Chapter 6
Twilight laid in bed and stared at the ceiling. This day had been long and tiring. However, though as exhausted as she was, Twilight found herself unable to sleep. The rumble of thunder grew louder and Twilight found it comforting.
Spike was snoring away in his bed, far off into dreamland. A place where Twilight wanted to be so badly but she couldn’t stop thinking about the day’s events. One minute everything was fine, the next she was the caretaker of one of her best friends. Sure, she had raised Spike for most of his life but this was different. This was a full-grown pony with the mind of a toddler. She was beginning to doubt herself. Maybe she wasn’t the best suited for this. Applejack and Rarity had their sisters they looked out for, Fluttershy had raised countless animals, even Pinkie Pie foalsat the Cake twins. What did she have? Books.
She rolled on her side to face the window. The rain was pelting the glass steadily, she watched it and felt her eyes grow heavy with sleep.
The peace she felt would not last as she heard her door creek open slowly. Twilight froze. What if it was an intruder? She’d have to wait until they got closer for her to use a paralyze spell on them. A small voice in the back of her head spoke up:
“What if Rainbow’s in trouble?” It asked her. Now panic rose into her throat and her heart beat faster. There was a gentle nudge on her back. Twilight bolted upright in bed, ready to pounce on the intruder.
Instead she was met with the frightened silhouette of her friend, the old pale yellow blanket draped over her back protectively. “Rainbow?” Twilight asked, concerned for her friend. Behind her the lightning flashed and lit up the dark room and Twilight saw momentarily the terror on Rainbow Dash’s face. “Dash, what’s wrong?”
“Mommy…it’s scary…” Rainbow muttered, the rumble of the thunder cutting her off from saying anything else.
“What is?” Twilight asked uncertain of what her friend meant.
“…Storm…” Rainbow Dash whispered as if the storm could hear her.
“What, the thunderstorm? Dash you used to make thunderstorms all the time, you never…” Twilight stopped herself. Come to think of it, Rainbow Dash was never out during a storm. Even the time they had that huge storm a few years ago that caused Applejack and Rarity to seek shelter in her home for the night. Something clicked in her head. Rainbow Dash was afraid of thunderstorms. Twilight felt the voice in the back of her head speak again.
“Dashie’s afraid of storms, let her sleep with you tonight.” It instructed. “Rainbow Dash, do you want to sleep with me tonight?” Twilight relayed and without any hesitation Rainbow jumped into Twilight’s bed and made herself comfortable. She took the yellow blanket off of her back and cuddled it in her hooves.
“Thanks Mommy.” Rainbow Dash said before yawning and cuddling up closer to the purple alicorn.
“You’re welcome Dashie.” She responded before realizing what she said. She’s never called Rainbow Dash by her nickname. Only Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy ever have. And what was that voice? It was her voice but where did it come from? Twilight was confused and looked back to the pegasus who was already fast asleep. Twilight sighed, the excitement of the day catching up with her, she made herself more comfortable and soon she too fell into dreamland.
--
Sleeping with Rainbow Dash was anything but peaceful. Twilight woke up with a hoof in her back. She sat up in bed, seeing Rainbow Dash, the yellow blanket wrapped around her snugly. Twilight stumbled out of bed, the storm had stopped during the night but the clouds remained. Twilight trotted down the stairs where Spike was already making breakfast, dressed in his customary apron.
“How did you sleep?” Spike asked smiling. Twilight groaned in return. “Yeah, and you should see your mane.” He laughed. Twilight’s eyes grew wide and she looked into the reflective surface of the teapot sitting on the stove. He was right. It was a complete mess. Defeated, she levitated the boiling teapot and poured herself some hot water and dipped a tea bag in it and sat at the table while Spike served up some waffles.
“Rainbow couldn’t sleep?” He asked, sitting down to his own waffles.
“More like wouldn’t.” Twilight corrected sipping her tea. “She’s afraid of thunderstorms.” She explained. Spike raised a scaly eyebrow. “I had the same reaction.” She answered his unasked question before taking a sip of the hot tea.
“Well what’s on the schedule today?” Spike shrugged as he asked the same question he asks every morning.
“Well, I’m going to start looking into spells to try and fix this.” Twilight explained, levitating her fork to eat her waffles. “You?”
“Fluttershy asked me to dig up her bulbs before the first frost.” Spike responded and sat down to his waffles. Suddenly there was a thud and a scrambling of hooves heard overhead and soon Rainbow Dash appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. Her mane was more of a mess than usual and her blanket was draped over her back.
“Mommy!” Rainbow Dash nuzzled Twilight good morning. Twilight blushed.
