Don't Say Goodbye
13. Don't Say Goodbye
-Beep- -Beep- -Beep- -Beep-
Twilight stared in through the window into the hospital room as Rainbow lay back in the bed, unconcious. Scootaloo sat to one side, looking depressed and as still as a statue. Luna sat on the other side, her mane not even in its etheral state. The only sound in the room was the beeping of the heart monitor, telling them all that Rainbow Dash was still alive.
She could still remember the doctor's words when Rainbow Dash had come out of surgery.
---------------
Healing Touch floated the X-rays and other reports in his magic as he faced Rainbow Dash's friends and family; the other Harmony Bearers, Scootaloo, Sunbreeze, Morning Dew, Spitfire, Soarin', and both Princesses. "Well," he said quietly, "despite what you might think, Rainbow Dash is probably the luckiest pony I've ever operated on."
"How so?" Twilight Sparkle asked.
"How much do you know about pegasi anatomy?"
"...not much..."
Healing Touch nodded. "Well, because of the shaping of the wing bones that allow them to fold completely against a pegasus' sides, there is actually a pocket of air between the bones when they are at full extension. This pocket is refferred to as Zephyr's Gap. The branch went straight through the Gap, damaging only skin. A single spell could fix that damage once the rest of the healing finishes. As for her wound to the main body, the branch somehow managed to miss every single major organ, every bone, and actually slipped between two loops of intestine without damaging them. Once again, some easily corrected skin and muscle damage, but nothing harmed permanently." He shook his head. "If she wakes up, we can tell her she's living proof of how durable a pony body really is."
Scootaloo spoke up. "W...what do you mean...if?"
Healing Touch sighed. "The one really serious danger to her...she lost a great deal of blood, and...she slipped into a coma. We've done all we can for her, but at this point we can only keep her alive, and hope she wakes up."
-----------------
That had been two weeks ago, and Rainbow Dash hadn't so much as stirred the entire time. Neither Luna or Scootaloo had moved from her side the entire time, and Rainbow's parents had been placed in the next room so they could be near her. Soarin' and Spitfire stopped by frequently to check for signs of progress, but hadn't been able to bring themselves to enter the room. As of right now, Twilight and her friends sat in the hallway, staring at the silent vigel. Twilight hadn't bothered to brush her mane, and looked rather disheveled. Applejack stared in through the window, her hat held over her chest in hope. Pinkie Pie pressed against the window, her mane and tail completely flat. Rarity seemed to almost fade into the background, her mane not styled, her makeup not applied, her eyes red from weeping. Spike was curled up to her, holding her to offer comfort. Fluttershy showed an amazing amount of strength, putting her own worries and pain aside to help the others, bringing them food and drink, cleaning them up a bit, and even making sure Miss Cheerilee knew why Scootaloo had been absent for so long.
There was the sound of hooves approaching, and Twilight turned. Celestia walked down the halls towards her faithful student. Twilight tried to smile, but couldn't quite manage it. She turned back to stare at Rainbow Dash.
Celestia finally spoke. "No change?" she asked quietly.
Twilight shook her head, not bringing herself to speak.
Celestia sat down, accepting a drink from Fluttershy. "I admit I am also concerned about my sister. I knew she had grown close to all of you, but this..." She paused to take a sip of her drink.
Not looking at her teacher, Twilight replied without thought, "Well, you'd be like that, too, if it was your special somepony."
Celestia's beverage wound up all over Twilight, not that she'd noticed. "Wha...what?" she gasped out, completely shocked. "Luna and Rainbow Dash are...? How do you know?"
Twilight managed a smile. "Please, Princess. She says she's going to stay in Ponyville until Rainbow's adjusted to being an Earth Pony, and stays in her house until she gets her wings back? Besides that, while she didn't have her wings, Rainbow wouldn't let anyone touch her where her wings weren't, not even Scootaloo...but it made her happy when Luna did." Twilight's smile became a smirk as she decided to tease her mentor a bit. "Besides, Rainbow's cloud house only has the two bedrooms."
"Oh, my..." Fluttershy squeeked out, blushing.
Celestia glanced around at the group. "So...how many of my faithful subjects knew about my sister's relationship when I did not?"
