Chapters With many twists and turns dashing about in the cold, blue sky, the clouds had been also cleared away in the process of Rainbow Dash performing lots of tricks. On the ground, she could scrutinize two pink and orange earth ponies and one unicorn observing her moves until a violet alicorn trotted towards them with a kind smile.
''Hey, Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie!'' she greeted. ''What are you looking at?''
''Rainbow Dash!'' Pinkie Pie answered.
''Isn't she dazzling?'' Rarity asked.
''I would say awesome, after all, that is what she likes to hear from ponies,'' the southern pony extended.
Rarity shrugged. ''Fair enough.''
The four ponies stopped chatting for a while and paid attention to the one thing that was amazing up in the sky. It was no wonder she got accepted into the Wonderbolts, even though it took so long for her to get in as there wasn't an empty spot until Fire Streak retired and she finally became an official Wonderbolt.
Rainbow Dash did lots of flips and turns, then cloud busted through the soft clouds, that was her way of clearing up the sky. Rainbow Dash was so confident to do a sonic rainboom again but she thought that had gotten a bit old now, after all, she had done it ever since she was a filly! She landed on a cloud that was still left in the sky and made that into a starting line.
She grabbed Pinkie Pie and placed her on the cloud, but of course, Twilight had to cast the spell for her to walk on clouds. Pinkie Pie was given a whistle from Rainbow Dash to announce to start, but she replaced the whistle with a bit more extraordinary and her most favourite thing ever!
She got out her party cannon and placed the rainbow pegasus inside her party cannon so when she announces for her to start, she can give Rainbow Dash an epic boost into the sky. Rainbow Dash, herself, thought this was a brilliant idea so she agreed with her party pony friend's plan.
''3...2...1...GO!'' Pinkie Pie announced, shooting Rainbow Dash into the air, causing her to do so many tricks.
Once she did enough of her fabulous flying tricks, Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and flew all the way up to the shining and gleaming Celestial sun. She encouraged herself that she will do it. Nothing can harm her, right? She has defeated villains several times before. But that was different. Now, she is doing something she has never done before or anypony, to be precise. It could be very harmful or hazardous.
Come on, Rainbow Dash . The pegasus tapped herself on the head. Why are you so nervous? You have faced so many challenges before. What is it you got to lose? Her wings, to when she was trying to perform the sonic rainboom again for the second time for the 'best young flyers' competition and nearly snapped her wing as she crashed into Twilight's Golden Oak Library.
She took her final breath for the last time and started off by flying fast. She liked the wind flowing through her rainbow mane. The cool breeze swiftly flying through her face. It was refreshing. If she can do a sonic rainboom, then she can do a double one. She is Rainbow Dash, the most awesome flyer in all of Equestria.
Rainbow Dash was so close to doing a sonic rainboom. She created a bubble in front of her and then launched herself and did a sonic rainboom. Her friends were in amazement and cheered her on for a double one now.
The pegasus circled the sky with a rainbow. When she finished doing her loop, she went into high-speed mode and accelerated further. Her wings were now flying rapidly than they ever were in her whole lifetime.
She pushed herself a little further and...BOOM! BOOM! She did a sonic rainboom twice at the same time. That was impressive until she flew down towards the ground. She couldn't control how much her wings held so much strength and power. She clipped her wing onto something and prepared to doom right into the ground.
Rarity blocked her mouth with her delicate white hoof. Twilight and Pinkie Pie were shocked that she actually managed to do a double rainboom. How was that possible? They thought Rainbow Dash was just making it up and she did just like how Twilight Sparkle had created her own spell.
Applejack ran as fast as she could towards Rainbow Dash's body. Twilight, Pinkie, and Rarity followed along.
The next thing they knew, they were at the Ponyville hospital.
''Is she going to be alright?'' Applejack asked nervously.
''Oh,'' Nurse Redheart replied with hesitation. ''I am not so sure, dear. Although I think we need Doctor Hooves in here, may I ask how this had happened?''
Twilight and Applejack shared a look with each other. They both had a hint of nervousness in their eyes. Twilight broke the contact and stepped in forward. She took a deep breath to speak as she had so much tension on her shoulders.
''Well,'' she said, ''she was just playing around in the sky with flying tricks, and then she wanted to extend her sonic rainboom to a double one. She succeeded, of course, as she is an incredible flyer but she couldn't hold how much power and strength her wings were holding so she fell to the ground immediately and clipped her wing. She then dived in right to the ground.''
''Oh dear,'' Fluttershy whimpered. ''I hope she is still alive.''
''No,'' the doctor uttered while looking at the heartbeat display. ''She is quite alive, just unconscious but she will wake up soon. Although, there is a catch.''
''What is it?'' Rarity questioned.
She winced. ''There might be a possibility that Rainbow Dash might...lose her memory.''
''What?!'' everypony in the room shouted in unison.
A nurse came inside the room with a trolley full of bandages and medicine to put under her wing. She walked across the room to the patient's bed, ignoring the mares’ shocked faces.
''No,'' the cowgirl uttered. ''It can't end like this!''
