//------------------------------// // 2. Two teaspoons of regret // Story: A Bitter Almond Cake // by Sparlight_Twikle //------------------------------// Monday morning “Twilight!” The purple unicorn's head ached. She rolled in her bed and mumbled: “Just five more minutes, Spike” she yawned “Is the juice ready?” “Spike brought you the juice, now wake up!” The blanket was pulled from Twilight's bed, exposing her to lower temperature of bedroom's air. She opened her eyes and saw a baby dragon with a glass of tomato juice... and a blue pegasus. “Rainbow Dash? What are–” “Drink it and get going! Fluttershy is sick! I found her collapsed in front of her hut and brought her to the hospital!” “But... but she was fine yesterday, at Pinkie's party...” “I have no time to explain it! I gotta go and wake up Rarity!” Dash shouted and flew out through the window. Twilight got up from her bed and drank the juice. “Hurry up, Twilight!” said Spike. Twilight quickly examined her reflection in the mirror. Her mane was in a complete mess. She looked like a hobo. ‘Oh well, there's no time for it.’ she realized ‘Fluttershy got sick for some reason and we should visit here as soon–’ Her hungover brain suddenly realized what could be the reason. “Oh no, it can't be...” she whispered to herself and immediately ran towards the hospital. She entered the building and tried to catch her breath. Pinkie Pie and three Apples were already there, waiting in the corridor. Apple Bloom was crying in her sister's arms and Applejack tried to comfort her. Pinkie Pie sat silent. Big Mac looked frantically at any medical staff passing by in hope they could say something about Fluttershy's condition. “Guys, what happened?” asked Twilight. “Nopony knows yet.” answered Pinkie. “All we know is that Dash found Fluttershy unconscious, brought here here and I think she's in surgery now.” “Did they say anything else.” “No.” They sat in silence for a few minutes when Rainbow Dash appeared. “Rarity's coming.” she said “It'll take her a little more time. She has to–ugh!–‘prepare’ herself, or something.” It took whole thirty minutes for Rarity to show up. She arrived together with her little sister. After few more minutes somepony noticed that it's time for kids to go to school. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle left the hospital and walked slowly towards the school hill. Six ponies waited for hours, until finally at noon a unicorn stallion wearing a white coat approached them. “Are you friends or family of Fluttershy?” he asked. Applejack answered: “Yes. How is she, doc?” “She had intrauterine haemorrhage, probably caused by injury, miscarriage or some uncommon allergic reaction to pregnancy. She lost a huge amount of blood. We managed to seal the wounds and her condition is stable now. You can visit her, but she won't be awake for at least hour.” Everypony got up from their seats. “Quick! Tell us where she is!” demanded Rainbow Dash. “She's in room 402.” Six friends galloped in the direction the physician pointed. They arrived into a small, well lit room, with four beds. Only one of them was occupied. Fluttershy, with closed eyes, lay in the bed. A blood bag hung on a pole next to the bed, connected to a vein in her left foreleg. The ponies formed a half-circle around her and stood in silence. Twilight tried to stand behind other ponies. She did not want anypony to see her, both out of shame and because she was afraid somepony notices something weird about her. She felt enormous guilt about what happened. She hung her head down and closed her eyes. A single tear fell down from her cheek onto the floor. She heard some sheets rustling and gasp of other ponies. She opened her eyes, raised her head and saw that Fluttershy was waking up. “Hello everypony...” almost inaudibly said Fluttershy “Where am I?” “Omigosh you're okay!” shouted Rainbow Dash with excitement and launched herself forward, only to be stopped by Big Mac's hoof. “We were so totally worried about you!” “Ya woke up earlier than the doc said, sugarcube!” added Applejack. “We thought ya'll be sleepin' for an hour more!” “I'm... still kind of drowsy...” said Fluttershy “What happened?” Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash started reporting her all the events of this morning. Rainbow Dash used this opportunity to portray herself as a valiant hero, and Pinkie focused on things she observed while waiting in the hospital corridors. They chatted for a while, Fluttershy yawned several times, and finally the doctor came and announced the end of visiting hours. Everypony started to leave, only Twilight lagged behind. Finally, she was left alone with Fluttershy. “I'm sorry.” she said. “It's my fault you're here. I should've been more assertive back then and refuse. I wouldn't be surprised if you hated me now.” “Oh no, Twilight, it's okay...” replied the pegasus. “It's all my fault. You didn't do nothing wrong. I don't hate you,” she yawned “but please, could you go now? The doctor will be angry and I need to