack added, catching her attention.
Celestia nodded before she put in her own input. "You just saved a life today. A foal's life, who was in danger to herself with only a few words. Everypony here loves and owes you, especially Rarity and her parents. They are very grateful." Rainbow sighed and scratched the ground.
"Yeah, I know. And Applebloom is too."
"So I heard," Applejack chuckled. "Never thought her special somepony for her would be...her friend."
"Neither did I," Twilight added before glancing over to the right. "Pinkie, you've been really quiet. You okay?"
The party pony looked up from the ground at Twilight. "Oh, I'm fine. Just happy that Sweetie Belle didn't jump off the bridge. And.....I think we have a new mission."
"Like what?"
"Like cheering up the family, Rainbow Dash, and throwing a 'Congratulations For Finding Your Special Somepony' party for Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom!" She pulled out her party cannon, preparing to blast it before she remembered where she was. She put it back in her mane and just went with a wide smile instead.
Apple Bloom was looking at the blood red cloth around her friend's neck in sadness, pinpointing the fact that that rope had went deeper than anypony thought it had. She's lucky she could still talk. And Apple Bloom could hear her voice. She wouldn't even care if it was hoarse from here on out, as long as she was alive. If Sweetie Belle had went out, she sure would have followed her. And then that memorial in Ponyville would not have been for only Scootaloo. It would've been for all three of them.
A sudden movement caught her eye, which focused down on Sweetie Belle's face. Rarity must've noticed it too, because she instantly got up and trotted over with a glass of water. She was such a good sister. Sweetie's eyes opened, but she remained still before she locked eyes with Applebloom. Then smiled and raised a hoof, waving at her. Apple Bloom waved back. "Hey, there," she whispered down to her, grinning.
"Hi," Sweetie whispered back. Yeah, her throat was really hoarse.
"How ya' feelin?"
"It burns," she replied. She was about to reach up and play with the cloth that was covering the ringed laceration until Apple Bloom softly placed a hoof on hers, lowering it back down.
"Don't mess with it," she warned her. "We don't want it to get worse."
"Are you thirsty?" Rarity asked her, placing a straw in the cold cup of water. Sweetie nodded and Rarity levitated it over to her mouth, allowing the eleven year old to take a sip. After a few more seconds, she let it fall from her mouth and smacked her lips.
"Thanks, sis," she whispered. Rarity smiled before she leaned down and softly nuzzled her.
"I'm just happy you're....you're alive," she whimpered, pulling her into a hug. Sweetie Belle returned the gesture gladly and nuzzled her back.
"I'm happy you're happy," she responded, returning the nuzzle.
"You're my little filly," Rarity whimpered. She had some more tears stream down her face when she pulled Sweetie into a lighter but love filled hug nonetheless. After a few more seconds she let her go and gave her a stern look. "But when you're better you're both in so much trouble."
"Rarityyyyy," Sweetie Belle whined hoarsely.
"No buts. You had me scared. REALLY scared. You are definitely grounded." Sweetie rolled her eyes but nodded nonetheless. Rarity smiled while she leaned down and gave her a kiss behind her horn. "I love you, Sweetie Belle."
"I love you too, Rarity," she responded.
"And it seems there is a little filly who wants to tell you the same." She glanced over at the calm Applebloom, who had her back turned and was looking up at the ceiling, trying to avoid their gazes. Sweetie Belle blushed when Rarity walked away.
"Apple Bloom?"
The yellow filly turned around and gave her a smile. "Oh hey, Sweetie Belle! Didn't see ya' there!...er...."
The unicorn rolled her eyes before she got up and pulled her into a hug. Apple Bloom blushed before she held onto her. "Do you really....have feelings for me?"
"I....yes. Yes, ah do." She pulled back and held onto her hooves. "I can't imagine a day without ya', Sweetie Belle. If you were goin' tah' put yourself in that water, I was sure enough goin' to join ya'. Ah' already lost one friend, I wasn't going to lose you too. Ah' love you, Sweetie Belle." The family nearby was watching with tears coming down their faces, completely touched from her confession.
"How long have you felt this way?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Since we were nine. I just never had the guts to tell you."
"Oh Apple Bloom," she whispered, stroking her cheek. "Next time you want to tell me something, just do it. Because I feel the same way." They both leaned on each other's forehead, smiling. "I love you too, Apple Bloom."
"Then would ya' make me the happiest filly here.....and be my girlfriend?"
".....yes."
"So you can't remember your parents?" Bright Snow asked.
"No," Magenta responded.
