//------------------------------// // Epilogue: Scarred // Story: Lonely Mountains // by TadStone //------------------------------// Epilogue: Scarred “So, how is life with Twilight so far?” Dr Staple let himself fall into one of his brand new anthracite coloured armchairs, waiting for his conversational partner to do the same before pushing his trademark tray of cookies towards her. “Same as the last three weeks after I returned. She’s great. Wouldn’t know what to do without her.” Rainbow couldn’t help but smile, thinking about the mare she had grown so fond of and who had so generously opened her house to them so that they didn’t have to be alone. “Remember last time I told you I had problems waking up at night despite Zecora’s potions?” “You did, and you mentioned that this hadn’t occurred as frequently while you were sharing a bed with Scootaloo, but that you understandably didn’t want her to see you when you woke up from a flashback.” He had taken out his notebook just in case, but hadn't even opened up to the first page. “Right. We found a solution. I am sharing a bed with Twilight. It... hmm… just happened one night, and it’s working great. Don’t get me wrong, the nightly flashbacks are still there… And are as horrible as ever… But having her there... It’s just wonderful… She knows how to calm me down.” Eying an exceptionally large chocolate chip cookie on the tray in front of her, Rainbow reached out for it, slowly munching on it while waiting for a reply. “I guess congratulations are in order. You know that Scootaloo has been waiting for two weeks for you two to make it official?” Rainbow took another bite of her cookie, savouring the flavour while recalling the events of the last few weeks. “I wasn’t even sure myself two weeks ago. She’s smart isn’t she?” “Very much so. And Rainbow...” He made sure to create eye contact so his message would gain the weight it needed. “this is the reason why you can’t keep your problems from her. She’s heard you scream at night. She’s noticed that you don’t leave the house unless absolutely necessary. You need to talk to her.” Rainbow closed her eyes for a moment, sighing heavily and, for once, forgetting to chew. “Do I really have to?” “What does Twilight do when you wake up at night?” He took a cookie himself and bit into it, a sly grin forming on his lips. “She usually draws me into an embrace and talks to me...” Looking up for affirmation, Rainbow couldn’t help but notice his expression. “You so like to be right, don’t you?” The pegasus averted her eyes to the ground, one hoof stroking a strand of her rainbow coloured mane. “You know I didn’t really mean it. It’s hard, you know.” The smile faded out of the doctor’s face, regret animating the now active muscle parties. That wasn’t what he had wanted to imply at all. He had screwed up this one for sure, and now it was high time to correct this mistake. Heaving himself out of the far too comfortable cushioning, he made his way over to Rainbow, gently lifting up her head with a hoof under her chin until their gazes met. Like many ponies he knew, Rainbow’s eyes were always full of emotion, often betraying the cool shell the pegasus had built around her if you just knew what to look for. Right now, the shell was almost gone, but her eyes still remained the best window to her inner thoughts, spelling a deep sadness residing in the mare. Intensifying their eye contact, he began to speak slowly, making sure that every word hit home. “You are a great mother. Scootaloo loves you, and so does Twilight. Nopony would ever question that. Nopony. I knew you would have talked to Scootaloo anyway. I just wanted you to see yourself just how important talking was. She needs you to vent her own fears, much as you need Twilight to vent yours.” He let go of Rainbow, but remained close to her, placing his rump on the jet-black coffee table behind him but making sure to avoid the glass pane that made up the centre of it. “Do you want a break? Anything to drink?” He gestured over to a big consortium of different bottles that lined up on an oaken cabinet standing next to the white panelled wall ornaments. “You just want to show off your new mini-bar,” Rainbow interjected, giving her best smile to the stallion, although it wasn’t much. “Hey, it’s not my fault you wrecked my practice,” he teased back, dearly hoping that Rainbow would get the joke. “And Princess Celestia sure didn’t hold back. You got the most expensive stuff in here,” she replied. “You are wrong there.” He made his way over to the cabinet, pouring two glasses of Apple Family light cider. “I actually had to negotiate Princess Celestia down. She had offered to build up a full new building for my needs. We could have had our sessions in a whirlpool.” Balancing the precious fluids on his head, he returned to his place, hoofing over the drink to the waiting mare. The sad smile on her face told him he had done the right thing. “Have a sip. I know you love this stuff.” “This stuff, you call it, comes right after Scoots and Twi.” She took a long sip, closing her eyes, as she