The afternoon air was gently weaving it’s way around Ponyville as the sunshine itself glistened throughout the entire town square. Feint aromas of flowers and even trees could be sensed from the wind, as the idyllic afternoon could be hard pressed to paint an even better picture. This especially made Rainbow Dash’s time with Fluttershy all the more precious and comforting, such pleasant conditions couldn’t possibly fail to cheer the depressed yellow mare up. Well, at least Rainbow Dash thought that as she and Fluttershy had arrived just outside of Daisy’s Flower Shop, which was only half a mile from Sugarcube Corner.

“See, we are here now, so let’s take our time and enjoy what this shop has to offer, I know that this will improve your mood.” said Rainbow to Fluttershy as the two friends entered the door into the flower shop.

“Oh, thanks again Dash, but I know that these kinds of things can get rather boring for you, if you don’t want to do this, then you don’t have to.” said Fluttershy meekly, as she subtly looked in the direction of her speedy friend.

“Aw nonsense, you know I would do anything to help you Fluttershy, and if you do not want to talk about it right now, then the least I can do for you is show you to a good time, and I know that you love to come here anyway.” assured Rainbow to her friend.

The two pegasi trotted to the back of the flower shop, where they say Daisy wandering around. The flower mare was closely looking over each of the various plants and fruits that she had in stock for the day.

Daisy seemed rather at peace with working here, and anypony who came to visit could not help but feel happy along with her. While she was preparing to water some of the flowers that had just arrived at her shop the day prior, she noticed Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy approach her.

“Why hello there Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash.” greeted Daisy with a benign demeanor that seemed to temporary put Fluttershy at ease.

“Wassup Daisy, how are thing goin’ around hear today?” responded Rainbow, trying to sound more interested that she truly was. It was not that she didn’t enjoy being in Daisy’s shop, it was simply that she was not used to coming here unless she had Fluttershy with her.

“Oh... Umm... Hi Daisy, it’s a pleasure to see you today.” spoke Fluttershy in her usual, soft and unassuming tone.

“What brings you two here today, looking to by some more of these white roses that arrived a few days back?” asked Daisy with enthusiasm as she made a gesture over to the remaining stock of white roses that remained in the shop. They all sat in vases, filled with water, and all of the vases were placed neatly on top of a table that sat close to the entrance of the shop.

“Well, not exactly, we just decided to stop by and enjoy the sights, and in this case, the smells too.” said Rainbow as she began to sniff the wonderful aroma of all of the flora that surrounded her. This sensation put her at ease and she certainly hoped that it did for Fluttershy too.

“Oh, that’s okay, just let me know if you need anything.” said Daisy while she continued to tend to the various flowers that adorned her shop.

“Thanks.” said Rainbow as she made her attention back to Fluttershy, who seemed rather jaded by the whole experience.

“Hey, are you alright Fluttershy, you seem rather quiet right now, even more quiet than usual?” asked Rainbow with concern as she could not help but see that Fluttershy had not reacted to being in the shop the was she usually did.

“No, it’s just, I fell as if something or ....rather somepony is watching me.” said Fluttershy with an eerie, yet calm tone as she stared right into Rainbow Dash’s eyes before turning to look at some of the flowers around her.

“Hmm, okay, well I doubt that anypony other than me is watching you right now, but like I said Flutters, if anything is bothering you, just let me know.” said Rainbow Dash as she smiled to her friend, trying her best to cheer Fluttershy up.

Fluttershy did not respond, but rather continued to focus only on the flowers that directly befell her gaze.

“Huh, you are really taking in the sights of all the flowers here, at least I am glad that something is taking your mind off of the things that were bothering you earlier.” said Rainbow as she gently patted Fluttershy’s head, trying to reinforce the fact that she as there to help.

“I just hope that I am not coming off as overbearing, that is all.” continued on Rainbow, trying to not make Fluttershy get uncomfortable or do anything that could set off the timid mare into even more emotions of anxiety and despair.

“Huh...ehh... No, it’s just that...” murmured Fluttershy as Rainbow began to notice a few tears start to form in the yellow mare’s eyes.

“Flutters, whats wrong now, is the pollen in the air getting to you, because if it is, then we can step outside for a short while.” suggested Rainbow Dash, not sure of the reason for Fluttershy’s sudden change in mood again.

“No, what I meant was that as long as I am staring at these flowers, then I don’t have to look at the horrible thing that is staring at me through the front window of the shop.” said Fluttershy without any discernable trace of emotion as she began to tremble. She then began to gaze at the surrounding items in the shop, at anything, as long as it kept her eyes off of the ‘’thing’’ that had unfortunately decided to peak at her through the shop window.

