Dashaloo Days: Wonderbolt Flight Training

by RGLloyd


Discharge

12 days to Twiligeddon...

Dash's world slowly filtered back in through the haze of sleep. Artificial light taunted the soupy mire of her brain, hauling her grudgingly back to reality.

I hate painkillers...and light...and hospital beds... The list of grievances grew with every passing second. Uhg...and ground impact rainbooms... Her eyes focused slowly. The objects in the room blurring in and out. Frustrated, Dash struggled to gain control of her pupils, objects at random sharpened, only to leave the rest of the room blurry, again and again.

She face hoofed, and winced. "Ow!"

"Well it's nice to know you're still a genius." Dash recognized Donny's voice immediately.

"Oh, go rut yourself..." Dash trailed off in a groan.

Donny snickered. "Aww... aren't you just the warmest ray of rainbow delight on a cloudy day?"

Dash growled, but a sudden movement in her forelegs silenced her grumblings. Scootaloo, still snuggled down against her chest, unconsciously pulled away. Her muzzle pulled stickily at Dash's coat with remnants of dried tears, snot, and slobber. Eww...

"Can you stop hogging all the filly?" Donny grinned lopsidedly.

"Yeah, you can have her. I really need a shower." Dash's lip curled in disgust.

Donny craned her neck slightly to see what Dash was grimacing at. Her eyes widened with mirth. "Oh you know, on second thought, she really does seem attached to you."

Dash rolled her eyes, sighed and hugged Scootaloo back to the plastered mess, hiding it out of sight and out of mind. Her eyes settled on Donny. "How you holding up?" She gestured with her snout to indicate all of Donny's wounds.

"Won't lie to ya... I been better." Donny chuckled weakly. "Yerself?"

"Actually," Dash considered her current state as she shuffled and stretched slightly, "I really think I could be worse." Confusion crept into her voice. "Really, really… worse."

"I talked to the doctors. They kept us knocked out the whole time, but your friend Twilight learned a few new tricks in some book she's been studying recently, put together a bunch of unicorn volunteers and sped up our healing." She hoofed over at Scootaloo. "Cheeriloo is already recovered."

"Cheeri-who?"

Donny facehoofed, "Ow!" Dash laughed in response, which died off quickly from the complaints of her tender aching muscles. Donny continued, glaring daggers at Dash. "Cheeriloo is my daughter's 'real' name."

Dash scrunched up her snout as she studied Scoot. "What? What's up with Scootaloo then?"

"It's a nickname she came up with her friends. Said Cheeriloo sounded too girly, that and she's got some issues with her sister Cheerilee. Didn't want her..."

"Whoa! What? Cheerilee as in Cheerilee-Cheerilee… the teacher?" Dash stared back at Donny in shock. "She's never..."

"Right, yes. If you'd listen, they don't get along well. Get it? Her sister's very busy, and great with foals, but the generation gap between her and Cheeriloo is a bit wide. That and they have different fathers so they never really connected right. Well, I guess that's not entirely true."

Donny turned on her back, and stared up at the ceiling. "When I left for my first deployment Grinder was still in the service, and lived at the castle barracks." She sighed long and heavy.

"Cheerilee took care of Cheeriloo as a little filly while we were gone. Raised her like a daughter. I think most of the trouble between them started when Grinder and I came back. Cheerilee never quite got over it and resented us for not being there when she needed us the most. She spent most of her teen years as a mother..."

Donny bit her cheek and squeezed her eyes shut, regaining control of her emotions before they could run embarrassingly rampant. "She left at seventeen and never looked back. Honestly, I couldn't tell if Cheerilee resented us more for taking over as parents again, or because of having to grow up so fast. In the end however, Cheeriloo resented her big sister-mother for leaving. Never quite got over it, and soon after she started going by Scootaloo."

Dash's mind reeled with the new information. She stared down at Scootaloo wondering how the little filly hid so many secrets so well. I get it why she always breaks down at the slightest show of affection now.

