The Akashic Records,Twiligeddon, and Scootaloo

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Birds chirped happily, dashing and darting through the skies in graceful aerial ballets. Squirrels skittered up and down trees, their tails flicking back and forth as they chattered at each other, playing the day away. Butterflies flitted along the warm afternoon breeze, and the occasional honey bee made its rounds in search of pollen. The Canterlot Castle gardens were pristine, green, and caressed by all manner of delicate flowers, every color of the rainbow.

In the middle of it sat a glassy eyed Luna staring uncomfortably at her sister, Celestia. Both of their tea sat cold and untouched. Luna stifled a yawn, noting that the sun was already a quarter along it’s way through the sky. Her eyebrows shifted irritably, her hoof itching to break her sister out of a stressed trance she’d been in for hours.

Luna thought back on the morning. Celestia had been exhausted and agitated, and Luna could feel a deep sadness radiating from her. After raising the sun, she had hastily teleported away, but Luna had been determined to find her sister and inquire what was bothering her. Eventually she found her out in the gardens, but her sister was already deep in meditation. She had resolved to wait it out, but her patience was wearing thin.

Without warning, Celestia’s lips moved. Luna cringed nervously, hanging on the edge of her seat, her eyes growing wide in anticipation. After a few moments, however, Luna huffed in frustrated defeat as her sister once again fell into a long maddening silence.

“Come on Tia...” Luna whined foalishly. “We’re getting bored…” Her head flopped down on the table with a thump, the teacups clattered in their saucers. It wasn’t that she couldn’t be patient, but rather she didn’t want to. A thousand years starved of social contact had taught her incredible patience while making her quite sick of it, and curiosity was swiftly getting the better of her.

Luna rolled her eyes, shifting the tea cup back and forth to make little ripples that bounced back on themselves, crashing together in tiny choppy waves that produced an occasional droplet that bounced up and plopped back down.

The sun ticked across the sky slowly towards its apex. The chaos of tea ripples could only hold her attention for so long. Luna was not pleased, and quite frankly, her nose was beginning to sunburn. She waved a hoof in front of her sisters wide open eyes.

Nothing.

She waved a little faster, her hoof blurring into a wedge of impatient purple.

Still nothing.

Luna growled, sure that her sister was playing one of her notorious pranks. “That’s it! We’re not waiting any longer…” She stood with a huff, and pranced out of the garden.

Celestia didn’t move, eyes fixated far off in the distance, hair waving gently around her. The small clearing was serenely quiet.

Luna leapt wildly over a bush, intent on tackling Celestia out of her meditation, a mischievous grin on her lips. “Surprise! Ye ol’ comet to the face!”

‘Smack!’ She rammed into Celestia, but her sister was unfazed, sitting statuesque and immovable.

“Ow! A barrier?” Luna slid to the ground. Then stood shakily to her hooves, and dusted herself off. The fun was gone from her demeanor.

“This is serious isn’t it, sister?” She placed a hoof on the invisible magic that surrounded Celestia. After a few moments of concentration her hoof slid through the barrier, and she extended the magic out to encompass her own body. “Show me, dear sister, what disturbs you so?”

Luna gently placed her hoof on Celestia’s shoulder, closed her eyes, and let the gardens melt away.

Luna opened her eyes, and adjusted to the sudden darkness. She smiled at how she and her sister manifested inner worlds the same way with a backdrop of infinite stars.

Inner worlds were much like dreamscapes, and reflected their creators mood, an ever changing landscape. Luna was quite adept at reading such things, and quickly took in the scene before her. She was standing on a flat platform that swirled with the same glowing pastel rainbows as Celestia’s tail which stretched off into the distance to every side. The colors felt dull to her.

“Tia must be tired…” Luna picked out irregular patterns in the swirls that gave off feelings of apprehension. She frowned. It was nothing she hadn’t already known, but having it confirmed was nonetheless unsettling.

She jerked back protectively as something tickled her nose. A tiny almost invisible thread floated into view. She squinted at it. Crystalline refractions of rainbow light flitted up and down the thread.

Luna’s brow furrowed with worry as she glanced every which way. thousands of the strands were floating almost invisibly around her, swaying back and forth to an imperceivable breeze. Now and then one of the strands would snap and then burst into a tiny cloud of diamond dust that would float off in sparkly swirls.

Luna gasped. “The Akashic records, these are strands of fate where the past, present, future and all the infinite possibilities for each are recorded ...” She whispered, deep in concerned thought. “If Tia is here, it must be serious.”

She closed her eyes and focussed on her sister’s energy. She found her easily, and as such is the nature of inner realms, when she reopened her eyes her sister was standing before her. Celestia was in deep concentration, her horn glowing brightly as she focused on two wildly sparkling strands.

“Celestia! What are you doing?” Luna charged over to her sister, staring in shock as Celestia worked forbidden magic.

“Doing what only I can do, sister.” Celestia gritted her teeth through a deep frown. Tears stained her cheeks as the golden glow of her horn glistened off her wavering eyes. “I was hoping your arrival wouldn’t be so punctual.

Luna reached a forlorn hoof towards Celestia.

“Stay back!” Celestia growled. “This is hard enough as it is. You may disrupt the spell and damage the strand.”

Luna recoiled in shock. “What exactly are you doing? This is the Akashic records, tampering with ponies’ realities is forbidden by the very one doing the tampering!” She stepped forward in challenge. “Especially with their strands of fate! Sister, this is dangerous and unethical!”

“I am out of options, Luna!” Celestia didn’t flinch, but as Luna drew closer she saw the matted trails down her cheeks had fresh tears. “Don’t you think I’ve thought at length on this dilemma? Do you not see the act of desperation before you for what it is?”

“Tia…” Luna’s tone dropped to a soothing mellow softness. “You know better than this. What has gotten into you? You are the wisest of all ponies. I needn’t remind you that acts of desperation rarely end as we mean them to, and are a far cry from well planned solutions. If you have a problem, let us talk over a calming cup of tea. I am here for you, dear sister. You aren’t alone in this.”

The corners of Celestia’s mouth turned down ever so slightly as her tears redoubled. “I know Luna, I know. I was prepared to face you when the time came, knowing you would object, but I find myself too exhausted to argue with you. So, please trust me. You must understand, we already have. We spent weeks talking over solutions.”

Luna’s jaw dropped, but Celestia continued before she could speak. “Allow me a moment to give a little background. All those centuries of ruling on decrees, dealing with diplomats and foreign relations, matters of state, and egotistical aristocracy. It all became routine. I needed a creative outlet beyond the traditional arts and studies. I have always indulged in finding the most promising student with the strongest strands of fate, and then opening up opportunities to them they would have never had access to otherwise. Then, I would watch them blossom into their fates, becoming paragons of Equestrian potential. I reveled in the awe and inspiration, peace and harmony they brought to ponies everywhere. Call it a hobby, indulgence, meddling, or whatever you will, nothing brought me more pleasure than seeing the effects of the seeds I helped germinate ripple across the land.”

Luna watched Celestia’s magic work on the fragile thin strand, knowing full well she was stalling.

“My students were always important to me. I loved them. I cherished them as friends, but I always knew there was a distance between us. I accepted this fact. They were mortal, I am not. I mastered the art of opening up my heart, without losing grip of the knowledge that one day they would pass from my life. I grew complacent over time. At some point, I fear I forgot my heart is still a ponies.

I remember the day I decreed Twilight would be my student. Her strand of fate sparkled like no other, and I knew some day she would achieve alicorn status. She was so excited to come to the castle, and I have to admit, it was a pleasure tutoring such an eager young mind. We both looked forward to every moment spent studying together. She would even wake me early by dancing back and forth outside my door, fearful of missing a single moment with me. She would refuse to use the bathroom, and waited for me to look out before she would ask permission to go. Some early mornings I would have to yell through the door to tell her ‘use the bathroom’ for fear she’d explode, and so I could roll over for another hours sleep. It’s one of the reasons that short distance teleportation was one of her first spells.” Celestia giggled at the memory.

Luna frowned. There was sadness in that giggle.

“She used to read next to me at night when the castle became cold, or when it was rainy and damp. She would read until her little head slid over, and she fell asleep, resting against me. I couldn’t help it, she looked so cold and fragile. I’d slide my wing around her and hold her tight until morning. Luna, I raised her with all of my love in the hopes that her heart would embrace the love and goodness in our world. But deep down I knew she held a special and sacred place in my heart and I in hers. Before I realised, it was too late, the line of distance had been crossed. Then, her night terrors began.”

Luna listened quietly, her heart sinking as she sensed the deep pain in her sister’s words.

“She was so eager as a student. She never complained about being away from her family, but I could tell she missed them in the way she would talk about how wonderful her brother was, and she was always bragging about him joining the guard some day. She would get excited around the end of the week when her parents would visit with snacks, cookies, and little trinkets to remind her of home. However, she was so absorbed into her studies from day one, that I wonder if she even noticed she missed them. The night terrors were always at their worst the days they visited, and subsequently, she had to say goodbye.

She began studying extra late into the night, burying her emotions with knowledge, and desperately trying to avoid falling asleep. I stopped waiting for her to ask to study in my room next to me on those nights and just expected it. Eventually it became routine. We would walk to my room together, and she would lay down next to me. She would force herself to read so late some nights, I would have to sing lullabies to coax her over the edge into sleep. Sleeping next to me was the only cure for her night terrors. I felt more important fulfilling one night of this role than with a thousand years of raising the sun.”

She took a deep steadying breath. “I took her from her parents at such a tender age. She needed her mother at such a crucial time of development, and I selfishly let myself slide into that role. I made a horrible mistake letting myself get so close to her, and I realised I needed to pull away as she grew older. She already had a mother, and it would be wrong of me to fulfill that role any more than I already selfishly had. When I didn’t continue in that role, Twilight suffered for it, but she buried the pain. She had relied on my love instead of her parents, hid that pain away from herself, and denied it existed until it festered in wait for just the right moment.”

Luna’s knees suddenly felt weak and shaky. “Sister, no! She... like me?” A terribly cold shiver ran up her spine.

“Yes sister, but in a different way. She isn’t trying to destroy Equestria, but she is going to break rules that will. Under the delusions she can prevent the consequences, she is attempting to rectify a mistake I made long ago in order to garner my full love as a mother figure in her life.” Celestia’s voice dropped to a low haunted whisper. “I was a fool, Luna. The other day, I let my desires get the best of me after guarding them for so long. I opened a wound in her heart so deep, and then I betrayed her, as a mother never would, by choosing Equestria over her safety. Twilight will never forgive me… I can never forgive myself, unless I do it right this time.”

“Sister, calm yourself. Twilight has just finished helping Ponyville recover from the recent disaster.You were only there last night yourself. Whatever problem there is between you, I’m sure if we go there, and talk to her we can resolve this. ”

“Yesterday, that is where the story begins again, Luna.”

Luna’s brow furrowed accusingly. “Again? You also mentioned we had already discussed this at length. What did you do?”

“It’s complicated, but we reversed time.”

“You-I-we-wait, I helped you do this?”

“I couldn’t have done it without you and Discord,” Celestia paused. “...and an assortment of artifacts from around the world that cost every bit of the Equestrian gold reserve and many lives to attain.”

“The three of us united our powers to reverse time, you put ponies in danger for personal gain, and you spent all of our bits? Dear sister, do you realize how insane this sounds?” Luna snickered. “Do you need a timeout on the sun?”

Celestia glared at her sister. “Be serious! Forgive me, Luna, but as I was the one to actually cast the spell, my memories were the only ones that remained. We have our bits back because the acquisitions never happened, and everypony that gave their lives is now alive and well. But I couldn’t go back any further than this! If I could have only gone back one more day, I would have prevented this whole mess.”

“Celestia, this is far more serious than I thought. You mustn’t feel well. Think about what you are doing, and what you have been through. You cannot make rational decisions in such a state. TIme has been reversed, so now we have time to rectify this properly. Come with me, tell me everything. I’m sure we can figure this out. Rely on me, sister, I will help you through this. Too much is at stake, and we must be rational.”

Celestia growled in frustration. “Rational! Was I rational when I chose to abandon her?”

Luna blinked in confusion. “There is a lot more to this story. Just tell me, sister. Let it all out.”

“There is more than I care to tell right now.” Celestia’s ears drooped in exhaustion.

“Sister, you are always very rational. Obviously you made a hard and terrible choice, but you are a princess and so is Twilight. Equestria must always come first. How many would have suffered if you had chosen otherwise? I needn’t remind you this isn’t the first time you’ve had to make such a decision.”

“How many suffered when I lost my mind to grief, and my magic failed to raise the sun for two weeks?” Celestia turned on Luna boring into her with pleading eyes as she let her spell fade. “Tell me, sister, is that rational? Is choosing any path that leads to my mental disillusionment revolving around the biggest mistake of my life rational? There is a marked difference between sending my sister to the moon to cool off until the warped magic in her heart weakens, and abandoning my Twilight forever to the land of the dead!”

Luna’s words were haunted. “Sister, I expected this had ended badly, but…” Her words grew hard as she gestured to the now free little strand that floated towards her. “Is this any more rational, Celestia? Besides, nopony can bring the dead back, and until now nopony could change the future. What consequences are we already facing?”

“I’m distraught, Luna, but you also agreed upon this course of action. I have a specific goal. I just have to be careful in how I achieve it. Consequences or not, there is no going back now. The damage has been done, and yes, we had the methods to bring her back.”

“That’s impossible. How could you get past the veil between this world and the next?”

“Twilight discovered a method, but it required a dangerous, and drastic...” Celestia shook her head. “Never mind. I’m nearly exhausted and I need to focus. I will explain everything in time. Please, sister, trust me. I can let nopony stand in my way!”

“Celestia, just listen to yourself for a moment and stop shutting me out!” Luna stood her ground and glanced at the strand Celestia was eyeing. “That is Sc…” She choked on her words. “Okay, sister…” She gently took hold of the strand with her magic and backed away. “I understand you are distraught and at wits end. I also understand there is much I don’t understand yet, but please, just tell me the whole story first…”

“Give the strand back, Luna.” Celestia glared commandingly at her sister. “We don’t have time for this!”

Luna slipped into the commanding Canterlot voice. “No, forgive me, but there is no excuse for jumping headfirst into a decision that will affect the fate of Equestria when you are in an emotionally compromised state!”

“I have no choice!” Celestia shot back.

“To tamper with a little filly’s fate?” Luna snapped. “You have no choice, but to mess with an innocent filly’s future, and possibly ruin her life or worse? Have you gone mad?”

“Yes!” Celestia hesitated, taking a step backwards, her voice dropping as she mulled her own words over in her mind. “... an-and no…”

Luna lowered her tone to a concerned whisper. “At least tell me what the hay is going on, and get a second rational opinion before you go playing with fates.” She gently hugged Celestia. “I’m not the same Luna you spoke too, and I may have a different perspective. You aren’t alone in this, tia. I will be here for you.”

“Right… You’re right, Luna. I have time, but not much. I need to calm myself.” Celestia took a deep steadying breath. “I looked ahead at all the possible futures within the Akashic records, and there are three facts I cannot change. One, Twilight will win regardless of what we do, or how we try to stop her. Her determination, and the emotional build up within her life all but guarantees this, so fate has been too heavily tipped into her favor. Two, at least one of three ponies will die during this ordeal. Twilight, her friend Rainbow Dash, and the filly whose strand you hold.”

Luna’s eyes widened in horror. “Scootaloo?”

“Yes...”

Luna’s brow furrowed with worry, but she held the embrace, sliding a soothing hoof down her sisters mane. “What is the third inevitability?”

Celestia took another deep steadying sigh which failed to prevent tears from welling up. “The third inevitability is, if I choose to save Twilight, I will unleash demons of chaos and destruction upon Equestria.”

“And if you don’t, you lose your mind to grief, and there will be nopony to raise the sun…” Luna stared wide eyed at her sister. The weight of the situation slowly bearing down upon her.

“Yes, dear sister. These are my options to work with.”

“What is your plan then? Tell me you aren’t going to sacrifice a little filly’s life to save Twilight? You haven’t dropped that far into madness have you?”

“No, of course not. It must be, Twilight!” Celestia snapped grumpily as she glared at the floor and painful memories. “Nopony else is to die because of this. I have a lesson to teach her.”

Luna balked. “Tia, how can you say such a thing? What good is a lesson to the dead?”

“You don’t understand. She must die to learn it. I cannot leave my ponies to the whims of chaos, but I cannot leave Twilight to suffer eternally knowing that I abandoned her.”

“Share your memories Tia. Tell me everything so that I may relieve your stress, and bring you to your senses! Together, we can do this. There must be a way!”

Celestia grew calm, breathing in gently, and out with a long patient sigh. “Yes, there is one way, Luna. Be sure your magic is gentle upon that fate you hold, lest you condemn us all. We only have thirteen days to-” Celestia’s brow furrowed, her eyes growing deep, dark, and intense. “-Twiligeddon...”

Discharge

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12 days to Twiligeddon...

Dash's world slowly filtered back in through the haze of sleep. Artificial light taunted the soupy mire of her brain, hauling her grudgingly back to reality.

I hate painkillers...and light...and hospital beds... The list of grievances grew with every passing second. Uhg...and ground impact rainbooms... Her eyes focused slowly. The objects in the room blurring in and out. Frustrated, Dash struggled to gain control of her pupils, objects at random sharpened, only to leave the rest of the room blurry, again and again.

She face hoofed, and winced. "Ow!"

"Well it's nice to know you're still a genius." Dash recognized Donny's voice immediately.

"Oh, go rut yourself..." Dash trailed off in a groan.

Donny snickered. "Aww... aren't you just the warmest ray of rainbow delight on a cloudy day?"

Dash growled, but a sudden movement in her forelegs silenced her grumblings. Scootaloo, still snuggled down against her chest, unconsciously pulled away. Her muzzle pulled stickily at Dash's coat with remnants of dried tears, snot, and slobber. Eww...

"Can you stop hogging all the filly?" Donny grinned lopsidedly.

"Yeah, you can have her. I really need a shower." Dash's lip curled in disgust.

Donny craned her neck slightly to see what Dash was grimacing at. Her eyes widened with mirth. "Oh you know, on second thought, she really does seem attached to you."

Dash rolled her eyes, sighed and hugged Scootaloo back to the plastered mess, hiding it out of sight and out of mind. Her eyes settled on Donny. "How you holding up?" She gestured with her snout to indicate all of Donny's wounds.

"Won't lie to ya... I been better." Donny chuckled weakly. "Yerself?"

"Actually," Dash considered her current state as she shuffled and stretched slightly, "I really think I could be worse." Confusion crept into her voice. "Really, really… worse."

"I talked to the doctors. They kept us knocked out the whole time, but your friend Twilight learned a few new tricks in some book she's been studying recently, put together a bunch of unicorn volunteers and sped up our healing." She hoofed over at Scootaloo. "Cheeriloo is already recovered."

"Cheeri-who?"

Donny facehoofed, "Ow!" Dash laughed in response, which died off quickly from the complaints of her tender aching muscles. Donny continued, glaring daggers at Dash. "Cheeriloo is my daughter's 'real' name."

Dash scrunched up her snout as she studied Scoot. "What? What's up with Scootaloo then?"

"It's a nickname she came up with her friends. Said Cheeriloo sounded too girly, that and she's got some issues with her sister Cheerilee. Didn't want her..."

"Whoa! What? Cheerilee as in Cheerilee-Cheerilee… the teacher?" Dash stared back at Donny in shock. "She's never..."

"Right, yes. If you'd listen, they don't get along well. Get it? Her sister's very busy, and great with foals, but the generation gap between her and Cheeriloo is a bit wide. That and they have different fathers so they never really connected right. Well, I guess that's not entirely true."

Donny turned on her back, and stared up at the ceiling. "When I left for my first deployment Grinder was still in the service, and lived at the castle barracks." She sighed long and heavy.

"Cheerilee took care of Cheeriloo as a little filly while we were gone. Raised her like a daughter. I think most of the trouble between them started when Grinder and I came back. Cheerilee never quite got over it and resented us for not being there when she needed us the most. She spent most of her teen years as a mother..."

Donny bit her cheek and squeezed her eyes shut, regaining control of her emotions before they could run embarrassingly rampant. "She left at seventeen and never looked back. Honestly, I couldn't tell if Cheerilee resented us more for taking over as parents again, or because of having to grow up so fast. In the end however, Cheeriloo resented her big sister-mother for leaving. Never quite got over it, and soon after she started going by Scootaloo."

Dash's mind reeled with the new information. She stared down at Scootaloo wondering how the little filly hid so many secrets so well. I get it why she always breaks down at the slightest show of affection now.

A pang of pain crawled through Dash's chest as she squeezed the sleeping filly a little tighter. "Why are you telling me all this?" Dash's confusion etched onto her wrinkled brow as she moved her attention back to Donny and Scootaloo's past.

"Because you need to know. Since you'll be taking care of her now."

"What?!" Dash went to sit up but her forehoof slipped on Scootaloo's mane, sending her slamming back down on the bed. "What about you?" Scootaloo squirmed, taking in a sharp breath, and kicked Dash in the gut in sleepy disapproval. Dash went to snap at her as she cringed from the already tender muscles absorbing the impact, but held her tongue as she quickly realized the filly was still fast asleep.

Donny glared some serious pony over at Dash, though she filed the comical scene away to cheer her up on future cold nights in the field. "Where do you think I'm going after I get out of here Rainbow Dash? My job is full time deployment and field work. I am already three days past my end leave date."

"What about..."

"Grinder?" Donny threw out flatly with a deadpan sideways glance.

Dash fell silent. "Right..." She sighed. Wait isn't this what I wanted?

Dash grinned as she glanced down at the sleeping filly snuggled into her. A grin that quickly soured to a disgusted lip curl as she was suddenly reminded of the goo that plastered them together. A hair on Dash's chest tickled Scootaloo's nose. Reflexively she looked up and sneezed. Dash twitched, and reached for a box of tissues.

Donny snickered. "Aww...you've been indoctrinated into motherhood. Congratulations!" She broke out into barely controlled fits of laughter as Dash unerringly hurled the tissue box at her. Donny batted it away, and stated in mock sincerity. "Wait, didn't you need that?" Then, holding her stomach, she fought between laughing hysterically while hoofing at Dash, and trying to favor the pain in her gut.

"Gah, I swear this filly is nothing but snot!" Dash wiped her neck clean with the sheet.

"Dash, every foal under twelve is nothing but snot. Get used to it."

"Awesome," Dash sneered sarcastically.

Donny looked forlornly at her daughter, feeling a little more than jealous of Dash. However, as she took in the disheveled sticky dusty matted mess of her mane and tail, suddenly, the soldier in her wanted to scrub Scootaloo with tile stripper and bleach.

She diverted her eyes purposely elsewhere to settle on Scootaloo's primaries. Completely useless. Those primaries have got to come out, and that's... She looked down at the bed, chewing her lip in thought.

Dash had followed Donny's thoughts. She stared at Scootaloo's primaries, gritting her teeth. “I can't remember how many times I've had to pull bent primaries out.” She winced at the thought of causing Scootaloo pain. “But having to pull just about all of them out at once...what a nightmare.”

"I'll do it before I leave." Donny said soberly as Dash met her eyes head-on. "It won't take long."

"No, I got it." Dash ran a hoof through Scootaloo's mane. "I can handle a little preening..." She trailed off with a smug humph.

Donny rolled her eyes. "Yeah, kid, you got no idea what you're walking into there."

"So she'll buck and bite a bit..." Dash shrugged it off. “Wouldn't be the first time.”

Her thoughts rolled back to a couple nights ago. Oh, no. I guess it's been almost two weeks since that night. She smiled as she remembered the first time Scootaloo really let loose on her. I cried like a pansy. She rubbed a hoof along Scootaloo's cheek. Only for you Squee-chi.

Donny raised an eyebrow as she took in the fawning sweet look that fell over Dash's softening features, and rolled her eyes. "Uhg...seriously, you're giving me diabetes over here." Dash glared at Donny, her eyes intense and irritated over the interruption, but her cheeks betrayed her with a deep blush.

