Author's Note

Sorry for the slight delay.

Had a wedding to attend last week.

The final scene between Strider and Dancer was Written by RarityEQM.

A cute scene in my opinion.

Broken.

The sun outside slowly began to rise, lifting higher and higher into the sky above Manehatten. Its warm ray's pouring into the small open window of Lifeline Hospital, the white room within growing brighter as a small orange filly awoke from her slumber.

Crimson Rose was placed on her side facing the window, small hooves placed at her side with the upmost of ease by the nurses of this hospital. She loved waking-up to the sun rising, its rays warming her fur while reminding her of better days.

The days she wasn't bound to a bed, unable to move a hoof or swish her tail. The smallest of movements threatening to shatter her bones to pieces, much like a priceless work of art, she was to be seen and rarely touched by other's.

That day when whatever was in that chest dropped upon her, haunted her memories, the day she had been infected with what the doctor's here called The S-Virus. A horrible condition that caused her bones to become brittle with each passing day, the pain of simply lying down sometimes too much to bare.

Dr.Holiday the head doctor here, did the best he could to treat her, having found her at the door to the hospital on a dark stormy night. Her old friend Dancer had carried her across town to Lifelines front steps, worried that she might perish once odd symptom's had begun to appear.

It once was simply aching in her joints, now within the span of just two year's she had been stricken to complete bedrest. Any movement not under the care of Dr.Holiday himself, could shatter her completely.

A life unable to move, unable to play.

Or simply bathe herself.

This existence felt closer to a nightmare, every passing day.

If it wasn't for him, she might have already given up.

" How is my lovely Rose? " The voice of a stallion spoke as the sound of a door opening caught the fillies attention.

" I'd be lying da...doctor if I said I was fine. " Rose sighed hearing Dr.Holiday walk around her bed into her view, the earth pony was a brilliant mind and caring to boot.

He treated her as if she were normal, everyday reassuring her, he would cure her in time. His words sparking hope deep within her soul, those promises keeping her warm during the cold nights.

In her eyes he was more than a doctor, he was like a father.

" Now don't go losing hope my love, each day we come a bit closer to a cure. " Holiday smiled as he ran his hoof delicately across her withering mane, the filly flashing a weak smile.

" I'll try..." Rose spoke with a smile, her voice filled with doubt.

Holiday sighed, the lean earth pony slowly sliding his hoof into the right pocket of the lab coat he was wearing, his slick black mane swept back neatly. He did feel pity for this child, but her body was a goldmine of information.

He had ran across many deadly diseases in his time, but none came close to the S-Virus. It was filled with defenses to survive and the abilities to destroy. The closest thing to death itself he had seen, if he could crack what made this virus tick, then he might be able to create cures for other illnesses for generation's to come.

Would this filly survive to see that day?

Most likely not, but she didn't need to know that.

Removing a slender box from his coat, he placed it before the filly in silence, her eyes widening in fear at the mere sight of it.

" Must we do that again? " She spoke voice quivering.

" I'm so sorry Rose, but I need more samples. " Holiday replied his voice calm and soothing to the filly.

Gently clipping open the box, he lifted its top to reveal a slender shot within. A long pointed needle shimmering in the light as he lifted it up to his eyes.

" Just relax, think of happy times.- I'll be as quick as I can. " Holiday smiled to his patient, slowly walking to the other side of the bed, the filly closing her eyes awaiting the pain to come.

Crimson knew no matter what she thought of, the pain would be unbearable. Holiday took a deep breath, lifting the needle as it slowly began to pierce the childs backside.

" Ready? " He asked in a reassuring tone.

" Just do it! " Rose spoke through gritted teeth, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

The stallion nodded in silence pushing the needle deep into her backside, the wickedly long needle pushing inward into the childs spine to take another sample. Rose screamed aloud in pain unable to control her body, her right hoof lifted in pain , the sudden lift in weight causing the bone in her leg to snap.

Her scream's filling the hallways of the hospital.

" So when ya hit the ground. try to aim for a carriage. " Strider spoke with a calm tone of voice, holding two rotten tomatoes, one in each hoof, his gaze filled with focus.

" Isn't falling off top a building good enough? " Dancer rolled her eyes, small hooves atop the ledge of the building as she gazed down below, watching many ponies walking about through the streets.

" I will admit kid it's impressive, but no. if you can't hit a moving carriage, smack into a pony or sumthin. " Strider spoke in a serious tone before crushing both rotten tomatoes atop the childs head.

A rancid stench filling the air around her, as the young stallion smeared the red juices all across Dancers coat. The small filly lifting her hoof to her muzzle and taking a whiff, eyes widening in pure shock.

" Ohh!- I smell like I died week's ago!! " Dancer placed both small hooves over her nose to block out the smell.

" It ain't that bad kid, the bag I found em' in had four in it- I ate two and they tasted alright." Strider smirked as the filly lowered her hooves down in shock.

" Ewww!, you ate some? " She asked with a squeal, the pegasus just shrugging nonchalantly, his hooves quickly pushing her off the ledge, plummeting down to the street below.

The fall down to the street below, came in what felt like slow motion, the wind softly caressing her mane as her small frame sliced through the air with ease. For a split second it felt soothing to her soul, then she snapped open her eyes, just in time to come face to face with the roof of a carriage.

The small filly smashed face first into the roof of a moving carriage, her body bouncing with force to the right side, only to hit the roof of another carriage. The pony gasping for air as she rolled off the roof and onto the road, a passing carriage unable to stop, simply running over the small child with multiple thuds.

" Oh My Celestia!!! " A mare screamed in horror as she lifted a hoof up and fainted.

