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With A Little Help From My Friends

Author's Note:

I know Lesson Zero happened before Read It and Weep, but let's say the show isn't in chronological order.

Celestia stayed with Twilight for almost two hours. Curled up together on the bed, they talked of things that had happened during the week and reminisced over the old days. Twilight snuggled beneath her mentor's wing and realized she couldn't recall why she had wanted to kill herself. Celestia gave her a squeeze with her wing as she finished up a story about a mishap Luna had had with trying to use a microwave. Twilight laughed, a sound she'd thought she wouldn't make for a while.

"I'm sorry, Twilight." Celestia told her suddenly. "Duty calls. I have a meeting with the Donkeyan ambassador. Will you...will you be alright by yourself?" She made no move to leave. "If you want me to stay I will. Luna can take care of the ambassador."

Twilight nuzzled her, relishing the soft feel of her warm fur against her face. "I think I'll be alright. Thank you."

Celestia nuzzled her neck. "Alright. Just know I'll always be here for you. You do know that, right?"

"I do. I'll be alright."

Celestia hesitated, but finally rose. She gave Twilight one more affectionate nuzzle and trotted out the door. Twilight stretched out on the bed. The sheets were rumpled so Twilight hopped off, stripped the sheets from the bed and began to methodically pull the sheet back over the bed. It still didn't look quite right. There were still ruffles and creases.

Frowning deeply, she used her hooves to smooth down the sheets. It still didn't look right. She audibly growled and ripped the sheets off the bed, deciding to start all over again.

Once more she spread the sheet on the bed. Deciding to use magic, she lit her horn and pulled each corner of the sheet and tucked them in. It still didn't look right to her. If anything, there seemed to be more creases. That didn't seem to be possible, but it didn't change the fact that there seemed to be hundreds of little creases.

That wouldn't do, that wouldn't do at all. She ran her hooves over the bed attempting to smooth out any creases. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't seem to get it entirely smooth. She leaned against the clinically white wall and stared at the bed. She trotted around the bed over and over again. Each time she did there seemed to be more creases.

She placed her hooves on the bed, feeling the soft material of the sheets. She muttered to herself as she realized the problem. Each time she ran her hooves over the bed to smooth down some of the ruffles, the movement made other ruffles pop up.

Once more she stripped the sheets. This time she'd just have to be more careful. Slowly, methodically, she took the right corners of the sheet in her magic. Then she stretched them over the mattress. There were several crinkles in the bed, but she ignored them. For now anyway. Then, she took the left corners. Even more slowly, making sure to carefully measure it, she stretched the sheets over the corners of the bed.

There was one giant ruffle in the center of the bed. She used her magic to spread it out. But now, there were thousands of ruffles again. Twilight decided that she had no choice but to start all over again.

She repeated taking the sheets off the bed again and spreading it out. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't seem to make the sheets look right.

After the tenth attempt, she stood back from it. She could make out hundreds of ruffles and creases. They covered the bed, scattered upon it in disorderly rows. It occurred to Twilight that the room was far too white. The walls were almost blinding when the sun shone upon them. Even the bookshelf was white. It was as if whoever had designed this room had felt that white had some sort of healing power for the mentally ill.

The problem with the sun shining on the walls was solved by Twilight letting down the white blinds. Twilight laughed. Of course the blinds were white. Of course they were. What other color would they be?

Off the top of her head, Twilight thought of several shades of pink that the the blinds could be. Pink was a nice, pretty color. She wondered if she'd been spending too much time around Rarity.

She ripped the white sheets from the white bed. They slammed against the white walls. Taking them in her magic, she mercilessly shook them, trying to straighten out every ruffle and crinkle. After shaking them for at least five minutes she laid them back on the bed and tucked it back in.

An infinite number of ruffles and creases were still scattered on the bed, like the waves of the sea. Twilight laid her head down on the mattress and wished that Princess Celestia hadn't left. Most of her life had been spent as a recluse. She hadn't needed others.

No, that wasn't true. She'd had a loving and supportive herd. Her parents, Celestia, Cadence, Shining Armor, Spike. So many. Never before had she been truly alone. Now, falling apart in this overly-white room, she was.