Pinkie Pie had her eyes filled with water. ''So that means we will never have our little Dashie again?'' She then blasted her eyes into a fountain of tears, almost flooding the whole room.
Maud and Mud Briar from outside had to swim away back to their room with a saddle boat. The reason why they were in the hospital was that Pinkie Pie accidentally stepped on Twiggy and Boulder (I know, right? A little bit dramatic if you ask me).
A few moments have passed and Rainbow Dash still hadn't woken up. All of her friends were getting more and more worried about her. Spike trotted across the room to the patient's bed and tried to reach to see Rainbow Dash's body on the bed but he was too short to reach. He landed his hands across the bed and made his legs swing off the ground. Because of this, Spike accidentally pulled the covers and blanket off the bed. He also had almost lifted the bed but all of a sudden, the pegasus had finally woken up.
''AAAHHH!!'' they both screamed in unison.
Pinkie Pie gasped and zoomed right towards Rainbow Dash and gave her a big hug. Unfortunately, the doctor was right. The rainbow mare slowly slipped away from the hug and pushed the pink pony away. This made Pinkie Pie fall to the ground.
''Who are you?'' she asked. ''Do I know you?''
''Oh no!'' Fluttershy said in a frightened voice. ''The doctor was right. She really did lose her memory!''
Everypony was looking at each other with their eyes widened in horror.
''Dashie!'' Pinkie Pie exclaimed, bouncing back up. ''It's me, your best friend, Pinkie Pie!''
She hugged her again, but Rainbow Dash instantly pushed her away again.
''Best friend? That is funny because I don't remember anything about having a best friend, in fact, I don't remember anything at all!'' She scattered her eyes across the room. ''Hey, wait a minute. Who are you guys and what am I doing here in this...hotel?''
''Hotel?'' Rarity repeated, widening her eyes at the drab curtains. ''This doesn't even look like a hotel!''
Applejack rolled her eyes in annoyance as she walked up towards the pegasus. She placed an assuring hoof on the patient's shoulder.
''Sugarcube,'' she said, ''you may not know us because of that little incident causing your memory to go away but don't worry! We will do all we can to help get your memory back.'' She backed away to stand beside Twilight and whispered, ''and how exactly are we doing this?'' Twilight shrugged.
Pinkie Pie gasped. ''I know!''
At the Ponyville train station, Pinkie Pie and her friends were all waiting for the train to go back to her rock farm. She figured that since her family is smart, she can ask them if they have or know a cure for memory loss.
Five minutes later, the cutie mark crusaders ran towards them and hugged their sisters, except for Scootaloo, who was looking for Rainbow Dash.
''Hey!'' she called. ''Where is Rainbow Dash?''
The five ponies and dragon glanced at each other in unison.
''Well, there isn't going to be a Rainbow Dash anymore,'' said Spike with a frown, folding his hands against his chest.
Twilight waved him with her tail. ''Hush, Spike. Don't say that. We will get her back, besides we had done challenges in the past before.''
''That is exactly what the mare that is now lost said,'' Spike reminded unpleasantly.
''What do you mean?'' Apple Bloom asked.
Applejack wrapped her hoof around her little sister.
''Apple Bloom, sugar, maybe it is not so great if you stand beside us at the moment.''
''No,'' she uttered. ''Tell us what is wrong, Applejack. We are not foals anymore.''
''Yeah!'' Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo exclaimed in unison.
They were about to open their mouths until the train had arrived. They figured for the little fillies to just come along with them on the train so they can explain what happened to them.
''Wow.'' Apple Bloom was appalled. ''She really did a double sonic rainboom?''
''Come to think of it,'' Sweetie Belle added, ''we did see a sonic rainboom outside a window at our cutie mark crusader clubhouse, and it did look double.''
Scootaloo dismayed, ''so because of that incredible, astonishing, unbelievable, stupendous and astounding sonic double rainboom, it managed to clip her wing and fell all the way down to the ground and suddenly just refreshed her memory blank.''
Twilight nodded mid-way until Sweetie Belle pointed out a question. ''So where are we going now?''
Applejack answered for them. ''Back to Pinkie Pie's home, the rock farm.''
''Speaking of Pinkie,'' asked Rarity, ''where is she?''
Pinkie Pie was in the other cart of the train, where suitcases were kept. She wasn't looking very joyful as usual. You may think she is happy all the time because she is energetic but her feelings are as fragile as glass.
The pink pony was crouching down behind a suitcase where nopony could ever find her. Her mane was deflated, her skin was greyish. She was sobbing silently so nopony could hear her. She wanted to be alone.
The way that pegasus spoke to her and pushed her was what bothered her the most. Sure, she lost her memory but it was hard for Pinkie Pie to understand. Those two were inseparable. They were the best of friends. They would laugh with each other, joke around with each other, comfort each other whenever one of them was feeling down. They were the ones that gave light to the group and would always mess around. Sometimes there could be times where things get a bit hectic but they sort it out in the end because that is what close friends do.
Pinkie Pie's ear perked up at the sound of a knock on the door and calling out for her to come out.
''Hello?'' a yellow pegasus interfered. ''Pinkie Pie? Are you in there?''
