Scared to Death

by mesu-no-TORA

Crash

Rarity never missed a Wonderbolts show. She wasn’t exactly a pegasus, but she did have a television, quite a large one at that (after all, being a famous Canterlot fashionista allowed such frivolities). Admittedly, the alabaster unicorn was not too fond of sports or physical exertion in general, but she was fond of something—or rather, somepony—else. Just as Rarity had finally worked her way to the top, Rainbow Dash had accomplished her dream of becoming a Wonderbolt. Before the cyan pegasus had left for training, each of the remaining Element bearers had promised their close friend never to miss a show, and the violet-maned mare was no exception. Though Rarity and Rainbow Dash had not been the closest when they first met, being so different, they were as close-knit as anypony else in the group now.

The alabaster unicorn smiled slightly as Rainbow Dash appeared on her large screen. She was the leader of the Wonderbolts now, as the others, of course, had gotten older and retired. Traditionally, the rainbow-maned pegasus ended with a sonic rainboom, but tonight apparently it was different. As soon as the show began, each of the five pegasi dove straight down, the camera following them flawlessly. Soon the two ponies at the end of the ‘V-formation’ fell back, and then the remaining ponies beside Rainbow Dash also fell. The cyan pegasus pushed forward with all her might, her grinning lips blowing back from the force. Tears flew from Rainbow Dash’s magenta eyes as she became enveloped in a glowing cone, then shot off, a boom echoing from Rarity’s giant speakers loud enough to push the unicorn back into her couch. Rarity cheered to herself as a gorgeous sonic rainboom graced Rarity’s TV screen.

But something was wrong.

Rainbow Dash broke formation.

The cyan mare’s legs curled inwards, and her eyes flashed open. Looking more closely now, Rarity could clearly see the dark circles around her friend’s eyes. With a horrified scream, the pearly unicorn realized that Rainbow’s body was so tired she couldn’t keep herself in formation, let alone pull herself upward to keep from crashing into the ground. Screams flew from her sound system. Not wanting to see what happened next, the alabaster mare snapped the TV off and panted for a few moments, terrified. With a determined look drawing in her eyes, Rarity stood up, shrugging off her robe and donning one of her prize-winning cloaks. The unicorn ran to the street, frantically calling over a pegasus-drawn carriage.

“To Cloudsdale,” she said urgently. Her carriage took off.

The Wonderbolts’ Emporium was in chaos. Everypony was focused on a medical carriage—the medical carriage that, of course, held Rainbow Dash. Rarity couldn’t get through, unless—

“I am Rarity, and I am the most famous fashion designer in all of Equestria. I demand to be let to see our fallen Wonderbolt!” Rarity commanded, instantly clearing a line through the crowd. She had her carriage pull her towards Rainbow Dash, and soon she was beside her fallen friend. The unicorn’s first thoughts were that her friend was dead. Soaked in blood and laying eerily still, both front legs bent at awkward angles, a bone sticking through one of them. The cyan pegasus’s eyes were open, locked in an expression of horror and fear. However, even with tears streaming from her eyes, rendering her almost sightless, Rarity could see Rainbow Dash twitch. And the unicorn broke down into sobs, so grateful her friend was alive.

“Thank Celestia…” she murmured, stroking Rainbow’s blood-stained hair back from her face. As the medical carriage flew off, Rarity cleared her eyes and demanded that her drivers follow the cyan pegasus. Trusting her drivers to follow her fallen friend’s path, Rarity lost herself in her thoughts. That idiot pegasus, I bet she hasn’t slept in days. She should know to take better care of herself. Do her teammates make sure she gets any rest?! I am going to have to give a serious talking-to to some very irresponsible ponies, because obviously they cannot do the job they must! It wasn’t long, though, before Rarity ran out of angry thoughts, and simply collapsed into heart-wrenching sobs.

When Rarity arrived at the hospital, Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy were already there. “Girls, thank Celestia you’re here,” Rarity cried, first embracing Twilight and then Fluttershy. “Don’t worry, Rainbow Dash has made quite the mistake and bashed herself up quite a bit, but she’s breathing. I went to Cloudsdale myself.” The two mares broke down and hugged the alabaster unicorn tightly in turn.

“Applejack’s on her way, Rarity,” the mulberry unicorn informed through her tears, “and Pinkie Pie’s currently irritating the buck out of all the nurses to get us inside.” Just then, the pink earth pony trotted out of the hospital, mane deflated. In a second she was sobbing and embracing her alabaster friend.

“Dashie’s…uhuhu…gonna be okay, right?” she murmured through her tears.

“Yes, Pinkie, Dashie is going to be just fine,” Rarity answered softly, patting her friend’s back with her hoof. The pair stayed like that for a short while, before the pastel-yellow pegasus broke the silence.

“Pinkie, can we go inside?” Fluttershy asked quietly, bordering on silence.

“Yeah, Fluttershy,” the bright-colored earth pony answered. “Dashie’s in the third room on the left. Twi, will you wait out here with me, so we can meet Applejack when she gets here?” The indigo-maned mare nodded, and Rarity and Fluttershy went inside.

The pastel-colored mare almost fainted when she saw Rainbow Dash.

“Oh my, that’s a looooot of blood…” Fluttershy whimpered, turning her eyes away. The alabaster unicorn took a hoof around her friend’s neck as she cried.

