Fluttershy stepped out from the cottage she shared with her animal friends, looking around her peaceful front yard. She perked up when she saw what she was looking for; Angel sitting down, glaring at her.
She giggled softly and trotted over to her beloved pet. "Oh, Angel Bunny, I've been looking all over for you! We have a playdate with Dashie and Tank today, remember?" She said, blushing a bit at the thought of her friend, and secret crush. He directed her the best he could while balancing on the sink edge.
"Finally, we're ready." Fluttershy said as she balanced Angel and the picnic basket delicately between her wings. She had packed daisy sandwiches, homemade hayfries, and, her personal favorite, nut and wild berry pie. It was a family recipe, and she had never not been able to make it. She gave herself a little shake of excitement, then paused and straightened Angel and the basket back up. She then turned carefully and started to make her way towards the door, opening it quickly.
She pranced out the door, excited to see her cyan friend. When she arrived at the eating spot, Rainbow was heading her direction, speeding up as she saw her. But as Fluttershy opened her mouth to protest her speeds, a large BOOM with a flash of light exploded behind her crush. Rainbow was thrown down, her wings twisted and at awkward angles, hoof broken so badly bone poked through. Fluttershy screamed. "R-Rainbow!" She rushed over to her friend, blood staining her hooves. The grass around them had quickly gotten soaked with the blood gushing from gashes that littered her crush's body. "Rainbow?" The shy pony whimpered. The pegasus laid still, her friend staring in horror, tears coursing down her cheeks. "P-please! Somepony, hel-"
Fluttershy jerked awake, bits of the incident that led to her friend being in a coma still flashing before her eyes. She sighed, pushing her messy pink mane out of her face, glanced out her window. Celestia's sun had risen well over the tree line. "Oh... M-my poor animals... it's almost noon, and I still need to feed them..." Slowly, painfully she stood.
It had been around a month since Rainbow had crashed. Luckily Twilight had heard her calling for help, and had rushed over. Thanks to her, Rainbow was alive. She had been helpful, but Fluttershy had frozen after calling out. "You stupid, worthless pony..." She murmured to herself, eyes brimming with tears as she continued feeding her animals. In around half an hour, she had finished.
She sighed heavily, glancing towards the general direction of the Ponyville hospital. The pony set off towards it, steps heavy. Guilt had driven her to see her friend everyday, despite the doctor's doubts she would wake up anytime soon. It was determined the Rainbow had attempted a Sonic Boom, but that she had gotten a unexpected push from wind, sending her into the ground at full speed. It had dislocated her wings, along with breaking them in several places. Her hoof was snapped, and due to momentum she had been basically dragged along the uncommonly sharp rocks.
Her hoof somewhat easily fixable, but due to the complexity of a pegasus wing, and the number of breaks in it, it was doubtful she would ever fly again. Even if she could, it would be vastly limited. This put her out of her job, and home. Fluttershy was reflecting upon this when she finally reached the hospital.
The yellow caretaker walked up to the front desk somewhat nervously, the sharp smells of cleaners filling her senses. Nurse Redheart noticed her and scribbled something down. "Go right ahead, I already signed you in." Fluttershy mumbled her thanks, eliciting a sad, kind smile on the medically gifted pony's face.
As Fluttershy walked away, Nurse Redheart sat, shaking her head as she stared at her papers. Many ponies came in here, but none as often as Rainbow Dash. Her daredevil and quite reckless flying stunts landed her in the ER several times a month, at times. But, if and when she ever woke, she'd never be able to do anything of the like ever again. The whit pony blinked back tears. Now was not the time for sentiments. She forced a smile on her face as a elder, dark yellow pony and a light blue teenager walked up together.
-Page Break-
Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Ponyville and friendship, was collapsed, head on a book as a thin strand of drool hung comically from her mouth. Starlight Glimmer walked in, smirking at the sight before her. She snuck up behind the alicorn, and gingerly put her hooves around her. She reached forwards and nuzzled Twilight's cheek, then planted a soft kiss there.
Twilight jerked up in surprise. "Wha- Whostha-" She heard a groan from the floor. The Princess turned, and to her surprise, saw Starlight on the floor, clutching her throbbing muzzle in her hooves. "Geez, Twilight.... Jumpy much?"