Why am I falling apart? Why? Why? Why?

Tears stung her eyes. The color white didn't normally bother her. Celestia's coat was white and she had the most beautiful coat in the world. Rarity's coat was white or was it a light grey? In any case, Twilight had always thought Rarity had a very pretty coat.

The sudden tangent surprised her. Normally, she was never distracted from a task. Forcing her mind to return to her task, she examined the crinkled, messy sheet from every angle.

It was a source of disorder. It would simply have to go. She tugged the sheets off and hid them under the bed. Now, she would need to do something about the walls. Perhaps, a paint spell would do. Something like violet or pink. There was a knock on the door, interrupting her train of thought.

"Miss Sparkle, you have visitors." The nurse called before opening the door. Her friends crowded into the room.

Twilight released the spell she had been building up in her horn then turned and grinned. "Rarity! Just the pony I needed!"

Rarity gave her a strange look. "Um, yes Darling?"

"You must know thousands of interior decorating spells."

"Well, more like a few hundred. What can I do for you?"

"The walls are too white, not that I don't like white, but not too much white you know. If we work together we can get it done faster! We can paint the whole room, just need to put our horns together."

Rarity placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. The others shared concerned glances. “I would love to help you, Darling, but perhaps you’d feel more up to decorating if you had some snacks first.”

Applejack stepped forward, carrying a load of apple brown betties atop her back. The sweet smell of the pastry wafted through the room. "I made enough for everypony and one extra for you, Twi."

The scent of apples and cinnamon was enough to make Twilight's mouth water.

"Oh, thank you Applejack!" She exclaimed, nuzzling the farmer. She found herself enveloped in the warmth of a group hug.

"Are you doing all right, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked.

"I am now." Twilight answered. She hugged them all, enjoying the warm feeling of their fur against hers.

"Alright, let's eat, then we can do some decoratin'." Applejack said.

Twilight levitated over an apple brown betty and bit into it. The flavors exploded on her tongue and she couldn't help but audibly moan in pleasure. The sentiment was echoed by her friends as they chomped on the sweets.

"You have got to show me how you make this, Applejack!" Pinkie Pie said.

"Can I be the taste tester?" Dash asked as she swallowed the last bite of hers and licked her hoof.

"Sure ya can, Dashie!"

Twilight smiled at her friends and took the extra apple brown betty in her magic. This one was just as good as the other one. She savored it, taking delicate, little bites and letting the flavors swirl around in her mouth. The taste of the cinnamon tingled on her lips and mixed pleasantly with the sweetness of the apples.

"Hey, I thought I'd get you something." Dash told her, pulling a book from her saddlebag. "I remember how bored I was in the hospital so I got you something to take your mind off it. It's the new Daring Do." She hoofed Twilight the book. Emblazoned on the cover was the heroic, brown pegasus flying from a collapsing temple. The cover read, "Daring Do and the Lost Sunstone."

Twilight took it in her hooves. She had been planning on getting this book. It had been due to be released yesterday. "This is the new Daring Do book. How did you get it?"

"Stayed in line all last night." Dash explained, yawning.

"Oh, Dash...you didn't have to." Twilight said.

Dash shrugged. "I'm your friend, right?"

Twilight embraced the pegasus who patted her on the back.

"This is touching and all, but I wanted to show you some new moves I'd been working on. That should cheer you up."

"I'd love to see it."

Dash broke off the hug and took to the air, flapping out of the room. Twilight and the others followed her. Twilight had to show her where the entrance to the outside area was. This part of the hospital was surrounded by a sprawling meadow. Rose bushes were planted all around, sending up a sweet scent. The roses were blooming in shades of pinks and reds and yellows.

A patch of yellow daffodils were swaying in the breeze. Birds were singing in an ancient, gnarled oak tree that spread its branches over the meadow as if it were protecting it and all that dwelt within from harm. Twilight had heard the oak tree referred to as "Father Oak" by the nurses and she agreed with the nickname. The oak was a fatherly, protective presence.

