The sound of hooves reverberated across the white floors and walls of the hospital, as a nervous stallion passed around in the waiting room. The white pegasus stallion with a navy blue mane would look up every time he turned around to look at the reception desk, hoping to find good news, only to be disappointed when the lime green Unicorn mare shook her head to which he lowered his. He would then go back to passing for a few minutes before rinsing and repeating.
“Come on Soarin’, will you stop pacing already?” a orange pegasus with a purple mane asked from his left side while he was facing the reception desk, and right side when he was facing the entrance. The pegasus filly had been following Soarin’s movements with her purple eyes mostly out of boredom since she had absolutely nothing to do but wait there.
“Sorry Scootaloo,” Soarin’ said as he turned to face his adopted daughter. “I’m just…nervous.”
Scootaloo rolled her eyes before giving him a look that said ‘no duh!’ She then sighed and squirmed in the red couch trying to do something, anything to break the boredom. Which didn’t work out very well for her causing her to once again watch Soarin’ pace around the room.
Eventually the doors opened and both Scootaloo and Soarin’ turned around to see who was walking in. A lavender alicorn, wearing a red snowy cap and a purple scarf passed through the double doors and into the empty waiting room. As soon as she looked at Soarin’ and Scootaloo she put a big smile on her face and walked closer to Soarin’.
“Hello Soarin’ hello Scootaloo,” the unicorn mare said. “How are things going here? Have you guys heard anything new?”
Soarin’ sighed. “Hi Twilight,” he said sadly. “No, I haven’t yet. And I’m really nervous.”
“What’s the situation anyways?” Twilight asked. She stopped right in front of Soarin’. “I though Rainbow Dash wasn’t due for another week or so?”
“That’s what worries me,” Soarin’ said. “Rainbow Dash isn’t due till sometime next week but she started going through birth pains now. I brought her over to the Ponyville hospital, and after taking a look at her they requested I bring her here immediately. Beyond that I don’t know anything. They just told me to wait out here.”
Soarin’ lowered his head. “She’s been feeling really sick lately. More than before when she was pregnant with our first son, Cool Breeze. I’m just…really worried. Is there something wrong with the foal? Is there something wrong with Rainbow Dash? Is she going to be alright?”
“Soarin’, calm down!” Twilight yelled. Soarin’ was walking around in circles, wings flapping frantically while he was talking before Twilight’s yelling calmed him down.
“You don’t know what’s going to happen yet,” Twilight said sternly. “Sure she might be going through a few complications but I’m sure the good doctors here will be able to help her. I can’t tell you how many times the doctors here have helped Shining Armor when he’s hurt himself training for the Royal Gu…”
“Excuse me, are you Soarin’?” asked somepony that managed to sneak up both Soarin’ and Twilight. They both nearly jumped before looking over at who it was.
A light brown pegasus mare with a blond mane was standing behind Soarin’ and a little to his left. She had yellow eyes that sort of reminded the two Rainbow Dash’s friend Ditzy…or Derpy depending on who you’re talking to, only not pointing in different directions. And those yellow eyes did not look like they carry good news at all.
“Yeah, that’s me,” Soarin’ said to the mare. “What do you need?”
“Well…” The pegasus mare looked over to her right to see Scootaloo’s eyes on her. “Listen, why don’t you two come with me into the hallway?”
“Are you a nurse here?” Twilight asked. The pegasus was wearing a nurses uniform, however she seemed to be about a teenager. She was a bit smaller then both of the adult ponies in the room.
“Yes I am,” the pegasus said. “As you can probably tell ma’am I’m new here and only in training. Anyways would you please come with me?”
Twilight and Soarin’ both nodded and followed the strange mare out of the waiting room through a door directly in-between the reception desk and the left room. After the three of them exited the room and shut the door tight a curious pegasus filly got up from the spot she was sitting in. She didn’t want to miss out on whatever information that nurse was about to give on Rainbow Dash, so she sneakily walked over to the door.
Scootaloo flapped her wings rapidly to hover up to see where they were and as she suspected they were standing a few feet away from the door. She landed back on her hooves as softly as possible and walked to the right side of the door. Scootaloo opened the door just a crack, and poked one orange ear in to listen in on what they are saying in the hallway.
“Soarin’ I have…very unfortunate news,” the nurse said. “Rainbow Dash…is having some unforeseen consequences. To put it simply, she is going through the pains as if she is in labor; however the foal is not coming out. In fact the birth doesn’t seem to be happening at all. We don’t know what is happening or even why it is happening but it doesn’t look good for her. If the foal doesn’t come out and if the pain doesn’t stop soon, then it is possible her body will shut itself down and she will…” The nurse didn’t finish was she was saying.
“Die?” Twilight finished for her.
“Yes…exactly. We are doing all we can to help but…things aren’t looking good. We don’t think…that she will survive. I’m…sorry.”
Scootaloo closed the door a little too quickly and took a step back. “Rainbow Dash…is going to die?” Scootaloo asked. “It…it can’t be! She…can’t be about to die! This is Rainbow Dash! She’s…she…no. This…can’t be happening!”
