Making the Best of it...Again
Trying to Heal Him
Anthony's body lay lifeless on the cold dirt below, just outside of the forest. Jessica's face was wet with tears, and not knowing what to do she shook him, trying to wake him up. She began to scream for help, not caring who or what would respond. "SOMEONE, PLEASE, PLEASE HELP! Please..." Jessica started to sob, unable to speak, she hanged her head down in sorrow, but lifted her head one last time to try and get someone to help them. When she turned her head skyward she tried to scream and nothing came out, but at that time she noticed something flying towards them at incredible speed.
Within seconds the object landed and came closer. It was a blue pony with a rainbow hair, it even had a pair of wings. On sight Jessica knew who it was: this pony was one of her dad's favorites, Rainbow Dash.
"Hey are you oookay … ? What the hay are you?" asked the curious pegasus.
Jessica tried to choke out a few words but nothing came out.
"What's the matter? What happened to you two?" she continued, a concerned look on her face.
Jessica didn't want to play 21 questions with Rainbow Dash, she needed to get help for Anthony right away! She swallowed her pain and cried out, "Please... we need help, he needs help... please help him."
Rainbow Dash looked down at Anthony, realized that he wasn't moving, and started to panic. "I-I don't know what to do. If Fluttershy was here instead of picking those dumb flowers she would know what to do." Rainbow rose into the air. "OK I'm going to go look for somepony that can help. I'll be back in ten seconds flat." And she was out of sight.
Jessica looked back down at Anthony and whispered, "Please don't die... I don't wanna be here all alone." About twenty minutes had passed since Rainbow flew away and it was the longest twenty minutes that Jessica had ever experienced. She started to cry again, but then a bright light appeared in front of them and just as quickly dissipated. A purple pony stood there shaking its head and once it gained its composure it ran straight for them.
"I heard from Rainbow that you two need help... what are you?" She shook her head. "Never mind, that can wait. Let me see what's wrong with him - it is a him right?"
Jessica nodded her head while wiping away most of her tears.
"OK, good. Now just a quick scan spell to see what's wrong aaannnd... oh no."
Jessica's eyes shot up, looking the pony straight in the eye. "Oh no? What do you mean oh no?"
The pony sighed. "He's very sick and he is covered with cuts and bruises. How long have you two been out in the Everfree Forest?"
"Since last night." Jessica started crying again.
"Didn't you find some sort of way to get out of the cold?"
Jessica nodded. "Y-Yeah, but it was only a h-hollowed out tree and it was only big e-enough for one of us. H-He said that he was built for the c-cold and made me stay in there, he even gave me his jacket to stay w-warm."
Rainbow Dash got back to the three looking exhausted. "H-Hey Twilight you found them! I looked all over for Fluttershy but I couldn’t find her anywhere. Uhm... what's the matter?" she asked when she saw Jessica crying.
"Dash, you're here! I need you to get back to the library and tell Spike to make the healthiest soup he can make. He is very sick and needs everything that can help."
Rainbow saluted. "Got it, Twi." And with that Rainbow was out of sight yet again.
"OK, we need to move him to my place. Is it that okay with you?"
Jessica nodded, "Yes... just please save him."
Twilight nodded and her horn started to glow, surrounding Anthony in an aura and levitating him into the air. Jessica's mouth fell open as she saw this impossible feat, her mind boggling.
The unicorn noticed the shocked girl and tried to snap her out of it. "Come on, we need to hurry if we want to save him." Jessica shook her head free from the shock and nodded, but when she tried to get up the pain in her ankle intensified and she fell back to the ground. "What's wrong, are you hurt too?" Twilight asked with concern in her voice.
The girl looked up at Twilight, holding her ankle. "I-I hurt my ankle when we were in the forest."
"Why didn't you say so. I'll have it fixed up in no time." The pony went over to Jessica and lowered her horn to the pained ankle, her purple aura surrounding it, and the pain slowly lifted."
Jessica started to slowly get up, ready for the pain to come surging back, but to her surprise her ankle was completely healed. "It doesn't hurt anymore! How did you do that?"
"Magic, but we don't have time for me to explain. We need to get him to the library right away." Jessica nodded and the two walked to the library with Anthony floating by their side.
As they walked through the town they saw that most of the other ponies were working on what seemed to be a festival. There were colorful ribbons, flowers of all the colors of the rainbow, there was even a banner that read, "Welcome Princess Celest". The ponies that weren't really working stared at the new creatures that they had never seen before with concern on their faces.
As they got closer to the library they could see Rainbow Dash looking out a window and when she saw them walking, she flew out the window and flew right next to them.
"What took you guys so long? Spike already has the soup done."
"Sorry, Rainbow, but unlike you, we aren't the fastest fliers in Equestria. Now, if you don't mind, we need to get him inside."
The group headed into the library and went to the main room to set Anthony on the couch and get ready for some healing. "I hope this works," Twilight said as her horn glowed and Anthony's body was once again surrounded by an aura. The cuts that plagued his body healed in an instant and the bruises became less unsightly, but the fever still remained. "This isn't working,” she said. “I healed most of the physical injuries but I can't heal the fever for some reason. Did you two eat something in the forest that you shouldn't have?"
Jessica shook her head, "No... we didn't eat or drink anything."
Twilight's eyes got wide. "You didn't eat or drink anything since last night? Why didn't you tell me?" Twilight looked at the doorway to the kitchen. "Spike, bring in the soup and a couple glasses of water," she ordered her assistant.
"Right away, Twilight!" Spike yelled from inside the kitchen. A few minutes later, Jessica saw the baby dragon walk out of the kitchen balancing the bowls in his arms and the glasses of water in his hands. Spike walked across the room and set the food and water on the table next to the couch. Jessica studied the soup for a moment, but saw nothing suspicious; it looked like plain old chicken noodle soup, without the chicken, so she dug right in. As she ate, she started to tear up; the soup tasted like the most delicious thing in the world after not eating for a day. About halfway through her bowl, she looked over at Anthony, still worried about him. He was laying there motionless, but suddenly his nose twitched and his eyes started to flutter open.
"What is that smell?" Anthony muttered.
Twilight's, Rainbow's, and Spike's eyes all shot to Anthony who was now trying to sit up. "I-It's soup." the scared dragon said.
"Well this soup smells delicious. Ugh... Why do I feel so horrible?"
"Because your are very sick, Misterrrr."
"Anthony."
"OK then Anthony, why don't you eat up and get some rest before we start trying to treat you?" Twilight told him.
Anthony just nodded and was about to pick up his bowl, when Jessica almost sent him back to being unconscious with a flying tackle. "What was that for!" Anthony yelled at the girl, but soon noticed that she was sobbing into his chest. The only thing that he could do now was hug the crying girl and try to comfort her the best he could. "Don't worry Jessica... I'm not going anywhere."
"B-But you a-almost d-died because of me." Jessica cried into his jacket.
"Don't worry, I'm alive and that's all that matters."