Pinkie shook her head, still glued to the window. "I didn't...if I had, I'd have thrown them a super special party for two..." She sighed sadly.
Spike spoke up. "Rarity told me it was obvious, given the way they glowed when they were together."
Applejack blinked. "Rares, how come you told Spike and not the rest of us?"
Rarity tossed her head. "Because, Applejack darling...pillowtalk is private."
Twilight blinked. "Wait, WHAT?"
Rarity smiled. "Not the way I'd meant to tell you all...but with what's happened, I think secrets are something to be abandoned at this point." She cuddled tightly to Spike as he held her close.
"Another party for two I need to throw..." Pinkie said quietly, no enthusiasm in her voice.
More hooves approached. Fluttershy looked over. "Firefly? What are you doing here? And...who are these two?"
Firefly didn't spare a glance for the two stallions accompanying her. "I hate to say this...but I'm here to take custody of Scootaloo."
"WHAT?"
Twilight stepped forward. "But I promised Rainbow I'd-"
"I'm afraid that's not your call to make, Twilight," Firefly said quietly. "Not mine, either. With Rainbow Dash in her current condition, she can't take care of Scootaloo, which means she has to go back into the system..." Firefly blinked away tears. "I'd so hoped for a happy ending for her..." She turned and entered the room, the stallions flanking her. "Scootaloo-"
"I heard," Scootaloo said quietly.
Firefly nodded. "I...see. Well, you need to come with us now-"
"Over my dead body."
Firefly blinked at the filly. "I...beg your pardon?"
"You heard me." Scootaloo turned to face Firefly, bracing herself. "I owe everything I am to Rainbow Dash. If not for her, I wouldn't have even survived to be adopted! I wouldn't have a name! She's my sister and I'm never elaving her side so long as we both are breathing!" There was a strange feel to the air as energy seemed to gather. All unicorns and alicorns in the area put their hooves to their horns at the feel of the mystic pressure. "She gave me everything she had! She's in this state because she wanted to take care of me! She was willing to throw her life away to save me from the timberwolves!" Shock ran through the listeners at the mention of timberwolves. "I stood by her then, and I stand by her now! No force will take me from her side, and if you try to place me somewhere else, I'll just run right back to her, and no home or prison will keep me away!" Her wings flared out to full extension, exposing her glowing Cutie Mark. " So if you want to take me away, it will be over a PILE of corpses, starting with yours, and ending with MINE!"
There was a huge mystic surge as a wave of crimson magic energy erupted from Scootaloo's body, shorting out the medical equipment and sending the two pegasi stallions flipping head over tail.
Firefly managed to stay standing by ducking low to the ground as she heard windows shatter from the force. "By Harmony," she whispered, "what was that?"
"Harmony," Celestia said, her voice quiet as she pointed at Scootaloo's now plainly visible Cutie Mark.
A crystaline crimson lightning bolt edged in gold.
As everyone stared, somewhat slackjawed, a low groan came from the bed. "S...scoot?"
"Rainbow!" Scootaloo spun, her anger forgotten as she clung to her sister's hoof. "You're awake!"
Rainbow smiled at the little filly. "Hey, Scoot. Are...you okay?"
Scootaloo nodded, tears in her eyes. "I'm okay. I got my wings!" She flared her wings to show them off.
Rainbow's smile widened slightly. "And your Cutie Mark..."
"I did?" Scootaloo said, shocked. She turned to stare. "I did! It's a lightning bolt, just like you!" She bounced happily.
"You're my...sister alright." She breathed quietly for a few moments. "Luna?"
"I am here, Rainbow Dash," Luna said quietly, leaning in.
Rainbow smiled. "I'm...glad...I wanted...to see you...where's Twilight?"
"We're all here, Rainbow," Twilight said, as everypony crowded around her bed. "And I'll keep my promise. We'll all take care of Scootaloo until you're better."
"But-" Firefly began.
"Firefly," Celestia said quietly. "I respect the work you've done in your department, and I feel you have great potential and sound judgement. So, with all due respect, shut up."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Rainbow smiled weakly. "Thanks. Scoot...you mind them, okay? Be good for me..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes fluttered closed.
