//------------------------------// // A Wing Problem // Story: The Past of a Shy Mare // by Songbrony //------------------------------// I woke up from unconsciousness with a severe sharp pain in my wings and back. I tried to get up, but it left me in so much pain I cried. My throat was dry, my head was pounding, and I could hardly move. I heard somepony walk in the door. "How is she?" I heard a voice say. "Good. Nopony came in from our knowledge." another pony said. "Has she moved since this morning?" the first voice asked. "No. She's been laying like that since we last looked in." "Hey, Fluttershy? Wake up. I have something I need to tell you." the first voice said. I could barely recognize it. I let out a moan to let them know I was awake, since I had a feeling my voice wasn't going to work. "You alright?" he asked again. I shook my head as I tried to get up. My back didn't let me and I fell onto the bed hard, making me hurt even more. "Is she okay, Doctor?" the second voice asked. "No. She's been injured. And if my assumptions are correct, I know who did it." the Doctor said. "You were supposed to be at the door all night, how did she get in here?" he asked angrily. "I don't know, we didn't leave at all last night. We didn't see anypony walking around at all." the pony said defensively. "Are you sure? Absolutely sure?" he asked again. "Doctor, there wasn't a soul." "Then how is it possible?" "If she was able to get in, then it's possible she had a perception filter. A very high tech perception filter at that." the other pony said. "Alright. Captain Jack, get your team together and search for her. I'll take a look here and see what I can piece together." the Doctor said. "Well don't keep your pretty face in here for too long. I'm expecting you to show up to the team's meeting next Thursday." Jack said. "Buy me a drink and maybe I'll show." the Doctor said. I heard a humming sound. "When are you going to upgrade that dumb screwdriver?" Jack said. "As soon as you go out and find the one responsible for this, now get going!" he shouted. "Right!" I heard Jack say and run out. "Fluttershy, if you can, answer me, tell me what happened." he asked. I pointed to my wings and back and groaned in pain. "Your back?" he asked. "What in Equestria did she do to your back?" Who is he talking about? I thought. I heard a low humming and felt my wings start to convulse in pain. I let out a scream as I felt my bones start to mend. It was unbelievably painful. Worse than any beating my dad had given me. It only lasted a few seconds before all I felt was relief. I laid there gasping. "Yep, sorry about that." the Doctor apologized. "My screwdriver can only do so much to help mend bones. Sadly, they're permanently damaged, so you won't be able to fly as well as before." "But...but what happened?" I asked. "I don't remember anything after you left." "Well, we don't know for sure." he said. "We believe your mother escaped and came here to hurt you. At least, that's what we believe happened." he said. "But how did she find me? And why can't I remember any of it?" I asked, finally able to sit up. "And what did you do to my wings?" "Ah, just a simple bone manipulation sequence. What's interesting, is that somehow, your bones have already been touched by a sonic device. How did she get ahold of one, I wonder." he said to himself. "But you still haven't answered my question. How did she find me?" I asked. "No idea." he said. I had a flash back to one of my nightmares. "You okay?" he asked. "Yeah..." I said quietly. He leaned closer to me. "Did you have any dreams last night?" I nodded my head. "I was in a dark hallway trying to slide through a narrow passage. But somepony grabbed my back and pulled me out. It was my mom..." I said, trailing off at the end. "Do you remember anything after that?" he asked. I shook my head. "Hmm... Oh! Of course! A mind integration device!" he exclaimed. "That's how she found you!" "A mind...what?" I asked. "A mind integration device. It allows the user to connect with anyone of their family. How'd she get her hands on it? It's banned in half the Universe." he said, talking to himself again. I was confused. He was talking nonsense and it worried me. "And where in tartarus did she get a sonic device?" "Umm...Doctor? What are you talking about?" I asked. He looked at the clock. "Oh, hey, I have to get Rainbow Dash." he said. "I'm sure she'd love to see you." he said. "But we have school today!" I said. "It's Rainbow Dash. She can either go sit in a boring textbook ridden classes or visit her best friend who she cares very much for. Which do you think she'll choose?" he asked. "I guess she'd rather visit me." I said, letting a smile show. "You're lucky you know." he said. "Not many ponies have friends like her. She'd do anything for you." "How do you know that?" He smiled. "Because of the way she acts around you. She cares so much for you that it's astounding. When you were threatened by your mom, her stance changed to defend you instantly." "But she didn't stay. She left." I said. "I mean, I'm glad she left, but how does that mean she wanted to defend me?" "The mind is a weird thing. We're programmed to protect those who we care most about, generally shared between a parent and foal, but occasionally you get two ponies, two friends who care so much for the other, that they would risk their lives for the other. And the fact that Rainbow Dash is doing it at her age is extremely rare and only forms from the strongest friendships." he explained. "You really think so?" I asked with hope. "I've always felt like I was something nopony would ever care about." "Hey, don't be like that. She loves you, Fluttershy. And