Twilight lingered in the doorway, glancing back over her shoulder at her two bedridden friends.
“We’ll be alright Sugarcube, honest. If somethin’ happens, ah’ll ring,” Applejack whispered.
Twilight glanced to the sleeping pegasus in the nearby bed. “I’m not sure if we should all leave you two alone though,” Twilight sighed.
“Twi, ah ain’t movin from this bed unless it’s ta do mah business. Ya need ta see the princesses out. We’ll be fine.”
Twilight bit her lip, “I’m-” She halted, watching Dash roll over groaning. “Please, call us the moment it looks like she’s about to wake up.”
Applejack nodded. “Ah will. When is Doc Stable gunna get here?”
“Should be here soon,” Twilight whispered, “Are you-”
“Twi, go on. Ah doubt you’ll be more than a couple minutes. Ah ain’t a hogtied calf, we can do this.”
Twilight smiled. “I’m glad you are beginning to sound more like yourself.”
“Yeah, ah guess.” Applejack smiled sadly. “Sugar, ya don’t want ta keep the princesses waitin’. Go on.”
Twilight sighed, closing the door behind her. She moved slowly towards the stairs, as if she was dragging a great weight behind her. Twilight feared the worst, assuming it hadn’t happened already. “Why?” she wondered. She didn’t understand.
She found herself in the entry sooner than she’d expected.
“My dearest student!” She looked up, Celestia stood before her.
“Yes Princess?”
“You will get through this,” she said.
“How? How do I know something worse won’t happen?”
Celestia smiled sadly. “You don’t. But you have to focus on now. If you keep worrying about tomorrow, things will only get worse. I don’t want you fainting.”
Twilight blushed. “I’m sure that won’t happen.”
Luna raised an eyebrow. “Sister is right. Thou needest to quit worrying about what might happen and focus on what has and what you need to do now. Save the big questions for when she arrives, and for the good doctor.”
Twilight nodded. “I’m still afraid.”
“I think we all are, darling,” Rarity cooed.
“Bye princesses, you have been a huge help,” Twilight sighed.
“If you need me,” Celestia said softly, pulling Twilight into a hug, “Call. We will come. Oh, when the mare I speak of arrives, you will know it is she, for she will have a scroll with her orders upon it.”
“Thanks.”
Twilight continued to stand there as the two princesses mounted their chariots and flew off into the noon day sun towards the palace.
“Now what?” Fluttershy asked.
“Now...” Twilight bit her lip. “I don’t know.” She glanced around at her three remaining friends. Even Pinkie looked much sadder, and at a loss.
“I wish Applejack was here,” Fluttershy sighed.
“If she was here, right now, what would she tell us?” Rarity asked.
“She’d first tell us to head in,” Twilight said.
“Well, that’s a start anyhoo,” Pinkie forcefully giggled.
The group slowly turned around and walked back the way they came.
“When do you think Spike will get back?” Twilight asked Fluttershy.
“If Angel behaves, any minute. Otherwise... it could take all day.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “That bad?”
Fluttershy nodded, “Yes”
Pinkie appeared between them suddenly. “I know! We can have a ‘make the animals not so grumpy because Fluttershy has been away’ party!”
Twilight rolled her eyes, Rarity blinked, and Fluttershy cringed. “I’m not sure if that’s a good idea Pinkie.”
-------------------
Applejack glanced up at the clock. “Alright, could ya move any slower?” she asked it. Of course the clock didn’t answer beyond it’s normal tick, tick, tick.
It had been almost an hour, and Twilight had popped in twice with reading material and to check up on them.
“No!”
Applejack’s ears perked forward, glancing towards the sleeping mare in the bed beside her.
“Easy RD,” she whispered.
Rainbow Dash didn’t respond, but rolled over in bed. Applejack watched her for a minute before picking up the book again. So far, it had been rather dull, but Applejack expected that of Twilight. Shoot, Twi wanted her to be resting, not trying to leap from the bed. But she almost felt the drive to escape the book, the story was so uninteresting.
“OWWWW DADDY!” Dash moaned in her sleep.