“Wh.. What?” asked Rainbow Dash as a sudden feeling of dread and fear fell down her spine, causing sweat to beat quickly down her forehead.

“What did you say?” asked Rainbow again as she put her forehooves gently around Fluttershy’s face, and then turning it to meet her own face.

“Please Dash, please don’t make me look at that thing in the shop window over there.” said Fluttershy as she fell to her haunches, accidentally knocking over a vase of petunias that were sitting nearby in the process.

“Don’t make you look at what, Fluttershy what are you talking about?” asked Rainbow Dash as she noticed that several of the other ponies that stood in the shop around them began to look their way.

“Is everything okay?” asked a light green pony, with a cutie mark resembling a harp.

“Yeah, everything is fine, now if you will excuse me.” said Rainbow as she could not be bothered to be distracted from Fluttershy’s predicament for a second longer.

“Woah, that was strange.” said the light green pony as she continued to look upon the flowers that she had previously taken interest in.

“Fluttershy, listen, what’s wrong, I am not going to ask again, is it the same thing that was bothering you back at Sugarcube Corner?” asked Rainbow Dash as she sat right beside Fluttershy, placing her own head right next to her friends in a comforting manner.

Fluttershy did not speak once again, but merely began to quietly sob, laying her head onto the floor. She sobbed as quietly as she could, but before long, she was crying louder than she would have liked.

The commotion caused all of the ponies in the shop to gather around Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, each pony showing signs of visible concern over the condition of the distraught mare.

“Seriously Rainbow, what is wrong with her, is she hurt?” asked the same light green pony from earlier, as she trotted over to Rainbow Dash’s location. Rainbow Dash herself stood back up on her hooves, still keeping her gaze on the crying Fluttershy, who now laid sprawled out on the floor.

“I told you before Lyra, I don’t know what is wrong with her, this has me worried too.” said Rainbow Dash as she could feel her heart break from the sight of Fluttershy crying violently into the floor of the shop.

“Oh girls, please tell me, is she hurt?” asked Daisy who had immediately noticed what had happened to Fluttershy. Daisy had already secured a first aid kit from the back room of the shop, and was now galloping towards Fluttershy with a panicked look in her eyes.

“What, n-no, at least not physically, I don’t know what the hey is wrong with her, and that is only making me angry!” yelled Rainbow Dash as she could now feel her heart begin to beat faster by the second.

“Well, is she like having a mental breakdown or something?” asked another pony who emerged from the crowd that stood right behind Lyra. This statement made Rainbow Dash scowl in anger, as she turned around to see what pony had made this rather offensive statement.

“BonBon, don’t say rash things like that, you will only make this worse.” said Lyra as she turned around and chastised her friend upon realizing how insensitive her comment was.

“No, I did not mean it like that Lyra, I am being serious, Rainbow Dash said she was not hurt physically, so what is the next best thing to assume?” asked BonBon as she had also began to show signs of concern for the weeping Fluttershy, who at this point was now full-blown wailing in fear.

“Whoah, whoah Fluttershy, calm down girl, it’s okay, I don’t know what is bothering you right now, but I am going to take you to the hospital okay.” said Rainbow Dash as she could feel tears beginning to form at the bottom of her shiny, magenta eyes.

“Hey, let me come with you, it’s the least I can do, she can lay on my back, and I will carry her to the hospital, that would be easier than you having to carry her would it?” asked Lyra as she tried to convey the concern that she had for Fluttershy to Rainbow Dash.

“Sure, fine, let’s hurry.” said Rainbow Dash as Lyra quickly, but carefully, levitated Fluttershy in her own magic. Lyra then laid the broken pegasus gently on her own back, before proceeding to quickly make a dash for the front door of the flower shop.

“Dear, what happened to that poor girl, can anypony please tell me?” asked Daisy as she began to cry herself upon seeing the shocking condition that Fluttershy was in.

“One minute she was fine, and then the next, she was laying on the floor, crying, and freaking out.” said Rainbow Dash in a panic as she had no time for anymore words, she quickly followed behind Lyra as the two ponies exited the shop, leaving the rest of the ponies to only be able to stare in confusion and fear.

At this point, Fluttershy had fallen unconscious, and the sheer force of her crying and hyperventilation had forced her mind to temporary shut down. Both Lyra and Rainbow Dash had taken notice of this, which only caused their trot towards Ponyville Hospital to dramatically quicken in pace.