The whole area was designed to create a sense of peace and it worked. The patients were encouraged to come here often as nature was known to have a healing power over the mind. Dash landed on the ground and stretched out. After stretching out her wings she darted into the air and started a series of loop-de-loops. Like a tornado, she spun, picking up speed. Winds blew all around her as she reached a crescendo. Then she darted downward. Twilight gasped, afraid that Dash had made a mistake and was falling.

At the last possible second, Dash changed course, flared her wings and soared only inches above the ground. Rather than landing, she corkscrewed upwards, spinning into the air. For several minutes, all that could be seen of her were flashes of rainbow against the blue sky. She dived and corkscrewed, flying in intricate patterns. From down below, her friends clapped and cheered.

Many of the patients and doctors who were outside stopped what they were doing and stood to watch Dash's show. Dash was now soaring in an elaborate pattern of large loops, each loop leaving a rainbow after image. Suddenly, Dash changed her flight pattern and charged straight through the loops.

An explosion of color followed in her wake. Even the branches of the great oak shook. Everypony stared in awe as the aftershocks of the sonic rainboom dissipated, leaving behind a rainbow that vibrantly shone against the blue sky. The crowd, including Twilight, erupted into applause. Dash slowly descended to the ground and was greeted by her friends rushing up to her.

"That was amazing!" Pinkie proclaimed, bouncing around her.

"Yeah, baby, I know it." Dash said, winking at her. "So, did it cheer you up, Egghead?"

Twilight's first response was that while the show did lift her spirits, it wasn't enough to entirely erase the issues she was facing. But instead she smiled.

"Yeah, Dash. It did."

"Great! Cause, you know..." Dash shuffled her hoof. "I really do hope you get better."

"Thanks, Dash." Twilight said, her smile growing.

"So, Darling, what was it you were saying about painting the walls?" Rarity asked. "Because I do admit that the walls were a bit dull. Perhaps some nice drapes?"

"You know what, Rarity? Let's not decorate. I don't want to stay too long."

"Are you sure? I could at least spruce up the place."

"I'm sure, Rarity."

Twilight's head felt clearer with the sun warming her back, the fresh grass beneath her hooves and her friends here with her. She closed her eyes and took in the scents of the earth.

"I think I'd like to stay out here for a while."

"Anypony up for a game of tag?" Pinkie Pie asked.

The others readily agreed although Dash needed to go inside to get a drink of water from the fountain. When she came back she received a sharp smack on the rump from Pinkie who called "you're it, Dashie!"

Dash took off through the meadow as her friends chased after her. Pinkie somehow managed to convince the other patients and even the nurses and doctors to take part in the game. Twilight lept ahead and tagged Dash.

Dash grinned and began chasing after her. She reached out her hoof only for Twilight to vanish in a flash of light. She reappeared several feet away and cantered from Applejack's grasp. Rarity finally tagged her, then got tagged by Pinkie. After several rounds of the game (with Pinkie as undisputed tag champion) they decided to go back inside.

The sun was setting below the horizon, the game of tag having taken several hours. Visiting hours were coming to an end. Twilight sent her friends off with one more group hug. She had a feeling she'd be getting lots of hugs over the next few days, not that she was complaining. Only Pinkie stayed in her room. For once in her life, she seemed at a loss for words.

"Pinkie? Are you okay?" Twilight asked.

"This room's bigger than the room they had back in the psychiatric ward I was in." She said. Then she forced a grin. "I'm almost jealous."

Twilight blinked. "You were in a psych ward?"

Pinkie nodded. "It's not always easy being Pinkie. I tried to kill myself too."

Twilight's lips parted in surprise.

"I was fifteen. It was after my first break-up. I'd fallen in love with a colt in the village. We had a great thing going. Or I thought we did." She took a deep shuddering breath. "He apparently didn't think so because he dumped me. I found a bunch of Granny's sleeping pills and took them all at one. My mama found me and took me to the hospital. I was a wreck and in for about a month. I was worse than you. I had a full psychotic breakdown."

"Oh Gods, Pinkie." Twilight said, putting a hoof on her shoulder. "I'd have never known."

"I'm better now." She placed a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "You're going to get better too."

Then she turned and left. Twilight sat on the bed and used her magic to pull out the sheet. Maybe she'd get it right this time. Then deciding against it she went back outside for the evening meditation.

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