“Hey Dash, want some breakfast?” Spike asked, and handed over a plate of waffles that were cut up into chunks. Rainbow Dash squeaked in happiness before throwing her face into the syrupy plate. Twilight grimaced but sipped her tea nonetheless.
After the syrup was cleaned off of Rainbow Dash’s face (and the fight to do so that accompanied it ended), Twilight brushed her mane and took to reading. Spike left for Fluttershy’s so that left Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle alone in the library. Twilight sat on the floor with a few spell books splayed out in front of her. She scanned Mythical Magic, Sacred Spells, and Ancient Spells and Myth.
“Mommy!” Rainbow Dash bounded over to where Twilight was laying. Twilight looked up at her.
“What?”
“I wanna pway.” Rainbow Dash whined.
“Not right now,” Twilight sighed and looked back to her book. “I’m busy.” Rainbow Dash pouted and fell onto the floor dramatically. Twilight watched as Rainbow rolled around on the floor trying to get her attention. It worked and Twilight sighed and stood up.
Twilight opened her writing desk and levitated out a few colored pencils and a sheet of parchment. “Here, you can color.” Twilight gave the paper and pencils to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow giggled and started coloring on the paper. Twilight smiled at her own genius and lay back down to continue reading.
Twilight was engulfed in learning about the history of magic for anything that could explain mental disorders, or better yet how to treat them. She closed the book, thinking of the neurological connections that could possibly have been disrupted during the fall. She looked up and went white at the scene before her.
Twilight was so absorbed in reading that she forgot all about Rainbow Dash. Her eye twitched as she looked at all the other books taken off of their proper places on the shelves and were now on the floor, their pages covered with scrawled doodles of colored pencil. Rainbow Dash sat in the midst of them, a pencil in her mouth and she smiled happily at Twilight proud of what she’s done.
“Look Mommy!” Rainbow Dash spat out the pencil. Twilight was furious, images of kicking the flank of the pegasus flashed through her mind. She was about to open her mouth to yell at the prismatic mare but a knock on her door stopped her.
Twilight glared at Rainbow Dash before turning to answer the door. Upon opening it she found Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom standing there. Behind them were Rarity and Applejack. Twilight was surprised to see them all here. “Oh, hi girls.” Twilight swallowed her anger to greet them.
“Hi Twilight.” Scootaloo spoke up after a moment of silence. She pawed at the ground with a hoof. “Listen,” she looked up at the mare apologetically. “I’m really sorry about yesterday.” She explained. Twilight felt her gaze soften. “I talked to Mom and Dad and they told me what happened.”
“That’s ok Scootaloo.” Twilight smiled softly knowing that it took a lot of courage from the filly to come over here. At the mention of the name Rainbow Dash bounded to the door.
“Scootawoo?” She asked with a voice crack and tried to peer around Twilight but she kept blocking her from getting through. Scootaloo smiled at the eagerness Rainbow Dash held.
“We came by to ask if Rainbow Dash would like to go to the park with us.” Rarity added sweetly producing a picnic basket out from behind her. Rainbow Dash dug her hooves into Twilight’s back to get a better look at the visitors. She looked at Rarity and Applejack curiously, recognizing them from the other day.
“That might be a good idea.” Twilight grumbled in pain as Rainbow Dash stood on her. She shook Rainbow Dash off of her to see all of the ponies standing there. Seeing them made Rainbow Dash’s ears fall flat in a sudden wave of nervousness.
“Rainbow, you remember us? I’m Rarity, this is Applejack.” Rarity noticed Rainbow’s change in posture as she pointed to both herself and the orange mare next to her.
“Wawity, Applejack.” Rainbow repeated, getting familiar with the names. Applejack didn’t hide her giggle at the mispronunciation of her friend’s name.
“Close enough.” Rarity rolled her eyes. “You’ve met Scootaloo.” Rarity gestured to the orange filly. “And Sweetie Belle and Applebloom.” Rarity explained. Rainbow Dash nodded.
“Play?” She asked Rarity who smiled.
“Yes, we’re going to the park.”
“Have fun.” Twilight turned to get back to her books.
“No!” Rainbow Dash whipped her head around to see Twilight retreat from her and she lunged after her, biting her teeth into her tail to stop her.
“Actually Twi’ we were hopin’ ya’ll would come too.” Applejack explained. Twilight’s ears perked up and she looked between her friends at the door and the mare on her tail.
“And I don’t think Rainbow will let you stay here.” Rarity observed, holding a hoof up to hide her smirk.
“Alright.” Twilight sighed defeated.