Applejack put the book down, reaching for the long red cord that rang the bell. Once, twice, three times she pulled it, then she slipped from her bed and walked over to Rainbow Dash.
“Easy there sugarcube, ah know it hurt-”
“DADDY!”
Applejack raised both eyebrows alarmed. She placed a hoof on Dash’s forehead, then checked her hooves. There was no fever. She rang the bell again.
“DADDY! IT HURTS! Make it stop, Daddy!”
“Listen sugar, yer’ asleep. Wake up Rainbow.”
“DADDY! FLUTTER! GET DADDY!”
The door opened as Twilight and the doctor entered. “I do pick the best times!” he proclaimed, rushing to her side. “What happened?”
Applejack shrugged. “Ah don’t know, she just started callin’ fer her pa.”
“DADDY!” Rainbow almost shrieked.
“Applejack, I need you back in bed,” the doctor ordered.
She opened her mouth to protest.
“AJ, we can’t help her if you are in the way,” Twilight said, leading Applejack back towards her bed.
“Alright,” she sighed reluctantly, turning and returning to her bed. She slowly slipped beneath the covers.
“MAKE HURT GO ‘WAY!” Dash sobbed.
“She’s delusional,” the doctor said after shaking her a few times.
“Again?” Twilight groaned.
The doctor nodded. “Hold her down,” he instructed Twilight.
Her horn began to glow, locking onto the now thrashing pegasus. “Please!” Twilight prayed. “We don’t need any more of this!”
“Miss Rainbow!” the doctor called.
Rainbow Dash didn’t respond, but thrashed within Twilight’s aura.
“I’m going to sedate her,” the doctor told Twilight. “If she keeps this up, I’ll have to take her back to the hospital.”
Twilight nodded. “Do it!”
The doctor took a syringe and a vial from his large black bag, and after filling the syringe, he poked it into the large vein on the side of her neck, slowly pushing the dose into her body.
At first, there was no change. Rainbow continued to thrash and whimper for her father. But after a second, it slowed down to a point where she was finally completely asleep.
Applejack collapsed against the pillows. “What happened Doc?”
Doctor Stable returned the equipment to his bag, then removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “I don’t know. I hope it was just caused by the pain exceeding her tolerance level, but we can’t be sure.” Returning his glasses to his face, he removed a stethoscope from his back and listened to Dash’s heart rate for a second. Then he checked her pulse.
“Really, Miss Apple, I don’t know what’s wrong with your friend. Yesterday, it was a guilt. It’s possibly related, but we can’t be certain.”
“And Princess Luna just left,” Twilight sighed.
“Her presence could be of help, but we can’t be sure. Have her parents been informed?” the doctor asked.
Twilight shook her head. “Not unless somepony else has done it.”
The doctor started rummaging through his bag once more. “So, you said she has overdone it now.”
Twilight nodded. “She fell asleep mid-word a while ago and has been out for quite a while.”
“Fell asleep, or fainted from the pain?”
Twilight looked to Applejack. “Gee Doc, ah don’t think we rightly know,” Applejack sighed.
The doctor rolled the blankets down and started checking Rainbow’s midriff. “I don’t feel any holes, so I’m guessing it isn’t torn like Applejack’s was. Just badly pulled, probably sprained... but I can’t tell right now.” He then pulled out some gauze bandages and, upon sitting Dash up, bracing her in his magic, slowly wrapped the tape around her to help with support.
Twilight sighed. “I guess that’s a good thing.”
The doctor nodded, tucking Dash back in. “She still needs rest. I will stay here until she comes to. You girls do bat a million, don’t you?”
------------------------------------------
I stare at the screen as it starts to swirl and change colors. “What in the world?” I blink, rubbing my eyes. I know I’ve been writing for a while. In fact, the majority of this chapter I’ve done just today, but that still doesn’t explain the swirling vortex that is my computer’s monitor.
“HI YA!”
I almost fall from my chair from surprise. “PINKIE!” I gasp.
Pinkie Pie steps down onto my desk, then, leaping over my hands, lands on the table beside me. “Well duh, Cowgirl!” she giggles.
