//------------------------------// // Chapter 22 // Story: Asylum // by Daemon of Decay //------------------------------// Asylum Chapter 22 Twilight bit back a groan. Letting out her breath slowly, she turned her head to check the clock mounted on the opposite wall. One hour, thirteen minutes, she told herself. Just one hour and thirteen more minutes. Located straight across the circle from Applejack, Twilight had to keep her expression passive enough to avoid a stern rebuke from her friend. Every group therapy session made her feel like she was stuck on repeat, trapped on a Mobius strip of incoherent stories and generic questions. The initial swell of concern she had felt for the often heart-wrenching tales from her fellow patients had eroded away over the long hours of idleness until all she had left was bitter resentment. “I really wish we weren’t forced to sit and listen to these crazies talk about their imaginary problems,” a low voice whispered. Twilight glanced at the donkey seated beside her. A pair of scarred and much reduced ears framed a face wearing an expression of boredom that matched Twilight’s own. “I’d rather be doing anything else than sitting here listening to the same rambling stories again and again,” the donkey said, keeping her eyes forward. “Mmmhmmm,” Twilight murmured in cautious agreement. She turned her head to stare back across the circle and avoid Applejack’s attention. “It can get a bit tedious at times.” A half-smile brightened up the donkey’s face. “That’s putting it lightly.” There was a moment’s pause. “I’m Spinney, by the way. Spinney Whiteacre.” “Twilight Sparkle.” “So, what are you here for, Twilight?” “I have to be here. They think I’m crazy.” “You’re not alone there. Plenty of ponies are here against their will. Broadhoof is not as clean and wholesome as they like to pretend. This place is full of secrets hidden in the shadows.” “Shadows?” Twilight asked with care. She turned to look at Spinney. “What kind of secrets?” “You’re better off not knowing. Once they know you have access to that sort of information, you never get to leave. The doctors will ‘recommend’ that you remain in Broadhoof for further evaluation, just to be safe. Your family will find it harder to visit, and any friends you have here will be shuffled around to different wards. You'll be left to just rot away here forever, if you're lucky.” Spinney hesitated. “There are… worse punishments for unicorns.” A chill settled into Twilight’s limbs as she reached up to rub her sheathed horn. Spinney’s expression darkened. “Exactly. It’s not just for the truly disturbed patients. They use it to silence any unicorn they deem a threat.” “They wouldn’t dare!” Twilight whispered. “Oh, you think so? They’ve threatened me with it before. I’ve seen it happen, Twilight. Don’t let the boring routine take you off-guard. They aren’t ponies – they’re monsters in labcoats.” Twilight’s hoof fell away from her horn as she turned her incredulous stare on the donkey beside her. “What do you mean they’ve threatened you?” “They’ve said they’d take my horn if I didn’t cooperate.” Spinney’s cheeks flushed red when she caught Twilight’s gaze. “Look, I know it’s a bit small for my size, but that doesn’t mean I want it removed,” she said defensively, running a hoof over her bare forehead. “No pony deserves that fate. That’s why I’m sticking my neck out and telling you all this. We unicorns need to stick together.” Twilight buried her head in her hooves and groaned. After the therapy session, Twilight found her solace in Pinkie Pie, unloading her frustrations upon her perennially upbeat friend while the pair strolled down the hallway. For her part, Pinkie was content to simply listen, remarking where appropriate but otherwise remaining silent. Once Twilight had finished her tirade, Pinkie Pie gave her a one-armed hug. “Cheer up, Twilight! It’s over for now, at least.” “Only until next week,” Twilight muttered back. Pinkie rolled her eyes. “Come on, sourpuss, you need to be more excited. It’s Friday! We’re only half a day away from a super fun weekend!” Twilight met Pinkie’s stare with one of her own. After a heartbeat, her expression softened and she visibly relaxed, exhaling slowly. