Final
Post War: Conclusion
By Foxgear
It was a hot day; too hot to be up in this stuffy barn throwing hay, why did haying always land on the hottest days Applejack wondered as she tossed up another hay bale. Her body was drenched head to toe in sweat, making the falling chaff of hay stick to her skin. She gave an exhausted sigh as she unbuttoned her flannel shirt and tossed it aside; leaving her in her undershirt and daisy shorts. Plopping down on a bale she took up the jug of water next to it and chugged down a few good ounces of cool refreshing water.
“It’s too damn hot.” She complained looking out the door of the barn. There were three more racks of hay to stack. Each rack held about two hundred and some bales, adding up to roughly six hundred bales and after those were empty they would be filled and unloaded again.
“Bloom and Mac better get home soon; I’m not doing this by myself again.” She remembered that time, when she stupidly bragged she could bring in all the hay herself. They didn’t put up much hay. Only enough for two thousand bales or so, nothing compared to the apples they raised. Only she had forgotten how much heavier the bales were and how the prickly strains of green liked to prick and cut her skin.
Deciding she earned a little longer break Applejack reclined against the bale and shut her eyes. Her thoughts drifting through her list of chores for the day until eventually drifted to Rawhide, the stallion she met during the war. It had been a few months before her injury. She had really taken a liking to him; he was a quiet man, strong, and not afraid of some hard work. He had been a miner by trade, but he quickly signed up for the army once the war began. He was quite the sight wielding a pick axe into battle.
After the fight with Rainbow in Canterlot she returned home to find him stationed in Ponyville with a huge new scar on his eye. The doctors said he wasn’t fit for front line duty, but gave him a pass for regular guard duty for a little town. He hadn’t been happy about it at first, but he seemed to cheer up once he discovered it was her hometown. He even came out to help on the farm every once in a while, soon becoming almost every day.
A blush came to her cheeks has she remembered a few of his nightly visits. A few just so happen to take place right in this very loft. Everything seemed so bright with him around, even with the war happening. Of course it didn’t stay that way.
The sound of someone climbing up the loft ladder brought Applejack out of her musing and she grabbed the pitch fork beside her out of reflex and held it like a spear.
“Whose there!” She demanded getting into the spear stance she learned in the army. She usually fought with fist and magic, but she was bit tired to be throwing punches and stabbing was so much more effective as she come to learn.
The intruder answered as a bob of familiar purple hair appeared in Applejack’s vision, “Just an old friend.” They answered through muffled words. Applejack couldn’t believe her eyes, Princess Twilight Sparkle was in her barn, climbing up a ladder with one arm and carrying a six pack of Apple Ale Cider between her teeth.
“Twi!” Applejack hurled over and took the six pack from the girl’s mouth and hulled her up the rest of the way with one lift. “What are you doing here? And when did you get so short?”
Twilight puffed out her cheeks as she took note that she only stood as tall as Applejack’s chin. Seems someone still had a grow spurt left it seems.
“I’m not short, your just ridiculous tall, your six feet tall for Celestia’s sake!”
Applejack looked curiously at the short purple princess. “Huh, guess I never noticed. Mac is only a little taller than me and Applebloom has gotten so tall now. I suppose I never noticed since I don’t leave the farm much anymore. That aside Twi, what brings you here? Not that it’s not nice to see you again I mean. How’s Flurry Heart doing? She with you?”
Twilight shook her head as she took a seat on a bale and grabbed one of the ales and popped it open. She took a one long swing before answering. “No, Flurry is still in the Empire. I have Starlight and Sunburst looking after her. Starlight insisted that I should come home for a bit and I found her reasoning sound and decided to come.”
“Ah huh,” Applejack said popping open her own bottle. “So you are just stopping by or…”
“Or…”
Applejack sighed, “I know you kept tabs on everyone Twi, and even if you didn’t Starlight would have told you what’s going on. So I… I was wondering if you… oh say found a cure… for me for you know…” her hand fell on her stomach, she could feel Twilight’s eyes staring at it as she nervously licked her lips preparing for the answer.
Twilight sucked in a breath and finished off her bottle, quickly popping a second one as she tried to find the words to say to her friend.