~
“This can’t be happening!” Soarin’ said. He literally fell to the ground in shock from what he was just hearing. Twilight next to him had her eyes opened up wide as she stared at the nurse.
“I’m sorry,” the nurse told them. “If you want Soarin’ I can bring you to her.”
“But there has to be something you can do!” Twilight said. “This is the Canterlot hospital! You guys have magic! There has to be some spell, some sort of trick, that you guys can use to help Rainbow Dash. Something? Anything?! Something to get the foal out?”
“Magic can only go so far Twilight,” the nurse said. “You should know that well. We can’t do everything with it, and this is just simply something we can’t do. The problem is we have gotten nowhere identifying the problem. Stuff like this had happened before and we could do nothing to fix it then.”
“Well I’m not going to take it!” Twilight said while lifting her hoof up and stamping it back to the ground with a loud clop. “There just has to be something we can do! And I’m going to find out!”
“If you want to,” the nurse said. “I won’t stop you.”
“How…how long does she have?” Soarin’ asked. He finally managed to get back up off the floor.
“We don’t know,” the nurse said. “It ultimately depends on how much her pain tolerance is. But from what we can understand the pain is increasing steadily as time goes on so she will soon reach her limit.”
“Alright I’ll help,” Soarin’ said. “Maybe if I’m with her it’ll help take some of the pain off her. I can only try anyways.” Soarin’ walked up next to the nurse and then turned to face Twilight. “Twilight please just…do all you can to help her.”
“I will Soarin’,” Twilight said.
Twilight turned to walk through the door back at the entrance of the hospital. As she opened the door and walked through she noticed that all her friends and Rumble, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle were walking through the entrance as well. They were all wearing scarves and hats that were mostly the same color as their coats though, Rarity was wearing a ruby red hat, and Fluttershy had the foal carrier on her which was holding a foal that wasn’t her own. Instead the foal she was holding in the foal carrier was Cool Breeze, who Soarin’ and Rainbow Dash left with Fluttershy to foalsit. Fluttershy herself probably left her twin foals as home.
“Hey Twilight!” Pinkie Pie yelled with a loud voice. “Is the foal here yet?! Is he?! Is she?!”
Of course the loud obnoxious voice right next to him caused the blue pegasus foal in Fluttershy’s carrier to start crying. Fluttershy quickly took the foal out of his carrier and started rocking Cool Breeze to calm him down. She also passed an annoyed look at Pinkie Pie for getting him to cry.
“Oppsie, sorry,” Pinkie Pie said in a much quieter voice. “I sometimes forget when I’m out of my house that I still need to be quite around other ponies’ foals.”
“Alright girls I’m going to quickly head to the Canterlot library,” Twilight said. “Send somepony there if you need me for anything.”
“What’s goin on?” Applejack asked.
Twilight’s eyes looked over at Rumble, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom who were naturally walking towards where Scootaloo was sitting. While Twilight wasn’t sure what Rumble was doing here since his brother wasn’t anywhere around, it didn’t matter. She wasn’t going to spout the news that Rainbow Dash was close to dying around three fillies and a colt. They didn’t need to know about that news.
“It’s…complicated,” Twilight said as she returned her gaze to Applejack. “Listen I’ll…I need to go. I don’t have the time to explain it to you.”
“Alright Twi, Ah’ll take your word for it but Ah expect an explanation when you’re not busy,” Applejack said.
“Thanks Applejack,” Twilight said. “I’ll talk to you guys later.”
Twilight then leaned forward to get in a ready position and then she took off like a rocket out of the hospital. As soon as she left it’s doors and was in the late winter air she spread her wings to take off into the sky. Her eyes passed over to the large white castle which her destination was and she flew like a rocket in that direction, using her magic to help her fly as fast as she could to the castle.
~
Rumble took it upon himself to hop into the seat to Scootaloo’s left and get comfortable. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle on the other hand weren’t really able to sit next to Scootaloo since the seats on the couch were already taken, but Sweetie Belle did stand at Scootaloo’s right while Apple Bloom decided to stand right in front of Rumble and face Scootaloo.
Scootaloo of course, besides feeling a bit of heat from Rumble’s body when he sat down next to her, didn’t notice any of them. She was instead lost within her own thoughts and not paying attention to anything around her. Her thoughts which caused her to seep into more and more sadness.
Rainbow Dash…can’t be about to die, Scootaloo thought. She just…she can’t. That’s not…possible. This is Rainbow Dash we’re talking about! She wouldn’t die! She can’t die! Rainbow Dash would never do that. Rainbow Dash would never…leave me.
“…loo,” Scootaloo heard in her left ear, but she pretty much ignored it at the time. A few seconds later she heard her name being called out again but she still didn’t really listen to it. Eventually she felt a hoof touch her side, so she finally looked over to see what was going on.
“What?” Scootaloo asked Rumble.
“Are you ok?” Rumble asked. “You’re not paying attention to anything.”
“Sorry Rumble,” Scootaloo said as she turned her head back to look at her lap. But after a few seconds her head snapped up as she realized something. “Rumble?! What the hay are you doing here?!”
“See I told you,” Rumble said. “You’re not paying attention. What’s wrong with you?”
“Don’t change the subject!” Scootaloo said. “What in Equestira are you doing here all the way away from Ponyville?”
