Soothing a Sad Rainbow

Rainbow Dash crashed in through the doors, skidding to a halt in front of Big Macintosh. “Where’s Scootaloo? Is she alright?” She asked frantically. She wasn’t crying, she was still in a state of shock. Applejack’s news was starting to take root in her mind, but another part of her refused to let it fully register.

When Apple Bloom saw the desperate look on her face she sniffled and hesitantly let go of her older brother, wiping her eyes dry. She wanted to keep holding on to him, but she knew Rainbow needed his calming presence more than she did. “No, she ain’t. She’s in the operating room and they’re doing the best they can.”

“What happened?” Rainbow’s voice was quiet and fragile. The Apple siblings could tell she was slowly processing the situation and was holding back a rising tide of sadness. “I need to know.”

The youngest of the siblings was the first to talk. “It was supposed to just be a boring apple hauling job with the faint potential for a cutie mark, but Big Mac’s wagon came loose and, and Ah froze up.” There was a deep tone of shame in her voice when she admitted this. “Scootaloo didn’t, but instead of saving herself, she shoved me outta the way.” There was a pause and she knew she couldn’t stop now. “The wagon hit her dead on, and smashed her up against a tree. Big Mac pulled her out and we brought her here, which pretty much leads us to right now.”

She looked at the floor, her wings drooping, closing her eyes and choking back her sadness, fighting to keep the tears from falling. Her teeth were clenched and every muscle was tensed, but she soon felt two powerful limbs encircle her and pull her in. Opening her eyes she saw her face pressed against the eldest Apple’s chest. She looked up and saw the look in his eyes.

They were soft, green, but she could see the sadness she felt reflected in them. “Let it out; bottling it up will only make it worse.” He said beginning to rub her back with one of his hooves. He rested his head on top of hers, holding Rainbow Dash close to his body. “Ain’t nobody gonna think any less of you.”

That wasn’t why she was fighting her tears. Sure crying and bawling like a foal would be uncool, but she was trying to believe Scootaloo would come out alive and well any time now, and would want her older sister’s comfort. But when she thought of what Apple Bloom told her she realized how stupid that was. If she was injured to the point she was in the operating room then there was no chance of her just walking out of there alive and well. Alive maybe, but definitely not well.

A crack formed in the dam holding back her sorrows, and tears began to form in her eyes. The crack spread, and the more it did the more her self-control slipped away. The dam fell apart and so did her efforts to hold it back. Rainbow soon found herself crying into the stallion’s chest while he held her, trying to find solace. The thought of her in so much distress, and being unable to do anything about it, made her feel utterly helpless.

Big Macintosh didn’t mind giving her an emotional rock to cling to in this time of grief. He felt her pain and her fear, and knew how it felt to be in her position. He rubbed small circles on her back, prepared to comfort her for as long as she needed. He didn’t tell her it would be okay; he didn’t know if it would. But he did tell her the next best thing. “We’re all here for you.” He rumbled.

Rainbow choked on a sob, shaking her head as she clutched onto him. “That doesn’t matter, we all need to be there for her…!” She didn’t like the thought of ponies worrying about her when her sister was in worse trouble. She felt a second, smaller pair of forelegs encircling her barrel. The pegasus turned her head to see Apple Bloom hugging her too.

“When she gets outta surgery we will, but until then, we’re here for you.” The filly told her in a gentle voice, trying to help her brother comfort her.

Her words helped to ease the anguish the mare was enduring by a slight amount. She felt a smile tug at the edges of her mouth as she let them comfort her.

Applejack arrived at Twilight’s castle, not bothering to knock. She pushed the door open, letting herself in. While it was rude to enter uninvited, time was of the essence. She checked the kitchen, the throne room, and didn’t find her friend in either of them. She checked the library and facehoofed, knowing she should’ve started there. There was the pony she was looking for, curled up with what she imagined was a good book. “Twi, Ah need your help right now.”

To her credit the princess immediately levitated a bookmark into the novel and set it aside. As soon as she looked up she saw her friend’s dejected expression and knew something bad was going on. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Twilight asked getting up.

Applejack proceeded to tell her the situation. “Ah’m hoping, praying that you have something that can help Scootaloo. Some sorta spell, potion, anything.” The farm mare pleaded of her friend. “She’s at the hospital but Ah ain’t gonna stop trying to find ways to help her out until she’s all better.”

The princess sighed and shook her head. “I’m afraid I can’t help her. I know many things Applejack, but medical knowledge for injuries of that scale isn’t among them.” She said apologetically, unable to meet her friend’s gaze.

“Ah find that hard to believe. Your personal library has more books than any one pony could ever want, and your telling me that not one of them talks about using magic to treat injuries?” She asked with no small amount of irritation.

Her response to that was to look further to the floor in shame. “I’ll see if there’s anything I can do.”

Applejack gave a frustrated grunt and left, feeling like she had wasted her time with her. She left the castle, starting to head for Zecora’s hut. If she couldn’t heal Scootaloo with a spell, maybe she could get a potion to do the job.