//------------------------------// // Chapter Four: We're Really Not That Far Apart // Story: The Everfree Medicine // by PonyJosiah13 //------------------------------// Fluttershy paced the length of the hospital waiting room, up and down, up and down past the rows of chairs. The buzzing of the fluorescent light bulbs overhead grated on her nerves; her heart pattered in her chest with a rhythm like rain on a tin rooftop. She turned to her left as she walked down the chairs for what must have been the thirtieth time. Tree Hugger was sitting cross-legged in one of the plastic chairs, front hooves folded in her lap, eyes shut, whinnying softly as she let out a controlled exhalation. “Flutters, you need to chill a bit,” Tree said, cracking open one eye. “I can’t chill!” Fluttershy cried out; some of the buzzing stress that was racing across her entire body burst out of her with her voice, raising the volume and pitch of her speech to hysterical degrees. “Lightning is in there, and I don’t know if she’s going to be okay, and maybe there’s something more we could’ve done and—” Her sentence was cut off by Tree placing a hoof over her lips. “Fluttershy, you’re getting your chakras destabilized over something you can’t control,” Tree said patiently. “We don’t know what’s happening or what’s going to happen, and we can’t control it. Worrying about it isn’t gonna help any.” “But, but—” Fluttershy stammered, wishing that Rara and AJ hadn’t had to return home. “Hush,” Tree said, gripping Fluttershy’s shoulders. “Come here. Sit and meditate with me, it’ll help.” Fluttershy’s mind was buzzing with thoughts like bees swarming a kicked hive, her stomach and heart churning inside her like she was in a rowboat in a cyclone. She didn’t know how she would be able to meditate. But it was that or keep pacing, feeling like her nerves were trying to crawl out of her pores. She climbed up onto the seat next to Tree Hugger, crossing her hind legs and straightening her back. “Breathe with me,” Tree instructed, taking her hoof. Fluttershy vaguely noted that her hoof was clammy as well, felt her slow but throbbing pulse, and took some quiet comfort in knowing that Tree was not immune to worry herself. Together, the two mares inhaled slowly in a low hum, then let out a quiet, vibrating whinny; Tree’s voice was in a musical tone, but Fluttershy’s tone rose and fell randomly as she exhaled, her breath rushing from her chest rather than slowly pushed from her diaphragm. She winced at the grating noise, but Tree’s hoof soothingly brushed against her foreleg. They inhaled again, then whinnied again; this time, the sound was in better harmony, notes flowing together like a calm river that carried a little bit of their stress away. In and out, slow breaths. Time slipped away for Fluttershy; she still felt the worry, squirming in her chest, but was only aware of it dimly. She was more focused on her breathing, and the soft warmth of Tree’s hoof on hers. Seemingly scant minutes later, a voice called “Fluttershy and Tree Hugger?” Both mares opened their eyes to find a white unicorn doctor facing them. “Yes?” Fluttershy asked, the stress writhing in her gut, but no longer threatening to spread across her entire body. “Lightning Dust is out of danger for the moment,” the doctor explained. “We flushed her system of the toxins and we’ve managed to stabilize her heart and breathing. We’re going to have to keep her here for a few days for observation, however.” “Thanks, doctor,” Fluttershy said, letting out a relieved sigh as some of the weight left her. “May we go see her?” “Certainly,” the doctor nodded, beckoning for them to follow her. The trio proceeded down the hallway and the doctor gestured them to enter a hospital room. It looked like every other hospital room: white walls, white lights, a white bed with white sheets, white curtains over the windows that revealed distant twinkling stars over the cold lights of the city. Lightning Dust was lying face up in the bed, staring numbly at the ceiling, an oxygen mask strapped to her face. The hissing of her breath mixed with the steady beeping of the EKG. “Lightning?” Fluttershy asked as they entered. Lightning glanced at them. “Is Thunder okay?” she asked, her voice muffled by the mask. “Yeah, he’s back at our home,” Fluttershy nodded. Lightning nodded, then went back to staring at the ceiling. The ponies all sat in an uncomfortable quiet for several seconds. After some time, Fluttershy noticed that tears were forming in Lightning’s eyes. “I coulda died,” she whispered. “I wanted to die.” “I don’t think you did,” Fluttershy said. “Not really. You wouldn’t have reached out for help if you did.” “That stuff’s messing up your everything, dude,” Tree cut in. “I’ve seen a lot of good ponies flush their lives down the toilet because of that poppydust. Jobs ruined, friends lost, all because they couldn’t stop thinking about that next hit.” “I don’t need you lecturing me!” Lightning snapped at Tree, angry tears sparkling in her eyes. Tree stepped back and raised her hooves in a conciliatory gesture. “I can quit if I want to,” Lightning grumbled, turning her back on them. “Are you sure?” Fluttershy asked. Lightning didn’t answer. “Lightning, what happens next time you take too much and we don’t know where you are?” Fluttershy pressed. “You got lucky this time. You might not be lucky again.” Lightning still didn’t answer, but Fluttershy saw her trembling faintly. “Please,” she said softly. “Let us