“I uhh…was already here visiting Thunderlane when I heard that Rainbow Dash was in this hospital so I just came to visit you,” Rumble lied.
“No you didn’t,” Sweetie Belle pointed out. “You were on the train with the rest of us coming here.”
Rumble looked past Scootaloo to give Sweetie Belle a ‘you didn’t have to tell her that’ look but as soon as he was done with that he looked back into the angry purple eyes of Scootaloo. Rumble gave a nervous smile to her which only caused her to roll her eyes. She then continued to stare at him until he spoke again.
“Ok so I wasn’t visiting Thunderlane, but I still heard you were here and I came to visit you,” Rumble said. “So what? Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle did the same thing. Is there any reason I can’t come here to visit you? I think I’m allowed to visit a friend.”
“Alright fine,” Scootaloo said as she turned back to lowering her head, satisfied with his answered. Though for some reason something he said bothered her, she was going to ignore it.
“Scootaloo what’s wrong?” Apple Bloom asked. “Y’all don’t seem like your normal self.”
“I’m fine!” Scootaloo said a little too snappy like.
Sweetie Belle looked over Scootaloo’s shoulder, and she, Apple Bloom, and Rumble all looked at each other. An unspoken conversation went between them and they all agreed that for now they would just let Scootaloo be for now and hope than they can figure it out later. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle both walked off to the other side of the room where their sisters were while Rumble decided to stay by Scootaloo’s side.
~
Inside the operating room most of the doctors have left the room at this time, leaving Soarin’ and Rainbow Dash pretty much alone, besides one other doctor just there to observe Rainbow Dash. Soarin’ was standing on his wife’s right side, letting her wife squeeze his left forehoof with so much force, he felt like the blood would never reach the end of his hoof again. But he let her, because it was something to help her through her own pain now.
Rainbow Dash looked like an absolute mess right now. Her mane was unkempt more than it had ever been even after Cool Breeze’s birth or after a hard day of practicing. Her eyes were closed in extreme pain and her face was scrunched up because of it. With his right hoof Soarin’ was massaging all around Rainbow Dash’s body and he could feel how tense her muscles were.
“Come on Rainbow Dash, just last a bit longer,” Soarin’ told his wife, though he wasn’t expecting much of a response. And as he was suspecting Rainbow Dash just quickly opened her eyes to give him a look before closing them again.
“S...oarin’,” Rainbow Dash managed to grunt out.
“Rainbow Dash, you don’t need to talk,” Soarin’ said. “Just please, keep fighting the pain. Hold on as long as you can. The doctors and Twilight are all working as hard as they can to help you, so please just hold on.”
“Soarin’ I…I will,” Rainbow Dash grunted. “I’m…not going to lose this fight yet!”
“Good. I just want to make sure.”
There was silence between the two of them, leaving absolutely no noise within the sterile hospital room. Soarin’ would worry about it, but Rainbow Dash’s hold on Soarin’s hoof was still strong so she was still fighting. While it was painful it was a blessing for Soarin’.
“S…oarin’,” Rainbow Dash said once again.
“Rainbow Dash, please just concentrate on fighting,” Soarin’ pleaded. “Don’t think about anything else. I want you and our new foal to get through this alright?”
“Just…talk to me,” Rainbow Dash said. “It…helps.”
“Alright…” Soarin’ said. He stopped for a few seconds to think about what to talk about, since he really had no clue, before coming up with a subject. “What are we going to name her when she comes out?”
“Who…ever said our foal is going to be a her?” Rainbow Dash asked.
Truthfully neither Rainbow Dash nor Soarin’ found out the gender of their foal yet. They have had several examinations of Rainbow Dash’s foal to make sure he or she was developing how they should be, so if they wanted to they could have known the gender, but they decided they didn’t need to know. They would learn when he or she gets out.
“I don’t know, I was just sort of hoping for another daughter,” Soarin’ said.
“Well then I hope you guys don’t mind being outnumbered by us girls,” Rainbow Dash said, actually putting a smile on her face.
“Nah, us guys will be able to handle it just fine,” Soarin’ said. “I’m sure Cool Breeze will be fine. After all, he’s probably just as strong as his mother is. And I’m sure our new son or daughter will also be just as fine.”
“I…I hope so too,” Rainbow Dash said. “I really do hope so Soarin’.”
“Just stay strong Rainbow Dash,” Soarin’ said. “For me, for yourself, and for our new son or daughter. Just long enough for Twilight or the doctors to find out how to save you.”
~
“Come on, come on!” Twilight said.
She made it into the Canterlot Castle archives, and brought her way to the medical section. As soon as she went in there she went to the labor section and immediately began reading through to see if there was anything there that she could use to help Rainbow Dash out. But after a few minutes of using her magic to help her speed read about four books and learning more about labor techniques over the years the Twilight ever wanted to know, she was starting to feel down.
Just like what the nurse said, while it was described there was nothing in there that stated what could fix it. There was no known cure or technique that fixed it ever in the past, at least not without killing the mare in the first place and most of the time the foal didn’t survive either. And some of the attempts Twilight saw were…quite gruesome which only made her worry even more. If the doctors try and attempt the surgery then that was it for Rainbow Dash.