Before she could respond, the door to their room swung open, and nurse Redheart stepped in with a cheery smile. "Good morning! Just a few questions..." The nurse trailed off as she noticed Scootaloo in Dash's bed, their I.V.'s intertwined dangerously together. "Nonono! We can't have that, she needs to be in her own bed."

"Aww, come on, I never got a turn." Donny teased at Dash, half serious.

The nurse looked sternly at the two mares. "It's dangerous while she has the I.V.'s in, but I'm here to take them out anyway. Cheeriloo is to be released today. However, she is welcome to stay during visitor hours, and of course after hours as long as she stays in this room, and doesn't wander the halls."

Nurse Redheart winked at the two mares as she nudged Scootaloo awake. "Wake up sweetheart, we need to get you back in your bed so I can take your vita-" The nurse stopped mid sentence, taking in the crusty nastiness that ripped between Scootaloo and Dash like velcro as the filly raised her head.

Donny grimaced and winced. "Eeuugh! That is just gorgeous." She laughed and teased relentlessly. "You two really have that mother daughter chemistry going!"

Dash let out a groaning sigh. "I'll never get used to this."

Scootaloo's eyes fluttered open as the nurse gingerly coaxed her awake. "It's a side effect of the medicine we gave her. It's a little different from the adult version, and can cause runny noses. Little Ms. Cheeriloo, I need you to move over to your own bed sweetie, and your friend Rainbow Dash here needs a shower." She looked sideways at Dash. "Wait, you can move right? If not I can schedule a sponge bath."

Donny guffawed mercilessly, nearly doubling over from the pain of it as she tried not to laugh herself off the edge of the bed. Scootaloo's eyes popped open fully, focusing in little filly horror as she realized the terrible mess she made of Dash's coat.

Dash shook her head emphatically as she could through the creaking groan of her stiff and sore muscles. "I can handle a shower. Sounds good. Besides, no pony is getting anywhere near me with a sponge!" She puffed up. "I don't care how good their reasons are."

Scootaloo had fallen into a state of catatonic shock. Nurse Redheart rolled her eyes knowingly at Dash, and continued with helping the wooden Scootaloo into her own bed. She situated Scootaloo on her back, legs stuck in the air, a look of mortified horror frozen on her face.

Donny reached over and waved a hoof in front of her daughters eyes. "Well, whenever she wakes up, that's going to be a breakdown to miss." She eased herself out of the bed. "I'm going to hit the mess hall. Ahm sick of this bed, and hungry somethin' fierce!"

Nurse Redheart jumped. "Whoa! Hold on, you aren't fit..."

Donny waved her off. "Not fit my flank." She groaned out of bed stiffly and stretched. "I know my own body. Twilight's crazy healing magic worked well enough. I can take some pain crawling over to the mess hall."

She wrapped a wing around her I.V. stand. "I once got swallowed by a dragon. Mean son of a..." She shivered. "Once you pass through the fiery nightmare of a dragon's craw, slop around in it's stomach acids until it burns your coat off, and have to hack your way out using an e-tool." She grinned maniacally and glared at nurse Redheart out of the corner of her eye as she sliced at the air with her other wing tip for dramatic emphasis. "This kinda pain becomes happy warming memories that keep you company on frozen nights of guard duty in the cold northern borders..." She trailed off with a wicked giggle as she nudged the door open, leaving a shocked and dumbfounded nurse Redheart in her wake.

Dash intently watched the frozen Scootaloo, who twitched occasionally. Nurse Redheart busied herself with taking the filly's various readings and testing reflexes.

Half bored, Dash went to stand up, slowly easing herself out of the bed with a lazy yawn and a groan. She hobbled her way around the bed, grabbing the I.V. stand with a wing as she stretched her legs in slow acclamation to movement.

Nurse Redheart cheerily grinned at Dash, but her voice held a tinge of sour. "You are very lucky Ms. Dash. Princess Twilight Sparkle spent hours along with all the volunteers to speed up everypony's recoveries."

Dash raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "How long did that take?"

"Oh, I have no idea, dear. But I would say no less than fifty volunteers on and off for six or more hours a day for about eight days now. Princess Sparkle being present for every one of those hours. Poor thing ended up spending more than one night here to recover from extreme exhaustion." The irritated sneer in the nurses otherwise sappy voice caught Dash off guard.

"Hay! If you got a problem with me. Just come out and say it." Dash growled irritably.

The nurse spun around on Dash, glancing down at Scootaloo briefly to ensure she was still out. She glared straight into Dash's eyes, her features growing dark and furious. "Do. You. Have. Any. Idea?! How much pain you've caused!?"

Dash backpedaled, not quite sure how to handle the nurses sudden outburst. "We couldn't fit all the wounded in the hospital! We had to scavenge beds out of the nearby houses just to accommodate the injured out on the lawn!" She stepped forward menacingly. "Over half the town was deaf for two days! Including my family!" She gritted her teeth angrily.

"I'm so sorry...I..." Dash wilted under the nurses furious gaze and her own shame. "...was irresponsible."

Nurse Redheart's boiling fury was cut off by a whimper from the bed. Her eyes slid over to see Scootaloo staring at her with shimmering wide pupils of wavering innocence. Her muscles tensed with stressed guilt.

Scootaloo took in a wavering shaky breath, her ears laying flat. "Nurse Redheart...why are you so mad? Are you going to hit my sister, Rainbow Dash?" Her lips quivered as tears built up in the corner of her eyes.

Nurse Redheart crumpled under the barrage of filly innocence. "No! Nononono sweetheart. I'm sorry. So sorry, honey." She rushed over and patted Scootaloo on the head. She moved swiftly to take out her I.V.'s. The whole process over in seconds. "Let me just, uhm, go check your records. I will...leave you two alone. Try to relax sweetheart, I just wasn't feeling well. I'm sure Rainbow Dash understands." She smiled and twittered nervously, running a shaky hoof through her mane.

Scootaloo watched as Nurse Redheart bolted out the door, shutting it a little too softly behind her. The twitchy lip and teary eyes instantly replaced with a confidently victorious smirk. "Yeah, saved your flank Dash." She threw up her hoof for a bump.

Dash clopped over slowly, the I.V. stand rattling next to her. She stared hauntingly at Scootaloo for a moment. Her hoof lifted slowly to her forearm. Scootaloo almost complained about Dash leaving her hanging, but was cut off as Dash ripped the I.V. out of her own arm. Scootaloo watched worriedly as Dash's hoof passed her own, leaving it hanging as she wrapped her foreleg around her waist and lifted her up.

"Come on Scoot...we both need to hit the showers." Dash's voice sounded sad and distant. Scootaloo chewed her lip, unsure of what to do or say as Dash tossed her up onto her back. Dash opened a window, and peered out. Nopony was in the immediate vicinity. She stretched and tested her wings.

"Where are we going?" Scootaloo whispered conspiratorially into Dash's ear.

Dash glanced at the cloudy muggy sky. "There's clouds up there we can shower with. Nopony's running the weather team without me. I will clear the sky afterwards. It's the least I can do to bring in some sunshine after what I did, but really I need to see what the damage is." She looked back at Scootaloo, her voice wavering shamefully. "I have to know how badly I hurt my hometown and friends."

"Nurse Redheart didn't sound like anypony died Dash." She nuzzled through her sisters colorful mane. Then, frozen with a startling revelation, Scootaloo drew in a sharp panicky breath. "Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom! I hope they weren’t hurt too!"

"Exactly, Squee-chi. We both have friends to check up on." Dash launched herself out the window. Her muscles ached furiously, but were a far cry from wing cramps. Dash cursed her hubris, for even under the worry and stress of her friends safety, the guilt of the damage to the town, and the ache in her recovering muscles. Dash still felt a wave of wonderfully exhilarating freedom and confidence wash over her as she stretched her wings, and took back to the sky's.

Psychological damage - 1

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(3 days earlier) 15 days to Twiligeddon...

The Ponyville hospital was abuzz with ponies. Dash's ground impact rainboom had caused all manner of injuries from concussive shock and cuts to bruises and temporary deafness.

Nurse Redheart flitted around the crowds, bringing leadership to the jumbled mass as she shouted out orders to a hoof-full of volunteers. She spared a moment to glance out a window at Twilight, her brow furrowed worriedly.

She won't last much longer. That's the third casting this morning... She turned swiftly and headed for a closet. She's going to pass out again.

"Set up the princess' room. Get the magic trauma kit charged! I want a stretcher out there now!" She barked out the orders and the volunteers reacted instantly.

She trotted swiftly down the hall and ducked into a supply closet. She grabbed an I.V. from a shelf, a prefilled syringe of painkiller from a medbox, a pack of saline from a little fridge, and a smaller pack with a purple liquid and a makeshift white strip of tape labeled 'Unicorn Mana Medpack.' She tossed the items onto a sterile tray in Twilight's room and swiftly turned to head outside, the capped syringe tucked snug behind an ear.

Twilight stood in the center of organized chaos. Close to fifty beds had been moved from nearby homes out onto the hospital lawn. Every bed held at least one injured pony, though most of the minor injuries had been taken care of the previous day. Twilight had worked out an emergency spell from an old tome of healing.

She took a deep breath, focusing on her new healing spell as it formed in her mind, a thick magenta aura roiling around her horn. Unicorn volunteers were stationed at planned intervals throughout the crowd of beds.

Rays of magenta gently arced from Twilight out to these unicorns, striking their horns, causing the air around them to radiate with a high frequency vibration.

The spell was all too simple. To heal the injured, Twilight just had to increase their body frequencies high enough to engage their own natural speed healing abilities. Injuries cause a pony's vibrational frequencies to drop dramatically. By increasing the vibrational frequencies of the area around everypony, and bringing their current vibrational states up to a healthy level, the injuries will heal naturally in response! Simple. She mentally reassured herself.

Except the vibrations would only work so far out from her body until they faded and become impotent. At first a few reluctant unicorns had answered her call to relay her magic. Mostly due to a lot of them having injuries, but after Rarity had joined in and applied her social skills, unicorns were lining up to help.

Today, there were twenty such volunteers, and Twilight was custom shaping the spell to each and every one of them. Not so simple...

Twilight, having passed the difficult point of starting the spell began pushing herself to channel every bit of magic through her to meet the demand of the other unicorns in her network.

Rarity, being one of the hubs, accepted the magical energy as it struck her horn, and marveled at the intricate weave and care that Twilight had so expertly crafted into it. Twilight, darling, this spell is beautiful. So simple yet so wonderfully crafted! She let the spell feed off her own energy as she passed it along, splintering it into five new directions to five other waiting unicorns.

She gasped at the ease and flow of the spell. This wasn’t her first run, but Twilight’s skill never ceased to amaze her. I'm just a conduit, the spell itself recognized me and acted of it's own accord... She spared a glance over at her friend, a worried frown creasing her delicate features. Twilight's legs were shaking, and even from a distance Rarity could see the strain in her friends posture.

“Oh, hold on Twilight... ” She called out softly. “It won't be much longer, dear.”

A numbing tingle ran down Rarity's horn, her eyes dilated with the intoxicating sensation as it spread past her ears, down her neck, and in a wave of euphoria it enveloped her entire body. She shivered a little, her legs feeling week as she was nearly overpowered by the urge to lay down and bask in the dizzying warmth.

The sniffles of foals and disgruntled moans of the injured however kept her well grounded in reality. With stubborn determination she stood her ground, willing the magic to flow and vibrate through her as she tuned it outwards in silent light blue waves that flowed over the surrounding beds of injured ponies.

Many ponies fell asleep on the beds, their bodies shutting down as the soothing waves flowed around and into their aching wounds. It relieved their pain, and relaxed the high strung tension from their nerves. Slowly, numbly, their bodies' vibrations rose to match the frequencies of Twilight’s magic.

Twilight strained through it all, sucking in the energy around her. Then, with one last gasp, her legs gave out with finality, bringing her to her knees. The glow in her horn flickered, the arches of magic faded, and Twilight collapsed to the ground.

Rarity trotted over swiftly to her fallen friend, ignoring the numbness in her legs. She noted the stretcher that had been waiting near Twilight, and that nurse Redheart was already injecting a pain killer into Twilight's shoulder in preparation for the oncoming massive headache.

Rarity enveloped Twilight in a soft magical glow as she helped lift her onto the stretcher. Nurse Redheart turned with a meager smile and a nod, worry etched into every feature.

Rarity met her gaze with a sad shake of her head. "If she wasn't helping so many injured and needy ponies." She blinked and diverted her eyes. "I would never let her abuse herself so horridly."

Nurse Redheart nodded, her aching overworked muscles screaming at her from lack of sleep. "I know... " She looked back at the crew carrying Twilight's stretcher as they cleared a path into the hospital. "Rarity, dear, she won't listen to me, but perhaps you can convince her to slow down a bit. At this rate she could really do some damage to herself. We are almost caught up too. The vast majority of injured are well on their way to recovery. We are almost ready to start moving beds back to their owners homes."

Rarity nodded. "I'll try convincing her again... " With a yawn Rarity plodded forward, looking fabulous in her exhaustion. "How is Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, and her mother faring?"

Nurse Redheart gritted her teeth. "Well enough, though I doubt they would have pulled through at all without Princess Sparkle's night sessions with them. Dedicating herself to maintaining that spell for three to four hours per night... " She trailed off with a shake of her mane. "She has to slow down. Donnybrook and Rainbow Dash are stabilizing swiftly. That sweet little filly is also past the worst of it. The broken bones in all of them are already knitting well. The swelling in Scootaloo's brain is also subsiding... " Nurse Redheart let out a long exasperated sigh of relief. "... finally."

"So much for patient confidentiality." Rarity giggled light heartedly as she teased nurse Redheart, who she had swiftly grown fond of over the past few days of chaos.

"Rarity, dear, at this moment in time you are as good as hospital staff." She grinned over at Rarity. "I could get you a nurses cap if you'd like."

Rarity giggled. "Oh, that does sound fun!" They trotted towards the hospital, together, grasping at any sliver of mirth they could find despite the somber and sad atmosphere in the wake of the Rainbow Calamity.

Twilight blinked away the fuzz in her brain. Her hospital room came into focus swiftly, which she was grateful for, but more than a little irritated that she was getting used to this kind of situation.

“If I had more stamina, I wouldn't have to deal with this!” She growled and berated herself. “I could still be out there helping ponies right now!” She slammed a hoof onto the bed in frustration which quickly ebbed out through a long sigh.

"You aren't to blame, Twilight dear, and you know that." Scootaloo intoned from the bedside in somber sadness, her wings horribly bent, crusty blood matting her fur from head to toe.

Twilight startled, her eyes dilated, her breath caught in her throat, and her muzzle drew open to say something only to emanate a startled squeak of terror.

"Twilight!" Twilight closed her eyes and shook her head. Scootaloo was suddenly replaced by a very concerned Rarity. "Oh, Twilight, can you hear me? Please, tell me you’re okay?"

“Okay? Nothing is okay!” Twilight exhaled in exasperation as a flood of emotions burst forth, her self control having been shattered by her shock over the sudden hallucination. “Rarity, I failed Dash as a friend, it's all my fault! I couldn't even help her with her problems, and then I went and made things worse. She attacked Donnybrook, and… Scootaloo got caught up in it all. I'm so sorry!" She trailed off, shivering and sniffling as she fought back tears.

Rarity moved to speak, her lips curled down worriedly as her hoof hovered hesitantly inches from Twilight's shoulder. “The swelling around her brain subsided. I just received the news from nurse Redheart.” She smiled with timid excitement. “She’s going to live, Twilight.”

Twilight’s jaw played up and down, her eyes wavering as tears streamed down her cheeks. “But... but yesterday, they said… she might not make it... ”

Rarity slipped her forelegs around Twilight, hugging her tight as she whispered. “The only answer is you, dear.”

Twilight sniffled, gritting her teeth. "The problem was me too! If only I had been able to solve Dash's problems that night, or at least not made them worse. I failed as a friend!"

"Twilight!" Rarity commanded her attention. "Twilight... " She began again, in a softer more subdued tone. "... at least you tried. I didn't even raise a hoof to help my friend in her hour of need. There's just no excuse for it. I'm a horrid friend." She shook her head cutting off Twilight's arguments. "The least I can do to make up for it is to help you in healing the ponies who were injured by all of our shortcomings. However, right now there is one pony who needs me the most, dear." Rarity pouted at Twilight.

It took a second for it to kick in. "Wait... what? You mean me?" Twilight looked around in confusion, wiping her everflowing tears away with the sheet. "I'm fine! There's nothing wrong with me. We all escaped the blast when I cast the shield remember?"

"Not that, dear. Your heart." Rarity put a hoof to Twilight's chest in emphasis. "It's devastated, Twilight, and you are abusing yourself to escape the pain." She put up her hoof again to cut off any arguments. "Nonono, no arguing, I want you to accompany me for a bit of an outing this afternoon. It will simply be marvelous with just the two of us. First off, little Ms. 'I haven't had a bath in three days... '" She indicated Twilight's disheveled-ness with a waggle of her hoof. "... is going to the spa. My treat." Her eyes reflected the futility of attempting any contrary arguments.

Twilight, feeling that the whole conversation was teetering one sided, decided not to force the scales. She's right... I am a mess. She ran a hoof down her dirty matted coat. Rainbo... She sighed, batting away a fly, as she forcefully cut off her thoughts, and flopped back into her pillow, tuning onto her back. Her hooves hung pacified across her chest, and she snuggled down under the sheet. "I really could use a good spa visit... "

Rarity nabbed the sheet, and flung it off her friend. "Right! Come on Twilight, dear. I will not have my precious friend moping around in some dingy hospital bed. You are royalty for ponies sake, and as such your presentational standards befitting your station have top priority!"

Twilight let out a groan borderline filly whine. Her legs flopped out to the sides. "Can't it wait a bit longer?"

"Absolutely not! If we wait any longer then we won't make it in time for your special surprise!" Rarity flashed Twilight her tender 'love me' smile with a bat of her eyelashes. Twilight perked up, but Rarity hushed her with a hoof. "Tututut... first, let us indulge in the finer delights of life."

Twilight smiled, grateful for Rarity's concern and welcoming the change in pace. "No, first we need to visit Scootaloo's room. Then, we can leave."

Something in Twilight's voice brooked no argument. Rarity smiled warmly, nodding in consent.

Twilight soaked down into the bath, letting the nourishing scented oils permeate her coat, and soothe away the stress of the week. Rarity, sitting across from her, had opted for a full facial. Twilight giggled inwardly as she glanced over to make eye contact but was met by the blank stares of two cucumber slices. "Thank you Rarity. I didn't realize how much I needed this."

Rarity waved a nonchalant hoof. "Don't mention it, dear." She melted into the water with a sigh. "I really needed this myself."

Ok, time to work out that secret. So... first some small talk. "Isn't your usual spa day with Fluttershy tomorrow though?" Twilight moved her hooves in an attempt to engage Rarity's interest in the conversation. Oh... right, cucumbers. She rolled her eyes at the futility instead and let them flop to the water.

Rarity smiled. "Really now? Can a pony have too many pampering spa days?" She paused with dramatic flare, her eyebrows raising in sincerity, but leaving the comical effect of expressive vegetables in Twilight's mind. "Besides, dear, in my line of work looking one's best is half the battle. Nopony would be able to appreciate the designs of a slovenly vagabond."

Twilight frowned in thought. "Hmm... noted. Though I can't imagine that description ever applying to you."

Rarity squealed in giggly delight. "Oh Twilight," she blindly pawed a hoof at her friend playfully, "you're so sweet."

Twilight smiled back, a little confused. "I kinda thought that was obvious. Can something so obvious be construed as a compliment? I thought it counted more as a statement of fact, which, in retrospect really didn't warrant any need to be stated if it is so blatantly obvious. Given that you are the most polished pony in Ponyville. No, it really doesn't make sense as a compliment... "

Twilight, deep in thought over her current self inflicted distraction, missed the removal of the cucumbers. Rarity wrapped her forelegs around Twilight's neck, and pulled her into a big giggly hug.

"Never change Twilight, dear. Forever stay the wonderful pony you are." She backed off ever so slightly and pursed her lips. "Now, I need you to tell me all about your troubles, and no secrets." Rarity's persona switched as she looked down at her nose into Twilight's eyes, a trained jewelers eye picking out the slightest hesitation and marres in crafting a jewel of perfection. "I know you've been bottling up some stress in there and I have a good idea what's been bothering you, but it's more therapeutic if you say it. Soo... " Rarity proffered an upturned hoof as if to hand the conversation over to Twilight.

Eeep! Divert! "I have no idea what you could be talking about! I'm just worried about our friends." Twilight grinned a little too wide, her ears falling back flat against her head as she dodged Rarity's discerning gaze. "Soo, what's next on the list?"

"I was waiting for that question. I believe I will defer to the definition of 'surprise', Twilight." Rarity grinned mischievously. "And, you are hiding something!" Rarity leaned back triumphantly as she snuggled further into a comfortably warm position in the bath.

"Right, understood." Twilight, sighed and fidgeted with a few passing bubbles that were swirling around the water flow. Fail... maybe my timing was off? I definitely kept a straight face... Rarity is just that good... Twilight sighed, giving in to the inevitable.

"Whenever you are ready, Twilight. Take your time." Rarity waited with all the natural patience of one who deals with picky and critical customers.

Twilight got to the point, beating around the bush never having suited her disposition. Still, she picked the lesser of the two problems on her mind. "I'm summoning the ghost of Star Swirl the Bearded tonight... "

The sound that left Rarity's mouth was neither ladylike nor socially acceptable in any way, however she decided it was appropriate for the situation. "Eyighyasy-you-w-whaat?" She stared dumbfounded at her friend.

Twilight continued. "I'm a little nervous about it." She fidgeted, rubbing the tips of her hooves together, a slight blush creeping across her cheeks.

"Twilight! You aren't eloping with this ghost are you?" Rarity meant it as a light hearted joke to break the awkwardness… kind of.

"What? No! Nonono, of course not! I didn’t even… come on, no! That never actually… Really, Rarity? I'm just summoning my idol to ask a few… t-t-to thank him for all his hard work and teachings. Then maybe I’ll ask him a few questions and compare theories. Maybe, he will even teach me something that didn’t make it into his books."

She looked away sheepishly. "I hope he likes me." A slight panic crept into her eyes as they locked back onto Rarity. "What if he thinks I'm not smart enough? What if he doesn't answer when I call? What if I’m a huge disappointment?" She chewed at her hooves. "Rarity, I wouldn't know what to do! I'd never be able to cast magic again!"

"Twilight, darling, I think that's the least of your worries."

"Oh, it's definitely top of the list. I hope he approves of my theories... " She trailed off staring at the swirls of soapy water, trying to shrink a little deeper down into hiding.

Rarity's mind roiled with a plethora of ways to handle the situation, but comforting a socially awkward friend over a meeting with a ghost was defying all of her experience.

Her brain screamed at her. It's ludicrous! She's nervous for all the wrong reasons. Where do I even start?

"Twilight, uhm, I’m worried about this meeting... " She ventured forth with extreme care. "... I trust you have planned to keep this, uhh... interaction safe?"

“Rarity!” Twilight's ears perked up, her face flushing beat red. "I'm just summoning him to thank him for all he's done for me… errr, everypony who has benefited from his works, and perhaps mull into a few discussions over some of his older books. Of course I’ve planned the proper spells to prevent residual plasmatic contamination. Nothing should be able to impregnate the barriers. I would die of embarrassment if I forgot such fundamental requirements for extra planar interactions." Her ears fell flat against her head, eyes diverted over a shy fleeting smile. I hope he’ll be impressed with the details in my preparations.

For the second time that night Rarity was struck speechless. "Uhh... " Her jaw dropped, her head tilted to the side so the information overload could pool into the corner of her brain for easier sorting. An eye twitched ever so slightly. I was well aware there are social situations that have no proper response... I believe this is the second one I've ever come across. Calling my friend Twilight crazy is not going to help the situation here!

Unfortunately for Rarity, her mouth disagreed. "Are you feeling alright, dear?"

Twilight pouted indignantly, as she was stung by the look in Rarity's disconcerting gaze. Trying to regain her composure, she drew up defensively to her full height. "I am not crazy!"