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry if I’m a little… tense right now.” Her voice dropped to a whisper as she moved closer to Pinkie. “I’m pretty sure the medication they’re giving me is affecting my emotions. Ever since I woke up here I’ve been getting these mood swings. At first I thought it was just the shock of finding out everyone thinks I’m crazy, but every day I’m struggling to keep my head clear.” Pinkie’s smile slipped a bit. “I used to feel the same way. When I first arrived at Broadhoof the medicine left me all slow and sleepy all the time.” Her face brightened. “But I got better! I don’t take the same pills anymore. Have you talked to Doctor AJ about changing your medicine?” “Of course not. Why would they stop feeding me their poison?” “I dunno, Twi. I’d at least try. It can’t hurt.” Twilight grunted. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. It’s not like I have anything to lose just by asking.” As they passed by one of the many doors along the wall, a faint but deliberate cough drew them both up short. They turned as one to find the door open just wide enough to reveal a sliver of a yellow muzzle and a single blue-green eye peering out at them. Caught off guard, it took Twilight a moment to identify the pony on the other side of the door. “Fluttershy?” Twilight stumbled as Pinkie Pie pushed past her with an excited cheer, leaning in close enough that her nose was only inches from the crack in the doorway. “Fluttershy! Wow, I haven’t seen you in, like, ages! How have you been? I hear you and Twilight are almost best buddies now! That makes us almost best buddies too!” Fluttershy flinched and closed the door tighter, the one visible eye trembling as it darting from Pinkie Pie to Twilight and back again. She gave a small, pleading whimper. Twilight placed a restraining hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder and pulled her back. “Hey, Pinkie? Could you give me and Fluttershy a moment alone?” “Awww…” Pinkie whined as she kicked at the floor. “Do I hafta?” “Just wait at the end of the hall for me, okay? This will only take a second.” Pinkie exaggerated a sigh and, with her head hung low enough to almost touch the floor, she set off down the hallway at a mournful pace. After making sure Pinkie Pie was following orders – and there weren’t any other curious ponies within earshot – Twilight turned back to Fluttershy, pointedly keeping herself from making any sudden movements. The doorway opened a hair wider. “Hello, Fluttershy,” Twilight began, her attempt at a calm voice coming out stilted and awkward. Not in her best-case scenarios had she ever predicted Fluttershy taking the initiative. “How are you today?” Fluttershy said nothing as she stared at Twilight’s hooves, and Twilight found herself glancing around aimlessly for inspiration. Her eyes settled on the nameplate beside the door, and she leapt at the offering. “So, I didn’t know you enjoyed spending time in… auxiliary storage room four?” Twilight blinked as she double-checked what she had just read. Lifting her head, she glanced past Fluttershy to find the rest of the room empty, save for bare shelving on the walls and a few cardboard boxes. The layer of dust made it clear the room saw little, if any, regular attention. “What are you doing in there?” “H-hiding place…” Even having to strain to make out the words, Twilight still felt a wave of wonderful satisfaction at hearing Fluttershy speak. Still, she forced herself to keep her expression as neutral as possible. “I see,” she said as she examined the door handle. To the passing observer it looked fine, but upon closer examination it was clear it had been broken for ages. “Broken lock, right?” Fluttershy nodded. “And I guess you know which rooms are like this because you’ve used them to hide in before.” Another nod. “That makes sense,” Twilight said carefully, filing that information away for later. Curiosity satisfied, she turned her attention back to the visible slice of her friend. “So, Fluttershy, how have you been?” “F-fine.” “That’s good. I had some drawings I wanted to give you, but since I didn’t see you this week, they’re all up in my room.” Fluttershy lowered her head, trembling. “Sorry,” she whispered. “Oh no! You don’t have to be sorry!” Twilight interjected with a nervous laugh. “I was just surprised, is all. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m just happy you’re okay after our last, ah, interruption.” Fluttershy flinched at the word. “Sorry.” “You don’t have to apologize for Rainbow’s behavior,” Twilight said, risking a slight step closer to the door. Twilight mentally stumbled over herself after Fluttershy sunk closer to the floor. "Ah, I mean, nopony is perfect. That’s what being friends is all about, right? Looking past the faults to find the good inside a pony." Twilight tilted her head. "Do you think of me as a friend?" “Maybe…” "Because I'd like to be your friend. We could all be friends together: you, me, and Rainbow Dash. Wouldn't you like that?" “M-maybe…” Fluttershy repeated, quiet enough it was almost inaudible over Twilight’s breathing. "But if I'm going to be friends with Rainbow Dash, I'm going to need to know things about her. Like why she's so angry all the time." Twilight took another step closer, placing her only inches from the door. “Well, um… You s-see…” Fluttershy faltered and blushed. The sound of hoofs impacting the floor made Twilight instinctively turn towards one end of the hallway. A passing orderly crossed into and out of view as he swiftly moved down an adjoining hallway, his eyes cast downward, reading through the contents of a clipboard. When she turned back, Twilight was met with a tightly closed door. “Fluttershy?” Twilight asked as she knocked on the door. “Fluttershy? Are you still there?” Twilight considered trying the handle, but dismissed the idea as soon as it formed. The last thing she needed was to aggressively burst in on the anxious pony and demand answers. As Twilight took a reluctant step backwards she noticed a small white protrusion from beneath the door. Placing a hoof on it, Twilight slid it out to revealed another of Fluttershy’s charcoal drawings. A sparrow with a bandaged wing sat in a cage, gazing at the clouds through a nearby window. In the lower corner of the sketch the word 'gymnasium' was hastily written in dark blue ink. Twilight glanced up at the door before rolling the picture up and sliding it into one of her pockets. Reluctantly, she turned away from the door and made her way toward the distant figure of Pinkie Pie. The entrance to the gymnasium was a matched pair of the same bland double-doors used for any of the hospital’s large internal areas, identical to those that Twilight passed through every day to reach the cafeteria. The only things to mark the doors as unique were the faded black lettering - 'Gym' - and the plastic sign bolted to the wall with a list of warnings and the times of operation. Twilight and Pinkie Pie stood together, staring at the doors. “So, you never told me this existed because…” Twilight said, not even turning to look at Pinkie. “You never asked, silly!” There was a muffled groan as Twilight ran her hoof down her face. “I should have connected the dots sooner. It stands to reason that pegasi would need a space to exercise their wings to prevent atrophy, and there weren’t any pegasi outside during our time in the yard. Simple deduction posits that there had to be a place where they could fly without being able to escape. Hence,” she pointed to the black letters on the wall, “a gymnasium.” Twilight sighed. “Well, at least you know where it is now,” said Pinkie. “That’s something to be happy about, right?” “Sure. Besides, it’s not like I have my hopes up too high. Fluttershy was so vague, I don’t even know what I’m supposed to be doing. I expect we’ll just show up, look around, and leave. Best case? Rainbow Dash calls me an egghead again. Still, it’s better than nothing.” The inside of the gymnasium was exactly as Twilight had predicted: a tableless copy of the cafeteria with a raised ceiling and the smell of undercooked food replaced with stale sweat. The pockmarked wooden floor still gleamed in the sunlight that leaked in through the high windows. Despite the diligent waxing there was no hiding the many divots in the wood itself, each scrape and chip gained by years spent under the abuse of eager young hooves. Faded lines of black paint could be glimpsed in between the scars in what Twilight assumed were meant for some kind of organized sport. The walls were lined with sections of foam rubber padding, each one stretching from the floor to a little over the height of the average pony, just high enough to soften the impact of a headlong charge. From the way they sagged in their worn canvas casings,Twilight doubted they were much of an improvement over the bare wall. Whatever safety guideline demanded putting them up in the first place clearly didn’t provide rules concerning their upkeep. Nor did it demand they be mounted any higher than a pony might reach while jumping for a poorly-thrown ball; an odd choice considering the gymnasium’s primary occupants. While there was a group of young fillies rolling a ball to each other and giggling to themselves, above their heads more than a dozen pegasi moved through the open air. Twilight watched the pegasi form a slow counter-clockwise circle like a flock of birds in formation, but only the nurses and orderlies possessed any form of avian grace. The patients moved like fledglings determined to escape the nest but still unclear on the