The humidity and mosquitoes woke Rainbow the next day. It was late in the day, and the sun was directly overhead. It burned her eyes and the rest of her body as she cautiously and carefully opened them. She was outside of Ponyville, most definitely, but it would be easy to fly back. She rubbed crust out of her eyes and tried to sit up. When she did, pain shot through her body, especially landing in her wings. She couldn’t do more than fold them without getting more pain. She used her hooves to carefully unfold her right one, which seemed to be in the most pain. It was in a strange shape, much like the shape it had been in when she had broken it. The realization hit her, and she yelped.
She couldn’t have her wing broken a third time, or else the doctor would without a shadow of a doubt keep her in the hospital FOREVER. Why did things like this happen to Rainbow? The Wonderbolts NEVER got their wings broken. They tried daring tricks and never got a scratch. Why did Rainbow take a beating every time she tried a trick like that? There wasn’t enough Daring Do books to keep her entertained, and though her friends would visit as often as they could, laying around made Rainbow feel immobile. Almost as if she would never fly again. “NO!” she said, her voice hoarse. How would she be able to get out of this? There was nopony out here to help her, and though she thought it would be easy to fly back, she couldn’t now. She was…grounded.
“NO!” she yelped again, and forced back the tears that came.
But she couldn’t give up hope. It was only a break. She would wait six weeks and then it would be gone, just like that. She would fly again. And she would beat that fan. The determination and perseverance filled her and she slowly got up. Her hooves, it seemed, were just fine. It was only her wing and head that hurt. She sighed, and began her journey to Ponyville.
Before long she could see Golden Oaks Library coming into view, and Rainbow never thought she’d be so happy to see the library in her life. She walked as fast as she could(she wasn’t up to galloping yet) to the building, and threw open the door. She gave a few thirsty, exasperated, and exhausted gasps before she collapsed on the carpet.Twilight, who happened to be returning her mystery novel to the shelf when Rainbow came in, ran over to her friend, fearing the worst. The first thing she did was shut the door. She levitated the spare bed out of its place in the other room and set it just by the desk with the pony sculpture on it. Then she levitated Rainbow on the bed and left momentarily to find her first aid kit. When she returned, her friend’s eyes were closed and soft snores came from her.
At once Twilight sprang into action. First Twilight soaked Rainbow’s clearly injured wing in warm water, and carefully dried it with a towel. Then she used bandages from her kit to wrap the wing, not tight, not loose. She then busied herself with smearing antibiotic ointment and band-aids all over Rainbow’s other cuts. She put a cool washcloth on Rainbow’s forehead, and then covered her friend with a blanket. After checking on Spike, she rushed to the phone and called every one of her friends with news to come to the library immediately.
Within ten minutes they were all there, around the bed and watching her attentively. She appeared to be sleeping peacefully, and there seemed that nothing would bother her-for now.
“How’s her wing?” asked Fluttershy, quietly.
“More hurt than ever. I’m not sure bandages would work at this point. We may have to bring her to the hospital again.” replied Twilight, worriedly.
“She would never agree to that again. Remember what happened last time?” asked Rarity.
“What else can we do?” asked Pinkie, on the verge of tears and a straight mane.
Twilight pondered this for a minute. Then, just like that, a single thought came to Twilight, and a small smile bloomed on her lips.
“I have an idea.” she said, happily.
“You do?” asked Applejack.
“What’s your plan?”
Twilight grinned a sly smile and skirted over to a bookshelf where she kept her potion books and selected one. She flipped around in it briefly before finding the suitable page. She levitated the book over to her friends so each of them could skim the recipe.
Healing Potion
Fix anypony's limbs without the hassle of going to the doctor!
YOU'LL NEED:
-Three Goldeneye Hibiscus Flowers
-Thin paper for writing problem on(only use paper for limbs; if wing is damaged, please use a pegasus feather instead)
-Five cups of oranges
-A half cup of sawdust
-Crushed mint leaves=one and a half cups
-A cup of sugar
-A capful of vanilla
-Lemon colored food coloring
INSRUCTIONS:
1. Warm a bowl of water, crush the Goldeneye Hibiscus flowers and stir in them.
2. Add the lemon food coloring, then stir counterclockwise for ten minutes. Add sawdust a little at a time while stirring. Add oranges periodically in a pattern= oranges, stir, oranges, stir, until there are none left. Stir at low heat.
3. Add the vanilla and sugar and periodically add the mint leaves. After adding all the leaves, either write the problem or stir with the pegasus feather clockwise until the potion turns lemon yellow and sunset orange marble.
