The double metal doors opened, emanating a slight creek. I peered through the dim light of the room, one lamp dangled haphazardly from the ceiling, and the cold AC whispered through my ears, sending chills up my spine. A maze of medical equipment was scattered about the room, resting on silver rolling tables of all shapes and sizes. In the center of all the mess, was a hospital bed, sitting just below the dim glow of the flickering lamp above it. In the bed… was her.
Her mane was unkempt, tangled and disheveled. Her eyes looked weary, strained and sour, staring peacefully up at the dirtied white ceiling, and a worn hospital gown wrapped itself around her. But to my surprise, a soft grin decorated her face. That smile just seemed out of place, but it felt good to see her not in complete disarray, like the tiniest, most miniscule light through this dark abyss.
I looked to the corner of the room. I saw her saddle bags, ripped and torn, placed just beside a nearly destroyed Wonder Bolt flight suit. From the angel I was standing, it looked more like the skin of a dead animal than an outfit.
The doctor gestured me to enter, and slowly closed the creaking door behind me. Just beside the bed was a nurse, hunched over in her stool. She looked up at me upon my arrival, and I noticed the tiredness in her face. Bags sat beneath her eyes, and the look of exhaustion washed over her. Still, she gave me the faintest smile as I approached. I tried to smile back, finding difficulty in doing so, but
I managed.
Before I moved any closer to the bed, the nurse left her old position and walked towards me, “I’ll give you two sometime alone,” she said; her voice was fragile as glass. I grinned before she headed out the room.
As I stood by the hospital bed, I took a seat in the same stool the nurse sat in, just beside the sky blue pony. Her magenta eyes slowly drifted off in my direction, widening slightly. Her smile grew more comforting and I could feel the soothing heat that radiated off of it, like a warm blanket on a cold night.
“Hello,” she whispered, giggling at this strange predicament we both found ourselves in.
“Hi, Dash,” I said, returning the chuckle.
I continued to stare into her surprisingly stagnant eyes, “How you holding up?”
“I’ll manage; a few bumps and bruises have never stopped me,” she said, stretching out her arms and sitting more upright in the bed.
I frowned slightly, fearing she didn’t realize how much damage she was really in. My mind started racing for a moment, and guilt returned. None of this felt right, I should have been the one in that bed. Not her.
Dash gave me an odd grin, “What are you thinking about?” she asked, taking notice to my lack of expression, caught in the murky recesses of my mind.
“Oh… uh… I just…” my words were flustered, “I just feel… bad. No, beyond bad. N-none of this should be happening. I mean, it- it’s just not…” my rambling became incoherent as Dash cut me off.
“Soar, calm down,” she said with a voice soft as silk, “None of this is your fault.”
I looked down, trying to seem as nonchalant as I could, but still nothing felt right. I cocked my head upwards again, gazing dead into the magenta hue of her eyes, “Why did you do it, Dash?”
“Do what?” she asked, confused.
“Why did you save me, get yourself hurt like this. I just don’t feel it was worth it.”
Dash gave me a cold stare and I began to regret my choice of words. “Are you kidding?” she scoffed as I sank my head a bit lower.
“Last I checked we were best friends,” she said, her comforting smile returning once more, “and last I checked friends help friends, or in this case… save them.” She let out a weak giggle and so did I, trying to hide the blood rushing to my cheeks.
Dash sunk her head back into the pillow, staring up at the ceiling. I looked around the room, trying to think of what to say or do next, that’s when I spotted the ripped Wonder Bolt suite still leaning against the wall. I got up, and made my way to it, Dash watching me as I did so.
I picked it up, looking over the tattered remains. I walked the suit back to Dash, sitting beside her again. She frowned at the sight of it, “Soar, please put that away, I-I don’t want to see it right now.” I noticed tears welling in the corners of her eyes.
“I was just going to bring this with me after I leave tonight,“ I said, “So… you know? You can fly in it when you get better.”
She gave me a soft smile and her newly birthed tears vanished. Her next response confused me, “We’ll see.”
I didn’t know what she meant, but decided to ignore it, so I simply grinned and placed the tattered uniform beneath my seat.
What Dash said next was a bit off topic, “Hey Soar?” she asked.
“Yeah?”
“Do you remember when we first met?”
I was a bit confused by the question, “Yeah, of course. But why do you ask?”
