"C'mon, Dash, I know you're in there!" Derpy Hooves called as she continued pounding on the door.
Dash hadn't been seen in two days after the Wonderbolt's Cadet exam, and Derpy was worried sick along with several other ponies.
"Either you let me in, or I'm forcing myself in!" she shouted frustratedly.
No answer.
Derpy turned to buck down the door, and at the last second Rainbow Dash slowly opened it.
But it was too late.
Derpy forced her hind hooves back and caught Dash square in the nose.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Rainbow Dash!" Derpy said frantically as she leaped into the house.
"It's fine..." the blue pegasus whispered, her eyes clouded and half shut.
But Derpy didn't hear that. She was a few rooms over, rummaging through cabinets looking for a first aid kit.
When she found it, she quickly grabbed it and started to trot out of the room.
And then she noticed the noose.
-
"I can't believe she'd try such a thing!" Nurse Red Heart exclaimed in disbelief from down the hall.
Earlier today, Scootaloo had tried to get out of bed and throw herself out of the third story window; convinced that Dash didn't want her as her adopted filly, friend, fan, or even to visit her.
Her body was damaged beyond all repair, she thought before gathering up the strength to get out of bed.
She made it half way across the room before Dr. Stable and a new nurse burst in.
And now, because of her actions, she was strapped down to her bed with visitor privileges suspended until further notice.
Not like it'd change anything. Scootaloo thought bitterly as she studied the room again.
Her boring, bland hospital room.
The room she'd spend the rest of her life in.
-
"I...I just didn't know what to do...They wont let me be a Wonderbolt, a little filly is hurt because of me, and I just don't know what to do anymore..." Rainbow Dash said solemnly.
Her gray coated friend just sat and listened, her crazy eyes seeming to understand deeper than even Dash understood.
"Rainbow Dash, did I ever tell you the story of how I got my cutie mark?" Derpy asked softly, scooting closer to her friend and wrapping a hoof around her neck in an effort to comfort her.
Dash shook her head and looked down.
"I still don't understand why I have bubbles, but it all started back before Sugar Cube Corner opened up..."
-
"Mommy, mommy!" a gray little pegasus filly exclaimed as she bounced around a taller version of herself that had just arrived.
"Yes, dear?" the mother said with a giggle, bending down to give her spawn a kiss on the forehead.
"Did you hear that Daddy's the captain of the Weather Patrol now? And he planned a big thunderstorm just for me!" the little filly squeaked in excitement.
The mother smiled knowingly and nuzzled her filly.
"Well then, let's make his favorite soup! Do you think you're brave enough to head down to the market and pick up the vegetables for me?" she asked.
"I'm the bravest pony in all of Equestria! I've fought dragons, you know!" the yellow eyed filly exclaimed,
The mother let out a playful laugh and began tickling her little filly.
"Brave enough to fight off the tickle monster too?" she teased as hey filly squealed happily.
"Mommy, stop it! I gots'ta get the vegetables!" the small pony giggled.
"Well alright. Hurry back so you don't miss the storm, dear!" the mother said with a laugh as she put thirteen bits in her daughter's saddle bag.
Before she could blink, her little filly was bounding down the road towards the market.
-
"Pleasure doin' business with ya again, Ms. Hooves." the vegetable salespony said cheerfully as he tipped his hat.
"You too, Mr. Jack!" the little filly called as she tromped forward, her saddlebag heavy and dragging along the ground.
In the distance, she noticed a sea of black clouds rolling towards Ponyville.
The little filly hadn't gotten far by the time the thunderstorm had reached Ponyville.
"Noooo! The vegetables!" the little filly cried out as the rain began to pour.
Abandoning her heavy and soaked saddlebags, she took cover inside a large box just barely sticking out of an alleyway.
"Sigh...Now everything's ruined..." she whispered to herself.
And then something small moved from behind her.
"I love the rain...It's so peaceful..." the new little filly said.
Surprised, Derpy leaped to the side and squeaked.
Her coat was dull yellow with smudges of black all around. Her wings were bruised, and couldn't have been older than Derpy herself. Derpy could tell that at one point her red mane had been absolutely beautiful, but now it was tangled and torn in places, dirt covering it like her coat.
"W-Who are you...?" Derpy asked nervously.
The little filly just stared out into the rain, a soft smile played out across her face.
"You should get home before your parents worry. Do you need help with the vegetables?" she asked.
Derpy nodded slowly.
-
"Hey, somepony get those kids out of here!" an earth pony yelled as he continued to hold back the crowd that had gathered around her house.
"Mommy! Daddy!" Derpy cried out in anguish, managing to slip past the thickly knitted crowd of ponies and the earth pony police line.
As she neared her burnt down house, a pegasus firepony swooped down and blocked her path; his eyes teary at the site of the heart broken filly. He quickly scooped her up and put her back behind the line before returning to his raincloud.
Apparently, her father had accidentally ordered a level 8 storm instead of a level 6. While she was at the market, a series of thunderbolts struck the house and it quickly set ablaze. The fire was so intense that not even the heavy rain could put it out.
Derpy cried and looked around for a unicorn ponymedic, but didn't see any.
The only thing she saw anymore was her new friend; the filly she had found in the box.
The filly that also loved the rain.
The filly that had helped her carry the heavy saddlebag.
The filly that was crying with Derpy now.
-
"Derpy, I...I had no idea..." Rainbow Dash finally said.
"Most ponies don't. I don't want sympathy; I've spent too long in my life having other ponies take care of me. What I'm trying to get across here is that no matter how bad your life seems, you still have to push on because it can only get better." the soft eyed mailmare said as she nuzzled her friend again.
"I...Thank you...There's somepony I have to see. Do you want to come with me?" Rainbow Dash asked.
Derpy smiled and nodded.
-
"Scootaloo? Are you awake?" Sweetie Belle asked, Apple Bloom at her side.
Scootaloo didn't try to answer.
She wanted to be left alone in her misery.
She wanted to die.
"Scoots...We heard about what happened earlier..." Apple Bloom said sadly.
More wood on the fire. she thought to herself.
"Scoots, we want ya tah know that no matter what happens, we're you're friends and we'll ahlwahys be. 'Through thick ahnd thin, uhntil the very ehnd'." Apple Bloom continued, chanting the Cutie Mark Crusader's motto.
Scootaloo shivered and let a tear roll down her snout.
"I love you guys..." She whispered.