help.” There was a long silence, save for the beeping and hissing of machinery, before Lightning turned back to her. Tears leaked from her dull, red-streaked eyes that were heavy with exhaustion. “I…” Lightning stammered, her voice choking up. “I think I need help.” Fluttershy reached out and took Lightning’s hoof. The muscular limb felt cold and feeble in her grasp, and Lightning clung to her like a frightened foal. “We’ll help,” she said. “I promise.” Tree Hugger hummed to herself as she trotted up the dirt road to their house, gym bag swaying with every step. Pausing next to the sign with the flowery script that read “Doctors Fluttershy & Tree Hugger, Veterinarians and Animal Caretakers,” she took a deep breath of the early summer air, enjoying the warmth of the evening sun on her back and the scent of flowers in her nostrils. “Whoa! Whoa, Thunder!” Chuckling, Tree opened her eyes to see Fluttershy being yanked down the street by a yapping black terrier. “Some things never change, do they?” she asked, rubbing Thunder’s ears as he licked her hoof. “Unfortunately,” Fluttershy panted through a smile. As they proceeded up to the steps of their worn house, Fluttershy’s eyes fell upon the pile of mail on the doorstep. Beneath the bills and junk letters was a pair of magazines, the latest editions of the Equestrian Society for Preservation of Rare Animals newsletters and Herbalist Monthly. Printed on the cover of Herbalist was a close-up photograph of a five-leaved fern, the vivid green, orange, and red flashing up at the viewers. The caption read, “Kissed By The Sunrise: Doctor Tree Hugger reveals new research on the medical uses of this exotic fern!” “You must be so proud!” Fluttershy squeed, kissing Tree on her glowing cheek. “It is pretty righteous,” Tree smiled, her face turning red in the glowing sunlight. After dinner, the two mares sat beneath the Lovebloom Tree, laying against the trunk, Fluttershy patting Thunder’s head as Tree Hugger played her guitar, singing that favorite song of theirs. Tree’s song was interrupted by Thunder’s joyful yipping. Both mares looked up to see a pair of pegasi streaking across the sky, demolishing a few low-hanging clouds. “First commander of the Wonderbolts!” the blue pegasus called. “General Firefly!” the turquoise pegasus replied, doing a corkscrew around her partner. “Wonderbolts’ best formation!” “Icaranian Sun Salute!” “Wonderbolts motto!” “Alt...uh, elt...dammit!” Lightning grunted as she landed. “Altius Volantis, flying higher,” Rainbow Dash smiled, floating over Lightning. “It’s okay, you’re doing a lot better, and I’m not so good at this egghead stuff, either.” “Guess I’m just better at the flying stuff,” Lightning admitted as Thunder ran up to her, barking and wagging his tail in joy. “Almost as good as me!” Rainbow Dash puffed her chest out. “That’s the first time anypony has come close to my record for clearing clouds.” “I’ll beat it one day,” Lightning smirked, rubbing Thunder’s belly. “Ha! You wish!” Rainbow chortled. She stuck out her hoof and Lightning bumped it. “We’ll make you Wonderbolt material in no time. See you tomorrow! Shy, Tree, catch you later!" With a wave to Fluttershy and Tree, Rainbow zipped off in a blur of colors. “How are you doing, Lightning?” Fluttershy asked. “How do you think?” Lightning grinned. “Clean for three weeks and my boss just gave me a raise! Said I'm the rising star of the company! If I wasn't Wonderbolt material, I could probably take over the place myself.” Fluttershy and Tree both raised an eyebrow at Lightning. “Ponies find you a little more mellow when you’re a little less boastful, dude,” Tree commented. Lightning deflated a bit and let out a nervous chuckle. “Just playing around,” she mumbled, then sighed. “I, um…” she swallowed, then admitted. “Is it normal to still have cravings?” she asked. “Completely,” Tree reassured her. “I’ve seen a lot of ponies fall back into the old habits because they couldn’t say no.” “If it feels like it’s getting too hard, you can reach out to us or Rara or Applejack or Rainbow,” Fluttershy said. “I can handle it,” Lightning said. Thunder whined and nudged Lightning’s hoof. She sighed and patted the dog. “If it gets hard, I’ll reach out to you,” she admitted. There was a pause while Tree strummed through a verse on her guitar, then Lightning cleared her throat. “But really: I owe a lot to you two,” Lightning admitted, smiling shyly at Fluttershy and Tree. “So thanks.” “You’re welcome,” Fluttershy said and hugged Lightning. Lightning stiffened for a bit, then briefly hugged Fluttershy back before retreating. “I gotta get home: big day tomorrow. Thanks for taking care of Thunder!” Lightning scooped up her little dog and took off, saluting with a wing as she took off. Fluttershy sighed happily and leaned back against the trunk. Tree took up her guitar again and swung into the chorus, hers and Fluttershy’s voices flying up into the sky to carry their friend home. “So let your heart, sweetheart, be your compass when you’re lost, And you should follow it wherever it may go; When it’s all said and done, you can walk instead of run, ‘Cause no matter what, you’ll never be alone…” Fluttershy turned and kissed Tree; Tree set her guitar aside and cuddled Fluttershy as a warm wind rustled the roses overhead, a few petals falling to catch the red evening sun before landing amidst the emerald grass. For a little while, the rest of the world fell away. For a little while, everything was peaceful.