--
They made it to the park where Applejack and Rarity found a bench to sit on. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were trying to explain hide-and-seek to Rainbow Dash. Twilight saw Rainbow glance back at her, undoubtedly making sure she was still there, before taking off with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Twilight didn’t take her eyes off of Rainbow.
“Twilight darling, come sit.” Rarity motioned with her tail to the empty spot on the bench. Twilight nodded and silently joined her two friends.
“How ya holdin’ up sugarcube?” Applejack asked the alicorn. Twilight sighed.
“I don’t really know.” She responded in a defeated tone. There was one thing Twilight Sparkle hated more than anything, and that was not knowing something.
“Oh?” Rarity’s ears perked up in curiosity. Instead of looking to her friends, Twilight’s focus remained on Rainbow Dash playing a few feet away.
“I try to help her. I just…I don’t know how.” Twilight admitted.
“Dear,” Rarity placed a hoof over her friend’s shoulder. “It’s not easy.”
“Then how do you make it look that way?” Twilight raised her voice and glared at her two friends. Both mares were shocked by her reaction. Applejack shrugged.
“Been doin’ it for too long I guess.” She stated. “And trust me, it ain’t easy.”
“Twilight, we know this is hard for you.” Rarity sympathized. Twilight shook her head.
“It’s more than that Rarity, I’ve read almost everything I can get my hooves on. I have no idea what’s going on in her head.” Twilight sighed and laid her head on her hooves.
“Ain’t it obvious sugarcube?” Applejack asked and Twilight turned her attention to the orange mare. “She ain’t who she used ta be anymore.”
“But Rainbow Dash is in there somewhere. I have to find her.” Twilight was growing impatient with her friends.
“We know.” Applejack sighed. “And we don’t want ya to stop, but look,” Applejack pointed a hoof at the four girls playing. “She needs ya Twi’.”
“I’m not following.” Twilight followed Applejack’s gaze out to Rainbow Dash who was looking for a place to hide and not be found by Sweetie Belle. Applejack sighed again, for a pony so smart sometimes Twilight couldn’t find her way out of a haystack.
“You said that when she woke up she connected with ya,” Applejack started but Twilight interjected.
“Yes, it’s called imprinting most mammals do it and ponies are not excluded.” Applejack shook her head.
“Whatever it’s called, Twilight she sees ya as her mother, whether ya like it or not she trusts ya and ya can’t just brush her off.” Applejack explained.
“I agree with Applejack.” Rarity joined. “It is tough being thrust into looking after another pony when you are not ready.” Rarity’s voice was tinged with an understanding (at least somewhat) of what Twilight was going through. Twilight sighed and looked back to her friends.
“I can’t just stop looking for a way to reverse this.” She explained.
“We’re not asking you to darling.” Rarity sympathized and Twilight gazed out to the field where the girls were playing. Sweetie Belle had found Scootaloo and Applebloom and now they were looking for Rainbow Dash. They humored her, for it was clear as day that the mare was hiding behind a bush, as a rainbow mane doesn’t do much in the way of camouflage but the fillies played along.
“Where do ya think she is Scootaloo?” Applebloom asked her friend who smirked.
“I don’t know Applebloom. Sweetie Belle? You’re ‘it’ why don’t you find her?” Scootaloo turned to her unicorn friend.
“I don’t know you guys, Rainbow Dash is a good hider.” Sweetie Belle giggled as they made their way to the bush. “But I think I have an idea that she’s right…” Sweetie Belle smiled and popped behind the bush and surprised Rainbow Dash. “Here!” Rainbow Dash squeaked in surprise and they all fell over laughing.
“Girls! Lunch!” Rarity called out to the fillies. Rainbow got up off of the ground and ran with the girls and met Rarity, Applejack and Twilight at a blanket set out with meticulously crafted sandwiches. Rainbow Dash saddled up to Twilight’s side.
“I made peanut butter and jelly for all of us, and Applejack brought some apples.” Rarity levitated the apples and six sandwiches wrapped in plastic wrap to each of the ponies present. Rainbow Dash just tried biting into the sandwich and spat it back out again.
“Ew.” Rainbow Dash spat and crossed her hooves.
“Rainbow, you didn’t take the wrapping off.” Twilight explained and unwrapped the sandwich with her magic. “There.” Rainbow Dash happily dug into the sandwich.
Rarity passed out juice boxes for the fillies and Rainbow Dash and pulled out a bottle of wine for Applejack, Twilight Sparkle and herself. Rainbow Dash ripped the straw off of the box with her teeth and then tried stabbing the box. “Let me do that.” Twilight took the box from Rainbow and poked the hole for the straw and placed it in. “There.” She gave the box back to Rainbow.