Ever since that same morning, Bright Snow and Magenta had been learning about each other in Magenta's room. Well as best as they both could considering Magenta knew next to nothing about herself. She learned Bright was eight, had two broken wings, and was in the same situation as her. An orphan. Her parents protected her as much as they could from a falling balcony. They were in the same position as before. Bright Snow on the steps looking down at her, and Magenta in bed looking up at her.
"Do you have any idea where you're going when you leave?" Magenta asked. Bright shook her head. "Yeah me neither. Just that I might be going to an orphanage."
"Yeah me too."
"Bright Snow?!" They both looked towards the door at Nurse Goldhoof, who walked in with a stern look on her face. "You know better than to go into another patient's room, young lady."
"I'm sorry," she apologized while trying to avoid her gaze. "I just wanted to meet her."
"Ms. Goldhoof?" Magenta called, grabbing her attention. "Please don't be mad at her. She's really nice and she's been...uhhh..."
"Keeping you company? Like what I do?" Kind guessed, dropping the tone.
"Yes. Like what you do."
The nurse looked over at Bright Snow and sighed. "Fine. But the next time you want to see each other, let your nurses know. And you have to do it outside the room. Okay?"
"Okay!" They both said. They gasped and looked at each other, causing the nurse chuckle.
"Well it's almost lunch so it's time to head back to your room, Bright."
"Awwww!" The filly whined while walking down the steps. "I'll see you later, Magenta."
"Okay! See you later!" She responded with a wave. She really liked that kid for some reason. They were talking for nearly two hours and nobody noticed. Either that girl...or filly...was really smart, or somepony just didn't notice.
After lunch Magenta had to get out of bed and get some exercise in. She was becoming stiff. She pushed the table filled with empty plates to the side, giving her room to roll onto her stomach. She lifted herself up by her hooves and got her bearings by taking deep breaths. Simple movements were so painful. Hopefully, it'll get better.
She walked towards and down the steps, being extra careful as to not hurt herself even worse. Once she was on the floor, she walked along the hard floor towards the wooden door slowly. She hadn't exactly looked outside the room ever since coming there a week and some ago.
She grabbed the handle that was at the bottom and twisted it. Once it was successfully opened, she walked forward and sat in the doorway in awe. There were a lot of rooms on this floor. Right now she was in a very long hallway that probably had between ten to twelve on one side, but there were indubitably more. In front of her was an area where nurses were putting some papers in more yellow paper that folded over the original. What were those called? She spotted Doctor Sore Health talking to another pony, a colt, on the other side that had a cast on his leg. She squinted her eyes and looked closer. Was that....a pencil on the colt's butt? Strange.
She looked away from him to the Doctor who had....a clipboard on HIS butt?! She looked to some of the nurses to see they all had marks on theirs too! Was there a tradition she didn't know about? She shrugged and decided to go for a walk to get some exercise.
A few minutes in, she noticed the walls had all types of things on them. Drawings, colors, photographs, paper made flowers. All types of things. There were even whiteboards where others had drawn on them. Then glanced into some of the rooms and saw some more—what Nurse Goldhoof called—patients reading, watching tv, talking to their nurses, or eating. And they all had marks on their butts!
"Uggghhhh!" She yelled, attracting attention.
A nurse quickly scampered over. "Are you okay? Where are you hurting?" She asked in worry.
"Why does everypony have a painting on their butt?!" The nurse sighed in relief. She was fine. "Even you have one! What is this?!"
"They're cutie marks," she responded.
"Huh?" Magenta asked, cocking her head. The nurse did the same. She didn't know what a cutie mark was?
"What is your name?"
"Well, they call me Magenta Streak in here, but I can't remember my real name."
"Ah, yes. I was informed about your condition."
"Informed?"
"Somepony told me about you and your Amnesia. A cutie mark is what you get when you come of age and you learn about your special talent. You have one too." she pointed to Magenta's bandage covered flank, which was revealing a little bit of hers. Magenta turned her head and looked behind her, shrieking at what she found.
"I have a drawing on my butt?! Get it of, get it off!" She tried shaking her flank and using her hooves to try and wipe it. "Why isn't it going anywhere?!"
The nurse chuckled and caught her hoof to stop her. "That's because it's permanent."
"Perma-what?"
"Permanent. It stays up there forever." It's like Magenta's mind shut down. Her eyes widened and she just stared off into space. "Uhh....are you okay, Magenta?"
"Are you saying.....I'm stuck with this thing....for the rest of my life?!" She asked in disbelief. Everyone in the hall just stopped and stared at her.