''Uh,'' she mumbled. ''No! I am definitely not here! I mean, she is not in here. Maybe you should check the other carts and not come back!'' she yelled and sighed later on. ''I can't hide from them forever just because a friend is never going to remember me again.''
Fluttershy opened the door and stepped into the room. She walked in with a lot of suitcases on the floor messily. She dodged them out of the way and walked into the spaces where suitcases weren't laid. She heard whimpering noises coming from behind a suitcase.
She moved the suitcase out of the way and found a pink pony with a deflated, uncurled mane. She only knew it was Pinkie Pie because of the voice, eye, mane, and skin colour that was turning grey due to her sobbing.
''Pinkie Pie!'' she exclaimed. ''What are you doing in here all alone and crying?''
She sat right beside her and placed an assuring hoof on her shoulder.
She sniffed. ''I am just worried about Rainbow Dash! What if my family never finds a cure to her memory loss?''
''I know it's hard, Pinkie,'' she assured her. ''But don't worry, we had faced harder challenges before. I am sure we will be able to find a cure in no time.'' She gently rubbed the pink pony's back for comfort.
The train stopped and the conductor dismissed everypony off the train and welcomed the other ponies abroad.
The five ponies, three fillies, and dragon all trotted towards Pinkie Pie's family's home. They gently knocked on their door. They could hear footsteps descending the stairs. A pony opened the door for them and led them inside so they could explain why they were here.
Everypony sat down on the couch but it was not very comforting. The pillows were made out of rocks, the backside was hard as a rock and the cushions they were sitting on were even made up of rock. The Pie family sure does love rocks a lot. So everypony decided to sit on the floor, on top of cushions Twilight teleported up but Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Apple Bloom didn't mind sitting on the couch (or if you could even call it a couch ).
Rarity started to explain the whole story and then Applebloom carried on with the rest, then Sweetie Belle ended up needing a cure to memory loss.
Pinkie Pie's mother looked concernedly at her husband to see if he had any knowledge of this cure but judging by his eyes and fidgeting, he didn't know either.
''So that's it then?'' Applejack declared. ''We are doomed.''
''No,'' Pinkie Pie uttered. ''I will not let that happen!''
''But we traveled all the way here and even your smart parents don't know a cure to it. I guess we have to live with the new Rainbow Dash and make memories with her again, starting from scratch,'' Twilight said as she swayed her head pensively.
''Maybe one of your books can help, Twilight,'' Rarity pointed out.
''No offense, Rarity,'' she responded. ''That is a good idea but I have read every book on the subject in my castle library and I don't remember anything about a cure to memory loss.''
''But it won't hurt if we read through them again,'' she argued.
''Okay, then.'' She stood back up from her cushion that was used as a seat. ''We are going back.''
Everypony stood up from their positions and trotted to walk outside the door, except Pinkie Pie. who was looking miserably at the ground. Applejack stopped in her tracks as she saw this.
''Pinkie Pie?'' she called. ''Are you okay?''
She sighed. ''No, I just can't keep thinking about Rainbow Dash. We have been through so much together and knowing that all of those memories are going to go to waste now hurts me.''
''We will find a cure to this, Pinkie Pie. We just need some faith and hope in ourselves. And besides, I don't think Rainbow Dash wants us to be sad.''
''It is easy for you to say, Applejack,'' she responded. ''You don't know what it is like to have somepony forgetting about you or gone.''
''Trust me, Pinkie Pie,'' she assured her. ''I know exactly what it is like.'' She trotted on over towards the door and open it to go outside. ''Now, come on. We don't want to miss the train.''
Pinkie Pie hopped off the crouch and followed Applejack out the door and head out to the train station.
Applejack started up a positive conversation to light up the mood.
''So do you prefer chocolate milkshake or banana milkshake?''
''Oh well...'' Pinkie Pie responded.
It has been over a week ever since the incident that caused Rainbow Dash's memory loss happened. Everypony was in its depressed state. Twilight had never even once left the castle library for some fresh air. She was re-reading every book on the subject again, looking for a cure but unfortunately, she didn't find anything. Rarity hadn't left her bed within days nor ate, either. Applejack was broken inside but never showed it.
Pinkie Pie was sobbing a fountain of tears in her bedroom and didn't get enough sleep. She kept thinking about the memories she had made with Rainbow Dash. They were the best of friends and now all of the memories they had made together are now going to waste. There should be no reason for her to not.
'I didn't take you to a prankster, Pinkie Pie .'
'When Pinkie Pie creates a party, I am there! '
'Pssst! Pinkie Pie, are you asleep yet? '
'No, are you asleep yet? '
'If I was sleeping, how could I have asked you if you were asleep? '
'Oh, you caught me. Looks like I tricked you and didn't get away with it, either. You are good. '
Pinkie Pie was moving around in her bed, trying to go to sleep but memories kept filling up in her head and making her tear up. It had turned from seconds to minutes to hours and Pinkie Pie still hasn't fallen asleep yet. Her mane has not been poofed up yet and it's been deflated the whole day, ever since the incident.
