The Everfree Medicine

Chapters

Chapter One: Pedal Fast, Pedal Hard
Chapter Two: We Might Be Crazy Late At Night
Chapter Three: You Wanna Give Up Cause It's Dark
Chapter Four: We're Really Not That Far Apart

Chapter One: Pedal Fast, Pedal Hard

Along the edge of the Everfree District, there sat a cottage on the eastern block of the city, not too far from where the Everfree Forest itself encroached upon Ponyville’s borders. The little white house on the miniature block stood out for being an image of picturesque beauty, with a small garden and crystal blue pond in the front yard surrounding a healthy pine tree. Next to the well-worn dirt pathway stood a sign. Written upon it in flowery script was “Doctor Fluttershy: Veterinarian and Animal Caretaker.”

A green earth pony, her red mane drawn in dreadlocks, trotted up the pathway, her shadow cast before her by the evening sun. “Good to be home,” she sighed, shrugging to adjust for the weight of the purple bag slung over her shoulder.

“Whoa, Thunder! Whoa!”

Tree Hugger looked up with a smile as a familiar yellow pegasus was pulled along the sidewalk by a little black terrier, who yipped excitedly as he tugged against his leash, tail wagging frantically. Tree chuckled warmly and crouched down.

“Little dude giving you trouble, Flutters?” she asked, warmly petting the little dog as it licked her hooves.

“You haven’t been using him in your experiments, have you?” Fluttershy panted.

“Nope,” Tree replied, leading Fluttershy up the path to the door.

“How was the yoga class?” Fluttershy asked, fumbling for the key she wore around her neck.

“Righteous!” Tree glowed. “Teaching classes like that are just what I need to exercise and focus the mind after working all day. And getting to help other ponies cleanse their chakras and find their centers makes it all worthwhile.”

“Good to hear,” Fluttershy smiled, unlocking the door. “You know, I really do appreciate you coming and helping with the bills. I do what I can, but—”

Tree interrupted Fluttershy with a warm kiss on the lips, chuckling through the embrace. “Dude, you're welcome, but seriously, you’ve been thanking me every day for two moons now. It’s getting kinda embarrassing. Besides, I’m the one who needed a place to crash. Turns out solo practice is expensive.”

“Right,” Fluttershy admitted with a small blush, entering the hallway. Immediately, both mares were attacked by a swarm of fur, feathers, and scales, the animals letting out a chorus of joyful greetings. “Well, time to tend to our charges,” Fluttershy said.

“You little dudes are on the verge of eating us all out of house and home,” Tree chuckled as they proceeded into the sitting room, followed by their charges. Unlatching the food cabinets, Tree and Fluttershy began to dole out rations to the animals.

A squadron of eight mice pranced up to Tree Hugger, lining up before her expectantly. “Oh, you guys know what’s up,” she smiled.

“Why don’t you go take care of them, Tree?” Fluttershy offered, pouring out some suet and seed for the injured birds that were now hopping and feebly flapping up to the large bowl. “I can take care of these little friends.”

“Righteous,” Tree said, finishing up pouring kibble into a bowl for Thunder, who pounced on the meal with a furiously wagging tail. She took out two smaller food bowls and filled up both seeds and small bits of fruit, then placed them on a tray that she picked up in her mouth. “C’mon, dudes,” she said around the wooden grip.

The mice followed Tree Hugger down the hallway past an exam room with an exam table and desk, decorated with forest and nature scenery freshly painted on the walls. Hanging up on the wall opposite the door were two framed diplomas from the University of Baltimare: a magna cum laude doctorate in Veterinary Medicine for Fluttershy, and a summa cum laude doctorate in Potions and Herbal Medicine for Tree Hugger. A thrill of pride ran down Tree’s spine at the sight.

Moving past the exam room, Tree and her parade proceeded down the basement stairs towards a faint orange glow, Tree clicking on the light switch at the bottom. The lights snapped on to reveal rows of terrariums laid out before them, warmed underneath orange heat lamps. In the corner sat a long work table, with a microscope, sets of medical equipment, notebooks filled with notes, and a typewriter, with stacks of blank paper on one side, and stacks of typewritten notes on the other.

Sitting next to the typewriter was a framed portrait of a smiling cerulean mare, her reddish mane done up in a cone, a blue and yellow-striped mask tucked beneath one foreleg. Mage Meadowbrook, the mother of modern medicine, the model that all healers aspired towards, watched kindly as Tree descended into the lab.

Tree placed the tray with the bowls up on a high shelf, out of reach of the chattering mice. “Just a couple minutes, guys,” she reassured her charges. “We gotta, like, do this first.”

She pulled out a set of graph paper with eight rows of hoofwritten notes upon it. One mouse hopped up to Tree. “Eager to get started, Swiss?” Tree chuckled, putting on a stethoscope. “Is it because you like being in an experiment, or is it because you're hungry?”

Swiss wiggled his nose in reply. Tree chuckled and placed the stethoscope at his chest to note down his pulse, then wrapped a tiny cuff around his tail to measure his blood pressure, jotting them both down in the notebook on Swiss’s row. Tree proceeded to take each of her friends’ pulse and blood pressure.

This complete, Tree then walked over to the terrarium on the far left and opened up a hatch to access the plants within. The small buds each had five leaves, burnished green with light red and orange around the curled edges. Tree clipped off a few leaves and placed them in a mortar and pestle. As she ground the leaves into a paste, she glanced over her notes on the typewriter.

Ortus basium, sunrise kiss fern. Native to the outer edges of the Everfree Forest. I began researching it when I noticed that birds and other animals who ate the leaves seemed to become significantly more energized afterward, and also noted that there was very little research on the plant. I hypothesize that there is an active ingredient in sunrise kiss that has a strong stimulant effect.

“Okay, dudes, let’s get to work,” Tree said, taking the two bowls of seeds and fruit. She mixed the paste from the plants in with one bowl and set them both on the worktable. She plucked four of the mice up and placed them in front of the normal bowl, and then picked up the other four and placed them in front of the experimental bowl, smiling as the little rodents devoured their meals.

Once all the mice were finished, she proceeded to line them up and take their pulses and blood pressure again. “Far out,” Tree said, noting that the mice who had eaten the plant mixture had increased pulses and blood pressure. “Now, let’s see if we can find the active ingredient in there.”

A chirping drew her attention up to the mice, who had plucked some more sunrise kiss leaves and were holding them up for her. “Thanks, dudes,” Tree chuckled, taking the offering. The mice chirped and skittered back upstairs.

Creating another mixture of paste, Tree placed it under a microscope and started studying the contents, humming to herself as she jotted down notes in her notebook. So enwrapped was she in her work that she didn’t notice Fluttershy trotting down the stairs until she tapped her on the shoulder.

“Tree, it’s almost eight o’clock. Did you eat yet?”

Tree’s stomach answered for her by letting out a loud growl. Both mares chuckled. “Pancakes?” Fluttershy offered.

“Sounds awesome,” Tree said, rising.

“How’s your research going?” Fluttershy asked.

“I think I’ve got my hypothesis confirmed, but I’m still working on separating ingredients,” Tree stated as they headed into the kitchen, following the mouth-watering aroma of fresh pancakes and maple syrup. “You think Twilight could help us out with that? She’s, like, super good with chemicals and stuff like that. And I think her lab is a bit more well-stocked than ours.”

“I’m sure she’d love that,” Fluttershy smiled, laying out two full plates for them.

Thunder yapped loudly and hopped up on the table, tail wagging. “No, Thunder! You’ve had your dinner,” Fluttershy scolded, picking him up and placing him back on the floor.

Thunder tilted his head and whined, swishing his tail. “That’s not going to work,” Fluttershy said sternly. “It’s our dinner now. Why don’t you go play with Prince Fluffy and Promenade?”