specifics of flight. There was little sign of any excitement or enjoyment in the display. The fact that they were flying for exercise and not for fun was written out on their bored and sweaty faces. A pair of patients separated from the group to make an unsteady landing, a nurse with a golden mane following them down. They ignored Twilight’s inconsiderate staring as they headed straight for the water fountain near the door. Both of them possessed straight-edged feathers that marked them out as having had their flight feathers clipped: not enough to keep them grounded, but more than enough to restrict their speed and endurance. Twilight absently rubbed a hoof over the dampener on her horn as she watched the patients struggle to lift back off into the air, leaving the nurse alone as she scribbled something down on the clipboard that hung from the wall. The click of Twilight’s hooves on the old wood announced her presence, drawing the nurse’s eyes up from her paperwork. “Can I help you?” “I was wondering if you’ve seen my friend Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said, keeping her tone polite and deferential to mask any lingering doubt. “Rainbow Dash?” The nurse rubbed her chin with a feather. “Oh, her. Yeah, I’ve seen her.” “Could I talk to her?” The nurse chuckled. “Well, you can always try,” she said as she gestured towards the ceiling. Twilight craned her neck upwards. Far above the circling group of patients were an assortment of other pegasi traveling alone or in pairs, their altitude and languid movements made it clear they were trusted enough to have avoided having their own wings clipped. They could cut through the air with the ease of a fish in calm waters, restricted only by the bulk of the gym’s pitted walls. Soaring above them all, her multicolored mane brushing the ceiling tiles, was Rainbow Dash. For a moment, Twilight wondered if this was what Fluttershy had wanted her to see. It was a brief illusion, but as she watched Rainbow Dash do laps around the ceiling, she could almost pretend as if nothing had changed at all. Rainbow could have been taking a mid-afternoon flight back in Ponyville if it weren’t for her green patient’s vest and the doctor in white flying abreast of her. “She won’t want to talk, though,” the nurse said as she lowered her gaze from Rainbow Dash to look over at Twilight. “Rainbow takes her therapy pretty seriously. The only time she misses exercise is when she’s being punished.” She paused as she regarded the two patients in front of her. “What is this about, exactly?” “It’s really important friendship stuff,” Pinkie said as she pushed past Twilight. “It’s part of Rainbow’s therapy. You know, having her make friends so she’s happier and nicer and smiles more.” The nurse rolled her eyes as she returned the clipboard to its spot on the wall. “Whatever. There’s nothing against patients socializing during their free period, but I’m getting approval first. You two stay right there.” Spreading her wings wide, the nurse took to the air in a burst of speed that earned a few jealous glances from the patients doing laps. In seconds she had intercepted the pair of pegasi flying around the ceiling and pulled the doctor aside, allowing Rainbow Dash to fly on ahead. Twilight watched the two ponies hover in midair while chatting with one another. There was something familiar about doctor. Although a name eluded Twilight, the sense of familiarity was enough to convince her that she'd probably seen her in Ponyville once or twice. It was a sensation that brought with it the all too common itch at the back of her mind. Since they were both far out of earshot, Twilight shifted her attention to Rainbow Dash. Twilight took pride in her friend as Rainbow pumped her wings furiously, maintaining height and speed despite the clipped wings. There was a determined grimace on Rainbow’s face as she pushed herself to go faster. The afternoon sun glinted off the sweat on Rainbow’s face, making it look like she were crying amber crystals. Twilight’s glanced back at the pair of staff who were trailing just behind Rainbow. The doctor with the light orange coat looked like she was instructing the nurse to take her place before she rolled over into a headlong dive toward the wooden floor below. Only yards from the ground the mare spread her wings wide, lifting up her trajectory to avoid a lethal impact and sending her sailing just inches off the floor like an orange missile – and redirecting her straight at Twilight and Pinkie Pie. Pinkie giggled while Twilight took an instinctive step backwards. Flapping her wings like a caffeinated