I sigh, looking at the equine that is no larger than my water bottle. “What are you doing here?”
Pinkie smiles up at me. “I’m here to talk.”
I raise both eyebrows. “I see... Is there a portal in your bedroom?”
“Why do you ask that?”
“Well Pinkie, the last time you were here, you came from your room, and I’m pretty sure that is where I have you now... with Fluttershy.”
“And Rarity is on her way to the boutique. When are you going to let her in on the fact that her bathroom is a mess?” Pinkie chastises me.
I raise both eyebrows. “I don’t know, maybe when she opens the door to find muddy hoof prints.”
Pinkie just looked at me for a minute.
“What do you expect me to do? Step into the book like you do my office?”
“No, Cowgirl... but couldn't you give her some fair warning?”
I raise an eyebrow. “Well Pinkie... I guess you could be my messenger.”
Pinkie’s face brightens. “That would be superdy duperdy wonderific!” she sings, leaping from object to object on my desk. She pauses in front of my collection of horse figurines, namely my Rainbow Dash miniature. “Why did you do it?”
“Do what?”
Pinkie looks at me, her mane suddenly going limp. “Why did you hurt her worse?”
I sigh, “Listen Pinkie.” I scoop her up and place her on my knee. “I didn’t want to. But... I’m going off of my own life experiences here. You might be able to break most rules of reality, but Dash can’t. I couldn’t...” I glance out the window to the green grass and forest beyond. “I couldn’t let her continue to defy me... and not allow her to feel the error of her ways. It’s part of being a good parent, sister... writer.” I take a deep breath. “A character cannot be allowed to blunder forever, readers don’t like it. Life comes with punishments. So should a good story.”
Pinkie nodded, her eyes falling on my downcast face. “HEY!” she shouts, forcing herself back into a good mood. “I want to see you smile!”
I giggle, “Good grief, Pinkie!” I place her back on the table. “Now, I’m guessing you ain’t done...” I squint my eyes shut, cringing at my slip up. “Aren’t done yet. Anything else you want to ask?”
Pinkie nodded. “Who is this pony Celestia mentioned?”
I smile. “Pinkie... you will just have to wait like everypony else.”
I raise both eyebrows. “That is... yes and no... but you will have to wait and see like everypony else. I’m going to bed.”
I set her down in front of the monitor. “Night Pinkie.”
“But it’s not bedtime yet. The sun is still up!”
“Pinkie, for you, it has been five days. For me, it’s been six months.” With that, I shove her into the swirling vortex of colors and close the document.
---------------
“FORMATION - FLYING ARROW!”
A small, pink, lanky mare with a simple turquoise and silver braid down one side stood in the middle of a large airfield just north of Fillydelphia. Above her, fifty young pegasi flew in packs of five around and around within pre-marked boundaries.
“I SAID FORMATION FLYING ARROW! ON ARROW!”
“But Captain! I don’t want them on me!” a young brown mare shouted from the center of the leading team.
“SHUT UP ARROW, AND FLY!” the Captain belted at her, her back tensing.
A hundred or so other ponies litter the grounds outside of the boundaries. Each one has their eyes trained on the sky for trouble.
“Squad Two! Take up on the left side! I want the whole bunch of you wing tip to wing tip, just as we practiced on the ground. DON'T GET TOO CLOSE!” the pink Captain called, her eyes trained on each of the fifty youngsters as they fly.
“ARROW! TURN YOUR GROUP TO THE CENTER LINE FOR FORMATION!”
“Captain, we need to speak with you,” a grey stallion said, slipping under the fence and coming to stand beside the pink mare.
“Commander, not now. I’m busy,” She snapped behind her. “ALRIGHT! LET’S TIGHTEN IT UP! COME TOGETHER AND FOLLOW ARROW’S LEAD!”
“Cap-”
“NOT NOW!” she belted, her eyes not leaving the sky. “TIGHTEN FORMATION!” she called.
One by one, the different teams moved closer together until they were wing tip to wing tip. One mistake now, and the entire flock of young pegasi would come tumbling from the sky. The young pink captain opened her wings, ready to launch into the sky to do her part in case of an emergency.
