To a reviewer … *(\… that is all.
Yay, so I found a AppleDash pic that helped me finally think up how Rainbow lost her wings (I had an idea, but after seeing the pic I finally made the plotline in my head for each scene :p) Not gonna give you people the pic because I'm a little slut :D
So, ONWARD TO THE APPLEDASH!
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Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It belongs to The Hub, Hasbro, Studio B, and Lauren Faust. I do not own any of these characters in any way or how, nor do I claim ownership to the pony franchise. These characters are simply my toys.
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"Perhaps I can't remember, because I simply want to forget."
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A Rainbow Cut Short
Chapter 3: A Helping Hoof
Rainbow gently moved her head from side to side. The crippling pain that came when she first woke up at even a breath had finally subsided. Either that or she had just become used to the constant pain. Now she was able to turn her head, as long as it wasn't too sharply. As twilight filled the room in a warm glow, she glanced out the window, her mind forcing her to remember flying through the cool air.
The sound of gentle snores and warm breath tickling her mane made the pre-pegasus glance back down to the bedside, where an orange pony was resting. She must have fallen asleep… Rainbow couldn't blame her, nor bring herself to get angry. She had been by her side all day, she didn't eat, didn't drink anything, and if Rainbow hadn't forced her, she might not have even went to the bathroom. Strange… how much she wanted all of her friends here, now Applejack felt… rather clingy… it made her grumble a little, but she stopped as the snores grew deeper and she shifted a bit further into her hoof, she almost smiled.
Pinkie and Fluttershy were supposed to come check up on her, but since Applejack could only come once or twice a week with all the farm work she had, they left when they saw the orange pony sitting by her side, simply talking about why she hadn't been there since she woke up. They tried to wander off without being noticed, but Rainbow had learned to keep her ears and eyes open for anything, like birds or higher up trees… now her seemingly built in pegasus senses were useless.
The strange feeling flooded her back once more as the bones shifted. She was so used to flapping them every now and then when she got fidgety with being stuck in one place for too long. She didn't just need to fly, she needed to move. That glorious date that she could leave seemed so very far away… a week was a very long time… two weeks had been the longest, most torturous days of her life. Three days was bad enough… but fourteen? And now she needed another seven! Not cool.
This is how I die…
Her slightly brain-dead thoughts came to a crashing halt as the head on her hoof began to stir. The cyan pony blinked and glanced down and glared a little out of usual annoyance. "Tired much?" She asked.
The earth pony blinked, and then shook the sleep out of her mane. "I-I wasn' sleeping ya' hear? I was jus' restin' my eyes was all." She grumbled out, rubbing her eyes with her hooves. Rainbow rolled her eyes and just wanted her friend sit up once more "Now… what were we talkin' 'bout again?" She mumbled.
"How visiting hours are almost over…" The cyan pony mumbled.
Applejack blinked "Oh…" She mumbled, Rainbow could see that usual look she gave near the end of the day when she had to leave, even though Rainbow thought she was clingy on these days, she couldn't stand that look.
"When can you get off from the acres?" Rainbow mumbled, almost grumbling it out. She didn't want to admit it, but she rather enjoyed these long visits afterwards, after Applejack left of course, when she reflected back on everything.
The earth pony put her hoof to her chin, as if to think "Well… Big Mac isn't 'round, so I reckon it'll be 'bout three days before I can get a break from everythin'."
Rainbow grumbled, crossing her upper leg over her sling. "Big Mac shouldn't just leave you to deal with the farm on your own." She mumbled to herself.
Applejack chuckled "Well, I reckon it'll be two days if Applebloom'll be willin' to help out. So how does two days sit with ya'll sugarcube?"
Rainbow Dash grumbled, but finally nodded, causing the orange pony to chuckle once more at her usual stubbornness "Well, I be willin' to bet Applebloom'll be worried about me, best be goin' I suppose."
Just as she turned to leave, she heard the gentle mumble of "AJ?" She stopped, looking down at her hooves a moment before turning around "Yeah, what's hollering Dash?" She asked.
"Do you… know what happened to me?" She mumbled "I've tried… really I have, but my mind won't give me a clear answer… I just…" The cyan pony paused, her rainbow mane covering her eyes from the orange earth pony with her head held low. Applejack's belly suddenly knotted up so tight she couldn't breathe, her eyes widened as she bit her lower lip.
"N-No… sorry sugarcube, I don't know any such things 'bout nothin' that happened to you…" She mumbled, kicking her hoof lightly onto the ground.