"No! I didn't mean to imply you were!" Rarity panicked.

Yes you did, that was absolutely horrid! Her brain chided.

"I'm just worried about you Twilight. I fear, this may not... end well for you." Rarity grinned lopsidedly, trying to soften the impact of her words. "I really don't want to see my precious friend hurt by possibly dangerous... "

Her brain screamed in warning. Don't say fantasies... find another word!

"... fantasies... " She face hoofed even before she tried straining the word to a stop in her mouth.

What is wrong with you! Rarity, how could you!

Twilight drew in a long winded breath followed by a heavy sigh. Rarity blanched, buckling down for a well deserved flank chewing. "I... " Twilight diverted her eyes as she slumped over. "... know."

Twilight's sudden downcast turn sent needles through Rarity's heart. "Please don't think too far into my response dear. I fear I’m reacting on surprise. One does not gracefully respond to the announcement of their friend inviting ghosts into their home for a late night soiree. However, my reaction was still rude. I am so, so sorry, Twilight. Please, forgive me."

"Don't worry about it. You are right anyway, Rarity. I wasn't sure what response I was hoping for, but I guess the whole idea is kind of ridiculous when you back up and look at the facts." Twilight sighed defeatedly. “It’s just, Celestia said he’s been more important in my life than I could ever imagine. Like a mentor from the shadows. If Celestia has been my second mother, Star Swirl has been my second father.”

"Ooohhh,” Rarity’s eyes widened with sudden understanding. “Well don’t I feel silly…” She mumbled under her breath. “Oh, don't stress over it Twilight. This bath was to cheer you up." Rarity’s brow furrowed as she chewed her lip slightly in thought. Oh, I'm losing her! I can't let this go on. Think Rarity!

Her brain snapped back. Don’t ask me! You haven’t listened to me all night. Just go with your feelings, and leave me out of this…

“Of course!” She whispered to herself as she scooched across the tub, and pulled herself up onto the edge. "The surprise! It's almost time." She stepped daintily out of the tub, proffering a helping hoof to Twilight. "Care to join me?"

Twilight accepted the help, rolling a little less daintily out of the tub as she scrambled for purchase on the slippery tiles. "So... "

"Definition, my dear, Twilight. Refer to the definition of surprise... "

"Right, of course. Not a surprise if you tell me... "

"Cor-rect! Now towel off quickly. We don't want to be late!" Rarity wrapped a towel into her hair. "We still have the hooficure, and the mane stylist before we can leave."

"I thought we were going to be late?"

"Well of course I am allotting enough time to fully enjoy the rest of the spa visit. Wouldn't want to ruin such a fabulous pampering by rushing through it now would we?" Rarity beamed over at Twilight, feeling well in control of the situation again.

Twilight giggled back, feeling comfortable knowing Rarity had meticulously planned out her afternoon for her, finding it relaxing knowing she didn't have a long demanding list in hoof to worry about. Specifically because I am not thinking clearly today. So it's a nice change of pace, not having a list of my own... well, at least for one afternoon. Twilight impulsively reached back to produce a lump of crumpled white glob.

"Eww... Twilight, whatever is that horrid thing?" Rarity blanched at the sopping pile of weird in Twilight's hoof.

Twilight sighed. "I must be distracted… this list used to be my day plan."

Psychological Damage - 2

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Twilight sat staring at the dust bowl just outside of Ponyville, and a short distance from Dash's cloud home, or where the cloud home used to be. She remembered back to a few days ago when Dash attacked Scootaloo's mom, Donnybrook. Twilight had a good idea why she did it, since she had seen into Dash's soul and memories four days earlier, an accidental side effect of a soul seeing spell she'd been using to read a special kind of book locked in the ethereal spirit world.

Twilight stepped over the raised rocky rim and into the cratered dust bowl, roughly twice the size of a full hoofball field. The force of the rainboom impact had been monstrous. The dust itself had mostly been cleared, a task taken on by Rarity who now danced with sparkling eyes of wonder with little frilly giggles.

"Oooh, waha-ha-haha-ooohh! Twilight! Isn't it amazing! Just look at all these crystals! Oh, even the rocks are marvelously painted. Rainbow Dash is a true wonder of an artist! Who knew?" Rarity's dance was tempered as to not disturb the myriad of crystal formations that shot up from the ground in small spires of dazzling sparkly masterpieces of every color imaginable. "Rainbow crystals! I didn't even know rainbow crystals could exist!" Rarity's giggles swiftly neared hyperventilation as she shooed more dust out of the bowl with disdain, and burst into more ecstatic dancing as she uncovered yet another stretch of crystalline rainbow wonders. Then, with finality, she moved to the center of the bowl and daintily sat down on all fours, tucked her legs under, and waited in silent expectation.

Twilight watched in rapt fascination as her friend stopped moving. Rarity patted the ground next to her, signalling Twilight to sit, which she complied. "Rari... "

"Shh... " Rarity threw a gentle hoof over Twilight's muzzle. "Watch... " Twilight froze, transfixed on the glistening tears in the corners of Rarity's eyes.

As Rarity turned skyward, eyes closed, and basked in the warmth of the near noonday sun, Twilight found it difficult to look away. Your mind perceives so differently than mine. I wonder if... the soul seeing spell... Rarity would you let me see through your eyes? Twilight shook off the thought in fleeting horror. What am I thinking? I'm still plagued by Dash's memories from it! Yet for a brief moment longer Twilight yearned to see the world of beauty the way her friend did. She wondered at the joy of creative inspiration, and in that brief moment, wanted to reach out and touch Rarity to ensure she was real. There's no way I could ask that! But... "... just once I want to see the world like you... " Twilight mumbled absentmindedly.

It wasn't until her hoof was halfway to her friends shoulder that she noticed Rarity was glancing at her out of the corner of an eye, a smile on her lips. Twilight recoiled with a blush. "We are both acting a bit out of sorts today, are we not?" Rarity closed her eyes again, and sat center of the bowl amid a crystalline wonderland. The colors struck her, moved through her, mind reeling from the myriad of inspirations and flooding sensations that tingled through her body. Dresses of every style, fit, and situation bombarded her mind. All-new color combinations, cuts, and stitchings that would have fallen flat in the past suddenly became possibilities to accentuate, and expound upon the awe inspiring beauty that sparkled throughout the bowl.

"Perhaps you are wondering why I called you out here?" She grinned at Twilight's barely perceptible nod. "This... " Rarity threw a foreleg around Twilight's shoulder and pulled her close, she clasped her hooves around Twilight's eyes. "Eyes shut, I will show you what I see." Rarity bit her lip in anticipation.

Twilight, having confirmed Rarity was indeed a firm part of her reality, sat in anticipating silence. She waited patiently, until Rarity gasped. "Beautiful... "

"What?" Twilight's ears perked.

"Oh sorry, dear, almost forgot... " She removed her hooves.

Twilight reeled from sensory overload. Her forelegs quivered, mouth hung open in awe as her wings flared back. Her feathers shook with the thundering of her heart as her pupils dilated in wonder. Surrounding them in every which direction was a solid transparent wall of jumbled dancing rainbows. A dome of kaleidoscopic color swirling against the background of the sky as the suns rays filtered through the rainbow crystals and reflected off at every angle. She reached out a hoof, grasping at the dome of wonder that encased her. Her breath caught and refused to move passed her lungs as a tear streamed down her cheek.

Rarity reached a hoof over and wiped the tear away, and gently closed Twilight's jaw, turning her head gently to meet her eyes. "This... " She hoofed in a wide arch. "... is what I see. The wonder of colors as they inspire, dance, and play in my dreams crying to be let out through my art. The colors speak to me, craving to be put to shapes that accentuate the natural beauty of the ponies around me. They guide my magic, whisper in my ear, and conduct my hooves in the creation of visual poetry. But this... " Tears streamed down her cheeks as she reached a hoof out to gently caress the rainbows that filled the air. "But this... is art in the raw in it's most beautiful natural elegance. It would be a crime to destroy this gift... even for a dress... "

"Rarity, we have to show the others... " Twilight trailed off as she ran her hoof on another futile round to capture the beauty that captivated her.

"We will in time Twilight. It happens once a day at noon." The sun moved slightly off it's apex, the rainbow dome of dreams disappearing in response. Rarity continued on in a slightly somber yet satisfied tone. "You were the one that needed this most dear. Ever since that day you have been moping around blaming yourself as if you failed in some grand scheme of things."

"Well I certainly didn't help any. I made things so much worse. I drove Dash out of her own house with my callousness. I was completely blind to her needs, and now she's in a coma." Twilight's lip curled in disdain over her emotional shortcomings. "I couldn't do anything in the end." An image of Scootaloo flashed through her mind, her chest tightened viciously in response, sending her cringing with the flash of a grimace across her muzzle as her mind reeled under a barrage of guilt ridden emotions.

"Aww... " Rarity threw her forelegs around Twilight and pulled her into a hug. "If you know anything about Rainbow Dash it's that she will love you just for trying. You gave it your all and that's what matters." Rarity rubbed a comforting hoof through Twilight's mane, then sat back and looked her directly in the eyes. "What happened between those two was destined, and needed to happen. You saw the looks on their faces as clear as anypony else on the scene that day. They were smiling like fools. Half dead fools, but happy nonetheless. Both of them had found exactly what they needed... "

Rarity was cut off by a southern drawl. "And unless you could beat the Everfree lovin' tar outa that thick headed mare, then you had about as good a chance at fixin' her problems as the rest of us!" Applejack trotted over.

Rarity threw her hooves up in warning. "Careful! Step lightly Applejack, you will crush the gems!"

Applejack stopped short, looking around as if seeing them for the first time. "Aha! Thats why you been out here for the past few days."

Rarity huffed, releasing Twilight, who sat in self reflective silence. "Well, excavation is a long and arduous process. One befitting my talents and the cause is indeed noble enough that I just couldn't bring myself to hoof over such a delicate art project to anypony else."

"Right, and the prospect of gettin' yer hooves first pick of these gems which happen to be on Rainbow Dash's property has nothin' doin with it?" Applejack rolled her eyes, and shot her a skeptical glare.

"Apple... " Rarity was cut off.

"Applejack! How could you," Twilight suddenly snapped and stepped forward with a huff. "Rarity isn't a thief, first of all, and she is here to answer the call of the inspiration of her art!" The vehemency in Twilight voice caught all three of them off guard.

Rarity nearly swooned. "Twilight! You do understand me!" She threw her forelegs around Twilight in a giggly hug as she nuzzled her mane.

The look in Twilight's eyes were just as surprised as Applejack's as she tried to figure out exactly where she pulled that sudden flux of emotions from. I'm losing control of my emotions. What the hay is wrong with me... Twilight continued, trying to distance the conversation before anypony could focus in on the outburst. "Besides, I'm sure Rainbow Dash isn't going to mind parting with a few crystals later on. I'm sure theres some on the outlying rim of the bowl that don't contribute to the light display."

Rarity giggled. "My thoughts exactly!"

"Aha!" Applejack hoofed at Rarity. "Ah new'it! Cain't fool an Apple!"

Rarity rolled her eyes, dropped off of Twilight's neck and cantered over to Applejack. "Well I did go through all the trouble of clearing out the filth and tidying up the place. A few straggling crystals shouldn't be all that much to ask for. It is for my art after all, and I am just dying to get back to the shop, and make a new dress for Rainbow Dash." She squealed, "Ooohh, just imagine, the colors I can work with and blends I could pull off with crystals every color of the rainbow. They will play magnificently with her natural beauty!"

"Ah, tarnation, now she won' quit will she." Applejack nudged Twilight who shrugged and giggled a little in response. Applejack eyed a crystal near the rim of the bowl. She kicked it in passing, which sent her into a fit of over pronunciation. "Ow! Oh my. Look here what I done. This poor crystal. It has been knocked loose by my carelessness." Twilight chuckled, and facehoofed, her eyes squeezed shut at the painful sight of Applejack's bad acting skills. "Oh whatever shall I do?"

Rarity, not one to miss her que, trotted over. "Oh, Applejack, do be more careful, dear. I certainly hope you weren't hurt!" She picked up the crystal in her magic. The other two stared at her with knowing grins. "What? Well we just can't leave the poor thing there, now can we? Besides, what if somepony else trips over it?" Her friends giggled. "Oh, never mind! I'm a slave to my muse, and her voice is loud and unrelenting. It won't shut up until I create this dress, and I want to be able to sleep tonight! Don't judge me!"

Twilight, and Applejack trotted after Rarity, their laughter infectious as Rarity began to join in. The three friends merrily parted from the bowl, feeling lighter hearted for the meeting, and the weight of their friends coma's a little less burdensome.

Twilight and Applejack waved goodbye to Rarity as she trotted down the lane, a happy bounce in her step as she headed swiftly home and to her sewing machine. Twilight turned towards the library. "I'll see you later Applejack! Have a good evening."

"Now hold up!" Applejack quickened her pace, coming up even with Twilight. "I came all this way to talk to ya, and ahm not about to let ya outa mah sight again."

Twilight winced and looked away. I've been meaning to apologize better. Applejack was the first victim of the soul seeing spell I cast to read my spirit book... "I'm sorry Applejack. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to look at you with those eyes, or for you to see the ritual. I should have locked the door, but it was midday. The library hours weren't over yet, and I couldn't wait for closing time. So I thought I could just cancel the spell before addressing anypony who came in. I didn't mean for it to cause so many problems."

"Ahm over it, but what worries me is you ain't." Applejack smiled lopsidedly at Twilight's confused look. "Yer not over what happened. You haven't let it go. You been mopin' around fer day's locked up in that library. Pinkie says she can't get you ta leave to come ta lunch and you turned down her Dash n' Donny are alive celebration invitation." Applejack raised a concerned eyebrow. "Besides being the best parties in Ponyville, I doubt you would miss one of Pinkie's parties without good reason. Being with yer friends is a lot'a who ya are, and secluding yerself from the world is a lot'a who ya left behind. Nah of course I understand you been puttin' in overtime at the hospital helpin' all the injured folks, but... "

Oh, Celestia, I guess I have been a bit obsessive over my latest project. Studying into the early hours of the morning, and preparing the ritual materials. Twilight froze, a guilty look crossing her features as she bit her lip and averted her eyes. Should I tell her? Would she believe me?

Applejack grinned ear to ear. "Oh this is gonna be good. Whenever you get that look... "

Twilight cut her off. "I am going to summon the ghost of Star Swirl the Bearded, hopefully, tonight... "

Applejack stopped dead in her tracks, her hackles raising on end. "Su... sug-ar... cu... come again?"

Twilight giggled nervously off key. "You know... Star Swirl the Bearded. The most amazing wizard in all of Equestrian History?"

"Ahm friends with you Twi, I think I'd know who he is by now." Applejack shot Twilight a dubious frown. "But the dead are past n' moved on fer a reason Twi. It just makes me nervous is all. Ya don't go arroun' messin' with the natural order of things, and makin' house calls of the dead ain't natural."

Twilight winced. "I didn't think you would approve, but it's something I have to do... "

"Why?" Applejack cocked her head to the side. "I understand he's your idol and all but... "

Twilight cut her off. "That's exactly why!" Applejack backpedaled a step. "I have the opportunity to meet my idol. The pony who dedicated his whole life to magic, and leaving behind a legacy for unicorns everywhere to build off of. Half of everything I know came from his dedication in teaching and collecting knowledge to write down in his tomes. It was like I could feel his hoof on my shoulder all throughout my youth." Twilight's eyes glistened over at the memories. "Every day in the library I wasn't ever alone because Star Swirl was there to guide my studies. When I was lost there was always one of his books, or scrolls falling off a shelf as I passed, calling out to me, guiding me to the answers!" Twilight took a deep breath, and let out a tempered sigh. "I know it's a little crazy." Her eyes rose to meet Applejack's straight on. "But if I don't do this, I'll never forgive myself for squandering the opportunity to thank him personally."

Applejack was struck speechless, the raw and honest emotion in Twilight's words striking home. "Aww, sugarcube... " A comforting hoof bolted up to Twilight's shoulder and pulled her into a hug. "Ahm ashamed. I had it pegged all wrong. I had no idea it meant so much to you. I'm real sorry."

"Thanks Applejack." Twilight leaned into the hug, some of the tension from the past few days ebbing out. "I need to stop by the library to make some preparations. Then I’m heading to the hospital to lead the healing team for Dash and Donnybrook." And my private session with Scootaloo. Twilight bit her lip, trying to divert her thoughts from the anxiety building up in her gut as she fought a sudden desire to rush to the hospital, and Scootaloo's room.

"Well, I still don' approve of this meddling with the dead business... " Applejack patted Twilight's shoulder and backed off the hug. "... but I sure understand that a pony's gotta do when'in a pony's gotta do it."

Twilight blinked her obsession away, and donned a devious grin. "So you want to meet him then?"

"Not on yer Nelly!" Applejack rolled her eye's, and stuck out a tongue surrounded by a smile as Twilight giggled in a rare show of teasing. "Ahm gonna be too busy as it is."

"Oh, right, you are taking charge of rebuilding Dash's cloud home. How could I have forgotten that?"

Applejack raised a dubious brow. "Really? If it isn't written down, I wouldn't have expected you to remember."

"I have it written... " Twilight reached back and Oh, right... list plus water equals open and clear schedule.

"No! No." Applejack stopped Twilight with a pleading hoof. "Please, no lists. Everything's coming together with the home. Dash's weather team have been flying in special made clouds from Cloudsdale, and anchoring them to the ground so I can coordinate. Fluttershy is even sculpting the Pegapone' style pillars. Says she helped sculpt out the originals for Dash back in the day." She shook her head. "I have'n a clue where she picked up that skill set, but she's good at it."

"How are you handling the clouds though? Did somepony cast a cloudwalking spell on you?" Twilight looked honestly curious, not sure anypony else in Ponyville had the experience in magic necessary to cast such a spell.

Applejack shook her head. "Nah, Ditzy Doo had some special cloud boots she threw on mah hooves. Works like a charm."

Twilight cocked her head to the side. "Why would Derpy need cloud walking boots? She's a pegasus... "

"Right," Applejack scratched the back of her neck with a lopsided grin, "uhh... turns out she sometimes gets really distracted, somehow forgets she's a pegasus, and falls through the clouds."

"How?" Twilight shook her head. "I'm not even sure how that would work... "

"I stopped asking questions like that a loong time ago, Twilight. I've had enough experience with Pinkie Pie to know that some things just ain't explainable. So ther'n no reason to wrack yer brain over it."

Twilight shrugged it off. "Well, sounds like you have everything under control." She motioned towards the library. "I need to get going if I’m going to make it to the hospital in time."

Applejack nodded. "I got work to be done too. I’ll stop by to see you again soon." The two friends turned and trotted away with a backwards glance and a wave. "Don't be a stranger ya hear?"

Twilight smiled cheerfully. "Promise!"

Twilight sighed, the events of the day flitting through her mind as she played out the drama over the past week, trying to let go of some of the stress. She trotted on, came to the library door, and heard muffled voices from inside. She swung the door open, and stepped over the threshold.

"Yeah, it's right here! I kid you not. The books completely invisible, and made of spirit particles or something like that. Ask Twilight!" Spike insistently pointed around a spot in the middle of the room where Twilight had left her spirit book.

Fluttershy cowered behind and latched onto a Pinkie leg, whose owner was pawing curiously at the floor. "Right here, huh?"

"Yep right there, you just can't see it, but Twilight tells me it's amazing, and huge! She says it's got a living cover that changes with the constellations, and the moon phases, and it's hoof stitched strands of some kind of wood." Spike emphatically reinforced his words with waves, and exaggerations of his claws.

"Neat! Though, Twilight really shouldn't leave her books laying on the floor, though I guess you can't trip over it because you can't touch it." She looked thoughtful as she cantered back, and forth over the indicated book zone with her forehooves. Her hindhooves being held in place by a quivering Fluttershy. "Yep! Most convenient non-trippy book ever! Except... how do you find it if you forgot where you put it?"

Spike raised a curious brow. "Really? That's your first concern? Not, how does one read it if it's invisible, and can't be touched?"

"Well magic! Duh!" Pinkie rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. "Anypony can figure that out."

"But... doesn't that logic also solve your first question?" Spike asked in confusion.

"Pfffttt... silly Spikey, you can't leave everything up to magic! Sometimes you just have to put a little old fashioned hard work into it." Pinkie puffed up, flashing her 'insanities great! Join me!' grin.

"I... uhm... real-ly... " ... give up. Chalk another one up for Pinkie logic. Spike turned to greet Twilight, recognizing the exact way she opened the door. "You are totally right Pinkie. I'll be sure to keep that in mind next time." He took a deep breath to steady his nerves. "Hey Twilight! Welcome home. Pinkie and Fluttershy are here to see you. Don't forget though, you do have 'that' planned later tonight, and I will be staying at Rarity's for it. So, if you need anything, let me know before then. I'll be upstairs packing."

"Thanks Spike! Hello everypony!" Twilight cheerfully trotted in greeting her friends. They've all been so worried about me. I really should strive to be more attentive to my relationships. "Thanks again, Spike. I'll be sure to triple check the list before you leave." She turned to Pinkie and her new Flutter-anklet. "Fluttershy? What has you spooked?"

"G-g-host... b-b-books!" She shivered harder.

Pinkie glanced down at her, a pained and worried expression creasing her forced smile. "Fluttershy... I can't feel my leg anymore. Maybe you could switch to the other one for a while?"

Fluttershy snapped out of her terror. "Oh! Dear, so sorry!" Switched legs, and clamped on for dear life as she resumed her horrified jittering.

"Oh, much better!" Pinkie kicked her numb leg out to the side a few times, her jolly grin coming back full force as she took a few steps forward to meet Twilight, Fluttershy dragging behind her.

"Fluttershy, you know the book can't hurt you right? It just sits there, and... is a book." Twilight tried her best at consoling her friend.

Fluttershy grimaced, her eyes widening in dilated horror. "It... s-s-s-summons... g-ghosts!" She ended on a high pitched squeak.

A deadpan eyeroll crossed Twilight's features as she yelled up the stairs. "Spike!"

Spike called down. "She asked! I just gave answers! her reactions to those answers are not my responsibility."

Twilight's head fell low as she let out a deep groaning sigh. "Come on Pinkie. I'll deal with preparations later tonight. For now if you two want to talk follow me over to the hospital."

Pinkie drug Fluttershy across the floor on her way to the door as Twilight stepped out. "Oh, preparations for what? Are you throwing a party?"

"Pfftt, not unless you count the dead as lively guests." Twilight's witty reply fell flat as Fluttershy let out a screeching sob. "Oh, sorry! Fluttershy I didn't mean it... "

"Yes you did! Spike told us everything! S-st-tar Sw-wi-wi-irl." With a final shiver Fluttershy seized up and fainted.

Pinkie looked back, giving her friend a few gentle nudges with her hoof. "Huh, well... I guess I'll just have to continue for her!" She turned back to Twilight. "Okay, Twilight! Are you ca-ray-zay?"

"What?" Twilight wasn't sure how she felt about being called crazy by the one pony whose trademark was chaotic insanity.

"Are you nuts? Cuckoo? Out of your mind? Off your rocking horse?" Pinkie's eyes narrowed as she leaned in, starring Twilight down. "You're not a changeling are you!"

"What? Of course not, Pinkie. That's ridiculous! How would you logically even come to that conclusion in this situation?"

"I'm the one asking questions here, and thats exactly what I would expect a changeling to say!" Pinkie took a step closer, staring dubiously at Twilight, Fluttershy dragging unconsciously behind her.

Twilight took a deep breath, put her hoof to her chest, pushed the Pinkie induced chaotic stress away, and let out a long calculated sigh. Thank you Cadence for teaching me that! Whatever did I do without it? "Pinkie! I Pinkie-promise that I am not a changeling, and am indeed your friend Twilight Sparkle." Don't stick the hoof in the eye! She crossed her hoof over her heart and, Don't stick the hoof in the eye! "Yeow!" She stuck her hoof in her eye. "Why? Why do I always do that?"

