//------------------------------//
// Twilight Splatter Interlude 
// Story: The Alicorn Academy 
// by kudzuhaiku 
//------------------------------//

	Twilight Sparkle lay in a heap upon the bathroom floor, the cool tiles soothing against her fevered skin. She was sore, aching, her stomach felt torn open, her back hurt, and every muscle felt strained. Stretched to the point of tearing. She felt the churning in her gut and struggled up to her hooves, just managing to get her head over the toilet to throw up once more. 

Nothing but bile was coming out now, bitter, sour, the foul contents of her stomach clung inside her nose, causing a terrible stink that caused her stomach to churn even more. 

She sank back down to the tile floor with a groan, miserable.

Twilight Sparkle lay dying. 

At least, she had convinced herself of that. She certainly felt that way. And living didn’t hold much appeal right now. She realised that she had collapsed into a puddle of something that had missed the toilet. 

A wing twitched. She couldn’t be bothered to care more than a simple wing twitch. Her mane was plastered to her head and neck. Her feathers were all out of order, not having been preened for who knows how long. 

Another round of bile was making its exit. Twilight didn’t even try to get up this time. She lay there in a fetid puddle, not caring. The strain caused something to exit out the back end as well. She retreated a little farther into her mind, hoping it would be over soon. 

Twilight continued to lay there, not moving. Not caring. In filth. 

There was a click from the door and the sounds of hooves on the tile. There was a loud sniff.

“Twilight?” Cadance said softly. 

Cadance didn’t like what she was looking at. 

“Shining? Don’t come in here, but please, go get a doctor at once.” Cadance frowned. Nopony should see Twilight like this. Cadance went to work, trying to clean Twilight up. 

Some time later… 

Cadance and Shining Armor both scowled as they stood looking at Twilight. She lay in a bed, sedated, heavily medicated, and out cold. A feeding tube was up her nostril, and and an IV had been placed in a foreleg. 

“Are you sure?” Cadance asked. 

“I am positive.” Doctor Rose Quartz replied. 

“Poor Twily. After everything else.” Shining said. 

“But this is good news.” The doctor argued. 

Cadance nodded, but said nothing. 

“This is going to be a slap in the face for her.” Shining said, looking at Cadance. 

“So has everything else Shining.” Cadance said gently. 

“The stress and grief has been entirely too much on her, along with her current complication. She needs time to rest and recover. Away from stress and strain. Shield her from it as much as possible. She should recover. Right now, she’s badly dehydrated and in need of some nutritional supplements.” Rose Quartz looked at her patient. “And NO magic. No strain. No burning away of precious calories. Not in her state. I’ll be checking on her every day.” 

Cadance nodded. She leaned against Shining Armor, fearing for her sister in law.