The wind felt great as it whipped through her hair. It always did on days like such. The sun was out, the breeze was cool, what could be better? Rainbow Dash flew through the sky, yet again determined to beat her record. To the other ponies who watched, it seemed like she was going too fast to be seen clearly. But to Rainbow, the world moved at a speed to rival that of a turtle. She loved being up there, especially when she had an audience. Oh how she loved to show off for ponies. But she could have none of that now. Not when she almost had it. It was almost within her reach. The crowd cheered. Twilight Sparkle held up the stopwatch and screamed into the sky.
"You did it Rainbow! Eight seconds!" She cried to the pegasus above. But Rainbow could barely hear the alicorn's cries. She looked down at the crowd, taking her eyes off the sky ahead. Her mistake was soon realized as she flew into a passing sky-cart. Stunned and confused, she plummeted to the ground. A group of five ponies rushed to attempt a catch. The princesses smiled upon them today, for they were successful in catching the falling mare. Rainbow Dash came to after about an hour. When she opened her eyes, she noticed that the area was much busier then when she had last looked around. There were paramedics talking with an orange mare. Rainbow propped herself up into a sitting position, for she was previously lying on the ground.
"Hey Applejack, what's going on?" Rainbow Dash called out to the orange mare. The mare and one of the paramedics trotted over to her spot.
"You should be resting, Sugarcube." Applejack said to Rainbow as the paramedic put a hoof on her chest. Confused, Rainbow tried to say that she felt fine, but was shushed by the paramedic. The paramedic, who was a lavender earth pony with blue hair, got up and turned to talk to Applejack. Rainbow couldn't hear the conversation, for it was said in a whisper. But when the to turned around, the paramedic smiled and turned towards the other paramedics. They left not only the field, but Rainbow, Applejack, and four other mares alone in that field.
"What's going on?" Rainbow asked the group. The other 4 mares looked to Applejack, the element of honesty, to explain.
"Well, after you beat your sky clearing record, you flew into a sky-cart and fell to the ground. We went and caught you, but you had hurt yourself. Pinkie Pie went to go get some help, and when they arrived they looked you over." She explained. Rainbow nodded.
"What did they tell you?" She asked. Applejack frowned, the bad news on his lips.
"They said you should come into the hospital when you can. It isn't serious, but they can't bring you there themselves without a stretcher, which they didn't have." Applejack said. Rainbow turned away from the mare, and stared blankly out into the blue sky.
"OK..." She said, sighing. Rainbow had many things planned, but it would seem that she would have to squeeze in a hospital visit soon. "Can you guys help me up?" She asked, trying to get up. The others walked over and helped the cyan mare off the ground. Together, they went back to Sweet Apple Acres to have lunch. Rainbow was bothered by the fact that the paramedics said she should go to the hospital, but her stomach held better control of her thoughts. It can wait, she thought. It can... wait.
The group made their way to Sweet Apple Acres, home to the Ponyville branch of the Apple family. Applejack lived here with her older brother, younger sister, and grandmother. The four of them manage the orchard and harvest apples to sell all across Equestria. They make a decent living off of it, but sometimes Applejack wishes for more. Rainbow knows this, and has been preforming for events. Applejack welcomes the help from all of her friends. The bond these six have is stronger then most friendships. Their friendship has a mural on the side of the Apple family barn. Drawn by Pinkie Pie, it shows the six of them, all hugging. Above them, in the sky, are Celestia and Luna, both with their respective heavenly bodies held above their heads. The group stop to admire the painting, glancing over it and amazed at how it hasn't weathered away.
"Is that zap apple pie I smell?" Pinkie asked, breaking the silence. The others broke out of the trance and sniffed the air. In agreement, they all give an approving hum. Applejack, turned to the house and saw the pie cooling on the windowsill.
"I guess we can have a slice after lunch. Granny always makes sure to bake more then one pie." She said, smiling at the excitement coming from Pinkie. Applejack led the group to the house, and went inside while the others seated themselves at a picnic table. Painted red to match the barn, the paint has started to chip, showing it's constant use and long time service in creating many Apple family memories. After about seven minutes, the country mare emerged from the farm house with a tray off sandwiches. The famished crew chowed down, and joked. All was good.