she does because of who you are." he said. I smiled. "Thank you." I said. "Now, I'm going to be late. Want to get her before she gets to school or else it'll take longer for her to see you." he said. "The doctors are insisting that they put casts on your wings to help them heal. They won't be on for long, though." he said and ran out the door. Five minutes passed and the doctors were in to put the casts on. "Alright, Butterscotch. You're father wanted us to put you to sleep while we put the casts on so we can have minimal pain while applying the cast." the head doctor said. "You're going to be just fine." he said. "Umm...okay..." I said. I didn't know who Butterscotch was and from all of my experiences, my dad wanted as much pain as possible. "Your father's name is Doctor right?" he asked me with a raised eyebrow. Did he do this? I thought, nodding my head. "Hmmm...weird name. Alright, well my assistant will apply the sleeping agent and we'll be done in no time." he said. His assistant put a mask on my face and I slowly drifted off to sleep. I was running. I didn't from who or to where, only that I needed to run. I was panting with exhaustion as I pushed myself as hard as I could. "Come play with us, Fluttershy." I heard some voices say. I ran until I found a building in the distance. As I got closer I recognized it as my school. I burst in through the doors and found myself standing in my living room. "Oh Fluttershy, please play with us." I heard them say behind me. I turned around and gasped when I saw them. My dad had a baseball bat while my mom had a glove. "Don't worry, we just want to play some Flutterball. Your mother will go to the pitcher's mound and teach you how to throw the ball to me at home plate. Then, after I take my place, she'll take you and throw you at me. And I'll send you heading out towards the fence for a homerun." my dad said with a toothy grin. I bolted into the other room and was somehow in the dark hallway from before. I curled up in a ball and started crying. "Fluttershy...Fluttershy." I heard their distant voices down the hall. "Go away..." I said quietly. "Fluttershy..." Their voices were getting closer. "Go...away..." I stammered. "Fluttershy." my dad's voice said right in my ear. "Go away!" I shouted. "Fluttershy...it's me...Rainbow Dash..." I heard her say, frightened. Rainbow? I thought, opening my eyes. I was back in the hospital bed. My wings were stiff from the casts and my eyes were wet. "What are you doing here?" I sniffed. "There was a gas leak at the school so they sent us all home." she said. "But what happened to you? You were fine yesterday." Define 'fine.' I thought. I wanted to tell her about my dreams with my parents, how my mom escaped, and how she might have been the one who hurt me last night. "I can trust you right?" I asked, trying to get up the courage. She nodded her head. "Well..." I started. "I was sleeping when I was hit on the back. I can't remember much, only that my wings were in severe pain and I couldn't move them." I said. I couldn't tell her about my dreams and other things. I didn't want her to worry about me and I wanted to forget they ever happened. "It's alright." she said, pulling me in for a hug. I winced as she bumped my wings. "Sorry." I was trying to hold back tears. Even now, after I was free of them, my parents were still causing me pain. "It's okay, Fluttershy. It's okay." she said reassuringly. "There's no way I'm leaving you now." "Thanks." I said. I felt so much more comfortable with her by my side. I felt safe and secure. There was a knock on the door. "Excuse me, miss Dash, can we speak with you?" an officer asked. "Uh, sure. About what?" she asked, pulling out of the hug. "We just have to ask you some questions." he said. I caught him looking at me as he said that. "I'll be back. It's probably about the gas leak at the school." Rainbow said. "Oh...Okay." I said as she walked to the officer. So much for not leaving me... I thought. I shook my head. No, this is a good reason. They probably just want to know if she knew anything about the leak. It's not uncommon for her to be a suspect if something happens, but she never does anything to put anypony at risk. It's generally just harmless pranks. I looked out the window and saw the Doctor walking with another pony. They seemed to be arguing about what to do with me as they pointed at my window. The doctor must have said something because the other pony seemed to be nodding his head. What are they talking about? I thought. A Unicorn walked out of a blue box that was behind them and had a red object. The Doctor looked at it and ran a hoof through his mane. The Unicorn pointed up at my window, dragging the other's attention to me. The pony who was arguing with the Doctor waved at me with a smile. I waved back, slowly. Something happened with the device that made them all stare at it. They all ran back into the blue box. I have no idea how they all fit in such a small place. I could hear a slight humming as it disappeared. "I'm going crazy..." I said quietly. I turned back to the door as Rainbow Dash walked in. "What'd he want?" I asked. "Just wanted to know if I knew anything about your parents and a few question about mine." she said. "Okay." I said. "Well, I'll be out in a few days. The casts are mainly so I don't hurt them more while I'm here. That nice officer with the spikey mane came by and, according to him, 'sonicked' my wings. He told me they'd be okay for me to leave. I won't be able to fly as well, but I never was a great flyer anyways." I admitted. "That's great!" Rainbow Dash said happily. I'm glad you're here. Rainbow. I thought. Maybe things won't be so bad.