//------------------------------// // Fixer Upper // Story: Healing Wounds // by Downunda Thunda //------------------------------// It had been a long day at work, and Rainbow was feeling exhausted and depressed, as had become her usual daily routine by now. She walks through the quickly darkening streets to her home, located on the far side of town. Watching the colour of the sky change from blue, to orange to dark blue, as Celestia lowered the sun to make way for Luna’s moon. “What’s the point anymore?” Rainbow mutters to herself. “Why should I keep going on? Why should I work toward what other ponies want, when I can never get what I want back?” She sighs deeply as she gets to her door, and walks into her house. Before heading to bed, she turns and locks the door, and then without eating, goes to bed and to sleep. The next morning, she’s awoken by knocks on her bedroom window. Her eyes crack open to see Pinkie standing there, looking in. “Get up, Rainbow! You’re late for work!” Rainbow rolls over in her bed. “Go away, Pinkie… I’m not coming in today…. Or ever again.. Tell the Cake’s thanks, but no thanks… They can give the job to someone who deserves it more than me.” Rainbow said. Pinkie hovers at the window for a few seconds, letting her friend’s words sink in, her mane deflating slightly. “Oh… Okay” Pinkie said sadly. She then turns around and leaves Rainbow alone. Later that afternoon, at Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie is serving behind the counter, when Brush Stroke walks into the bakery. “Hi! Welcome to Sugarcube Corner!” Pinkie says to her. “Hey.. I came to get some more muffins.” Brush says, observing the fact that Rainbow wasn’t there. “Is Rainbow Dash not working today?” She asks. “No, she was supposed to come in today” Pinkie said, passing the muffins over the counter. “But she didn’t want to come in. She’s at home lying in bed.” “It wasn’t because of what I told her yesterday was it?” “I don’t think so… She actually seemed slightly more cheerful when she was talking to you… I think it was more just what happened to her, and the shock of it is finally starting to sink in.” “Maybe...I should go and talk to her again?” “Hey, yeah.. That could work.” “Can you point me in the direction of her house?” “Yep! It’s a small wooden house on the far side of Ponyville Square. Near the Clocktower. The mailbox is painted sky blue.. You can’t miss it” “Thanks Pinkie.” she said as she paid for the muffins. She then turned and left for Rainbow’s house. When she got there, the house seemed as if there was nopony home. The windows were all dark, the door was locked, and there wasn’t a sound coming from within. No movement, no talking… Nothing. Brush decided to go around and knock on the door. After waiting for a while, there wasn’t any answer, so she knocked again, harder this time. “Who is it?” Rainbow’s voice called. “It’s Brush Stroke, can you let me in? We need to talk.” “Is it urgent? I kinda wanna be alone right now.” “It is, because it’s your life that’s at stake here if you keep doing what you’re doing right now.” “How would you know what I’m doing? I just took a day off work, and now everypony is panicking? What? Do you think I’m going to kill myself? I’m not that desperate!” “You’re depressed.” “So?” “Rainbow, I want to help you. I’ve been through this.” Silence greets her from the other side of the door. For a moment, She almost thinks she can hear hoofsteps walking away from the door, until the locks start to click open, and the door slowly swings open to reveal Rainbow in a sorry state. There are bags under her eyes, giving evidence that she hasn’t had a good night’s sleep, and her mane is far messier than usual. “Fine… Come in, I guess.” Brush smiles and enters without hesitation. “I’d offer you something to eat or drink… but I don’t really have anything. I haven’t been to the market in a couple days.” “Okay, just tell me how you’re feeling.” “How I’m feeling? How do you think I’m feeling? It’s coming up to most major events up in Cloudsdale. I haven’t missed a year before now, and I’m never going to get to see the events up there again. It was always something I looked forward to. I booked my tickets a week before I got injured.” “I can understand...but you wanna know a secret?” “Sure.” “Wingless pegasi can still walk on clouds!” “I know that. I’m not a filly, you know!” Rainbow Snapped “I used to handle clouds. I know their properties and relation to Pegasi. It’s getting up to Cloudsdale that I can’t do. I can’t afford a balloon, Twilight’s too busy in her castle and Fluttershy would never be able to carry me up there.” “Hmm...I think I know somepony who can. My fiance is in good with the Wonderbolts, you may remember him, his name is Ratchet. He used to work for you.” “Yeah… I think I do remember a pony by that name…” “Anyways, he’s good friends with a certain somepony….goes by the name of Soarin?” Brush said with a smug look. “Wait… your coltfriend knows Soarin?” “Yeah, they went to school together.” “Omigoshomigoshomigosh! That is so awesome!” “And I think I’ll be able to pull a few strings and have Soarin carry you up to Cloudsdale.” “Do you really think he would?” Dash said, a light blush forming on her cheeks. “Yeah, Soarin’s cool, though you probably already know his weakness for pie.” “His actions at the Grand Galloping Gala a few years back were pretty hard to ignore… Considering I had to save his pie.” Both of them laughed at this, “But in all seriousness, I think Soarin will do some good for you, I’ll send him a letter to arrange it.” “Thank you so much! This is going to be totally awesome!” Rainbow says as she pulls Brush into a tight hug. “No problem, if you need any help with anything, you know who to come to right?” “Yeah. Thank you so much again!”