sleep.” “Sure, bye, Fluttershy.” said Twilight, smiling awkwardly, and left to catch her friends. When she caught up to them, Applejack remarked: “Here's the last apple in the bushel. What were y'all doin' there?” Pinkie laughed. “Oh silly Twilight! Waiting to the end to get an opportunity to talk! If you wanted to say something, you could've just asked!” “Yeah, silly me!” Twilight forced herself to chuckle. “Y'all know what?” suddenly started Big Macintosh, who was silent the whole time since the morning. “Ah think me and mah sis will go check on Fluttershy's animals. See y'all later.” The stallion left, followed by his surprised sister. “Tomorrow at five!” Pinkie Pie yelled after them. “So, I think I've got to be going.” said Twilight, turning to the direction of library. “See you tomorrow.” Pinkie shouted something back to her, but she was not listening any more. All her inner voices were now screaming ‘You hurt Fluttershy!’ ‘You bastard!’ She entered the library, went to her bedroom, lay down in bed in fetal position and started to stroke her tail. She didn't even remember when she fell asleep. Twilight woke up to the smell of dinner. Spike was preparing something – not that it mattered what it was, she didn't have any appetite for anything. She felt unsurmountable guilt for what happened, but this time the feeling of guilt became overshadowed by even darked emotion. Fear. It wasn't fear of Fluttershy dying. It was fear of the crime being revealed. Twilight knew that what she had done was illegal, but until this morning she thought no evidence would ever surface. Nopony else, except for her and Fluttershy, knew about the pregnancy. Nopony else knew what happened in the shed. And now, the doctors stumbled upon an unexplainable, in natural terms, internal bleeding. They would ask Fluttershy what she did. She was weak. She said it herself. It was only a matter of time until she confessed and ratted out Twilight. Then there would no more happy days in Ponyville. Twilight would be gone. Imprisoned. Banished. Executed. “Aaargh!” “Twilight? You're done napping?” asked Spike from the kitchen. “Dinner's almost ready, you can come here.” Twilight got up and smiled. If these were her last days as a free pony, she should at least enjoy them to the fullest. Spike's cooking is surely better than anything they serve in prison. Tuesday afternoon Twilight closed the library's door and turned over the sign, which now said ‘Closed.’ She yawned. The last night was very stressful, she barely slept. All night and all morning, her mind was occupied with thoughts about Fluttershy. She trotted to the hospital, meeting Pinkie Pie and Rarity on her way. Pinkie and Rarity were chatting about some silly stuff. Twilight didn't even bother paying attention. She had an objective today: to find out how much Fluttershy revealed. It was important to know whether she should flee from country now, or wait a little and pack. Just before the hospital they met Applejack and Big Macintosh. It was obvious that they were returning from Fluttershy's hut, because they smelled of rodents. Rainbow Dash had already arrived and was talking with Fluttershy when the remaining five ponies entered the room 402. “Guys, you're late! We were supposed to meet Fluttershy at five, and it's now two past five!” complained the blue pegasus. “Oh come on, Dashie,” sadi Pinkie, hopping towards the pegasi. “It's not like Fluttershy was waiting here alone for those two minutes, because she was with her bestest friend and they could chat and laugh and everything together!” “Yeah, whatever Pinkie.” riposted Rainbow Dash and paused. She started sniffing the air. “I smell rats. Or mice.” “Ah think it's us.” explained Applejack, pointing her hoof at herself and Big Mac. “We were at Fluttershy's to check on her animals.” “Oh, it's so kind of you.” happily said the yellow pegasus lying in her bed. “I hope it isn't a burden for you. Are the animals okay?” “Eeyup.” answered Big Mac, raising proudly his head. Twilight, who stood at the back of the group, was carefully listening and analyzing every word of the conversation. ‘Apples said animals were okay. That means that either they're pretending they didn't see animal corpses rotting everywhere, or Fluttershy managed to clean them before Sunday. But what about the more important stuff, you know, like me?! I cannot ask about it myself, it would be too suspicious. Come on, somepony do it!’ Luckily for Twilight, Rarity changed the topic: “Yes, poor animals, but what about you, darling? We have been terribly worried about you and we'd love to hear what the doctors say.” “Don't worry, Rarity,” Fluttershy tried to reassure her friend. “The doctors were examining me this morning and they said I'll be able to leave the hospital in a week. They still don't know how it happened, though.” While speaking the last sentence, Fluttershy kept her gaze fixed on Twilight. The purple unicorn immediately understood what she meant and instinctively released a sigh of relief. Somehow, Pinkie Pie managed to hear it and began to hop in excitement while yapping at Twilight: “Isn't it relieving? Are you relieved? 