“What do I do?” Twilight questioned out loud. “What can I do? There doesn’t seem to be anything here that can help Rainbow Dash. And I’m running out of time! Rainbow Dash doesn’t have much time left!”
“Sounds like you have an interesting problem on your hooves.”
Twilight literally jumped this time and opened up her wings in surprise. She thought she was alone in the archives, and when she walked in besides the guards that were naturally standing guard she was all alone. So she had every right to be surprised when the male voice sounded out to her,
She looked over to her left and saw that sitting in a couch near the windows there was a blue pegasus stallion whose face was buried in a book. He was wearing a gray hat that completely covered up his mane, and he was also wearing a navy blue shirt and strangely enough, something over his flank covering both his cutie mark and tail. He had his both his sides both to the window and Twilight, his right side facing Twilight and his left side facing the window.
“What the…what are you doing here?” Twilight asked.
“Well I was reading, but right now I’ve been listening to you,” the pegasus said.
He closed his book; put it on the table in front of him. He then used his hooves to lift himself out of the couch before walking over to where Twilight was. When he got close enough to Twilight she noticed she was a bit taller than him, telling her that he was a teenager. The teenage pegasus had to look up at Twilight in order to look into her eyes.
“You have a hard problem do you? Something that involves a Rainbow…Dash?” the pegasus asked.
“Yeah, I do,” Twilight said. “Why, we’re you reading something that can help?!” While she wasn’t really sure about this pegasus, there was just something about him that unnerved her, if he can help her in any way that would be great.
“Heh, I don’t know what the problem is, and even if I did I doubt Daring Doo will help you much,” the pegasus told her with a laugh. But as soon as he was done with his quick laugh he became serious. “But the way I see it, you’re looking for a miracle or something. Right?”
“Yeah exactly,” Twilight said. “But I guess you’re not going to help me with that, are you?”
“Nah, I don’t think I can help you with that,” the pegasus said. He walked a bit closer and his green eyes bored into Twilight’s. “But maybe you can. After all, you’ve made miracles happen before haven’t you?”
The pegasus walked around while still talking to Twilight. “Aren’t you the same mare whose friends turned the night into the day? The ones who turned chaos into harmony? You have created many miracles haven’t you, all with the magic of friendship?”
Is he suggesting… “Are you suggesting we use the Elements of Harmony?” Twilight asked.
The pegasus stopped and looked back at Twilight. “Well the Elements of Harmony have been dormant for a thousand years, so they obviously haven’t been tried before. It’s something to do, isn’t it? Something to try?”
“I…guess,” Twilight said. “But would the Elements of Harmony really work?”
In reality Twilight didn’t really think of the Elements of Harmony. The Elements of Harmony were usually used for emergencies like when Nightmare Moon or Discord attacked so the idea of using them just to help one of her friends was out of Twilight’s mind. But now that she was thinking about it now, they are more powerful than most magic and could be just what they need.
“Who knows,” the pegasus said as he walked back to his couch. “But do you have other ideas?”
“Nnnooo I don’t,” Twilight said. “Thanks for the idea!”
“No problem,” the pegasus said as he went back in to the book he was reading. “Now I’d go do it now. It sounds like you don’t got a lot of time left.”
Twilight nodded and then immediately ran out of the library. She went through the castle as fast as she could, passing by several guards who didn’t stop her because they knew she was in a hurry, and made it into the long hallway before the Elements. As she passed along that hallway she noticed several murals depicting the adventures Twilight had gone through with all of her friends. And on most of those murals, she saw Rainbow Dash on it helping them out, which just strengthened her resolve to help Rainbow Dash in any way possible.
Twilight eventually stopped in front of a large blue door that had the symbol of the Elements of Harmony on it. She was getting her wings ready to flap up to the center of the door and unlock it, but she was stopped before she had the chance as a white alicorn suddenly fell from the ceiling right in front of her. As Celestia suddenly drop down in front of Twilight, she immediately backed up out of surprise.
“Princess Celestia, what are you doing…?” Twilight asked.
“I could ask you the same question Twilight,” Celestia said. “I find it strange that you’re looking for the Elements of Harmony at this point in time. Care to explain?”
“Princess I…” Twilight said while trying to think of what to say. “Rainbow Dash is in trouble and I’m going to save her!”
“And you believe the Elements of Harmony will accomplish this?” Celestia asked. “You do know the Elements of Harmony have never been used for something like this before. Do you have any other plan besides go in with the Elements on and hope for the best?”
“No I…don’t really,” Twilight said as she lowered her head. But just as quickly as she lowered it she raised it back up again. “But I didn’t have a plan when I was going against Nightmare Moon! I didn’t have a plan when I was going against Discord! The Elements of Harmony always seem to know what they’re doing and I trust that we’ll be able to save Rainbow Dash using them!”
“If you believe that,” Celestia said. “However I hope you are ready Twilight. It is not known what will happen when you use the Elements on Rainbow Dash. So anything and everything could happen. I hope you are ready to deal with the consequences of your actions.”
“If it leaves us with any chance of saving Rainbow Dash, then I’m ready,” Twilight said.