The grey stallion behind her also opened his wings and braced himself, now joining his commanding officer in looking for any trouble that could result in disaster. “UP! DOWN! UP! DOWN!” He paused a few seconds between orders, helping the flyers to match their wing strokes with one another.
“ALRIGHT!” the captain called. “I WANT YOU GUYS TO DO THREE LAPS AROUND THE FIELD. ARROW! YOU LEAD!”
The group turned as one and made their way to the end. The captain and onlookers held their breaths. Could such young ponies do a thing that was but legend? The captain had found it years ago, but now, finally after so much time, the legend was before their eyes. And not even that, as the legend said one hundred young flyers, whereas they only had fifty.
The story was an old one, one that had been lost in the old archives of Canterlot Castle. When the mare was but a filly, she had tripped over the book while visiting a dear friend. The legend of the Flying Arrow had stuck in her mind from that point on. The mere thought of one hundred pegasi, ranging in ages between fifteen and twenty-two, flying wing tip to wing tip, fighting for their lives...
A simple smile spread across the captain’s face. “They are doing it!” she cried giddily. “I can’t believe it! They are doing it! All that work.... They are actually doing it! All of them, all of them together!”
The grey stallion raised an eyebrow. “Captian, it could still result in disaster. Please pay attention.”
The pink mare paused. “Right, thank you Steady.”
The group went into its second lap seamlessly. “That is something, Captain Feathers,” Steady stated flatly. “I didn’t know it was possible. I thought it was but a banged up tale from Pagophilus’ past.”
Captain Feathers nodded. “Indeed.” Her attention went fully back to the group flying. “Alright! Time to break it up! Maneuver Blue-Berries, just as we practiced! ON MY MARK! THREE! TWO! MARK!”
The two outside walls of the arrow fell apart, the ponies rolling into a ball, allowing themselves to free fall down out of the formation. As they leveled out down and behind the group, the next wall of ponies followed in the first’s example. Each time, Captain Feathers tensed, afraid that this group would not be able to pull themselves out of “Blue-Berry” and back into normal flight mode. Finally, instead of one large triangle in the sky, she had ten groups of smaller V shapes flying about.
She smiled. “ALRIGHT! I want to see you guys move into formation Grapes!”
The whole group groaned. “Hey Lil’,” Arrow called. “Are we doing formations, or making fruit salad?”
“Doing formations! And if you don’t, you don’t get lunch! Got it, Ensign Sharp Arrow?”
“Is it fruit salad?”
“Just get into Grapes!” Captain Feathers snapped at the young clown.
Grapes was much like Flying Arrow, but it was a practice maneuver Captain Lilly Feathers had come up with. Instead of having ten groups of five, she had five groups of ten, the outside was neat and orderly, but within the V, the ponies shifted and moved freely. It reminded her of clusters of grapes, hence the formation’s name.
The pegasi moved into formation quickly and without hitch. Lilly smiled and sighed. “Alright, I want formation X!”
“WHAT IS THAT?” Arrow called down.
“FORMATION X” Captain Feathers called again, this time more loudly.
“But I don’t know what formation X is!” Arrow called back.
“THIS IS FORMATION FLYING! NOT MATH CLASS!” Captain Feathers growled loudly.
“OH!” Arrow sang. “ALRIGHT EVERYPONY LOOK LIKE X’S!”
Captain Feathers almost facehoofed. The flyers had made her proud, and they now thought that they could act up. At least, squad one seemed to think so.
Arrow’s squad, though in the correct position, for a split second, spread their legs into anX shape. The rest of the squads rolled their eyes and maneuvered into the X formation, the lead pony being in the center and the other four taking up their positions around them.
“Captain, we need to speak with you,” Steady reminded her.
“Commander, not now! Let me get them grounded first,” Captain Feathers said.
“Arrow is capable of landing the troops herself,” Steady reminded.
“Arrow is a fifteen year old clown, and right now, I don’t want to risk it.”
Steady shook his head. “You need to let go.”
“Commander, just be ready to catch if any of these landings come out wrong.”
Steady sighed, but held his tongue.
