//------------------------------// // A Deady Disease // Story: The Flight of Scootaloo // by birdyluv0 //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle and Nurse Redheart walk into the room, followed by Doctor Featherheart. Doctor Featherheart starts to close the door, but is interrupted by Twilight. "Wait! I brought my books on pony diseases," says Twilight as she magics a whole bunch of books into the room. Doctor Featherheart sighs as Twilight drops the pile of books on the floor. Doctor Featherheart walks over to Scootaloo and starts looking her over. He pokes her wing, earning a sharp inhale from Scootaloo in pain. Doctor Featherheart turns Scootaloo over, and Scootaloo groans at the motion. "Where does it hurt?" asks Doctor Featherheart, very matter-of-factly. "Everywhere... It hurts everywhere!" replies Scootaloo. Doctor Featherheart looks at her flank and gasps. "You don't have a cutie mark yet?" he asks, curious. Scootaloo glares at him. "Do you see a cutie mark? No! But my friends and I made a group called the Cutie Mark Crusaders where we go crusading to get our cutie marks. You see, all three of us are blankflanks, and everyone else in our class has cutie marks, andwe'rejusttryingtoearnourcutiemar-" explains Scootaloo, getting abruptly cut off by Doctor Featherheart. "I think I know what the problem is. Princess Twilight Sparkle, may I please see Volume 34: Rare diseases please?" says Doctor Featherheart, looking at the pile of books on the floor. "Volume 34? Gosh, how many volumes ARE there?" asks Scootaloo, intrigued. "Sure! And, Scootaloo, there are 67 volumes all together! And also, Doctor, you can just call me Twilight," replies Twilight, levitating the book out of the pile and giving it to Doctor Featherheart. He opens the book and starts flipping through it. "67 volumes? Really?" says Scootaloo, but is ignored. "Let's see here.. Rare Earth Pony Diseases... Rare Unicorn Diseases... Rare Pegasus Diseases... Aha!" mumbles Doctor Featherheart as he flips through the book. He shows the page to both Nurse Redheart and Twilight. Scootaloo strains to get a glimpse of the page, but lays back down with a yelp as pain courses through her body. Twilight and Nurse Redheart gasp as they look at the book. "What? What is it?" asks Scootaloo, but is again ignored. Small Wing Disease (only affects pegasi) Small Wing Disease is a serious and fatal disease that exists only in the pegasus population. Symptoms Sympotms will begin to show in the pony affected somewhere between 7 and 20 years of age. Symptoms include: - Extreme pain - Hallucinations - Suicidal thoughts - Decreased mental stability - Meltdowns - Paralysis (is not a common symptom) - Death Once these symptoms begin to show, you should bring the pony in question to a hospital immediately. Description Small wing disease is an extremely rare disease that is accompanied with the inability to fly, small wings that do not grow properly, and the lack of a cutie mark. Ponies infected with this disease are not able to get a cutie mark. Once symptoms start to show, the pony in question has at most a moon to live. No cases have been recorded of a pony lasting longer than a moon. Extreme pain is the main symptom of the disease, and will be with the pony as long as they live. The pain is also always the first symptom, and can come without warning. Ponies appear to be born with this disease, and it is not contagious or genetic. Causes are unknown. There is currently no known cure. The disease is always fatal. "We haven't had a case of this in Equestria for years now. I am positive that this is what Scootaloo has. She has a month to live at most, but I think she will only live a week," says Doctor Featherheart. "But... how could this have happened?" asks Twilight, sadly. "What is going on? What do I have? SOMEPONY ANSWER ME!" yells Scootaloo, but nopony so much as glances at her. "She has had it since birth, and it cannot be cured. I suggest that you try and make her last few weeks as comfortable as possible," continues Doctor Featherheart. "I'll be right back. I am going to go get Rainbow Dash. She is very fond of the filly," says Twilight, walking out the door. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!" cries Scootaloo. Nurse Redheart looks at her sadly. Somethings really wrong with me, thinks Scootaloo as Twilight and Rainbow Dash walk into the room. Twilight shows Rainbow Dash the book. "No... this can't be happening... no... NO!" cries Rainbow Dash, sinking down to the floor. Twilight approaches Scootaloo's bed. "Scootaloo, we have some bad news. You have something called 'Small Wing Disease'," says Twilight. Hearing that, Scootaloo relaxes. I know I have always had small wings. Something called "Small Wing Disease" can't be that bad. "So... am I just going to have small wings for the rest of my life?" asks Scootaloo. Twilight shakes her head. "I am afraid that Small Wing Disease is much worse than that. Small Wing Disease is an extremely rare disease that only affects pegasi. It causes the inability to fly, small wings, and the permanent lack of a cutie mark-" Twilight gets cut off as Scootaloo yells, "NO CUTIE MARK??" Nurse Redheart glares at her and says, "Shhh!" "Let me finish, Scootaloo! Small Wing Disease is a disease accompanied with extreme pain. Scootaloo, it is a fatal disease. You have at most a month to live," says Twilight. She looks down at the floor, and Rainbow Dash sobs in a corner. The news hits Scootaloo like a train. She simply stares off into space in disbelief. "H-how did I g-get this?" whispers Scootaloo, before bursting into tears. "I JUST WANTED TO LIVE A HAPPY LIFE! BE ABLE TO FLY WITH RAINBOW DASH! GET A CUTIE MARK WITH APPLEBLOOM AND SWEETIE BELLE! I DIDN'T WANT THIS!" "I'll leave you to it here," says Doctor Featherheart, as he exits the room. Nurse Redheart carefully takes the IV out of Scootaloo's leg. "I am so sorry, Scootaloo. Would you like me to break the news to your friends, or would you like to do it yourself?" replies Twilight. "I-I-I'll-I guess I'll do it myself," says Scootaloo between sobs. Nurse Redheart looks at Twilight. "Will she be staying with you?" she asks. Twilight nods and says, "Her parents died soon after she was born, so i will take care of her." Then Twilight turns and looks at Scootaloo. "Come on, let's go and tell your friends." Scootaloo gets out of the bed, but screeches in pain as she touches the floor. She falls to the ground and curls up in a ball. "It hu-hurts r-really b-b-bad," whimpers Scootaloo. Twilight softly strokes Scootaloo's mane with her hoof. "I'll carry you, okay?" says Twilight as she helps Scootaloo climb on her back. Scootaloo nods. They walk out of the hospital and head towards Fluttershy's cottage, leaving Rainbow Dash still curled up on the floor.