"Rainbow?" Scootaloo called. There was no response. "Rainbow, don't go!" she shouted, clinging to her. "You can't...you promised!"
"Scootaloo," Luna began.
"You promised, remember?" Scootaloo continued, ignoring the Princess. "You said you might fly away every now and then, but you'd always come back! You said you'd always take care of me!" Tears fell freely from her eyes. "D-don't leave me sis! Please!" Her voice started to fail. "Don't leave me..." she whispered, crying into Rainbow's chest.
"...Scoots...keep it down...I've got a headache..."
Scootaloo blinked. "Rainbow?"
Luna smiled. "I tried to tell you, Scootaloo...she is out of danger now. She only needs to sleep." She lay down on the floor next to the bed. "I will stay with her in her dreams, to keep her with us. I will not let her go."
Everyone stared quietly. The emotional energy in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife, and it was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. As such, everyone heard clearly the sound of a balloon reinflating as joy and laughter regained their footholds in one pink heart.
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Best Chapter YET. When Scootaloo stood up for herself I openly applauded her. This is by far your best work and you did an awsome job on the build up. This is just... I am at a lost for words.
i wonder what the princesses think about scootaloo's now arcaic abilities or was scootaloo just marked by the element of loyalty?
1971684
In answer to your question, Scootaloo's Cutie Mark is the Element of Loyalty. Entropy told Celestia one of the options was to discreetly protect the heirs to each Harmony Bearer that inherited the Element. Guess who just became Rainbow's heir in that regard?
1971566
Thank you, I'm glad you think so.
And that bit where Scootaloo stands up for her bond with Rainbow like that has been planned since I wrote the first chapter of this story. I'm glad it worked so well.
1972035 and he failed to mention to celestia that the heir didn't nessisarily have to be realated by blood
1972077
She didn't need to know that.
Besides, who's to say they aren't?
*puts away knife* ok your safe
For now
1974992
...still not putting away the shield spell.
*Pulls out gem that drains energy from any unicorns and Alicorns nearby*
There no shield spell oh and in case you decide to run
*two Pegasi wearing armor land next to you hold swords at you whilst you write*
There now be a good boy
1975681
*the ground I'm standing on opens its eyes and begins to growl*
What? Did you think my avatar was coincidence? Or the translation of my username? Oh, you might want to have the pegasi guards move. He doesn't like having people or ponies standing in his nostrils.
1975805 what kind of Dark Magic is this!!??
1975836
What, you mean the bridge of the earth dragon's nose I was standing on? He's my buddy. I mean, my avatar is a pheonix/dragon hybrid and my username is japanese for 'dragon boy'. Did you think that was a coincidence? Dragons are my friends.
Oh, and my big friend just snorted to send your pegasi guards flying. They were still in his nostrils.
1975850 oh.. Crap
(Luna loves her guards)
And don't worry about those Pegasi I mean sure it's not like they where one of princess Lunas royal guard or anything
1975966
Well, they aren't hurt or anything. Just knocked back several dozen yards and covered in harmless-but-humiliating dragon boogies.
I hope to see some "dawwww" moments in the next chapter.
1978349
There should be quite a few.
Uhh.. One of them has been skewered on a long pointed rock
1980252
They're pegasi. If they didn't have the sense to spread their wings, that's their fault.
Besides, as this story has demonstrated, with rapid enough medical treatment, that kind of injury is hardly fatal.
It peerced his heart and the dragon snot made his wings stick to his body
1980966
...hardly my fault. I told him to get out of the dragon's nostril.
Well the blood of one of LUNAS guard are on your er hooves? Paws? Whatever
THOU HAS HARMED OUR ROYAL GUARD THOU SHALL FACE MY WRATH!!
1981260
*I hold out the documentation certifying me as the dragon kingdom's ambassador to Equestria*
"Diplomatic Immunity!"
*shoots you in the head with a blast from her horn*
your Imunity has just been revoked
(always wanted to say that)
1981562
*I get back up*
Do you have any idea how much that stings?
I'm gonna guess a lot
THAT WASN'T EVEN OUR FULL POWER!! PREPARE!!
*shoots a blast that completely envelopes your body*
1981984
*A newt drops to the ground, then changes back into me*
I got better.
Wow. Scoots is awesome.