//------------------------------// // Chapter Two // Story: What is Family? // by Cinnamon Clover //------------------------------// Is it just the people your related too?/Or is it something else? “Ma!” cheered AJ as she saw her mother run into the ER waiting room. “Oh thank Celestia!” Rose dried, her tears moistening her cheeks, “When the messenger told me my daughter was at the hospital I ran here faster than a jackrabbit with coffee.” “I’m fine, Ma” AJ assured her mother as she tried to escape the inevitable death hug. “I can see that, but that leads me to my next question: Why’re you here, Sugar cube?” questioned the rose colored mare. “Well it all started when I was heading back to the stall…” the orange filly started before relaying the events that led to her current situation to her ma. Beep… Beep… Beep… ‘What is that sound’ Rainbow thought to herself. She was surrounded by darkness and laying on something other than her old couch cushion. It was too warm and comfortable to be the lumpy discarded seating. ‘What happened? The last thing I remember is…’ she asked herself before the memory of falling replayed in her mind, ‘Am I dead?’ She sure didn’t feel dead. In fact, she felt a sharp pain in her head, an unpleasant but efficient sign that she was still among the living. Maybe it was dark because she had her eyes closed or something to that extent. ‘Well, it’s worth a shot.’ she reasoned. She slowly opened her eyelids to find her hypothesis was correct and she wasn’t six feet under. Her pain momentarily forgotten, she lifted her head to look around. Upon doing so she became very dizzy and her head promptly fell back on to the soft surface it had been on before. “I see our little patient has woken up.” said a friendly voice. Rainbow was still disoriented to see what the pony looked like but the voice appeared to belong to a stallion. “Took a tumble on the sidewalk this morning, I heard.” he reiterated, “I have two sons about you and your sister’s age. The same thing happened to my younger son, Caramel, last year.” “Wait, did you say my sister?” Rainbow asked for clarification. “Why yes, I did.” The doctor replied. “Sorry sir but you must be mistaken. I don’t have a sister.” RD explained. “Oh, I apologize. When she brought you in earlier today I presumed you were related.” The doctor apologized, “Well, either way, she and her mom are in the waiting room, well, waiting for the ok to take you home.” ‘Oh no.’ Rainbow cringed inwardly. Deleted Scene: Apple Family Reunion "Sorry I can't stay, AJ." Rainbow told her sister apologetically, "If it's any consolation, I'll be bored out of my mind at the weather meeting." "I understand, Rainbow." the orange mare empathized with her sister, "'Cause, I know you love the family reunion and you wouldn't miss it less you had to." Rainbow nodded in agreement. "Say hi for me!" her cyan sister exclaimed before flying off to the weather center, leaving her namesake trail in the sky.