The Gerwhin shepherd and Prench poodle both looked up from the rope toy that they were wrestling over and wagged their tails at the mention of their names. Thunder looked over at them, then back up at Fluttershy and let out another small whine.

Both mares glanced at each other and sighed. “Dust will be back soon,” Fluttershy reassured him, bending down and petting him. “I’m sure she’s just...staying over again.” She forced a smile onto her face and patted Thunder. “Go on, go play.”

Prince Fluffy brought over the toy, tail wagging invitingly. Thunder studied the other canines for a few moments, then happily took the rope toy in his mouth and tugged, growling playfully. The shepherd let out an amused chuff, barely making any effort to retain his possession even after Promenade joined Thunder’s side.

Fluttershy sighed to herself as she started pouring syrup on Tree’s pancakes. “I wish Dust would come back on time,” she said. “We both know she’s—”

“Shy, not at the dinner table,” Tree interrupted gently, placing her hoof atop Fluttershy’s. “You don’t need that kinda stress, love.”

Fluttershy frowned, then closed her eyes, took in a deep breath through her nostrils, and let it out slowly through her mouth. “You’re right,” she admitted, sitting down. “Let’s just relax and enjoy dinner.”

They enjoyed idle talk over the pancakes, giggling over the day’s absurdities, discussing milestones of their patients and charges, plotting out plans for the rest of the week. Once dinner was finished and everything was cleaned, Fluttershy looked out the back window into the backyard.

The night sky was clear, the sky blessed with a scattering of Luna’s stars and a bright crescent moon. The backyard stretched out in gently rolling hills, a few patches of flowers and vegetable gardens planted in artful formations (Fluttershy had to admit, there actually was something to that “feng shui” thing). A few trees had pulled away from the copse and stood sentry on the eastern border of their yard.

“It’s too nice a night to be sitting indoors,” Tree said, wrapping her forelegs around Fluttershy’s soft middle. “You up for sitting underneath our tree and jamming with me?”

“That sounds lovely,” Fluttershy said, nuzzling Tree.

“Far out,” Tree smiled, exchanging a kiss with her. “I’ll go get my strings.”

Fluttershy walked out the back door into the cool embrace of the evening air, holding the door open for Thunder and a few more of their friends to exit with them. Spreading her wings, Fluttershy floated along the yard past the gardens and up to one of the trees that sat atop a small rise, lit by the stars and moon and by a few dancing fireflies that buzzed through the leaves.

This tree was unique: it was actually two Lovebloom Trees joined at the base in a great cylinder until it split back into two trees to form a beautifully symmetrical U-shape that reached up to the heavens. The branches hung from the tree in a wide, drooping canopy formed of vivid scarlet roses the size of softballs. Fluttershy sat up against the trunk, closing her eyes and letting out a contented sigh as she listened to her charges romping through the grass.

She opened her eyes at the sound of hoofsteps approaching. Tree was walking up with a guitar strapped to her back; the guitar was old and slightly battered, but well-loved and cared for. Tree sat down next to Fluttershy and plucked a few chords, then hummed and started one of her favorite songs.

“Yeah, it’s been a bumpy road
“Roller coasters high and low…”

Sighing happily, Fluttershy leaned back to listen when she heard Thunder barking. Thunder had his eyes focused on a turquoise and golden streak rocketing through the sky, zigzagging back and forth between the stars. Fluttershy watched as the streak did three tight loops, then swooped down and landed in front of the mares in a rush of wind.

“Hey, Thunder!” the golden-maned pegasus said, petting the dog as he pranced around her, wagging his tail and yipping. “Did you miss me? Huh?”

“Hello, Lightning,” Fluttershy said, a small smile all that she could genuinely manage. “How was work today?”

“Dull as ever,” Lightning Dust scoffed. “Delivery work barely gives me a workout, and the manager won’t let me practice my tricks on the job.” She put on a mocking countenance. “‘It’s against company policy and is a liability hazard.’” She scoffed.

“So you still haven’t given up on the Wonderbolts?” Fluttershy asked.

“Rock on, dude,” Tree Hugger said, raising a hoof in solidarity. “Always follow your dreams.”

“I intend to,” Lightning Dust smirked. “The Bolts would be lucky to have me.” She frowned for a moment. “If only this job didn’t pay next to bupkis, I could afford the testing fees.”

Fluttershy’s eyes went to Lightning’s inflamed nostrils to the small traces of red dust clinging to Dust’s upper lip, small but evident against the turquoise coat. A comment about how Lightning Dust should be spending her money more carefully came to mind, but she fought it down.

“Oh, by the way, thanks for taking care of Thunder,” Lightning said, giving her dog some belly rubs. “It means a lot to me that I have somepony I can trust to take care of my buddy.”

“It’s all good, dude,” Tree said, playing a light tune on her guitar.

“Thunder really missed you today,” Fluttershy said, looking at the little terrier. “He was pretty upset when you were late again.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Lightning said. “I, uh, got caught up on some stuff.”

“Lightning,” Fluttershy said. “We both know what that stuff was.”

Lightning scowled at Fluttershy. “I just do it to relax,” she snapped. “I need a few hits after working at that drudgery, okay? You gonna call the cops on me or what?”

Fluttershy sighed in defeat. “No,” she admitted. “But it’s really not—”

“Oh, dry up,” Lightning scoffed. “It’s my life. C’mon, boy.” She placed Thunder atop her shoulders and took off with a rush of wind, disappearing into the stars.

Fluttershy and Tree both watched her go, then leaned back against the tree, staring up at the winking lights that buzzed around them. All was silent save for a soft wind rustling the leaves.

Author's Note

And so we begin.

Chapter Two: We Might Be Crazy Late At Night

"What’s eating your mane, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy looked up from the glass of apple juice that she’d been staring at for the last ten minutes as if she could somehow scry some answers from the amber juice. Applejack was studying her from the other side of the bar, her head cocked to one side and an eyebrow raised in an expression of concern.

“It’s...it’s a friend, Applejack,” Fluttershy admitted, poking a fork at the plate of spaghetti and vegetables in front of her.

“Something we can help with?” Rara asked from Fluttershy’s left, a compassionate glimmer in her eyes.

Fluttershy was silent for several seconds, slowly winding some noodles around her fork. She looked up at the stage, where Tree Hugger sat, eyes shut, guitar in her hooves. If I Had A Hammer was flowing like a river out of her instrument and throat, the sound wrapping around the dinnertime crowd at the Apple Pie in Your Eye. Tree Hugger loved Open Stage Sunday Dinner, and always attended it if they had time.

Normally, Fluttershy would’ve been content to just eat her dinner in peace and listen to Tree’s sweet melodies, letting the music carry her worries away. Instead, all she could think about was Lightning Dust, red dust clinging to her nostrils and anger in her red-streaked eyes.

It wasn’t really her place...was it? Lightning Dust could make her own decisions, it wasn’t for her to interfere in her life.

But she and Tree Hugger were doctors, sworn under oath to prevent disease and apply all necessary measures for the benefit of the sick. Lightning Dust was in pain, even if she didn’t show it. And as a doctor, and her neighbor and fellow pony, Fluttershy had a duty to help her.

“You might be able to,” Fluttershy said. She twiddled her hooves for a moment in thought, then took in a breath and spoke. “I...have a friend. Who has a drug addiction. Red poppydust.”

Rara and Applejack exchanged glances, and Fluttershy could tell that they were both thinking back to when Rara first came to Sweet Apple Acres, pale and shivering as she struggled through the withdrawal, the cravings that came with quitting cold turkey. How many times had Fluttershy come to administer aid and comfort, to provide medicine and tend to Rara’s illness as Applejack fretted and whimpered over her shoulder, or simply to sit and talk and hold Rara’s sweaty hoof as she trembled on the bed whenever Applejack was away?

