Depression

by ZombieBrony22

Depression

Sky sat in a hospital hallway, trying to block out the voices all around him. The Humane 6, the Shadowbolts, and Shining Armor were waiting with Sky to hear about Flutterfly's condition.

"So, um... Sky?" Applejack asked, sitting in front of Sky.

Sky looked up, not saying a word.

"I know that this seems rough, but that girl's been through more than any of us." Applejack told Sky.

Sky doesn't say a word as he returns to his trance; she got the hint and decided to leave Sky alone. Before anyone could utter another word, the doctor left Flutterfly's room.

"How is she?" Sky asked.

"She's... better. Her voicebox is torn to shreds, the only way to fix it is the experimental surgery that she informed you about." The doctor said.

"Wait, what surgery?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Sky looked at Shining, signaling him, asking if he could tell them the truth. He answered by leaving his seat.

"Fluttershy is part of an undercover task force consisting of vigilantes. She's... Mare-Do-Well."

A couple shocked whispers were exchanged between the group.

"Did you know about this?!" Sci-Twi whispered to Sky.

He nods.

"You son of a--" Sunset got up, but Sugarcoat stops her.

"Trust me, you don't wanna do this." She told Sunset, calming her down.

"I found out a few weeks ago." Sky answered.

"And you didn't tell us?!" Sunset sharply whispered.

"He signed a waiver, and so do all of you." Shining said as he pulled out several copies of the waivers.

The 6 observe the small sheet of paper given to them.

"What happens if we sign and tell anyway?" Rainbow asked.

"It's best if you don't know." Shining said.

Sci-Twi looks the most shocked.

"Shining, you're a police captain, not whatever this is!" She whispered.

"I know. I'm not in charge of the operation, I'm just in charge of keeping my employers updated on the city." Shining said.

Rainbow and Applejack signed, along with Pinkie.

"There's more..." Sky composed himself before telling the story again.

"...About 4 years ago, Flutterfly lost her voice-- it was taken from her by the guys who attempted to rape Rarity. But... let's just say they didn't attempt anything." Sky said.

The others knew what this meant. Rainbow showed disgust, Rarity covered her mouth as she started to cry.

"Why didn't she tell us? After everything we did for her?" Sunset asked.

"Because she wanted to help people. She felt like it was her burden to put on that mask and make a difference. But she could never move on from her past... That made her dangerous because she started caring more about punishing the guilty than saving the innocent.." Shining said.

Silence filled the room once again, with the entire story now setting in on everyone in the room-- Rarity was in tears, Rainbow Dash tightened her fists and slammed the chair she was on, and Applejack couldn't form the words to describe how she felt.

"Why...?" Rainbow asked herself, her voice trembling.

Before a word can be said, another doctor entered the room.

"I assume this is a bad time to ask if you all have made your decision yet?" He asked.

Sky rose from his seat, composing himself after repeating the story about Flutterfly.

"Is she awake? I wanna know what she thinks." He said.

"Yes, she's awake. She's in room 305, if you'd follow me."

---

Flutterfly's throat was wrapped in bandages, a tube which was injecting fluid running into her neck. Her breath was raspy due to all the fluid, and also because her throat was torn apart. Once Sky entered the room, he could hardly look at her. Flutterfly began using her right hand to type into a computer next to her.

"It's alright, I know that this isn't the best state to see me in." An automated, female voice said.

Sky chuckled and took a seat next to Flutterfly's left.

"The doctor wants to know if you want to move forward with the procedure." Sky bluntly told her.

She typed into the computer again.

"Why wouldn't I?" The voice asked.

"It's so expensive because it's experimental, no-one even knows if this works. Flutterfly, you could die for all we know!"

Flutterfly's eyes grow misty as she continues typing.

"Then I'll either get better or die trying." Flutterfly's computer said.

Sky couldn't say a word, he knew there was no talking her out of this.

