Push Me

Now, Soarin slid off his bed and cantered over to his door. He pushed it open and made his way in the direction of the cafeteria, but instead of walking in, he stared at it. It was empty; the tables were all on their sides up against one of the walls, and there were no servers along the aisles. His gaze shifted to the far corner of the room. That’s where she was, just hours ago, eating with me… He shook his head and turned away, in the direction of the captain’s office.

Captain Floreo was a heavyset stallion, with eyes that burned into you even if he was being gentle. For this, Soarin couldn’t help but be intimidated as he eased the office door open. Floreo snapped his head up from his work. "Well, well; if it isn't our future officer! I assume Cadet Spitfire told you already?" His toothy smile seemed genuine, but it couldn’t have cheered Soarin’ up in the state he was in.

"Y-yes, she did, sir," Soarin replied, trying not to break down at the word ‘she’. "Sir, I wanted to ask permission about something pertaining to her."

Floreo raised an eyebrow. "Cadet Soarin, I'm completely fine with you pursuing a relationship with a fellow cadet, as long as it doesn't obstruct practice -- "

"No! That's not what I meant at all!" Soarin almost shouted, embarrassed. He remembered who he was talking to immediately after he said it, and sheepishly lowered his head. "Um, sir."

Based on the loud laughter filling the small office, Floreo didn't mind not being addressed professionally. Between gulps of air, he managed, "Sorry, cadet, I just had to pull that on you…”

Feeling even more awkward, Soarin said, “But you know Spitfire’s in the Canterlot Hospital right now, right, sir?”

Floreo regained his composure almost instantaneously. “Why, of course, cadet! You want to visit her, don’t you?”

Soarin’s face visibly brightened. “Yes, sir. If that’s alright; I know it’s against Academy regulations to leave until you’ve graduated, but I was wondering…if you could make an exception.”

Now that the words were out of his mouth, Soarin realized his chances of getting to leave the Academy were probably that of him getting struck by lightning while under a cumulus cloud. Stupid, stupid. I probably blew it already.

Instead of blowing him off, Floreo’s expression was still. “Cadet, if I were you, I wouldn’t visit her. She is in the Canterlot Hospital for more than just her injuries. It’s almost certain that she is suffering from depression as well, and I suspect that she has been trying to get rid of it for years.”

“Then wouldn’t a visit do her some good, sir?” asked Soarin. “Talking it over with her could help her even a little bit, couldn’t it?”

Floreo sighed. “Unfortunately, you’re not cured of depression the day after you get it. It’s not the common cold, it’s an emotional issue that some need to resolve on their own. I don’t blame you for wanting to visit, though – I’d be just as worried as you, except for the fact that it could be harmful to the both of you.”

Soarin looked at his hooves. “Well…I’d like to at least see her once.” It’s worth a shot.

Floreo was silent for a moment, then exhaled, giving a small smile. “All right, cadet. I know how it is.” He got up from his desk, the chair audibly groaning in relief, and made his way over to the door.

The flight to the hospital was made quickly and quietly. Floreo had his own fleet of chariot fliers, muscly stallions with wingspans at least twice the size of Soarin’s. For this trip Floreo chose his fastest chariot, manned by two formal Royal Guards. A brief exchange took place before they were abruptly streaking through the clouds.

They landed within walking distance of the main entrance. Floreo thanked the drivers before jumping out. Soarin followed him, and the chariot immediately departed.

Soarin noticed Floreo was frowning. “I never liked hospitals,” the captain remarked. “Always with the bright white everything, and the sanitizer…” He trailed off, one ear twitching, then regained himself. “You ready, cadet?”

“S-sure.” Soarin couldn’t help the tremor in his voice. No matter how much generosity his captain had shown him, he just wasn’t getting comfortable talking to him.

They entered through one of the automatic sliding doors and found a receptionist seated at her desk. “How may I help you?” she said, and her level tone surprised Soarin. She was talking to a captain of the Equestrian Air Force, after all.

"I'm Captain Floreo, of the Wonderbolts. We're here to see Spitfire," replied the captain. Soarin detected a hint of impatience in his voice.

"Can you wait for just a few more moments? The doctors are still tending to her, but she should be visitor-ready in about five minutes."

"Yes, ma'am." Captain Floreo sighed and took a seat in the waiting area. Soarin sat a seat away from him.

"Mind if I ask what happened before the fall?" The captain's tone was soft and sympathetic.

"Er...as long as you won't be offended by Spitfire's viewpoints on her situation," answered Soarin cautiously.

To his surprise, his superior chuckled. "By now, I'm used to her outbursts. She's always been a feisty one, even before you showed up.” Soarin wondered what she was like before he tried out for the Academy. They were the same age, but Spitfire had come to the Academy a year before him, because of pressure from her father.

“It all started when we were eating breakfast this morning,” Soain began. “Or, at least, I think that’s how it started…”

He continued with his entire recollection of the morning, starting with the breakfast conversation and ending with the fall. It was easier to talk about now, mostly because crying wasn’t going to happen in front of the captain.

When he finished, Floreo said, “That’s quite a tale. I’ve never heard someone wanting to injure themselves from the time I was first captain here.”

He looked like he wanted to say more, but then a shrill beep interrupted their conversation. "Floreo? Spitfire is ready now, as a matter of fact," said the receptionist. "She's in room 9B."

Soarin offered a soundless "thank you" as he and Floreo passed by the desk.

Hallway 9 was eerily silent, compared to all the rooms Soarin and Floreo had passed; the sounds of screaming colts and fillies (and even the whimpering of one adult mare) were sounds that Soarin desperately wanted to get out of his head.

As they approached the correct room, Captain Floreo gave Soarin a hint of a smile. "Good luck in there."

Soarin didn't say anything back, preferring to steel himself in case Spitfire was awake.

If Hallway 9 was quiet, Room 9B was dead. Save for the heart monitor at the bed and the sound of Spitfire's gentle breathing, even a deaf person could have registered a pin dropping. Spitfire was still unconscious, to Soarin's dismay. On top of that, her wings and one of her hooves were wrapped in casts, and an IV snaked from a side table into her right foreleg. Her bed had two narrow slits in the bottom for her flared wings to poke out of so she wouldn't have to lie on them.

Despite everything going in and coming out of his friend, Soarin found himself engrossed in her bright orange mane. Where her yellow coat was darker from what she had gone through, her mane was the same shade of orange it had been since he had met her years ago. I guess there is a bright spot in her after all.

The heart monitor eventually tore his attention away. He remembered the day in middle school science when his class had gone over major organs in the body. The one he remembered learning about the most was the heart, because his teacher had shown the class several heart rate graphs with audio, including the graph of a sleeping pony. Right now, Spitfire’s monitor was beeping at that exact rate. I guess she’s more or less alright, then, he told himself.

Soarin started to back out of the room when his eyes found the paper towel roll. An idea formed in his head, and he ripped a sheet off of it and grabbed the pen lying on the medical tray.

Dear Spitfire,

I’m thinking of you every second. Please pull through, for me and all the rest of us at the Academy!

--Soarin

He left the note on the tray with the pen on top of it, hoping she would see it, and then exited.