Ponies from every corner of the street rushed around the child, her fur soaked in what they thought was red blood. Vendor's, driver's and simple ponies just out for the day, formed a circle around her limp body.

Dancer kept her eyes as closed as she could, hearing the sad whisper's of those around her. Taking shallow breathes, she prayed to Luna that Strider would hurry up and steal some fresh food, she hated being the center of attention, most of all when everypony thought you were dead.

" Stay back everypony!- nothing to see here." A guard on duty from a local store spoke in a calm tone, trying to usher ponies away from the scene.

Strider swiftly making his way to the many fruit vendor's unattended, swiping as much food as he could, while the crowd was busy.

Within the crowd one young pegasus slowly stepped outward towards Dancer, she had a flowing bright red mane that almost sparkled in the sunlight. Her coat was a pale yellow color, a small basket of freshly picked flower's tied around her neck.

The yellow filly folded her ears back sadly, approaching Dancer in silence, gazing upon her, the child placed the flowers she had collected around Dancer with the upmost care, the guard too busy holding back the crowd to notice.

" Dear Celestia, this girl is just about my age, I know not how she fell nor how she lived, but please offer her a place within your warm embrace and take away all the pain she might have felt. " The pegasus spoke in the most melodic soft tone Dancer had ever heard, yet above all thing's she was offering a prayer to her.

Dancer slowly crept her light blue eyes open completely, watching the yellow filly continue her prayer holding back tears. She felt really bad for fooling this girl and everypony else, a pinge of guilt growing in her small frame.

" Phst.- I'm ok don't cry. " Dancer lifted up her head slowly, tomato juice running down her head and onto the ground eerily.

"........AHHHHHH!!! " The filly screamed in horror quickly bolting off towards the alleyway, everypony quickly gazing over to her in shock and confusion.

" I...sorry!! " Dancer stumbled over her words, cheeks blushing a light pink color before she ran off after the frightened filly.

The crowd unsure what just happened slowly began to disassemble, Strider barely making his way behind the corner of a nearby dumpster. He had swiped some food but not as much as he would have preferred, what in Equestria caused that kid to jump up like she did was beyond him.

Dancer struggled to catch her breath as she ran deeper into the alleyway, taking a few twist's and turn's around the grimy streets. Following the yellow fillies hoofsteps she hoped she could catch up to her, yet in a surprise the hoofsteps lead right to a dead end.

Dancer came to a complete stop, gently plopping down to her hind hooves, eyes darting about the narrow alleyway and towards the tall wall before her in silence.

" I'm sorry for scaring you, it's just I was caught off guard by your kindness! " Dancer yelled out into the alley, her voice echoing around her.

" My dumb friend made me do it, please don't be mad at me! " Dancer folded back her ears slowly.

" I hope you're alright, you just remind me of a old friend..." Dancer sighed aloud slowly walking back the way she had come, unknown to her a small dirty box beside a large dumpster lifted up, the yellow pegasus watching Dancer walk away in curiosity.

" So, tell me 'bout this pal o' yours. " The voice was harsh and unexpected, but riddled with a rare warmth Diamond hardly heard slip from Star Strider. The teenaged pegasus was laying next to her on a hilltop- at the outskirts of the city of Manehatten, where the two of them had gone to partake in Diamond's new favorite past time- watching stars.

" Who? Crim? She's just...you know...she was my friend..." Diamond muttered idly, not giving into the prying curiosityshe could feel tugging at her from Star's voice. The colt didn't give up though.

" Look, kid, it ain't exactly like you're miss popularity out here. Friends is what I'd call a rare commodity for ponies like you, and me. You want as many as you can get. What happened to you two? " Star Strider asked, lifting up on his elbows to peer into the black sky above him.

" We were doin' a job and things went south. Like, really south." Diamond sighed quietly. A spark of excitement flashed in Star Strider's eyes and his ebony lips twisted into a ivory grin.

" Oh yeah? So what your sayin is she's locked up? Hey, no problemo- All we gotta do is spring the kid, you are talkin to the primo lock picker in all of Manehatten! " Strider purred quietly, but Diamond rolled her eyes.

" No, she ain't locked up. She's at...She's at Lifeline Hospital. She got real sick...got covered in this goop or somethin, I...I tried to save her, Strider, I really did! " Diamond blurted out suddenly. Star Strider winced quietly. Sure, he felt bad for her friend, but the opportunity to make a new connection was gone, and that irked him. Well...maybe not...

" So you're sayin' she ain't locked up? Well, why don't we just take a stroll to Lifeline and- "

" She don't wanna to see me. Fact is if she could, I bet she'd try and strangle me to death for what I did to her. She's real sick and it's all my fault." Diamond sighed.

" Awww, come on kid, I bet she don't hate you. She probably misses you a whole bunch! Sides, we could probably swipe a buncha medicine from the hospital, and sell it to- Whoa, whoa, whoa, evil eyes, geex, calm down kiddo, you could kill somepony with a look like that, take it easy! " Strider whimpered, catching a death glare from Diamond.

" Alright, alright, we'll nix the medical discounts, but I still say you oughta drop in on your friend. " Strider offered with a sheepish grin. Diamond gave another little huff.

" Me and she? We ain't friends...not no more." Diamond grumbled. Star shrugged his shoulders, and leaned back on the soft grass, peering up to the sky quietly.

" Well...tell you what, make a wish and tomorrow we'll see how you feel about goin' ta talk to her, alright? "

" ...Alright, Strider..." Diamond said softly, and gazed up to the twinkling dots high in the night sky.

" Star light... Star bright..."