"Nothing?" Rainbow mumbled before looking up and out the window, no doubt imagining flying once more "Thanks anyway…" She mumbled, but Applejack could sense the annoyance and slight sadness lingering on her breath.
The orange pony turned to leave, eyes watering up in tears before she was even out the door.
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"Honesty my behind."
Applejack mumbled to herself as she walked out of the hospital. She turned off of the path leading to ponyville, and instead chose to avoid the town and simply take the long way to the farm. She didn't want to see anypony at the moment. Her watering eyes had calmed down, however her belly hadn't unknotted as of yet, and each step hurt to walk.
The guilt of lying when she knew how important it was not just for her, but all of Equestria that she be honest. She had helped save from all of Equestria from Ponyville to Manehattan with her element… and now it all seemed like a lie… irony was a cruel son of a mule…
Her blonde mane hung at her side, bouncing with each and every step she took. It was hard sometimes… just to stay sane with everything on her mind. Even before this whole incident she felt overworked, picking apples, selling them, managing prices, and now add Rainbow and her friends to the situation… she was only one pony pony, sometimes she wanted to break down. But she herself was sanest of her friends. If she remembered correctly, she was one of the few of them who hadn't mentally broken down at least once since they met.
The doctors told her Rainbow Dash didn't remember anything weeks ago, how she had likely blocked out all memory of the incident because it was so traumatic. She would likely never remember unless she went into therapy, however the rainbow maned pony didn't want to answer any "Stupid Doc's questions" as she put it. But Applejack could tell some part of her didn't want relive all of those events.
Applejack looked down, not paying the slightest attention to where she was going, however any road to Apple Acres seemed cemented into her mind, she could spot the apple trees from anywhere in Ponyville if she wanted to.
The twilight sky began to get darker, and the orange pony glanced up at the sky. Applebloom might scold her for being with Rainbow Dash for so long… funny how her little sister had grown up since she met her best friends…
Applejack looked up, and once again her hooves had led her someplace when she hadn't even thought about it. She took in a deep breath, walking down the pathway toward her home as the first nighttime stars appeared, glistening brightly overhead.
Her mind forced a memory of Rainbow Dash flying through the nighttime sky, and it almost made her sick her belly knotted so tightly.
She lowered her head, feeling guilt sink in. She could go to the hospital any day she wanted… Big Mac told her to take a break, so she did, however when she didn't go to the hospital, her thoughts sunk in and she almost lost it… but it took almost everything she had to stay calm when she looked at her friends bandaged back. Her beautiful wings were gone… and it was her fault… neither way had any fully settling side effects.
The orange pony grumbled under her breath, knowing Twilight would tell her she was being way too hard on herself. Twilight always knew reason… but she couldn't exactly pinpoint how Rainbow would react if she remembered. Would she hate the earth pony? Or would she just never be able to look at her the same way? It was all so frustrating, Applejack felt tired.
The orange pony let out a long sigh, and continued her slow pacing, the nighttime sky now fully covered in a starry blanket.
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"C'mon…" Rainbow whined, bouncing up and down in place, her eyes wide, and her eyes scanning everything around her.
"Now Darling," Rarity said, placing a hoof on her friends arm, only to have it shrugged off "The doctor needs to run a test or two, to make sure you're fine to leave!"
Rainbow rolled her eyes "Yeah, but I've been ready for weeks… when will these stupid results come in anyway?" She mumbled, upper legs crossed as she sat in her wheelchair.
"These things take time," Fluttershy mumbled, kicking the ground lightly "Like when you wake up animals on Winter Wrap-Up day, if you do it too fast, something could go wrong…"
"Silly, Rainbow isn't an animal, she's a horse!" Pinkie said "But Fluttershy's right, if they don't make the cupcakes correctly, your legs will turn out tasting all nasty."
Everypony stared at Pinkie for a moment, knowing somewhere in her mind that sentence made perfect sense. Rainbow just closed her eyes again and grumbled softly "Still no excuse to keep me waiting, I got things I wanna do…"
"Like what?" Twilight asked "Rainbow, you've sat here for over a month, exactly how is a few minutes any different? If anything, your patience should be a lot longer by no-" the purple unicorn stopped her speaking as she noticed the glare Rainbow Dash was giving her, no doubt pondering in her mind if the distance between her and Twilight were close enough to hoofslap.
Rainbow let out a long sigh, she glanced around at all of her friends… but somepony was missing… again… Where in Equestria was Applejack?