“ALRIGHT!” Captain Feathers called. “Let’s bring it in. I want you guys to stringbean backwards.”
“YES SIR!” they all cried. Squad ten took the lead, followed by nine, eight, seven, and so on, with squad one taking up the tail of the pack.
“Alright guys, listen up!” she bellowed. “You guys have done really well, and I know you are getting tired.”
There were murmurs of agreement from the ponies above.
“I want Cherry Landings out of each team!”
“Back to fruit salad!” Arrow sang.
Captain Feathers glared, then turned her attention back to the flyers.
“Don’t make this too complicated, Captain,” the commander reminded.
Captain Feathers raised an eyebrow. “Who said I was going to make it complicated?”
Steady said nothing. Lilly Feathers sighed, “Really Commander? Alright! Evens! You are going to do Cherry Five Landing. Odds! You got Cherry Two! I want you guys to land, then line up in ranks along the A/C V/P Vortex of the field.”
With only one slight error, the young flyers started swooping down, landing neatly down the center line of the field. The two landings were emergency ones. For Cherry Two, the lead pony would drop out, acting like they had just hurt a wing, and another member would have to then catch and carry them to safety on the ground. Number five, it would be the hind pony who dropped.
Fifteen minutes later, all teams were safely on the ground and lined up. Captain Feathers walked the line slowly, studying each member with her eyes looking for anything that could be important.
“Are we done yet, or are we going to be fruity earth ponies for a while longer?” Arrow complained.
“Ensign, watch thy tongue,” Captain Feathers snapped, glaring at her.
Arrow smirked. “Really Lil’, what are you looking for?”
“Captain,” she corrected the young brown mare. “I’ll explain later, when you are ready to take leadership training.”
Arrow pouted.
“What are you looking for?” Steady whispered into her ear.
Captain Feathers glared, then sighed. “I’ll explain it later, when it’s just the two of you. I don’t want questions.”
Steady nodded, still confused, but knowing her well enough not to question the reason given.
Finally, she reached the end of the line. Returning to her place at the center, she smiled. “You all did a fine job today. I’m proud.”
“YES!” A member from team four shouted.
Captain Feathers laughed, breaking the tension. “My thoughts exactly. You all have worked very hard and come a long way. I want you to report to the lounge for a lesson from Captain Victory-”
“What on?” another pony asked.
Captain Feathers smiled. “Harnesses.”
They groaned. “We are going to have to clean it, aren’t we?” another from Squad seven said.
The young pink captain shrugged. “Knowing Victory, probably. At least you aren't going to get the class from Captain Rising. Victory at least makes it fun. Remember to cool off before you get a drink. I don’t want any problems.”
Murmurs of agreement went through the group.
“Arrow, report to my office and sweep till I get there.”
Arrow’s ears flopped down. “Sweep!” she grumbled.
Captain Feathers looked smug. “You want to argue?”
Steady shook his head, drawing a line across his throat and glaring at his younger cousin.
“Eh... no,” Arrow said, gulping.
Captain Feathers sighed. “At last you behave,” she declared.
A few snickers went through the crowd of flyers, not one daring to point out Steady’s involvement. It was always best not to get involved with Beta Squad’s family quarrels.
“DISMISSED!” Lilly snapped. Immediately, they split ways. Arrow turned to the V sign and entered the office behind it. The rest turned and rocketed towards the large break room at the other end of the field near the A sign.
Captain Lilly Feathers chuckled. “Alright Steady, what do you want?”
“You’ve got mail.”
Lilly raised an eyebrow. “Do I want to read it?”
“Probably not. It’s from, as Arrow would say, your fan club,” Steady said, his tone staying deep and flat.
Lilly rolled her eyes. “Great,” she sighed. “They do know I have a life, don’t they?”
Steady shook his head. “Nope, you are a slave to the state.”
“Very funny. I’m guessing Executive Captain Comet has it?”
Steady nodded slowly. “Indeed, the princesses want you to read it.”
Captain Lilly Feathers rolled her eyes. “Figures.”
Steady’s cheeks puffed out, his mouth forcing itself into a straight line.