"Well... if that's what you want, I'm not going to stop you."

Sky got up and kissed Flutterfly's forehead, and as he turned away, she grabbed Sky's arm and pulled him back. Sky knew what this meant and he planted a kiss on her lips, but as he pulled away, Flutterfly wrapped her left arm around his head and kissed him back.

Flutterfly typed into her computer again.

"It's about time you did that." The computer read aloud.

Sky smiles and gives her a small peck on the lips. Before the two could speak, the doctor enters the room.

"So, have you-- oh!" He turns away, ashamed that he ruined a moment.

"Yes, we have. Do it." Sky said, as his smile fades away.

---

The other sat in the waiting room, anxious for the results.

"She has to do it, there's no other way!" Sunset said.

Sky entered the room, showing no sign of joy over the moments prior.

"Well? Is she doing it?" Sugarcoat asked in as sweet as a voice as possible.

Sky didn't say anything, he just walked away, leaving the hospital.

"Sky? Sky!" Rainbow called.

"I'll talk to him." Sugarcoat said.

"Come on, you sure you're the woman for the job?" Applejack said.

Sugarcoat stopped and sighed, knowing that she was right.

"I'll go." Rainbow said as she got up and ran after Sky.

---

Sky was sitting on a bench at a small park near the hospital, overlooking the Everfree Forest. He sat by himself, holding his eye-case in his hands.

"Sky? You here?" Rainbow called before spotting him.

She took a seat next to him, keeping space between the two.

"What's up, man? Why are you out here by yourself?" Rainbow asked.

Rainbow moved closer to Sky, breaking the space she created.

"Sky... please, talk to me." She begged.

"...I love her."

Rainbow showed no expression.

"I know that, everybody in there knows that. So what's this really about?"

Sky took a breath.

"When I was 13, I fell in love with some local girl at Crystal Prep. We dated for a few months, but then my mom found out. She destroyed this girl's reputation, Rainbow. She transferred by the end of the month, and I never saw her again."

Rainbow was surprised at Sky's honesty, but understood how he felt.

"Anything, anyone that I love gets destroyed, Rainbow. I can't let that happen to her..."

Rainbow knew what she had to do to convince him.

She had to lie.

"I talked to the doctor, she said that the surgeon had done this procedure multiple times. She'll be fine, Sky."

"That's not what this is about. It's about that... 'Tempest' person. As long as she's out there, Flutterfly won't ever be safe."

"If that's how you feel, wait this day out, then see what you can do to help." Rainbow said.

Sky sighed, knowing that she was right.

"I'll go back, but don't expect me to be all hopeful." Sky said as he headed back to the hospital.

Rainbow smiled, knowing that this was going to work.

---

A few hours have passed, all Sky could think about was about Flutterfly dying in that operation. Shining noticed Sky's glum and decided to try to cheer him up.

"Hey, that girl is more capable than you give her credit for. I saw her take on a whole army with that leather suit, she'll be--"

"This isn't a battle, Shining. This is war. If she dies, I want to take her place, and if she lives, I want to help her."

Shining didn't know how to respond.

"Sky... she'll be okay." Sugarcoat told him.

"Maybe, maybe not." Sky replied.

The surgeon entered the room, removing his gloves and mask.

"Well? Is she..." Sky asked.

This is it. Sky told himself. You fell in love and now she's gone.

Sky braced himself for the worst, he took a breath ready to scream out in grief--

"...She made it." The doctor broke his train of thought.

Sky was caught completely off-guard...

"She'll be under for a few more hours, but she should be awake tomorrow, new voice box and all."

Sky nearly collapsed overhearing the news. He could barely speak or stand he was so full of joy.

"Sky? Are you alright?" Sugarcoat asked.

Sky turned back, with a smile on his face.

"I'm not just okay... I feel better than I've felt in a long time."

---

A day passed, and the group had returned to the hospital, eager to see their friend.

