The Brightest.

by UnderThisToque

Price of Safety

AN: At the cost of sounding like your stereotypical first-time writer, I just wanted to say that I'm amazed and honored this story has been so well received thus far. So, thank you, ha ha. I know this is a bit of a slow chapter, but I felt bad not posting anything for almost two weeks. It wasn't where I wanted to end it off, but if I have time this week, I'll toss on the proper ending I had in my head. Also, please rate/comment - I'm a science student writing fanfiction, so any commentary is constructive :3

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Rainbow Dash lay in one of the hospital beds, her left wing joint tightly bandaged. The soft sounds of hospital machery filled the air.

“You’ve really done it this time Dash” Nurse Redheart sighed.

“Awe c’mon, it can’t be that bad. It barely even hurts!” protested Rainbow.

“While the damage isn’t permanent, you’ve now torn your shoulder so many times that you’re starting to harm the function of your wing joint” Said Nurse Redheart from the end of Rainbows bed, inspecting her clipboard. “I need you to stay in the hospital for a few days.”

“But Nurse Redheart!” Dash protested.

“No flying Dash.” Nurse Redheart said sternly, replacing the clipboard.

"Well if I can't fly, can I atleast leave the hospital?"

"No. If it were any other pegasus, I might trust them to stay on the ground, but I don't trust you.” Nurse Redheart shaking her head. “You're staying here where I can keep an eye on you. Besides, I want to make sure your shoulder will heal properly. It will need work." She met Dash’s gaze and smiled. “Who knows, maybe you’ll get something out of the few days off” she said as she turned to leave.

Dash scowled as Nurse Redheart disappeared around the doorframe. She leaned back into her pillows, trying to get comfortable. Derpy had left shortly after Dash’s admittance, needing to finish her mail route before the day was over. Dash’s head continued to pound, despite Nurse Redhearts care. In the last few hours, Dash’s back had taken to aching as well. She had hurt worse though.

At least this one wasn’t her fault either, she thought.

She gazed longingly at the sky above her, watching the clouds of the afternoon dance while she remained earthbound.
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"Rainbow?" A voice said softy. "Rainbow, you awake?"

Dash opened her eyes slowly. An orange pony stood next to her bed, bathed in sunlight from the window. Applejack smiled.

"How yah feelin' sleepy head?".

Dash laughed quiety. "I'm just dandy".

“Nurse Redheart already told us what happened, an said we could visit first thing in the mornin” said AJ.

Dash's gaze drifted over AJ's face, slowly taking in her sorroundings. Her small hospital room was tightly packed with ponies. Fluttershy smiled over Applejack's shoulder. Rarity sat in a chair on the other side of the bed, fussing with the plain infirmary blanket in her hooves. Gifts littered her nightstand and the floor around it.

"What a terrible pattern. Really, who picks these out?" Rarity looked up. Her eyes were still misty, but her smile was genuine. "I'm bringing you new ones, these ones simply won't do for my friend Rainbow Dash"

Dash laughed, and so did Spike, who sat on the end of her bed. Behind him stood a purple pony. Twilight held Dash's gaze.

Her face was immobile, and shadows under her eyes told of a night of little sleep.

"Hey Twi, how are yah?" Dash said with a sheepish smile.

Twilights cheeks pulled up a little bit. "Been better, but I look better than you right now." Twilight finally said.
Applejack looked between the two, and gave a stern smile. "Well, the important thing here is that Rainbow is gonna be good as new in a few days."

"Yea, like AJ said, good as new!" Rainbow exclaimed, grinning at Twilight.

Pinkie Pie, who had been waiting unusually quiet in the corner, looked eagerly at Applejack.

"Yea, I recon she's awake enough" AJ said

"DASHIE!" Pinkie Pie holllared, springing forward to envelop Dash in a tight hug.

"Ugh... Hey Pinkie" Rainbow said from behind Pinkies arm.