Rara had survived, and now the two mares helped many other ponies free themselves from addiction. Surely, Fluttershy reflected, they counted as an available resource, a necessary measure?

“I’m hoping that the four of us can talk to her, get her to admit she needs help,” Fluttershy offered.

“We can certainly give it a shot,” Applejack said. “Who is this pony?”

“Her name’s Lightning Dust,” Fluttershy said as Tree finished her last song and accepted a brief scattering of applause from the other patrons as she descended from the stage. “She’s a client, and a neighbor; I take care of her dog for her while she’s at work.”

“Flutters, you sure about this?” Tree Hugger asked, sitting next to her partner. “It’s gonna be hard to get her to open up.” She paused for a beat, staring at her hoof as it lazily drew circles on the bar seemingly of its own accord. “I know her type, dude,” she admitted.

“You’re probably right,” Fluttershy admitted. “But we still have to try.”

Tree frowned, but nodded in assent.

“You know where she lives?” Rara asked.

“She has an apartment not far from our cottage,” Fluttershy said, glancing up at the clock over the bar. “She should be home in about an hour.”

“Far out,” Tree said. “Gives me time to get some munchies. That spaghetti smells awesome.”

“Steamed!” Rara called through the swinging doors into the kitchen, prompting the chubby blue pegasus to poke her head out with a smile. “Another dish of pasta and veggies, please!”

“On the way!” Steamed sang and headed back inside, leaving the echo of an aria behind.

“Thanks for coming to help,” Fluttershy said, hugging Applejack and Rara.

“What’re friends for?” Applejack smiled, patting Fluttershy on the back.

Lightning’s apartment was in one of the oldest buildings in the Everfree District: a two-story brick building that had been squeezed in between two larger office buildings. The brick was cracked and dusty, crumbling like the texture of an old, dry cookie, the red long faded to shades of gray and tan. Most of the windows were dark and grimy, denying any view of the interior.

The four mares trotted up to the formerly blue front door, which sat in a cracked door frame, and Applejack reached out to try the door. Finding it unlocked, they proceeded into a musty foyer, lit only by a flickering bare lightbulb set in the ceiling.

Applejack checked the mailboxes on the wall. “Lightning lives in number eleven, on the second floor,” she reported.

As the four mares proceeded up the creaking staircase, Tree cleared her throat. “So, like, what’s our plan?” she asked.

“We’re just going to start by introducing ourselves to her,” Rara said. “We’ll try to get her more comfortable at the start, then we’ll gently breach into the subject.”

“She’s gonna know what you’re here for,” Tree pointed out.

“We’ve done interventions like this before,” Rara smiled at Tree. “We know what we’re doing.”

The hallway was as musty as the rest of the house, sections lit by bare bulbs. Their hoofsteps were muffled by an old, slightly moldy red and green carpet on the floor as they proceeded to the door marked eleven in brass lettering. Fluttershy rapped at the door. “Lighting Dust?” she called.

There was a yipping inside, followed by the sound of claws scrabbling against the door. “Thunder?” Fluttershy asked.

“Sounds like him,” Tree nodded.

Fluttershy knocked again. “Lightning?” she called, a note of worry entering her voice.

The only response was Thunder’s continued yapping. “You sure she should be home by now?” Applejack asked.

“It’s well past six o’clock, her shift’s over by now,” Fluttershy said, her lips curling away in an expression of concern as she started to fidget in place.

The door to apartment twelve opened behind them and a white unicorn with an electric blue mane peered out, her querying expression evident even from behind her purple sunglasses. The sound of a cello came from inside the apartment.

“Oh, blessings, dude,” Tree greeted the mare. “We’re looking for Lightning Dust. Is she here?”

The mare shook her head, then turned back into the house and rapped at the interior wall insistently. The sound of the cello from inside stopped, then there came hoofsteps approaching. A charcoal earth mare with a long black mane approached, adjusting her pink bowtie.

“Good evening,” the mare nodded, speaking in an upper-class accent. “I am Octavia Melody, this is my friend Vinyl Scratch. Can we help you?”

Fluttershy introduced herself and her friends. “We’re looking for Lightning Dust,” she explained. “She’s supposed to be home by now, isn’t she?”

Octavia frowned a bit. “I do not spend much time with Miss Dust, but Vinyl is familiar with her; they have been casual friends for a few moons, since before I moved here from Canterlot.”

Vinyl frowned for a moment, then started signing, using a combination of hoof gestures and ear flicks to communicate her meaning. Octavia raised an eyebrow and signed back a question, which Vinyl replied with the shake of her head and a few more gestures.

“Vinyl says that Lightning sometimes goes to a nearby house to partake in drugs,” Octavia translated with a scowl that strongly communicated her displeasure. “Vinyl has accompanied her there before—she no longer partakes, thank you—and she remembers the address.”

Vinyl scribbled down an address on a sheet of notepaper and handed it to Applejack. Applejack studied the note and nodded. “I know the place,” she stated grimly. “It’s close by.”

“Hold on! What about Thunder?” Fluttershy cried, turning back to the door. The sounds of Thunder’s yipping and scratching could still be heard from within.

“We do not have a spare key,” Octavia admitted. “And the superintendent is on vacation and is not due back for another two days, I’m afraid.”

Fluttershy fretted in place for a few moments, then darted into Vinyl and Octavia’s apartment with an “Excuse me!” Carefully treading around the collected vinyl albums and the expensive cello in the stand, easily the most valuable item in the room, Fluttershy flung open a window and flew out into the warm evening air, quickly swooping around to the back of Lightning Dust’s apartment. Trying the windows and finding them all locked, she pressed her nose up against the glass and peered inside.

Lightning’s apartment made the pigs at Sweet Apple Acres look positively neat. Magazines, towels, and clothes were thrown into every corner. Posters of the Wonderbolts were plastered over the walls and dirty dishes obscured the kitchen. An open door revealed that what used to be the bedroom appeared to have been converted into a home gym, judging by the stacks of weights scattered about and the makeshift canvas punching bag hanging from the ceiling. An air mattress stuffed into the corner covered in rumpled sheets served as a bed.

The more Fluttershy looked, the more she saw. Stacked in one corner of the room were various books on Wonderbolts history and flight techniques, but they were so buried under comics and dishes that Fluttershy doubted that they'd been touched in months. Laying on the mattress were several papers, half-covered in scrawled writing. Closer examination revealed that they were Wonderbolt applications and practice examinations, all of them half-completed.

Another open door revealed the bathroom, which was thankfully acceptably clean, but Fluttershy's eyes were drawn to a single detail: a spiderweb of cracks spreading from the center of the mirror, rendering the entire glass surface useless. Judging by the red stains in the center of the anomaly, it looked like somepony had punched the mirror.

Thunder saw her at the window and ran up, yipping and wagging his tail. Fluttershy glanced around and let out a relieved sigh when she saw the half-full bowl of kibble and a bowl of clean water in the corner, next to some sheets of newspaper.

“Don’t worry, Thunder,” she spoke through the window to the panting terrier. “We’ll find Lightning and bring her home for you.”

Fluttershy returned inside via her original route, apologizing to Octavia and Vinyl as she passed by. “Let’s go try to find Lightning,” she said to her friends. “The sooner we get her home, the better.”

“Thanks for the help,” Rara said to Octavia. “And that cello music was lovely! Do you play professionally?”

“Thank you,” Octavia bowed with a smile. “Vinyl and I are both collaborating on new forms of music. I understand you are in charge of music at the Apple Pie?”