"Wait a minute..." Pinkie stated.

"What is it?" Sky asked.

"This is usually the moment in these things where some tragedy strikes, like Fluttersh-- Flutterfly died while under or-- maybe she gets jumped!" Pinkie panicked.

"Don't worry, Pinkie. She's being supervised by our top officers, nothing's gonna happen to her." Shining said.

The crew entered the hospital and took a seat in the waiting room. Sunset went to the reception center to ask which room Flutterfly was in.

"Um, excuse me? I'm looking for a patient named Fluttershy, maybe Flutterfly?" She asked.

The receptionist had a red mohawk and a scar running down her left eye.

"Yeah, she's in room 305, you can't miss it."

"Thanks, Miss...?" Sunset asked.

"Berrytwist." The receptionist answered.

Sunset went back to tell the others which room she was in, and they were off. They found the room after a few moments of looking and knocked.

"Come in." A loud, familiar voice said.

The group was stunned, but entered the room. The first thing they saw was Flutterfly, equipped with a new voice box, although they couldn't see it.

"Ta-da... My real voice." Flutterfly said.

The voice was slightly faint and scratchy, but it was enough to make the group of friends make joyous gasps as Sky took a step forward.

"Don't tell me you were worried..." Flutterfly said.

"Damn right, I was." Sky almost tackled Flutterfly in an embrace.

Flutterfly held him back, enjoying the short moment they had together.

"Well, I think we'll just leave you two be for now." Cadence said as she turned around and shooed everyone out of the room before shutting the door behind her.

SIlence fell the two, which Sky decided to end.

"So, what happens now?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" Flutterfly asked.

"You and this... crusade? You did this to take revenge on Hoops and Dumb-Bell, and now they're dead." Sky said.

"Tempest sent them, and as long as she's out there, no-one's safe. Next on my list is this... Tempest Shadow." Flutterfly said.

"Then I'm helping you." Sky announced.

Flutterfly showed denial as she opened her mouth to say something.

"Don't bother, I just talked it over with Shining. Filthy will have my suit by the end of the week." Sky told her.

"You would do that just to get closer to me?" Flutterfly chuckled.

"Yeah, I would." Sky kissed her, and she kissed back.

The kiss lasted for a few moments, which felt like hours before the two needed to breathe.

"I'm good to leave in the next few days. See you at home?" Flutterfly asked.

"See you at home." Sky kissed her forehead and left the room.

Only to face the crew staring and snickering.

"What?" Sky asked.

"Am I to assume you would like to work with Flutterfly?" Shining asked.

"Are you seriously asking me that?"

The whole crew laughed, knowing that their future looked bright. Especially Sky's. For the first time in a long time...

He was happy.

Comments

[Witchrblizzad]

"Berrytwist." The receptionist answered.

of course... why not?

[fluttercord shipper 23]

Can't wait for the sequel

[The Lunar Toaster]

This chapter felt... rushed. As in, there's some things that just don't make sense right now either. There's the case of after-surgery, her voice is 'regular' and she's able to wield it almost too well. Like, does it not hurt? I'd assume after shredding your vocal chords apart that you'd end up sore from both going full screamo, and surgery.

[Silas5399]

Is there going to be another following this

[Prince Jules Moonshade]

9986187 I see you all over the place seems we have the same interest rather it be your stories or being a comment.

[Eins]

It seems to me that no one will argue with me that video games are against depression, because they help to distract and forget about all the problems that constantly surround us. I would like to recommend you an excellent article https://www.gamesreviews.com/articles/11/video-games-as-a-medicine-against-depression/ which is dedicated to this topic. First and foremost, it is important to understand that depression affects people psychologically and physically, and the symptoms are very difficult to distinguish and can vary depending on who is suffering.

[Pete100]

Sky braced himself for the worst, he took a breath ready to scream out in grief--

"...She made it." The doctor broke his train of thought.

I understand he was ready, but d*mn.