hummingbird, the pegasi bled off her speed as fast as she could before landing in front of the two patients. Her confident grin vanished when she slid and stumbled on her hooves, still moving a hair too fast and almost planting her face into the old wood. “Heh, sorry about that,” she said as she straightened herself up. “Sometimes it’s just nice to stretch the wings out.” With her heart still racing and unsure if she could keep her annoyance at the flashy display from souring her voice, Twilight simply nodded instead. More impressive than the landing was the mare’s obvious youth – if it weren’t for her white outfit, she could have passed for an older filly. Her outfit was a trimmed down and more casual version of what the doctors normally wore, suited for activity and ease of movement. As she looked the mare over, Twilight was struck by how frightfully familiar the doctor was, making the itch grow more pronounced. “Wow! That was really cool!” Pinkie Pie declared, bouncing up and down on her hooves. “You’re like super fast and I totally thought you were gonna crash! It gets better everytime I see it.” “Aw, thanks, Pinkie Pie. But honestly, it was nothing,” the doctor said with a wave of her hoof. “Just a little show for the other patients. I like to remind them that they can’t let themselves get discouraged. We can accomplish great things if we keep working at them.” There was an honest enthusiasm behind the corny words, which Twilight could only chalk up to youthful naivety. Her eyes flicked over to Twilight before she returned her attention to Pinkie Pie. “So, what brings my favorite patient assistant all the way to the gym? I thought you didn’t like spending your free period cooped up inside.” Twilight stepped forward, preempting Pinkie Pie. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and we’d like to talk to Rainbow Dash. If it’s not too much trouble, Doctor…” The mare laughed. “I’m not a doctor yet, Twilight. That is still a long ways away. Please, just call me Scootaloo.” Twilight’s jaw almost unhinged itself. “What?” she gasped. While the cutie mark – a bandaged pegasus wing on a cloud – and the increased age certainly didn’t match up with the filly from her memories, everything else was a perfect match: the coat, the mane, the eyes, and even the youthful energy that made it seem like sitting still was impossible. Twilight continued to gawp. “But you’re so old!” Scootaloo pulled her head back as she gave Twilight a quizzical stare. “Old? Most ponies keep telling me how they think I'm too young to be a therapist.” “It’s okay, Scootaloo. You don’t look old. Twilight here just gets a little confused at times,” Pinkie Pie added, earning a stern glare from her friend. “It’s just a side effect from her treatment. I’m helping her to get better!” Scootaloo’s gentle and understanding nod only caused Twilight’s scowl to deepen. “Ah. That makes sense. I was worried I was starting to look my age for a moment.” Twilight sighed. “So… Scootaloo… We were hoping to have a chat with Rainbow Dash during our free period. Could you arrange that for us?” “I need to know what it’s about, first.” Pinkie took a deep breath. “It’s really important friendship stuff that’s part of Rainbow’s th–” “Oh, Pinkie! Hehehe!” Twilight stepped forward with a forced laugh, tactically placing herself between the two ponies. “What she meant to say was that we’re Rainbow’s friends, and we were hoping to have a little conversation with her, if that’s okay with you.” “You’re telling me that you’re both Rainbow Dash’s friends?” Scootaloo asked as she narrowed her eyes. “As in actual friend friends?” The sheer disbelief in Scootaloo’s voice was enough to draw out a bead of cold sweat on Twilight’s brow. “Well, we’ve only just become acquaintances recently, so we’re not really friends in the traditional sense, but honestly, it’s only a matter of time.” Twilight forced her grin even wider. “That’s awesome!” Scootaloo shouted, pulling both patients into a full hug which Pinkie Pie readily reciprocated. “I’m so glad Rainbow’s finally reaching out and trying to meet new ponies!” There was a massive smile on Scootaloo’s face when she stepped back. “I didn’t know she was taking my advice to heart, but it’s the best news I’ve heard all day.” The honest excitement in Scootaloo’s voice was almost as startling as the sudden embrace, leaving Twilight’s mind reeling. “Really?” she managed to ask. “It sure is!” Scootaloo said. “I’ve been working with Rainbow for years now, and it’s obvious that she needs a broader social life. Don’t get me wrong, Rainbow’s not a bad pony, but