//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Sightless // by Scootafan //------------------------------// The main six and the rest of the cutie mark crusaders were all waiting in the hospital waiting room. The two crusaders were sat together, hugging each other, while Rainbow Dash paced up and down across the room. Everypony else was staring into the distance, not saying anything, each occupied with their own thoughts. Twilight hadn't told them about Celestia’s plan and was worried about how they would react once they heard it. Every time she passed the young drake, Rainbow Dash glared at him, as he sat gazing towards the floor, keeping himself distant from the others. Suddenly Nurse Red Heart walked over to them with a grave look on her face. Sighing she explained to the group, “Scootaloo has suffered with extensive injuries, her body is covered with third-degree burns, and her vocal chords were damaged, which means that she may be mute if not temporarily then permanently. Her eyes were severely damaged with her retinas being melted, which means that she is permanently blind in both eyes. The tissue that makes up her wings is burnt beyond repair, during surgery, we were, we were forced to amputate both of them. She is unable to breathe on her own without the help of a ventilator, I am sorry to say that she is in a coma.” Rainbow Dash couldn't believe what she was hearing as her she fell to the floor in disbelief. Shaking her head in denial and tears slowly pouring out of her usually tough shell. Twilight asked, “Are we able to see her?” The nurse nodded and lead the way to the Intensive Care Unit, upon entering the room, their heart broke as they saw Scootaloo lying in a hospital bed, most of her body covered in bandages, including her eyes, she had a tube going down her throat. Any remaining fur looked blackened with patches missing, revealing the scarred, red skin below. Spike couldn't handle seeing what he had done to poor Scootaloo and ran out of the hospital room. Twilight shouted after him “SPIKE!” Just as she was about to run after, she felt a hoof on her shoulder and Applejack said quietly, “Let him go, sugercube.” Rainbow Dash had to hold onto the bed to stop herself from collapsing again. She then tearfully asked “Will she wake up?” Nurse Red Heart looked uncomfortable as she answered uncertainly “We don't know, it is too early to say.” The two Crusaders looked down at their friend with sadness, Sweetie Belle walked over to the bed and whispered, “Please wake up, Scootaloo.” Apple Bloom then spoke up “Scootaloo you gotta wake up, we've got so much crusading to do.” They burst into tears as Scootaloo made no sign that she had heard them, the older mares in the room, felt helpless as both Applejack and Rarity attempted to calm them down but to no avail, eventually, they decided to take the two heartbroken fillies home. Twilight also excused herself to write the letter to Celestia as well as to find Spike. The others followed suit while Rainbow stayed, clutching Scootaloo’s hoof, she vowed to stay with her until she woke up. *** Twilight rushed around in search of Spike, she spotted him sitting on a bridge, staring over the edge into the streaming river below. “Spike?” Twilight called out uncertainly. Spike sniffled, “I can't stay here. Everywhere I look ponies glare at me and poor Scootaloo, she may never wake up and it's all my fault.” Tears dropping into the blue water below, making tiny little splashes. “Spike we have a plan okay. You won't need to go anywhere.” Twilight reassured him but this had little effect. “It's no use Twi, everypony hates me, did you not see the way, Rainbow Dash looked at me.” “She’ll come around and so will everypony else, you've just got to keep your head down and stay out of trouble.” Twilight told him, unconvinced herself. Spike merely nodded and Twilight added, “Scootaloo will forgive you, I am sure of it. Besides I need to send a letter to Celestia.” They arrived back at the library and Twilight got straight to work, writing the letter. In the letter she had described, Scootaloo's injuries as well as her current condition, she had also written about how she was worried about Spike’s mental health. Giving the letter to Spike he sent it off with his magical flame and they both watched it soar off to Canterlot. *** Celestia was sat in her private chamber, reading the damage reports, sent by Mayor Mare of Ponyville, when all of a sudden a green flame shot into the room before dissolving into a letter. Celestia knew instantly that it had been sent by her student, Twilight Sparkle. Upon reading the letter she frowned. Taking a quill, she wrote a reply saying “Stay away from the hospital, I have a plan.” She refrained from saying what the plan was knowing full well the Twilight would not support it. She then leapt of her balcony and flew towards a menacing-looking tower. This was the headquarters of the Royal Intelligence Agency. When she entered the tower, she walked into a lift and pressed the button for the top floor. The lift dinged as it arrived at its destination, Celestia exited the lift and read the floor sign: Shadow Operations. She entered a circular room that had a large map positioned in the centre. Sat around the table were several pegasi and unicorns, all wearing the same uniform, the pegasus wore Shadowbolt flight suits, while the unicorns wore the standard uniform of the night guard. Celestia trotted over to a specific pegasus and said “I have a job for you.” The pegasus, knew all to well what a job was and merely asked, “whose the target and how do you want it done…” *** Applejack and Rarity thought that it would be better if the two Crusaders had a sleepover together so that they could keep their minds off Scootaloo. The two mares had also decided to join in on the sleepover to keep their spirits high and were sat in a makeshift pillow fort in Carousel Boutique. Rarity had begrudgingly allowed them to use the Boutique as the location for the sleepover, something that she was beginning to regret. They had just finished reading a bedtime story when Apple Bloom asked “What will happen if Scootaloo doesn't wake up?” This made Applejack look towards Rarity with a worried expression, swallowing she said “Do you remember, what happened to Momma and Papa?” Apple Bloom nodded, and Applejack continued “Well we will do the exact same thing that we did with Momma and Papa but this time it will be about Scootaloo.” Applejack instantly regretted saying that as Apple Bloom asked tearfully “Are you saying that she’s going to die?” “No no, of course not, ahm just saying that it is a possibility, but don't worry Scootaloo’s a fighter, she’ll wake up.” she tried to reassure her upset sister. “I don't want her to die.” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. Rarity hugged to unicorn filly and said “I don't want her to die too but there is nothing to worry about, she will survive this, I know she will.” Rarity didn't look too convinced, herself. Suddenly Sweetie Belle blurted out “I love her. I was going to tell her later but then she got hurt.” Rarity was speechless so instead she pulled her closer into the hug, which was soon joined by Applejack and Apple Bloom. *** Meanwhile an unknown pegasus wearing a skin-tight, black suit was stood outside the Ponyville General Hospital…