A pang of pain crawled through Dash's chest as she squeezed the sleeping filly a little tighter. "Why are you telling me all this?" Dash's confusion etched onto her wrinkled brow as she moved her attention back to Donny and Scootaloo's past.

"Because you need to know. Since you'll be taking care of her now."

"What?!" Dash went to sit up but her forehoof slipped on Scootaloo's mane, sending her slamming back down on the bed. "What about you?" Scootaloo squirmed, taking in a sharp breath, and kicked Dash in the gut in sleepy disapproval. Dash went to snap at her as she cringed from the already tender muscles absorbing the impact, but held her tongue as she quickly realized the filly was still fast asleep.

Donny glared some serious pony over at Dash, though she filed the comical scene away to cheer her up on future cold nights in the field. "Where do you think I'm going after I get out of here Rainbow Dash? My job is full time deployment and field work. I am already three days past my end leave date."

"What about..."

"Grinder?" Donny threw out flatly with a deadpan sideways glance.

Dash fell silent. "Right..." She sighed. Wait isn't this what I wanted?

Dash grinned as she glanced down at the sleeping filly snuggled into her. A grin that quickly soured to a disgusted lip curl as she was suddenly reminded of the goo that plastered them together. A hair on Dash's chest tickled Scootaloo's nose. Reflexively she looked up and sneezed. Dash twitched, and reached for a box of tissues.

Donny snickered. "Aww...you've been indoctrinated into motherhood. Congratulations!" She broke out into barely controlled fits of laughter as Dash unerringly hurled the tissue box at her. Donny batted it away, and stated in mock sincerity. "Wait, didn't you need that?" Then, holding her stomach, she fought between laughing hysterically while hoofing at Dash, and trying to favor the pain in her gut.

"Gah, I swear this filly is nothing but snot!" Dash wiped her neck clean with the sheet.

"Dash, every foal under twelve is nothing but snot. Get used to it."

"Awesome," Dash sneered sarcastically.

Donny looked forlornly at her daughter, feeling a little more than jealous of Dash. However, as she took in the disheveled sticky dusty matted mess of her mane and tail, suddenly, the soldier in her wanted to scrub Scootaloo with tile stripper and bleach.

She diverted her eyes purposely elsewhere to settle on Scootaloo's primaries. Completely useless. Those primaries have got to come out, and that's... She looked down at the bed, chewing her lip in thought.

Dash had followed Donny's thoughts. She stared at Scootaloo's primaries, gritting her teeth. “I can't remember how many times I've had to pull bent primaries out.” She winced at the thought of causing Scootaloo pain. “But having to pull just about all of them out at once...what a nightmare.”

"I'll do it before I leave." Donny said soberly as Dash met her eyes head-on. "It won't take long."

"No, I got it." Dash ran a hoof through Scootaloo's mane. "I can handle a little preening..." She trailed off with a smug humph.

Donny rolled her eyes. "Yeah, kid, you got no idea what you're walking into there."

"So she'll buck and bite a bit..." Dash shrugged it off. “Wouldn't be the first time.”

Her thoughts rolled back to a couple nights ago. Oh, no. I guess it's been almost two weeks since that night. She smiled as she remembered the first time Scootaloo really let loose on her. I cried like a pansy. She rubbed a hoof along Scootaloo's cheek. Only for you Squee-chi.

Donny raised an eyebrow as she took in the fawning sweet look that fell over Dash's softening features, and rolled her eyes. "Uhg...seriously, you're giving me diabetes over here." Dash glared at Donny, her eyes intense and irritated over the interruption, but her cheeks betrayed her with a deep blush.

Before she could respond, the door to their room swung open, and nurse Redheart stepped in with a cheery smile. "Good morning! Just a few questions..." The nurse trailed off as she noticed Scootaloo in Dash's bed, their I.V.'s intertwined dangerously together. "Nonono! We can't have that, she needs to be in her own bed."