“I looked AJ. I really did. I studied and researched and talked to every doctor in Equestria and the Empire. There’s no fixing what’s been done to you, at best it could be fifty years before we discovering enough to safely try rebuilding tissue with magic, but even then the chances if it working are spotty.”
“Oh… I see.”
“But,” Twilight said suddenly, “While I was researching I did find some more alternative methods. They’re still in the developing stage, but there have been some tests and they have been shown to be quiet fruitful. It’s called Surrogating. We can take your DNA and the DNA of your mate or spouse and implant it in a different carrier and they carry your offspring to term. There’s also wombs transplant, but that’s still a bit iffy, mainly because it’s hard to find a donor and there isn’t much demand, and the possibility of your body not accepting the transplant.”
“What’s your point Twi?”
Twilight took another sip, smacking her lips as she tried to work up the courage to speak her mind, to be… honest.
“My point Applejack is I thought you needed something to be better, something specific, it needed to be exactly what you wanted. What I’ve come to realize is maybe it’s not exactly what you need. I know. I know you want nothing more than to have your own children, to give life to them yourself. Maybe you can’t have them the way you wanted, but there are other ways to have kids that will be yours, you can still be a mother. Just not the way you were expecting.”
“That’s…” Applejack began, but the words died in her throat as she pondered what Twilight was saying. “Would those things you said… would they work? Could I… could I have Rawhide’s kids?”
Twilight nodded.
“That’s um…” Applejack began to softly laugh as tears fell rolled down her cheeks. She swiped them away, spreading dirt, sweat, and tears across her face. “That’s great! That’s really great! I… I don’t know what else to say. I’ve been pushing that foolhardy miner away for a long time, but he’s never given up. He’s always come back after each time I sent him away. He wants kids as badly as I do, I didn’t want him to be saddled with a wife that couldn’t give him any kids of his own. I can’t even remember how many times I rejected his proposals to marry me. Each time he would just say he’d be back in the spring and go back to the mine and come back again. He’d just show up and start helping on the farm.”
“You must have him pretty smitten.” Twilight teased. “Rawhide… was he that guy that…”
“Help me protect the town when those golems attacked? Yeah that was him. We got on real quick after that. The way he swung that pick axe… it was divine.”
Twilight hummed as Applejack got a dreamy look in her eye, which did not happen often, but she just couldn’t help but point one little fact that they all notice about Applejack’s boyfriend when they first met him.
“You know he’s strangely similar to Mac, right? He’s big, red, and quiet. Other than being a miner they are basically the same.”
“Your point, Miss BBBFF?”
Twilight blushed, remembering the song she had written and yeah, time to move on and keep drinking. “Point taken. You’ve probably figured it out by now, but I’m not here just to see you.”
Applejack nodded, “I figured. Trying to get the band back together again? Well I won’t say I think you got a good shot of it this time, but you can count me in.”
“Good,” Twilight smiled, grabbing her third beer and handing AJ’s her third. “Course you’re going to have take one for the team if we’re going to help Rarity.”
“Oh great, I wonder what this plan could be.” AJ said sarcastically. She knew were this was going from a mile away. “You got another six pack? I think I’m going to need it.”
Rarity was alone in her living room with a cup of tea on the stand next to her as she held her old sewing needle in her hands. Her fingers trembled as she tried to push the pointy needle though the cloth. The pain in her thumbs flared up and she bit her lip to bit back a scream. She could do this. She could do this! She chanted pushing harder till her fingers cramped up causing her to drop the needle and cloth. Muffling a scream of frustration she reached for the needle and got nowhere near close enough to grab it.
“Dammit all,” She muttered under breath as she stretched out her hand. A soft blue glow surrounded the needle and slowly it floated upwards. Sweat marred her brow and her breathing became rapid, but it was almost…there!
The doorbell rang, breaking her focus, the needle feel back down to the floor. She looked it, feeling angry and disgusted with it. Taking a sip of tea she practiced smiling before calling out to her guests.
“I’ll be right there!”
“Ah shucks, no need to bother with that Rares. I can let myself in.”
Rarity could hardly believe her eyes. “Applejack darling, whatever are you doing here?” A flash of purple caught her attention, wheeling around the tall farmer, Rarity gasped as Twilight awkwardly waved and smiled. “My word… Twilight…”
“Yep Twi’s home, but that’s not why we’re here. I need a favor Rarity, more specific a dress.”