"Because if you didn't, then you wouldn't be Twilight Sparkle! Duh!" Pinkie danced in place with her front legs. Fluttershy sniffled as she came around. Pinkie looked back at her. "Switch, please!" Fluttershy switched over to the other leg and held on for dear life. "Thank you!" Pinkie shook her leg out to the side. "Soo much better."

Twilight smiled, but her words were cut off by an over enthusiastic Pinkie barrage. "So what’re-ya-doin-when-he-gets-here? Huh? Huh? You-aren't-throwing-parties-without-me. Right? Right?" She stopped to think for half a second. "Oh, I wonder how ghosts like to party? Do they play hide-and-go-shriek? I wonder if they eat boo-nana-scream-pies? Oh-oh, I bet they dance to soul music and boo-gie all night! Oh, and, I know... "

Twilight face hoofed, but it was Fluttershy who spoke first as she picked herself up and dusted off. "Pinkie Pie... " She leveled a serious glare at her friend, cutting her off. "... please, no more jokes."

"You feel better though now don't you?" Pinkie made a show of shaking the numbness out of her leg. Fluttershy blushed and gave her friend a barely perceivable nod, giggling behind a hoof daintily as some of the puns replayed in her mind. Pinkie beamed. "Mission accomplished." She turned back to Twilight. "Just make sure you stay safe, and if there's any trouble don't hesitate to scream."

Twilight snorted at the joke. "Phhhttt... thanks, Pinkie. I will." Twilight shook her head trying to dislodge some of the confusion Pinkie had slapped her with. "Well, I need to get to the hospital. You two have a good night, I'll see you in the morning." Twilight trotted off before either of them could respond past a farwell. Twilight could hear Fluttershy mumbling as the distance grew, calling out to her. Sorry Fluttershy, I can't wait any longer. We can talk later. A twang of guilt pierced her chest, but... she had something important to do. Before it overwhelms me again.

Twilight stepped into Scootaloo's hospital room. She nodded to the nurse on duty who bowed respectfully and shut the door. Scootaloo was laying in her bed, still in a coma. Her features delicate, and peacefully innocent. Twilight watched as the filly's chest rose and fell ever so slightly, entranced by the relief and elation such a tiny movement sent coursing through her.

Twilight plodded heavily over, her eyes locked on the filly. Her hoof came up hesitantly, fearing she may carelessly shatter the delicate life under a jarring touch, her breath catching in her throat as tears welled up in her eyes. These feelings. They aren't mine...

Gradually the breaths came faster and faster. Not mine! They are Dash's, but they... are so strong...

She struggled to regain control of her emotions, but the pain spreading through her gut caved in her will. She threw herself onto Scoot, pulling her limp form into a tight embrace as she bawled into the pillow. I have to... "I'll protect her while you sleep Dash."

Images flooded through her mind. Images of Dash curled up in her bed, fending off her friends, begging for time to find her own solace. Images of Fluttershy's rage, Dash's retort, and her own woefully timed outburst and self serving passive aggressive jabs. If only I could have protected you before it was too late! I just made it all worse!

"I'm so sorry... " The spell churned through Twilight's mind, illuminating her horn as it cast an eerie green haze across Scootaloo's soft lifeless features. A low hum filled the room as the green glow brightened, and the healing waves of pitched vibrations flooded through the comatose filly in a concentrated dose. "Please Scootaloo, wake up soon… I can't take this any longer…”

Twilight stepped into the library wearily. “I'm going to summon Star Swirl! Now!" She commanded out loud, even as she dismissed the thought as ridiculous. She wavered on her legs, listing to the side. She sighed, her head hanging low as she drug her hooves one clop at a time up the stairs.

“Sleep, first. Then summon.” She mumbled to herself, gritting her teeth in frustration. “It's been the same ever since that night. I can't even look at the book with Scootaloo and Dash in that state. I can't focus... " Twilight neared her bedroom door, pushing it gently open with a slight creak.

Spike was waiting for her, a tray of sandwich quarters, a rejuvenating fruit smoothy, and a small bowl of nuts in his claws. "Welcome home Twilight." He said somberly.

"Spike, you were staying at Rarity's tonight."

"Not really. I knew you'd be too tired again. I... " He looked off to the side. "... kinda never set it up."

Twilight gasped. "Spike?"

"I know, Twilight. I know, but I've been worried about you. Everypony has." He set the tray down, grabbed a sandwich square and proffered it to Twilight. She accepted it graciously, her stomach grumbling eagerly for the morsel. "You have been with friends all day long haven't you?"

Twilight nodded, too tired to argue, and too hungry to stop chewing.

"And you left without breakfast right?"

Nod.

"So tell me Twilight, what did you eat today?" Spike tapped an impatient toe.

Twilight froze, thinking back to her volunteering at the hospital all morning, and her subsequent collapse. The spa visit with Rarity and the rainbow crystals. Her talk with Applejack, and then Pinkie and Fluttershy. Then I went back to the Hospital for six hours. Twilight glanced at Spike, a guilty flicker in her eyes and a twitch upon her lips which brooked no forthcoming reply.

"Thats what we thought... " Spike trailed off.

"We?" Twilight muffled through her mouthful of sandwich, spitting crumbs at Spike.

Spike shook the crumbs off. "Yes. We. We as in all of your friends have decided to help you relax for a day before you hurt yourself." Spike drew up, trying to look as stern as possible. "Starting tomorrow."

"What? Spike I'm fine!" Twilight backpedaled towards the door. "I just need some time to sort things out!"

She froze. That's exactly what Rainbow Dash said... Twilight's legs buckled, her mind connecting all the dots, drawing a vivid picture detailing her guilt. Images of Dash sitting on her bed, head down with her mane covering her face as a hoof shot to the side smashing into a lamp flashed through her mind. Images of Scootaloo, a terrifying explosion, a rainbow mushroom cloud, and her friend lying unconscious in the crater. Scootaloo's battered body and mangled wings.

"Twilight?" Spike inched closer to Twilight, who was laying face down on the floor, her features hidden in her mane.

"Go away... " She whispered.

"What?" Spikes concern deepened.

Dash's memories flooded back to her mind. Tender moments, loving embraces, and tears of agony. Emotion's assaulted her relentlessly. The feel of every moment impacting her in rapid succession over and over and... “Please, stop!”

"Twilight! Snap out of it!" Spike bent down to see into Twilight's eyes. A chill ran down his spine. They were staring straight through him as he cradled her cheeks in his claws.

Dash's pain, sadness, and insecurities mixed and churned with Twilight's guilt, anger, and fears. Mixing together in an unrelenting vortex of self perpetuating pain!

“Twilight!”

She lifted her head and glared through Spike, unable to suppress the emotions any longer as her haunted gaze focused somewhere far beyond Spikes own, transfixed on images she never witnessed, playing through memories she never made. “Spike! These memories are not mine!”

“What memories? Twilight, talk to me!” Spike hugged Twilight, petting her mane soothingly. “Please, Twilight, I don’t understand!”

Beads of sweat poured off her forehead, her breaths coming in shorter and shorter gasps. “Please! Spike, get them out of my head!" She pitched forward sending Spike tumbling backwards. “Spike! Help me!”

“I’m going for help!” Spike bolted for the door in panic, leapt down the stairs, and bounded as fast as he could towards Rarity's shop.

Twilight's ears plastered flat against her head, her eyes wide and wild. Her muzzle wrinkled back baring teeth in terrified torment. “Leave me alone!” She screamed, a piercing pitch carrying with it the agonizing torrent of emotions wracking her woefully unprepared psyche as she curled into a shivering ball.

Spike’s feet blurred as he picked up the pace, worried tears streaming down his cheeks. Lights lit up the streets ahead of him in response to the tortured piercing cries of the Ponyville Princess.

Thunder God! Scootaloo?

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12 days to Twiligeddon...

Some distance from Ponyville Dash set down on a particularly dark cloud. "Hmm… this one will work."

She grabbed the black cloud, little pinpricks of electricity nipping at her hooves, hauled it over to a similarly small sized white puffy cloud, and placed it above with more than enough room to stand underneath it.

Scootaloo watched in fascination from her back. "Wow, ok so the water comes out of the dark cloud. I get that, but how are you going to get it out?"

Dash's response was to reach back and grab Scootaloo by the scruff of the neck gently with her teeth and drop her onto the dark cloud.

Scootaloo glared indignantly back at Dash.

"You are going to jump, lightly, here. Jump too hard and I'll get a flank full of lightning." Dash met the filly's defiant glare. "That won't make me happy, got it? So don't get any funny ideas." Scootaloo nodded, albeit mischievously. Dash rolled her eyes and flapped down to the white puffy cloud. "Ok, gently now. Jump."

Scootaloo jumped up and landed with a tiny puff. Electricity nipped at her hooves, sending her back into the air with a squeak. She landed a bit harder. Electricity nipped at her again. Soon the little filly was dancing and yipping all over the cloud frantically. Her hooves twitched and tingled, quickly going numb. Spastically she tried in vain to shake off electric arcs as they clung to her hooves, and crawled up her legs. She pranced back and forth, her legs shooting out to the sides woodenly at random as she failed to comprehend why any pegasus would ever touch one these obnoxious stinging clouds. She suddenly felt bad for that one time, well okay maybe more than one time, she put tape on Opals feet. That dance she did wasn't so funny anymore.

Dash raised a brow as she pondered what Scootaloo could be up to by making all that noise up there, but decided to take quick advantage of the short water supply before it was too late as it cascaded over her coat. She grabbed a white fluffy bit of cloud, and used it to sponge at the crusty nasties on her coat.

She sighed gratefully as the feeling of clean slowly ebbed back into her fur. "Scootaloo, that's perfect! Keep it up kiddo!" She called up, ignorant of the filly's plight.

Scootaloo danced around, the electricity arcing back and forth through the cloud as it nipped at her hooves. Her frantic panic smoothed out slowly as the little shocks became less painful and more ticklish. She giggled, marveling at the arcs as they crawled their way up her legs and danced between her hooves. A giddy smile spread across her lips as she leapt back and forth, dancing in time with the electric arcs.

Her hoof flew out to the side at the end of a dainty twirl, a bolt of electricity flying form its tip to slam into a cloud. The electricity burst within, danced, arched, and illuminated the cloud in a flicker of chaotic white bursts. Scootaloo giggled maniacally. She flopped down on the cloud, and laid flat on her chest, her forehooves dragging behind her as her hind hooves propelled her forward. Like a sponge she soaked up the electrical charge, reveling as it flowed smoothly through her pegasus physique. The silly filly slid across the surface a few times, building up a good bolt.

Once satisfied, She jumped up, flew through the air, and landed gracefully. Her hoof snapped to the side, her eyes glaring intensely. "Beware cloud. Judgement is upon you!"

Lightning streaked from her hoof, the tiny target cloud obliterated in a poof of mist. "Too the moon!"

Scootaloo clopped her hooves together excitedly, only to be blown back by a crack of thunder as the lightning snapped between them. Her eyes doubled in size, suddenly her most awesome toy ever, just got way awesomer.

Dash stared up at the cloud as intermittent spurts of water rained down on her. Bursts of light rolled around the inside of the dark cloud, illuminating the shadow of the filly above it. The shadow moved around in chaotic bursts of speed, each flash outlining a striking and graceful pose as Scootaloo danced to an internal choreography. Muffled squeaks of filly taunting, followed by bolts of lightning slamming into the clouds around Dash gave her a pretty good idea what was going on up there. She laid back on the cloud, hooves interlocked behind her head as she laughed and enjoyed the show.

Scootaloo had no recollection of how much time had passed, she only knew she was having the time of her life. Between throwing lightning bolts at clouds, who obviously deserved judgement from on high and sending claps of thunder reverberating into the distance, she completely missed when Dash had flapped up to lay on her forehooves to stare at her with laughter barely held in check.

Until the filly finally did notice. Scootaloo froze, her eyes fell to the side as her cheeks burst into a deep rosy blush.

Dash grinned at her. "Having fun?"

Scootaloo squeezed her eyes shut, the embarrassment overwhelming her. She threw her hooves downwards in a tantrumy stomp. The cloud sprung to life, electricity flowing from the filly back into its home. It agitated, squirmed, and shot into Dash with vengeance. Dash jittered and flailed, slipped and fell off. She landed with a pomf on the cloud below. Scootaloo bolted over the side of the cloud and buzzed awkwardly down to her sister.

"Dash are you okay?" She squealed in concern, the slight panic driving her voice up an octave.

Dash nodded, adding in a weak smile as she eased into the cloud, choosing to rest a moment longer. She groaned as her still tender muscles ached mercilessly. Scootaloo ran over and threw her forelegs around Dash's neck in an apologetic hug.

Dash jittered as the last of the filly's charge snapped through her in a wave of ticklish chills. She hugged her back with a snicker. "You play like a tornado, you revenge like a hurricane, and you love like a lightning storm."

Scootaloo giggled and squirmed deeper into Dash's hug. "Think it's worth a cutie mark?"

Dash leaned over and examined the filly's flank. "Not yet Squee-chi, but I think you have something way more awesome in store for that flank than a little fun weather play."

"Really? You think so?" Scootaloo leaned back to stare down at Dash.

"Pffttt… duh." Dash grinned and winked. "Aren't you my little sister?"

Scootaloo's blush returned with a vengeance.

Dash soared over Ponyville with Scootaloo riding on her back. They surveyed the damage, or lack thereof.

Scootaloo scratched her head in confusion. "I thought there would be more damage."

Dash snickered. "Don't sound so disappointed." She hoofed off to the side towards her rainboom impact point. "The houses on the edge of town took a lot of damage. See the carpenters on the roofs? Also, if you look close, you will see that most of this half of town doesn't have any windows. Looks like I blew out all the glass."

"Awesome!" Scootaloo bounced.

Dash chuckled. "Yeah, I can really bring the pai..." She caught herself quickly. "No wait, not awesome! Scootaloo! It was irresponsible, and a lot of ponies got hurt. And, somepony has to pay for this damage." Dash sighed. "Uhf… luckily I'm an Element of Harmony which means Princess Celestia will be picking up the tab on this one."

"What? Wow, you get to wreak havoc and you get off flank-free?" Scootaloo's eyes widened. "Rainbow Dash… that is messed up!" Scootaloo said teasingly, though her voice was tinged with wonder.

"No! Not flank-free… look Scootaloo, it's complicated alright? As an Element the uhm...Princess and Equestria has a lot invested in me." She stumbled over the foreign feel of the words in her mouth. "So, uhm… by royal decree of the princess I have been all-ot-ted certain privileges and protections to..."

She shook her head, looking back to see Scootaloo's blank stare. Yah ok, I almost put myself to sleep.

"Ok, look, so Twilight's gibberish aside, I'm special. The Princess want's me alive and kicking. So, shes willing to put up with a bit of my shenanigans..." She said the big word playfully with a waggle of her eyebrows. "...to make sure I stick around and am taken care of. It would suck if something happened to me, and I wasn't around to save Equestria's flank every time a new endboss pops up out of nowhere. Right?"

"Soo… flank-free then?" Scootaloo raised an eyebrow, crossing her forelegs.

Dash deadpanned. "Well, I still have to apologize to everypony. Not looking forward to that. And I will probably be put on some special duty as punishment..."

"Whatever… totally flank free, Dash. Anypony else would have landed their plot in jail." Scootaloo rolled her eyes.

"Fine flank free… guess thats one way to put it." Dash grumbled. "Hay! And watch your language." Something big, white, and fluffy on the outskirts of Ponyville caught Dash's attention. "My house! No way! It couldn't have handled that blast!"

Dash swooped down towards her cloud home, happy to find a new distraction, and a reason to torture Scootaloo with a sudden nose dive. Scootaloo held on for dear life, suddenly regretting taunting her ride.

Applejack sat back on her hind hooves, the silver cloud walking boots glimmering against the ambient light filtering through the walls. She unlaced the boots on her forehooves, careful to keep her balance, lest she fall through the floor, and set them aside.

Once freed of their sweaty prisons, Applejack fanned her forehooves in the air in front of her. "Woo, I don't mind a good pair a boots now'n then, but nothin' beats the feel of dirt under your hooves."

Fluttershy sat on a couch across from Applejack, a plate of quartered sandwiches on the table next to her. "Oh yes, I agree. I have always loved the feel of dirt under my hooves. It just feels… so natural and safe. Ooh, but I like grass even better."

Applejack nodded, enjoying the simple conversation after a long morning of hard work. "Well, it's time to get eatin'. If it weren't for the last bits of furniture to craft, I'd head into town to grab a bite, but it's not worth the trip to come back for another hour of work."

Fluttershy nodded. "Well you could go if you want. I can handle the rest of the job on my own. Rebuilding Rainbow Dash's home has really been fun. I really wouldn't mind at all."

"After you went'an made these delicious sandwiches. Nah… I'm good." Applejack waved a hoof, dismissing the idea. "I just wish Dash would snap outa her coma quick so she could enjoy her new home."

"Wish granted!" Dash shouted as she slammed through the door.

Fluttershy jumped into the air, her legs flailing wildly as she scrambled for traction. "Eeep!" She bolted across the room and hid behind a couch.

Dash fell on the floor laughing hysterically. Scootaloo, following her mentors lead, squealed with delight as she pounded a wall. "Dash that was awesome!"

Dash snickered. "I know right, they never saw it coming." She turned to Fluttershy. "Hey Flutters, what'cha doin? Got a little homesick? Needed some fluffay?" She stomped the cloud for puffy emphasis.

Fluttershy peeked over the couch, a look of reproach searing across the room into Dash. "No, we were finishing up rebuilding your home." She fluttered over the couch and approached Dash. "Least you could do is be a little less… uhm… loud, please?"

Dash guffawed. "Hah! Yeah, I guess I was a little over the top there. Hey, that's right. I heard Applejack's voice." Dash looked around. "But that's impossible, she can't cloud walk. Who was..."

Fluttershy squeaked. "Applejack! She's gone!" Fluttershy searched the floor frantically. The four cloudwalking boots sat in silent testament of her absence. Then two of them, situated upside down, wiggled.

Fluttershy bolted over, grabbing the two boots, and tugged at them with all of her strength. Applejack didn't budge. "Rainbow Dash! Quick, grab her other shoe!"

Dash bolted over. She quickly recognized the cloud walking boots for what they were. She grabbed one and hauled on it hard. Applejack's leg tugged up out of the cloud, but Dash couldn't get enough upward pull to fully free her friend.

"Fluttershy, go push from underneath!" Dash grunted through the strain. "Hurry!"

Fluttershy streaked out the door, sending Scootaloo spinning like a top to land in a gnarled dizzy mess on the floor. She dove off the edge of the cloud-home, and switched back to hover just underneath the foundation.

Applejack, eyes wide with terror, stared down at the ground hundreds of feet below as she dangled upside down. Her back was arched reflexively with forelegs splayed out over her head, and her muzzle was frozen in a stressed grin over clenched teeth.

"Applejack! I'm here." Fluttershy flew up to her friend. "I am going to push you… if you don..." Applejack latched onto her. Fluttershy lost her balance, her wings flapping frantically to regain her aerial control. "Applejack, uhm… can you let go please? Quickly?"

Applejack muffled from Fluttershy's stomach. "Not on yer Nelly!"

Fluttershy fell, Applejack's added weight, and tight squeeze being too much for her delicate wing balance. She screamed, flailing frantically. Memories of falling from clouds came back in a whoosh of panicked terror.

Dash, having lifted Applejack up far enough for her flank to just start clearing the floor, was forcefully pitched forward as Fluttershy's added weight pulled them down. Dash slammed face first into the floor, and through it, her flank stuck in the air indignantly from her waist up.

Dash crossed her forelegs in irritation as she glared at the sight next to her. Applejack was predatorily latched onto Fluttershy who was fluttering in a frantic panic while the two swung back, and forth like a pendulum. "Ehem!?"

Fluttershy looked up, suddenly jarred out of her fit. Applejack's head popped up from somewhere within Fluttershy's belly fur. They both grinned sheepishly and blushed as Dash's exasperated glare brought them back to reality. A giggle rippled out of Applejack as she noticed the ridiculous position Dash was in.

"Knock it off would ya?" Dash blushed furiously and looked away. Which only made Applejack laugh harder. Fluttershy joined her as she took in the whole ridiculous situation.

Sounds of riotous laughter came from within the house as Scootaloo plodded over to Dash's flank and leaned against it. "Should I go get half the town for help?" She screamed through the floor in between guffaws. "Or should I just take pictures and show them later?"

"No!" Two gruff reply's and a loud embarrassed 'eep' assaulted her through the floor. Dash yanked her flank out of the cloud, flipped, and hovered just in front of Applejack.

Dash called out to Scootaloo. "Untie the shoes!"

Applejack's eyes widened. "R.D.! Are you nuts!?"

"Don't worry about it, I got you." Dash positioned herself near Applejack. "Let Fluttershy go, and grab my hooves."

"I don't know about this!" Applejack's leg popped out of the cloud as Scootaloo finished untying the first shoe. "Dash!" Applejack dropped Fluttershy who flipped and hovered on the other side.

"Don't worry Applejack, we are both here for you." Fluttershy soothed. "You know we will catch you."

"Yeah I know. Doesn't make it any less nerve wracking." Applejack nervously grinned lopsidedly as she scrambled for Dash's hooves.

"Stop worrying about it Apple-" Dash reached her hooves over towards Applejack's just as she dropped with a scream. “-jack!"

Dash dived catching the flailing pony just hooves from the ground. Applejack clutched at Dash in terror, squeezing her mercilessly. "See, nothi-ng to w-w-wor-ry..." It became more and more difficult to talk as Applejack squeezed the life out of her. "...ab-ot."

Dash grunted as she turned purple. Her wings stopped flapping, and the two ponies dropped to the ground with a thud. The impact bounced Applejack off.

The two ponies glared at each other. Not sure who was or should be mad or thankful. Applejack reveled in the feeling of the cool earth seeping up into her coat. Dash reveled in the feeling of cool air as it bellowed in and out of her freed lungs.

Fluttershy was the first to break the ice as she flitted down. "Uhm… so, how about lunch in town then? You know… since we are all on the ground already"

Scootaloo buzzed down from the cloud home. The three mares, suddenly distracted, stared at her. None of them were used to seeing the filly fly. "Hey Applejack! You alright?"

Applejack blinked in surprise. "Hey, Scootaloo! You can fly!"

Scootaloo beamed with pride as she landed awkwardly, her destroyed primaries making it harder than she had planned. "Well kinda. Dash taught me to hover, and fall without slamming into the ground."

Applejack looked at Dash as if re-appraising the mares worth. "Oh, so you can commit. That couldn't a been easy."

Dash rolled her eyes. "Pfftt… you expected anything less? My methods get results."

Scootaloo nodded emphatically. "Yeah they do! Especially that one where you tied me to a rope and kicked me off the cloud."

Fluttershy gasped, a hoof flying to cover her mouth.

Applejack face-hoofed and shook her head. "Never mind. Let's just grab a bite before noon hits. I don't want to miss the light show again."

Dash and Scootaloo glanced at each other in confusion.

"Oh, right, you two haven't seen it yet. Well yer in for a real surprise." Applejack shook herself off. "Come on ya'll, we'll pick up Rarity along the way. She'll have some fits if Dash see's it for the first time without her."

Donnybrook bolted out of the hospital window ignoring the nurses shouting behind her. “Dash! How dare you ditch me!” She growled. "And yer still hoggin' all the filly!"

Locked Down

View Online

(2 days earlier) 14 days to Twiligeddon...

Twilight blinked slowly into consciousness, the rays of sun filtering through the window, illuminating lazy specs of dust as they floated aimlessly across her vision. Birds chirped happily outside, and she could hear the telltale signs of movement downstairs.

“Probably Spike making breakfast.” She yawned, and blinked again in a vain attempt to clear the sleep from her eyes. ”My throat hurts, I hope I'm not getting a cold.” She went to turn, but her foreleg was weighted down by something… warm. Whatever weighed down her foreleg squirmed slightly. Twilight's heart caught in her throat and froze her blood.

...somepony is in bed with me! She drew in a deep breath and held it.