“Please Celestia, tell me you are going to be okay Fluttershy, please, oh PLEASE!” yelled Rainbow Dash as she was now crying at full force herself, all the while not even bothering to fly. She chose to trot beside Lyra, so she could keep a constant eye on Fluttershy, and make sure that she was okay.

In the midst of the confusion and panic, the two rushing ponies heard a loud, yet regal-sounding voice pierce their ears, causing them to come to a complete stop right in the middle of the main square of town.

“Oh my Luna, what happened to her?” asked a distraught Rarity, who had dropped her two saddlebags to the ground, and had galloped frantically towards Lyra and Rainbow Dash’s direction. She had visible panic in her eyes as she ran over to Lyra and immediately stared at the comatose Fluttershy with much dispiritedness.

“Rarity, I am glad that you are here,something happened to Fluttershy while we were at the flower shop, I will explain more once we arrive there, but for now, we have to hurry for the hospital!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash to Rarity with much haste to her disposition.

“Oh no, no Fluttershy.” thought Rarity to herself as she had to exert a lot of effort to keep tears from welling up in her eyes.

Within the next twenty minutes, Lyra, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity arrived at the Ponyville hospital with Fluttershy in tow. She was immediately taken into personal care by Nurse Redheart, once the nurse had seen the condition of Fluttershy firsthand.

The three mares who had brought Fluttershy to the hospital now found themselves waiting anxiously in the lobby, which was station to the left of the hallway containing the actual operating rooms. It was essentially on a room outside of the Intensive Care Quarters.

“So you say that she just randomly had some sort of breakdown, is that it?” asked Rarity who had just finished hearing out Rainbow Dash’s explanation of the events that preceded her own intervention.

“Yeah, we were just looking around the flower shop, when all of a sudden, Fluttershy began to act strange, and... I don’t know, but she kept making mention of something...” trailed off Rainbow Dash as she seemed to be lost within her thoughts.

“Mention of what darling?” asked Rarity as she became worried upon hearing Rainbow Dash trail off on her statement.

“That’s just it, she never did tell me!” replied Rainbow Dash as she seemed to grow gloomy from the sudden realization of her own helplessness in the situation.

“By the time that me and BonBon had entered the flower shop, Fluttershy was already on the floor, she was almost flailing around wildly, and screaming rather violently into her hooves.” stammered Lyra as she tried to accurately describe the events from her point of view.

“I would surmise that only when Fluttershy is feeling better, that is when we can get an accurate account on what had troubled her so.” insisted Rarity as she stared towards the hallway, that Fluttershy had been wheeled down in a gurney, earlier in the day.

“I hope you are right Rarity.” agreed Rainbow Dash who could only stare at her hooves in despair upon the direction that the day had taken, not at all wishing that this would be the outcome.

“I am sure everythin.....” stammered Lyra as something in the corner of her eye seemed to demand her undivided attention.

“What were you sayin’ Lyra, I wasn’t paying attention, sorry.” chided Rainbow Dash as she had just managed to hear the end of Lyra’s strange exclamation.

Lyra herself did not notice anything Rainbow Dash said, instead, she merely stood up on her four hooves, and began to slowly trot down the hallway opposite the Intensive Care Unit. The hallway that led back to the admission centre of the hospital.

“Uh, Rainbow darling, where in Equestria is Lyra going?” asked Rarity, her left forehoof on place on her chest. She had just seen the look in Lyra’s eyes as she had began to trot away from them. It frightened her.

“What do you mean, she is...” stuttered Rainbow as her words slipped in her mouth as soon as she noticed that Lyra was no longer among them.

“What the hey, wait here Rarity, I will see what is up.” assured Rainbow as she began to quickly gallop down the hallway that she had believed Lyra to have traveled down.

“No sweetie, she went down the other hallway, back towards the entrance of the hospital.” emphasized Rarity, who almost managed to find slight amusement in Rainbow Dash’s lack of a sense of direction.

“Yeah, ok then.” said Rainbow with a slight blush of embarrassment while she began to trot down the correct hallway this time.

“Why did Lyra leave, maybe she had to get home to BonBon, yeah, that must be it.” thought Rainbow to herself as she began to smell a scent that stunk of saline in the air around her. “Ugh, I hate Hospitals.” mused Rainbow to herself as she could only think about the next time that she could get to see Fluttershy,

Before she knew it, Rainbow had arrived at the check-in desk of the hospital, in which a waiting room next to it was situated. She did not see Lyra in the waiting room, and upon becoming slightly nervous, began to approach the secretary to see if she had seen the pony in question.