Today was just full of surprises it seems.
“You,” Rarity pointed accusingly, “Applejack, what me, to make you a dress?” Applejack smiled while nodding. “Well I’m afraid you’re several years too late. I… I don’t make dresses anymore. I can put a good word for you with Coco, she’s just as good, if not better them me now. I’m certain she can help you for a decent price.”
She tried to roll away, but two powerful hands grabbed the arm rest holding her in place. “I don’t want Coco to make it Rarity. I want you to. It’s for… well it’s for a special occasion.” Applejack’s faced turned bright red. “Please Rarity, I need your help.”
Gently Rarity pried Applejack’s hands off the arm rests and wheeled herself a few feet away. She raised her hands staring at them, her thumbs trembling.
“Applejack, it’s not that I don’t want to do it. I would love nothing more than to make you a dress that would put the princess’s to shame, but I can’t, my hands are too weak. Maybe if I had my magic I could do it, but I can’t!” She screamed her voice turning to whisper as she clutched her fists. “I can’t…”
Someone placed a hand on her back; it was Twilight, wearing a big smile. The smile she would wear when she solved a problem.
“Well, if it’s magic you need, I got plenty.” The purple princess said and suddenly Rarity felt a surge of power flood her veins. It was strong, warm, and plentiful, the magic of alicorn.
Carefully Rarity stretched out her hand the blue/purple magic gathering in her palm. She focused on her sewing needle on the floor; the needle flew to her instantly. Her mouth hung open, she could use magic… SHE COULD USE MAGIC! Applejack’s face appeared in her vision as adrenaline coursed through her body, there was a big knowing smile on the farmer face as she said, “So up for an order?”
Rarity’s grin threatens to split her face. “You know it! Let’s get started!” It was at that moment Applejack’s smile dropped as she was engulfed in magic.
“No, no, no not like this!”
“Twilight, if you please push me into the studio. I have some work to do.” Twilight could only smile sheepishly as Applejack was carried through the air to the modeling stage, stripped and then wrapped in tape measures; fabric of all colors and sizes flouted around the room in a maelstrom of colors. Twilight could feel Rarity’s excitement as she weaved her needle to and fro. She could fell Rarity’s joy, her happiness of her dream coming to life again.
Rarity hummed as she worked, while Applejack struggled to stay standing as one dress after another was placed on her and then taken off before she could even see the results and Rarity wondered why she rarely came for dresses.
“The color should defiantly be green, it contrasts your skin tone wonderfully, red works to, but red is overdone now a days. Let’s see… boots, you need new boots, a lighter brown, maybe a sandy color. How about earrings? No, no earrings, not your style. Maybe necklace, something simple, a jade! Yes, a jade to go with your dress. There were go and perfect!”
Applejack finally found her feet again as her world finally stopped spinning. She stood on the model stand, surrounded by mirrors. She gasped for breath at the sight of her in the mirror. She looked… beautiful. The dress was a light green color, almost like a Granny Smith and traveled down to her knees, where her new boots a genuine Lacrosse pair reached high on her legs. She gave a twirl, the helm of the skirt rising gently as the jade around her neck bounced against her breasts. This was better then she imagined.
“Thanks Rarity, you have no idea how much this means to me.”
Rarity chuckled lighting, “Oh I have a feeling I do. Please feel free to contact me for a wedding dress. I’ve had the perfect design in mind for years that will surely make Rawhide’s jaw drop to the floor. That is if Twilight will lend me her magic again.”
“Not a problem, the spell is simple, all it does it let you use my magic like battery. All you need is someone with unicorn magic and your set. Though they might tire quickly if you do what you did today.”
“Why darling you make sound like I’m going back into business.”
“Well are you? I mean you can with this spell.”
Rarity hummed, “I did enjoy making dresses again, but it got me thinking about other things. There’s so much more I can offer people then just a fancy dress, like with Coco and Sassy, why I could become a mentor! Imagine all the new designs that could be born through my guiding hand!”
“What about your dream Rarity?” Applejack asked stepping off the model stand. Rarity smiled softly as she maneuvered to look at the two.
