//------------------------------// // The Rescue // Story: Flying Was Never The Answer // by TheLunaRainbow //------------------------------// The large group of ponies stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the broken body of Rainbow Dash. It seemed to Fluttershy that she looked worse than before. Each and every pony had to hold back vomit. Luckily, Scootaloo had fallen asleep. One nurse, Poppy Seed, took the now sleeping form of Scootaloo off Pinkie's back and away from the carnage. "Thank you, Poppy Seed," whispered on of the doctors "She doesn't need to see anything more" Twilight was at the front of the group and edged her way forward, trying to calm herself and hoping that the doctors would follow suit. Fluttershy was curled up in a ball and sobbing into Rarity's mane. Rarity was holding the distraught Pegasus close and trying desperately to control her tears. Applejack hid behind her Stetson. "How did this happen? It's simply awful!" wailed Rarity. "It's way worse than awful" commented Applejack. A murmur rippled through the array of doctors and many stood forward, equipped with their medical bags. A syringe was pulled from a bag and injected into Rainbow's body, while two other doctors positioned the stretcher. The blue Pegasus was lifted gently onto the stretcher by two unicorn stallions. Each doctor got to work on covering up Rainbow's wounds with bandages, injecting her with multiple needles and checking her pulse and heartbeat. "You should get her back to the hospital" Twilight croaked, her throat dry. "Of course, Princess. Come by tomorrow morning and bring the young filly and Fluttershy along with you". Twilight nodded and the doctors disappeared into the night, with only Poppy Seed remaining. It was horrendous for the five ponies. Petrifying. Traumatising. But the thing that shocked the remaining ponies the most was the tiny, scared and fragile voice that escaped the pink party pony's mouth. "D-Dash?" Twilight turned around to see Pinkie Pie, sitting on the cold grass, her eyes full with tears. Her mane was flat against her head and dark, along with her coat, tail and eyes. Dull. None of the bright colours that made Pinkie Pie...Pinkie Pie. "Pinkie? Y'all okay?" asked the Earth Pony nervously. "No. I'm not ok" "Ah'm sorry, sugarcube. What a stupid question to ask. Come 'ere". With that, Pinkie ran into Applejack's outstretched hooves and sobbed deeply into her shoulder. Stray tears trickled down the orange farm pony's cheek as well and Twilight's eyes were brimming with tears. Fluttershy whimpered into Rarity's nightgown. "Princess?" whispered Poppy Seed. Twilight spun around to see the pink Earth pony lifting Scootaloo's limp limbs and worriedly rubbing one particular orange hoof. "What? What's wrong with her?" "Blood. On her hoof. I think its might be Rainbow's!" Gasping in shock, Twilight ran towards Poppy Seed and held Scootaloo's hoof in the air with her magic. Indeed, it was covered in dry blood. Her fringe was also painted crimson. "You don't think...you don't think that she did it?" The purple Alicorn's head shot up and she glared at the nurse with pure anger. "What did you say?" she uttered, venom dripping from each word. Poppy raised a hoof to take a step back but not before the sleeping filly was yanked from her back and placed behind Twilight. Trembling with rage, Twilight stomped forward until she was touching the utterly terrified mare's nose. "No I-I meant...I didn't mean it like t-that...I just t-t-thought that maybe sh-" She was cut off by Twilight slamming her hoof into the ground so hard, it left a dent in the solid dirt. "Maybe she what? HURT her big sister?! Just decided to THROW her off a cloud?! Felt like INJURING her idol?!" Her horn began to glow and Poppy Seed shrunk back in fear. Scootaloo stirred and Rarity got to her hooves. "I'm so s-sorry, Princess! I d-d-didn't mean it like that! Not a-at all!" Scootaloo was now fully awake and backing away from the angry mare. "Well what else did you think that she MAYBE did?! Huh?! I will not hear another word about her. Do you understand?" Standing at her full height, the Alicorn scowled at Poppy with her piercing stare. The nurse whimpered. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!" "Yes, your highness!" whimpered the pink mare. "Get out of my sight" With that, Nurse Poppy Seed ran from the clearing, in the direction of the other hospital workers. Scootaloo was now holding onto Rarity's leg and worriedly flickering her gaze between Twilight and the fleeing nurse. "What on earth was that? Twilight! How dare you speak to another pony like that?" Rarity trotted towards Twilight and the glare on her face was replaced by one of guilt. "Oh Celestia! What is wrong with me? I just...I freaked out because she was pointing the blame at Scootaloo...but she didn't need that...she probably wasn't even going to say that! What have I done?" Rarity materialised a tissue and wiped her friend's tears. She embraced Twilight and spoke into her purple mane. "I know it's hard, dear. You're fragile. We all are. One of our best friends just plummeted from the sky and is now in hospital," More tears filled Rarity's eyes and Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Applejack all came towards the two hugging ponies and joined in on the embrace. "But we need to stay strong. For Scootaloo. And Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom" The rest of the Mane 5 all agreed and Twilight was released from the hug. Applejack placed Pinkie Pie's spy goggles back over her eyes and the two of them began walking out of the forest. Rarity started to wipe the mascara that was making it's way down her face but she gave up halfway and followed the two retreating mares. Fluttershy silently went over to Scootaloo, who was staring blankly at her hoof. I'll take her back with me. Her room at the orphanage is a single one. She needs a pony with her. "Scootaloo?" No reply. "I'm going to take you back to my cottage. I mean, if that's ok with you" Her friendly gaze was met with Scootaloo's scared lilac eyes staring up at her. "Blood. It's her blood. On my hoof. I did it, didn't I? It was me. See? It's her blood. All over my hoof. And my mane. It was me. I did it" The last few words were barely audible and tears stained the filly's coat. Fluttershy picked her up in a warm hug and flew up into the night sky. "Hush now, quiet now, it's time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now, quiet now, it's time to go to bed" She sang quietly in her sweet, delicate voice. Scootaloo nestled into Fluttershy's warm body and within seconds, her breathing slowed. Flying up towards them, Twilight hovered beside Fluttershy. "At least she's asleep" she whispered. Fluttershy stared at her and her smile changed to a worried frown. There was fear in her eyes. "She blames herself, Twilight. She said it was all her fault".