Twilight filed through last nights events at a dizzying pace. I just came home after the hospital and went straight to bed. So who...

Quickly, her mind churned to take in every possible detail through feel since her eyes snapped shut and refused to confirm it. I am definitely using somepony's foreleg as a pillow. The other foreleg is hugging me across the chest. She swallowed hard, her throat sticking defiantly to itself to add to her misery as she continued the analysis.

Her ear twitched in impulsive response to a mild warm breeze tickling her fur. S-s-s-somepony's breathing into my ear... Twilight's leg twitched as she felt the invasive 'somepony's' leg rub over and entwine with hers. Twilight shifted reflexively, attempting to move her legs away but found only futility. My legs are bound!! I'm tied up!

A shiver ran through her body triggering a cold sweat. Her eyes refused to open, the breath still catching in her throat. Something moved between her legs at the foot of the bed, it let out an irritated groan and flipped over, getting way too snuggly with Twilight's inner thigh for her comfort.

EEP! What's going on? Her eyes refused to open, she gritted her teeth, sucking in slow methodical breaths. Her heart sank as she tried to move her forelegs. Silently she fought a losing battle to squeeze her hooves out of the ropes. Her breathing heightened to near hyperventilation. Tears streamed down her cheeks. This is just a nightmare. I am probably asleep, and this isn't real! Probably... She shuddered as somepony off to the side of the bed shifted and yawned. Three of them! If I could just… open my eyes I could magically untie myself!

Haltingly she forced her eyelids open. A pink blurry patch of hair at the top of her vision caught her attention immediately. Pink fluffy hair? Her head snapped to the side as she struggled against her restraints to see her snuggle captor more clearly.

“Pinkie? I should have known! This reeks of a bad prank.” She craned her neck to see who was at the bottom of the bed. Laying across her legs, and Pinkie's, was a very uncomfortable looking but soundly asleep…

“Applejack?” Her eyes snapped to the side of her bed. Instead of the floor her eyes met Fluttershy's startled gaze.

Fluttershy was laying on a cloud staring back with a frowny pout topped with concerned puppy eyes. "How are you feeling?" She whispered.

Twilight's jaw refused to work properly as it floated freely of it's own accord, ignoring her pleas for it scream any number of possible questions and demands.

Fluttershy whimpered, a tear in her eye. "Oh you poor girl. You must be starving..." She reached down and produced a small bag, producing a muffin out of it. "Ditzy Doo was very worried about you. She stopped by last night with some muffins after everypony went home."

"What?" Twilight's voice came out cracked. Her throat dry and raw. "Water… please..."

"Oh, of course." Fluttershy reached down and produced a small glass. She squeezed some of the cloud for water, then propped Twilight's head up, and helped her as she downed half the glass. "I thought you might be thirsty after all that screaming. You shouldn't talk anymore ok. I will try to keep you comfortable."

"Untie me..."

"Oh, that may not be such a good idea, please don't be mad. You were really spooked last night. Everypony was afraid you would hurt yourself." Fluttershy rubbed the back of her hoof across Twilight's forehead. "You are still running a fever." She reached above Twilight's head and produced a small towel. "It must have fallen off while you were asleep." She broke off a piece of the cloud she was using for a bed, and wrapped it in the towel. She spun it around in the air. "There we go. Nice, wet, and cold." She folded it, and laid it across twilight's forehead. "How's that?"

"Uhm… surprisingly better." Twilight breathed out hoarsely. She looked at the binding holding her hoof to the bedpost. She formed a quick spell in her mind, but pain shot through her skull, swirled around, and radiated up her horn where it sat and throbbed viciously. Twilight squeezed her eyes shut and gasped. Fluttershy squeezed her shoulder in worry.

"You poor dear." Rarity whispered from the doorway, a bag with the Sugarcube Corner logo on it dangled in a purple aura next to her. "It hurts that much just trying to untie a knot?"

Twilight gasped as Rarity came around to the bedside behind Pinkie. "Rari-" Her voice cracked and cut off her words. She lowered it to a barely audible whisper. "Your eye? It's purple!”

Rarity looked away. "Oh, dear, it's really not that bad. The bruise will go away in a day or two. Don't worry about that. You just focus on getting better." Her look softened as she laid a hoof on Twilight's. "Okay? We all need you to get better sweetheart." Her voice fell somber as she untied Twilight's hoof. Fluttershy followed suite, obediently untying her other hoof.

Twilight laid back and pulled her forelegs to her chest, leaving Pinkies head to flop to the bed, effectively jarring her awake. However, Pinkie stared on in uncharacteristic silence, watching Twilight intently. Twilight worked feeling back into her tingling limbs. "What's wrong with me?" She whispered carefully.

Applejack, having slowly come to, stretched out at the bottom of the bed, sitting up unsteadily on her forelegs. "Ya'll sleep well?"

"As well as any of us could I'm sure, dear. For now, though, our esteemed guest has arrived, and is awaiting a full report on the uhm-" Rarity's eyes darted to Twilight, and back to Applejack. “-situation." Rarity motioned to the lower bedposts. "Be a dear and untie Twilight's legs would you?"

Applejack nodded with a yawn. "As long as she doesn't go trying to buck me off the railing again..."

"Applejack!" Rarity scolded.

"I hurt you?" Twilight indicated Applejack, frustratingly unable to form anything past a rudimentary sentence.

"Nah, not really. I used to get way more banged up than that just horsin' around with my big brother." Applejack threw her slightly sleep tempered 'Apple fresh' grin at Twilight.

Then on second thought Twilight hoofed at Rarity's bruised eye. "I… that?" Her voice cut out to a whisper of air mid sentence.

Rarity pursed her lips. "Oh don’t mind this, really it’s nothing you did per se’.”

Applejack snickered. “Rarity was the first one here. When we all arrived she was trying to calm ya down by brushing your mane.”

“Applejack! I was not simply just brushing...” Rarity grunted in frustration and turned to Twilight. “I happened to notice that your mane was in dire need of some tender loving care, and I thought that it would be soothing for you.” She rolled a hoof in the air to downplay her words. “However, I may have been mistaken, and I may have over reacted a little teensy bit when you took the brush and threatened to prove that you weren’t crazy by brushing my mane in return.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “She panicked and tripped over her own two hooves face first into the door trying to get away.”

Rarity rolled her eyes, throwing Applejacks attitude right back at her. “One does not simply brush a mane in just any state of mind! A pony needs to be calm and poised. The mane will reflect the attitude and state of mind of the pony doing the brushing. So, save your apologies, my dear Twilight." She looked off to the side. "I’m sure you will need them soon enough, and now is not the time to be discussing mane styling methods.”

“Ahm pretty sure we weren’t…” Applejack deadpanned.

Rarity ignored her. “Just relax. You’ve been far too stressed lately."

"Yep! Relaxation is exactly what you need. So, since you are all untied now, I'm going to make double sure you lay here and relax." Pinkie, suddenly announcing her awakeness and wrapped tight around Twilight's mid. Her legs wrapped around one of Twilight's thighs for good measure.

"Pinkie… personal space." Twilight whispered, her brow furrowed pleadingly. Fluttershy rewett the towel and dabbed it gingerly around Twilight's horn.

Pinkie backed off a little. "Well, if you look at me like that." She pouted. "I guess you don't look like you're going to flip out again. So... okay." She unwrapped her captive. "It was my job to hold you down last night." The smile disappeared in Pinkies eyes. "It really wasn't all that fun." She lurched forward, and wrapped around Twilight's neck. "We were so scared, but I knew you'd pull through! What happened Twilight?"

Twilight struggled to breath under the sudden Pinkie hug assault. "Don't know… want to know." She grated out in a strained grunt. "Ow."

"Pinkie! Release her this instant!" Rarity scolded.

"Uhm, Pinkie Pie, that's really not good for her fever. Please, be more gentle with Twilight in this condition." Fluttershy scolded Pinkie softly.

Twilight gasped as Pinkie relinquished hold on her right to breath. "Thank you Pinkie." She ran a conciliatory hoof over Pinkie's shoulder. "You..."

“Say no more!” Twilight was cut off by Pinkies tempered excitement and a hoof to the mouth. "You’re welcome, Twilight. Whenever you go nuts, just give me a scream! I’ll come running for sure! Now, Rarity brought honey filled pastries! Mrs. Cake makes them special just for sore throats, and after all the screaming you did last night, we figured your throat was going to hurt. I know, I've screamed for two hours straight before. Well..." She hoofed her chin in thought. "Not screams of insanity, but yelling over a really loud party counts, and I bet screams of terror hurt way worse anyway."

"Terfer? Infanity?" Twilight muffled the question around Pinkies hoof.

Applejack slid off the bed and stretched her back. "Yeah, terror's a good way to put it. You were spooked somethin' fierce. Thought you'd seen a ghost or..." Applejack stopped as everypony in the room snapped their attention to Twilight. The unasked question hanging in the air.

Twilight shook her head, gently pushing Pinkies hoof away. "No Star Swirl yet. I’ve been too tired..." Twilight winced as her voice cracked mercilessly. Rarity hoofed over a honey pastry, which was accepted and woofed graciously. Fluttershy smiled, and began relishing the surplus muffin that was waiting patiently in her hooves.

Twilight delighted in the soothing feel of the honey as it mercifully coated the burning raw of her throat. "Feels so much better." She whispered smoothly. "I can talk a little. What happened, exactly, last night?"

Spike stirred in the doorway and plodded over to his bed. Applejack began to speak, but was cut off by a green claw. "Please, Applejack, would you mind if I tell her?"

"Ahm not sure that's the best idea Spike. You were..." The look in Spikes eyes was haunted and sad brooking no argument from the farm pony. Applejack consented with a solemn nod.

"First of all, you went completely nuts last night screaming about voices that wouldn't get out of your head. Then, you started attacking anypony who came close to you. And you nearly crippled yourself falling down the stairs." Spike was relentless in laying down the facts.

Applejack stared uncomfortably at the floor, feeling guilty about being grateful Spike had stepped up, and saved her the pain of saying it herself.

Fluttershy hid behind the pretense of nomming her muffin, fighting back tears as she remembered the saddening memories of being terrified of her friend.

Pinkie, breaking personal space hugged Twilight gently, mentally preparing to hold her down lest she freak out again as she stroked her mane soothingly.

Rarity simply watched, taking in everypony's reactions. Especially Twilight's.

Spike pulled out a scroll from under his pillow. It was crinkled, and rolled up. One edge had been chewed rough from his sleepful fretting. Celestia's royal seal was still attached to one half of the parchment. He walked over and jumped up onto the foot of Twilight's bed.

"I panicked, Twilight. I didn't know what else to do. So I contacted Princess Celestia."

Twilight tensed, a look of unbridled horror crinkling her nose, her eyes wide in shock. Her friends braced themselves.

Applejack moved closer to the foot of the bed. Pinkies grip tightened slightly. Rarity moved out of Twilight's vision, a very light aura enveloping her horn in preparation as the ropes slithered back into place near the bedposts. Just in case. Fluttershy nommed on in sadness, hiding behind her mane as tears pattered the cloud.

Twilight stared at the scroll. Any number of nightmares could be written on that parchment. Twilight's heart doubled it's beat. Absently she noted Fluttershy rewetting the towel across her forehead, Pinkie's whispered 'it's all gonna be okay' in her ear, and the telltale tingle of magic in her presence as Rarity failed to covertly situate the ropes.

It's bad, oh Celestia is it bad. Applejack just lost two shades of color... She held up a hoof prompting Spike to halt. Twilight had a question. A dire one that needed to be answered… Now!

Earlier that morning, at the castle...

Princess Celestia lay curled up in her bed snoring softly. The previous day had been overly taxing, literally. It was tax season and as per the usual every city and province were complaining, and whining relentlessly. Each one demanding to pay less taxes and receive more financial backing for every imaginable project from the mundane to the ridiculous. Celestia twitched in her sleep. Changeling excursions were up -twitch- crime rate had increased along the east coast -twitch- the Crystal Empire had a despairing food shortage which pushed the Equestrian disaster relief to its limits -twitch- and to top it all off resources were strained even further providing disaster relief for the Rainbow Calamity victims. Another twitch, followed by a dainty growl. "Rainbow Dash… strangle you … careless… Donnybrook… bad girls… rainboom… idiots." She mumbled in her sleep.

A lite breeze wafted in through the open window, swirled around, and in a flash of green fire it exploded before the princess' face. "Eeyahh!" Celestia sat up, her wings flapping frantically to gain her hooves purchase on slippery silk on silk bed sheets. Luckily her hooves found a good balance using her many years of surprise wakeups as reference. Unluckily, she had chosen to wear her fuzzy pink silk bunny socks to bed. While two layers of silk can be manageable, three layers of silk is a godmode challenge. One Celestia was forced into accepting with shocked irritation as her hindhooves slid forward, her butt bounced on the bed, and the springy mattress sent her flying off like some insurgent trampoline intent on a suicide coup. Celestia pitched forward in a flurry of flaps as she landed gracefully on her face, flank in the air.

Her butt fell to the side, and landed on floor level next to her just as the door to her chamber swung open, and the most unlucky guard in all Equestria burst concernedly in. "Princess! Is everything alright!?"

Celestia was not amused...

"Spike..." Twilight began her question a little louder than she should have, straining her voice to its current limits. "...what time did you send this letter to Princess Celestia?"

Spike froze, frowned, and his eyes darted off to the side. "I uh… about two a.m." Spike gulped.

Twilight face hoofed. "Oh Spike, what have you done?" She took in a halting breath. "The princess is going to kill us! You never wake her in the middle of the night, and it's tax season! She's going to be stressed out of her mind..." Twilight trailed off.

Rarity moved to speak, but Twilight shushed her with a hoof. "No… don't say anything. Nopony says anything. Just read it, Spike." Twilight breathed in methodically, her eyes wide and unblinking. "I have to concentrate. Every word could have double meanings." Spike hesitated. "Do it..." She commanded, her voice haunted and hoarse.

The look in Celestia's eyes froze the guard's hooves to the floor. It's the other side of Celestia!! He thought. The one I've only heard horror stories of! The side that could end worlds! The side that sent Luna to the moon for a thousand years, and froze Discord mercilessly in stone!

Celestia stood gracefully, her cold gaze never wavering from the young stallions. Her horn glowed softly, having cast a reactionary spell to a stallion entering her room, she was reading every word of his internal voice.

"The side that's going to plant your plot on the sun if you don't get out of my bed chambers!" She finished his thoughts. "And you're lucky none of your thoughts were inappropriate." Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

The stallion's eyes reflexively glanced over at Celestia's flank. He forced them back to her eye's and then with a squeak anywhere else but Celestia. Mercilessly they came to alight upon the bunny socks. Shut up brain, shut up brain, don't think, don't think! Oh, but she's got an amazing flank… adorable in those pink bunny socks… damnit!

His armor clanked as he bounced off the door in a mad spin to exit the room. He skidded to a halt just outside the door in a failed attempt to turn, letting out a half whimpered cry of defeat as his hoof barely missed the door handle. He cursed the polished wax beneath his hooves as he scrambled for traction. After a long agonizing string of seconds he came within centimeters of the door handle, which sprung to life in a frilly pink aura. Realizing his predicament too late, the door slammed shut in his face, sending him sprawling across the hallway. He came to a jerky halt a good fifteen legspans away.

He panted, thankful to be alive. The other guard standing next to Celestia's door snickered into a hoof. Four more guards appeared out of the woodwork as they rounded various corners. They all took in the scene before them as the poor unfortunate guard picked himself up shakily, his teeth chattering in his head.

The four hall guards converged on the two door guards, one of them voicing everypony's thoughts. "What happened?"

The veteran door guard hoofed over at the shaking victim. "Newbie. Went into the Princesses' room after hearing a noise."

The four hall guards snickered mercilessly and clopped him on the back. "Don't worry kid, happens to all of us at least once." One consoled halfheartedly.

The vet nodded knowingly. "Good lesson. You can hammer it further into your skull as you re-wax the mess you made of the hall." He hoofed at the scratches that trailed from the newbies hooves to a mess of chaos in front of Celestia's door.

The newbies shoulders slumped with a sigh. "Right, I'm on it." The other guards jostled him around playfully, but quietly as he smiled back, the fear of death ebbing from his limbs. "She looked amazing in those pink bunny socks..." He whispered half to himself, only to look up a moment later, and realize the other guards were staring at him, lips curled with a jealous glint in their eyes. The fear of death re-crept it's way back into his limbs...

Totally worth it!

"Get back to work!" Celestia screamed through the door in her Canterlot voice, sending the guards scrambling frantically over each other to get back to their posts.

Celestia snickered. “Oh, it's so fun to tease the guards.” With a deep breath she placed her hoof on her chest, and huffed out her frustrations with a thrust of her leg.

“Hmm... Twilight sent me a message-” She glanced at the moon, “-at two in the morning it looks like.” Her eye twitched. She took another deep breath, and picked up the scroll. “I'm certain it's important. Twilight knows better than to wake me at this hour. Equestria must be coming to an end.” She smiled twitchily as she opened the unsealed letter. “At least it better be.”

She began to read.

PRINCESS! COME QUICK! TWILIGHT'S GONE INSANE, IS ATTACKING PONIES, AND SCREAMING ABOUT VOICES IN HER HEAD! - Love Spike

Celestia looked up from the hastily scrawled words, her face devoid of emotion. She read the letter again. -Twitch- She glanced over at her desk, summoning a quill, and some parchment to her.

Dearest Spike,

Please inform Princess Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student, that she is now entering the next phase of her latest test. Concerning the dangerous nature of this test where her greatest adversary will be herself, I will be presiding personally over her progress.
However, in the meantime, I will be declaring Princess Twilight Sparkle to be an official danger to Equestria until I have ascertained that any and all threats of her being taken over by her magic, and possibly going rogue, have been nullified.
Expect my arrival in Ponyville by afternoon. Also, when Twilight comes back to her senses, please inform her that I explicitly warned her to 'read alone.' She will understand the meaning of those words and why I am disappointed she failed to take them seriously.

With Love,
Princess Celestia

Twilight's pupils shrank to pinpoints. Pinkie held on for dear life, waiting for a fit. Applejack grabbed Twilight's legs as Rarity and Fluttershy each grabbed a foreleg.

Everypony held their breath nervously waiting until Fluttershy observed. "I think she fainted..."

Pinkie waved a hoof in front of Twilight's eyes. "...with her eyes open."

Applejack cringed. "This is bad..."

Rarity sighed. "...and a little creepy." She reached over, and gently shut Twilight's eyelids. "I will be downstairs, informing our guests that Twilight has yet to wake."

Celestia smiled as she sent the scroll whisking away on the night time breeze. “Perfect timing, Twilight! I could use a vacation, and stopping a princess from going rogue is the best excuse ever!”

Celestia flung the doors to her room open and nearly bounced past the terrified guards.

"Guards, one of you are to courier some dire and secret information for me." She turned to the veteran guard, smiling happily. "You, inform the ministers that we are in a state of emergency, and I am officially on a mission to save Equestria. Also, they will need to handle all my affairs while I am away. Understood?"

The vet snapped a wooden salute. "Yes Princess!" He turned, but faltered. "Uhm... are they to start work now princess?" He looked up at the stars.

Celestia grinned. "Oh yes. If I am to be up at two a.m. saving the world, then it would be wise for them to begin working on my heavy workload immediately before it becomes too overwhelming." Her lips spread in a grin. "Make sure they understand I will not tolerate any slacking."

The vet snapped a second wooden salute. "Yes Princess! It will be done!" He bolted down the hall at full sprint.

Celestia turned to the newbie, and grinned. "Why hello there." The guard stood at attention, quivering slightly, sweat already beading up on his brow, feeling like a clown fish before a great white shark. Celestia stepped closer, meeting him eye to eye. She could feel him shrinking inside. "Are my socks really that cute?"

"Yes, Princess!" The sweat started dripping down his cheeks as he fought the urge to run.

"Good answer. What's your name?" She asked in a honeyed voice. “You aren’t one of my regular guards.” She gasped, looking from side to side in mock worry. “Oh my! You aren’t a spy are you?”

“Nononon!” The guards legs nearly gave out as he scrambled to snap a panicked salute.

He immediately calmed however as Celestia began giggling. “Well now that is established, your name?” She prompted with a smile and curious turn of her head.

The guard stopped quivering and frowned. His eyes narrowed as he looked off to the side. Don't make me say it! He gulped and grinned nervously as he noticed Celestia's ears shoot forward in interest. Aww… crap, can't get out of it now!

Celestia giggled. "What ever gave you the impression you could?"

I'm being teased. The guard deadpanned mentally as he noticed her horn was glowing again.

"Yes you are." Celestia grinned giddily.

Well, over the ledge I go. "My name is Flour Peddle, Princess."

Celestia's eyes widened. If not for her years of self control, the laughter rolling up her throat would have overcome her. "Just to be clear. You're my royal guard, lieutenant Flower Petal? Am I correct, my little pony?"

"Ye-yes, Princess." His voice faltered. He felt a piece of his ego die inside after so many years of callousness built up from the incessant teasing his name garnered. "Flour, as in baking flour, and Peddle as in peddling wares. My father was a good sales pony, and I took his last name. My mother was an outstanding baker. I was named Flour for my white coat, mane, and tail. My eyes are also off white."

And I am pretty sure my mother wanted a filly. Considering the staggering colt to filly ratio in our world, I can only imagine her crushing disappointment.

Celestia's knees nearly buckled from the effort it took to hold her laughter in check. She made a scene of sizing him up, grateful he hadn't caught his last thought. Oh, I would have lost it if he had!

"But, your mane and tale are three tones of blue?" Celestia pursed her lips as if in thought, but really it was a desperate attempt to stave off the overwhelming urge of laughter that was threatening to destroy her perfect regal demeanor.

"Ah, yes princess. I dye them." He looked down sheepishly. After my idol Shining Armor!

Celestia looked away, and bit her lip. She regained her composure quickly, and glanced at his cutie mark. "Two crossed kitchen knives over a pink donut? Aren't you a bit out of your element here?"

Flour stammered. "I am… an excellent cook if my mark indicates correctly… b-but I didn't want that life anymore, and my exceptional skill with throwing knives landed me a position as a hall guard." He looked down the hall. "Seeing as I can hoof throw a knife one hundred paces and hit a target dead center. I used to practice on donuts back home." He grinned, hoping the onslaught of questions would end as Celestia perused the belts of knives strapped around his legs, neck, and mid.

A guard, personal cook, and lively entertainment. How deliciously interesting. She pawed at the tile in thought. The guard sweated patiently.

Without warning she barked at him. "You-" Flour jumped, visibly quivering again. Celestia's eyes narrowed above a devious grin, "-you're coming with me."

Twilight's eyes fluttered open. She layed on her side staring at the wall of her room. Ambient lighting filtered in from her windows. It was warm, too warm to be morning anymore. She yawned. Her mouth and throat felt sticky. She scratched around her hooves, fighting off a mild itch.

"Wow, what a nightmare." She rubbed her temples.

"Aww… Twilight are you having bad dreams again?"

Twilight froze, her mane frizzing out chaotically. Her hackles arched, following the chill that ran up her spine, and exploded in her head leaving behind a dizzy fuzz over her thoughts. "Princess Celestia?"

Celestia laid next to her pupil, yawning off the last bits of sleep. "Sorry, Twilight, I was really tired after arriving, and you don't have a guest bed. It's awfully noisy with everypony downstairs so the couch was out of the question. So I thought I would sneak in here while you were still asleep." Celestia conjured her favorite hairbrush.

Twilight's jaw attempted to form words, but there were just too many clamoring for precedence. An assault of overwhelming emotions rose up through her. Her teeth clamped shut as her lips pulled back under a crinkled muzzle.

I won't cry!

Her gut roiled in agonizing nervous embarrassment. Her head pounded with a myriad of self critical judgements, each one harsher than the last.

I won't cry!

"I knew it was because of the spell." She squeaked out. Celestia’s brush glided through Twilight’s hair, taming the frizzies.

I won't cry!