“I’ve already fulfilled my dream a long time ago. I have stores in just about every major city and beyond. I think it’s time for a new dream, one where I’m living in the present and not the past.” She looked between the two, her smile widening, “And I would like you girls to be apart it and by that I mean all of us. So just tell me what I can do to help.”
“Well, we need you to talk to Fluttershy, or rather show us where she is during the day. I looked in her cabin and it looks like she hasn’t been there for a while.”
“I’m afraid Twilight there is only one sure fire way to meet with Fluttershy these days and it’s dangerous. I assume this will not detour you?” Twilight nodded. “Very well, then we best sit down for some tea, because it’s a long time till night.”
Her eyes darted swiftly around the room, her hand clutched to her robe, she didn’t feel safe. Not since Starlight’s intrusion of her private place, her sanctuary. Maybe she should find a new one? Others were sure to come. They would be looking for her. Hunting for her.
“No, no, no! That’s not right! Nobody is after you! They’re friends…friends that never come to see you, friends that have abandoned you.” Fluttershy looked over the edge of the pool, her bright red eyes staring back at in the water, it was getting worse. The bat, the bat was taking control.
The burns on her body stung. She needed to get in the water, but she was too afraid to! What if someone was here? What if they saw her? What if she went batty again? She might hurt someone again! Her tongue licked around her enlarged fangs, she remembered the blood, it tasted… good.
Her skin began to heat up. The urge to scratch was unbearable! Hissing she threw her robe away and jumped in the pool with a slash! The water soothed her skin, her mind, and her soul. Zecora made the bath mixture. Fluttershy wasn’t sure what was it in, but it felt good and it kept her in check. Strange she had to be fully nude for the water to work; she couldn’t even wear a swimsuit. Zecora explained it was just the way the magic worked.
Neither the less the water dig it’s job wonderfully. The pain from her burns lessened and her bat urges were lessening; now she just needed to be in here for the entire night with no…
“Hi Fluttershy.”
…Interruptions.
Anger surged, but she bit her lips to suppress her hiss, her long fangs drawing blood. Carefully she crossed her arms over her breasts and looked over her shoulder to see Rarity, alone, in a wheel chair, easily prey…
NO! Rarity is not prey!
“Hi... what are you doing here?”
“Oh I happen to be in the mood to come and see you. Starlight mentioned her… last visit with you and I grew concerned. Have your symptoms been worsening?”
Fluttershy shivered, but not from being cold, no she was shivering with hunger. “Yes, they have been getting worse. Perhaps the water is losing its effectiveness or I’m developing a resistance to it. I’ll speak with Zecora about making a new mixture.”
“That’s wonderful to hear darling… um why are you standing so close to me?” Rarity slowly rolled away from the edge of the pool. Fluttershy dripping wet and naked slowly stalked closer with haunting red eyes. Why did she have to be the bait in this plan?
Fluttershy licked her lips as she grabbed Rarity’s wheel chair, “You really shouldn’t be here Rarity. I don’t like being disturbed and you look… soooo… good… especially your veins… veins filled with blood.”
“Umm… Twilight! Applejack! Please help!”
The two stepped out from the shadows surrounding the bat girl. Fluttershy hissed scratching at the air with her long nails and baring her fangs at the trio. A glow of dark yellow surrounded her and she changed completely to her bat form, complete with two huge leather wings protruding from her lower back.
“Stay away! I knew you would come for me! I knew you couldn’t let me be!” Fluttershy cried falling to her knees, tears streaming down her face like a waterfall. “I knew you couldn’t let a monster like me be. I’ve tried my best, but I can hardly control it anymore! I feel so angry all the time, all the pain and anguish I suppressed over the years. The hate, I hate having to fight in the war, hate watching as people lay dying in front of me crying for their mothers and being able to do nothing! I hate Celestia for not warning us about Discord! I hate Starlight for turning me into this thing! I hate it! I HATE IT!”
Fluttershy screamed at the top of her lungs pounding her fists into the cement floor, leaving cracks with each blow. She fell to her side crying, her long pink bangs covering her face as she cried.
“Just get it over with; please make it quick, it’s the kind thing to do.” She mumbled as Twilight knelt down stroking her back.