visibly savoured the flavour on her tongue, swishing the liquid from left to right in her mouth. “I don’t want to advise you to become an alcoholic, but if enjoying the flavour helps, you should have a glass when you feel like it. I am sure Applejack will make you some.” He lifted his own glass up into the air, watching the surface glistening in the evening sun before partaking as well. “I sure understand why you like it.” Taking her time, Rainbow brought the glass to her mouth again, appreciatively tilting the glass just enough for a few drops to bathe her tongue. “Now that is some medicine I like for once. Much better than this horrible ointment for my wounds.” Rainbow’s fur bristled just at the sheer mentioning of the salve, making her look ridiculously fluffy. “Speaking of it, I can barely even see the scars anymore. Except the one on your cheek, that is. Can’t the doctors do anything about that one?” A low knock emanated from the table as glass met with the wooden surface. Rainbow’s expression had gotten serious again. “I chose to keep this scar. You can’t see posttraumatic stress disorder, but you can see this.” Her hoof traced along the ragged edge of the tissue. “I just hope you won’t come to regret this decision.” He took another long draught out of his glass, all the while scanning Rainbow’s expression for signs of uncertainty. Her eyes were unwavering. As was her voice. “I have talked this through with Twi. The ponies need a reminder that there’s still a lot of hardship in the lands around Equestria. The scar will even show in my Wonderbolt outfit. It’ll be on all promotional items.” Again, Rainbow was absentmindedly feeling the tissue with her hoof, leaning forward far over the small coffee table, using the reflections of the glass before her as a makeshift mirror. “You never cease to amaze me, Rainbow,” Dr Staple retorted. “You and Scootaloo. No matter what happens, you two just press on. Do you know when you will return to the Wonderbolt Academy?” A smirk on her face, Rainbow righted herself up again, facing the stallion. “Oh, I am not going back there.” Dr Staple frowned. “How so? I thought this was the only way into the team?” “I was promoted to Marshal of the Air Force right before I went north, cause I had to be able to launch an instant interception mission and the like. She currently doesn’t report to me, but I’m Spitfire’s boss. Kinda kills the whole cadet thing.” Struggling a little with the cushions, Rainbow stood up from her armchair and made her way to the window, watching the ponies outside going unperturbed through their everyday life as she continued to speak. “With all the media coverage, they can’t afford not to have me in the team. They will wait until I am officially back on duty and then just ask.” “Do you sometimes envy other ponies?” He had remained seated, closely observing every movement of his patient. “Sometimes… Yes...” Rainbow paused to look at a light-red stallion outside playing with a young green filly that shared his mane colour. “But it is kind of cool to influence other ponies. Did you know that adoption rates are at an all time high since I took in Scoots?” “I did know that, yes.” There wasn’t much left in his glass, so he just downed it. “It’s just one of the many things you did for this nation.” No longer finding any solace from the outside, Rainbow turned to the doctor, yet not facing him, eyes averted to the ground. “And yet I’m the one suffering.” The room remained silent after that, both ponies at a loss of words for the moment. Dr Staple couldn’t tell what Rainbow was currently thinking. He tried to read the mare, but he had never seen this particular expression on her. It was mixture of discomfort and determination, her eyes were closed, but her mouth was rapidly switching expressions. She was reliving something, and, if he was going to help her, he had to know exactly what was going on in her. “Please let me be part of your thoughts.” Inhaling deeply and exhaling in a long stream, she opened her eyes, this time locking her gaze to the doctor’s. “I was thinking about Jǫðurr. He sent a message to the princesses. He got the clans to meet up and convinced them to set up a council of elders that could pass laws and resolutions. He’s asked for scholars who could advise them. And he’s asked for me to come as well...” Whereas her posture had been low and slumped until now, she was now standing straight. Her toned body radiating an inner strength that only few ponies could convey. “I am not gonna do it.” She trotted back to her seat, almost throwing herself back into the armchair. “I’m spent. It’s time for others to take on things for a while. I need a break. And so does Scoots.” Dr Staple’s mouth stood wide agape, but he caught himself fast enough. “I’ve never been prouder of the progress of one of my patients than right now.” He didn’t have to fake the huge smile on his lips. “How about I treat you to some more cider, and we can talk about some great ways you can enjoy yourself with your new family during this break?” Rainbow nodded subtly. “It’s a deal.”