Twilight's eyes widened as she realized what she had done. "O-oh! Starlight! Omygosh, I am so sorry!" With that, she rushed to help her marefriend up, the unicorn letting out a gusty sigh as she stood. "It's fine, hun." She said tenderly, before wiping the strand of drool from Twilight's face.
"It's about time to go see Rainbow, and I had figured you had lost track looking for a situation..." Twilight winced, turning to the book she'd fallen asleep on. "I still can't find anything..." She toyed with the page edges, running her hoof up them. "I've searched hundreds, hundreds of books. But still..."
The alicorn suddenly slammed the book closed, and her wings whipped open and out in her anger. "Nothing!"
She let out a small gasp as she lowered her wings, tearing up. Let's just go... Nothing here is of help..." Starlight gave her a slightly concerned look, but nodded and started off, Twilight close by her side.
-Page Break-
Applejack's hooves connected powerfully with the tree behind her, apples landing mostly in their respective baskets. She then sighed, wiping her brow with a hoof. "Well, there's the last of 'em...." She muttered softly to herself before gathering up the baskets carefully. The farm pony trotted off towards the wheelbarrow, dumping them in. After bringing them to the barn, she trotted off to be more by herself.
Applejack eventually arrived at a leaning, damaged tree. She stared at it angrily for a few minutes before spinning around and giving it a few strong, hateful bucks. When she had finished, it was slightly more damaged than before, and leaning more severely. "Stupid bucking tree..." Applejack trailed off, flopping to the ground in front of it.
-Page Break-
Pinkie Pie waved goodbye to the young couple leaving Sugarcube Corner, grinning wildly as she did. As the door closed, her face and mane fell and she laid her head on the counter. Her hoof traced invisible patterns on the hard surface. She gave a melancholy sigh, before jumping upright at the sound of the door.
Her hooves went frantically to her mane, puffing it up to at least half the normal Pinkie standards. "H-Hia there! How can I-" Her eyes widened as she realized who it was. The white unicorn stared hard at her, an elegant eyebrow raised in faint suspicion. "O-ohhh, hey there, Rarity." "Darling," The fashionista started, eyes returning to normal as she spoke. "Would you please be so kind as to please grab some muffins for Sweetie and her little friends?" Pinkie Pie gave her a slightly nervous smile. "Yeah, sure thing!"
Rarity watched as the pink party pony prepared a bag, then handed it to her. "No charge!" Pinkie sang out, grinning a bit too big for Rarity's comfort. "Darling, are you... okay? The white unicorn ventured. Pinkie's smile faltered for a second before returning full blast. "Oh, of course! I just miss Dashie a bit. And I, uh...." The earth pony's eyes flickered to to kitchen doorway. "I gotta go now!" She darted off, leaving faint puffs of dust in her wake. Rarity sighed, and grabbed her muffians before making her way out the door. "We all mis her..." She whispered to herself.
-Page Break-
Fluttershy walked down the hall, face hidden in her mane. She reached the room, and sat down next to the bed. She stared at Rainbow, pain spreading deeper in her chest at the sight of the tubes all around her crush.
Rainbow had been the light of her life since she had saved Fluttershy back in flight school. She had been so brave, and strong. And over the years, Fluttershy's infatuation with her only grew. Her confidence, her daring grin, childish voice.... all these things were what made Rainbow what she was. Even now, with her once strong wings broken badly as they were, she was still so beautiful. Her wings... when Rainbow was told she would no longer fly.... Fluttershy shook her head silently. Flying meant the world to Dash. Fluttershy had heard so many of the stories. How Rainbow was flying when she was barely out of diapers, how she had finally found a name in her small neighborhood from it, how it's all her dad would do with her....
Laying her head down carefully, she breathed in the rainbow maned pony's scent. The faint, yet warm smell of cream and blueberries, the unconscious pony's favorite treat, mingled with the harsher, colder hospital scent. A few tears darkened the blue fur beneath her. This was all her fault. If she hadn't frozen up like that... If she hadn't chosen the meadow with those winds.... maybe, Rainbow would still able to fly. Maybe she wouldn't be in a coma. And, just maybe, she'd love Fluttershy back. Because, Fluttershy thought to herself. Because there's no way she'll love me now.