4. Allow thirty minutes for cooling.
5. Serve. Allow twenty four hours for healing. Subject should drink every drop of potion to allow healing.
WARNING: Clouds are not supposed to be added to this concoction. If this is accidentally done, please refer to page one hundred thirty eight.
"A healing potion?" asked Rarity.
"Yes." said Twilight.
"Whatever it takes to heal her," said Fluttershy softly.
Why aren't we allowed to add cloud?" asked Pinkie, and after realizing what she had said, giggled.
"That rhymes!" she said, happily. Everypony, to accommodate her, gave small giggles in return.
"I'm not sure why we can't. But we'd better be careful. Some of these potions are known to reverse." replied Twilight.
"Well, what are we waitin' fer? We'd better get started right away." said Applejack.
"You all aren't busy?" asked Twilight.
"For Rainbow Dash, we can skip whatever it is we need to do," said Rarity, speaking for all of them.
"All right, My Little Ponies. Let's get started," said Twilight, and skirted out of the room Rainbow was in and over to a cherry wood cabinet and from it produced several glass vials and a large glass bowl.
"I'll mix it here," she said, and peered at the recipe again, as if to memorize it.
"Goldeneye Hibiscus flowers?" she inquired, turning to each of her friends, who had followed her into the room she was in. The room where their friend lay had its door shut.
"Oh!" exclaimed Pinkie, happiness returning for a short while.
"Those are those really pretty flowers that bloom in Canterlot garden! They only bloom once every year, and only fifteen are planted each year because they only produce that many seeds each time. They’re magical flowers, so that’s why they’re hard to come by. But, I will tell you, Princess Celestia just gave Daisy three the other day! I was over there smelling Rose’s daffodils when the package came," finished Pinkie with a smile.
Four pairs of eyes fell on Pinkie, and in return, she smiled wider and began humming a snippet of song to herself. Applejack began to say something, but Twilight stopped her.
"Don't try to understand," she reminded the farmer. Applejack nodded, but still looked inquisitive.
"Pinkie, would you go get those Hibiscus flowers for us?" asked Twilight, smiling at Pinkie.
"“Of course I will! Maybe I’ll get to smell the daffodils again!” said Pinkie, and with that, bounced out of the library. After Pinkie left, Twilight grabbed some parchment and dipped an eagle quill in her inkwell.
"Rarity, I need mint leaves. Enough for one and a half cups. Applejack, I need sugar and vanilla. Fluttershy, I need lemon food coloring. I can take a feather from Rainbow's wing. When you come back, I'll send the order for more. Do you all think you can handle that?" she asked, not looking up from her scribbles of parchment.
A chorus of yeses filled the room, and a flurry of color passed out the door, Twilight levitating lists out after them. Twilight got to work. She dragged her Bunsen burner out of the cabinet and plugged it in. One turn of the dial on it showed it heating up. She began to ready vials and test tubes and a spoon. Then, she left her station briefly to check on Rainbow, who was still sleeping as if she would never wake. Twilight carefully edged the blanket away and unwrapped the wing, which was still in a mangled position. She carefully reached out and plucked one feather off it, and after she had it, she replaced everything and tiptoed out.
The feather was placed by the bowl, but in a place it would not be spilled upon. Twilight warmed some water and poured it in the glass bowl and only got a second to wait before Pinkie came barreling in.
In her hooves were the Goldeneye Hibiscuses, and Twilight levitated them over to a cutting board. After giving Pinkie the order for oranges and sending her on her way, Twilight went over to the cutting board and eased a flat tool over the flower. After it had been crushed, she crushed the other two flowers and levitated the mush to the bowl, where it was placed gently inside.
Twilight began stirring the water. It began to change golden in color, just like the flower had been. Fluttershy came with the lemon food coloring, and Twilight gave her the order for sawdust, and now. She stirred the lemon coloring counterclockwise and timed herself just so. Fluttershy and Pinkie arrived with the sawdust and oranges, and to Twilight’s pleasure, the oranges were already sliced. She got out measuring cups and added the sawdust a little at a time. Then came the oranges, a stir then a cup of them.
Right on time Rarity and Applejack returned with the rest of the supplies. Twilight added sugar and vanilla and Applejack eased the tool over the mint leaves. They were added safely. Her friends helped in other ways. The final phase was in reach, and Twilight delicately stirred with Rainbow’s feather until the potion began to change color. Orange and yellow marble, just like the book said. And with that, it was done.
“It’s done, everypony. I couldn’t have done it without you.” said Twilight, wiping off sweat from her forehead.