Time passed, pie had been sliced and devoured. The group calmed down, and departed. Goodbyes passed, Rainbow decided that now was a good enough time to go see a doctor like she was told. It wouldn't take away from her schedule, so she decided to take opportunity. Her wings were still sore, so she decided to take a nice walk. Along the way, she took note of the brilliant green grass, the occasional passerby, and the fresh air that blew throughout Ponyville. Rainbow was quite surprised to find herself at the hospital so quickly, for it seemed like she had just left Sweet Apple Acres. She had been admiring the beauty of nature so intently, she hadn't noticed where she had been going. Nonetheless, she came here with purpose, and so she entered the building, ready to fulfill that purpose. The clerk at the desk looked up from his paperwork, and listened to Rainbow as she explained what had happened. The stallion nodded, his messy brown hair falling over his eyes. He brushed his hair back, and phoned in a doctor. Rainbow Dash sat down in the waiting area, but soon had to get up. A mare with striking green eyes and a teal coat came out of one of the doors and called her name. Exhausted, Rainbow got up and walked over to the doctor. She smiled at Rainbow, and motioned for her to follow. The doctor led her down the hall, and into a room to the right. Rainbow took seat on the examination bed.
"So what seems to be the issue?" The doctor asked. Rainbow Dash repeated what she had told the clerk. The doctor nodded throughout the story, taking notes every here and there. When Rainbow finished, the doctor nodded one last time and looked up from her notes. "Well, Rainbow, it doesn't sound like it would be too serious. But if the paramedics sent you over, I think we should run an x-ray. Is that OK?" The doctor asked. Rainbow nodded.
"That sounds fine doctor.. uh... What is your name?" Rainbow said, an unsure gesture coming from her hooves. The doctor smiled warmly.
"I'm Doctor Harmlily." Rainbow was surprised by the answer.
"Wait, Harmlily? What is your first name?" Rainbow inquired, her interest peaked. The doctor looked wary, but continued.
"Teal..." Rainbow Dash realized something about Doctor Harmlily. She had went to grade school with a Teal Harmlily. They used to be friends, until she went to join the Junior Speedsters.
"Teal! I remember you. We went to grade school together. we used to be friends!" Rainbow exclaimed, getting excited. She smiled brightly at the doctor. The response was met with an embrace. During the embrace, Rainbow cringed a bit, her wings not feeling too grand. Teal pulled away, saying sorry.
"That's where I remember you from. but I'm working right now. Formalities should still be kept in line." Teal said. Rainbow Dash nodded. "Now lets go to the x-ray room." Doctor Harmlily said. Rainbow never did like getting an x-ray, and she has had plenty. But this one was quick, only a few pictures. When they were done, they returned back to the examination room with the images. Doctor Harmlily put them up on the lightboard. She turned to Rainbow. Rainbow looked on her old friend's face, and saw that same look of bad news she saw on Applejack earlier that day. "It would seem that you have broken one of your lesser wing bones. It isn't serious, that is probably why the paramedics didn't rush you here, but it still should be fixed." Doctor Harmlily said. The doctor trotted over to a desk, and started to write on a slip of paper. She handed the slip to Rainbow Dash. "Show this to Bren, the clerk, and he will make you an appointment." Rainbow took the slip, and looked up in confusion.
"An appointment for what?" She asked the doctor. Doctor Harmlily sighed.
"We have to remove the broken bone and put in a replacement. Simple surgery, you will be back on your hooves in no time." Doctor Harmlily tried to be reassuring, but the looked on Rainbow's face showed that it hadn't worked. Rainbow looked back at the slip. The slip said that the appointment should be made for the 23rd. That is two weeks from now. That is when I am supposed to see Spitfire about joining. Rainbow hung her head, and walked out of the room. Doctor Harmlily did nothing to stop her. She did all she could do. Rainbow Dash made the appointment, and left the hospital. Then a thought struck her. She can't fly, so how can she get home? Tired, she headed to the place closest to her, Twilight's castle. Maybe Twilight can spare a blanket or two. After all, it was a chilly night.
Author's Note
This story is just the spawn of an idea. And it isn't fully developed, since I have the last sentence only. That is all I have prior to typing.
Updates will be at random. Along with updating, I will try and re-read previous chapters to keep a grasp on continuity. If there are any mistakes I might has missed please inform me whether it be in the comments or PM.
This is my first story.