“Alright then Twilight,” Celestia said. Her horn glowed a bright gold and from the ceiling came the box that contained the Elements of Harmony.
“Thanks Princess Celestia!” Twilight said as she took over with her magical hold. “This’ll bring me one step closer to helping Rainbow Dash.”
Twilight turned around and started running back through the hallway, Elements of Harmony floating quickly behind her. “Fly swift Princess Twilight Sparkle!” Celestia called out after her. “You don’t have much time left.”
~
“Scootaloo, are you going to talk anytime soon?” Rumble asked. “You’ve been pretty much silent since we got here.”
“Did you ever think I might not be in the mood to talk?” Scootaloo responded angrily.
“Yeah I figured that much out, but why?” Rumble asked. “What’s wrong with you?”
“I’d stop now before you say something corny like ‘if you tell me then maybe I can help you’ because you can’t!” Scootaloo said.
“Is this about Rainbow Dash having a second foal?” Rumble asked. “Is that what’s bothering you?”
“Will you just leave it?!” Scootaloo asked hostilely. “If I wanted to tell you I would have told you already!”
“So then it does have to do with Rainbow Dash’s new foal,” Rumble said.
“Yes this is about the fact that Rainbow Dash is about to die while having this new foal!” Scootaloo yelled in Rumble’s face loudly.
Everybody looked in Scootaloo’s direction with their mouths opened wide. There was silence after she said that, and even Cool Breeze wasn’t making any noise, as all eyes just looked at her. Scootaloo herself looked at all of them with annoyance as they all looked at her.
“Yeah that’s right, I listened in on what the doctors were talking about!” Scootaloo yelled. “Apparently Rainbow Dash is going to die! So excuse me if I’m a little annoyed about it and don’t feel like talking right now!”
Applejack walked up to Scootaloo. “So Rainbow Dash is…gonna die?”
“I don’t know, that’s just what I heard!” Scootaloo said. “So can you leave me alone already?! I’m not exactly in the mood right now if you can’t tell!”
Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy all looked at each other. “Well…Twilight must be doing something about it,” Fluttershy said. “She said she was going to the Canterlot library after all. I’m sure Twilight will figure out some way to save Rainbow Dash.”
“Yeah I’m sure Twilight will be able to help Dashie!” Pinkie Pie said. “I’m still going to be able to throw a new party for the new foal!”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle took it upon themselves to walk over to their hurting friend. Scootaloo once again had her head buried in her lap and her eyes close so Rumble, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom put their hooves on her shoulder in order to get her to notice them. She opened her eyes and as they expected she gave them an annoyed reaction.
“Didn’t I ask to be left alone?!” Scootaloo said angrily.
“Scootaloo we can tell you’re sad…” Sweetie Belle started but Scootaloo interrupted her.
“I’m not sad!” Scootaloo said. “I don’t need to cry! I’m just…annoyed right now.”
“Scootaloo, it ain’t good ta keep your feelings like this,” Apple Bloom said. “Y’all need ta talk about it. Otherwise it’s just gonna keep hurtin’.”
“What do you know?” Scootaloo asked with fire in her voice.
“My Granny Smith died,” Apple Bloom said.
“Yeah well I’m not like you!” Scootaloo said. “I don’t need to talk about it! I’m fine!”
“Scootaloo…” Sweetie Belle started but she was interrupted by Rumble.
“Sweetie Belle…Apple Bloom, would you two mind leaving me and Scootaloo alone for a bit?” Rumble asked.
“Why do we have to go?” Sweetie Belle asked. “We’ve been friends with her longer then you.”
Rumble didn’t answer with words but gave Sweetie Belle a look to answer for him. Sweetie Belle nodded and then nudged Apple Bloom. They both stepped away to the other side of the room leaving Rumble and Scootaloo alone.
“Listen Scootaloo,” Rumble said. Naturally her got Scootaloo’s annoyed look that she’s been flashing around to everybody but Rumble kept going.
In order to give Scootaloo the idea that he wasn’t really worried Rumble stretched his forehooves and placed them behind his head. “You know, by the sound of things Twilight is trying to get things under control. I wouldn’t worry too much about Rainbow Dash right now. I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
“I doubt it,” Scootaloo said. “The nurse said Rainbow Dash doesn’t have a lot of time left.”
“Well she’s still alive now,” Rumble said. “Otherwise we would have heard about it. Twilight still has time to get her and help Rainbow Dash. Don’t worry about it Scootaloo, I’m sure Rainbow Dash will be just fine.”
“But what if she isn’t?” Scootaloo asked.
“I don’t know,” Rumble said. “But I can tell you one thing. I wouldn’t be too worried about it if I were you. Obviously you forgot that Rainbow Dash is pretty tough isn’t she? There’s no way she’s going to leave you like this.”
“That still doesn’t help me,” Scootaloo said.
“But it should make you feel at least a little bit better right?” Rumble asked.
“I…guess,” Scootaloo said.
Really it only helped Scootaloo a little bit. She was still worried and what didn’t help was the same nurse that originally gave the news came in one again with the same worried look on her eyes. That only made Scootaloo more worried especially when she opened her mouth and started talking.