"Magenta, it's not a thing," a familiar voice said from behind her. She turned her head slowly as to not cause her pain and spotted Bright Snow trotting up towards her. She had a happy grin on her face. It's good that she could smile in a time like this. It was so infectious, that she smiled back at her. "It's what makes a pony a pony! It's what makes YOU different!" She poked Magenta in the chest, making her flinch a little. She was cut deeply there.
"But mines is purple!" Magenta whined, dragging the "purple".
"And mines is a snowflake with a sun in it! I got my cutie mark when I was using my wings to manipulate the way snow goes! I can move it here, there, up, down, anywhere! Do you know what your cutie mark is for?"
Magenta looked at her with her mouth open before she closed her eyes and shook her head. "Mm mm."
"Maybe one day you'll remember! Everypony here got their cutie marks because of something they did that makes them different!" She looked around for a moment before she leaned in and whispered, "But you gotta watch out for the nasty ones. Like bones and.....rats and stuff."
Magenta got a disgusted expression before Bright pulled back and gave her a grin. Magenta groaned and nodded. "Oh....fine."
All the other ponies chuckled at her face before she turned around and went back to walking, and they went back to their own thing. "But why does it have to be on my butt?"
"You mean your flank," Bright corrected as they walked along slowly. "Did you tell your nurse you left?" Magenta paused and shook her head again.
"Mm mm."
"I'm pretty sure somepony can find you. Where ya' headed? To the game room? Movie room? Library? Huh, huh, huh?"
"I'm just looking around," she responded, slowing down a little. "I haven't been out of my room ever since I got here....over a week ago."
"Wow, that's nuts! I bet you got bored, huh?"
"Uhh.....phew, yeah. Hold on, gotta....." She leaned against the wall to relax her hooves.
"What's wrong?" Bright asked, losing her smile. She approached her in alarm. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, it's just....Ms. Goldhoof said some of my major muscles were cut by something. So I have to work my body extra hard just to lift a hoof because I don't have much muscle in those areas. Which is my front hooves and a lot of my butt, er.....flank." Bright Snow got a confused look before she walked around and looked towards her rear, embarrassing Magenta.
"Oh yeah, most of your flank is covered in this tape stuff!" She poked it, making Magenta grimace in pain.
"Don't touch it! It hurts!"
"Oh, sorry," she apologized sweetly. Then walked back into view. "Maybe you need like a wheel thingy."
"A what?" Bright looked around and pointed at the weird odd shaped thing that had wheels a few feet away.
"That! I've seen ponies walk around and have them attached to their back hooves! I think it helps them get around more!"
"That's right." Magenta flinched at the new voice behind them, instantly recognizing it. "I've been looking for you, Magenta. What did I say about telling your nurses wherever you go somewhere?"
"You said tell the nurses," she mumbled.
"That's right," Nurse Goldhoof responded. Then made her way in front of her. "It's so I know where my little colts and fillies are. But it's okay. Are you having trouble walking?"
"She's tired!" Bright Snow answered happily. "Her hooves are hurting her!"
"Oh well we can fix that up in a jiffy!" Goldhoof walked to the corner where the little wheel things were and grabbed one, pushing it towards Magenta. "I'm going to attach these to your rear hooves and it'll take the stress from walking off of you so you don't get tired so often. It's called a wheelchair. Hold still." She positioned it by Magenta's rear hooves and attached the harnesses to her legs, lifting them up slightly. Once they were secure, she let go. "Try walking." Magenta used her front hooves to move without using her rears, finding it much easier and faster.
"It works! Yes!" She jumped up slightly, causing a jolt of pain to shoot up her front and making her grimace.
"Careful, Magenta. You're still wounded." Magenta walked forward, a little faster than last time and making her way down the hall at a speed impressive to her nurse.
"Hey, wait up!" Bright Snow trotted up after her, making Goldhoof chuckle. They looked so adorable.
"You sure have a way with children." She looked over her shoulder at a stallion softly walking up to her, wearing a white shirt.
"Yeah, they're my little angels. Gotta take care of them when they fall out of the sky so they can fly again. Sadly....Magenta will never be able to fly again."
"Why's that?" He asked while he watched the children.
"She had her...wait, who are you again?"
"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself! I'm Maximum Gold." He shook her hoof and grinned at her. "I'm a new nurse here in this unit." Maximum Gold was exactly what he described himself as. A golden Pegasus. Gold coat, gold eyes, and a golden mane and tail. He had a cutie mark that had a notebook with a wrench on it.
"Hi, I'm Kind Goldhoof," she replied shaking his hoof.
"I can see that. A kind mare indeed." She chuckled and turned around to go back to work with him right behind her. "Who do you watch over?"