“I see you laughing at me.” Lilly snapped.
Commander Steady Flyer raised an eyebrow. “Really?” he said, not keeping his mirth completely hidden.
“COMMANDER STEADY FLYER!” she snapped loudly. “You might be able to fool others into thinking you have as much emotion as a moss-covered stone, but you don’t fool me, young man. I have known you way too long.”
“I’m five years your elder, Lilly,” Steady reminded her flatly.
Lilly’s ears pinned back harshly, her eyes flaming. “JUST. STOP!”
“Yes Captain- doing what?”
Captain Feathers sighed. “Let’s get to Comet before he comes looking for us.”
Steady nodded. “That sounds like a good idea.”
Lilly smirked. “I do have those.”
“Indeed,” Steady said. “By the way, you surprised me a bit ago.”
“Really!” Lilly mocked being surprised. “What did I do?”
“You kept the landing simple-er.” He added that last bit after some thought.
Lilly chuckled. “Didn’t think I could make something uncomplicated, did you?”
“Nope.”
She flashed him a glare that could curdle milk. “STEADY!”
He looked smug. “I’m glad you took my advice.”
“Your advice had nothing to do with it. They were obviously tired, and I didn’t think they could think through too much information.”
“That has never stopped you before,” he reminded.
“Why you-” she began, then stomped off towards the largest building beside the room Arrow had just entered.
Steady chased after her, keeping just far enough back not to get caught. When they reached the large main office, Steady fluttered over her head and opened the door for his still-fuming captain without even being asked. Lilly walked through, hardly giving him a glance. Not that she wasn’t grateful, she was just lost in thought again.
Steady smiled, shaking his head. “Captain Comet, we are here!” he called.
Captain Comet Fly was an elderly stallion. His coat was a faded orange, his mane almost white, but had been silver when he was younger, and his cutie mark a large comet with a lighting bolt stream. He was a retired Wonderbolt of many years, taking up running Windy Wings Research and Therapy Center after he had discovered his cousin was deaf. He wanted to give all ponies a chance to reach their best, just as she had.
“Captain Feathers,” Captain Fly said simply.
Lilly almost jumped, looking about and blushing.
“They did a good job, I was watching.”
“Th-th-thanks,” she stuttered. “Y-y-you needed me?”
Comet chuckled. “Feathers, just sit down and read,” he said, handing her a scroll.
Lilly’s ears flopped down when she saw the seal. It was Princess Celestia’s. “I was hoping he was kidding with me,” she sighed.
“I’ve never known Steady to kid,” Comet said, smiling at the younger grey stallion.
“Me neither, but we can hope,” Lilly groaned.
Comet shook his head laughing. “Just read the note.”
Lilly broke the seal, unrolling it to read. “Dear Captain Motivation.” Lilly rolled her eyes. Captain, she was fine with; she had worked hard to achieve that title. Motivation was a different issue.
She looked back to the letter. “Dear Captain Motivation, Thou art formally ordered to report to Friendship Castle no later than noon tomorrow. Thou art required to also bring thy sister, Lady Dedication.” They could just say Catstitch! Lilly huffed, rolling her eyes. “Thy presence is most needed. Your mission will be explained by Princess Magic upon thy arrival.” She didn’t need to see the signature—she knew that Luna wrote it. She glanced at the signature to confirm her suspicions. “Signed, thy Dear Mother of the Night.”
Lilly threw the letter down on the counter. “I DON'T BELIEVE IT!” she huffed. “Luna wants me to go where? Friendship Castle!”
Steady raised an eyebrow, obviously not surprised by her reaction. “Indeed, that’s a new location,” Steady observed. “Obviously it’s not for the Wonderbolts this time.”
“And I’m supposed to bring Cat! How am I going to get her there by noon tomorrow?! Do you know how long it takes to get an Earth Pony out of those mountains?”
“Longer than eighteen hours,” Steady answered.
“We have seventeen and a half,” Lilly morbidly stated. “What am I going to do?!”
Steady glanced at the letter. “I could go with you and carry her out.”
“Never!” Lilly snapped.
Captain Comet chuckled. “Famous last words.”