"I was sooooo worried about you, cause I heard you fell from the sky, which is weird because pegasus have wings and so they shouldn't be falling from the sky." Pinkie sat up, holding Dash's face between her hooves "and so I figured something terrible must have happened, so I baked a cake to bring to you in the hospital but Applejack said I had to be quiet because they didn't know how badly you were hurt." Pinkie waved her hooves around. "But now that Nurse Redheart says you're gonna be ok I'm gonna throw you a great big Don't Fall From The Sky Again party!"
Everypony smiled as Pinkie continued, swing her hooves to elaborate certain parts of her story.

"Leave it to Pinkie Pie" AJ thought, smiling to herself.

The crowd remained with Dash until early afternoon, filling the small space with laughter and energy. After a time, Rarity and Applejack drifted out, taking Pinkie with them. Nurse Redheart came into the room, smiling at the remaining company. She was armed with a small arsenal of bandages and bottles in a kit she held in her mouth.
“I’ll ask both you fillies to leave for a while – I need to tend to Dash for a bit, but you’re welcome to come back later today.”
Spike had fallen asleep on Rainbows bed. Twilight gently levitated him onto her back. As she and Fluttershy left, she smiled at Dash.

“Roll onto your stomach dear” Nurse Redheart said. Dash did, and poked at Dash’s wing joint. Her hooves started to massaged it, feeling the damaged parts of the muscle.

"It's looking good" said Nurse Redheart as she used the tips of her hooves to work nerves that connected Dash's wing to her torso. "How does it feel?"

Dash tried to keep still as the hooves dug into her joint. "It feels better" she said honestly. Granted, she didn't enjoy the sensation if having her muscles manually healed by Nurse Redheart, but she could feel where she had torn her shoulder. Nurse Redheart was right about the damage that had been done - Dash could feel where the nerves were properly connecting.

“Twilights pretty angry, huh?” Nurse Redheart said, idly making conversation. She gently pulled Dash's wing, extending and streaching it.

“Yea” Dash said into the pillow, a sad look coming over her face.

“Understandable”

“Yea, I guess” said Dash. “I mean, it’s not like this one was my fault. And she keeps trying to control me! How am I supposed to become a Wonderbolt if I’m not training?” She exclaimed, flailing her hooves in frustration.

“Don’t move” said Nurse Redheart, pressing her hooves along Dash’s spine. “It’s just because she loves you, and wants you to be safe. The tricks you do are dangerous, considering how high up you tend to fly."

“Yea, maybe…” Dash murmured into the pillow. Dash trusted Nurse Redhearts opinion. They had become close over the many years and numerous injuries. Being 20 years older than Dash, somewhere along the way Nurse Redheart had become the mother-like figure in Dash's life.

“I just don’t know if I can live like that.” Dash finally said.

“Like what?”

“Safe” Dash breathed.

“Then maybe she isn’t the one for you.”

Dash fell into silent thought, and for a long time neither of them spoke as Nurse Redheart continued her therapies.

“Alright, it's good for now." Nurse Redheart said, and walked over to her basket. Dash sat up as Nurse Redheart poured a thick green liquid into a small plastic cup from one of the bottles.

"Drink up" she said, handing the cup to Dash with a smile.

Dash swallowed the contents of the cup, grimacing. It tasted chalky and incredibly bitter.

"Ugh, what IS that shit?" Dash said.

"It's a muscle relaxant, and a protien and calcium supplement. Also, don't swear in a hospital" Nurse Redheart scolded, tossing Dash’s empty cup.

“She’s right you know”

Twilight stood in the doorway, clearly having just returned from her library. Her side packs were stuffed with books.

“That’s my cue, I’m off” said Nurse Redheart. “You fillies have fun.” Her hooves echoed as she headed down the hall.

Comments

[Mrcakebombs]

I like. I give you cupcake :D

[Starfall]

Hey Redheart, you keep your meddling hooves off of my ship.

[UnderThisToque]

187203

You're gonna be mad next chapter then. Granted though, it's not NR.