"Aww, come on, I never got a turn." Donny teased at Dash, half serious.

The nurse looked sternly at the two mares. "It's dangerous while she has the I.V.'s in, but I'm here to take them out anyway. Cheeriloo is to be released today. However, she is welcome to stay during visitor hours, and of course after hours as long as she stays in this room, and doesn't wander the halls."

Nurse Redheart winked at the two mares as she nudged Scootaloo awake. "Wake up sweetheart, we need to get you back in your bed so I can take your vita-" The nurse stopped mid sentence, taking in the crusty nastiness that ripped between Scootaloo and Dash like velcro as the filly raised her head.

Donny grimaced and winced. "Eeuugh! That is just gorgeous." She laughed and teased relentlessly. "You two really have that mother daughter chemistry going!"

Dash let out a groaning sigh. "I'll never get used to this."

Scootaloo's eyes fluttered open as the nurse gingerly coaxed her awake. "It's a side effect of the medicine we gave her. It's a little different from the adult version, and can cause runny noses. Little Ms. Cheeriloo, I need you to move over to your own bed sweetie, and your friend Rainbow Dash here needs a shower." She looked sideways at Dash. "Wait, you can move right? If not I can schedule a sponge bath."

Donny guffawed mercilessly, nearly doubling over from the pain of it as she tried not to laugh herself off the edge of the bed. Scootaloo's eyes popped open fully, focusing in little filly horror as she realized the terrible mess she made of Dash's coat.

Dash shook her head emphatically as she could through the creaking groan of her stiff and sore muscles. "I can handle a shower. Sounds good. Besides, no pony is getting anywhere near me with a sponge!" She puffed up. "I don't care how good their reasons are."

Scootaloo had fallen into a state of catatonic shock. Nurse Redheart rolled her eyes knowingly at Dash, and continued with helping the wooden Scootaloo into her own bed. She situated Scootaloo on her back, legs stuck in the air, a look of mortified horror frozen on her face.

Donny reached over and waved a hoof in front of her daughters eyes. "Well, whenever she wakes up, that's going to be a breakdown to miss." She eased herself out of the bed. "I'm going to hit the mess hall. Ahm sick of this bed, and hungry somethin' fierce!"

Nurse Redheart jumped. "Whoa! Hold on, you aren't fit..."

Donny waved her off. "Not fit my flank." She groaned out of bed stiffly and stretched. "I know my own body. Twilight's crazy healing magic worked well enough. I can take some pain crawling over to the mess hall."

She wrapped a wing around her I.V. stand. "I once got swallowed by a dragon. Mean son of a..." She shivered. "Once you pass through the fiery nightmare of a dragon's craw, slop around in it's stomach acids until it burns your coat off, and have to hack your way out using an e-tool." She grinned maniacally and glared at nurse Redheart out of the corner of her eye as she sliced at the air with her other wing tip for dramatic emphasis. "This kinda pain becomes happy warming memories that keep you company on frozen nights of guard duty in the cold northern borders..." She trailed off with a wicked giggle as she nudged the door open, leaving a shocked and dumbfounded nurse Redheart in her wake.

Dash intently watched the frozen Scootaloo, who twitched occasionally. Nurse Redheart busied herself with taking the filly's various readings and testing reflexes.

Half bored, Dash went to stand up, slowly easing herself out of the bed with a lazy yawn and a groan. She hobbled her way around the bed, grabbing the I.V. stand with a wing as she stretched her legs in slow acclamation to movement.

Nurse Redheart cheerily grinned at Dash, but her voice held a tinge of sour. "You are very lucky Ms. Dash. Princess Twilight Sparkle spent hours along with all the volunteers to speed up everypony's recoveries."

Dash raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "How long did that take?"