The sun has already risen and the rooster has alarmed everypony in Ponyville to wake up. Pinkie Pie had dark circles under her eyes and looked paler than before. She was tired and yet she still couldn't sleep even if it was the morning now.
Her depression continued within days and then those days turned into weeks. Everypony tried everything they could to cheer her up again but nothing seemed to work. The only thing that will ever work is to have her best friend's memory back.
Everypony was also in their depressed state but Applejack never showed it. Nopony has heard from Fluttershy ever since they came back from visiting the Pie family. It seemed like she was isolating in her cottage just like Pinkie Pie.
Angel and her other animal friends had tried all they can to cheer Fluttershy up again just like how her friends tried to cheer Pinkie Pie up. But they failed on making them happy again.
Fluttershy was on top of her butterfly patterned bed, crouching into a ball and sobbing. A squirrel came up to her and approached her with acorns. This made the shy pony smile for the first time.
She sniffed. ''Thank you but I don't think a couple of little acorns is going to help me with my depression.''
Angel entered the bedroom with a giant bear. The white little bunny hopped on her bed and gave a tiny flower to make her happy. The bear picked up Fluttershy and gave her a tight hug.
''It is very nice of you all to cheer me up but I don't think anything will work, but if I get my best friend back.''
Fluttershy was also close friends with Rainbow Dash as they went to the same flight school together and Rainbow Dash had always had Fluttershy's back since the day they met. If anything happened to Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash would always be there and kick butts. That meant the same with Fluttershy to Rainbow Dash.
Fluttershy started to sob into the bear's arms again until a familiar draconequus materialized in front of them.
''What is the matter, my dear Fluttershy?'' he asked kindly.
Fluttershy turned around to meet the draconequus' pleading eyes. She flew into his arms and hugged him around the neck. She buried her face in his fur and started sobbing even more.
''It is Rainbow Dash! She has lost her memory and now we can't have the same Dashie anymore!''
The draconequus widened his eyes. Although he could just click his talons to restore her memory back, he wanted this to be done by her friends and not require his help. Where is the fun in that? And besides, there might be grave consequences if he tried restoring her memories. Who knows what could happen, even if the Lord of Chaos had used his chaos magic for over a thousand years.
Fluttershy lifted her head as a thought struck her. ''Discord, can't you just use your magic to give back her memory? I mean, you did erase all of our memories before when you first made an introduction.''
''I am sorry, my dear Fluttershy, but not even my chaos magic can't do anything about this.''
She looked down at the floor pensively and started sobbing in the draconequus' arms again. Discord gently smoothed out her soft mane and comforted her. He really wanted to help them but it could be a tough risk.
Meanwhile, the cutie mark crusaders were sitting around in their clubhouse with frowns on their faces. They had to cancel their clients' requests for the day because they cannot help ponies find their purpose in life if they are unhappy themselves. Each of the ponies was sitting in different positions and areas.
Scootaloo was sitting in the corner and crying in her hooves. Sweetie Belle was fidgeting and rolling down on the floor. Apple Bloom had her head down on the podium.
Sweetie Belle groaned. ''We have to do something! We can't make everypony think we are just fillies and do nothing to save our friend!''
''I agree,'' said Apple Bloom. ''Although, how can we help?''
Scootaloo stood up from the floor nonchalantly. ''I would do anything to get my sister back!'' She gasped. ''I know! How about we go to Canterlot and talk with Princess Celestia about this? Or even go to every library in Canterlot as they have lots of books about anything you want to read.''
''Hold on a second,'' Apple Bloom paused. ''Who will be taking us there?''
''We will just go alone. I mean, we did go alone to the Crystal Empire and that is so far away.''
''Yeah, well, that was an emergency to get Angel back.''
''Oh, please, Apple Bloom. For Rainbow Dash?''
Apple Bloom sighed. ''Fine, but I don't think Rainbow Dash would want us doing this.''
Scootaloo hopped over to her and hugged her. ''So who got the tickets?''
''How about to Zecora's?'' Sweetie Belle suggested.
''No!'' the pegasus filly exclaimed, ''I don't want to get frustrated by her rhyming.''
''But she could be a good cause,'' said the unicorn filly.
''No,'' she uttered.
''Must...find...a...cure...'' Twilight said in a weak and tired voice.
''Twilight,'' said Spike. ''You have been at this for days. You should get some sleep.''
Twilight's ears perked up at the sound of a knock at the entrance door. Spike had volunteered to go open the door. He ran outside of the library and trotted towards the entrance to open up the door. It was an orange earth pony standing in front of him with a wagon full of food.
''Oh,'' said Applejack. ''Spike, I got some apple treats you asked me to bake for Twilight? Is she still not getting any sleep?''
Spike wiped the sweat away from his forehead. ''Thank you so much, Applejack! You don't know how hard it is to make Twilight go to bed. She hasn't slept in over a week and has been stuck in her library, searching for a cure.''
She sighed. ''That is why I brought Granny Smith's homemade world-famous apple butter. It makes you feel sleepy and energised in the morning when you wake up.''
''Gee,'' Spike uttered. ''Thanks, Applejack!''