"I knew it was because I didn't listen to your warning." The brush moved smoothly, gently. "I don't know what's wrong or how it affected me yet, but I absorbed some raw emotion's from Rainbow Dash. I know they aren't mine, but I can't control them yet!"

Don't cry!

Brush, brush, brush. Celestia hummed softly.

"I am so sorry for letting you down like this..." Twilight trailed off as the anxiety squeezed her chest mercilessly, forcing her into halting jerky exhales.

Don't cry! Please!

"And I hurt my friends." Her voice squeaked out her shame as she clamped down on her tongue to fight off the torrent of tears building pressure behind her eyes.

I don't wanna cry! I'm too old for this!

Twilight could feel the workings of Celestia's magic permeate the room. "I'm soo sorry… I let the Rainbow Calamity happen..." She sniffled, her body jittering with the effort of fighting off the sobs that demanded release.

Oh, no...I'm going to cry!

"So many ponies got hurt." She bit her lip, her self control slipping.

Celestia wrapped a foreleg around Twilight, turning her gingerly over, and pulled her tight into a hug. "I put up a sound barrier."

Twilight fought the sobs further, letting out a squeaked. "I know. Thank you."

"So, what is holding you back?"

"I don't want to disappoint you. I'm a princess now, and I have to be strong." She buried her muzzle in Celestia’s chest.

Celestia chuckled softly, and nuzzled Twilight's mane. "Silly filly. Under all the pretense, and glamour, past the titles and politics..." She took a deep breath, recalling the words she had locked in her heart.

"You are my sha-dows Light, war-ming this heart of mine. When I set the sun to-night..." She pulled Twilight tighter, feeling the tears as they matted her fur. "... fear not cree-ping sha-dows, with you my wings will shine. I’ll hold you through your fright..." Twilight sobbed softly. "...flo-wing pur-ple inter-twines, in-fin-ite hor-i-zons, painted love of my Light. Curling un-der my wing, bringing hap-pi-er dreams, forever my pre-cious Twi-light..."

Mercifully, nopony heard the piercing wales of the Ponyville Princess. Save one, the Princess of the Sun, holding her dearest little Light.

Pink Tears in a Blue Blanket

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As the three friends and a filly trotted towards Carousel Boutique, Dash couldn't help but notice a multitude of angry glares from the towns-ponies. Many of them completely stopping what they were doing to turn and stare, their eyes sending chills up Dash's spine as they crawled over her.

Horsefeathers! I really bucked up. Dash's jaw clenched, a sweat building over her brow.

Fluttershy, shrinking back against Applejack, also noticed. "Maybe we should… maybe split up?" She squeaked, the stares centered on Dash seared through the timid pegasus by proximity. "Dash, maybe… uhm… you could fly to Sugarcube Corner? A lot of ponies are still really angry about the Rainbow Calamity."

Applejack grumbled. "Yeah, and a lot more are excited about the Rainbow Crystal Dome just outside of town," her voice rose to an angry chiding bark, "and all the bits it will bring in from tourists! You know, since ya'll were hoppin' around excited at the last town hall meetin' an' all!" The surrounding towns-ponies jarred out of their mindless angry stairs, blushed in shame, and busied themselves with the nearest distraction. "Yeah... that's what ah thought!"

Scootaloo bounced excitedly on Dash's back, completely missing the situation. "Ooh! Rainbow Crystal Dome? That sounds amazing! Let's go see it! Can we Dash? Please..." Scootaloo held on to the 'please' nearly turning blue before Dash bucked her off in annoyance, sending her hovering awkwardly to the ground. "Hay! I just wanna have some fun ya know… stupid hospital was boring," she grumbled.

Noticing the sour mood Dash had dropped into, Applejack quickly interjected. "Hay, Scootaloo, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle have been real worried about ya. They should be over at the clubhouse about now. We all got something real boring to discuss with Rainbow Dash here. So why don't ya run along and have some fun? Tell Big Mac I said you girls could have one of the apple pies I baked earlier. Then, the three of you should head to over to the Dome just before noon, it's just over the hill from Dash's home. Okay?"

Scootaloo fluttered. "Oh yeah! My friends. I almost forgot I need to go check on them." She turned and dashed down the road, briefly looking back with a wave of her hoof. She made a dramatic play of leaping off anything she could, and hovering as far as her wings would shakily take her.

Dash waved absent mindedly at Scootaloo's back, a little surprised the filly was leaving, her mind being preoccupied with angry glares and the guilt clenching at her nerves.

Applejack nodded to Fluttershy. "A'right Fluttershy, you go get Rarity. I'll head to Sugarcube Corner. Dash, I agree with Fluttershy. Might be best if you just fly there and get it over with." She placed a consoling hoof on Dash's shoulder. "Now ah know it looks bad, but it ain't. Not really. It's no worse than the damage Spike caused when he went nuts with greed, and it's way less than what the Parasprite's caused."

"Huh? Yeah, right… no sweat AJ. I was just thinking." Dash yawned, running through excuses in her mind. "That I could use a nap soon. Nothin' big."

Applejack rolled her eyes. "We're all gonna be just fine, so don't worry bout it too much." Her brow creased in worry as Dash turned, but seemed to stare straight through her. "Okay, sugarcube?"

Dash nodded and complied. Not feeling much for an argument at the moment. "You know, I think I'll clear these clouds out before I go. I need to stretch my wings for a bit anyway."

"Your call RD. See you at Sugarcube Corner." Applejack clopped Dash on the shoulder encouragingly.

Dash nodded with a half smile, and leapt into the air. Applejack and Fluttershy hesitated, watching their friend race through the sky clearing up the dreary cloud cover. Both of them smiled, basking in the warmth of the sun as it spread over Ponyville. Cheers went up at random around them as the sunlight swept through the town. The two friends hoped Dash could hear them.

Dash tapped on the Sugarcube Corner kitchen back window. She peered in and around. Suddenly her vision filled with pink.

"Dash!" She heard Pinkie's call muffled through the window until Pinkie threw it open. "Dashie!" She repeated in a much louder blast into said Dashie's face sending her hair spiking backwards.

"Shh! Pinkie, there's a lot of ponies angry with me right now." Dash's head darted around, looking for anypony who might have heard or noticed her. "I don't want to just walk into the diner with a bunch of ponies in there."

"Say no more." Pinkie whispered beside a hoof conspiratorially. "Fly up to my bedroom window. I will let you in."

"Got it. Thanks, Pinkie." Dash jumped and flapped to the upstairs window where Pinkie was already waiting for her. Dash didn't bother questioning how, only madness lay down that road.

"Dashie!" Pinkie grabbed Dash and dragged her inside, nearly squeezing the life out of her. "I missed you soo much!"

Dash's eye's bulged slightly as she grunted. "Ow, ow...owowow, Pinkie, Pink-Pink-Pink-pain!" Dash's sore muscles, still aching from the recovery, screamed in agony under the embrace.

Pinkie backed off swiftly. "Sorry, I just got so excited seeing you. After everything that's been going on. I just..." Pinkie's grin deflated, her demeanor tempering to a more neutral attitude. Which in Dash's experience meant Pinkie sad!

"Pinkie?" Dash studied her friend, taking note her hair was still chaotically fluffy. "Uhm… you ok?"

"Yeah, Dashie! Now that you're back, things won't seem so bad." Pinkie's smile wavered at the tips. "We have all been so worried, and now I can throw you a party..." Tears built in corner of her eyes. "...and we can go on a picnic to get our mind's off things." The smile fought a losing battle as it swiftly lost ground to a quivering frown. "We all gotta go see the Rainbow Dome, which is amazing!" The excitement in Pinkie's voice was cracked, and ended in a high pitched whine. Her chest constricted, denying her air for a long squeaky moment, until finally she sucked in a loud faltering breath.

Dash watched, grimacing in horror, as one would when watching a foal being kicked off a cloud… Oh, wait... Dash shook her thoughts straight. "Pinkie, what happened?" She glanced around ensuring they were alone, wrapped her forelegs around her friend, and pulled Pinkie into a hug. "Tell me." She demanded softly.

Pinkie snuggled down, sliding until her head was level with Dash's chest. "Wow, a Dashie hug!" She sniffled. "This is totally amazing! I never imagined you would just spontaneously hug me. That's way more my thing than yours."

Dash sighed in exasperation. "Pinkie stop being random, drop the 'I have to be happy act', and tell me what's bothering you."

Pinkie looked up, meeting Dash's gaze through watery eyes. "You're really different. What happened to you?"

"Oh you're one to talk. Look you want this hug to go to waste or what?" Dash asked bluntly. Pinkie shook her head in tiny little jerks, not wanting to break the embrace. "Can you talk about it right now?" Dash coaxed in a softer tone.

Pinkie frowned, her eyes wavering as she whined like a puppy. "No, I don't like talking about it, and it'll make you super sad."

"Then don't worry about it for now, and enjoy the hug." Dash smiled confidently as Pinkie nodded. Dash took in a deep breath, This gets so much easier with practice. Comforting anypony after what Scootaloo needed should be a cinch. Dash felt confidence coursing through her, the familiarity of it bringing comfort into the otherwise awkward situation as she ran her hoof soothingly through Pinkie's mane. Wow, only days ago I would have totally tried to avoid hugging Pinkie. I mean I'm just not the... Dash's thought's were interrupted by a sniffle. What? She looked down. Pinkie's face was buried in the fur of her chest as she burst into tears. Dash drew Pinkie closer on impulse, biting at her lip. No, what was I thinking? I definitely bit off more than I can chew!

"Pinkie, um… I don't know what's wrong, but… you know… all of your friends are here to help you with it. Right?" Yeah, perfect. Pinkie is all about friends! That will totally cheer her up. Dash grinned as she nuzzled Pinkies mane, expecting the mare to snap out of it any second.

Pinkie squeezed Dash harder, crawled into her lap, and began bawling uncontrollably...

Applejack pushed through the doors to Sugarcube Corner. The overwhelming smell of baked goods and sugar slammed her senses and enticed her further in. Mrs. Cake stood behind the counter helping customers, but reserved a smile just for Applejack, and indicated she would be right with her. She stepped away from the counter, stuck her head into the kitchen, and after a silent conversation of nods and hoof gestures swapped places with Mr. Cake. Then she waved Applejack to follow her into the kitchen, who quickly complied, not in the least bit surprised.

Once in the kitchen Applejack quickly assaulted Mrs. Cake. "How is she? Her mane's still poofy right? No episodes? Does she still have the jitters?"

Mrs. Cake nodded. "Slow down dear. I understand your concern, but you need to stay calm around Pinkie right now. The loss of her friend has really hit her hard."

"Twilight is not lost! She's just confused, and figuring things out on her own terms." The fire in Applejack's eyes brooked no argument. "And she ain't gonna die, got it?"

Mrs. Cake quickly consented. "Yes, dear, I understand. You would know better than I do, and it's comforting to know her closest friends haven't given up on her."

"And we never will." Applejack said with finality, but there was no bite to her words. She smiled warmly at Mrs. Cake. "Don't you worry none, Twilight will come back, and Pinkie will throw the biggest party this town's ever seen. Every one of her friend's will be there, and we all will be back to our old selves."

Mrs. Cake nodded, sighing out her nervousness, and was thankful she hadn't angered the farm pony. "Please forgive my rudeness, Applejack. It's just..." She hesitated, her eyes downcast. "...I worry for Pinkie, and I worry what would happen if Twilight failed her test."

Applejack nodded. "She won't. I swear it on mah farm. That crazy bookworm will be back here runnin' the show in no time." Applejack's grin subsided slowly, a determined and dark glare replacing it as she gazed out a window. "Even if we gotta drag her back kickin' an' a screamin'." The smile quickly returned as she locked eyes with Mrs. Cake. "Rainbow Dash is back, and that oughta pick things up a bit roun' here. I'll mention it to Pinkie that we're all lookin' forward to Dash's waking up party."

Mrs. Cake nodded. "Oh yes, Rainbow Dash is upstairs with Pinkie Pie now, and..." She turned to grab a small plate of assorted fritters. "...these are for everypony. Tell her thanks for the sunshine for me."

Applejack accepted the plate graciously, muffling her reply around it. "Why thank you Mrs. Cake. Will do, and these look right delicious. Rarity and Fluttershy will be by, if you could just hoof em' in our direction, please."

Mrs. Cake nodded, and smiled sadly. "I know she's still smiling on the outside, but if you and your friends could, please get her to smile on the inside?"

We all could use some smilin' on the inside right now. Applejack nodded reassuringly. "Ahm on it! Don't worry, we can handle Pinkie." She turned and trotted through the kitchen doors, down the hall and up the stairs to Pinkie's door.

Dash, we've all been waitin' on you. She halted just before knocking, her ears perked forward. Is that… crying?

Dash rocked Pinkie back and forth, confusion etched into every feature. This isn't happening! Nothing makes Pinkie break down like this! Her confidence shattered, she pleaded with her sobbing friend. "Pinkie, what happened? I can't help you unless I know what happened."

Pinkie's sobs halted as she looked up, her eyes wavering. Slowly her lips drew back in a pained toothy frown, and she wailed at Dash. "I caahhaan't, it hasn't happened yet!" she took a deep halting breath. "And… and… it's just too sad!" She face planted back into Dash's chest and resumed bawling.

Dash completely lost, fought against the panic chilling up her spine. Looking around frantically for any reprieve she could grasp at, she replied with the first thought that came to mind. "Pinkie I don't care how sad it is, anything is better than you losing your smile. If you can't smile then who else can?"

Applejack's jaw dropped. RD! That's the sweetest thing I ever heard you say! She leaned in closer to the door, her cheek bumping it. The door creaked slightly with an audible click as it bypassed the latch. Horse-apples! It wasn't shut all the way. She peered in making eye contact with a very nervous looking Dash and whispered soundlessly, 'What happened?'

Dash shrugged and mouthed out soundlessly. 'No. Idea!' Her lips over exaggerating the silent words in the hopes Applejack would read her loud and clear.

'I was gone ten minutes!' Applejack held up a hoof to her forehead, and flung it off to the side, symbolizing her exasperation.

'Hay! You saying this was MY fault!' Dash's glare spoke for her.

"Stop fighting!" Pinkie muffle-screamed into Dash's chest. Dash and Applejack froze like two foals accidentally waking up mom.

Applejack stepped further into the room, coming up to sit behind Pinkie. "Hay, sugarcube, you don't have to worry about telling Dash anything, okay?" She stroked a soothing hoof through Pinkies mane. "You let me n' Rarity handle that. Why don't you let go of Dash an sit over here..."

"No!" Pinkie barked. "I'm not letting go! I let go of Twilight, and she..." Pinkie broke down again, bawling into Dash's chest even louder than before. "I'm not letting go this time!"

"Oh, sugarcube, it's not your fault." Applejack wrapped her foreleg around Pinkie, adding to Dash's hug. The other foreleg wrapped around Dash, Applejack's hoof squeezing her shoulder. Dash looked up in surprise, and was met by Applejack's somber gaze. "It's nopony's fault."

The conviction in Applejack's voice sent a wave of chills down Dash's back. "Applejack," Dash's voice was haunted, and jittered nervously, "what the hay do you mean by that?"

Applejack dodged Dash's eyes, opting to stare at Pinkies mane. "We'll wait for the others to arrive." She sighed. "It's better that way."

Fluttershy trotted swiftly, trying to keep up with Rarity's hasty steps. "Fluttershy, how much does Rainbow Dash know?"

"Well, I wouldn't think she knows much, but I really wouldn't know. She seemed like she just got out of the hospital. She was so sad when everypony was giving her those angry stares." Fluttershy pouted, her eyes full of worry. "She really is in a lot of pain right now. Maybe this isn't the best time to tell her."

"Nonsense, there is never a good time to inform ones friends of horrible news." Rarity's glare fixed straight ahead, a detrimental warning to anypony who should be unlucky enough to step in her way. "Rainbow Dash is a tough mare, I am sure she can handle it."

"Rainbow Dash?" A loud excited voice caught the two mares off guard. Fluttershy squeaked and bolted to Rarity's side. "I have a letter for her!"

Rarity let out an exasperated sigh. "It's Ditzy Doo, Fluttershy dear, not the untimely calling of your doom."

Fluttershy flitted over. "Oh, Ditzy. You startled me."

"Hah, yeah, I forget that's really easy to do. Sorry, Fluttershy." Ditzy's pupils rolled, switching their wall-eyed position's as she hoofed over a letter. "I overheard you were going to see Dash. Would you mind giving this to her? I'm not allowed in the hospital anymore."

Fluttershy nodded. "Oh, of course. That's no trouble at all. We are meeting her at Sugarcube Corner." A worried frown tugged at the corners of Fluttershy's mouth. "She still doesn't know about Twilight."

Derpy blanched. "Oooh… that's going to be a painful conversation. Are you going to tell her about Pinkies predictions?"

Rarity balked. "Wha-wha-wait… excuse me!? How do you know about..." She lowered her voice. "...Pinkie's predictions?" She glared at Fluttershy who flinched, and hid behind her mane. "It was supposed to be a secret."

"I was sad, and Ditzy was so kind to come over to help me with the gardening. We started talking." Fluttershy rubbed her hoof along a foreleg. "I've just been so worried..." She trailed off, her voice edged near tears.

Ditzy stepped forward. "I promised not to tell anypony, and I won't. The secrets safe with me, but..." She lowered her voice conspiratorially as she leaned in. "...if you need any help finding her, any at all, just ask. I have a knack for running into pony's I'm looking for."

Rarity mentally face hoofed at the quite literal meaning of Ditzy's claim. "We will Ditzy, darling. Thank you for keeping our trust in this. Now if you please, it is imperative we reach Dash immediately." A look of worry crossed Rarity's pristine features. "I fear Pinkie may have already assaulted her with any number of ill-timed revelations that should be tactfully imparted gently."

Mrs. Cake caught Fluttershy and Rarity as they wandered around the bustling Sugarcube Corner dining area. 'Upstairs,' she mouthed out silently, not wanting to rudely scream across the room. Rarity bowed gracefully in thanks, and headed for the stairs with a nervous jittery Fluttershy behind her.

Once safely up the stairs though, Fluttershy visibly relaxed with a dainty sigh. "Oh, I am so glad we aren't staying down stairs. There were just too ma..."

"Shhh..." Rarity held up a hoof as they approached Pinkie's room. Her ears perked up, listening intently.

Fluttershy whispered in her ear. "I don't hear anything."

"Exactly, dear." She looked sideways at Fluttershy, whose eyes widened in understanding. Rarity peered into the room, and was relieved to find their friends still waiting for them. She trotted in. "Why it's just so quiet in here, I was worried we'd missed..."

Applejack held up a shushing hoof, glancing back at Rarity with a look of concern and… wonder? Rarity thought, briefly pausing to glanced around the room. In a rare show of shock, she nearly stumbled over her own hooves.

Pinkie lay cradled in Dash's forelegs, her hooves locked firmly around Dash's mid as she snored peacefully. Dash leaned against Pinkie's bed, her head lolled to the side against a pillow as she also slept soundly.

Rarity whispered. "Applejack, dear, I believe this situation may need a little explaining. Would you care to enlighten us?"

Applejack shrugged. "They were hugging when I got 'ere. RD was trying to comfort Pinkie. Kept pettin' her mane, and rockin' her back and forth." She paused in thought. "Like a big sister kinda. Then, when Pinkie refused to let go, RD pulled her up, cradled her like a foal, and told her to go to sleep for awhile. Promised she'd still be there when she woke up."

Rarity gasped. "She did all that? With you in the room?" Her mouth hung open, not quite sure she was comprehending the situation. "You are sure about all this?"

"I was sittin' right here the whole time..." Applejack hoofed over at the two sleeping mares. "You ain't the only one in shock."

Fluttershy gasped. "If those emotions were enough to change Dash this much..." She faltered, looking to Rarity for answers, but it was Applejack who finished her thought.

"Then Twilight's in a whole heap'a trouble."

Confessions and Understanding

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Twilight opened her eyes slowly. Her world was soft and dark. The heady scent of honeysuckle gently overpowered her senses. Celestia... Twilight listened for a response. Either she turned off the mind reading spell, or she's asleep. Twilight listened to her mentors breathing with a grateful sigh. She glanced up, night had fallen. Celestia had insisted on staying in bed all day, and not worrying about solutions until morning. She had left briefly to end the day, drawing a crowd of onlookers as she stepped out onto Twilight's balcony to lower the sun into it's cradle.

Twilight leaned back, gingerly she stretched up to get a better look at Celestia as she slept, her mane flowing in graceful waves along the contours of the bed, and across her shoulder. A pang of sadness stabbed at her.

In the morning it will all be different. One day she's my Princess, my ruler and mentor. Then briefly she, when I need her most, becomes my…mother? The question was one Twilight had asked a thousand times, yet she had no answer. The relationship between her and Celestia was forever confounding. She treats me as a student, warmly, yet distant. I know she cares, but the fear of her power is still there. I'm so confused. In all the years I've lived with her, I still don't fully understand. Twilight smiled, despite her confusion. She snuggled down. For as long as Celestia was in her exceedingly rare mother-mode, Twilight was determined to take advantage of it. I don't want to waste it!

Celestia giggled ever so slightly. Twilight froze. After a few seconds of intent listening she let out a careful breath. Celestia? No answer. Twilight put a hoof to Celestia's chest. Celestia, you aren't breathing. Obviously you are awake.

Awww...I was having fun! She shifted her head down so she could look at Twilight. So you still refer to this as mother-mode?

Twilight turned beat red. I knew it! It's never safe to think around you!

Well, there's not much else to do, it just becomes habit. Reading thought's tends to be the only form of entertainment I have anymore. Do you have any idea how boring the royal routine becomes after two thousand years? Celestia tossed out a pouty lip, followed by an impish tongue.

Twilight pursed her lips, and glared back like a defiant child. "Mmmm..." She whined.

Celestia giggled, and hugged Twilight. "You make it so much fun! I can always count on you falling into filly-mode." Twilight took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, working up the nerve to ask a silly question. "Oh, it's not that silly Twilight. It's actually a very good question, and one I think you are entitled to an answer."

Twilight froze in embarrassment, then tapped Celestia’s horn with a hoof to interrupt the spell.

Celestia giggled harder. Twilight could sense the shift in Celestia's magical aura as the spell fizzled. "That better?"

"Yes, much..." She deadpanned. "So?"

Celestia paused, having to readjust to guessing at what a pony means rather than just reading their mind was more than a little shift. "I… well… uhm." Celestia looked confused. "Does it really need a label? You are my student. I want to be there for you. Though it does go beyond that. I really don't have a definition readily available for it."

Twilight cut in. "With such busy lives at the castle and so much responsibility it is nearly impossible to work on personal relationships. In all our years together, I wonder if I have ever seen you form any new friendships, date, or grow closer to anypony." Twilight snapped out of her train of thought, her eyes picking up the hurt in Celestia's.

Celestia took a deep breath. "I never knew you cared about such things. Being buried in your books you always seemed rather cold to relationships in general."

Twilight smiled nervously. "Well, I didn't pursue relationships. However, I did notice when certain relationships around me were happening, or the lack of..."

Celestia deadpanned at Twilight, but inwardly sighed with relief at the temporary distraction. "Really? You? The pony who didn't even notice her own brother was dating her foal sitter?"

"Hay! It's not like they were dating back when I lived at the castle..." Celestia's glare bit into Twilight. "They weren't! No way. I could not have missed that!" Twilight growled, giving way underneath Celestia's stare. "How long?"

"Five years."

"Aw come on!"

Celestia burst out into laughter. Oh it feels good to just be able to laugh. Impulsively, she leaned down and nuzzled Twilight on the nose. "You are just so cute!"

Twilight stopped moving. Her brain churned. Celestia froze, realizing too late the implication of her action. Do I see Twilight as my daughter? Her eyes widened, Wait! Do I still see her as a little filly? The questions hit Celestia hard. In all her years of experience she had been through countless scenarios. Too many to remember. She tried in vain to recount any scenario to mind that would explain what just happened. The closest wisdom she could pull was over five hundred years old, no where near this exact scenario, and well faded from memory.

Twilight stared up at Celestia, her eyes wavering. "What is our relationship? Who am I to you?"