"Oh, I have no idea, dear. But I would say no less than fifty volunteers on and off for six or more hours a day for about eight days now. Princess Sparkle being present for every one of those hours. Poor thing ended up spending more than one night here to recover from extreme exhaustion." The irritated sneer in the nurses otherwise sappy voice caught Dash off guard.

"Hay! If you got a problem with me. Just come out and say it." Dash growled irritably.

The nurse spun around on Dash, glancing down at Scootaloo briefly to ensure she was still out. She glared straight into Dash's eyes, her features growing dark and furious. "Do. You. Have. Any. Idea?! How much pain you've caused!?"

Dash backpedaled, not quite sure how to handle the nurses sudden outburst. "We couldn't fit all the wounded in the hospital! We had to scavenge beds out of the nearby houses just to accommodate the injured out on the lawn!" She stepped forward menacingly. "Over half the town was deaf for two days! Including my family!" She gritted her teeth angrily.

"I'm so sorry...I..." Dash wilted under the nurses furious gaze and her own shame. "...was irresponsible."

Nurse Redheart's boiling fury was cut off by a whimper from the bed. Her eyes slid over to see Scootaloo staring at her with shimmering wide pupils of wavering innocence. Her muscles tensed with stressed guilt.

Scootaloo took in a wavering shaky breath, her ears laying flat. "Nurse Redheart...why are you so mad? Are you going to hit my sister, Rainbow Dash?" Her lips quivered as tears built up in the corner of her eyes.

Nurse Redheart crumpled under the barrage of filly innocence. "No! Nononono sweetheart. I'm sorry. So sorry, honey." She rushed over and patted Scootaloo on the head. She moved swiftly to take out her I.V.'s. The whole process over in seconds. "Let me just, uhm, go check your records. I will...leave you two alone. Try to relax sweetheart, I just wasn't feeling well. I'm sure Rainbow Dash understands." She smiled and twittered nervously, running a shaky hoof through her mane.

Scootaloo watched as Nurse Redheart bolted out the door, shutting it a little too softly behind her. The twitchy lip and teary eyes instantly replaced with a confidently victorious smirk. "Yeah, saved your flank Dash." She threw up her hoof for a bump.

Dash clopped over slowly, the I.V. stand rattling next to her. She stared hauntingly at Scootaloo for a moment. Her hoof lifted slowly to her forearm. Scootaloo almost complained about Dash leaving her hanging, but was cut off as Dash ripped the I.V. out of her own arm. Scootaloo watched worriedly as Dash's hoof passed her own, leaving it hanging as she wrapped her foreleg around her waist and lifted her up.

"Come on Scoot...we both need to hit the showers." Dash's voice sounded sad and distant. Scootaloo chewed her lip, unsure of what to do or say as Dash tossed her up onto her back. Dash opened a window, and peered out. Nopony was in the immediate vicinity. She stretched and tested her wings.

"Where are we going?" Scootaloo whispered conspiratorially into Dash's ear.

Dash glanced at the cloudy muggy sky. "There's clouds up there we can shower with. Nopony's running the weather team without me. I will clear the sky afterwards. It's the least I can do to bring in some sunshine after what I did, but really I need to see what the damage is." She looked back at Scootaloo, her voice wavering shamefully. "I have to know how badly I hurt my hometown and friends."

"Nurse Redheart didn't sound like anypony died Dash." She nuzzled through her sisters colorful mane. Then, frozen with a startling revelation, Scootaloo drew in a sharp panicky breath. "Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom! I hope they weren’t hurt too!"

"Exactly, Squee-chi. We both have friends to check up on." Dash launched herself out the window. Her muscles ached furiously, but were a far cry from wing cramps. Dash cursed her hubris, for even under the worry and stress of her friends safety, the guilt of the damage to the town, and the ache in her recovering muscles. Dash still felt a wave of wonderfully exhilarating freedom and confidence wash over her as she stretched her wings, and took back to the sky's.