Applejack handed over the product to the baby dragon. He waved goodbye as she trotted off with her empty wagon. He closed the door for any intruders and trotted off to the kitchen to place the food on the table. He then trotted off to the library again and called Twilight to the kitchen.
Although, it took so many tries for him to get her to come to the kitchen and actually eat the food Applejack cooked especially for her. It seemed like she lost her appetite.
She had truly lost her sparkle.
Meanwhile, the cutie mark crusaders were hanging posters with a picture of Rainbow Dash and a caption saying 'if you have a cure to memory loss, please find us at the cutie mark crusader clubhouse!' Scootaloo was driving her scooter with a red box that had Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle sitting on top. They drove all over Ponyville to drop off posters. They had just made the posters fly into everyone's faces.
''So where to now?'' asked Scootaloo.
Lyra and Bon Bon stopped their moving scooter cart. ''Excuse me?''
''Hey!'' Scootaloo called. ''What did you do that for?''
''Sorry,'' Bon Bon apologised. ''But what are you doing? What are these posters?''
''Haven't you read the caption?'' Apple Bloom said, raising her eyebrow.
''Of course we did,'' said Lyra. ''We just want to-''
She was suddenly caught off by Derpy flying over to approach them with one of their leaflets.
''What happened to the weather captain?''
A pegasus flew down right beside her.
''How did this memory loss happen?''
Everypony started crowding over around them. Sweetie Belle shouted that made everypony back away a little.
''We asked you all if you have a cure to memory loss, not let us explain what had happened!''
''Well, there are different types of memory losses. You just have to explain.''
Everypony gasped and made a gap for the pony to come forth.
''Come to my science lab and I will show you multiple books about multiple memory losses,'' he said confidently and walked away to go to his laboratory, having the cutie mark crusaders following him with curiosity in their raised eyebrows.
The cutie mark crusaders were in a world of amazement as they entered Doctor Hooves' science lab. There were flameless fireworks in a showcase glass box, the same ones that were used in Cranky and Matilda's wedding. There were lots of books on the shelves but they were covered in dust so you could guess they haven't been used in a very long time.
Doctor Hooves trotted towards the bookshelf and searched for a book of memory loss. As he found it, he picked it up and blew off the dust away to get a closer look at it and search for a page.
''I found it,'' he skimmed through the page and widened his eyes. ''Oh my.''
''What?'' asked Apple Bloom, trying to get a glance at the page. ''What is it?
''I am sorry but it looks like there cannot be a cure to a brain tumour.''
''Brain tumour?'' said Sweetie Belle. ''But she doesn't have that, she has memory loss.''
''I know,'' he responded, ''memory loss is brain tumour.''
''No,'' Apple Bloom uttered. ''This can't be.''
''I'm sorry, my little ponies, but I can't help, maybe go to our zebra friend.''
''Or,'' Sweetie Belle said, ''we can go to Princess Celestia.''
''Great thinking, Sweetie Belle!'' the pegasus filly exclaimed.
''Why do timberwolves need to brush their teeth, which they never do, Tia?'' Luna blurted out as she had been bored of sitting on her throne alongside her sister and two swiftly rushing waterfalls beside them.
Celestia raised her eyebrow for her sister to just say it already and not bother her with any more unfunny jokes.
''Because they stink!'' Luna answered herself, hysterically laughing on her throne.
Celestia scrunched her nose. ''Luna, that is not a very... original joke, per se.’’
''Oh, come on.’’ Luna rolled her eyes. ‘’You’re no fun at all.’’
There was a dutiful knock on the grand double doors, opening within a golden illumination to reveal a grey unicorn guard with polished golden armor to match the decor standing by next to three candy corn fillies. The guard announced their arrival with a bow of dignity to the day and night princesses.
Celestia perked up, remembering they were relatives of three special friends of hers. Confused as to why they were not with them felt a bit odd to her so she gestured for them to come in and explain themselves. But to her uneven anticipation, the unicorn filly zoomed into the grand room within an excited squeal.
''Oh my gosh!'' Sweetie Belle squeaked. ''I haven't been in this part of the castle before or met the princesses in pony.'' She bounced onto one of them. ''You are even more beautiful in pony.''
''Thanks,'' Luna replied.
''What are you doing here, my little ponies?'' Celestia had finally asked the three little fillies staring innocently intrigued at them who were shown to be brightening with glorious radiance as part of their appearance.
Sweetie Belle responded, ''we are here because we need your help.''
''For what?'' Luna questioned cautiously.
Scootaloo sighed. ''Rainbow Dash did a double sonic rainboom and...''
''Amazing,'' Celestia interrupted accidentally, not hearing the last word to indicate she wasn’t finished with her sentence yet as she was already appalled. ''She was the first pegasus to perform a sonic rainboom, proved the legends true and now she stepped it up further and did a double one?''
''Yeah, well,'' Apple Bloom said. ''Don't get your mane in a tangle, her memory is now lost because of it.''
''So we came to you if you have a cure to memory loss?'' Scootaloo asked, lighting a hopeful glow on her face.
Luna shook her head. ''I am sorry but not even the princesses know a cure to this horrid catastrophe.''
''But,'' Celestia declared, ''I do know where to research cures. The Canterlot Archives.''