“Oh Fluttershy, I’m sorry I… no we let you get this bad. We’re your friends we should have been there for you. I shouldn’t have let Starlight try her experiment on you without making sure it was safe. I just… I just let things get away from me, but I’m here now. We are here now and we say you are not a monster, your still our friend and we what to help you. I can’t cure your burns or maybe even your bat transformation, but we can make sure you don’t have to face them alone, not anymore.”
Fluttershy hiccuped as she swiped away her tears. “You… you don’t think I’m a monster? You still want to be my friends, even though I really, really want to bite your neck and suck your blood?” Twilight nodded, though her smile was a bit shaky, especially when Fluttershy hugged her. The fangs were just a bit too close for comfort.
“We’ll never stop being friends Fluttershy and if we need start wearing garlic perfume then so be it.” They shared a laugh, Applejack handed Fluttershy her robe and they all moved to the nearby bench to sit down and chat, telling Fluttershy that they were getting the gang back together.
“Oh that’s wonderful! What can I do to help?”
“Well, do you happen to know were Pinkie is?”
It was early dawn on the Pie family Rock Farm and four figures stood on the edge of the property wondering what they should do. Should they wait here and meet their target in the fields or go to the house?
“Showing up while she’s working is usually acceptable; you all do it all the time at mah farm.”
“I always got a feeling that wasn’t as appreciated as you led on dear Applejack.”
“I’m kind of with Rarity on this one; it seems kind of rude to show up while she’s working. What do you think Fluttershy? Um… Fluttershy?” Twilight and the other two looked to see Fluttershy boldly making her way across the rock fields to the farm house. She was really moving fast and… smoking… “Oh right, vampire. Come on lets go to the house I guess. Applejack you wanna carry Rarity? The terrain isn’t the best for wheelchairs.”
The farm girl nodded, gathering up the fashionista bridal style and followed the purple princess across the fields.
“Don’t get any funny ideas from this Rarity,” Applejack muttered as Rarity was giving her the “What can I do with you look” usual it meant another fashion show.
“Perish the thought Applejack, on an unrelated topic how would you feel about modeling some suits for me? You have quiet the build for it.”
Applejack’s eyes narrowed at the fashionista, “If yawls calling me mannish, I’ll drop you here and let you crawl to the house.” Rarity chuckled nervously, looking anywhere but at the farmer.
“Oh look, we’re already here, how time flies.”
From the house Fluttershy called out, “I could use some help in here!” Quickly all three women charged into the farm house. They ran through the dining room to the open door at the end of the hallway. Inside a naked Pinkie Pie was being subdued by Fluttershy, a butcher’s knife lay across the floor by the wall.
“Pinkie what are you doing?” Twilight gasped as the pink girl reached for the knife. Acting quick Twilight made the knife vanish from view and knelt before the struggling girl. “Applejack, please help hold her down.”
“Right,” Applejack said setting Rarity on the bed. She knelt down on the right side of Pinkie’s back holding down her right arm and leg, while Fluttershy held down the left side. Pinkie thrashed beneath them with great force, nearly bucking them off a time or two before finally tiring.
“She was trying to cut off her arm, Twilight!” Fluttershy said explaining what she saw when she entered the room. Pinkie had been on the bed, her right arm held up against the wall, with the knife in her left. She had lad the knife on the stitch, lining up for the cut before pulling back to sever the arm in one swing.
All of them stared at the former party planner, unable to comprehend why she would try to do such a thing. Quietly Twilight leaned down closer to Pinkie’s face, the girl’s lips were moving, whispering something so softly she could barely hear what it was.
“Must not become Maud,” Was what she said, over and over again.
Twilight bowed her head, and gestured for Applejack and Fluttershy to lift the poor girl up and sit her down on the bed. Pinkie didn’t struggle as they moved her, but Applejack and Fluttershy kept a tight grip on the pink girl as they sat beside her.
“Pinkie,” Twilight said reaching for the girl, Pinkie turned away anger and sorrow in her eyes. “Pinkie please let us help you. You’re not well.”
Pinkie snorted, “Says the girl with one arm and eye and struggling to raise the daughter of her dead brother and is feeling like she’s failing miserably.”