“Excuse me miss, did you see that green pony that was with us earlier, the one that has a lyre for a cutie mark?” asked Rainbow as polietely as she could muster.

The secretary pony looked at her with some mild amusement before motioning her hoof towards the doors that led to the outside lot of the hospital.

“She just stumbled out there, I asked her if everything was alright, but she would not answer, it was almost as if she was stuck in a trance or something, very unusual indeed.” recounted the secretary.

“Alright.” With that, Rainbow Dash quickly trotted out of the double doors of the hospital into the lot outside. She did not notice Lyra at first, but upon walking a bit further into the lot, which had began to lead back into the streets of Ponyville, she finally found the mare she was looking for.

“Lyra there you are, what happened, why are you out here?” asked Rainbow Dash in confusion as she began to feel a chill in the air around her. Evening was closing in fast as she could see the stars starting to form in the sky. “Huh, must have been in there longer that I thought.” retorted the pegasus to herself before trotting beside of Lyra and looking closely at her.

“You, alright?” consoled Rainbow Dash as she began to feel another rush of anxiety feel her head again.

“I saw it Rainbow, I saw it!” babbled Lyra with hysteria as she turned to Rainbow Dash with tears staring to fall down her muzzle.

“Oh brother, what did you see?” asked Rainbow Dash as she dreaded the idea of another one of her friends having a mental breakdown on the same day as the other.

“It was Fluttershy, she was dead.” blurted Lyra as she then gently buried her head into Rainbow Dash’s chest, and then began to emit a soft, heartbreaking sob. This action left Rainbow Dash without any kind of response that she could immediately turn to. The sound of Lyra, another of her childhood friends, sobbing into her chest really began to tear her heart into shreds. The normal squeaky, sweet, and peppy voice of Lyra, to now be emitting such a pained and pitiful cry.

Rainbow Dash could only begin to cry too, the culmination of the day’s events and the sound of Lyra’s cries ultimately driving her to do the same.

That, and the statement that preceded the crying, the statement about Fluttershy being dead.

“Fluttershy, dead?” thought Rainbow Dash to herself while she tried to consul her second broken friend of the day. Her own tears making it hard to communicate with Lyra, so for the meantime, she merely allowed herself to cry alongside the unicorn instead.

As Lyra began to lift her head from against her friend’s chest, she managed to find the strength to compose herself momentarily. She stepped away from Rainbow Dash, before readjusting her stature to look more relaxed and sure of herself. Although she still felt the weight over what had just caused her so much mental pain earlier, she did not want to involve Rainbow Dash in it any longer.

“I...I’m sorry, what, was I just.... Doing?” asked Lyra as she was still sniffing up the tears from her outburst prior to.

“Oh Lyra, you had began to cry, and I was so worried about you, it is bad enough that Fluttershy had gotten worse today, but then you too began to get upset.” said Rainbow Dash as she was confused as to how Lyra could not remember the reason for her crying just a moment ago.

“Why was I crying for, sheesh, I must have really let my mind wander huh, hehehe.” laughed Lyra as she managed to brush the last trace of tears out of her eyes.

“Lyra, you can’t fool me, I know you did not forget, the thing you just told me, I know you did not forget!” shouted Rainbow Dash as she could feel a mixture of lying and fear in Lyra’s tone.

“Just leave me alone, I am just trying to not make a big deal out of this, I mean Fluttershy is in the hospital right now.”

“But Lyra, you were beginning to freak out just like Fluttershy did earlier, and that worries me.”

“I know Dashie, but forget about me, let’s just worry about Fluttershy for now.”

“But your tears Lyra, I could feel how hurt and scared you were from the sound of your voice, I am not going to ignore that!” yelled Rainbow Dash to Lyra as several of the ponies, that were trotting up the street beside the lot, began to stare at them.

“I know what I said, about Fluttershy okay, but I also realize that it was all in my head.” said Lyra as she continued to try and explain herself to Rainbow Dash.

“While I was in the waiting room, something overcame me, I don’t know what it was, but I suddenly saw this mental image, it was terrible Dashie!” cried Lyra as more tears started to make their way down the poor unicorn’s cheek.

“Just don’t think about it right now Lyra, let’s get back to the waiting room with Rarity, we can talk about this later, okay?” assured Rainbow as she put her hoof around Lyra, and gave her a warm smile.

“Thanks, thanks Dashie.” soothed Lyra softly to her friend as the two ponies began to trot their way back into the confines of the hospital.

Author's Note

Allow me to be the first to say that I have no talent at writing, but I enjoy it none the less. So there is that!