All the sudden, the cyan pony beneath her shifted.
Fluttershy shot up, eyes widening at her friend. Rainbow stirred again, groaning softly as her eyes slowly opened.
Author's Note
Okay, so this IS my first story, so I'd appreciate constructive criticism. However, please keep it at least somewhat friendly. Thanks! X3
The clip-clop of Luna's pacing hoofs filled the air and swept around the room in a repetitious echo. That and her faint, barely audible muttering were the only sounds filling her room. Time passed on quite a bit before she finally sat, albeit in the middle of the floor. She gazed at the mirror across the room, frowning severely.
After a few seconds, Luna yelped in surprise, fear filling her cyan eyes. She launched herself at the mirror, pounding and clawing it as if to clear it of it's image.
Taking no notice of the fact that it had already shattered, she continued to paw at it mercilessly, blood spattering from her hooves.The night princess finally stopped breathing heavily as she sank to the ground, laying amid the broken mirror and her own blood. Her breathing soon turned into shaky, broken sobs, and she slowly cried herself out.
Finally, she sat back up, horn glowing as she cleaned the area around her. She went to stand, but was stopped by the pain in her hooves. Lifting a hoof, she stared at the bloody mess it had become. Luna sighed again, hovering over to the bathroom.
Taking a wet cloth in her magic, she wiped down her hooves till they had minimal blood on them. The alicorn proceeded to lift her bandages in her magic, wrapping each hoof painfully and carefully. When she had finally finished, she flew back to her bed after casting a simple spell to hide the bandages, and collasped on it with a heavy sigh.
She rolled onto her back, staring vacantly at the ceiling. She thought numbly about what she had seen. Herself, yes but... Black had raced up her, her eyes snakelike, her teeth grew sharper, dripping dark blood.
Luna whimpered a bit at the thought. How am I still not rid of the Nightmare? She thought to herself. It has been years, and many things had improved for me since. And yet... I cannot ignore the flashes of black in the corner of my eye whenever I turned my head, or the echo of maniacal laughter whenever the castle was silent. Or the fact that whenever I passed a reflective surface, THAT happened. Or my dreams, when my fangs rip into-
The door opened suddenly, a tall, white alicorn walking gracefully in, multicolored mane waving in a breeze only it responded to. "Little sister? It is time for your court hours."
Luna sighed heavily, before rolling off her bed. "Of course, sister..." She trod off carefully, mind already numbed to the world.
Meanwhile, in the darker shadows of the castle, a dark, moving mass lurked. The pitch black substance darted through the shadows, following her. As Luna entered the throne room, the mass followed, and took it's place in the corner. It's body rippled, and in it's place stood a pony of nondescript features.
She had a dark grey coat, and a thick, two-toned light blue mane. Her cutie mark was covered by a silvery cloak, with two slits for her wings. To anypony looking at her, she was just a normal pegasus.
The pony slipped out, her hooves barely making a sound on the marble floors. As she walked down the hall, the guards hardly gave her a second glance, some strange force keeping their focus elsewhere.
When she had reached her destination, she entered the room, the pleasant smell of breads and cakes filling her muzzle. She trod on, hardly even noticing the smell. The grey mare stopped in front of a large, elegant looking cake. She smiled pleasantly at it.
Then, she turned around and bucked it into a wall.
The mare then winked at it's remains, vanishing in a flash of teleportation magic, leaving only the spattered cake, and the bakers bursting in seconds later to discover the cakey carnage.
-Page Break-
"What do you MEAN the cake for the diplomatic meeting was found destroyed?" Princess Celestia said calmly as she could, staring down at the baker. The young stallion looked up. "Completely mashed, your Highness. No time to make a new one, either."
The Princess sighed, closing her eyes. "This has gone on too long. Things being disabled, foods destroyed, other weird instances... there must be somepony behind it." She gracefully walked to the window. "They must have a darker purpose, but what?" Closing her eyes, she sighed again. "We must increase guard levels. No corner unguarded."
Her eyes opened, gleaming softly. "We SHALL find this petty criminal."
Author's Note
Thank to all who read and commented on my story so far! This is just a quick chapter, I might add more later. Constructive criticism appreciated!