“I see you’re perceptive as ever. Yes, I’ve come to realize you can’t learn to be a parent or even a role model from just reading a book. You can’t just insert yourself into the role and expect everything to go well. For the first year Flurry Heart wouldn’t talk to me about anything. She would always smile and say she was fine, but I’d see her crying in her bed when she went to sleep, calling out for her mommy and daddy. I should have been the one person who could understand her, but I didn’t lose my parents at her age. Hell looking back I hardly spent time with my parents after I joined Celestia’s school and when they passed it hurt, but didn’t hurt as much as it should have. They had become like distant relatives to me, never noticed them when they were there, didn’t notice when they were gone. I failed one family already; I’m not failing this one.”
A smile appeared on Pinkie’s face, but it’s wasn’t a happy one, “I think you already failed this family Twilight. We needed you to keep us together. You were the glue, the rock of the entire thing; with you gone we all just drifted away again. Some tried to mend the ties that had broken, IE me, but balloons and cake can only do some much. Even the townsfolk turned against me, I lived with them for years, served them cake, knew all their names, knew every little thing about them, I treated every one of them like family and when it was their turn to give back. To help me when I was down, they stabbed me in the back and chased me out of town just because I came back a little different from a war I fought to protect them. If that’s how they treat their friends, I’d hate to be their enemy.”
“Pinkie’s right you know,” Applejack said suddenly, “The town did fail her, but I did her one worse. I was too wrapped up in my own grief to even lift a finger to help her. I hadn’t even known she left down till a month passed. I’m sorry Pinkie, should have been looking out for you.”
“As am I,” Rarity spoke up, “I just sat by and let you walk out of town without even a word. I should have scolded those town folks something fierce.”
“And I should have done more for you too; I was on staff when we did the transfer. I didn’t even think about the mental trauma and left you to strangers to take care of.” Fluttershy admitted meekly.
Tears rolled down Pinkie’s cheeks as she shook her head fiercely about. “No… I… I shouldn’t have said those things. I should have gone for help instead of leaving, but I… I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t know how to make you smile anymore. To make you laugh, to make you happy. I felt so silly thinking parties could fix anything, such a stupid childish thing to believe.”
“Don’t say that!” Twilight shouted, shedding tears. “Don’t say they were stupid, your parties. Yeah, they were silly, and maybe childish, but sometimes that’s what you need. Maybe parties can’t fix everything, but for even just a moment they can make it feel like the world isn’t crashing down around us. Your parties didn’t just make us laugh with joy or happy, they gave us hope that things can always get better.”
Pinkie made a soft sad smile as she held up her right hand, Maud’s hand. “That’s nice to hear, but I’m not sure I’m the same Pinkie anymore. I might not even be Pinkie at all.” Twilight grabbed the hand and held it tight.
“You maybe aren’t the same Pinkie you once were, but I’m not the same Twilight either, none of us are the same anymore and we can’t go back, but we can go forward, together. I can’t promise an instant fix, but let us help you.”
Pinkie’s hand tightened around Twilight’s. She flexed each finger and then each toe, she was in control; they were her limbs now, not Maud’s.
“We’ll need Rainbow Dash,” Pinkie replied with a genuine smile, “I hope you girls remember how to tussle, because Rainbow never goes down easy. Remember last time?”
Twilight nodded and smiled, “Why do you think we got Fluttershy?”
Rainbow Dash staggered through her apartment kicking empty bottles out of her way as she dug around the mess that was her home. Grumbling she searched the floor for a clean pair of panties, growling when she found none. Running out of time she opened the top drawer of her dresser, where she kept her more saucy underwear, the kind she would wear for Soarin on their off duty date nights. Carefully she pulled the wonderbolts thong from the drawer, the pair he’d gotten her when she first joined, it was meant to be a sort of a gag gift, but it became the catalyst for their relationship.
Looking at the clock and seeing she didn’t have time to get emotional over such silly things as underwear, she slipped on the yellow and blue panties and quickly dressed in her formal uniform. As she marched towards the door she grabbed a bottle of bourbon on the table and chugged half of it down before leaving.
Swaggering out into the hall she had to pause and right herself against the wall. The alcohol from last night must still be in her, must be why her stomach hurt like hell. She could feel the vile rising in her throat, maybe she should just call in sick, what’s her name can take over for a day.