“Dash is going to be all right, Fluttershy dear…” she murmured in the pegasus’s ear. “She’s stable,” she added quickly, though the unicorn had no way of knowing so.

From then on until Applejack arrived, time flowed in a blur for Rarity. Doctors came in, doctors went out. Nurses took Rainbow Dash out to wash and operate on her, nurses brought a bandaged, though clean, Rainbow back. Fluttershy slept, Fluttershy awoke. Twilight Sparkle came in to check on them, Twilight left. Pinkie Pie came in, Pinkie left. It was all a blur, and Rarity did not sleep.

“What in tarnation did that idiot do to herself this time?!” Applejack’s voice punctuated Rarity’s blurry world. The burnt-orange earth pony had arrived. The doctor currently in the room was available to answer the question.

“Ms. Dash is in an unfortunate condition. Both her front femurs have been broken, as well as three of her ribs, one of which has punctured her lung. Her kneecaps have shattered, and she has a massive concussion to the front of her cranium. Her wing bones are also quite battered, but they are unbroken. She is a very lucky pony compared to what could have happened.”

“Ah’m goin’ to kill that buckin’ pegasus someday!” Applejack screeched, stomping her hoof on the floor and soon collapsing into wracking sobs. Fluttershy shrank back then drew forward and wrapped her hooves around her friend.

“Is…she going to live, doctor?” Twilight Sparkle asked uneasily.

“Yes, Ms. Dash is going to be just fine, now that we’ve operated.” An immense sigh of relief followed by sobs of gratitude and many “thank Celestia”s proceeded. “She won’t be flying for another few weeks, and she needs quite a bit more sleep, but she’s in good hands with you five,” the doctor added, before taking his leave. Everypony hugged one another and dried the last of their tears. There was an uneasy silence for a few moments.

“Ah hafta be gettin’ home soon, girls. Ah realize Rainbow has really messed ‘erself up this time, but it’s applebuck season an’ all…” Applejack said uneasily. Rarity smiled warmly.

“It’s perfectly all right, Applejack. You go on home. Leave the worrying to us, dear,” Rarity comforted, embracing her earth pony opposite. Everypony said their goodbyes and then settled back into Rainbow’s hospital room. However, one by one, each pony left. Fluttershy had to get back to her animals. Pinkie Pie had babysitting to do. Twilight had astronomy lessons from Princess Luna. But Rarity stayed. The alabaster unicorn had nowhere to go, so she stayed.

You are such a stupid pegasus, Rainbow Dash. You go and push yourself beyond where you can go, and then you go and do something you know you can’t. Don’t you know what would happen if you had died, you idiot?! I would have been crushed. We all would have been crushed! We love you, Rainbow Dash! I love you! Rarity shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts. Love Rainbow Dash? She couldn’t. Not only was she another mare, but she was brash, foolish, stubborn, and stupid. She brushed off how other ponies cared for her. Sure, she could care, but she couldn’t love. With these thoughts in mind, the alabaster unicorn dozed off, hooves slouched over the metal frame of Rainbow’s hospital bed.

Comments

[Purple Thunder]

When I read "The one thing I hate about this site is there is no Raridash" I immediately had to correct you.

There is some, although I don't even read them. Have you used the search by character & tag function?

[mesu-no-TORA]

849403 What I meant is there isn't much. ^^ Don't take anything I say too literally. xD Often I exaggerate.

[mechafone]

Geez, poor Rainbow Dash. Puttin' this on watch :)

[d3z194]

This is quite good; you've got me interested in its direction at this point! As for the pacing, its good and im also excited to see where its going!

[KartalTheWriter]

I'd like to see where this goes. I was just wandering why I'd never seen these two paired before.

[The PatioHeater]

I'm enjoying it so far, Haven't spotted any mistakes. My only... not-exactly-a-complaint is it's rather fast paced (but not that badly), and you use the word alabaster a lot. That is all, I shall fave for later!

[DudeITA]

You forgot the tags you silly filly!

[mesu-no-TORA]

Okay, apparently I have no tags. I shall fix this.

[Sonic Flameboom]

I'm tracking to see where this goes.
849543 I must agree this is moving VERY fast. Too fast for my liking but the writing is still good.

[IAmScootaloo]

Tracked! I have never read a Shipping fic with Rarity and Rainbow Dash as the couple. Nice job on your first chapter i'm looking forward to more.

[Cornjob]

“She won’t be flying for another few weeks, and she needs quite a bit more sleep, but she’s in good hands with you five,” the doctor added, before taking his leave.

s10.postimage.org/vnxbbal53/Lyra_hooves.png

[Makokam]

Not bad... the fact that there are televisions kind of threw me but I moved on.

The idea that Rainbow Dash was that tired was...weird. I hope you explain how she got into such a condition.

Assuming they don't have magic for that sort of thing, I doubt they'd let anyone near a pony that badly injured until they could do their thing. She would have gone straight into surgery.

Also, "I'm the most famous fashion designer, make way!"... really? that gets her through? How about, "Felllow element of harmony comming through!" Or even, "That's my best friend! Outta my way bitches!"

Regardless, looks like this could be a fun story so I'll keep an eye on it.

[SatoshiKyu]

Her kneecaps have shattered

Holy shit, all four of them?! How in the nine blistering hells did that happen?

850210 Gotta agree with the whole "I'm exceedingly famous, so move your plebeian flanks!" thing. In that kind of situation, I think most of the ponies in that crowd really just wouldn't care about her social status.