Unexpecting Rainbow

by Sky Slicer


Chapter 1: Fallen Angel

The pegasi have held many sunny days in honor of the Summer Sun celebration. After the week of clear dry weather, it is now time for replenishment of the earth. The weather team conjures up a massive storm before sunset, that continues with ferocity into the night. Luna has raised her moon, but it remains unlit by Celestia’s sun. This makes the night an all-encompassing darkness, besides the occasional flickers of lightning. With a flash of light, thunder crackles in its wake. The rain pattering down on the roof of the Golden Oaks library.

Twilight is busy reading one of her books in bed. Her covers are strewn about from the fidgeting of her legs that comes from a long night of reading. She lies on her back as the book levitates above her surrounded by a magical purple aura. She turns to the next page when she hears knocking at her door.

“Twilight! Please... Help me!” cries the familiar voice of Fluttershy.

“Fluttershy, what’s wrong?” Twilight closes her book, setting it aside, and hopping out of bed in one quick motion. She rushes over to the door and opens it. In front of her is a very wet and dirty Fluttershy. Her mane has flopped down over one eye, and her hooves all covered in mud. A bundle of drenched blankets lies in front of her.

“Are you alright?!” Twilight asks with concern in her voice. She eyes Fluttershy up and down for possible injury before her eyes come down to the blankets.

“No... I mean, um, yes I’m fine but Angel...” Fluttershy’s eyes fill with tears, “...please help him...”

Twilight unwraps the blankets. With each peel, she sees there is more and more blood. She is getting very nervous but tries to stay collected for Fluttershy’s sake. At the bottom, she finds Fluttershy’s wounded companion, completely still. He is covered in gashes and what appear to be wood splinters.

“Oh dear Celestia! What happened?!” Twilight exclaims as she carries the bundle to a table with her magic and sets Angel down softly. She looks at the pitiful state of the creature in disbelief.

Fluttershy frantically tells Twilight the story, “It’s all my fault!...if only I had gotten his carrot cake, if only I had been watching him! He doesn’t know the dangers of the Everfree Forest. I heard him cry out, and I flew as quickly as I could... I was too late. He was just lying there. I don’t know what happened! Twilight, is he going to be okay? Please let him be okay!”

Twilight looks at Fluttershy then at Angel horrified. She swallows hard, and proceeds to get a book on anatomy, on medicine, on pet care; anything that might help. She flips through her books and takes out a stethoscope, and listens to Angel’s chest. She then cleans the wounds and pulls some bandages out. She wraps them over Angel’s gashes and applies pressure with her front hoof to stop the bleeding. Fluttershy has tears streaming down her face, but continues to watch, unblinking, at her friend.

“I...I think I hear a heartbeat, but it’s faint. His injuries are severe. He has lost too much blood. I could try to stitch him up, but I don’t think that would help without a transfusion. We got to get him real medical attention, right now,” Twilight explains.

“If- if you think we can get him to the hospital...” Fluttershy says hopefully.

“The hospital is far...too far,” Twilight ponders as she looks over Angel bunny. He has maybe five to ten minutes with this much blood loss; the hospital is thirty minutes away from the library, minimum. Even if her numbers were a little off, there is too much discrepancy. She comes to the realization, “I don’t...think he’ll make it to the hospital. Fluttershy, you might want to say your goodbyes to Angel...”

“No, please, please don’t say that. Twilight...this can’t be happening,” Fluttershy says as her eyes stream with tears. She lets out a loud gasping sob. Her body shivers. She runs a leg under her pet’s head, “I love you...Angel...”

Twilight looks over her friend. They have been through so much; they have stood by each other’s side through small problems and through cataclysm. Fluttershy is not the strongest pony by all appearances. She looks over Fluttershy’s, quivering, muddy body. However, her heart was strong. She would do anything for her friends. She would do anything to save a life, no matter how small. Twilight cannot bear to see her like this. There must be something to be done...Twilight then comes up with a plan.

“Fluttershy...we can try something. I’ve been working on ways to channel some power of the elements’ harmony into new magic. I haven’t been able to practice it by myself, but I have you here now. It might be possible to make a spell with my element and yours. Your kindness, the kindness that respects all living things across Equestria, to protect the ones you love, to burn away hatred and evil in any heart. With your kindness, we might infuse Angel with enough life for us to carry him to the hospital. It’s not much, but it’s hope,” Twilight says with a faint smile.

Fluttershy looks up, still shivering. She nods silently and weakly gets up on her four hooves. Twilight walks over and hugs her. Pressing her head against Fluttershy’s, with her head tilted slightly so her horn goes over the top of Fluttershy’s head.

“Now I want you to think about all your animal friends. Think of the times you’ve had together, what you do for them, the miracles they bring, how the spirit of kindness can bring harmony to the world and banish the darkness,” Twilight says compassionately.

Fluttershy closes her eyes and tries to imagine these things. Her mind keeps drawing blanks. Visions of Angel lying there, still and mangled, keep flashing in front of her.

“...I can’t, I can’t...I’m so scared,” Fluttershy cries.

“You have to; if you don’t Angel will die! He needs you to do this. He needs you to stare at death and make it back away in fear for trying to take a loved one from you,” Twilight says with more confidence herself.

Fluttershy nods with resolute. She halts her crying, standing up strongly. She closes her eyes and envisions the power the element of kindness holds. Twilight looks for a moment at Fluttershy reflecting the strength she is capable of when others depend on her. Twilight holds onto Fluttershy and concentrates. Her horn surrounds with a purple glow.

“For Angel,” they both say in synchronization.

The glow of Twilight’s horn expands out and sparks. Her horn hums with power. The mystic winds swirl around the two scattering papers and flip books. Twilight opens her eyes, glowing white with power. Facing Angel’s helpless body she releases the power from the tip of her horn in a helix of purple sparkles and pink butterflies.

Rainbow Dash bashes through Twilight’s door frantically looking around.

“Is Fluttershy here?! I’ve looked for her everywhere. I heard her calling for help but I couldn’t find her. I heard some noise in here, is she here?” Rainbow says with determination. Spotting a pile of curiously placed blankets she flies toward it.

Just then, Rainbow Dash is blasted back into the bookcase from the swirling magic before flopping onto the floor with a thud. The shelves unload their contents on top of her. She pops up from a pile of books, dazed.

“What ... The hay was that?” Rainbow says confused.

Fluttershy opens her eyes and looks shocked, then defeated...and falls to the ground.

“Do you know what you’ve done...?” Fluttershy says with mild anger and frustration in her voice.

“Uh, heh heh, I’m guessing I didn’t help with whatever you were doing,” Rainbow says sheepishly, “but I’m glad to see you’re not in danger or anything.”

“No wait Fluttershy, this is good!” Twilight says then turning to Dash, “Rainbow Dash, Angel bunny needs to be at the hospital NOW! He’s going to die!”

Rainbow looks shocked for a second, then quickly flies over and snatches up Angel in the pile of blankets.

“I’m on it!” she salutes Twilight and is out the door just as fast as she came.

“I’m going to follow her...as best as I can...” Fluttershy says as she flaps her wings and takes off out the door.

Twilight walks to the door and looks out into the darkness after her friends.

“Celestia, watch over them...”

Twilight hears a loud crack then the sound of an explosion in the sky that she knows is not thunder. Strangely, it may seem, this is a soothing sound to her. She goes back in her home and lies in bed. She looks at her book she was interrupted from reading.

“I don’t think I’ll be finishing that tonight.”

She lies awake, staring at the ceiling for the rest of the night.