During the next few weeks Rainbow Dash developed a pattern. Wake up, take pain pills, Scootaloo would always come by, occasionally with another one of Dash's friends, or with the other members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She would spent the whole day there, regaling Dash with the last gossip of Ponyville, or quietly working on homework. Twilight had spoken with Cheerilee, and convinced her to give Scootaloo the next two weeks off of school, provided she still did homework. After all that had happened recently, convincing her wasn't hard. Rainbow Dash would often try to help Scootaloo with her homework, but wasn't great at it.
While Rainbow Dash was stuck in the hospital, Twilight had taken in Scootaloo and Tank and took care of them in lieu of the recent events. She also had come in one day with an eyepatch that had some weird green goop on the bottom. She told Rainbow Dash that it would help mend her blinded eye if she left it on the rest of the time she was in the hospital. That was probably the most uncomfortable sensation Rainbow ever felt, but she got used to it. She did idly wonder sometimes how Twilight managed to get that approved.
Meanwhile, Twilight had removed the straps binding Rainbow Dash to the bed, and brought over her collection of Daring Do books for Rainbow to read Scootaloo. Every night Scootaloo cuddled into to Rainbow Dash's side as she read. This was, of course, extremely painful for Rainbow Dash, considering all her broken ribs were on that side, getting damaged when she hit the ground, but she couldn't find it in her to complain. Every night without fail, Scootaloo would fall asleep, and Twilight would come to take her home. Twilight and Dash would often talk about their plans for the future briefly during this time, and occasionally tutor her in some of the things Scootaloo was learning just so Rainbow Dash could help her. Twilight was honestly surprised how good of a student Rainbow Dash made, especially considering the whole fiasco with everyone trying to teach her the Wonderbolts history.
And so it was, after many weeks of what Rainbow Dash described as "legal torture" that she was finally discharged. The doctor made Rainbow Dash swear to take it very easily for the next few weeks, and told her she still needed to keep off her wings. Rainbow made a face back at him. Until Rainbow Dash was allowed to fly again, Twilight told Rainbow she could stay with her and Scootaloo. Rainbow Dash didn't argue.
As soon as Rainbow got back to the library for the first time, Twilight told her it was time to take off the eyepatch. Upon doing so, her pupil shrank in response to the light, and Rainbow let out a grunt of pain. Looking straight down and slowly letting the eye adjust to the light, Rainbow Dash peered around.
"Woah, this feels super weird." Rainbow Dash said, finally able to have depth perception. She peered outside and tested her vision by closing one eye, and then the other, and comparing results.
"Well, it's not as good, but I guess I can't really complain, can I?" Rainbow laughed, Twilight tittering in response.
"Oh you look so cool now!" Scootaloo gushed, bringing a mirror over to Rainbow Dash. "You look like somebody out of an adventure comic!"
Rainbow Dash had to admit she was right. There was a long, thin white scar traveling from her eyebrow to shortly under her lower eyelid, and her left ear was still torn. She made some faces in the mirror, blushing when she remembered Twilight and Scootaloo were both still watching her.
Twilight only had one spare bed, so Rainbow and Scootaloo had to share one. Not that they minded, they'd basically been doing that for almost three months. Eventually the reached the end of the Daring Do books, Twilight suggested a few more series. Rainbow looked insulted at the idea of reading something that wasn't Daring Do. Rainbow Dash still walked Scootaloo to school every day. The sight of Rainbow Dash's new scars just endeared the foals to her even more.
Rainbow Dash found Twilight pouring into law books increasingly more as the date of the trial came by. She looked more nervous by the day. Finally they reached two days before the trial.
"C'mon Scoots, up and at 'em. Spike already made breakfast." Rainbow Dash said softly, nuzzling the gently sleeping filly. The carriage to Canterlot would be there in less than an hour. As the filly yawned and stretched, Rainbow turned to Twilight. "What are you expecting, Twi?"
"Well..." Twilight yawned. "Since Scootaloo is still just a filly, they're gonna take steps to make her comfortable. She'll come with one of us and Morning Skies to the court the day before, making sure she knows the layout of the court and can be comfortable. Morning Skies will act as sort of an intermediator between the judge and Scootaloo. On the day of the trial, Thunder Chaser will go up first, plead guilty or not, then when he doesn't Scootaloo and Morning Skies will go up and make their case. Then it's our turn. Then we win. Hopefully."
"Do I have to go up there and see him?" Scootaloo asked in a small voice.
"I'm afraid so, sweetie." Twilight said.
Scootaloo grumbled and went to padded away to prepare herself for the day.
"So are we meeting Morning in Canterlot?" Rainbow questioned. Twilight nodded in confirmation as she sat at her table, loading her plate with pancakes. Rainbow sat down across from her. "Twilight, what did you mean when you said 'hopefully'? Is there a chance we can lose?"
Twilight didn't answer.
"Is it because I paralyzed him?" Rainbow gave voice to her greatest fear.
"I'm just worried that the jury won't believe the Ostende Dolore spell. I mean, the largest part of our evidence depends on a spell most ponies have never even heard of. If I cast it, or hay, anybody casts it and the jury doesn't believe the spell, or thinks we put something on Scootaloo so that it shows up on the spell, then all our evidence is just circumstantial. Plus... yeah. He got paralyzed trying to get back his daughter, he could try to call that foalnapping. I'm just... worried." Twilight chewed thoughtfully.
"Well... I was assigned legal guardianship by Princess Celestia herself. So we would turn that foalnapping charge on his head." Rainbow said confidentially.
"Which she awarded to her personal student and her best friend! What if they dismiss that as nepotism?! Celestia has been challenged in court plenty of times!" She yelled, throwing her hooves up in emphasis.
Both mares turned when they heard a small gasp from the top of the stairs. Scootaloo was standing there looking terrified. "We could lose? What happens if we do? Do I have to go back to him?"
The two mares shared a look.
Rainbow Dash flew over to Scootaloo and pulled her to Rainbow's side with a wing. "Of course we're not gonna lose, champ. Twilight is just worrying out loud. We have a solid case. Don't worry about it, okay?"
Scootaloo didn't respond, just looked up at Rainbow Dash.
"Now c'mon, why don't you get something to eat?"
Scootaloo looked away. "I'm not hungry anymore."
"Aw come on Scoot, Spike made these especially for you." Rainbow asked. "Actually Twilight, where is Spike?"
"Rarity's watching over him until we return." Twilight responded softly.
Rainbow Dash was about to say something back when a knock at the door drew the attention of everyone in the room. Twilight swung the door open telekinetically to reveal a member of Celestia's royal guard.
"Our chariot's here." Twilight broke the silence.
Tucking a muffin under her wing, Rainbow started walking toward the guard. "Time to roll out, everybody" she said weakly.
The other ponies followed suit.