//------------------------------// // Mutual Trust // Story: Run or Die // by Buckseed //------------------------------// Dash awoke with a startling jolt, her head was pounding and felt as if it had been split open and sewn together again. She put a hand to her head and felt the gross sticky feeling that she had regrettably come to recognize as drying blood. Maybe she wasn’t wrong about being sewn up. She looked around, or at least made the attempt. She wasn’t sure if it was her vision or if the room itself was dark, but she was only able to make out vague figures around her. There was a chair directly to her left, and what seemed to be a curtain hanging from the ceiling. “This looks like a hospi…” Dash began to whisper to herself before a wave of fear and anxiety washed over her. “No! No no no!” she began to panic, doing her damnedest to pull her weakened body out of the bed she was in. “Not here, anywhere but here!” she exclaimed, standing up and taking her first step forward. Nausea hit Dash like a truck and, as she dropped to her knees and vomited on the floor, a burning pain erupted through her head and she could hear nothing beyond a sharp ringing for a few moments. “...sh! Miss Dash!” a voice finally made its way to her, and Dash looked up. Her vision was wavering a bit, but she could see the familiar face of Doctor Horse. Her first thought was of how awful his name was, it was almost like a bad pun. But, this was the only person she would allow to check up on her, aside from nurse Redheart, and seeing him put her at ease. “H-hey doc.” she said, voice trembling as she felt what little strength she had left disappear. Darkness was like an old friend to Dash at this point, she wasn’t even surprised to feel her vision fade once more before she lost consciousness again. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but, when Dash awoke, light was filtering through the window in the room she occupied. She placed her hand against her head again, her skin felt clean and devoid of dry blood. That was a good sign. There was still some pain though, mostly in her side and head. It was nothing she couldn’t handle though, or at least that’s what she decided as she stepped out of the bed. Looking around, she finally recognized this room as one of the makeshift clinics in the compound. To her left was the bed she had just occupied, and further than that was the bag she had been carrying with her on her run. She noted that it looked considerably more empty than she remembered it. Pulling the curtain aside, she saw the small desk with a few hypodermic needles and vials neatly sorted on it. A notepad was left open as well, and she read what was on it after noticing her name was placed front and center with multiple exclamation points, obviously to catch her attention. Dash!!! I’ve gone to get you something to eat. If you wake before I return, please await my return. It was a short note, but it got the point across. Sit your ass down and wait for the doctor to come back, and that’s just what she did, sitting on the bed after grabbing her bag from the chair. A runner is never separated from their bag, they feel naked without it. It didn’t take long for the good doctor to return, and that was a good thing because not only was Dash not a patient woman, but she was also super hungry. “Finally!” she said, taking the instant cup soup Horse handed her when he walked in. “Glad to see you’re finally awake Ms. Dash.” Horse said as he sat at his desk, facing the young runner who was in his care. Dash slurped down some of the noodles with vigor before speaking. “How long was I out doc?” she asked. “A little over a day. About 30 hours or so. Not counting your little panic attack last night.” the doctor replied. Dash stopped eating her soup and stared at the doctor for a moment. “What. The. Fuck.” Horse rubbed the back of his head and thought for a moment. It was always hard to explain things to people as hotheaded as Dash was. “You see, when you came back from your run, you were bleeding. We had lost contact with your for a while and the spotters said things didn’t look so good. When you came in, bleeding profusely and looking pale, some of the people panicked and acted out of fear.” “So they bash my fucking head in?” Dash asked through gritted teeth. “I was running as fast as I can after escaping from a horde of goddamn zombies! That’s why I looked so fucking pale, because I was so tired that I was about to faint!” Anger was the very definition of Dash at this point. “And I was bleeding? Yea, no shit! I dived through a fucking window just so I can bring back a few bottles of water and some cans of food back to those useless pricks!” she held the empty bag up. “And look! It seems they got it! But do I get a thanks? No! I got a fucking pipe to the back of my head! So much for the town of Ponyville being one of the friendliest places to live!” Horse didn’t say anything while Dash spoke, he knew she was right but what could he do? Chances are, the people would never trust her. “I know, Ms.Dash. But, and I know this probably doesn’t amount to much, I appreciate it all.” he said, leaning backwards into his chair and relaxing his body. “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have the necessary medicine and tools needed to help in the way I do.” Dash sighed, picking her soup up again and mixing the noodles around with her plastic fork. “I know. Thanks doc, it does mean a lot. It’s just...I wish they would trust me a little bit more. Its been two years since I came here, and the only bond I’ve really formed is with you, Redheart, and Fluttershy, and we both know why that is.” she let a sarcastic laugh out. “Hell, even that took a while.” Horse nodded his head. He had to personally work with Fluttershy when they first arrived to the Ponyville compound. “We share a common history, but Griffonstone Institute is behind us and we have moved on. The others will come in time.” He stood up and rubbed his eyes. “Now I ask you Ms. Dash, do you trust me?” he asked, his tone suddenly much more serious than it had been before. Dash gulped down the last of her soup and threw the cup into the trashcan. “Of course doc, why?” she asked. Doctor Horse didn’t give her an immediate answer, he seemed to be contemplating something. After a moment, he seemed to come to a decision and, turning towards the door, he spoke once more. “Meet me on the roof in an hour. The usual place. I have a job for you.” he said before walking out of the room. It was odd for the doctor to ask her to do anything, and when he did it was just a run for medicine or supplies, so why the sudden urgent secrecy? She stared at the empty doorway for a moment before standing up and walking out. “I trust you doc.”