“What was my secretary’s name again?” Rainbow wondered as she stumbled back to her apartment. Fiddling with her keys she sluggishly tried to open the door, missing the keyhole several times, leaving scratch marks on the knob. Finally she got the key to go in and reentered her apartment.
Grabbing the phone by her bed she called in sick to her office and laid out the training plan for the day to her secretary before hanging up. Once done she broke out into giggles as she drowned the rest of the bourbon and then moved onto the vodka in the cupboards, and then the scotch and every bottle she could find.
At five pm Rainbow lay smashed on the floor, clothes in disarray and empty bottles surrounding her and it still wasn’t enough for her.
“Guess I should get some more,” She monotony said, twirling a bottle with in her hand. She stood up, bottles clattering around her as she swaggered to the door. Her feet catching one of the empty bottles making her slip and fall; her head hitting the corner of the table.
Hissing she held her hand to her head, only to quickly move it away as the pain worsened. Moving her hand in front of her eyes she saw it was covered in blood.
“Oh… that might not be good.” She slurred, head falling to the floor, a pool of blood forming around her.
“This is Rainbow’s apartment. She called in sick today, so she should be here. Now when she opens the door, Applejack will jump her first and then Fluttershy will hit a pressure point to paralyze her temporary, giving me time to form a binding spell. I’m not as quick as I was before with my eye gone when it comes to aiming spells. Pinkie be ready to jump in, in case I’m too slow, Rarity as a last resort I want you to grab my hand and use my magic to cast the spell if I take too long. Everyone got the plan?”
“Got it,” They all replied in unison.
Twilight nodded, everything should go off without a hitch, and maybe this time they can avoid having to fight Rainbow like last time. That is after they calm her down. None of them have seen the speedster in years, so they didn’t know if she was still having a grudge or not from their last fight. They decided on this plan as Rainbow tends to holds grudges and be stubborn when she doesn’t want to listen to reason or simply doesn’t want to hear what you got to say. That being said, they’ve all had that mind set before.
“Alright, let’s go this!” Twilight grabbed the knob with her magic, twisting the lock till it unlocked. Applejack bolted inside, Fluttershy right behind her, they all filed in quickly ready for an angry Rainbow Dash to come charging at them. Only she didn’t.
“Is she not home?” Rarity wondered aloud rolling into the apartment. “Oh my, it’s so… dirty.”
Spotting the empty booze bottles Twilight picked it up and sniffed the contents. The smell of alcohol was still strong; this bottle had only recently been emptied. Taking up another she got the same results, again, again, and again. Most of the bottles were just recently drank, this much alcohol was nearly lethal!
“Rainbow! Rainbow are you here!”
A low groan came from the other room, quickly the five rushed to the kitchen where Rainbow lay on the ground, a pool of blood beneath her head.
“Fluttershy first aid quick!” Twilight ordered knelling down and performing a scanning spell on Rainbow. She had a concussion and there was some damage around her neck. Carefully Twilight rolled Rainbow’s head to the side, gasping at the piece of glass sticking out of her neck!
“Call for an ambulance, we can’t help her like this.” Applejack nodded and quickly left, looking for a phone.
Rainbow’s eyes fluttered open, weakly she reached for Twilight, her arm falling back to the floor. “Twilight…” The blue skinned girl croaked weakly, “What are you doing here? Is that Fluttershy? Way to rock the bandana girl.”
“Twilight something isn’t right,” Fluttershy said sitting down next to the princess. She began wrapping Rainbow’s head wound, but she was afraid to touch her neck without surgical tools available.
Nodding in agreement Twilight preformed a more advanced scanning spell. “Her blood is practically half alcohol. She’s been drinking a large amount fairly consistently for a long time given the damage to her liver. Rainbow what days is it.”
“Apple cider day.”
“How many fingers am I holding up?”
“Twenty six.”
Twilight bit her lip, “She’s defiantly got a concussion, worse, and she fell asleep with one. Applejack how long till the medic arrives?”
“I see flashing lights outside,” Pinkie said from the window.
“Good, you hear that Rainbow? You’re going to be alright.” She said grabbing Rainbow’s hand as the medics came into the room and placed Rainbow on a stretcher.
