Sweetie Belle was in her room, tucked in bed. The lights were out, and Rarity was already asleep. She couldn’t sleep, of course. She couldn’t stop thinking of Scootaloo, and how she had been so upset. Why wouldn’t she be? She would have to wait five more years, but that was a long time for a pony like Scootaloo. And what if it died off next year? Then Scootaloo would never fly.
She got out of bed and walked to the kitchen to get some water. While she filled her glass, she continued to think. What could be done? Should she go and get it? How dangerous could a forest be? After all, she'd been to the Everfree and that was one of the most dangerous places ever. Maybe Rainbow Dash was just making a big deal out of something small. She had a tendency to over-exaggerate. But why would she exaggerate when it came to Scootaloo's own wings? Maybe she didn't really love her like she said she did? No, that wasn't possible. But something had to be done. Scootaloo would do the same for her, so she had a duty to her friend.
The water filled and spilled over the edge of the glass, and she hastily shut off the faucet. She drank her water and made her choice. Creeping outside, she carefully shut the door so as to not alert Rarity.. Once outside, she headed off to the Everfree forest. She remembered that the forest had been on the west side of the Everfree forest, so that was where she went. It was a good distance away, but she didn't mind. She enjoyed walking at night. It was peaceful.
The trip there was uneventful. The night was cold, but the walk kept Sweetie Belle from feeling the cold bite of the wind. The sky was clear, and she could see all the stars. She loved looking at the stars. She would trace pictures in them with her friends, often making the most ridiculous or funny pictures they could. But she didn’t stop for that. She would trace the stars with Scootaloo and Apple Bloom when she had given her friend her wings back. She walked down her path until she reached her destination.
The Pleusian Forest was exotic looking. The trees all had a light glow to them, and looked more like palm trees than forest trees. She wondered how they missed it all these years. After all, it wasn’t exactly hidden from view or anything. Maybe there was reason nopony was told about it?
She took one last look back towards Ponyville before she delved into the mystic looking forest. She set about looking for the herb. Obviously, it would grow on the ground, right? So she looked on the ground. She found many strange things. Some plants looked more like animals then plants, the way they moved about and felt. one even retracted at her touch, and another was actually moving. Try as she might, she couldn’t see anything that looked like what she saw in the book.
She looked up towards the sky. Unlike the Everfree, here you could still see the sky. The stars were a welcoming sight, seeming to make the mystical forest complete.
Then she saw it. There it was, hanging from a tree, just a few feet from the ground.
She felt like she was being watched, like the shadows held an evil that waited for her, waiting to grab her.. She saw nothing but could have sworn she had heard a rustle. She grabbed a nearby log and used it to reach the herb. She grabbed it in her mouth and pulled it down, but lost her balance and slipped. The moss on the ground cushioned her fall so she wasn't hurt at all. She was so happy, she wanted to squeal, but knew better. She admonished herself for not bringing a saddle bag, but she couldn't change that now.
As she walked out, she knew something wasn’t right. The feeling of being watched was unmistakable now, quickening her pace, sending her into a trot. Then the ground shifted under her feet. At first just a little bit, then without warning it whipped out from under her and she was airborne. She almost screamed, but kept her mouth closed, holding onto the plant. She couldn’t lose it.
Before she hit the ground, something wrapped around her legs, holding her up. All four legs were bound by what looked like a tentacle. She tried to get free, but the thing’s grip was strong. It left like a vise had clamped onto her leg and was slowly crushing it. She held back her cries as tears formed in her eyes.
A big, oblong shaped blob came out of the darkness. Sweetie Belle guessed it was the thing’s head.
The blob split open to reveal massive razors, each one in position to make the thing look like a mouth. She held her breath, trying to think of something. Before she could devise a way to escape, the monster chomped down on her right back leg and yanked around. Sweetie Belle couldn’t hold it anymore. She screamed, letting the herb fall to the ground. The pain coursed through her leg, shooting up her spine and numbing her brain.
After a lot of biting and yanking, her leg came off, and the beast dropped it. Sweetie Belle, through her pain and agony, saw she was wrong about the head. Below her, a huge maw gaped wide to swallow her leg. It's tongue shot out to wrap around her severed leg then sucked it into it's gaping jaw.
She threw up into the monsters mouth, but it ate that too. It bit down on her other back leg, trying to rip that one off as well. She fought the blackness closing around her. Her body dry heaved, and she couldn't think through the pain. It was over. She would die now because... because of what? Some random monster grabbing her while she tried to help a friend? She never thought it would end this way. She closed her eyes and waited for the jagged teeth to pierce her body.
Before it could finish her off, something flew out of the sky and smashed what was biting her. The blob exploded, spraying blood and flesh all over Sweetie Belle. Her gag reflex failed her in her pain as some of the flesh fell into her mouth. She tried to look over, but was about to pass out from the pain. She couldn't move her muscles.
She heard a lot more crunching and felt more blood spatter her in a few places. Then she was suddenly flung to the ground, landing right next to the herbs she had dropped. She could barely make it out among the blood filling her vision, but she managed to reach over and bite down on them, holding them in her mouth with all her strength.
She was lifted off the ground rather fast, and within seconds, was back on the ground, this time outside of the forest and in Sweet Apple Acres. She was apple to make out Rainbow Dashes face above her. Through a black fog, she made out her savior's words.
“What were you doing, kid!?”
She could only spit out the herb along with some blood and mumble, “For Scootaloo…” before succumbing to the blackness. The last thing she saw were the stars above her head. She could have sworn she saw Scootaloo in those stars, smiling down at her.