Awkwardly the two princesses stared at one another. Celestia feared the rise of hope in Twilight's eyes that she wasn't sure she could fulfill. "My little Light… does our relationship really need definition?" Even as she asked the question, considering who she was speaking to, she knew the answer. Perhaps, I have been careless... Suddenly, as anger boiled in Twilight's eyes, Celestia had the desire to return home, and deal with simpleton whiny politicians.

Spike busied himself with dusting off tombs and bookshelves as he balanced on the library ladder. Flour snored on the couch behind him. Being a night worker had taken it's toll on the young guard as the day drug on. Twilight's friends had all left to attend to their lives.

Spike sighed, deep in thought. What could cause Twilight to go into such an emotional overload like that? He shook his head. Magic aside, I just don't get it. Twilight is one of the most powerful magic users in all Equestria, how could she possibly be overtaken by a spell she deemed foals play?

Twilight's door slammed open. Spike forcefully snapped out of his reflections, and hugged the ladder as he nearly toppled off his precarious perch. Flour, flailing as he rolled off his makeshift bed, slammed face first into the floor.

"I am not being unreasonable! There is nothing wrong with needing definitive answers!" Twilight whined as she stumbled down the stairs.

Celestia's concerned and oddly apologetic tone caught both the eavesdroppers off guard. "I meant nothing of the sort. You are entitled to definitive answers. I just believe I need more time before providing them."

Twilight spun around, facing off with Celestia who backpedaled up the stairs. "More time? More time? You've had my entire life to decide the meaning. Are you telling me you never put much thought into it? I thought about it every day! Every day as a foal, as a young filly, and as a teen! I still think about it! I finally get up the nerve to ask you and..." Twilight trailed off, tears streaming down her cheeks as she sniffled. "...and you need more time." Celestia backpedaled another step, the situation so foreign and emotionally charged it scrambled her wisdom. "I have devoted everything to you. My childhood! My loyalty! My future..."

Her mind, recoiling from the emotional outburst, and screamed for her to regain control of the situation. "Twilight, please remember that you are emotionally compromised by the after effects of the spell. Furthermore, I am the ruler of Equestria! I have heard countless devote their lives to me, and in much more respectful tones! Tell me, then, Twilight Sparkle what am I to you? What definition would you have put to our relationship?" She doesn't have an answer. She will logically conclude that her outburst is a direct effect of the spell, and we can sit down to discuss this rationally. She watched uncomfortably as Twilight stared silently through her. She's confused! I can diffuse the situation easily from this point, and calm her down. Celestia breathed an inward sigh of relief at Twilight’s hesitation. "It's okay, Twilight. I understand..."

"You understand?" Twilight cut her off. The anger in her eyes turning to forlorn pain, a halting breath on her lips. "Do you understand that I am just, Twilight? The definition of student? Do you understand that I would have accepted any other definition from you? Be it friend, or I dare hoped sister. Yet in absence of my family in all the cold night's I spent hiding from nightmares in your bed, the precious hours we spent reading together, tea on the veranda, meals we shared in the gardens, or the gestures of love you rarely let slip through. All of which defy my definition as student." She took a step forward, her cheeks soaked and matted as she met Celestia's gaze nose to nose. "I feared to say it my whole life, because I know who you are, and how important your position is, but despite it all, I would have called you mother."

Celestia's jaw dropped, unable to respond. I knew... this isn't surprising. I always knew. Her lip quivered. Talk! Apologize! Say something! She recoiled in silence, averting her eyes. I was complacent. I thought she would grow out of it. Yet I fueled her feelings by humoring her… no that's not right. I needed that contact as much as she did. I took that love, reveled in it, and gave just enough back to keep her satisfied without committing. Celestia winced at her inner monologue. Wisdom is… painful...

She looked up to meet Twilight's sadness, but found a look of shock and horror. "Twilight?"

"Princess Celestia..." Her voice was haunted and distant. "I am… so so sorry… I can't believe… I really am emotionally compromised. The spell has completely destroyed my rationality! I don't know what came over me."

Celestia felt the magic long before the flash. She lurched forward, trying to catch Twilight, but the teleportation spell had already whisked her away. "Twilight! No!" Celestia's muzzle wrinkled, her lips pulled back over her teeth in a pained grin. "Forgive me..." She whispered as the sensation of tears flowed down her nose to drip on the stairs. A sensation long forgotten by an ancient jaded princess. “I’m such a fool…”

Twilight flashed into Scootaloo's hospital room with a zap. Nurse Redheart nearly jumping out of her fur. "Aiiee! Uhm, Princess! I didn't know..."

Twilight cut her off. "Get out..."

"What? Are you feeling okay?" Nurse Redheart's ears fell flat, a concerned look in her eyes. "Are you doing better? This morning..." The nurse stammered confusedly.

"Please… leave us alone." Twilight looked up, her face matted and puffy from crying. Her ears hung limply to the sides. Nurse Redheart nodded and backed out the door. Twilight could hear her racing down the hall. She could guess, but didn't care to know why. The only certainty was that she had a few minutes at best before many ponies, and most likely, the princess would come disturbing her.

Scootaloo lay unconscious in her coma. A pang squeezed at Twilight's chest. Dash's emotions welled up inside as she gritted her teeth. The urge to hold Scootaloo, to love and protect her. To be there for her every day cherishing every moment.

"Hey Scootaloo." She put a hoof over the filly's. "I think I understand now." She sniffled, wiping the tears away with her foreleg. "All those feelings that Dash has for you. All that love." Tears defiantly streamed down her cheeks pooling on the floor. "That feeling she has where she just want's to hold you..." Her voice cracked as her throat constricted. "...and nuzzle your mane..." She squeaked. "...and be there every day to see your smile." She sobbed, panting through the exhausting emotions searing through her chest. "Cherish them. Cherish that love. Hold onto it and never let it go!" Her legs crumpled as she fell over Scootaloo, screaming into the bed as the sobs wracked through her.

"Please!" She cried out desperately. "Cherish it for me!"

Tag! You're It!

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"She's gonna kill us if she finds out, Fluttershy!" Applejack clopped the table, sending the myriad of food laden dishes bouncing.

"Shh!" Rarity looked around at the other Sugarcube Corner patrons, and smiled apologetically for Applejack's outburst. "Applejack, darling, I understand your concerns, but Fluttershy has made a poignant argument."

Fluttershy shrunk into her chair, eying the other patrons in embarrassment over Applejack's outburst. "Oh, it… it really wasn't all that, uhm… poignant, really." She squeaked and popped a carrot cream ball into her mouth, trying to distract herself from the horrors of being in a crowded public diner.

She glanced out the window, taking some solace in knowing the lunch rush would soon be over. Soon they will all leave to watch the Rainbow Dome, and it will all be better. She took a deep breath, calming her nerves, and returned to the conversation at hoof...

"Ah don't like it one bit. I cain't keep secrets from RD, it just ain’t right." Applejack hissed vehemently in a hushed voice. "You know how hard she's gonna take it if we disrespect her pride like that. She's gonna tear into us with a vengeance, an' we're gonna deserve it."

"Please, Applejack, her pride aside she is in no condition to handle this kind of information. It's just simply going to crush her. Have you not seen the mental state she's in right now?" Rarity rubbed her hooves over her temples in little circles, willing the building pressure behind her eyes to subside along with Applejack's stubbornness.

"I understand that, but she ain't some little filly..."

Fluttershy interjected, Applejack giving way to her soft insisting 'ehem.' "Applejack, uhm… I have known Rainbow Dash for a long time, and when she… uhm… becomes overly caring like that. It's because she needs the contact as much as the other pony." Fluttershy wrapped her foreleg across her chest, squeezing her shoulder with a hoof nervously. I don't know if it even matters, why would I say that? Applejack is right. Not telling Rainbow Dash the truth is horrible... Her eye's dodged Applejack's searching gaze.

"Aieee… guess I can see that. She is a bit of a bullheaded rock when it comes to her feelings." Applejack conceded.

Fluttershy smiled and blushed as she popped a rewarding apple cream ball into her mouth. She savored the contrast in flavors as she eyed the lemon cream next.

Rarity took a deep breath, and jumped on Applejack's lost ground before she could stubbornly take it back. "That she is, Apple-dear, and as her friends, we need to recognize when the proper time to tell her presents itself, and this is not the proper time. She is far too stress laiden for us to lay something of this magnitude on her shoulders."

Applejack sputtered, "I-I-Iee… uhh." Apple-dear? When did she start calling me… wait a minute! "Them's a lotta fancy words, an yer tryin' to throw me off with the new nickname aren't ya!"

Rarity balked. "Why I never… how could you? Applejack, please, focus on the problem at hoof." Horseapples! How did she catch on so quick?

"Ahm on to you Rarity, and if you want my consent in this that bad..." Applejack hesitated, the anger ebbing out of her voice as she gritted her teeth through a deep frown. "...I just want you to know I hate the whole idea..." Her eyes went downcast as she propped her head against her hoof, and crushed a cinnamon cream under her other hoof. "...but I'll keep my mouth shut, I guess..." She trailed off, refusing to make eye contact with anypony.

Fluttershy reached over, placing a tender hoof on Applejack's shoulder. "I am really sorry about this Applejack. I wouldn't ask you to do it if… if I didn't think it was important." And if it was possible her features softened even further, reaching an inner glow of love that washed over Applejack in a sweeping tide.

Don't look into her eyes! Applejack failing in her own wisdom locked eyes with Fluttershy. The last of her defenses melted away. D'awww... "It's alright Fluttershy, I know you mean well an' all. I won't tell her..." Applejack snapped out of it, regaining control. "...unless she comes a askin'!" Her features hardened. "I refuse to lie to her face. Got it?"

Fluttershy nodded with a smile. Rarity giggled, taking in the whole scene. Well that is one way to deliver a definitive blow, isn't it, Fluttershy? Rarity rolled a dark chocolate cream onto her tongue, savoring the taste of bittersweet victory.

Applejack rubbed a hoof on her forehead in exasperation. "Look, I hate this an all, but if it's gonna work we need to get her out of town. Fast. R.D. isn't stupid, and is gonna notice something's up when she cain't find Twilight."

"Oh that's not a problem." Fluttershy produced the letter Derpy had handed her. "She was called in for special Wonderbolt training. Something about private courses..."

Rarity and Applejack gasped together. "You opened her mail?"

Fluttershy shrank back. "What? Nonono… it's ok. Rainbow Dash hates opening her mail. I come over regularly and do it for her." Fluttershy withered under the unbelieving gaze of her friends.

Applejack face-hoofed. "What was ah thinking… of course we cain't tell R.D. She's about half passed a filly in maturity, and would most likely get herself killed doing something rash." This time, it was Applejack's turn to wither under the exasperated stares of her two friends. "Wha-what?"

Rainbow Dash twitched awake, the unfamiliar and uncomfortable position of leaning against Pinkies bed with Pinkie wrapped around her waist snapped her unforgivingly back to reality. She shook the sleep from her brain as her eyes came into focus. Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy were all bent over her with looks of guilty shock on their faces. Applejack had Pinkie in a headlock with her other hoof over the mares mouth, while Rarity and Fluttershy were both trying to pry Pinkies hooves from Dash. Pinkie's eyes were furious.

Dash shook the sleep from her brain. “This is definitely the most interesting way I've ever woken out of a nap. What the hay is goin on?"

Applejack smiled awkwardly and whipped Pinkie around, trying to drag the enraged mare kicking and screaming from the room. "Ow! She done bit me!" After a few failed attempts to get Pinkie through the door, she gave up and settled for hog tying the mare.

"Dashie! Help me!" Pinkie screamed. "They are..." Pinkie was cut off as Applejack wrestled her mouth shut.

Rarity stepped in front of Dash, blocking her view of Applejack wrestling Pinkie behind her. "Oh, it's nothing dear. Pinkie is just, uhm… having some trouble letting you go is all. Fluttershy, sweetheart, would you like to take over?"

"Oh, right… uhm." Fluttershy fluttered nervously as she sat next to a rather confused Dash. "Well… some mail came for you while you were gone, and I went ahead and opened it for you."

Dash raised an eyebrow, craning her neck to see passed Rarity to the door. Rarity and Fluttershy leaned into each other, enormously goofy grins on their faces as they tried to hide their overwhelming guilt. "You three are up to something." Dash's eyes narrowed in accusation.

Fluttershy jittered. "The letter! It's all in the letter!" She nodded emphatically. "The Wonderbolts called you in for special training!"

Rarity clopped her hooves together. "We were just so excited for you, being as it is such an amazing honor and opportunity!"

"Lies!" Pinkie screamed from the door. "Dashie! Don't listen to the..." Pinkie cut off into a muffled garble as Applejack gagged her.

Dash went to look around her friends, who again gang blocked her. Fluttershy continued. "See! Look, heres the letter. It's signed by Spitfire herself."

Dash's jaw dropped as she took the letter, and scanned over it. "What? Wow, this is… well of course. Why wouldn't they want me, the fastest flyer in Equestria for a little extra training?" Dash grinned, elation flooding through her. "I gotta get ready! They must be ready to graduate me early! I'm gonna be a Wonderbolt!" She jumped up, ecstatically flailing her forelegs. "Not that there was ever any doubt, of course, but now it's actually happening!" She squealed. "This is so awesome!" Dash turned towards the window, getting ready to leap out.

Rarity reached out a hoof curiously. "Wait, where are you going? You aren't supposed to leave until tomorrow."

"I have to get ready! I need to find Scootaloo!" She hesitated, taking another look at Pinkie. "Is she going to be alright? I mean, I guess I could stay for a bit longer if Pinkie really needs me that badly..."

"No!" The other three shouted out. Applejack took the lead. "No! Absolutely not, this is important to you and you should definitely go. Leave Pinkie here to us." Applejack clopped Pinkie on the back. "She'll be juusst fine." She laughed lopsidedly as Pinkie glared daggers at her, her head shaking slowly in disbelief.

Dash's muddled brain screamed at her as she tried to remember back to earlier. "Applejack, you said something wasn't my fault what did you mean? And what did it have to do with Twilight?"

Pinkie bounced on the floor as she growled rabidly through the gag. Everypony turned to Applejack who grinned nervously. She's asking directly… Ahm not gonna lie to her! I won't, I refuse!

She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry Dash, you see it's like this..." The other mares in the room held their breath, Pinkie's eyes widened, glistening with expectation. "You see, Twilight went a little nuts and took off on some test with Celestia following her. Pinkie here's been playin' around with her card predictions again, and thinks somethin real bad's going to happen to Twilight, right? Well she's afraid that if you take off we won't be able to find and help Twilight." She stopped, grinning at Dash. "Sorry for keepin' it all from ya, It's just we were worried..."

Dash cut her off. "Is that all?" She sighed exasperatedly. "Gah, and Pinkie had me really worried! I thought something horrible happened. Twilight always goes nuts over tests. She lives for them! Look, next time just keep it simple, and tell me Pinkies just being Pinkie. Please?"

Pinkie's eyes widened, her head lolling to the side in exasperation. The others all stared at Dash, mouths agape. Before anypony could speak up, Dash pivoted towards the window. "Well, then I'll see you all when I get back!" Dash screamed back a little too loudly as she leapt out the window and flapped off.

Pinkie flopped down on the floor, and inch-wormed her way towards the window muffling 'Dashie' over and over through her gag. When it was obvious Dash had left for good, an enraged Pinkie chewed through her gag. "I am so mad at all of you right now!"

Rarity and Fluttershy looked back in surprise, the thought of having to deal with Pinkies rage just now hitting them. Applejack threw up her hooves. "Whoa there Pinkie. Look, we did it for her own good."

"Her own good? Twilight's in trouble, and we need Dashie's eyes in the sky to find her, and you did it for her own good!?" Pinkie screamed hysterically.

"Pinkie Pie! Calm down this instant." Rarity chided. Pinkie eyed her angrily over a pouty frown. "We are all aware of the situation, and while nopony here doubts your ability to predict falling objects or imminent danger, you have yet to prove your tarot fortune reading abilities..."

Pinkie cut her off. "I know that! If anypony knows that I know that. It's just..." Pinkie slumped to the ground. "...Rarity, every time I read the cards they say the same thing. Over and over and over and over and over and over and over..."

"I know! Dear… please understand Pinkie this hurts us just as much as you." Rarity sighed, walking over to untie Pinkies ropes. "We are going to do everything we can to find her. Princess Celestia is already tracking her down as we speak."

Pinkie huffed, and crossed her forelegs. "I know that already. She also said that we were forbidden to go look for her, and that she would call us when she needed us." She looked off to the side grumpily. "M'not stupid, but that many card readings with the death card every single time..."

Fluttershy gingerly wrapped her hooves around Pinkie and pulled her close. "No, of course you are very smart, and an amazing pony that brings smiles to everypony around you." Fluttershy nuzzled her mane soothingly. "But, you know how Rainbow Dash would react to it, right? When we explain to her why Twilight fled, that it was Dashie's own feelings from the soul seeing spell that drove her a little bit crazy. Then, what if you told her that you predicted Twilight would die in your card readings?" Pinkie didn't answer, but slid a little further into Fluttershy's warm embrace. "She would panic, defy the princess, and go off on a crazy search. And what if she got hurt? Dashie wouldn't stop at anything would she? And we can't be sure if Twilight actually is in that kind of danger. How would that make you feel?"

Pinkie's anger deflated, her limbs growing numb from the weight of stress she wasn't used to handling. "Really bad, I guess." She mumbled poutilly as she leaned into Fluttershy, crushing her with all of her weight.

Fluttershy fell back with an 'eep', but kept hold of Pinkie. "Feel a… little… better?" Fluttershy strained under Pinkies weight.

Pinkie smiled, slid off to the side, and wrapping Fluttershy in a tight hug. "Yeah, a little."

"Yay." Fluttershy gasped as she regained the ability to breath.

Pinkie sighed. "We are still going to go look for her right?"

"Of course, dear, were there any doubts?" Rarity smiled with a wink.

"Aww… horseapples!" Applejack stomped the ground.

The others in the room snapped their attentions to Applejack. Rarity cleared her throat. "What ever could be bothering you Applejack?"

Applejack grunted. "It's near high noon, we're gonna miss the Rainbow Dome. We won’t get another chance for a long time."

Pinkie and Fluttershy glanced at each other, an eyebrow raised between them. Pinkie smirked. "Race ya there!"

Fluttershy shook her head. "Oh, nonono, I couldn't possibly..." She leapt out the window, taking flight.

"Hay! No fair!" Pinkie darted out the window after Fluttershy.

"Pinkie! We’re two stories… aww nevermind," Applejack rolled her eyes.

Rarity's reaction, however, was far more dramatic as she flopped over on the bed in a heaping pile of miserably whaling pony. "Of all the things to happen! This. Is..." She paused, looking up, but Applejack, being the last of her audience, had already bolted from the room. "Oh, well I never..."

She sprung to her hooves. "Darlings! Oh, please wait for me!"

Dash zipped through the air, her mind racing with possibilities. ”I wonder which of my qualities singled me out?” She mentally face-hoofed. "Duh! All of them!" She giggled excitedly, doing a quick celebratory roll as she sped home.

Reaching the outskirts of Ponyville in seconds she quickly spotted the crater from the ground impact rainboom. Curiosity clawed at her as she noticed a spectrum of colors glittering around the edges of the bowl, which she had missed that morning entirely from the thick overcast cloud cover. There was a crowd of ponies gathered around it. She banked and sped down, determined to brave the masses to figure out what all the fuss was about.

Dash came to hover just over the bowl. A multitude of pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies flapped, stood, and sat in all directions. Some were taking pictures, while others were painting on canvas, still others were sketching or just holding hooves cuddling while waiting.

A loud voice boomed out at her from a couple of hastily set up stage speakers in the center of the bowl. "Hay! You! Get on the outskirts, noponies allowed above the dome! You'll block the light!"

Dash balked, her eyes locked onto a light brown earth pony with a darker brown mane wearing a headset mic. "Hay! You! Are you telling me where to fly on my property?" Dash dropped out of the sky, landing next the earth pony. She proffered her hoof threateningly. "Get off my lawn!"

"Whoa!" The pony threw up his hooves. "S-s-sorry! So sorry, Ms. Dash, I had no idea it was you. Please forgive me!" A sly smile crossed his lips as he eyed dash mischievously.

Dash was used to being idolized. In fact she was used to random fans popping up out of nowhere giving her props and paying homage to her sheer awesomeness. It was expected since she was not just a town hero, but an Element of Harmony. However, Dash wasn't prepared for this. A roar went up from the crowd. Ponies screamed Dash's name in a deafening chant, the ground thundered from the stomping of hooves, and piercing whistles assaulted her ears from every angle.

Dash searched the earth pony standing in the middle of the two hoof-ball field crater for answers.

"Mare's and gentle-colts!" The pony spun in a circle, standing on his hind hooves with his fore-hooves raised high in the air. "And here we are graced by the presence of the creator!"

Another roaring cheer went up from the crowd, sending chills crawling across Dash's coat.

"A true true artist suffering for her art. She is fresh out of the hospital, and returned to us this fine sunny day! Please, Rainbow Dash, you honor us! These ponies are all here for you!" He made a dramatic sweeping motion across the crowd with his hoof.

Dash wasn't sure exactly what she'd done, but decided to bask in the glory while she could. She waved to the crowd around the bowl, making many a colt, and even a few mares, faint just by winking. Yeahahaa! This was overdue!

"By all means you deserve it. Your actions are an inspiration to us all!" The announcers grin widened.

Dash's ear twitched, a warning going off in the back of her mind.

Donny hovered on the outskirts of the bowl, smirking as Dash sucked up the adoration of her fans with the dumbest look of confusion on her face. Her smirk turned to a serious frown as she guessed where things were going to lead to.

“That announcer is here to report on the Rainbow Calamity, not on Dash's crater… err art thing.” Scootaloo bounced on her shoulders sending Donny's ears flat with piercing screams of her own. "Hay, Scootaloo!"

"Yeah Mom?" Scootaloo yelled over the crowd.

"Aren't you on the wrong side of the crowd?" Donny grinned up mischievously.

"What do you..." Scootaloo never got to finish her thought before Donny picked her up, pulled her legs straight forward and back, then her wings straight to the sides where she licked them flat quickly. "Hold that position."

Scootaloo, not one to argue with mom, locked her legs and wings into place. "Mom, what are you..."

"Scootaloo, go give Dash some love!" Donny cocked Scootaloo back, aimed, and launched her downward, angled straight at...

The announcer looked at Dash with a cocky grin. "So tell us Rainbow Dash, what possessed you to create such fine art?"

Trapped, Dash fell back on her confidence, unsure of how to escape the tide of the moment sweeping her forward. "Oh, well, I just did a ground impact rainboom. Was totally easy." She polished a hoof. "Do it all the time." Cheers went up from the crowd. Impulsively Dash bowed to the roar of her newfound fans.

"Outstanding, we can all learn something from this master of art!" The announcer's grin widened wickedly. Sorry kid, but drama sells. "So tell us all Rainbow Dash, was destroying half the town worth it?"

Dash froze, dread creeping across her features. Her mouth hung open in startled shock. Wha-what! I'm such a fool! I should have seen this coming! A certain orange filly took notice of Dash's plight midflight.

Mercilessly, the announcer continued his assault, pantomiming his words for dramatic effect. "Surely a few sacrifices must be made for the creation of such amazing beauty! Tell us Rainbow Dash, how many were you willing to sacrifice? Have you no words for your adoring fans? Or, perhaps, you have found shame here bowing, and basking in the glory of your..."

"I'll destroy you!" The announcer's attack was cut off by an angry autonomous Scoota-drone to the face. His legs flopped wildly into the air as Scootaloo ground her hooves into his jaw, riding his head like a scooter ten leg-spans across the bowl. She leaned down menacingly as they skidded to a halt. "Tag! You're it!"

A stunned silence fell over the crowd, save for one mare who squealed, screaming her bloodlust through a feral giddy howl. "Ahwahauooo-yeah! That's mah filly! Kick his flank in!"