“Twilight,” Rainbow mumbled, “I’m sorry.”
Rainbow’s eyes fluttered close. Quickly the medics rushed her down to the ambulance and proceeded to try and revive her. Her friends watched in horror as Rainbow’s body bounced from the shocks as the doors closed and the ambulance sped off; leaving the five running after them with tears streaming down their eyes.
They ran all the way to the hospital, Applejack carrying Rarity, together they burst through the door and rushed up the stairs to the ECU. They made a break for the doors, pushing past the nurses and doctors, coming to a stop at the observation window. Rainbow lay inside, surrounded by surgeons working vigorously to save her life.
Someone tapped Twilight on the shoulder, she turned and gasped as Princess Luna stood behind her. The princess of Day and Night embraced the younger princess and led her and the others to nearby bench to sit down. Together they watched and waited.
Rainbow awoke feeling awful. Her head heard, her neck stung, and her stomach felt like someone was twisting and then tying it into a knot. Also someone was squeezing her hand really, really hard! She tried to move her head to see who it was, but a brace stopped her from moving, so she strained her eyeballs to get a better look at the person. She smiled when she spotted a tuff of purple hair.
"Twilight..." She whispered, squeezing the purple princess's hand, she awoke instantly.
"Rainbow! Your awake! I'll get a nurse."
"Wait..." Rainbow said holding Twilight's hand as tight as she could. "I... I want to talk to you. Could you come a little closer?" Twilight nodded and sat back down, leaning in so her ear was right next to Rainbow's mouth. "I'm glad to see you again. I was... I was lonely. I missed all of you, but I was too stubborn to go make amends. I was afraid. Afraid that I'd loose you gals, like I lost Soarin, Spitfire, Fleetfoot and the others. And I was too afraid to face you after what I said during the fight by Discord's statue. I-I...(SOB) I'm sorry..."
Twilight wiped the tear from Rainbow's eye, "It's ok, I know, we all know." From behind Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rarity appeared and smiled down on Rainbow. The speedster continued to cry, and she even started to hiccup, but her smile was never more wide or more genuine then it had been in years.
"This might sound strange," Rainbow said quietly, "But could you guys sing me a song?"
They all smiled and said, "We'd love to." Rainbow leaned back and closed her eyes as her friends sang for her.
When they finished, Rainbow Dash was fast asleep with a smile on her face. Quietly the five left the room to let her rest. The last one to leave was Twilight, who smiled one last time before leaving.
"I'm glad we were in time." She whispered and shut the door.
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Ehhh, the final part was really demotivating. The rest of the chapter, where Twilight gets to put the team together was good, but this ending really blows. Sorry for this.
7485376 That's fine.
7485405
No! Not like this!!! Rainbow!!!!
7487143 She's fine, unless you read the original ending from this morning.
7487165
I read the original. Don't scare me like that!
7487205 Sorry about that, I finished that last night and when I left for work in the morning I had a "This would be better moment" luckily I had to leave work early, so I was able to change the ending. Whether or not it's better is up to opinion, depending on how many read the original ending.
I personally like the revised ending better.
I'm glad I forgot to take the tracker off after the original ending, or I would have missed the revision
7488990 I didn't know the tracker showed when edits appear or did I re-post the chapter? I had a house closing that day, so I can't recall.
7490092
Neither. I was just checking back to make sure the story was really over, and I saw in the comments that the chapter was modified.
7490254 I see, getting back on track, is it save to assume you liked the revised ending more? I'm trying to get a feel of what works better for future stories.
7490287
Well, it's best if you have a rough idea on what tone your ending will be. If you're going to have an ending like the one you had originally, you should tag it as a Tragedy. As it says in the tag information.
As for future stories, you can pretty much do whatever you want. Not everyone is going to like your story or it's subject matter. But what's important is that you enjoy writing it.
7490317 All true, though I'm bit embarrassed to admit this, but the first ending wasn't actually supposed to be the ending. I forgot the ending and was in a "I want to get this done mood" so I went with the first thing that come to mind and in the morning after going to work I came up with a better one.
Usually I have the endings worked out before hand, but the final chapter wasn't planned, so I had to scramble a bit.
Either way, I'm glad to get feed back, it helps improve.