Scootaloo was awoken in the middle of the night by Rainbow Dash, who only pulled her out of bed and flew her to the hospital. On the way there, Scootaloo was attempting to spit out some words, but her words were slurred with sleep.
“Wha... wha 'er you doing?”
“Sweetie Belle is injured.” After a pause, she added. “Badly.”
That woke her up instantly. “What happened?”
Rainbow Dash didn’t despite , so she eventually shut up. Rainbow was so stubborn. Sweetie was her friend! Why would withhold information about her friend from her?
When they got to the hospital, they were told to wait in the waiting room. “She is in surgery right now. We’ll tell you when you may see her.” The nurse looked sad. Maybe it was just because of all the bad things she saw.
Rarity, Apple Jack and Apple Bloom were in the waiting room as well. Apple Bloom ran up to Scootaloo. “Do ya know what happened?” She had tear stains on her cheeks.
Scootaloo turned to Rainbow Dash, determined to get an answer. “What happened?”
Rainbow Dash turned away, wincing as if speaking any words would pain her. “Rarity contacted me at around midnight when she found Sweetie Belle’s room empty. She searched the house but couldn’t find her. I knew she might have gone for the forest after I told her no, so I decided to check. Turns out, she did, and I found her being attacked by a Tentocna. I saved her and she was holding these.” Rainbow Dash pulled out some glowing grass from a satchel. “She said these were for you. I... I would assume it's the herb you need.”
Scootaloo took the herb and recognized it as the plant she needed. The laxinhos herb. She took a long stare at it. This was the answer to her dreams. This could make her fly. This would give her life a meaning, a purpose. yet it came at what price?
She sat down, gently holding the herb in her hooves. Sweetie Belle had gone and gotten them for her. But what had happened to her to warrant a surgery? Just how what injuries had she sustained? Why wasn't anypony telling her?
After hours of waiting, a doctor stepped into the room. “Rarity? Come with me.”
Rarity got up and followed him, leaving the others to wait. Scootaloo couldn’t stand the silence. It was killing her, not knowing what was going on. She had to talk to Sweetie Belle! She should be in there, with her friend! She needed to be with her. She had to see her, to see what had happened.
After a while, Rarity came back, crying, followed by the doctor. Scootaloo got really scared. What was wrong?
“Apple Bloom?” the doctor asked.
The little yellow filly followed the doctor, leaving Scootaloo with no one to talk to. Rainbow Dash was gone, and Apple Jack had gone to get them all something to drink. Rarity was crying, and had a look of utter despair on her face. Of course, Rarity was a bit dramatic, but still. What if she wasn't just being dramatic? What might happen?
Apple Jack returned and gave Scootaloo a cup of hot chocolate. Scootaloo drank a little bit, but couldn’t drink anymore. She was so stressed; the drink was making her nauseous.
Apple Bloom returned, tears streaking her face. Scootaloo was ready to cry, and she had yet to see Sweetie Belle. The Doctor called her name, and she followed him to the room that held Sweetie Belle.
She entered and the doctor left them alone. She could hear the slow, consistent beep of the monitor. She saw her friend, lying under some sheets, eyes closed. She looked so peaceful, like she wasn't hurt. She was just resting. Scootaloo swallowed and spoke up. “Sweetie B-Belle?”
Sweetie Belle turned to Scootaloo, but her eyes took a second to open. “Hi.”
Scootaloo choked on her words, uttering a barely understandable, “Hi.”
Sweetie Belle beamed as best she could with the pain she was in. Her grimace gave away the fact she was in extreme pain. She pointed at Scootaloo. “You got my gift? Do you like it?”
Scootaloo nodded gently. “Yeah. But Sweetie Belle?”
“Yeah?”
A single tear streaked down her face. “Please don’t go.”
Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened and a look of fear crossed her face for a few seconds, then she returned to normal. “Sorry. My vision just left for a second.”
“Really Sweetie. You can’t go. Not now. I need you.” She was trying desperately to hold back her tears, to seem strong for her friend.
She was failing.
Sweetie Belle laughed. “Well, you know, I may not have a choice. I feel weird right now. Like... like I’m being pulled from my body.”
Scootaloo looked at the herb in her hand. “Why’d you do it?”
“Get the herb?” Sweetie Belle sighed. “I want you to fly and live out your dream. It’s what friends do, right?” She coughed a little bit, but even her coughs sounded so... peaceful.
“But what about your dreams?” Scootaloo felt another tear slide down her cheek. “You can’t live them out if you d-die.”
Sweetie Belle laughed once more. “Oh Scootaloo... maybe my dream is to help my friends live theirs.” She smiled and closed her eyes, giving one last, gentle sigh. One, precious tear ran down her cheeks, coming to rest on the bed sheets she lay under.
The monitor ceased beeping and gave one, unending note. Scootaloo wasn’t a doctor, but she knew what that meant. She couldn’t believe it at first, then the realization took hold. Sweetie Belle was gone. Dead so that Scootaloo could fly. Sweetie Belle had died for her. She had given her life to make her dreams come true.
Scootaloo grabbed the little fillies hoof, tears falling faster. “No. No! Sweetie Belle! No!”
A Doctor promptly entered the room. Upon seeing that she was gone, he grabbed Scootaloo. ‘I’m sorry kid, but you have to leave.”
Scootaloo tried to fight it, but the doctor was too strong. “No!” She didn’t want to leave. Sweeite wasn't dead! She couldn't be! She had to be sleeping! The machine must be broken! “Sweetie Belle! No!”
Her cries echoed off the empty halls of the lonely building.