//------------------------------//
// Interlude 1 - Blue Patient 
// Story: Friðr's Guardian 
// by -Watcher- 
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The air was stale, as lifeless as it could be. Each lungful brought with it a bitter taste that soured her already poor mood. 

She had half a mind to stop breathing altogether.

Her face scrunched at that. She had half a mind alright, if one was being generous. These days, she’d be lucky to feel like she had a mind at all. It all seemed to blur together, the days. It was like she was living faster than everypony else, as if all others around her couldn’t move with her. 

Above her, a fan whirred steadily, providing a much-needed draft that coated her faded fur in a cool blanket. Even this failed to fix the sterile air that seemed to propagate through the small room she lay in. 

A heart monitor beeped in a low, dulled hum next to her bed. 

She took in all the sounds and smells and sights of her room. Very rarely was she this coherent, and she knew her time was limited. 

The first few times she was able to break out of her muddled mind, she called for the doctors and nurses and Twilight … mostly she just wanted to see Twilight again, to say she was all better. Maybe then they could talk again and enjoy each other’s company once more. 

But no, that is not what fate had planned.

They all soon realized her moments of saneness were the exception, not the norm. Each time she had expressed coherence, it ended with her succumbing to the lure of her own mind once more. Every single time. She had eventually deemed it immoral to continue to put her ponies through such things. 

She eventually began hating herself for putting Twilight through it. 

And so, she kept to herself during these moments, opting to just enjoy it while it lasts. These episodes were becoming increasingly rare, and it terrified her to think of what would happen if she stopped coming back. 

Maybe it would be best for her to just fade away one night. She thought the idea of slipping into the night for eternity was rather … appropriate. 

Staring at the mirror she knew was really a window, she wondered if Twilight missed her, if she thought about her. These thoughts were childish, she knew, but what else did she have to think of?

Memories jumped to the forefront of her mind, all of which were with Twilight. 

Their first meeting. She cringed.

Their first date. She cringed more, harder.

Their first kiss. She smiled.

Their first night together. A tear escaped her eye. 

A dull ache began edging its way into the space behind her eyes, and she knew her time was running out. She fought to take in every detail around her. 

The sound of the fun whirring.

The beeping of the monitor.

The gentle movement of air caused from her steady, shallow breathing.

The touch of Twilight.

The sound of her gentle, warm voice. 

Her eyelids became increasingly heavy, but she fought harder and harder to keep it at bay. She wanted to think of Twilight, to dream of good memories. 

She wanted to see her, to hold her and to comfort her. She wanted to be comforted by her. She wanted so much, but she would get nothing. It wasn’t fair.

Her heart quickened; her eyes grew heavier.

Why was this happening? Why to her? It wasn’t fair.

The cool liquid chilled her to the bone.

Another tear escaped her eye, but she was already gone.

And again, she was flying.