As if to stop her depressing thoughts, a pony came into view with the familiar lab coat. He was holding a sheet of paper using his Unicorn powers. "Well miss… Rainbow Dash was it?" He asked, glancing up at the pony "It seems you're doing just fine, your sling can come off when you leave, however we require you to stay in that wheelchair until you are transported home safely, at which point we require you to return your wheelchair in three to four wee-"
"Yeah yeah yeah, cut the chit-chat, so can I leave now?" She asked, giving off those annoyed eyes, not paying attention to what the unicorn doctor was telling her. Her head was resting on her good hoof and blowing her rainbow mane out of her eyes.
The doctor looked like he was about to smash his head onto the nearby wall. No doubt having a cranky, claustrophobic Rainbow Dash as his patient had aged him a few years too soon.
"Weeks…" He mumbled, using his magic to suddenly pull off the sling from Rainbow's arm, he gave a satisfied smile when she winced in pain "Now take it easy, you may not have the sling anymore, but don't stress it too much." He warned.
"Whatever… can somepony just roll me out of here?" Rainbow mumbled, rubbing her freed arm.
"With pleasure…" The doctor mumbled, pushing her out as two nurse ponies appeared and opened the doors, she was suddenly outside for the first time in a month, sunlight blinded her "PLEASE don't get hurt again…" He begged.
Her friends followed her out "You and doctor's don't really mix…" Twilight said, giving Rainbow Dash a questioning look.
Pinkie came up behind Rainbow's chair "C'mon Dashie, your auntie Pinkie Pie is happy to roll you home!" She said, all perky as usual, putting a hoof against her chest to physically show she meant herself.
"No!" Rainbow cried out, pushing the wheels forward suddenly. Her friends surprised looked made her wince, though only on the inside.
"L-Look guys… I'm happy you all came here to see me and all…" Rainbow mumbled, looking down at her casts "But I need to do this on my own… it'll be bad enough that everypony will see my bandages, but I'm not gonna be pushed around, I'm going home myself, by myself."
All of her friends looked a little disappointed, but they understood. Rainbow Dash was being Rainbow Dash… she wasn't going to show weakness to anypony, even if it killed her.
"Alright Darling, we'll check up on you tomorrow." Rarity said gently, but before she even finished, Rainbow began to roll off, grumbling to herself "Well that was rude…" the unicorn mumbled.
Rainbow turned the wheels, grumbling to herself as she rode off.
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She breathed in and out, trying to run as fast as possible, the orange pony whipped her head to get the blond mane out of her eyes. The twilight sky beat down, feeling scorching from how much she had ran. The hospital was in sight, her brow was covered in sweat. She panted as she spotted four of her friends… but no Rainbow.
How could she have forgotten today was the day Rainbow got released?
Her friends saw her, and they eyes widened as she came to a screeching halt. She panted for several moments before finally being able to get a single word out "Ra….R…Rainbow Dash…" She huffed out.
"Dashie decided to be all tough and roll her was back home on her own!" Pinkie said, smiling brightly as usual.
"Yeah, she wouldn't let any of us help her," Twilight said "If I remember correctly from my book, you need to let someone who has lost something important to them work it out in their own way!"
"Dang it Twilight, I don' need your books now…" Applejack sighed out, lowering her head.
"Um… It wasn't long ago… that she left on her own…" Fluttershy mumbled, kicking the dirt up lightly "You could… still catch up… y'know, if you felt like it…"
Applejack didn't even take time to say anything else before charging off again. Her friends behind her sighed, and continued forward.
The orange pony felt like she was about to pass out she was breathing so hard. The twilight sky became blanketed in stars once more. She ran through the night before finally realizing it was likely she was going to be sick if she ran any longer. So she slowed down and simply walked, deciding Rainbow's house was close enough.
She was still panting when the slight sound of the whimpering hit her ears. They stood erect and she glanced around a moment, before seeing several trees. The orange pony blinked and followed the sound, only to find Rainbow Dash sitting there grumbling and whimpering to herself.
"Dash?" She asked, to which the cyan pony jumped and turned her head behind her in a flash, her eyes watering "AJ?" She asked, wiping her eyes. Applejack could tell that the tears hadn't spilled, yet would have if she didn't come along "You're late." She grumbled.
Applejack chuckled, and walked forward, pretending she didn't notice how upset her friend was "I reckon that'll be my fault." She said "Apple pickin' and all." She could fake a smile, at least Rainbow Dash couldn't see through the falsity of her smile. In fact thirty minutes prior she had dozed off and was sleeping for hours on end. It hurt her to lie… but she stayed strong.
