''Will he be okay? Please just tell me!'' Rainbow said, anger and impatience growing withing her as she nagged the doctor for a response.
''For the last time, Rainbow, I don't know. Would you just let me do my job so I can find you the answer?'' Doc Church said, annoyance shown clearly on his face at the ponies attitude.
After a brief scan and inspection of Brady's unconscious form, the doctor got back up and looked Dash dead in the eyes. Something about his gaze made Dash worry.
''Rainbow...could you just maybe step outside for a moment?''
His voice was quiet, almost like Fluttershy's, but just the way he said it made Rainbow nearly go into a frenzy.
''Go? Why? Whats wrong!?''
''I don't know for sure, but I have a feeling something bad is gonna happen. I'm gonna have to make sure before I can let him go. That is if he ever wakes up.''
''How could you say that?! He's been irradiated worse than anything I've seen so far! Before I hauled him here, he started coughing blood from his mouth and he just collapsed! People nor ponies do that and just ''never get up!''. ''
''Coughing blood? How much?'' Church asked with a raised brow.
''A lot. The floor is stained with it at his house.''
''Great...I suddenly feel a lot worse about this situation...''
''Huh? Why?''
''Rainbow, seriously. Just listen to me, for Brady's sake. If you want me to do something about it, you'll have to leave for a few hours or so. I need to know for sure what I'm dealing with.''
''Ugh! Fine!''
And with that, Rainbow flew out the room and slammed the metal-sheet door behind her, leaving a rather pissed Doc Church behind.
''Well, maybe now I can get on with my job...''
Doc Church looked at Brady, seeing he still hadn't moved a bit. He sat on an old chair and knelt down beside his figure, looking up and down at his body. His whole skin texture had turned pale white, giving him an eery appearance. On his mouth, he had blood smothering his lips that was slowly oozing down the side of his face and down his neck as it made for the bedding he was laying on.
Doc Church felt for his pulse, but didn't find one. He moved his fingers around his neck area until he could find it, and soon, he found a faint, slow thumping sensation, giving him the confirmation he was still alive, or slowly dieing, giving his condition.
He gently lifted up Brady's eyelid, opening it enough to see his pupil, and what he saw immediately caused him to back away instantly. His eye had turned that of a pure milk-white colour and shown no emotions. It was almost as if he had no pupils at all.
''Jesus, its just what I thought it was...'' The Doctor said as he tried to calm down. ''...ghoulification.''
''Stupid doctor! Can't even help Brady stay alive!'' Rainbow Dash ranted on in anger as she trotted around town and kicked madly at the dirt, knocking dust into the soft breeze and pushing it around. Passerbys looked at her, wondering what she was so angry about, but most knew to not even dare approach her when she was like this. The only thing that was running through their minds as they looked at her was ''What is she doing here? How did she get here?''. Dash even snarled at some of the few people who watched her, staring down on her, and made them back off in fear.
The only thing Rainbow could do at this moment was wait, and man, did she hate waiting...
She thought she'd go and see Moira, seeing as there was only her and Gob whom she knew in town. But she didn't really know much about Gob, so what is the point in going there? Moira could get a little annoying, but Dash knew how to keep her cool and not get annoyed by it, mostly because she was used to it back in Equestria when she was around Pinkie Pie. Thinking of Pinkie Pie, Rainbow just wished she could see her again; just once. She missed her and her friends. The only friends she had in the cruel, new world was Brady, Moira and Gustavo. As for Dogmeat, she hadn't seen him for a while, but didn't pay much notice to it. She was never really the dog kind of person, anyway.
Almost the exact instant Rainbow opened the door, she was greeted by the every so joyful Moira Brown. She still wore that grey, RobCo jumpsuit and her hair was the same, pretty red it was before, still tied in a neat bun at the back. She came over towards Rainbow and greeted her.
''Oh, hey! Whats up, Rainbow? Everything been alright lately? I've heard some things happened after I last saw you and Brady. Where is he anyway?''
Rainbow looked sadly at the ground, feeling the tears coming, but she didn't want to cry. She was angry. Brady meant the world to her, and she'll be damned if she loses him.
''He's at the clinic, Moira. Somethings up with him.'' Is all Rainbow said, looking up at Moira's hazel eyes, and quite clearly judging from the look Moira returned to Dash, she could tell she wanted to cry.
''In the clinic? What happened? Is he alright?'' Moira nearly exclaimed, a little surprised but concerned.
''I don't think so. Just the other day, I woke up next to him and he was just so...pale. Blood was running down his lip, but he wasn't even hurt! I don't know if he'll make it! He started coughing up blood, so we went to go and see Doc Church, and he said it was radiation poisoning. Apparently, higher than any case hes seen in that area of medicinal science!''
''Aw...don't be sad, Dashie. I'm sure he'll be alright. He's had worse, and I know that for a fact.''
''How so?''
''Well, before you tagged along with him, I asked him to help with a book I wrote called The Wasteland Survival Guide, and one was to go and get medical supplies from a pharmacy or super-market and the next thing I know, he comes back with a knife wound up his lower intestine, and the worst part is that he had quite a few bullet wounds in him, too! Ugh!''
''You mean...he nearly...died?'' Rainbow asked quietly, almost a whisper.
''Yeah. I was able to patch him up, though. He did take about a week or so before he could get back on his feet, though.''
''Yeah? We ended up working for Mister Tenpenny, and he wanted Brady to go after some guy called Burke. Brady got beat up pretty bad. He also got stabbed, but before Burke killed him, a guy called Gustavo killed him and he was in medical care for a short while. I was just...so scared that I'd lose him...''
''Wait...WHAT?!'' Moira exclaimed, making Rainbow inch back a bit. ''He worked for Mister Tenpenny?! That fancy-pants who lives in that classy building?! My god, hes a monster! He may seem nice, but I've seen what hes really like. Hes just pure evil on the inside.''
''Yeah, we figured that one out, right before I knocked him out and came back here.''
''Wow, really? Well, I don't think I wanna know what happens next if he comes looking for you. Those guards in armor of his can be very brutal, you know.''
''I'd like to see them try come for me. Chances are they won't find me, anyway.''
''Hey, Rainbow? I've been meaning to ask you something.''
''Hmm?''
''How come you like Brady so much?''
Rainbow went silent, a hot shade of crimson appearing on her cyan cheeks, earning a small giggle from Moira.
''Well...its just...he saved my life. I thought it was only right that I owe him back for it with mine. I think I actually love him. When I'm around him, I just feel...warmer inside. Like I'm a whole different pony.''
''That's sweet, Rainbow. I think he used to have a crush on me, too.''
''Really?''
''Yeah. Back when we first met, I could tell by that look in his eyes that he had something for me. Even now I don't know what made him act the way he did back then. He always used to seem so nervous and kinda quiet around me.''
''He probably didn't have it in him to admit to his true feelings. Ha, I know I didn't at first either. Eventually I said it though. Then before we knew it, we were-'' She fell silent, realizing what she was just about to say but stopped herself before she said it.
''You and Brady....? You both...'' Moira stuttered, knowing exactly what Rainbow was going to say.
Rainbow's blush deepened at knowing that Moira knew what she was going to say.
''Yeah...'' Dash said slowly and awkwardly. ''I guess one thing lead to another...''
''I'll say..''