“We’re always looking for new talents!” Rara cried with a bright smile. “If you—”

“Rara!” Applejack called from the landing.

“Oh, sorry,” Rara said. “Got to go. We’ll talk later!”

“Good luck!” Octavia and Vinyl both waved as the group descended the stairs and headed back out into the crisp summer evening.

The address Vinyl gave them corresponded to a rundown two-story building that used to be a restaurant. The red paint peeled from the walls; most of the windows were boarded up, a few having some glass shards clinging stubbornly to the frames. Inside the slightly rotten frame stood a thick metal door, immediately drawing the eye for being obviously newer than the rest of the house.

“Oh, no, is this place still running?” Fluttershy cried.

“Apparently,” Applejack scowled. “Why can’t the police just shut it down?”

“I’m sure that they’re trying, love, but they have to follow the law,” Rara said soothingly. “They can’t just barge in on a suspicion.”

“I’m guessing that this is, like, a staple of the drug scene?” Tree Hugger asked, frowning at the building.

“This drug house has been here for years,” Fluttershy explained. “The police sometimes come and raid it, but it’s always been back up and running within a month.”

“They oughta just raze this place to the ground,” Applejack growled.

“The dealers would just move somewhere else,” Tree said calmingly. “Let it go, dude; it’s out of your hooves. We’re just trying to find Lightning Dust and get her home.”

“Right,” Applejack nodded. “Let’s do this.”

She, Tree Hugger, and Rara proceeded across the street to the door. Fluttershy hesitated for a few moments, then followed them.

Applejack knocked at the door. A slat in the door opened up to reveal a pair of narrowed eyes. “Who’re you?”

“We’re looking for a friend,” Tree Hugger said. “I hear she’s here, trying out the top-notch product here.”

One of the thick eyebrows raised. Tree reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a small bag that jingled. The pony stared for a few seconds longer, then the slat slammed shut. A moment later, there came the sound of several locks unlatching. The door opened wide, revealing a tall gray griffon setting a shotgun aside. The hallway within was grungy, the bare floor and walls covered in dirt and other filth. A skinny pony lay against the wall, red-streaked eyes staying at the ceiling; both of his forelegs were adorned with fresh track marks. A putrid scent of despair and decay emanated from the house.

“Well, let’s go,” Applejack said, entering the house. Rara cringed but followed her marefriend inside.

But Fluttershy hesitated. She kept her eyes on the griffon, who glared back at her, slowly reaching a claw towards his weapon. Fluttershy gulped and took a step back.

“Flutters? You coming?” Tree asked.

“I, uh…” Fluttershy retreated.

“It’s okay, dude,” Tree said, placing a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “We’re all gonna be together. And we gotta find Lightning.”

Fluttershy paused for a beat, then took in a deep breath. “Okay.” She proceeded into the house, lowering her head in submission before the guard. She felt the griffon’s eyes on her every step of the way. Tree gave the sentry a small smile as they passed.

“Turquoise pegasus with yellow mane, lightning bolt cutie mark,” Applejack was saying to the pony laying on the floor. “You seen her?”

The stallion stared at her for several seconds, then slowly raised a hoof and pointed up a set of stairs. “Thanks,” Applejack said, leading the group up the creaking stairs.

The combining stenches grew stronger as they ascended the steps to the second floor, causing all four mares to cough as they tried to avoid the worst of the filth clinging to every surface. At the top of the landing, they found themselves in a wide-open area; almost all of the walls had been torn down to make the entire second floor a single room.

Ponies lay sprawled across the floor, some laying on mattresses, some curled up in corners or huddled up in somnambulant puddles, murmuring and giggling softly. The cloying miasma of fuel, chemicals, and body odor hung heavy in the air.

Looking around, Fluttershy suddenly felt a crushing weight pressing on her chest, briefly halting her progress. She felt like she was walking through a battlefield, studying the wounded and dying who had been left behind by the enemy. There were more than a dozen here, and this was just one house.

What difference did one pony make?

She shook herself out of that train of thought. She couldn't save every sick or injured animal in Ponyville, but she still had a duty to save who she could. And she could save Lightning Dust.

Maybe.

“There she is,” Tree Hugger said, pointing to a turquoise mare laying on a mattress with her back to the door. A cracked mirror lay on the floor next to her, with a single line of red powder and a straw on top of it.

Fluttershy trotted over to Lightning and shook her shoulder gently. “Lightning Dust? Lightning?”

Lightning groaned and rolled over, blinking her red-streaked eyes heavily. “Fluttershy?” she moaned, reaching up a hoof and clumsily booping Fluttershy with a slightly crooked smile. “Hey, dude. You here to try some of this good shit?”

“We’re here to get you home, Lightning,” Fluttershy said. “You left Thunder alone at home, he misses you.”

“Thunder? Shit,” Lightning mumbled, slowly sitting up and shaking her head. “I’d better get home to my little dude...lemme just…”

She took up the straw and bent over the mirror, inserting the straw into her nostril.

“Lightning, no,” Tree said, pulling the mirror away. “That’s not gonna help you any, dude.”

“Hey! Give it back!” Lightning protested, flailing feebly at the mirror.

“Lightning, you’ve had enough,” Fluttershy said gently, pulling her away from the drugs. “We’ve got to get you home.”

“Fuck off! Give it back!” Lightning snarled, pulling away from Fluttershy. Heads began to turn in their direction.

“Lightning, listen to me,” Fluttershy said gently. “Thunder is waiting for you, and you have work tomorrow.”

“Taking more of this is just gonna make you worse, dude,” Tree said, setting the mirror out of reach.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?!” Lightning snapped, shoving Fluttershy off her. “My folks, always thinking that they could just tell me what not to do?! Well, you’re not, so fuck off!”

“Lightning, listen—” Fluttershy started to protest.

Her argument was interrupted by Lightning’s hoof crashing into Fluttershy’s jaw. The world spun and Fluttershy crashed to the floor, her entire face burning with pain, tears forming in her eyes.

“So what if I fuck up my life?!” Lightning screamed at them as Tree and Rara both rushed to Fluttershy’s side. “So what if I use drugs, so what if I’m stuck in some delivery job shit?! So what if I leave Thunder alone for a few hours just cause I need to destress a bit?! He’s got food and water, he’s fine!”

“Lightning, listen—” Applejack started to snap, striding forward.

Another punch from Lightning crashed into Applejack’s face, staggering the farmpony and knocking her hat from her head. “You want some more?!” Lightning shouted, her face twisted in fury. "Come on! I ain't got shit to lose!"

“Okay,” Fluttershy said, rising and raising a hoof placidly. “Okay. We’re leaving.”

“But—” Applejack started to say.

“No, Applejack,” Fluttershy said, shaking her head to clear it. “This isn’t a good time. We should just go.”

Lightning shot them all a glare, then tossed herself down on the mattress, her back to them. She reached a hoof to the mirror, taking up the straw and poppydust once more. The four mares hesitated for a moment, then started to retreat to the rickety stairs.

“You okay?” Rara asked Applejack, retrieving her hat.

“I’m fine,” Applejack grunted in a voice that indicated that she wasn’t, replacing her hat.

“Let’s get some ice on that when we get home,” Tree Hugger said, wincing at the bruise that was forming on Fluttershy’s jaw.

Fluttershy nodded as they proceeded to the landing of the stairs. Pausing at the step, she turned and looked back at Lightning Dust.

The pegasus was still laying on her side, her back to them all. But as the four started down the stairs, Fluttershy swore that she heard a stifled sniffling.

Chapter Three: You Wanna Give Up Cause It's Dark

Tree Hugger carefully shook the little test tube, studying the purple liquid within. “Hmm,” she mused, setting the tube back in the rack amidst the other vials and turning back to the thick pile of notes, the result of a week’s work with Twilight’s help.