it’s still refreshing to know she’s been trying to make friends again.” “Everypony needs more friends,” Pinkie chirped, which earned a patronizing smile from Scootaloo. “Exactly. Which is why it’s so nice to know she’s got you two in her life now.” Twilight glanced up at her distant friend. “Since you’re Rainbow's therapist, surely you can ask her to come down and talk to us, right? It would really help us become friends.” The smile vanished from Scootaloo’s face. “I’d rather not. Friends or not, I’ve been with her long enough to know how little she likes to get distracted while ‘training’. If there was anything more likely to ruin a future friendship, it would be cutting into her flying time. She’s pretty much in the zone right now, and there’s no pony that takes physical therapy more seriously than Rainbow Dash.” Twilight sighed as she and Pinkie both watched Rainbow continue her slow circles around the ceiling, the nurse abreast of her. “I figured as much. Well, I guess we can just wait until…” Her voice trailed off into silence. Slowly, she turned to face Scootaloo. “Hold on. Just what does Rainbow Dash need with a physical therapist?” “So she can maintain her ability to fly, of course,” Scootaloo replied. “All those injuries she sustained as a filly left her almost crippled. Even if she didn’t keep sabotaging her own recovery by acting out and forcing us to clip her wings, she’s not even close to managing a long-distance solo flight. That’s why we always have someone fly with her. At that height, a cramp or spasm could be lethal.” She tilted her head as she looked at them both. “She didn’t tell either of you about this, did she?” Pinkie continued to stare up at the circling pegasi while Twilight shrugged, hiding her shock behind cool indifference. “No. She never wanted to talk about her injuries. I mean, you know how Rainbow can be: always afraid to admit any weakness.” “She has trouble opening up to ponies, that’s for sure,” Scootaloo said. “It’s a shame. She’s the most dedicated patient I work with, and nopony works harder. But it's her refusal to accept reality – to acknowledge that her injuries caused permanent nerve damage – that holds her back. No amount of training can just make that sort of thing go away.” Silence followed her last remark, leaving Twilight at a loss as what to say next. Scootaloo cleared her throat. “Anyway, I’m sure that if you really care about Rainbow you’ll get her to open up to you eventually. She might act a bit rough at first, but she’s one of the most amazing mares I’ve ever met. I just hope that you’ll be able to help her with her more… unreasonable delusions. I’m sure she’s told you about her plans for the Wonderbolts?” Twilight bobbed her head up and down. “Oh, of course.” “What Rainbow has accomplished is fantastic, but she’s too far in denial about what she can actually achieve. When reality doesn’t match up with what she expects, she gets frustrated and lashes out. It’s possible that she might be able to fly well enough to take care of herself outside of the hospital, but she will never fly as well as the average pegasus, much less like a Wonderbolt.” “Haven’t you told her any of this before?” Twilight asked. “Rainbow might be stubborn, but she normally comes around when there’s a problem standing in her way.” “Oh, I have,” answered Scootaloo with an irritated flick of her tail. “We all have: the nurses, the doctors, everyone. But even though I’m closer to her than anyone else on the staff, Rainbow doesn’t really trust any of us. After all, doctors were the ones who told her she’d never fly again, and she proved them wrong.” “That’s why I’ve been pushing her to make friends. It’s not just because she needs more social interaction in her life, but she needs to hear the truth from someone she really respects. Until she accepts what has happened to her, she’s just going to be stuck in this… this endless cycle of blaming everyone else for her problems and hiding from the truth.” Scootaloo paused, as if recognizing what she had been saying. “Anyway, I didn’t mean to suggest you two need to do anything more than try and be her friends. I want you to understand where she’s coming from, since she’s not likely to tell you herself.” As easy to read as an open novel, Scootaloo’s emotions were laid bare in her face. She’s so naive and invested in her patient that she’s willing to tell me anything, Twilight thought with growing excitement. Twilight eventually met Scootaloo’s gaze and smiled. “We will be her bestest friends ever!” Pinkie Pie shouted, bouncing up and down on her hooves like an sugar-infused filly