Nearly Drowned: An AppleDash Story

by Goat Carnival

Chapter 6: Touch and Go

Applejack opened her eyes slowly. The night before, she had heard movement in Rainbow Dash's side of the room and hoped for the best. She was extremely disappointed when she saw the empty bed to her right that afternoon. She also feared the worst.

Could Rainbow Dash be dead? Or did she make a sudden recovery and was just downstairs getting food?

It wasn't long before Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie walked into the room, nervous looks on each of their faces.

"What's wrong?" Applejack asked.

"Well… Twilight told us this morning," Rarity began.

"We don't want you to freak out, but…" Twilight shifted her hooves and twitched her ears. "Rainbow Dash is in surgery."

Applejack put on a fake smile. "Surgery ain't no big deal! Rainbow's strong, she'll get through it." She felt a jab at the sides of her eyes and tears streamed out.

Pinkie Pie rushed to the side of the bed. "Buuuuut the good news is hey! The doctors said it's okay for you to try to get out of bed! C'mon! Put those strong legs to good use!"

Applejack sighed and rolled a little out of the bed. This was the first time she noticed a cast around her torso.

"Yay! Looks like you're well and good! I brought you a cupcake to celebrate your 'Finally Able to Get Out of Bed' moment!" Pinkie exclaimed, holding out a red velvet cupcake.

"Th-thanks y'all. I still feel a might weak, though," Applejack sighed as she crawled back into bed.

"Okay then!" Pinkie said, placing the red velvet cupcake on the bedside table. "Fooor laatteeeeerrrr," she whispered, signaling to the cupcake.

Applejack sighed and chuckled. She was still worried, though. Ponies make it through surgery a lot, but if it's for a horribly broken body… she didn't even want to think about it. She sat up in the bed and ate the cupcake. She had to admit, it was pretty good.

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Spitfire zoomed into the hospital, followed by Soarin and Fleetfoot. "We just heard about Rainbow Dash!" she exclaimed.

"Is she awake?" Soarin added.

"Do you know if she'll make a full recovery?" Fleetfoot finished.

Before any pony could answer, Twilight and the rest of her friends were back down in the lobby.

"You're Rainbow Dash's friends, right? Do you know how she is?" Spitfire said. She sounded worried. Twilight may not have known the Wonderbolts' leader as personally as Rainbow Dash, but she knows very well Spitfire hardly ever expresses as much worry as this.

She sighed. "We don't know what will come of Rainbow Dash," she began, "but she is alive and in surgery."

"Surgery?" Soarin said, him and Fleetfoot walking up behind Spitfire.

"We're sure she'll be fine," Twilight assured, though she wasn't really sure wether or not it was the truth. "In the meantime, you're going to have to cope with the fact that she won't be coming back to Wonderbolts practice for a while."

Spitfire sighed. "Fine. But keep me posted. She hasn't seen us in ages, and if she makes it through, we want to be one of the first faces she sees."

"Of course, but we'd wish for you to see her a little after. There's another injured mare with her that has really been worrying."

Spitfire turned and signaled for the other two Wonderbolts to follow her out, reluctantly leaving the hospital and a strong member of her team in a fatal state.