''Oh, yeah!'' Scootaloo exclaimed. ''I told you!''
''And in Zecora's hut.''
The two fillies smirked at the pegasus filly, who screeched down to the ground in embarrassment but grunted in slight triumphant secretly as she turned herself around.
Luna announced, ''so my sister and Apple Bloom will search for a cure in the Canterlot Archives, whereas Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and I will go to Zecora's hut.''
''What?'' Scootaloo moaned. ''Why do I get to go to Zecora's?!''
Apple Bloom raised her eyebrow at her. ''You want your sister back, don't you?''
Scootaloo rolled her eyes, and readied herself to trot out of the royal doors again but this time with royalty.
Rainbow Dash was laying on her bed and looking at the ceiling while throwing a ball against the wall, attempting to bounce it right back to her for her to catch. This continued again and again until the door slammed open and dropped the ball onto the ground.
''Hi, Rainbow Dash!'' country and enthusiastic accents boomed into reality, revealing two orange and pink earth ponies standing at the doorway with amiable smiles.
''Who are you?'' she asked. ''And how do you know my name?''
''Dashie!'' Pinkie Pie exclaimed, zooming in to hug her. ''I missed you so much! And don't worry, we haven't forgotten about you. We will find a cure for you as soon as possible!''
''Don't jinx it, Pinkie!'' said Applejack.
''You still haven't answered my question,'' said Rainbow Dash. ''Who are you?''
A nurse entered inside the room and trotted towards the patient's bed with a trolley of food.
''Alright,'' Nurse Redheart said. ''Dinnertime for Rainbow Dash.''
''Oh, I am so hungry!'' She stuck her whole face in the green mucky squishy substance and splodged her whole face in the pink wobbly and jiggly jelly. Although, it did not quite taste like it, can she even remember that?
''No rush, sugarcube,'' Applejack assured her and sat on top of her bed. ''We ain't goin' to judge ya.''
''That looks good!'' Pinkie Pie said, bouncing up and down. ''Can I try it?''
''Uh, sure?''
Pinkie Pie sighed. ''This reminds me of the memory where you were in the hospital and discovered Daring Do.''
''What is Daring Do?''
Pinkie Pie gasped. ''Rainbow Dash would not like to hear that!'' She remembered herself and frowned. ''Oh, right... well, I do have another memory to remind you...''
Applejack blocked her mouth. ''The memory of us competing for the most daring pony.''
''Gummy's Birthday party!'' Pinkie Pie piped.
''We ran out of apple cider and then Flim and Flam came to kick us out of our own farm and destruct it.''
''Twilight was homesick and made us, Rarity, and Fluttershy decorate her new home for her.''
''We discovered the elements of harmony to defeat Nightmare Moon. You are the element of loyalty.''
''When you secretly tried to like my pies and then I discovered the truth.''
''QUIET!'' Rainbow Dash yelled at the top of her lungs, splaying her bandaged wings apart. ''Look if I don't know you then maybe you shouldn't, oh, I don't know. TORMENT ME AND JUST LEAVE?''
Pinkie Pie and Applejack's ears perked up as she started yelling and told them to leave. They exited out of the room with frowny faces. Before Pinkie Pie did, she got out a note from her mane and placed it atop the patient’s bed which the pegasus had picked it up and read it:
''Dear Rainbow Dash,
I know you lost your memory and I am not going to have the same little Dashie anymore but I just wanted to let you know that you are my best and close friend I have. I love you! We would always prank, joke, laugh, comfort...so what I really want to say is that even if you don't remember me, I will always remember you and still have memories with the new Dashie. I could never leave you, just like how Dashie would never leave me and always stay loyal. We are like Batpony and Robinpony.
Hehe, I know that was a cheesy reference but Rainbow Dash loves to hear me say cheesy jokes!
Love, Pinkie Pie ''
Rainbow Dash was on the verge of tears. She couldn't hold it in so blasted a waterfall in the whole room. The doctor came in and slipped on the water. He saw people needing to use saddle boats in the hospital again.
''Not again,'' he muttered under his breath.
In the treacherous Everfree Forest, Luna was walking through with two other fillies: Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, to go to Zecora's hut and ask her if she has a cure for memory loss. There was no doubt in this, Zecora has always been an expert when it came to things like this. Although, Scootaloo did not want to go to her hut as she will only rhyme and hurt her head. She will never give them a straight answer and always have to figure it out by themselves.
They reached her hut and knocked on the door gently. A zebra trotted towards the door to open it and see an alicorn and two fillies approaching her.
''Your Highness,'' she bowed, ''do you care to explain why you three were in the darkness?''
''No need for that, Zecora,'' said Luna. ''May we come in and have a talk?''
''Indeed,'' she replied. ''Would you like something to feed?''
She poured tea inside four cups.
''No thank you,'' Sweetie Belle said politely. ''We are actually here to see if you have a cure to...?''
''Memory loss,'' Scootaloo completed, turning herself away from the zebra, and wanting to get this over with.
Zecora widened her eyes a bit until she started trotting towards her bookshelves that were arranged in chronological order from the most dominant to the least dominant.