Two weeks later
The surgery had went well. The fake bone was put into placed, and all was good. Rainbow Dash didn't even have to miss her meeting with Spitfire. Before going in for the surgery, Rainbow stopped by and asked Spitfire if the meeting could be moved to sometime after her procedure. Being the reasonable pony that she is, Spitfire had set up a date that Rainbow could meet and be in good health. All was good...
Upon receiving her doctor's permission, Rainbow Dash settled on testing herself by attempting to beat her previously beaten record. She knew this was a ludicrous requirement she was placing over her head, as did Twilight, but she needed to be back in those skies, pushing herself. How else was Rainbow Dash supposed to become a member of the most prestigious flying group in Equestria? So here she was, in those familiar grasses, prepping her wings for flight, a crowd gathering round her. The sky shared a prismatic glow with Rainbow's eyes, as her eye's swelled up in tears. The time she spent off her wings have caused them to lock up, and her stretching was met with a few pops.
"Somepony looks ready to soar." A familiar voice said. Rainbow turned around to see her five best friends parting their way through the crowd and trotting over to meet her. Twilight had her stopwatch, Pinkie had popcorn, Rarity had her opera glasses, but Applejack had something peculiar. Slung over her back was a first-aid kit, it's clean white cloth vivid under the glowering sun. Rainbow Dash frowned. She would expect her friends to have some faith in her. She made have gotten hurt last time, but now she was ready to rock 'n roll.
"Why the kit AJ?" Rainbow Dash asked, motioning to the saddle bag. She may have her own thoughts about why AppleJack brought the first aid kit, but she wanted to know what the orange mare's intentions were. The other five ponies formed a tight circle to talk.
"I just wanted to be careful, that's all." AppleJack replied, averting her eyes. Rainbow Dash knew she was lying. She was bad at it. Being the Element of Honesty didn't mean she couldn't lie ever, but it more or less entitled a poorly developed capacity for lying. And AJ surely represented that in her facial expressions. But Rainbow decided to let her have her way and shrugged it off, turning to Twilight.
"Are you ready to time me?" Rainbow asked the alicorn. Her wings were fluffed, her muscles were loose, and she was ready to take off. Twilight nodded her response and held up the watch, motioning for Rainbow to take flight. Rainbow Dash prepped, getting ready to take off. But instead of Twilight commanding her to begin, a different noise left the mares mouth. A hoot. It was at that moment that Rainbow Dash woke up, thrashing the covers off of her. She ended her fit and took a look around. She was in the Golden Oak Library, in the spare bed. It was the day after the accident. All was not well.
Rainbow Dash tossed herself out of the bed, and fell to the floor. Her tumble was caused by another hoot, coming from behind her. She looked up and saw Twilight's pet owl perched in the window. Rainbow mumbled to herself and rose from the floor. She had things to do, and only two weeks to do them. She headed out of the library without hesitation, and went straight to her Wonderbolts Academy. But her trek was almost instantly cut short when she stumbled upon a young orange filly zooming by on a run-down scooter. She young filly stopped right next to Rainbow and started to walk the scooter alongside the mare.
"Rainbow Dash, are you all right? I heard about the accident yesterday!" The young filly rushed, panting in between words, obviously out of breath from her ride here. Rainbow Dash didn't have time to be chatting with the admiring child, but then again, there was two weeks.
"I'm fine Scootaloo, just a little sore." Rainbow patted the filly's head, succeeding in reassuring the child. Scootaloo perked up. Rainbow watched as a smile dashed across Scootaloo's face, and a spectrum of colorful ideas sped through her mind as she wondered what the filly could be thinking. No matter, Rainbow had something she had to do.
"Hey Scoots, I gotta dash, things to do." Rainbow said. She was met with a sad nod and a wave as Scootaloo scooted off to attend to her own business. Finally, Rainbow could get something done. She kept on thinking about how She would approach Spitfire with her request, but none of her ideas seemed plausible. Drowning in worry, she decided that the best way to go about this was to take it by year. The world is full of second chances, right?
Author's Note
At one point it became a challenge to see how many times I could successfully use puns involving Rainbow Dash. I'm so sorry. Not really, they all brought a dash of flavor. 
A small update to it to get the story moving along. Some may have noticed that I have the Trixie tag enabled, but haven't mentioned her yet. The next update will be larger and longer, but it might take a while to get around to doing.