With help from Twilight Sparkle, I’ve finally managed to isolate the active ingredient in the sunrise kiss fern, the chemical compound that creates the stimulant effect. We’ve both run a few experiments, and while it’s not as powerful as epinephrine, it’s still pretty strong. I’m now trying to combine it with the right herbal mixtures to make it more effective and safe for consumption; it might have medical applications for patients and other creatures with heart palpitations or breathing problems.

Stifling a yawn, Tree looked over her shoulder at the rows of terrariums behind her, the plants resting inside their plastic homes beneath the warm embrace of the heat lamps. She studied the burnished orange and green leaves of the sunrise kiss ferns, then turned her tired gaze over to the open books of herbology and medicine, scanning the pages as if another viewing would somehow impart a revelation.

Tree’s gaze finally went up to the rack of test tubes sitting at the end of the table. The small glass vials each carried a different colored liquid, their contents forming a miniature rainbow on the desk. Each one was a different formula, paste from the ortus basium mixed with other compounds.

“So which one is best, dude?” Tree mused to herself, looking over her notes, studying the charts of the experimental results. All of the different formulas had resulted in greatly increased pulse and breathing in their mice test subjects, but it wasn’t enough for her to decide which one was best. “Combining it with flash bee honey gave the greatest increase, but would it be too much of a jolt? Maybe the glowberries would be safer…”

She sighed, rubbing her forehead as the thoughts raced across her fatigued mind like worker bees in a hive, and turned to the portrait of Meadowbrook, who smiled kindly at her protege. “I bet you had days like this, didn’t you, dude?” she asked the portrait. Sadly, the mage didn’t seem to want to answer.

“Well, I’m not gonna figure out anything when I’m this outta whack,” Tree declared. “Just gotta take a moment to smooth out my chakras here, get back into the flow of life.”

She closed her eyes and took in a slow, vibrating breath, letting it out in a low, thrumming whinny. She continued the meditation for a few minutes, focusing only on her breathing, on the sound as it washed down her body, soothing her frazzled nerves. “Maybe I’ve been working a little too much,” she conceded to herself, rising and stretching out her back.

The sound of animals clucking, barking, newing, and chirping upstairs drew her attention. “Dinner time,” she declared. Switching off the main lights but leaving the heat lamps on, Tree proceeded back upstairs and into the sitting room.

Fluttershy was currently setting out feed for their charges, but her movements were slow and haggard, her eyes unfocused. As Tree approached, Fluttershy looked out the window with a low sigh.

“Flutters, let me handle it,” Tree said, taking over at the kibble bag.

Fluttershy nodded and began studying the cast on an injured chickadee’s wing, ensuring that the limb was healing properly as the bird nibbled down seed. Satisfied that her patient was making good progress, she slowly walked over to the sofa, moving as if in a dream. She laid down and stared at the ceiling, her gaze locked upwards as if she could see right through the roof at the orange-coated sky above.

Tree Hugger finished feeding the animals, then strolled over to Fluttershy and crawled up onto the sofa, cuddling up against the pegasus. “C’mon, Flutters, talk to me,” she said.

Fluttershy just sighed and stared at the ceiling.

“What happened with Lightning wasn’t your fault, dude,” Tree reassured Fluttershy, kissing her on the cheek over where Lightning had struck her; the bruise had long faded.

“She hasn’t come back in a week,” Fluttershy mumbled. “What if she’s sick or—?”

“We would’ve heard,” Tree soothed her. “I’m sure she’s fine. She’ll come back when she’s ready.”

The pealing of the doorbell snapped them both to attention. Rising, Tree strode past the eating animals and down the hall. Even before she reached the door, she heard the sound of a dog whimpering and scratching at the wood.

Tree’s eyebrows raised in surprise when she found Vinyl and Octavia standing on the other side. Vinyl was holding a leash in her magic; Thunder was on the other end, whining and pawing at Tree’s forelegs. The drawn, frowning expressions on the mares’ faces made Tree falter for a moment.

“Blessings, dudes,” Tree said, patting the little terrier. “What’re you two doing here?”

“Lightning Dust sent us here,” Octavia said. She held up an envelope and handed it to Tree. “She asked us to give this to you.”

Fluttershy walked up at the sound of voices, her eyes wide with mingled hope and concern. “Lightning Dust?” she asked, taking the envelope and tearing it open. Tree Hugger leaned over her shoulder to read the letter.

Dear Fluttershy and Tree:

I’m writing this as a goodbye. I’m going to be leaving soon: things in Ponyville just aren’t working out for me.

That stuff I yelled at you when we were at that drug house (sorry about hitting you and your friend, by the way): that’s just part of it. My parents always wanted me to dream big, but look at me: I’ve been stuck in this same dead-end job for years now, trying and trying to get myself ready to be a Wonderbolt. You know I tried to apply seven times last year? But I’ve never gone through it. I knew I’d always fail the drug test and the written tests.

It’s ironic, isn’t it? Somepony as tough as me, scared by a stupid written test.

You know what’s even more ironic? I took more drugs after flunking to make myself feel better for not being able to pass the drug test. It’s what’s always made me feel better. But now even that’s not working. Ever since last week, I’ve just been feeling worse and worse. Not even the poppydust will help now.

I just need to figure some things out. While I’m gone, I’d like you to take care of Thunder for me. I know you’ll treat him right, make sure he’s loved. You’ll treat him better than I ever could.

Lighting Dust.

Tree and Fluttershy both looked at each other, the same thought reflecting in their wide eyes. “We have to find her now!” Fluttershy cried.

“Why, what’s the matter?” Octavia asked.

“This is a suicide note,” Tree said. “And I bet I know where she went.”

Fluttershy thought for a moment, then took a deep breath. “Tree, you stay here. Call Applejack and Rara and tell them that we need them over here. I’m going to find her.”

“You sure?” Tree asked. “I could go myself.”

Fluttershy paused for a moment, briefly recalling the stench of decay and despair, the suspicious glare in the door sentry’s eyes as she passed him. Her stomach felt like it was doing somersaults in her chest, her wings suddenly tense and trembling as she pondered reentering the battlefield, wading through the wounded and dying.

But a pony needed her.

“I’ll be fine,” she replied with what she hoped looked like a smile and not a grimace.

Tree didn’t look fully convinced, but she nodded and gave Fluttershy a brief kiss on the cheek.

Vinyl handed the leash to Tree Hugger, then signed rapidly, her face grim. Octavia blinked in surprise, then signed back a question. Vinyl nodded. Octavia hesitated for a moment, then sighed and gave a curt nod. “Very well,” she said, turning back to Fluttershy. “Vinyl wishes to help you find her, and I shall help as well. A pony needs help, after all.”

“Thank you,” Fluttershy nodded gratefully, some of the weight leaving her chest.

Before she could convince herself otherwise, she proceeded out the door with Vinyl and Octavia behind her.

Fluttershy stood in front of the two-story building, staring at the walls as if she could see through the boarded-up windows into the dingy interior. Lightning was in there; she had to be.

All she had to do was get past the locked door, wade through the sea of the sick, and get her out.

She felt like she was being asked to enter a raging inferno.

Fluttershy stared at the door across the street, trying to keep her breathing slow and steady. Vinyl and Octavia stood at her sides, studying her with pensive expressions.

Vinyl signed something that Fluttershy guessed meant “Are you coming?” Fluttershy tried to answer, but her voice didn’t work and she swallowed down her words.

“Are you certain of this, doctor?” Octavia asked.

Fluttershy swallowed and nodded again. She briefly flashed back to her first operation in medical school, assisting with a dog who had swallowed a toy. It had been terrifying; she’d spent almost ten minutes in the bathroom before the operation, gulping down air like the room was filling with water. The idea of having a dog’s life in her hooves was terrifying; she was convinced with every beat of her heart that she was going to make a mistake that would cost the patient his life.