''To find a cure to memory loss is hard, we may end up getting scarred.''
Scootaloo rolled her eyes. Sweetie Belle ignored her rudeness and stepped forward.
''So is it possible to make a cure for it?'' she asked.
''I can't assure you because I have no clue, but do not hold such worry if I can't make this in a hurry.''
''What can we do to help?'' asked Luna.
''You can start by handing that bottle over there, but do not fear of the spider.''
Sweetie Belle grabbed the bottle and saw a spider crawling on top of it. She yelled and almost dropped the bottle but Luna catched it with her magic just in time before it was about to fall to the floor and crack open the lid and spill all over the place, turning into a lack of the ingredient needed. Zecora hushed them down so she could concentrate.
''This is a herb I am making so do not disturb. Now, trot on over here and hand me that bottle, dear.''
Sweetie Belle trotted over to the brew and handed the bottle over to Zecora. She then opened up the lid and poured a drop inside the cauldron.
''Now, fetch me a ghost orchid and hid before it's dark.''
''Ghost Orchid?'' Sweetie Belle shivered at the name. ''That seems terrifying. What is it?''
''I can assure you, it is not quite what you think. Although, I really do need it for this brew I am currently making.''
Scootaloo was already standing at the entrance to not hear the zebra's rhyming and get a headache from it. However, she did hear that they need to look for a 'Ghost Orchid.'
Luna and Sweetie Belle trotted on over to the door and exited outside of the hut with the pegasus filly to travel on a scavenger hunt as the zebra’s request.
* * *
''No,'' Celestia said after throwing a book that was useless to the subject away. She kept saying it after throwing each useless book on the floor.
''I got it!'' Apple Bloom exclaimed. This perked up the princess' ears up. ''It says that you will need to grab...'' She paused as she skimmed further on the page. ''Oh, but it isn't the book we are looking for.'' She threw the book on the ground. ''Shoot.''
Celestia royally hummed. ''Apple Bloom, sweetie, care to explain what has caused this memory loss. Probably Discord just cast one of his nasty tricks again.'' She rolled her eyes.
Apple Bloom was interrupted from her search and lifted her head from the big pile of books once she caught the full attention of the alabaster alicorn. She cleared her throat earthly to begin the story that she was told.
''Wow.'' Celestia was appalled. ''Glad she didn't die from hitting her head with the ground otherwise that would be even worse.''
''Not helping,'' Apple Bloom muttered through her gritted teeth and under her breath as she can't say anything towards the princess. ''Anyways, I wonder how the others are doing...''
* * *
''Do you really think we are able to find this rare flower thing?'' asked Scootaloo. ''I mean, I am not saying that because I'm scared or anything.'' She chuckled nervously whilst Sweetie Belle was staring at her.
''Please,'' she said. ''Stop being such a chicken, Scootaloo. Not even Fluttershy gets scared at everything.''
''Are you kidding? That pegasus is afraid of her own shadow. Also, she is afraid of clowns too. At least, that is what Spike told me about what Discord told him and Big Macintosh.''
''Hush,'' Luna exclaimed. ''Quiet down. I think we are getting hunted by wild animals.''
She trotted on faster. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo both looked at Luna walking quicker and glanced at each other shakily.
Luna trotted through the gate made out of leaves, behind was following two little fillies. She had found a giant and dark cave. Well, not too dark as there were magenta gems lighting the tunnel in. She walked inside with curiosity and confidence. Sweetie Belle followed her along as she was curious as well. However, Scootaloo stayed outside of the cave as she was too chicken to go in.
''I am not a chicken!''
''I never said!'' echoed Sweetie Belle.
''Hush!'' Luna shouted and blocked the little filly's mouth, which made her squeal.
I think she heard me.
She ignited her horn with a glow to see through the dark cave further and further. Although, it wasn't dark anymore, thanks to Princess Luna's abilities.
As they got deeper into the cave, they reached the dead end. But there wasn't anything in the dead end. There was a beautiful magenta brooch. Princess Luna examined it and remembered a story her sister has told her when she was a foal. She slid it through her wings for Zecora to examine deeper. Other than that, there was nothing else so they both headed outside again to get some fresh air and more light.
They still needed to find that rare flower which they hadn't forgotten. They continued walked through the forest deeper and further.
There was a flower bed full of such lovely flowers. They were all red, except one of them was white and had an odd shape.
''Maybe that is the one we are looking for!'' said Scootaloo.
''I don't know,'' Luna responded. ''This flower was pretty easy to find and it is meant to be rare. It can't just be right in front of our...'' She was suddenly caught off by a terrorizing, horrifying, huge, and green ugly beast. It roared at them so loudly, his spat flew right through them.
''Ew,'' the unicorn filly gagged. ''Gross.''
The unicorn filly yelled as the beast nearly pushed her against a tree but suddenly Scootaloo was fast enough to move her unicorn friend away.
''That was a close one,'' said Scootaloo, breathing heavily simultaneously with her friend that fell to the ground in the process of rescuing her.
Sweetie Belle wiped the blush that decorated her cheeks as she got off from her friend’s rescue embrace.