'Cause I'm relieved! I've never been so relieved, well, except for the time when–” “Pinkie!” yelled Applejack. “Ya stepped on my tail! Watch out where yer jumpin'!” “Oopsie!” Twilight knew the answer to Pinkie's question, even though she didn't say it. Yes, she was relieved and she could bet she was more relieved than Pinkie had ever been. Well, unless Pinkie committed some kind of worse crime, like murder, that somehow went unnoticed. Twilight sank in her thoughts. The fear had been diminished, but the guilt was coming back. Her thoughts were interrupted by Rainbow Dash. “Twilight? Hey, are you listening? We gotta go.” Twilight jumped back a little, startled by her friend. How long did she stand there staring at the floor? She fiercely shook her head to clean her mind, said goodbye to Fluttershy and followed the others. When Twilight returned to the library, she suddenly realized something. ‘Angels! Big Mac or Applejack don't know about them! The least thing I could to to make up to Fluttershy for this whole mess is to help her preserve the lineage of white annoying bunnies!’ She peeked outside, to see if any of her friends was around, and quickly left. She didn't meet anypony on her way to Fluttershy's hut. Luckily, the door was not locked. She entered and levitated the wool rug. As she expected, there was a trapdoor beneath. She opened it and a strong stench hit her nostrils. It was dark downstairs. Twilight looked around, located a lamp, lit it and saw an enormous cage full of white fluffy bunnies. “Hello, Angels, mommy's here.” She took a closer look at the rabbits. At least one of them was dead, bitten to death by his peers. Some of them had scars on their ears. Some had infected wounds. Some of them were lame. Only a half of them looked like there were healthy enough to fool anypony to believe they're Angel, but all of them would need a bath before that. Twilight found a bag of rabbit food and a jug of water and she filled empty bowls in the cage. “Sorry, critters, I don't know what else I can do. I hope that's enough for now and you'll survive until Fluttershy comes back. I think I need to read a book, one of those that Big Mac borrowed a week ago.” The rabbits were listening to her, surprised to hear anypony else than their owner. Twilight gave them the last look and returned upstairs. She closed the trapdoor, put the lamp away and covered the floor with the rug. She tried to make the rug fit the hole in the dust layer on the floor to conceal her visit. The effect was mediocre. ‘Well, who'd care!’ she thought and went back home. *** This and several following nights Twilight could finally sleep. Each afternoon she went to visit Fluttershy with her friends. Few times they were accompanied by Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, and the kids even brought to the hospital one of their friends, that annoying pegasus who couldn't fly. Twilight still didn't talk much with Flutteshy and preferred to stay back and observe her friends engaging in conversation. After every visit, Twilight sneaked up to the hut and checked on the bunnies. Meanwhile, Fluttershy's condition was becoming better and better, and finally she could be released from the hospital. Tuesday afternoon “You know what it calls for? A party!” “We know, Pinkie...” Pinkie Pie was jumping in excitement around Twilight and Rarity. They were only halfway to the hospital and yet due to Pinkie they managed to get attention of almost all Ponyville. The reason why she was so excited and couldn't stop talking was Fluttershy. Doctors had decided that the yellow pegasus had recovered, so today she was being released home. When the trio entered the hospital, a passing nurse cleared her throat to suggest Pinkie be quiet. Pinkie smiled to her, jumped in the air and launched herself forward towards Fluttershy's room. Twilight and Rarity followed her, albeit not as fast. When they arrived in the room, they saw Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash happily talking to Fluttershy. Fluttershy was sitting in a wheelchair, holding a box wrapped with a striped ribbon, presumably a present from Dash. In contrast to them, the yellow pegasus looked saddened. Rainbow Dash noticed the unicorns. “I see everypony's here. Let's get going then!” Pinkie quickly situated herself behind the wheelchair and began to push it, continuously prating cheerfully. The ponies left the room and went towards to the hospital door. At the exit the nurse collected the wheelchair and five friends, now all on their own hooves, strolled slowly towards Fluttershy's hut. They were talking about various stuff: Rarity suggested Fluttershy go to the spa to improve her looks after the stay in hospital, Rainbow Dash was bragging about her new aerial tricks, Twilight commented a little on daily happenings in the library, and Pinkie talked for the sake of talking. Fluttershy was mostly quiet, even more that usually. When they reached Ponyville outskirts, the pink pony stopped, give the quiet pegasus a look, then looked at the blue pegasus hovering above them. Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement. “Hey, Fluttershy,” she began. “You're totally silent today. Did something happen? Anything we can do to help?” Fluttershy sighed audibly. “Not really, Rainbow Dash. Don't worry about me, besides I don't want to bother–” “Silly pony,” interrupted Pinkie. “You're not bothering us. Besides today we're going to spend a lot of time together, because we prepared a super-duper awesome party to celebrate your recovery, but I can't tell you that because it's a surprise!” She managed to pronounce the last two sentences in one breath. Fluttershy stopped her breath in shock and then averted her eyes to avoid everypony's gaze. Her friends immediately noticed that she was trying to not cry. Twilight stepped forward, her heart started racing, and she asked: “Fluttershy, what's wrong?” “Nothing, really, but... but I'm really not in the mood for parties.” Other mares stood silent, not knowing what to say in this situation. It was obvious to them that Fluttershy was hiding something from them, and they felt than pushing her wouldn't end well. Suddenly Pinkie broke the silence. “Okie dokie lokie. No parties then. We'll only accompany you to your home and we'll leave you alone with cake and decorations Applejack and Big Mac put in your house. What do you say?” “Uhm, thank you?” answered Fluttershy, not the first time in her life confused by Pinkie Pie's straightforwardness. “So it's settled! Avanti!” yelled the pink pony and galloped forward, leaving her friends behind. “What got into her?” asked Rainbow Dash, not expecting to receive any reasonable answer. When Fluttershy, Twilight, Rarity and Rainbow Dash finally arrived at their destination, they were greeted by three earth ponies with party hats, setting the table and cutting cake. “Pinkie, dear, Fluttershy said she doesn't want a party” remarked Rarity. “I know, but when I arrived, A.J. and Big Mac were already wearing hats, so I put on one too, and then I forgot, and I even thought of jumping out and yelling ‘Surprise!’ at you ponies, but I forgot that too, and now we're ready to a big tea party, but Fluttershy doesn't want it and I don't know what to do! Sorry!” Pinkie Pie released words from her mouth with a speed of machine gun, a fictional weapon mentioned in that mythology that Lyra Heartstrings loved to research. Everypony looked at Fluttershy. The pegasus sighed and whispered: “Okay, one little tea party can't hurt.” Wednesday afternoon Twilight was quite content that after the tea party Big Macintosh said Fluttershy needed some peace and quiet. That meant that today she wouldn't meet anypony at Fluttershy's. Twilight closed the library door behind her and trotted towards the hut, continuously looking around for her friends. Luckily, she didn't meet any, so she arrived to Fluttershy's hut without any problems. She knocked few times. She heard some noise and interpreted it as Fluttershy inviting her to come in, so she opened the door. The yellow pegasus was sitting on the floor, feeding slowly a rabbit with one leaf of parsley after another. Her moves were slow, lacking energy, almost mechanical. Her gaze was fixed in some nonexistent distant point of space. “Hello, Fluttershy.” When the mare heard her name, she quickly stood up, dropping a bucket with parsley and turning her head towards the visitor. “Hello, Twilight. Why did you come here?” said she, with a voice void of any emotion. “I was just thinking you looked like you have some problem, so I thought I could help you.” “You can't help me. Nopony can help me.” Fluttershy's voice was becoming quieter. “Is it still about the stuff we did? Don't worry, Fluttershy, it's over now. Everything's back to normal.” “Maybe for you!” suddenly yelled the pegasus. “Not for me! I– doctors said– the morning, yesterday...” She took a huge breath. “I won't be able to have foals anymore!” Twilight froze from the shock. “But you said you didn't want to have that foal...” “I said! But now I don't know anymore! Every other mare can fulfill her dreams about having a foal, but me?” Fluttershy burst into tears. Twilight didn't now what to say. I was her fault. She could have prevented that. “Twilight,” the pegasus continued, “could you please leave? I– I don't feel comfortable around you. I don't hate you, don't worry, and I don't think it's your fault, but I think...” Fluttershy closed her eyes and took a breath. “We can't be friends anymore.” Twilight stared at the pegasus in disbelief. “Please leave.” continued Fluttershy. The unicorn turned around and left the hut with her head down. After few steps she started running, with tears going down her cheeks. Thursday morning Twilight couldn't sleep all night. Every time she closed her eyes, she had nightmares about losing her friends from putting their lives on risk by their own will. She got up early, but she was still tired and couldn't focus on anything. After breakfast, her inner voices woke up and whispered inside her brain. ‘Hey, maybe Fluttershy got better? Maybe if I come today, she'll apologize to me, I'll forgive her, we'll hug each other and cry?’ started the first one. ‘Yeah, as if it happened.’ smirked the second voice. ‘She'll just kick me out, and she's probably recovered enough of her strength to do it literally.’ ‘Not necessarily,’ concurred the optimistic voice, ‘she had already almost unfriended other ponies. Remember that story with Pinkie and Rarity? Fluttershy will get better this time, too!’ ‘Yeah, but those other ponies didn't cripple her for life,’ triumphantly announced the pessimistic one. ‘Yeah, but... uhm... good point. Can I at least peek through the window to satisfy my curiosity?’ asked the optimistic Twilight. ‘For what reason?’ ‘Erm... FOR SCIENCE!’ exclaimed the optimistic voice. ‘Okay, only one peek. For science.’ the pessimistic Twilight resigned. With her stomach full, the unicorn left the library in the capable claws of Spike and trotted once again to the hut. When Twilight reached her destination point, she ducked under the window and began to slowly rise to take a quick look at the interior of the hut. Initially, she saw the ceiling, then the opposite wall, then the couch and the yellow pegasus lying on it with her eyes closed. But something felt wrong. She looked again, to discern what it was. She rose a little more. She saw a jar on the floor. An open jar. With pills. That didn't look good. Twilight's heart started racing. She decided to take a closer look. She opened the door and quietly walked to the sleeping pegasus. She noticed foam forming in a corner of Fluttershy's mouth. The pegasus was breathing shallowly. ‘Quick, Twilight, do something!’ her inner voices started to panic. Her horn started glowing, and in a flash of light she teleported in front of hospital. Her mind couldn't focus enough to precisely land on the ground, instead she appeared in the air and fell down from half story height. When she managed to get up from the ground, she immediately ran towards hospitals door, swung them open and yelled: “Quick! Help! Fluttershy's dying!” The nurses exchanged quick looks, and one of them ran down the corridor to call the paramedics. A minute later Twilight could see through the window three pegasi flying away in the direction of Fluttershy's hut. Twilight collapsed to her knees and closed her eyes in fear, trembling. Suddenly some tiny voice in her head announced happily: ‘The only witness to our crime might die soon. Aren't we happy? Actually, why did we bother with paramedics, we could've left her to die–’ ‘No, that's wrong!’ other voice interrupted ‘Fluttershy is our friend! We can't abandon her!’ ‘A friend? She denied it just yesterday. You hardly even hang out with her. Besides, it's not that she didn't want to die. We should've let her do what she wanted. And if she survives, she'll be even weaker than ever and she'll rat you out faster than–’ ‘No, shut up, you're evil and you're making too much sense! I'm not listening to you!’ “Aargh!” Some nurse approached Twilight. “Are you okay? The paramedics have just brought your friend to the hospital, she's unconscious, they put her in the toxicology ward.” “Yes, I'm okay” the unicorn smiled nervously. “I– I need some rest, so excuse me.” She slowly left the hospital and went home, pondering about her mistakes in the course of last few weeks. Sure, Fluttershy might be a lonely weirdo and the only pony that could witness about their crime, but on the other hoof Twilight cherished memories of those few moments they spent together. Twilight let her memories flow. Fluttershy frantically trying to hide a stolen bird from authorities. Fluttershy becoming a fashion model for a moment. Fluttershy catching her mid-air when she was falling from a cliff. The touch of Fluttershy's hooves holding her in the air, the warmth of her breath so– ‘Twilight! Stop! It's not the time for your sexual fantasies to come back!’ Yes, despite two of them being as antisocial as they could be, Twilight still liked Fluttershy. And now the pegasus almost died – all of it would end. This single thought was enough for a tear to show up in the corner of the unicorn's eye. When Twilight arrived home, her cheeks were soaked wet. Spike noticed it immediately: “What happened, Twi?” “Spike, take a letter, or actually four. Write to my friends that–” a small sob escaped Twilight's mouth “Fluttershy wanted to kill herself.” “What?!” yelled Spike. “What actually happened?” “Sorry, Spike, I'll tell you later. I'd prefer to be left alone for now.” After saying these words, the unicorn went upstairs to her bedroom and locked the door. The only thing she could hear was a sound of a quill writing on parchment. Thursday afternoon Somepony knocked to the door. Spike opened it to reveal Applejack, Big Macintosh, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. He could also see Rarity on the