Scootaloo, nose in the air, scratched at the ground with her hind-hooves, sending trails of dirt onto the twitching announcer. She trotted flippantly away from the prone body, the tip of her tail curling to the sides with each step as she pranced over to Dash.

"Saved your flank Dash..." She grinned up at her sister. "...again!"

Dash stared down at the filly, completely dumbstruck. A foreleg slipped around her shoulder as Donny landed next to her. "Isn't she adorable?" She grinned at Dash. "Mommys wavenous wittle dwagon."

"I'll destroy you!" Scootaloo hedbutted her mom playfully. Donny broke out into a round of guffaws as she ruffled up her filly's hair.

Donny threw Scootaloo around her shoulders, her foreleg pulled Dash close as she whispered into her ear. "Don't look now Dash, but I think yer famous." She hoofed at a camera crew hovering high over the bowl. The cameras pointed right at the trio.

Dash turned to stare wide eyed at Donny. "All of Equestria saw that?"

"Don't panic, I know how this stuff works. Been on the news plenty, trust me. The news is going to focus on our little filly here." She gestured up to Scootaloo who was waving, and blowing kisses at the crowd. "She's adorable isn't she? Kids always grab the camera's attention. That bag of wind over there's got nothin on you. All they are going to see is Scootaloo being adorable by protecting her idol. Right? Now smile, kiss the baby..."

Donny proffered a cringing Scootaloo, who Dash hugged, kissed on the forehead, and tossed up on her shoulders. "Good, now just wave for the cameras."

Scootaloo rolled her eyes, and deadpanned. "Really? Did you have to do all that on camera?"

"Of course Squee-chi, you are the hero of the day after all." Scootaloo squealed excitedly as Dash looked up, smiling, and waved at the crowds. She leaned over to shout at Donny, a conspiratorial comrade, over the crowd. "Pfftt… of course, I was about to tear into him myself you know." She grinned.

"Sure you were." Donny mocked through a grin, and winked at Dash. "And I expect a full debriefing on the new nickname Squee-chi." Scootaloo froze as she glanced sideways at her mom.

Dash's response, and Donny's laughter over Scootaloo's response, was suddenly cut off by an explosive burst of rainbow colors. Both the mares and the filly were dumbstruck, mouths agape. Surrounding them in every which direction was a solid transparent wall of jumbled dancing rainbows. A dome of kaleidoscopic color swirling against the background of the sky as the sun’s rays filtered through the rainbow crystals, and reflected off at every angle. Impulsively Dash reached out trying to touch the colorful curves of light, but they always stayed just beyond her hoof.

Scootaloo's wings buzzed as she nearly lost balance, and slid off of Dash's shoulders. "It's so pretty..." She reached up for the shifting wonders of light as they danced around her. "It's like they're alive..."

Dash giggled at the wonder in Scootaloo's tone. "Yeah, Scootaloo, it is like they're alive."

"Aww." Donny whispered seductively into Dash ear. "We create beautiful destruction together, don't we? Next time, though, lets go crazy on something we can really rip into. Hmmm?"

Dash's ear twitched reflexively, an excited grin spreading across her lips as she blushed furiously.

Abandonment Issues?

View Online

(2 days earlier) 14 days to Twiligeddon...

Celestia took a deep breath, quickly regaining her composure. I need to get a hold of myself. She wiped the tears away. I knew I failed to keep the distance. This was destined to happen sooner or later. She rubbed a hoof against her temple, fighting off a worried jitter that was quickly building pressure behind her eyes.

She glanced down the steps, Spike and Flour were staring up at her. Flour cleared his throat uncomfortably, turned, and swiftly plodded to the door. He stepped outside, giving the princess privacy while awaiting orders. Celestia took the moment to craft a number of spells, putting them covertly into action.

Spike bounded up the steps. "What happened up there? I don't get it..." Spike, never one to beat around the bush, got straight to the point. "You are motherly towards everypony. It's part of your personality. Why would Twilight single out your motherly attitude towards her?"

Celestia sighed. "I am motherly towards all ponies, Spike. You are right, it's part of my personality. Therein lies the problem." Her eyes glanced down, exploring Spikes feet for a moment. "She wants me to define what makes my motherly attitude towards her special."

"Why would she need a definition? Can't she just be happy you love her?" Spike's scaley brow furrowed. "I don't like this. I have a feeling that soul seeing spell is really affecting her brain."

Twilight breathed heavily, her body quickly falling victim to fatigue from the exhaustive crying and barrage of emotions. It hurts Scootaloo. She gazed over Scootaloo's features, studying the soft and peaceful lines of sleeping filly innocence.

“How did you manage? How did you do it? How did you handle all the pain, and keep smiling? How do you act so tough?” Twilight marveled at the frailty of the tiny foal she held in her forelegs.

Her study was rudely interrupted by the clopping of hooffalls down the hall. She looked up at the open door with a chagrined cringe. Nurse Redheart and two guards rounded a corner, the three making eye contact with the furious princess holding Scootaloo hostage, and ground to a halt just outside the door.

“Please, just give me some time. I won’t be much longer.” She sniffled. “I’m just saying goodbye.”

Twilight sighed at them as one of the guards bravely advanced into the room, memories of friendly conversations with Twilight only days before spurring him forward. Memories that wavered as he was enveloped by a purple aura and slid firmly backwards. He fell to his knees in shock, the gentle warning hitting home for all three of the intruders. They were not welcome in that room. The door glowed, pulsated, and shut with an audible click.

Nurse Redheart called through the door. "P-P-Princess T-Twilight? Uhm… I am concerned for your well being, and think it best if you let us examine..." She was cut off by the door suddenly sprouting gnarled wooden words of ‘do not disturb’ in response to her please. "Understood, Princess! You won't be bothered further!" The three backed up nervously, now certain that opening the door was taboo.

Nurse Redheart turned to the guards with a whispered urgency. "Get Princess Celestia. Now!" The two guards bolted down the hall. It was no secret that Celestia was at the library. It was also no secret that Princess Twilight had been declared a possible danger to Equestria, and was under Celestia's personal care until proven otherwise.

Twilight's attention turned back to Scootaloo. Even as she hugged the sleeping filly gently, the logic in her brain questioned if she was hugging herself as a filly. The thought enraged her, she clenched her teeth in disgust. I'm not this weak! However, her forelegs refusing to unwrap the filly, argued otherwise.

"No Spike, It's not the spells fault. It faded long ago. I spent all day scanning her while she slept. I picked through every corner of her brain, and while Rainbow Dash's memories and feelings, however sweet they are, are still implanted firmly in her mind. Yet, they are but a catalyst. The trauma from her foalhood is the real cause."

Spike scratched his head. "What trauma? Twilight didn't go through any trauma. I grew up with her, I should know..."

Celestia frowned, her eyes intense. "Yes you did, and of anypony you should know best, but it was very subtle, Spike. The day Twilight left her family she was overjoyed to come to the castle and begin her studies. She assumed the responsibilities of a college student at six years old. However, in turn, she sacrificed steady and loving parenting during crucial and precious years of emotional development in trade for strict studies and school regimen. Think about it, my dear Spike, how would you feel if you had to leave Twilight and go far away for twelve years of schooling?" She moved passed Spike and down the stairs. “Only to see her for one day a week when she visited for a few hours, or when you go home for a holiday a few times a year?”

"I would be sad, but Twilight was happy right? You just said so." Spike turned to follow.

"Yes. She was happy. So happy at the opportunity to gain knowledge that she repressed the sadness of sacrificing priceless years with her family. I recognized it immediately, and I was prepared to provide her with all the love I had. However, I tried to keep the distance as well. I did not want to replace her mother, or overshadow the love she felt for her family. Yet, as the years passed, she became increasingly attached to me-” Celestia hesitated, mulling over the confession, but knew Spike deserved to know. "-and I became overly attached to her." She sighed. "And now she is trying to come to terms with living her entire foalhood away from her parents by defining the true meaning in our relationship so she can validate that sacrifice, and replace the pain with something emotionally substantial."

Spike mulled the overload of information over. “So… she’s trying to replace the pain with a definition of your relationship?”

“Correct.”

“And you are hesitating to do so?”

“Correct.”

Spike blinked, his face emotionless. “I don’t see this working out well…”

Celestia returned his deadpan. “Correct…”

Twilight's tears streamed down her nose, across Scootaloo's cheeks, and pattered into the growing stain of wetness spreading across the sheets. “Mom and Dad couldn't be there. I understood. How could they just pick up and leave their lives behind? They both had friends, and family back home. Moving to Canterlot is a lot to ask. They had careers, and a home, and… they left me out of all of it!”

Her breathing bellowed raggedly through her snout. “No! I chose to be away from it… I chose my education over my familly. This is my fault. They had Shining Armor to take care of as well. The world does not revolve around me!”

Her lips curled into a snarl. “I am their filly! Their lives should have revolved around me! I should have been everything to them!” A staccato whimper of pain escaped her. She breathed in sharply and held her breath, fighting the emotions back as they assaulted her chest.

“I never even noticed until now. I never knew you could feel like this about somepony!” Twilight recalled Dash's emotions for Scootaloo painfully. “My parents don't love me this way… or else they would have followed me. They would have been there! I can't even get Celestia to love me this way…”

“No… I don’t know that. I have to gather more information! I need to know. This is a severe emotional problem. So solving it with emotions is pointless. I must approach this logically.”

Twilight stared hard at Scootaloo's features again, reveling in the beauty of every precious curve. Dash's love for Scootaloo coursed through her, bringing with it the desire to be there every day of Scootaloo's life. To hold and comfort her. To teach and nurture her. To listen to even the most mundane conversations and cherish every smile. Twilight fought the urge to scream.

“Logically!”

Spike scratched his head with a claw. "But, what about Shining Armor and Princess Cadence? They were there for her on and off through most of it."

Celestia halted, looking back at Spike, more than a little surprised by the question. Right, of course, Spike never knew his parents. I am his mother, and Twilight is his sister. She turned, reached out, and pulled Spike into a hug. "Tell me, Spike. Do the hugs between Twilight and myself feel the same?"

Spike blushed, but nuzzled into the hug. "Well, they are close, but yours are warmer and way less embarrassing, as long as nopony's looking."

Celestia giggled. "Spike I love your unwavering honesty." She nuzzled him on the nose. "Never change my fierce little dragon."

"Aww, cut it out! Now you're just dodging the question." Spike's teasing rang true to Celestia.

"Oh, its like that is it?" She darted her hooves around the softer points of his scales. "Revenge!" Spike laughed and squirmed as Celestia tickled him and ruffled up his spikes.

"Sorry!" Spike guffawed, gasping for breath, but leaned into the tickles happily. "Sorry! I'm sorry! Please!"

"Hmmm... Well I suppose you've learned your lesson." Celestia backed off with a grin as she continued. "Have you seen how attached Twilight is to her brother? Her need for a father figure transferred to him. As for Cadence, I expect you to answer your own question concerning her. Why wouldn't Cadence satisfy Twilight's need for a motherly connection?"

Spike thought hard. "Well, Cadence didn't show up until a couple years after Twilight moved in right? You and Twilight must have already become too close by then." Spike thought back to the hugs and memories Twilight had given him over the years. "So, I would guess while you were still around, Cadence could never actually fulfill Twilight's need for a mother. Knowing Twilight, she defined Cadence as a sister."

"Correct! Now how did you come to that conclusion?" Celestia giggled, having already guessed Spikes thought process, she half chided herself for fishing for love so blatantly.

Spike never one to disappoint, simply stated exactly what was on his mind. "Well I don't know about Twilight really, she knew her mother, but for me, nopony could ever replace you."

Celestia blushed slightly, a happy smile on her lips as she leaned down to kiss Spike gently on the cheek. "I love you too Spike, and it brings me joy being your mother."

Spike blushed, and stared down at the floor, a sheepish half smile spread on his lips as he played with the tip of his tail. "Awww..." He glanced around to make sure nopony was around, a habit picked up back at the castle. "Thanks, Mom." Celestia pulled him into squishy hug and nuzzled his neck happily. "Now, if you could just commit to Twilight like you did me. You know, since you and Twilight have already gone too far and gotten overly attached to each other. Maybe you could fix this whole problem."

"Scootaloo, you and Dash taught me this love. But now that I don't have it with anypony, what am I supposed to do without it in my life?" She rocked Scootaloo gently, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Why wouldn't Celestia just say it? Is it because I still have a mother? I just love her like a daughter would. Is it wrong to have two mothers? It’s not like she didn’t act like a mother… Do I even know how mothers act?” Twilight growled angrily through the sobs. “It’s not like I don’t love my parents or anything. Even though when I missed them most they sent my brother to take their place…”

The last thought hit Twilight hard. The day Shining Armor had shown up at the castle, was the day he became the hero of her heart, rescuing her from the pain of her missing family. “I was so happy. I was desperate, willing to accept any substitute… even now I would have accepted Celestia's love as just sisterly. I'm such a fool..."

“There are too many questions! Too many variables!” She face hoofed hard. “What have I gotten myself into?”

Celestia froze, her eyes widened, wings jittering nervously. "Spike, I can't do that!" She backed off, meeting Spikes inquisitive gaze. "She has a mother, and Twilight loves her dearly. To label it as such would be undermining her real mother’s connection to her daughter."

"Maybe you are overthinking it a little too much?" Spike raised a brow. "I don't think Twilight's mom would mind if Twilight referred to you as mother."

"Spike, I would mind. I would carry the title of Twilight's mother for the rest of our lives. How long do you think Twilight's real mother will live on this planet? Thirty, maybe fifty more years at best? I would be Twilight's mother for thousands of years, eventually I would completely overshadow her real mother. How could I live with myself?" Celestia cringed at the thought, marking it mentally as an act of loathsome malevolence.

"Wow, I see your point." Spike frowned. "Why not just call her sister then?"

Celestia sighed, long and deep as she subconsciously pulled Spike in for another hug. "Because sister doesn't cover all of my feelings, and it won’t fill the emotional hole inside of Twilight." She sniffled, followed by another sigh. "The definition of mother comes with emotions attached to it, because ponies can relate to their own emotional experiences with their mothers. Twilight is asking me to attach my emotions to a definition. In all my years, in all the languages I have learned, words still fail to translate emotions directly. Because mother is taken, and all other definitions pale in comparison, any definition I can come up with will be emotionally lacking."

Spike pulled away, shaking off the confusion of Celestia’s words, and stated the obvious. "For now we should begin searching for Twilight. That is first on the list. Next, we need to calm her down, and talk some sense into her." Spike furrowed his scaly brow. "Where could she have gone?"

Celestia took a deep breath, and pointed in a seemingly random direction. "She teleported in this direction. About six blocks. She's in a large building, and has yet to move since teleporting." She concentrated for a second. "There is another in the room. A very faint presence. Perhaps she is in a room with a sleeping… foal?"

"Scootaloo!" Spike exclaimed. "Twilight must be at the hospital!" Spike turned for the door, however Celestia halted him with a hoof, and a shake of her head. "What? Twilight needs us, shouldn't we go to her?"

"No Spike, give her time." Give me time... "We must be patient, and think this through. My impulsive plan up till now has already complicated matters far worse than they need to be. I should have put more thought into it. I knew she was unstable, that magic was involved, and it was easy to guess that foreign memories and emotions had been introduced into her psyche per the dangers of the spell I sent her. Yet instead of proceeding with caution I scolded her in a letter, then contradicted the tone I set for our meeting by overwhelming her with love and attention."

"What? Did you actually plan that? Why?" Spike stared at Celestia, not quite comprehending her logic.

"Because, Spike." Celestia met his stare straight on. "I declared her to be a danger to Equestria, and despite my feelings for Twilight, she is now an alicorn, one of the most powerful ponies to walk our planet." She looked up, in Twilight's distant direction. "Should she go rogue, it could quickly turn disastrous! I had to offset her mind, and scramble her ability to think clearly before she could detect my intrusive scanning spells. I set her off guard, after I realised the severity of the situation I quickly isolated her ability to detect the spells I was casting, and kept her from waking during the scan."

Spike blanched in shock as he backpedaled a step. "Wha… ah?" His jaw worked in twitchy time with his stuttering. Wow, that's terrifying! "I… I understand… it was necessary," he looked down, tears welling up in his eyes. "Twilight won't go rogue." He said weakly, remembering the incident from the previous night. He gritted his teeth, his fists clenching in determination. "We won't let her. Can't you rip out Rainbow Dash's memories?"

Celestia clenched her teeth. "Unfortunately, I couldn't remove Rainbow Dash's memories. The feelings attached were too intense, and the memory already too ingrained to be pulled out. I would have only damaged her further." Celestia stomped at the floor. "I'm making things worse. With all my power and knowledge… I feel so useless right now. It's the same as when Luna went over the edge, and descended into madness-" Her voice lowered hauntingly as her gaze slipped to the floor. “-to be overtaken by emotions."

A darkness fell over the princess's eyes, her muzzle pulled back, her teeth glaring menacingly. "I failed my sister." Her mane whipped about as she strode for the door. "I will not fail my daughter!"

Spike’s brain scrambled. “Wait, what?”

Celestia shook her head. “I will not fail Twilight!”

“But that’s not what you…”

“Not now, Spike. I have too much to do.” Celestia focussed hard on placing yet more spells into place.

Spike slowly shook his head in disbelief. “If you ask me… both of you are too emotional to think rationally right now.”

Celestia didn’t hear him.

“I have too many questions!” Twilight nudged Scootaloo’s shoulder, the filly's head lolling around in the crook of her foreleg. "Wake up! Please? I do still love my mother. I could never hate her. She had circumstances, both my parents did… but I still want to be loved like this! I knew I was missing something my whole childhood. I craved it. Even with Mr. Smarty Pants…” Memories of holding Mr. Smarty Pants to fight off 'his' loneliness swarmed unbidden into her mind. She bounced Scootaloo in her forelegs. "Wake up! Just for a minute? Tell me how you did it? How did you get Dash to love you? What are your feelings in return? Did you feel like I do right now?"

Did nopony see? Did nopony notice my misery? Did nopony care? She sniffled, sobbed, and growled angrily. Celestia cared! I know she did… she does… but I need to hear it. I need to confirm it- “-and now when I need her most she...”

She squeezed the sleeping filly tight to her chest and screamed, "Wake up and tell me!" She sobbed, a pleading whisper on her hissing breath. "Please..."

"Spike, prepare to take a letter." Celestia commanded smoothly as she snapped out of her casting trance. "We have preparations to make. I just alerted my sister and Cadence. Twilight's next move is most likely to run. She is going to approach this problem as she approaches any other; methodically and scientifically. She is going to her parents. She is also going to want me to chase her to prove my love."

Spike gasped. "Isn't that a little… uhm… childish for Twilight?"

Celestia sighed. "Spike, Twilight is very mature for her age in that she can handle difficult and dangerous situations with calm collective analysis, and bravely take action to protect everything she loves. She has mastered friendship, and her intelligence and magical abilities are at alicorn level. However, inside she is still a little filly who obsesses over pleasing me to garner my attention, approval, and acceptance."

She leveled a glare at Spike, though the intensity of her gaze was tempered with self loathing. "And I just abandoned that young confused filly’s feelings. She was searching me for an intensity of feelings that I can't readily express on command which caused her intense emotional pain. She will run from that pain." Her tone tinged with sadness. "She will run from me, and there is only one other that can provide the answers and comfort she needs now. Her mother."

"But, why not go to her now then? She's only a little..."

Celestia cut him off. "Because she has to run first and seek out her answers. She won't listen to me right now. The pain is too fresh. I have to let the chase build up. For now she is too mad at me, but eventually those feelings will turn to sadness that I haven't caught her, and thoughts that I have given up or stopped caring." Celestia's look hardened. Her tactical mind churning. "At that exact moment, when her barriers and misdirections begin to crack ever so slightly and waiver. That is when I need to reach her. I must shatter through every barrier she throws at me, conquer every last puzzle and misdirection. Only then will my feelings truly reach her." She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "And, only then will we both find our definition." Celestia turned with finality from a dumbfounded Spike, and threw open the library door.

Flour stood outside the library, waiting anxiously. I'm just an L.T. He thought nervously. I just left officer training… I'm not prepared for this! Being alone with the princess! He rubbed a hoof on his forehead, trying to force himself to think through the situation. My job says to keep my mouth shut and take orders from superiors, and give orders to lower ranks. Simple... He huffed, trying to mentally reorganize his brain to stick to his training. But the princess was crying... He shivered. I never imagined... His breathing picked up to a near panic. Princess or not. I can't just stand by while somepony is suffering!

He chewed at his lip, mentally slapping himself. 'Keep it simple stupid! Don't think unless you're told to! Never address the princess first, and speak only when spoken to! The princess will treat you with respect and affection… Do not let it go to your head!' His drill sergeant's voice boomed in his mind.

"Don't do anything foolish!" He mumbled to himself. "Keep the distance."

But… what if she needs help, or somepony to just listen? What if she's in pain? She was crying! A dizzy set in his head, and a quease assaulted his stomach. Princess Celestia is too kind to suffer! He blanched mentally as the morning's memories flooded back. Well most of the time... He blushed, and smiled. It had been awkward moments, but a warm giddiness flooded through at the thought that the princess had singled him out for teasing. I'm lucky just to be near her, and doubly to even be addressed in such an informal manner, regardless of whether she was teasing or not. He paced worriedly, re-railing his thought process back on topic. I have to do something… but what can I do?!

The door to the library slammed open. "Flour!"

Flour nearly jumped out of his skin as he spun around with a salute. "Yes P-P-Princess!"

Celestia leveled on him, and barked out her orders. "If you want to help out that bad then get in the kitchen and make some food, soldier! I'm starving..." She turned to the side and winked at him, her voice falling soft and flirtatious. "...and it would make me feel better."

Flour froze and dually noted that Celestia’s horn wasn’t glowing. She wasn’t reading his mind. His thoughts shattering in an instant. He attempted to organize the pieces, to place them back together, but failed miserably. His only answer to the highest superiors orders in all Equestria, was to nod dumbly.

Twilight wiped the tears from her eyes, and set Scootaloo gingerly down onto the bed as it became apparent that the filly wasn't going to snap out of her coma on command. The sadness suddenly ebbed out of Twilight leaving behind a hollow ache in her gut. Her look grew cold, calculating, and intense as she glared down at the sleeping filly.

“I don't need these feelings. They bring me nothing but pain, and misery.” She glanced out the window, her eyes settling on the library tree. “I need to find a reversal spell of some kind, or perhaps a method of erasing memories, but first I must seek answers.” Twilight chewed her lip nervously. “I can't face Celestia, not after what I did. Not yet.”

A chain of spells formed in her mind. “This will be difficult, and I will have to do it fast with exact precision.”

Inquisitive moans and whispers of the dead assaulted Twilight and echoed across the room as she tore a tiny hole into the ethereal veil. Wisps of white swirled around her, the air crackled and twisted with waves of distortion as ether flowed across the veil into the room, gathered into whirling vortexes centered on Twilight's eyes, and absorbed into her pupils. As the spell finished, and the angry inquisition's of the dead subsided, the room fell silent and dark. Save for the unearthly green tinged glow in Twilight's eyes from the soul seeing spell which flickered eerily as she manipulated magic in her mind, and hastily prepared her next spells.

“I have to move fast before Celestia comes for me. I have to fix this mess somehow, and I need that book!” Twilight grinned mischievously. “If Celestia saw fit to come and care for me herself, then the situation is worse than I thought. I need to run and hide until I can figure out how to fix this. I can't trust myself, so I need to get away from my friends before I hurt them.”

“However, I will need help from somepony wise, but impartial. I must summon the creator of the spirit book… Star Swirl.” Twilight felt a little dizzy at the thought as she cast the next spell in the que.

“Well this is going to make Mom mad… both of them…” With a flash the room stood empty, leaving an eerie maniacal giggle reverberating off the walls.

Dashaloo Days: Wonderbolt Flight Training

by RGLloyd

The Akashic Records,Twiligeddon, and Scootaloo

Discharge

Psychological damage - 1

Psychological Damage - 2

Thunder God! Scootaloo?

Locked Down

Pink Tears in a Blue Blanket

Confessions and Understanding

Tag! You're It!

Abandonment Issues?