She simply shrugged, “I was just thinking about it.”
My body tensed up, and my tongue tied itself into a not. Why would she be thinking about that? Was that a good sign? My mind began to race, and that memory came into place, it was a rather important part of my life after all. I believe it went a little something like……
*********************************
That night was rather hectic; ponies running ramped through the palace halls and corridors, music pounding through my ears like a drum, but what really grabbed my attention that evening was the brilliant aroma of freshly baked apple pie, lingering in the air.
I had come to that fancy party, The Grand Galloping Gala for one reason only, and that was business. No matter how much I disliked focusing on work during a party, I had to. The Wonder Bolts were one of the events prime attractions, and I couldn’t waste my time dancing or mingling. All I had to look forward to was interview after interview, photo shoot after photo shoot, and autograph signing after autograph signing. Spitfire made that very clear, and wanted my head in the game as much as possible.
As the colorful party lights above flashed like stars, and the roaring of a thousand ponies enjoying the party rattled me, I had to get some air. Trying to slip out of the building without Spitfire noticing was not an easy feat, but I managed.
As I stood in the quite courtyard of the palace, everything looked and felt otherworldly. The serine peace and quiet, the calm, cold night air, and the scent of… PIE!
As soon as that odor hit my nostrils, my body went into overdrive. If pie was anywhere in a 20 foot proximity of me, you can bet that pie would be gone in a flash, resting nicely in my digestive system.
I dashed like lighting, following the scent until I stumbled across a neat little apple stand, assorted with countless amounts of glorious apple related nourishments. Behind the counter was an orange coated pony, giving me a friendly grin as I approached. There was so much to choose from, but as my eyes met with the apple pie sitting atop the highest shelf, I knew what I was buying. I paid the mare and received my reward, the most spectacular delicacy all of Equestria had to offer.
I placed the pie tin in my mouth, galloping back to the party. I was tempted to devour the entire thing then and there, but I didn’t want Spitfire to notice my absents, so I decided it would be best to eat inside.
As I opened the massive entry doors, the party came back to life, and the incredible noises filled my ears again, but I didn’t mind them, I was too excited about eating pie to care. I entered the main hall once more, moving towards Spitfire; luckily she never noticed I had left.
But what happened next had to be the worst possible thing to occur in my entire lifetime. I had tripped over an assortment of used party hats and cups, falling downwards to the floor. At that moment, everything slowed. No, I am not being metaphorical. I swear, for just a
few seconds, the world literally slowed as I watched my succulent pie tumble through the air.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” was all I could scream, watching what felt like a best friend die before my very eyes.
But then, what had to be the brightest, most abstract light, shined in my face. A bright rainbow hue shimmered in front of me, catching the pie in midflight. I was dazed, and my vision; slightly blurred by the sudden glow.
Time went back to normal, and I hit the ground with a thud. As I arose to my hooves, the crowd surrounding me in shock and awe. I was confused, why was everypony looking at me? But as I looked up, I saw something rather unexpected. Standing in front of me, my pie clenched in her teeth, was a mare.
To this day, I am still at a loss of words; her appearance was so… so… majestic. Her rainbow mane; loos and free, followed by the most decorative dress I have ever seen. Her magenta eyes stared into mine, I was left dumbfounded.
“Th… thank… th…” I couldn’t form a simple thank you I was so stunned by her presence. She dropped the pie into my hooves, smiling the brightest smile I have ever witnessed.
“Are you Soarin!” she yelled in excitement, “OHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH!! It’s such an honor to actually meat a Wonder Bolt!” she extended her hoof, shaking mine violently.
My heart liquefied, “this must be a dream?” I thought.
I continued to stare dumbfounded in front of the mare, still not saying anything. She looked confused at my silence. “Uh… you ok?” she asked, shaking a hoof in my face.
I shook my head, regaining my focus. “Uh… thank you for… saving my pie,” I said sheepishly, scratching the back of my head.
Before I could even get the blue coated ponies name, Spitfire came from behind me, grabbing me by the shoulder.
“Soarin! Where have you been!?” she shouted, “Ponies are waiting for you!”
“I was-“
“Never mind, let’s go!” and with that, I was tugged against my will through the party, watching as the Rainbow mane pony disappear behind the crowd.
I never knew that after that night, I had met what had to be the most loyal friend a pony could ask for.