"Oh…" Rainbow mumbled, glancing down at her legs covered in casts.
Applejack was silent for several moments before placing a hoof on the wheelchair "C'mon sugarcube, what's bitin' ya?" She asked.
Rainbow glanced over at her before letting out a long sigh and lowering her head, she lifted her upper leg and pointed to the sky. The orange pony followed her eyes toward where the hoof was pointing and saw a large mass of cloud thirty feet in the sky. Her belly knotted so tight she couldn't breathe.
"I can't get home…" Rainbow Dash mumbled, pointing to her house.
Applejack's mind rushed with thoughts on how to handle this. This was her fault… everything was her fault... her friend couldn't even get into her own house because of her. She tried to awkwardly chuckle "Hehe, guess that'll be an issue…" However the cyan pony glared at her, not even trying to hide her watering eyes. Losing her wings was slowly breaking her…
The orange pony sucked in air, the cool night finally cooling down her body from all the running. Rainbow Dash glanced at her, with a look that said she wished to be left alone, she wanted to cry in peace "AJ… can do you mind…" But she couldn't bring herself to say the word.
Applejack forced her belly to unknot, she forced a weak smile "Now don't ya'll worry Rainbow, we can think of something for tomorrow, maybe Fluttershy could take out all your things for you if you asked her."
"But what about now?" The pre-pegasus mumbled.
Applejack put a hoof on her friends back, and Rainbow looked up with watering eyes at her friend "Big Mac won't be comin' back for 'round a week." She said "You're more than welcome to come and stay with me an Applebloom t'night."
Rainbow let out a weak smile "Thanks AJ."
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"You're too heavy…" Applejack grumbled, all but slamming her friend into the bed before crashing on the floor and panting heavily.
Rainbow Dash glared "Well I thought you were the second best athlete in Ponyville…" She mumbled, half-jokingly, half-guilty. Applejack looked up "I'm the best, and no way that fancy hospital food without goin' outside been good for ya' health…" She mumbled.
Since Big Macintosh wasn't even in Ponyville anymore, the earth pony decided he wouldn't mind giving up his bed to a good friend for the night, and a friend who needed a helping hoof whether or not she would admit it.
AJ stood up and shook her head, Rainbow's wheelchair wouldn't have been able to go upstairs, and it was beyond difficult to keep quiet with Applebloom still being home and likely asleep.
Rainbow blinked and glanced down, wincing as she tried to turn, and then glanced at the orange pony when she helped, but she didn't protest. Deep down she admitted she couldn't help herself, even if it hadn't registered with her brain yet.
Applejack helped her friend under the covers and Rainbow dash stared out the window, hopefully not thinking about flying…
"Well… I reckon that's all I can do for now I'm afraid." The orange pony mumbled, glancing down. When her cyan friend didn't reply, she let out a long sigh and turned away, but she stopped when her name was called.
"Hey AJ?"
She prayed it wouldn't be about her wings again, she didn't want the horrible guilt to sink in again…
"Yeah Dash?" Applejack asked, turning around to be greeted with her friend's rainbow mane facing her. The pony let out a long sigh before finally asking "I'm still… I'm still awesome… right?"
That single question… that question tore the orange pony up inside. Her eyes widened in shock. She had taken away her friends wings, her home, and now even her pride… she was a monster… However, she forced herself not to start sobbing as she had when all of this happened. She walked forward, and began to rub her friends wingless back.
"Now Dash, remember, you're the Iron Pony… you're still a hundred an' twenty percent cooler than the rest of us." She said. Her friend turned around, wincing as her broken legs throbbed in pain, she looked into Applejacks' eyes. Her own eyes showed shock "Iron Pony?" She asked, her own eyes spilling in tears before she reached forward and hugged her friend in fear of showing weakness.
Applejack was in silence for a moment, however she closed her eyes and held her friend tight, somehow finding herself crawling into the bed with her, running her hooves up and down her back, gently soothing her, wincing every time her hooves ran across those awful bumps where Rainbow Dash used to have her magnificent wings.
Rainbow didn't make a single sound, except for the occasional sniffle, she just held her firend close, saying what her words wouldn't allow her too.
For the first time in weeks, both Rainbow Dash and Applejack slept the night without a single nightmare.
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Oki Doki Loki, I finished *Happy Dance* yeah! I feel like I rushed the exiting the hospital, DON'T CARE, I AM TIRED AND WANT THIS UP, WOOT!