But she had succeeded then. She could succeed now. And she would.

Closing her eyes, Fluttershy took in a slow breath in a vibrating hum, then let it out in a whinny. She couldn’t quite get the same pitch as Tree could, but the effect was the same; the sound traveled down her body, like a wind calming troubled waters.

“All right,” she nodded and proceeded across the street. Vinyl fell in step beside her, with Octavia following.

Fluttershy drew back a hoof, then paused for a moment and gently knocked at the metal door. After a moment, the peephole slid open and she found herself staring at a familiar pair of eyes.

“What are you doing back here?” the griffon growled. “Haven’t you and your friends caused enough trou—”

Vinyl approached the door and tilted her sunglasses down her nose, raising an eyebrow at the guard. “Oh, Vinyl,” the griffon said, his eyes widening in recognition. “Didn’t see you there. Man, it’s been, what, a year?”

With a click, the door unlocked and swung open, the griffon giving Vinyl an approving nod. Vinyl signed that her companions were cool as she passed him.

“Thank you,” Fluttershy nodded politely as she and Octavia entered.

The trio proceeded up the steps and onto the second floor. Once again Fluttershy flinched as they struck the wall of miasma as they rounded the landing. Once again, she beheld a battlefield littered with the wounded and dying, semiconscious ponies barely stirring in shivering piles, stumbling across the filthy floors, speaking quietly in stuttering flows of slurred conversation.

Octavia shuddered. “Vinyl, I am very glad that you no longer come here.” Vinyl nodded in grim agreement.

“Doctor, all due respect, what difference will this make?” Octavia asked, sticking close to Fluttershy as she proceeded across the open floor, looking for any turquoise pegasi. “This is one mare out of so many.”

“I know I can’t make a difference to everypony,” Fluttershy said quietly, trying to close her heart to the suffering that surrounded her. “But I can make a difference to one.”

Vinyl waved to attract their attention and pointed. Lightning Dust was curled up in the corner, her head tucked between her hind legs and wings. Empty glass bottles and plastic bags surrounded her.

“Lightning,” Fluttershy said, hurrying over and shaking the mare. “Lightning?”

Lightning Dust moaned and slowly lifted her head, moving like a marionette operated by an inept puppeteer. Her trembling eyes struggled to focus upon the mares.

“Vinyl...Fluttershy…” she slurred, drool dripping out of the gaping mouth set in her pale face.

“Come on,” Fluttershy said, taking Lightning’s foreleg and draping it over her withers, pulling the mare up onto her hooves. Vinyl and Octavia took Lightning’s other foreleg and helped her stand.

“I wanna go home…” Lightning whimpered, her head rolling. “My stomach hurts…”

“It’s okay,” Fluttershy whispered soothingly as they led the mare to the stairs and carefully guided her down. “We’re gonna take you to my house. It’s gonna be okay.”

Putting the earpieces of the stethoscope in her ears, Fluttershy carefully pulled away some of the blankets covering Lightning Dust’s shivering, sweating form. Lightning moaned, clenching her eyes shut even tighter and shifting on the couch, but did not protest as Fluttershy pressed the diaphragm to her chest. After listening for a full minute, Fluttershy sighed and put the stethoscope away.

“Is she gonna be okay?” Rara asked, sitting on the other sofa with Applejack. Vinyl and Octavia had returned home after dropping Lightning off with best wishes.

“She’s not in immediate danger,” Fluttershy reported. “But we definitely need to keep a close eye on her for the rest of the night.”

“Poor girl,” Rara whispered, gazing at Lightning with a sympathetic look.

“You sure that she only took alcohol and poppydust?” Applejack asked.

“S’all I took…” Lightning’s moan was interrupted by a terrible belch. She leaned over and placed her face over the plastic bucket on the floor, retching and heaving as she added more to the putrid contents. Several of the animals that were gathered around Lightning flinched and backed up. It took almost a minute for her to finally recover enough to speak again.

“You swear?” Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Why would I lie?” Lightning snapped back, glaring feebly at her.

Thunder whined and nuzzled Lightning’s hoof. Lightning feebly patted the little dog as it licked her sweaty, clammy hoof. “Hey, buddy,” she moaned.

“Dudes, let’s not fight,” Tree Hugger chided gently, reentering the room with a glass of juice and a bottle of medicine. “We’re all here for the same reason: making sure Lightning is okay.” She maneuvered around the bucket of sick and crouched down next to Lightning. “Here, dude. Open wide, it’ll help a bit.”

Lightning opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue, allowing Tree to place a multivitamin, an antacid, and a pair of aspirin on her tongue, washing them down with some juice. Lightning gulped down the pills, then allowed Tree to help her drink the rest of the juice.

“Why are you helping me?” Lightning groaned, flopping back down on the couch. “I’ve been an ass to all of you. Why don’t you just leave me alone?”

“Do you really want us to do that?” Fluttershy asked with a raised eyebrow.

Lightning turned away but didn’t answer, continuing to pet Thunder.

“Lightning, let me ask you something,” Fluttershy asked, crouching beside her. “Has taking these drugs ever made you happy? Really happy? And if the drugs are preventing you from accomplishing your goals, does it make sense to keep using them?”

“Does it matter?” Lightning grunted into the sofa, her voice soft and raspy.

“Please, Lightning,” Fluttershy said. “Answer the question.”

Lightning didn’t answer for several seconds, resting her hoof on Thunder’s head at the dog whimpered and nuzzled her. “It makes me feel better,” she finally answered in a barely audible voice.

“For a little while,” Rara put in. “But then the next day, it still hurts. Because the drinks and the poppydust just cover up the pain, they don’t solve anything.”

“How the fuck do you know anything?” Lightning snapped, turning to glare at Rara. Her outburst turned into a fit of coughing and wheezing.

“Because I was exactly where you are a few years ago,” Rara replied softly after Lightning’s breathing had returned to normal. “Hurting, alone, thinking that I could use drugs and alcohol to hide the pain. And one day, I decided that I’d had enough. Applejack and my friends helped me quit, helped me fix those problems.”

“I can handle myself,” Lightning grunted, then belched again. She leaned over the bucket again, but thankfully, nothing came out.

“That’s clearly not true,” Applejack replied. “And besides, this isn’t just about you. You ever think about what’s gonna happen to Thunder if you kick the bucket?”

Thunder whined and placed his paws on the couch, wagging his tail. Lightning stared at him for a few seconds, then blinked and looked down, shame slowly settling in the edges of her eyes.

“It’s not just him,” Applejack added. “You’ve got all of us here, looking out for you; Octavia and Vinyl helped get you over here. Seems clear to me that you’ve got ponies who care about you. So if you feel like you’re alone, look around.” She smiled as Lightning slowly panned her gaze across the room, studying the four smiles facing her. “You ain’t alone.”

Fluttershy reached out and took Lightning’s hoof. “It’s not too late for us to help you, Lighting,” she said. “We can help you.”

The dim, pale gold eyes stared up at the soft blue irides; Fluttershy thought she saw tears in Lightning’s eyes.

She also saw that her lips were blue, her eyes were dull and struggling to focus upon her. Her mane was damp, but there was no fresh sweat running down her forehead. “Lightning, are you okay?” she asked, feeling Lightning’s pulse in her foreleg. She gasped as she realized that she could barely feel the slow throbbing.

Lightning let out a noise that might have been a quiet laugh or a stifled sob. “Maybe I should’ve...talked to you sooner…”

Her eyes closed and she became still. Thunder started whining and nudging at her hoof, producing no response.