horizon, galloping towards the library. “What the hay happened, Spike?” asked the farmer pony as soon as the door was open. “And where's Fluttershy? When I flew to her hut, she wasn't there.” added the blue pegasus. “I have no idea.” honestly answered Spike. “Twilight locked herself upstairs and refuses to say anything. Maybe if you ask her, she'll answer.” “Ah bet she will.” angrily muttered Applejack. “Twah–laht! Come over here or Ah'll buck that door of yours open!” They heard a click, the bedroom door opened and they saw a saddest unicorn face in their lives. “Hi girls. Oh, and hi Rarity. Sorry for my looks, but I'm not feeling good right now.” “What in a tarnation, Twilight!” shouted Applejack. “Spike wrote us somethin' happened to Fluttershy!” Twilight sighed. “Fluttershy tried to overdose sleeping pills. She's in the hospital now.” “Come on, we gotta check on her!” said Rainbow Dash and immediately flew out. Other ponies followed her. Twilight descended from the second floor and slowly followed her friends. She arrived last. Rainbow Dash had already managed to get some information from the medical staff. “It looks like she's on ICU, and she's unconscious. They won't let us see her. Only family,” she explained. “Unconscious?” asked terrified Rarity. “Yeah, they used some other word earlier, so I asked them what that meant. Something like comi–... camo–...” “Comatose.” prompted Twilight. Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Applejack gasped in horror. Big Mac hung his head. Only Rainbow Dash didn't understand the gravity of situation. “Yeah, that's the word. Is it bad?” Rarity and Twilight looked at the pegasus, bewildered by her ignorance. Friday afternoon Twilight moved the rug in the Fluttershy's living room and revealed the trapdoor again. She opened it and peeked down. As the only pony that knew about secret Angels, she had the responsibility to take care of them. She lit a lamp and descended. It was suspiciously quiet. Only after a while she noticed that the all bunnies in the cage were dead and that there were two empty cyanide bottles lying on the floor. It looked like Fluttershy wished to spare them suffering and wanted them to join her in the afterlife. Twilight turned around, went back up and closed the trapdoor for the last time in her life. Saturday afternoon For the last 48 hours, only thoughts that appeared in Twilight's head were feelings of guilt. Guilt that she started this unfortunate chain of events that led to Fluttershy's coma. She had no hope that her friend wakes up any time soon. She was just putting some books back to their shelves, when a loud knock came. Twilight opened the door and saw Rainbow Dash. “Hi Twilight, I just heard they moved Fluttershy from the ICU. And guess what! Again to room 402! And we can visit her now. And by ‘now’, I really mean ‘now’.” After these words, the pegasus flew away in the direction of the hospital. Twilight stood motionlessly for a moment, trying to understand what had just happened, and followed Rainbow Dash at her own pace. On her way she met Rarity. They didn't talk much. When they arrived to the hospital room 402, they saw Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash standing next to Fluttershy's bed. The yellow pegasus was pale and motionless, her chest barely moved when she was breathing. To her left foreleg she had an IV tube attached. She looked more miserable than ever. Pinkie Pie was the first to notice the unicorns. Her mane was now more wavy than curly. She looked as if all her energy left her. She slowly turned her head to the newcomers and greeted them. “Hi, Twilight, Rarity. You're late.” Twilight was already ready to answer, but the sight of comatose Fluttershy left her speechless. She yet again felt tears coming out from her eyes and running down her cheeks. She started sobbing uncontrollably. Rarity hugged her and tried to console her. Twilight's mood influenced everypony present. Soon the room 402 was full of crying ponies. Rarity still hung on Twilight's shoulders. Applejack and Pinkie Pie sat down and leaned at each other. Rainbow Dash sat in the corner, turned her back at everypony else and hid her face in her hooves, feeling ashamed of display of her own emotions. When a doctor came to announce the end of visiting hours, he saw 5 crying ponies sitting on the floor. He cleared his throat and politely asked them to leave. When the ponies left the building, they finally managed to calm down. Applejack spoke first: “Ah think Ah'm gonna leave now, Ah've got lot to do today.” “Are you going to Fluttershy's hut to check upon her animals?” asked Rarity. “Nah, Ah've got no time for that. Ah asked Bon-Bon to do this. Ah have all the applebuckin' to do.” answered Applejack and yawned. “And what about Big Mac?” inquired Rainbow Dash. “Is he busy too?” Applejack turned her head way and went silent. Pinkie squinted her eyes, as if she noticed something suspicious. After few minutes of uncomfortable silence and some forced farewells, each pony went home. Alone.