Both Cloud Chaser and Rainbow Dash sat, watching Flitter veritably twitch with anger. She was twitching, Flitter always twitched, she had many tells as a poker player would put it. They weren't sure how Flitter was going to react to the news that Cloud Chaser was going to be in the hospital for a year, not the few months Flitter was originally told. Flitter had an issue with hospitals since she lost her mother in one unexpectedly. And they weren't sure how she'd take it, but eventually, Flitter stopped twitching, though sadly what came next wasn't much better. "No."
Both the other mares stared at her as Flitter simply seemed to... Disagree? "Uh... Flitter?" Rainbow Dash hesitantly reached out and pressed a hoof against her marefriend's side. "This... Isn't really something you can say no to."
Cloud Chaser was grimacing, Flitter had done this before. If something went too far against her liking she simply refused to accept it. This had happened for about a week after their mother's death, then whenever Flitter herself had to go in for a checkup she refused to plan for it or recognize it, though she didn't have much choice as a filly their father would simply pick her up and take her. She'd gotten over it as she got older but apparently, she was back to it. "Flitter, you know I need to stay here..."
"I know that!" Flitter snapped. "I'm not a filly Cloudy!" She huffed, causing Cloud Chaser to raise an eyebrow, apparently, it wasn't that. "Rainbow Dash go get Twilight. She'll be able to fix this."
Rainbow Dash just gaped at her for a moment before shaking her head, leaning in and nuzzling Flitter gently, who in turn pushed her away, as if knowing the nuzzle was a precursor to bad news. "Alicorns aren't all powerful Flitter, she regularly checks hospitals for things she can help with, Chaser isn't one of them."
Cloud Chaser grinned a bit and nodded. "Yeah, she visited me recently, she tried her best Flitter."
"Well..." Flitter's eyes were turning from hardened to a bit frantic. "I-I'll go get Princess Celestia... She can do something! Or Luna! Twilight knows all the princesses! And so does..." She had to think for a moment, what was Rarity's marefriend's name...? "And so does Minuette! One of them can help! And maybe then all fou..."
She let out a muffled meep as Rainbow Dash grabbed her and pulled her in, wrapping her wings around Flitter but also putting a hoof up to her mouth, saying gently. "Shh, shh Flitter. We're in a hospital." She smiled as she gave her marefriend a kiss on the cheek, cuddling usually helped Flitter calm her emotions, but this time it didn't seem to be doing too much.
Cloud Chaser couldn't suppress her smile at seeing how affectionate Rainbow Dash was with Flitter, not something that Cloud Chaser had ever expected to see from Rainbow Dash, with anypony, let alone Flitter. "Unicorn specialists and Princess Twilight and Princess Cadence have all tried Flitter, we just need to let my body recover on its own as the doctors said."
Flitter growled, pushing against Rainbow Dash, much to her surprise. "Gah! Flitter when did you get so strong!?" It was taking a considerable amount of effort for Rainbow Dash to hold onto the other mare.
"I play with foals all day, I don't sit around doing nothing!" Flitter's emotions were also giving her a bit of a boost to her strength but after about thirty seconds she had to give up, breathing a little heavier than before she frowned at Rainbow Dash who took the wise precaution of letting go of Flitter. Flitter gave a small harumph and pushed off of the other mare, purposefully walking out of reach before sitting down again. "So they just want more bits? We can get ahold of father, he'd be happy to pay for any treatment you need."
Cloud Chaser groaned lowly, she was in contact with their father, he had visited her three days ago. She had always had a great relationship with both their parents where Flitter had been attached to their mother at the flank and did not get along overly well with their father, even though father had always made sure they both had everything they could ever want. Cloud Chaser was pretty sure that on some subconscious level Flitter blamed their father for their mother's death because objectively they should get along at least decently well, Flitter was usually very likable, and their father was a pure bundle of kindness and generosity, despite his wealth. "I have been talking to dad Flitter, there's nothing that we can do except let this be."
Flitter started shaking her head again. "N-No... I'm not going to trust those doctors again! You... You can come home! I'll move back home and I'll take care of you! Father will be able to buy the best medical stuff for the house! I'll make sure you're ok!" Flitter didn't notice as Rainbow Dash inched over, but this time she didn't try to trap Flitter she just scooted up, wrapping a warm wing around her marefriend. "A-And Rainbow Dash will help!" Flitter looked up at Rainbow Dash with pleading eyes. "R-Right...?"
Rainbow Dash sighed and nodded. "I would... If that was an option, Flitter..."
Cloud Chaser was exasperated at this point, but she could never be mad at her little sister. "Flitter, that's not possible, you know it."
"B-But the doctors."
"Will do their best Flitter." Cloud Chaser shook her head. "But wouldn't it be better for me to stay where all the medical professionals are?"
"N-No! They killed mom!" Cloud Chaser leveled a glare at her sister, that was one of the few things she would get angry at her sister over, sometimes when Flitter was more agitated she would actually ascribe murder to their mother's death and that was something Cloud Chaser would not have anything of. Flitter withered a little. "Th-They let her die..."