“Thanks Mommy.” She smiled and started sucking through the straw. Twilight tried hiding her blush with a sip of wine.
--
Twilight and Rainbow Dash made it home about an hour later. Twilight was happy to report that Rainbow Dash was tired for once and she was not bouncing off the walls in boredom.
“How about a nap Rainbow.” Twilight posed it more as a statement than a question. Rainbow Dash yawned and picked up the blanket that was left on the floor next to the colored pages of discarded books.
“Uh huh.” Rainbow Dash responded, nearly nodding off where she stood.
“Ok, let’s get you upstairs in bed.” Twilight nudged Rainbow Dash up the stairs and lead her to the spare bedroom and tucked her in bed.
“Nooooooo!” Rainbow Dash whined as Twilight turned to leave. “Don’t leave…” She whimpered. Twilight rolled her eyes.
“I’m not napping with you I have work I need to do.” Twilight reasoned. Rainbow only gave her puppy dog eyes. Twilight sighed. “Fine, you can nap on the couch while I work.” She rolled her eyes and Rainbow Dash jumped out of bed and followed her downstairs to the couch where she made herself comfortable and threw the blanket over herself.
Twilight looked at the books scattered on the floor with various doodles. “Now to clean this up.” She said to herself and levitated over an eraser from her writing desk. She started erasing doodles from various books when a title distracted her.
She looked at the cover of the book, Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Twilight set the book aside to read later as she finished cleaning the library, looking to the sleeping Rainbow Dash every now and then.
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Yay foreshadowing a fix!
So with this age regression, is Twilight gonna have diapers to change, or does Rainbow still know how to answer the call of nature?
4076082
Well, it's already been like two whole days, even ignoring however long she was in the hospital.
I'd be very worried if she had yet to at least pee in all that time, so diapers don't seem likely at this point. In fact, if the problem is supposed to be introduced later I'll have a hard time believing it, on the grounds that if it was supposed to be a problem it would have happened way sooner.
4076082
4076162
I agree with Lord Destrustor, if that were a problem it would have happened already. Considering her reasonable speech and decent motor control, I'd say Rainbow is at an age older than needing diapers but still a fair bit younger than the CMC's.
4076082 If that was the case it would've happened by now.
Well another great chapter, but I agree with what you guys have been saying somewhat, I place Dashy a couple years older than the Cake twins and maybe just maybe a few years younger than the CMC's but anyhow awesome chapter and I can't wait for more
4076346 well cake twins are a year old as of season 2 i believe. the cmc are about 8 years old (human translated) so between 2-7 years old :) i say about 5 years.
4076516 I agree but the wouldn't you be able to talk normally at 5 years old? It's pretty much when kids normally start going to school, so I say she's maybe a bit younger because( this is just from my experience I usually volunteer at kindergarten classes I love kids) but anyhow 5 year olds talk normally if they talk like rainbow does in the story, they do it on purpose to gain attention
4076658 for all you know, it could be regressed mind, she could be mentally 5 but talk like a 2 year old. The mind is an ackward thinf, and everytime we study it it gets different. Plis everyone grows at different ages, I have a 3 year old cousin who talks normally and plays temple run amazingly (his high score is 1.2 million... all on his own. ) and I have a 6 year old couson who still talks like that, thought he can talk normally, its mor comforting to him
I would say 2 years old, only from experience with three to four year olds. They talk pretty much normally.
4076778 true but this from what I have observed, I'm no doc heck I'm only 13 but anyway you could be right But I guess I would place her around 3-5 We really can only make really good educated guesses until the author can plain out say she's this old but hey you could be right I could be right but it just makes sense to me for rainbow to be 3-5
4076806 that's fine, don't worry, when you get older you will either learb more and more, or just stop wanting to. I'm glad to have a good job, a beaitiful fiancee, a nice house, and only be 21 ;)
4076814 aaawww that's so sweet
i assume Dashie is potty drained cuz it hasn't been mentioned so far.
I feel I'd have Twilight's near exact reactions to these scenarios. I have six nephews, and I can't stand the buggers for more than a few hours. They're so helpless it hurts.
You know what would be an interesting plot twist. Physical age regression, due to it looking like it will last forever. Then the age regression brings rainbows memories back, then we follow her adventures as a filly as twilight tries getting rainbows age back to normal. That's something I haven't seen done yet in any fic I've read
I-I can't stop laughing!
God stories just love to tease me at this.
I haven't read the other stories and chapters but Twilight might wanna cast an age spell on her so that it's less awkward.
4118615
I like it