“So I guess you guys you guys already know the situation then,” the nurse said. “Well, I’m here to inform you that Rainbow Dash is running out of time. She is getting weaker by the minute so if your friend is going to come with a way to fix this she should hurry.”
“Then I guess it’s a good thing I’m here!” Twilight said as she burst through the doorway. After coming in she took a few seconds to catch her breath and catch the eyes of all her friends. She then opened up the case holding the Elements of Harmony above her and placed each respective necklace on her friends and both Rainbow Dash’s necklace and her tiara on her so she didn’t have to carry the case anymore.
“The Elements of Harmony?” Applejack asked.
“That’s a strange way of fixing the problem,” the nurse continued. “The Elements of Harmony isn’t exactly the medical answer I was expecting you to find.”
“Well right now I don’t care!” Twilight said. “Anything that could help Rainbow Dash is good enough for me! Now come on everypony, let’s go!”
“Please hurry,” the nurse said. “Rainbow Dash doesn’t have much time!”
Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity all ran through the doors at the other side of the room and went towards the room Rainbow Dash was in. Fluttershy was left in the dust, having been the one that was holding Cool Breeze, and not to be left behind she immediately looked around for what she was going to do with Cool Breeze. She saw Scootaloo and immediately walked up to her.
“Scootaloo I’m sorry but if you don’t mind…if you could please hold Cool Breeze just for a bit…you know if you want to,” Fluttershy said shyly.
“Fluttershy!” Twilight called back through the door.
“Sorry, here you go!” Fluttershy said hurriedly as she placed Cool Breeze on Scootaloo’s hooves. “I’m coming now Twilight!”
Because of the fact that Fluttershy wasn’t exactly gentle when putting Cool Breeze in Scootaloo’s hooves, and the fact that he was now in unfamiliar hooves, Cool Breeze started crying loudly and flailing his hooves. Scootaloo cringed at the notice and wasn’t sure what to do. Because she had no clue what to do, she turned to Rumble.
“What do I do to stop this crying?!” Scootaloo yelled over Cool Breeze’s noise.
“I don’t know!” Rumble said. “I’ve never had to take care of a foal before and I haven’t asked my parents what to do! Why don’t you try rocking him and talking to him or something?!”
Scootaloo did as Rumble said and tried rocking Cool Breeze but that didn’t work out well. And Scootaloo had no clue what to say to him to make him happier since she herself wasn’t exactly feeling happy right now, knowing that Rainbow Dash could die at any second. Thinking about it now, if Cool Breeze knew he probably wouldn’t be happy right now either.
“L…listen Cool Breeze,” Scootaloo said. “She’s going to be alright you got it? You don’t have to worry about it Cool Breeze!”
Scootaloo looked at Cool Breeze, whose coat reminded her of Rainbow Dash’s even though it is a bit darker then Rainbow Dash’s coat. And while his mane only had half the colors of Rainbow Dash’s mane it reminded Scootaloo of Rainbow Dash’s mane. In fact everything about Cool Breeze reminded Scootaloo about Rainbow Dash right now.
Rainbow Dash, the pony that Scootaloo looked up to. Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo’s first family member when she finally took Scootaloo under her wing. Rainbow Dash, the only pony that cared enough about Scootaloo since her parents couldn’t do that at all.
It was at that moment that Scootaloo really realized just how much Rainbow Dash really meant to her. She was more than just Scootaloo’s guardian, she was more than just the pony Scootaloo idolized. She was the closest thing to a parent Scootaloo ever had. She was Sootaloo’s mother.
“You don’t have to worry about it Cool Breeze,” Scootaloo said. “She’s not going to leave us any time soon. M…mom is going to be just fine Cool, you got it! Mom is going to come out just fine!”
Suddenly a strange orange light surrounded Scootaloo and Cool Breeze. Rumble was surprised at seeing this, and was even more surprised when after it cleared Cool Breeze was sleeping soundly in Scootaloo’s hooves. The orange light that surrounded them still surrounded both of them, but it now looked more like an aura instead of a light.
Because instinct was telling him to do so Rumble put his right wing around Scootaloo for comfort. It wasn’t that difficult for him since Scootaloo was sitting up straight so all he needed to do was just extend his wing and surround Scootaloo with it. And as soon as Scootaloo felt that she looked over at him with calculating and wondering eyes.
“Rumble…” Scootaloo said slowly as she tried to think of what to say. “Thanks. I’m glad…you came here for me. You’ve been pretty helpful.”
I’m glad I came here too, Rumble thought. It was a good thing I decided to listen to that guy and come here. If I ever see him again I’ll be sure to thank him.
~
“Rainbow Dash, how are you feeling?” Soarin’ asked. He felt Rainbow Dash’s hold on him lesson so he was starting to get worried about her. And he was even more worried when Rainbow Dash didn’t answer him. He wanted to get a doctor right now, since they had all left for a few minutes, but he didn’t want to leave her side. “Rainbow Dash?!” Soarin’ said louder.
“Soarin’ I…can’t hold on much longer,” Rainbow Dash said quietly. “It…really hurts and…my body is shaking. I feel…so horrible right now.”
“Rainbow Dash just please hold on!” Soarin’ said. “Just a little longer! Please!”