Rainbow Dash wasn't sure if she should try to help Cloud Chaser but she was used to dealing with this part of Flitter more. She had gotten used to Flitter's... Less than perfect grasp on her own emotions but Flitter refused to go into the details about her mother's death. Cloud Chaser, however, was not so hesitant in dealing with her sister, saying kindly but firmly. "They did their best Flitter, we've been over this. They want to save everyone."
Flitter whined lowly. "But... But... But they're just doing it for the money..."
Rainbow Dash stiffened a little at that, earlier she just took Flitter as throwing around accusations because she was upset, but this sounded far too much like actual suspicion on her part. Rainbow Dash wasn't going to get angry at her now though, but she would make a note to talk to Flitter about it later, Rainbow Dash liked doctors. However, she had gotten used to using Flitter logic when she was in one of her moods, which were, mercifully, becoming fewer and farther between. Rainbow Dash still leaned down to nuzzle Flitter's neck gently. "Even if they do," Rainbow Dash wouldn't agree with that statement even for the sake of appealing to Flitter logic, "they make more money from living patients than dead ones."
Cloud Chaser raised an eyebrow but nodded, she was impressed, then again living with Flitter for a month now, you either adapted or died... Or moved out. Flitter gave a begrudging nod. "I... I suppose..." She looked up at Rainbow Dash, whining a little. "But... But isn't there anything Twilight...?"
Rainbow Dash sighed and shook her head. "She's tried everything she could by now, she's very diligent like that Flitter..." Rainbow Dash was keeping in mind very much that Flitter, already not great at dealing with her emotions was going through a hard time. Rainbow Dash had managed to not snap at her marefriend yet but this going over the same topics and indirectly doubting Rainbow Dash's friends and the entire medical profession was wearing on her. "Ok Flitter? We just need to trust the doc... Trust that everything will be ok."
"But if it's not..." Flitter looked back at her sister, lying in bed, still unable to get up on her own after a month.
Cloud Chaser gave her best, most supportive smile to her little sister. "It will be, come on Flitter, how many times have I gotten injured when we were growing up, you lectured me about being careful at least once a week."
Flitter smiled weakly. "More like once a day."
"And I always popped back up, this is just going to be a longer pop." Cloud Chaser smiled wider, getting Flitter to smile now was an accomplishment.
Flitter looked up at Rainbow Dash. "C-Could you ask Twilight to come look again...? For me...?"
Rainbow Dash took in a deep breath but then she just sighed and nodded. "I'll ask Twilight to come to see Cloud Chaser again, ok?" Flitter nodded, still obviously very unhappy but placated somewhat. Cloud Chaser smiled at the both of them.
"You two are quite the cute couple you know, maybe I should start looking for a special somepony." Flitter giggled and blushed gently, causing Rainbow Dash to grin broadly and pulled Flitter a little closer to her.
"We do make an adorable couple!" Rainbow Dash enjoyed seeing Flitter blush, it was unusual as Flitter wasn't overly bothered by most things, but her sister always managed. Rainbow Dash guessed it was something about their familial connection that caused Flitter to be shyer around her sister.
Flitter flushed a little brighter, Rainbow Dash was encouraging this and Flitter stuck her tongue out at her sister. "Don't think you can distract me."
Cloud Chaser grinned. "I didn't distract you then, but I sure made you blush."
Pointing it out only made Flitter blush brighter and Rainbow Dash grinned an evil grin, turning slightly to bring her other wing out and wrap it around Flitter, pulling her in close. "Hey, don't embarrass my marefriend!"
Both Cloud Chaser and Rainbow Dash started snickering loudly and they could hear Flitter's, slightly muffled voice. "You're both terrible." Rainbow Dash grinned and let Flitter out of her wing cage, who came up, scowling at the other two, though her eyes were far softer than when they had been having their argument. "Hey, we should..." She looked at Cloud Chaser and bit her bottom lip. "We... We need to get over to Coco and Applejack's party..." It was obvious that Flitter didn't want to leave her sister, but the party was important.
Cloud Chaser grinned and waved a hoof. "Go, go, I'll be fine." She grinned at her little sister. "See? I can already move this hoof." Flitter scowled at her, from the original estimate she should have been able to stand by this point. Not walk, but stand upon her own power for a minute or two. "Please Flitter, go do your stuff, I'll be fine here."
Flitter nodded, begrudgingly and leaned in, kissing her sister on the cheek. "I love you Cloudy."
"I love you too Flitter."
Rainbow Dash looked up, she always felt a little awkward when the two sisters were affectionate, she'd never had a sibling but Cloud Chaser and Flitter were closer than even than Twilight and her big brother. Though not in the way some rumors said they were! She had almost beaten someone up for cracking -that- joke about her marefriend. She smiled and reached out, gently bumping her hoof against Cloud Chaser's hoof. "Get better Chaser."
"Take good care of my sister Dash." Cloud Chaser grinned and waved as Flitter and Rainbow Dash walked out. Cloud Chaser waited for a few minutes before snickering gently and looking to the side of her room, where her closet was, rolling her eyes slightly. "You can come out now. You know it's rude to eavesdrop... Princess."