“Lightning?” Fluttershy shook Lightning’s shoulder. “Lightning!”

No response. Ripping the blankets away, Fluttershy pressed her ear to her chest, her own heart hammering in her chest so loud she could barely hear Lightning’s heartbeat.

It was there...but shallow, thready and irregular, like the feeble, rhythmless tapping of a distant drum. Her chest slowly rose by such an infinitesimal amount that it was only on the second inhalation that Fluttershy was sure she was still breathing.

“Rara, call an ambulance! Applejack, help me get her on the floor!” Fluttershy ordered, grabbing Lightning beneath the forelegs. Applejack grabbed Lightning’s hind legs and the two of them hoisted Lightning onto the floor as Rara sprinted for the phone, fumbling as she dialed 911.

Tree watched as Fluttershy started CPR on Lightning, Applejack locking her forelegs and pressing down on Lightning’s chest like a pile driver, grunting as she counted out loud. Once she reached thirty, Fluttershy locked her lips against Lightning’s blue lips and blew. Lightning’s chest rose as Fluttershy gasped in a breath and gave another rescue breath. Immediately Applejack began compressions again. Thunder pranced around them, whining and trying to lick Lightning’s face; Fluttershy had to shoo him away.

“Does she have a pulse? Breathing?” Tree asked, trying to keep her voice level as her own heart started racing.

“It’s thready!” Fluttershy replied, placing a hoof on Lightning’s neck. “Bradypneic and getting weaker!”

A squeaking to Tree Hugger’s left and a tugging on her braided tail made her turn. Swiss was hopping up and down, pulling at her tail. He pointed down the hallway.

“What? What is it?” Tree asked.

Swiss’ sister Brie hurried up, carrying something in her mouth; a green leaf with burnished red and orange around the edges.

Realization flashed across Tree’s mind. “Righteous!” she cried, sprinting down the hallway with Brie and Swiss in tow. She hurried down the basement stairs so fast that she nearly lost her balance and tumbled down the steps, throwing on the light. Skidding to a halt in front of the desk, she grabbed at the rack of test tubes.

“There!” she cried, snatching up the test tube with the golden liquid in it; ortus basium paste mixed with flash bee honey. Sprinting back up the stairs, Tree ducked into the examination room and yanked a drawer open. Snatching up a syringe, she stabbed the needle through the rubber top of the test tube and pulled on the mouthpiece of the plunger. The thin yellow liquid flowed into the syringe.

“Let’s hope this works,” she said to Brie and Swiss, who nodded grimly.

Tree returned to the living room to see Applejack and Fluttershy still trying to revive Lightning, with Rara watching, fidgeting in place helplessly. Tree sprinted up and crouched down next to them, taking Lightning's cold, limp foreleg.

“What are you doing?” Applejack panted through gritted teeth, a few drops of sweat running down her forehead and mane as she continued to pump her forelegs.

“Tree, is that—?” Fluttershy started to say, staring at the syringe of yellow liquid.

“Trust me, dudes,” Tree said as she started probing Lightning’s inner foreleg, reminding herself that she was a doctor, reminding herself that she knew what she was doing, reminding herself that this would work...or, at the very least, not hurt.

She found Lightning’s vein and carefully stretched her foreleg out. Taking a breath, she let all of her stress flow out of her body on the exhalation. This was just like medical school, just something she’d done a hundred times before.

And so, she pushed the syringe forward into Lightning’s vein and used her mouth to push the plunger down. The golden syrup flowed into Lightning’s foreleg.

Fluttershy finished giving rescue breaths and Applejack immediately started compressions again, grunting and huffing with every press. “Come on, come on,” Fluttershy whispered.

Lightning still didn’t respond. Applejack finished her compressions and pulled away, panting and wiping sweat as Fluttershy began two more breaths. Rara immediately took over for Applejack, giving strong, firm, practiced compressions.

Still nothing. A stab of panic raced across Tree’s chest and she felt Lightning’s pulse in her foreleg. It was still thready...was it worse than before? It was! The medicine wasn’t work—

Just as Fluttershy bent down once more, Lightning’s body suddenly jolted, her eyes shooting open to reveal narrow pupils. She gasped loudly, then twisted onto her side, coughing and retching. White spittle and chyme dribbled out of her mouth.

Fluttershy gently hugged Lightning as she continued to cough and gasp, clutching her chest. “Breathe, Lightning,” Fluttershy whispered, stroking the shivering, gulping mare’s back, not caring as drool and tears stained her chest. “Breathe. It’s okay. You’re gonna be okay.”

Chapter Four: We're Really Not That Far Apart

Fluttershy paced the length of the hospital waiting room, up and down, up and down past the rows of chairs. The buzzing of the fluorescent light bulbs overhead grated on her nerves; her heart pattered in her chest with a rhythm like rain on a tin rooftop.

She turned to her left as she walked down the chairs for what must have been the thirtieth time. Tree Hugger was sitting cross-legged in one of the plastic chairs, front hooves folded in her lap, eyes shut, whinnying softly as she let out a controlled exhalation.

“Flutters, you need to chill a bit,” Tree said, cracking open one eye.

“I can’t chill!” Fluttershy cried out; some of the buzzing stress that was racing across her entire body burst out of her with her voice, raising the volume and pitch of her speech to hysterical degrees. “Lightning is in there, and I don’t know if she’s going to be okay, and maybe there’s something more we could’ve done and—”

Her sentence was cut off by Tree placing a hoof over her lips. “Fluttershy, you’re getting your chakras destabilized over something you can’t control,” Tree said patiently. “We don’t know what’s happening or what’s going to happen, and we can’t control it. Worrying about it isn’t gonna help any.”

“But, but—” Fluttershy stammered, wishing that Rara and AJ hadn’t had to return home.

“Hush,” Tree said, gripping Fluttershy’s shoulders. “Come here. Sit and meditate with me, it’ll help.”

Fluttershy’s mind was buzzing with thoughts like bees swarming a kicked hive, her stomach and heart churning inside her like she was in a rowboat in a cyclone. She didn’t know how she would be able to meditate.

But it was that or keep pacing, feeling like her nerves were trying to crawl out of her pores. She climbed up onto the seat next to Tree Hugger, crossing her hind legs and straightening her back.

“Breathe with me,” Tree instructed, taking her hoof. Fluttershy vaguely noted that her hoof was clammy as well, felt her slow but throbbing pulse, and took some quiet comfort in knowing that Tree was not immune to worry herself.

Together, the two mares inhaled slowly in a low hum, then let out a quiet, vibrating whinny; Tree’s voice was in a musical tone, but Fluttershy’s tone rose and fell randomly as she exhaled, her breath rushing from her chest rather than slowly pushed from her diaphragm. She winced at the grating noise, but Tree’s hoof soothingly brushed against her foreleg. They inhaled again, then whinnied again; this time, the sound was in better harmony, notes flowing together like a calm river that carried a little bit of their stress away.

In and out, slow breaths. Time slipped away for Fluttershy; she still felt the worry, squirming in her chest, but was only aware of it dimly. She was more focused on her breathing, and the soft warmth of Tree’s hoof on hers.

Seemingly scant minutes later, a voice called “Fluttershy and Tree Hugger?” Both mares opened their eyes to find a white unicorn doctor facing them.

“Yes?” Fluttershy asked, the stress writhing in her gut, but no longer threatening to spread across her entire body.

“Lightning Dust is out of danger for the moment,” the doctor explained. “We flushed her system of the toxins and we’ve managed to stabilize her heart and breathing. We’re going to have to keep her here for a few days for observation, however.”

“Thanks, doctor,” Fluttershy said, letting out a relieved sigh as some of the weight left her. “May we go see her?”

“Certainly,” the doctor nodded, beckoning for them to follow her.