"Magenta, the orange filly you saw."
"Ah yes, Bright Snow's friend. You know, she wouldn't stop talking to me about her." Kind stopped and looked at him. "I watch over Bright Snow now as of two days ago. Her last nurse had gotten pushed down to a different unit. I can't recall why."
"Oh! Well you'll probably be seeing Magenta with her a lot more. They've become really close so far and they haven't left each other yet except for lunch. Too bad about both of their predicaments."
"Which is....if you don't mind me asking?"
"Well Magenta was found floating on her back out of a water channel in Manehattan Park with twenty eight cuts, gashes, and deep lacerations. Along with her wings being ripped out. She's officially a flightless Pegasus and most of her muscles are lacerated." The nurse was just staring at her in shock. "Yeah, I had that same look when I heard of her condition. They were able to bring her back to life on the way here and did a little surgery on her body when she arrived. But the damage had been done. She also suffers from a bad case of dissociative amnesia that has erased almost everything from her past life. Including basic sentences, words, and anything else you learn when you grow up. She only knows how to talk with basic words, walk, eat, move, think, and apparently sing." Goldhoof chuckled and shook her head as they watched the two come back around. "And Bright Snow had a balcony accident that claimed the lives of both of her parents. So far, she's been taking it in stride. I don't think she's let it all out yet. Mourn."
"So she'll more than likely have a little breakdown in the future."
"Right. Just thought I'd let you know. Maybe Magenta could help when that happens. If it happens in here." She looked back down at the approaching fillies, still talking about things.
"—so I drew a monster instead just to scare him!" Bright Snow cheered. Magenta was just staring at her in wonder and confusion. What were they talking about again? "Then I left it on his desk because he made me so mad."
"This was in kindergarten?" Magenta asked. "That's the first...grade...right?"
"Uh huh!" Bright Snow nodded enthusiastically. "It's the first school grade you go to! But before that, you go to preschool and learn shapes, numbers, and other things!"
"But I don't know any of that stuff! Do I have to go to preschool?! What is a number?! And a shape?!" Kind Goldhoof looked towards Maximum giving him an "I told you so" look.
"I'll show you later," Bright replied before yawning and rubbing her eye. "I'm a little sleepy."
"That means it's time for a nap, kiddo," Maximum Gold said, catching her attention. She looked up at him and raised her hoofs. He chuckled and picked her, holding her against his shoulder as he walked away.
"I'll talk to you later, Magenta," she yawned before they walked into the room next to hers.
"Okay," she called before looking up to her nurse. Goldhoof stared back and they had a contest of some sort. Before Magenta raised a hoof and poked her nose. "I want a ride like that." Goldhoof sighed and walked around her to unbuckle her legs. Once they were on the floor, Magenta groaned from the stress it was already causing her. She was suddenly lifted up and cradled in Goldhoof's shoulder as they walked into her own room.
"You weigh a few pounds," she commented with a chuckle.
"What are pounds?" Magenta asked.
"It's a measurement of weight. Like you weigh ninety nine pounds." Goldhoof gently laid Magenta down on the bed and put the covers over her. "And measurement is what ponies use to tell the difference between something. You'll learn more about that in school in the future."
"School? They have school in the hospital?"
Goldhoof chuckled before she leaned down and nuzzled her. "No, dear. But you will more than likely be going to a school here in Manehattan in the upcoming months. We are still searching and hoping for your family, but I don't think we'll be able to find them, darling." Magenta sighed and nodded.
"So.....I'll be going to an orphanage?"
"More than likely." Magenta looked away, making the nurse sigh. "But so will Bright Snow. You know she lost both her parents. So she'll surely be going. Who knows, maybe you two will be going to the same one. There are only three here in Manehattan." Magenta's ears twitched and she looked at her nurse with a smile. A hopeful expression.
"Really?"
"Yes. There's one out of three chances that you two will be going to the same orphanage. You'll be fine." She leaned down and nuzzled her again before a pair of hooves wrapped around Goldhoof's muzzle. Magenta chuckled.
"Thank you," she said sweetly, nuzzling her back. At that moment, it's like Goldenhoof's heart just popped in joy.
"You are so welcome, Magenta." She pulled back and unfortunately the filly lifted up with her. "Uhhh....."
"Just a little longer....." The nurse couldn't argue with that. She sat down and pulled her into her own embrace, holding her tight until she eventually fell asleep. Once she was snoring, the nurse set her back down and placed the covers over her.
"Get some rest, dear. I......I love you." She nuzzled her a third time before taking her leave, closing the door behind her so she can rest. Peacefully.