“Now it just needs to cool,” said Rarity, and sighed.
“But that’s easy. Rainbow will be better before we know it.” said Twilight, confidence returning.
She levitated the bowl over to her cabinet and set it carefully atop it. Her friends pitched in and helped her mop up. Spare things that weren’t needed were put in vials and went into the cabinet. Rarity wiped the counter and Pinkie mopped the floor. Applejack washed the vials and Fluttershy dried. Twilight redressed Rainbow’s wing. When everything was done, the five friends settled by Rainbow’s bed with apple juice to watch their friend rest.
After about fifteen minutes of silence, the door clanged open.
“Hi everypony! I’m home!” yelled a familiar voice.
Twilight ran to greet the purple dragon.
“Shh, Spike! Rainbow’s trying to-” she didn’t finish out of surprise. The purple dragon appeared to be covered with clouds.
“Spike,” she said, exasperated. “How did you?-”
“Lickety Split took me sky swimming,” said Spike shyly.
“But you can’t-”
“He brought the cloud down to the ground so I could reach it,” interrupted Spike, and blushed.
“Well, get washed up. You can’t let those clouds near my potion.” said Twilight, sternly, and went back in the other room to join her friends once more.
“Fine,” said the dragon, not really listening, and skirted near the stairs, dropping clouds. Little did he realize Twilight had left a novel on the floor and the dragon did not see it. He tripped, fell, and clouds landed everywhere. Right into the open bowl of potion. The dragon got up right in time to see a small pink explosion in the potion, then all was well again. He peered in the bowl, and after seeing all was fine, got the broom to sweep up his cloud mess.
Thirty minutes came and went, and soon Twilight went back inside the main room to retrieve the potion. She used her magic to levitate it to where Rainbow lay, and put a cold washcloth on Rainbow’s forehead so she’d wake up. Rainbow woke with a start.
“Where am I?” she asked, groggily.
“You’re in the Golden Oaks library, Rainbow. There’s uh, been an accident.” explained Twilight, softly, and set the bowl of potion on the bedside table.
“How are you?” asked Fluttershy, softly.
“Are you better now?” asked Pinkie, worry returning.
“How do you feel?” asked Rarity.
“Don’t crowd her, everypony, give her some air.” said Applejack.
Twilight was pouring the potion into a cup and after the cup was filled levitated it over to where Rainbow lay.
“What’s this?” asked Rainbow, still groggy.
“A potion to heal you.” said Fluttershy, quietly.
“To heal what?” asked Rainbow, now wide awake.
Before anypony could do anything, she whipped back the blanket and discovered the bandages. Before anypony could comfort her, her eyes filled with tears.
“NO!” she cried, and tried to keep the tears from spilling out of her pinkish purple eyes.
“My life is ruined!! I’ll never fly again!” she said, miserably, and tried to resist the tears again, but they came anyway.
The memories came flooding back to her. Before she had been knocked out by fatigue, her wing was already damaged. She remembered the fan and walking into Ponyville hurt and scarred.
Everypony tried to comfort her, but Rainbow didn’t budge. She still began to cry out in misery. Twilight once again levitated the cup in front of Rainbow’s muzzle and spoke calmly.
“Rainbow, if you drink this, you will be able to fly again. Drink every bit of it, and then wait a day, and then you’ll be all better. You’ll be flying by tomorrow!” said Twilight, cheerily. Her friends nodded and uttered remarks of agreement.
“Drink this? What is it?” asked the pegasus.
“It’s a healing potion.” replied Twilight, and shoved it further in her face.
Rainbow took it between her hooves and stared at it. It was lemon yellow and sunset orange marble, with a pink streak in the middle that looked vaguely like a chunky stubby sharp stick. It bubbled softly and smelled strongly of oranges and sawdust. Rainbow smelled the hint of mint in it as well. After peering at it a few minutes more, she tore her eyes away and felt its weight in her sore hoof. She gulped, and wiped away some tears.
“Here goes.” she said hoarsely, and brought the cup to her lips. At first the potion tasted bitter, like mint and wood mixed together. Then the potion tasted solidly of oranges. Finally, it was sweet and vanilla-y and as Rainbow watched as she drank it, she watched the potion became bright and shimmery, like drinking liquid light.
After she drank it, she put the cup somewhere and began feeling strange. Her sight was blurry, her head burned immensely, and then she felt so sleepy, as if she had stayed up all night. Her wings felt as her hooves did when they fell asleep. All she remembered before she blacked out was her friends all standing over her, peering at her attentively.