“I…just can’t,” Rainbow Dash said. “I feel…so bad. Soarin’ I’m…sorry.”
“Don’t feel sorry, just keep going!” Soarin’ said. “You’re the Element of Loyalty Rainbow Dash! You’re not supposed to leave your friends. You’re supposed to stay by our sides! You can’t do that if you’re dead! Just hold on Rainbow Dash!”
“Soarin’ if they can…please have the doctors do whatever they can to get my foal out,” Rainbow Dash said. “I don’t care…what they have to do to me to make it happen. Just…let them do it. So long as my foal lives…I’ll be fine.”
Soarin’ felt Rainbow Dash’s hoof slip from his own, so he grabbed her hoof just to keep the feel of it. “No Rainbow Dash! Don’t go!” Soarin’ said. “Please just a few more seconds!” Rainbow Dash was silent once again causing Soarin’ to be desperate. “Somepony please! Come help her!” he yelled out as loud as he could.
“We’re here!” Twilight said as she and everybody else rushed into the room.
Twilight ran through, and threw the Element of Loyalty on Rainbow Dash’s neck using her magic. Everybody then went into a circle around Rainbow Dash in order to get in position to use the Elements of Harmony. They were all worried because Rainbow Dash wasn’t moving, but they set aside their worry just to prepare the spell. But even though they were all in position, nothing was happening.
“Alright Rainbow Dash, Twilight and your friends are here for you!” Soarin’ said desperately since the Elements weren’t working and Rainbow Dash was slowly dying. “Just please, concentrate your last amount of energy on making the Elements of Harmony work! Please!”
Rainbow Dash apparently heard him because she scrunched up her face once again. A small light appeared around her neck and an even brighter light appeared around the Elements of Harmony. The light grew brighter and brighter until it enveloped the entire area.
“This is our last hope!” Twilight yelled. “Come on Elements, work or that’s it! We need a miracle here!”
~
The next morning came quickly compared to the drama of yesterday. Pretty much everypony that was in the hospital that night and didn’t normally live in Canterlot took up hotel rooms near Canterlot, except for Twilight who stayed in the castle after returning the Elements there. Only one pony stayed behind in the hospital, spending the rest of the day and all night there waiting for something to happen. And it took till the morning for that something to happen.
Rainbow Dash woke up early in the morning, feeling oddly cold, but at the same time refreshed. At first when she woke up she yawned as she did every morning and took off the covers of her bed. But it was at this point in time when she took a look at her surroundings.
“What the…where am I?” Rainbow Dash asked. “What am I doing here? How did I even get here?”
She realized she was in a very clean white room with no windows around and no other ponies. The bed she was sleeping on was not her usual cloud bed and the sheets were not her usual sheets. And the biggest thing was she noticed Soarin’ was nowhere around here, not sleeping by her side as he usually was.
Eventually the door opened in and the nurse walked in. As soon as Rainbow Dash saw the nurse she realized that she was in the hospital, and realized that the foal she was pregnant with for the last eleven months was no longer in her stomach. Putting two and two together, Rainbow Dash pounced the nurse with questions.
“What happened?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Where is my foal? Is he or she alright?”
“Ahh, you’re awake,” the nurse said. “Good. I’ll go tell your husband immediately. He’ll be able to explain everything to you. But as for you, I would recommend going back in and getting some rest. You went through a lot last night.”
The nurse left Rainbow Dash alone wondering what happened. No matter how hard she tried, she could not remember anything that happened yesterday. She knows something must have happened, otherwise she wouldn’t be in the hospital, but can’t remember giving birth or anything. She wasn’t even expecting that to happen for another week.
Eventually Soarin’ came in through the doors all smiles. He walked up to Rainbow Dash’s and gave her a nice kiss before gently grabbing something from her side. Within Rainbow Dash’s lap, he gently dropped down their sleeping foal, a pegasus filly.
She was a red pegasus filly with a red, orange, and yellow mane right now in the usual pajamas that they give newborn foals. Everything about her looked alive and well, and she even stretched at one point in time. Rainbow Dash put a hoof softly on her just to make sure she was real before looking back at Soarin’.
“What happened?” Rainbow Dash asked quietly.
“You don’t remember?” Soarin’ asked quietly, surprise on his face.
“No I don’t,” Rainbow Dash said as she looked back down at her new filly. “I don’t remember anything from yesterday. It’s a complete blur for me. I mean…I think I’m in the Canterlot hospital for some reason…and thinking about it now something bad must have happened…but I just can’t remember anything.”
Soarin’ recounted everything that happened yesterday to Rainbow Dash. “…And after the Elements of Harmony hit you, you were able to go into labor just like normal,” Soarin’ finished up. “Rarity got the doctors and we got her delivered right after that. She is still a week early, but besides that she is just fine and healthy.”
“And I was conscious through all that?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Yeah,” Soarin’ said. “You’re even the one that named her. You seriously can’t remember that?”
“Not…really,” Rainbow Dash said. “It’s sort of fuzzy when I try and think about it. All of what you’re saying sounds familiar but I just can’t remember it.” She looked at her new filly for a few seconds, tenderly rubbing her tiny back before asking, “What did I name her anyways? And tell me the truth!”