The trio proceeded down the hallway and the doctor gestured them to enter a hospital room. It looked like every other hospital room: white walls, white lights, a white bed with white sheets, white curtains over the windows that revealed distant twinkling stars over the cold lights of the city. Lightning Dust was lying face up in the bed, staring numbly at the ceiling, an oxygen mask strapped to her face. The hissing of her breath mixed with the steady beeping of the EKG.

“Lightning?” Fluttershy asked as they entered.

Lightning glanced at them. “Is Thunder okay?” she asked, her voice muffled by the mask.

“Yeah, he’s back at our home,” Fluttershy nodded.

Lightning nodded, then went back to staring at the ceiling. The ponies all sat in an uncomfortable quiet for several seconds. After some time, Fluttershy noticed that tears were forming in Lightning’s eyes.

“I coulda died,” she whispered. “I wanted to die.”

“I don’t think you did,” Fluttershy said. “Not really. You wouldn’t have reached out for help if you did.”

“That stuff’s messing up your everything, dude,” Tree cut in. “I’ve seen a lot of good ponies flush their lives down the toilet because of that poppydust. Jobs ruined, friends lost, all because they couldn’t stop thinking about that next hit.”

“I don’t need you lecturing me!” Lightning snapped at Tree, angry tears sparkling in her eyes. Tree stepped back and raised her hooves in a conciliatory gesture.

“I can quit if I want to,” Lightning grumbled, turning her back on them.

“Are you sure?” Fluttershy asked.

Lightning didn’t answer. “Lightning, what happens next time you take too much and we don’t know where you are?” Fluttershy pressed. “You got lucky this time. You might not be lucky again.”

Lightning still didn’t answer, but Fluttershy saw her trembling faintly. “Please,” she said softly. “Let us help.”

There was a long silence, save for the beeping and hissing of machinery, before Lightning turned back to her. Tears leaked from her dull, red-streaked eyes that were heavy with exhaustion.

“I…” Lightning stammered, her voice choking up. “I think I need help.”

Fluttershy reached out and took Lightning’s hoof. The muscular limb felt cold and feeble in her grasp, and Lightning clung to her like a frightened foal.

“We’ll help,” she said. “I promise.”

Tree Hugger hummed to herself as she trotted up the dirt road to their house, gym bag swaying with every step. Pausing next to the sign with the flowery script that read “Doctors Fluttershy & Tree Hugger, Veterinarians and Animal Caretakers,” she took a deep breath of the early summer air, enjoying the warmth of the evening sun on her back and the scent of flowers in her nostrils.

“Whoa! Whoa, Thunder!”

Chuckling, Tree opened her eyes to see Fluttershy being yanked down the street by a yapping black terrier. “Some things never change, do they?” she asked, rubbing Thunder’s ears as he licked her hoof.

“Unfortunately,” Fluttershy panted through a smile.

As they proceeded up to the steps of their worn house, Fluttershy’s eyes fell upon the pile of mail on the doorstep. Beneath the bills and junk letters was a pair of magazines, the latest editions of the Equestrian Society for Preservation of Rare Animals newsletters and Herbalist Monthly.

Printed on the cover of Herbalist was a close-up photograph of a five-leaved fern, the vivid green, orange, and red flashing up at the viewers. The caption read, “Kissed By The Sunrise: Doctor Tree Hugger reveals new research on the medical uses of this exotic fern!”

“You must be so proud!” Fluttershy squeed, kissing Tree on her glowing cheek.

“It is pretty righteous,” Tree smiled, her face turning red in the glowing sunlight.

After dinner, the two mares sat beneath the Lovebloom Tree, laying against the trunk, Fluttershy patting Thunder’s head as Tree Hugger played her guitar, singing that favorite song of theirs.

Tree’s song was interrupted by Thunder’s joyful yipping. Both mares looked up to see a pair of pegasi streaking across the sky, demolishing a few low-hanging clouds.

“First commander of the Wonderbolts!” the blue pegasus called.

“General Firefly!” the turquoise pegasus replied, doing a corkscrew around her partner.

“Wonderbolts’ best formation!”

“Icaranian Sun Salute!”

“Wonderbolts motto!”

“Alt...uh, elt...dammit!” Lightning grunted as she landed.

“Altius Volantis, flying higher,” Rainbow Dash smiled, floating over Lightning. “It’s okay, you’re doing a lot better, and I’m not so good at this egghead stuff, either.”

“Guess I’m just better at the flying stuff,” Lightning admitted as Thunder ran up to her, barking and wagging his tail in joy.

“Almost as good as me!” Rainbow Dash puffed her chest out. “That’s the first time anypony has come close to my record for clearing clouds.”

“I’ll beat it one day,” Lightning smirked, rubbing Thunder’s belly.

“Ha! You wish!” Rainbow chortled. She stuck out her hoof and Lightning bumped it. “We’ll make you Wonderbolt material in no time. See you tomorrow! Shy, Tree, catch you later!"

With a wave to Fluttershy and Tree, Rainbow zipped off in a blur of colors.

“How are you doing, Lightning?” Fluttershy asked.

“How do you think?” Lightning grinned. “Clean for three weeks and my boss just gave me a raise! Said I'm the rising star of the company! If I wasn't Wonderbolt material, I could probably take over the place myself.”

Fluttershy and Tree both raised an eyebrow at Lightning. “Ponies find you a little more mellow when you’re a little less boastful, dude,” Tree commented.

Lightning deflated a bit and let out a nervous chuckle. “Just playing around,” she mumbled, then sighed. “I, um…” she swallowed, then admitted. “Is it normal to still have cravings?” she asked.

“Completely,” Tree reassured her. “I’ve seen a lot of ponies fall back into the old habits because they couldn’t say no.”

“If it feels like it’s getting too hard, you can reach out to us or Rara or Applejack or Rainbow,” Fluttershy said.

“I can handle it,” Lightning said.

Thunder whined and nudged Lightning’s hoof. She sighed and patted the dog. “If it gets hard, I’ll reach out to you,” she admitted.

There was a pause while Tree strummed through a verse on her guitar, then Lightning cleared her throat.

“But really: I owe a lot to you two,” Lightning admitted, smiling shyly at Fluttershy and Tree. “So thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Fluttershy said and hugged Lightning. Lightning stiffened for a bit, then briefly hugged Fluttershy back before retreating.

“I gotta get home: big day tomorrow. Thanks for taking care of Thunder!” Lightning scooped up her little dog and took off, saluting with a wing as she took off.

Fluttershy sighed happily and leaned back against the trunk. Tree took up her guitar again and swung into the chorus, hers and Fluttershy’s voices flying up into the sky to carry their friend home.

“So let your heart, sweetheart, be your compass when you’re lost,
And you should follow it wherever it may go;
When it’s all said and done, you can walk instead of run,
‘Cause no matter what, you’ll never be alone…”

Fluttershy turned and kissed Tree; Tree set her guitar aside and cuddled Fluttershy as a warm wind rustled the roses overhead, a few petals falling to catch the red evening sun before landing amidst the emerald grass. For a little while, the rest of the world fell away. For a little while, everything was peaceful.

Author's Note

And thus ends our story! I hope that you enjoyed this work.

I really wanted to write something about Fluttershy in the Noireverse, and this story settled itself in my mind. I also took it as an opportunity to explore the Everfree District of Ponyville a bit, introduce a few new characters, and experiment a bit by writing a character that I personally disliked in canon and see if I could rework her as a more likable character. Plus, I really wanted to write a Flutterhugger story, it's a personal favorite ship.

Does this mean that Lightning, Tree, Vinyl, and Octavia will be showing up in future Noire stories? I hope so!

Lyrics to Compass belong to Lady Antebellum.