before she reached out and pulled Twilight in tight, shoulder to shoulder. “We super Pinkie Promise, don’t we Twilight?” She didn’t wait for Twilight to answer. “Rainbow is gonna get the whole Pinkie Pie Best Friendship Treatment! I don’t care if she’s been a meany pants before, no pony deserves to be sad when there is something I can do about it! She’s gonna get so much friendship she’s gonna be swimming in it!” Startled by the outburst, it took Twilight a moment before she join in the laughter. “Okay Pinkie, I think she gets the idea. Just tone it down a bit.” “That’s great to hear,” Scootaloo said with a look of relief. “Not too many patients would want to try and be Rainbow’s friend.” Whatever else Scootaloo was going to say was cut off by a shout of warning from above. All three mares lifted their heads as a bundle of feathers hurtled towards the ground. It was Rainbow Dash, one wing flapping wildly in an attempt to arrest her fall as her other wing was clutched up against her body. She howled like a wounded animal as her face contorted in pain. The nurse she had been flying with was frozen in shock as Rainbow tumbled through the air away from her. It was only a moment’s fleeting hesitation before she recovered and dived after the cartwheeling Rainbow, but it was obvious that she wouldn’t reach her in time. Scootaloo was off like an arrow before Twilight could even register her own panic, shooting straight across the floor towards the falling pegasus. Angling upwards at the last minute, Scootaloo intercepted Rainbow with the soft thump of two bodies colliding. There was a flurry of flapping and hurried shouts before the louder smack of flesh hitting wood echoed around the room, leaving a terrifying silence in its wake. “Rainbow!” Twilight screamed as she charged across the floor. Before she could get close, the staff descended upon the fallen pair like a swarm of vultures around carrion, Twilight’s cries lost beneath their shouted questions and commands. Momentarily forgotten, the bravest and most curious patients hovered nearby, hoping to catch a glimpse of what had occurred through the milling orderlies, while others continued to fly their rough circle through the air, heedless of what else was going on. The rest of the patients fled to the corners of the gym like birds startled by a sudden noise. A few simply remained where they stood, covering their ears and shrieking loudly. Twilight managed to push through the other patients in time to see Scootaloo helping a groaning Rainbow Dash to her hooves, both pegasi looking battered but unharmed. A wave of relief passed through the onlookers, as if the room itself were exhaling when Rainbow Dash managed a few steps on her own. She blushed as she shrugged off the nurses that surrounded her, growling that she was fine even as she held one wing tenderly against her flank. Held back by the ring of orderlies making sure the nurses had all the space they needed, Twilight felt her knees shake as the tension drained out of her. An unsteady smile spread over her face as she watched Scootaloo inspect a reluctant Rainbow’s wing. Well, at least if she hurts herself in this world it’s not permanent, she thought. A few bruises is nothing. It’s not like she… died… Twilight sat down hard before her legs could give out, the color draining from her face. Rainbow could have died! And if she dies here, then… Oh no. No no no no. “That was scary, but at least they’re not hurt!” Pinkie said with forced cheerfulness as she sat down next to the horrified Twilight. “For a minute there I was super afraid that something bad might happen. She sure is lucky!” Twilight licked her dry lips. “Y-yes. Lucky.” As the staff slowly rounded up the rest of the patients and returned to their previous activities, Twilight stood up and carefully made her way after the departing pair of pegasi. She managed to catch up with them near the water fountains as Scootaloo berated a scowling Rainbow Dash. “... that's why you don’t get to fly that high for so long. Your wings just can’t take the strain.” “I’d be able to if you didn't keep clippinnngh my wings!” Dash spat back in Scootaloo’s face. “They wouldn’t keep clipping your feathers if you didn’t keep getting in trouble! What you did to Doctor Applejack was inexcusable, and you know it.” Dash flared her wings out aggressively, although when one wing refused to fully extend it gave the pose a pathetic sense of forced bravado. “Hey! What happened to Fluttershy was her fault! I’m nnn… nnot gonna let anyone hurt one of my friends.” “Doctor Applejack didn’t do anything to Fluttershy. It