“It’s strange, but you told me that she is: Coronal Flare,” Soarin’ said. “I don’t know where you got the idea for that name, but that’s what you told me.”
“Corona Flare huh?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Yeah, that’s what you named her,” Soarin’ said.
“Ok then.” To Corona Flare Rainbow Dash said “hey there little gal. You’re a miracle you know that? You gave your mom so much trouble already and you weren’t even born yet. But you know what, you’ll fit right in our house.”
“I still can’t believe you can’t remember a thing,” Soarin’ said. “I know that’s a day I’m never going to forget anytime soon.”
“Well I’ve been slowly remembering it more and more,” Rainbow Dash said. “But it’s just…all foggy. I guess I’ll just have to give it a bit before I really remember. Not that I mind. I’m just glad I can see that the next awesome addition to the family is safe and healthy.”
While the two of them were talking Scootaloo eventually came into the room, hearing herself that Rainbow Dash was finally awake. As soon as she walked in, before anything could be said to her, she went up and gave Rainbow Dash a hug, making sure not to accidently squish Corona Flare. After they hugged Scootaloo broke off and started talking.
“Hey m…mom,” Scootaloo said. “It’s nice to see you awake.”
“Mom?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Since when did you call me mom?”
“Don’t expect it too much,” Scootaloo said. “I’m just…glad to see you alive.”
“Hey, maybe now that you’ve called Rainbow Dash mom, you can call me dad?” Soarin’ asked hopefully.
“Nah, not yet Soarin’,” Scootaloo said as she turned around to leave. “You didn’t nearly die.”
“Where are you off to?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“I’ve got a certain colt I need to see,” Scootaloo said. “I’ll talk to you both and get to know my new sister later. See ya.”
~
Scootaloo didn’t know where Rumble was around the city but it didn’t take her long to find him. Rumble happened to be walking alone across the cobblestone streets in the direction of the train station. As soon as Scootaloo saw Rumble she angled herself downwards to the streets. Right before touching the ground she grabbed her scooter so she could scoot the rest of the way towards Rumble.
It took a few seconds before Scootaloo managed to pass in front of the direction Rumble was walking. As soon as Scootaloo passed Rumble she did a few spins in front of him in order to stop herself and then got off her scooter. Rumble himself stopped and watched her, waiting to see what she wants.
“Hey Rumble,” Scootaloo said. “You heading back to Ponyville already?”
“Yeah, I’d better,” Rumble said. “I need to get home right away. My parents are probably going to kill me when I get back, since I took off here without telling them, so I’d rather get there sooner than later and get it done now.”
“You came here without telling anypony?!” Scootaloo asked. Did you really do that for me?
“Yeah,” Rumble said. “I wouldn’t have but…I just felt it was a good idea to come here. Don’t worry about it Scootaloo, my parents shouldn’t be too hard on me. I’m sure if I explain it to them they’ll understand.”
“Well hey, thanks,” Scootaloo said. “You know you’re a great…friend.” For some reason just like she was bothered with him calling her friend, she was bothered with calling him friend. She shouldn’t, after all she considers him to be a great friend, but it just bothered her for some reason.
Maybe it’s because he…maybe it’s because I…Scootaloo thought.
“Hey Rumble I…” Scootaloo started but she couldn’t think of the words to say without making it sound weird to her. “I uhh…thank you.” Scootaloo walked up and gave Rumble a quick hug, causing them both to blush before walking back to her scooter. “I’ll…see you later Rumble,” Scootaloo said finally before getting on her scooter and riding off.
“See you later Scootaloo,” Rumble called back as he watched her scoot off. He smiled and turned around to head back to the train station. “My parents are really going to kill me…” he said as he walked, “but it was definitely worth it.”
Scootaloo kept scooting through Canterlot this time instead of flying as she went back towards the hospital. On the way she happened to pass by Twilight, who Scootaloo thought was also probably heading on the way to the hospital to see Rainbow Dash, so Scootaloo stopped right next to her. She then hopped off her scooter to talk to Twilight.
“Hey Twilight, just saw Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo said. “She’s looking just fine right now.”
“Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked. “Don’t you mean mom?”
Scootaloo blushed, realizing that Twilight must have already seen Rainbow Dash. “Well…yeah,” Scootaloo said. “I…might have called her that.”
Twilight chuckled. “Don’t worry; I don’t think anypony will mind. Anyways, yeah I saw Rainbow Dash and Soarin’, and even Coronal Flare and Cool Breeze were there. It’s nice to see that family together and healthy. Speaking of which, is that we’re you’re going?”
“Yeah it is,” Scootaloo said. “I figured since I’m done chatting with Rumble I’d head back to my family. See ya later Twilight.”
“See ya,” Twilight said as Scootaloo got back on her scooter and went off.
Twilight sighed as Scootaloo got out of hearing distance. “I’m really glad that worked,” she said. “Even though…I can tell now. Corona Flare isn’t going to be a normal filly. There’s something about her that just…doesn’t feel natural. But aw well. I’ll help Rainbow Dash with whatever happens. And so long as she is alive, I think we can live with whatever. I was told to deal with the consequences and that’s just what I’m going to do.”