was a terrible accident. And that still doesn’t make it okay for you to lie to Nurse Golden Rain about how long you’ve been flying or when your wing starts to hurt. We have those limits for your safety. If I hadn’t managed to catch you, you could have been seriously hurt.” Scootaloo let her voice drop to a near whisper. “And if you get hurt, then what would happen to Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash sputtered with angry defiance, although the way she flinched made it clear the question had hit home. Unable to find anything to say she huffed and turned away from Scootaloo. Her eyes narrowed as she recognized Twilight and Pinkie Pie. “What do you two want?” “We wanted to make sure you were okay!” Pinkie Pie said with gusto, although most of her excitement seemed to be focused on Scootaloo. “I was like ‘oh no she’s falling!’ and then saw Scootaloo race over and was like ‘she can’t make it in time because Rainbow is falling so fast’ but then she did! That was soooo scary! Scootaloo is amazingly amazing!” Rainbow’s expression only darkened, prompting Twilight to step forward. “We are also really impressed at how high you were able to fly, Rainbow Dash. That was also, um, amazingly amazing.” “Of course it was! I’m Rainbow Daa… Dash!” she said before her suspicion returned. “So, what, were you two spying on me?” “Actually, Fluttershy sent us.” Twilight’s words brought out a smile on Scootaloo’s face. “Oh, so you know Rainbow’s other friend? That’s wonderful!” “Yes. She said we should come by and see Rainbow so we could appreciate how hard she works to fly as well as she does. She also hopes Rainbow won’t fly like that again because she really doesn’t want her to end up dea– seriously injured.” The flicker of pleasure at Twilight’s compliment vanished beneath a heavy dose of skepticism. “You better not have been trying to bully her or nothing, egghead. I’ll know if you were.” “She approached us. I think she really just wants us to be friends as well.” Pinkie Pie nodded as well. “Yeah! Super best friends!” Twilight rummaged around in her pocket. “See?” she asked as she pulled out the drawing of the injured bird. “She sent us here because she wants us to be friends too.” “So? Just because she gave you a drawing doesn’t mean you’re that close,” Rainbow said, her protest coming off flat and forced. She nibbled on her lower lip before letting out a loud huff. “Fine. Since Fluttershy thinks you’re cool, I’ll give you a shot.” “That sounds like a great idea,” Scootaloo said. “I’ll talk to one of the doctors and see if I can arrange some time for you to really get to know each other.” Rainbow looked poised to deliver a cutting retort when Scootaloo placed a calming hoof on Rainbow’s back. “Plus, spending time making friends peacefully would be a good way to show the doctors that you’re making progress and that you might not need to have your feathers clipped,” she added, giving Rainbow a knowing stare. Rainbow Dash scrunched up her face in irritation before letting out a sharp harrumph. “Fine. As long as it gets me my wings back, I’ll play teaparty or whatever.” “Great!” a beaming Scootaloo said before turning back to Twilight. “You’re one of Doctor Applejack’s patients, right?” Twilight nodded as she returned the drawing to her pocket. “Then I’ll contact her about setting something up. I’m sure we can find the time for some sort of group activity for you three. How does that sound?” Pinkie Pie bounced on her hooves excitedly. “Oh I can’t wait! I love parties for new friends! I have so many great ideas.” What followed was a rapid list of games, food items, and party themes, each containing high quantities of sugar and frosting, and which was only brought to a close by a nurse loudly announcing that the free period was over and commanding all the patients to form up to be lead to their next destination. Scootaloo gave Twilight and Pinkie Pie a friendly farewell before leading Rainbow off on her own. Rainbow only grunted, pointedly not looking at the other two patients. Once they were out of earshot Pinkie turned to Twilight. “Do you think that was too much? Rainbow didn’t really seem all that interested in the party planning.” “It doesn’t matter. Just having some time with her should be enough.” “Really? It usually takes me more than one meeting to really make a good friend.” “It is easier when you have magic.” Pinkie gave Twilight a confused stare as they made their way towards the shuffling lines of patients. “But you can’t do magic. Not with that thing on your horn.” “That’s exactly why we’re sneaking into Rose’s office tomorrow.”