I knew this was too easy, Luna thought to herself. ''Quick!'' she exclaimed. ''Get to the other side of the forest to Zecora's and I will reason with this fiend.''
She glared at the horrid beast and powered up her horn to get ready to attack it. However, the two fillies ran as fast as they could to Zecora's hut.
Twenty minutes later, they had finally reached Zecora's hut and were relieved. They were out of breath and their legs were aching with all the running. They quickly knocked on the door to go in and sit down. The zebra opened the door and the two fillies came running inside just to sit on the two seats.
''How surprising,'' said Zecora, ''but why were you running?''
Sweetie Belle went crazy and was shaking Scootaloo to dizziness. ''There was a beast and Princess Luna told us to run to your hut and now we are out of oxygen.''
''We...found...the...rare...flower...though,'' she said, scattering around in dizziness and fell on the floor.
''Brilliant, you two!'' the zebra said. ''Now place the plant in this brew.''
Sweetie Belle had taken the flower from Princess Luna's wing before they ran away from the beast. Princess Luna told her to and gave her permission.
She soon dropped the pretty little white flower off inside the big, bubbling cauldron.
The zebra trotted forward and got out her spoon to mix up the brew. ''You two were a wonderful help with this cure. Anything I can do to repay the favour?''
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at each other before they shook their heads in response. The zebra smiled at their innocence and modesty.
Meanwhile, Luna crashed through the door with no oxygen inside her lungs. ''Do you have the cure now? I defeated the monster and...'' She paused and looked at the bubbling cauldron.
''It is ready,'' Zecora replied. ''I stirred it to be steady.''
''Perfect,'' said Scootaloo. ''Now let's bring this potion to Rainbow Dash as soon as possible!''
She rushed out towards the door. Before she did, Sweetie Belle nudged her on the shoulders and smirked.
''Looks like Zecora ain't that bad after all,'' said the unicorn filly.
Scootaloo chuckled. ''Let's not get ourselves hasty here.''
''Fair enough.’' The unicorn filly shrugged, still smirking at her.
At the Ponyville hospital, Luna was pouring the potion in an empty glass cup so Rainbow Dash would drink it. She gobbled it all down her throat and felt some queasy things in her tummy.
''I don't feel so good.''
''Is this part of the effect?'' Apple Bloom whispered to Scootaloo, who just shrugged in response.
Rainbow Dash then closed her eyes and opened it back again, only to reveal it white. She had her face on the pillow when she woke up again.
''What happened?'' she asked in confusion. ''Why am I in a hospital? The princesses? Cutie mark crusaders? Pinkie Pie? Applejack? Twilight? Rarity? Fluttershy? Spike?''
With a gasp, the cutie mark crusaders ran up to her hospital bed to embrace her with a warming hug.
''Huh?'' Rainbow Dash asked, scratching her head in confusion.
''Well, you sort of lost your memory for a week for doin' your double rainboom but everythin' worked out fine as we knew,'' Applejack explained.
''Which was totally awesome by the way.'' Scootaloo nudged her.
''Oh, yeah. Did that work? And WHAT?''
''Yep,'' the southern pony replied.
''Well, what can I say? I am awesome,'' Rainbow Dash said, placing a hoof to her chest proudly.
Pinkie Pie poofed her mane back into curls again and hugged her best friend tightly, never letting go. She sobbed a fountain of tears but this time was happy tears.
''We thought we lost you, darling.'' Rarity sighed in relief.
''But thanks to Zecora, we managed to get you back!'' said Apple Bloom.
''I...I...missed you, Dashie.'' Fluttershy hugged her.
''Well,'' said Twilight. ''I don't know how she does it but that zebra sure is something and by the way, I missed you too.'' She hugged onto her, but pulled away to send a glare and added on, ''but you better not do it again!''
Rainbow Dash chuckled. ''I won't.''
''Yeah,'' exclaimed Sweetie Belle. ''They were all in depression mode, especially Pinkie Pie. She was in the worst type of state.''
''It was chaotic like Discord,'' Scootaloo laughed.
Discord materialized in front of the patient's bed. ''I heard that!''
Fluttershy hugged him. The draconequus accepted the hug.
''Wait. Please, don't tell me that Fluttercord is still not a thing.'' Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes sarcastically.
''What?'' Fluttershy squealed. Discord was blushing harder than her.
She fell back onto her pillow, leaving everypony shocked. She opened her eyes again.
''Who are you all and where am I?''
The ponies gasped in terror. Of course, Pinkie Pie was the loudest of them all in the room.
''But Zecora...'' Twilight started to say.
''Gotcha!'' Rainbow Dash hysterically laughed and fell on the floor. ''Wow, I got you guys so good.'' She started laughing hysterically even more.
Pinkie Pie joined in the laughter as well. They all did.
Gentle tapping noises were heard from underneath the doors throughout the second-floor hallway of the Ponyville Hospital. Rainbow Dash was silently trotting on the tip of her hooves in the middle of the night, careful not to wake any patients up, so she could finally get some fresh air even though the doctors insisted her on getting moderate rest as she was still in the process of getting better.
But was Rainbow Dash one to listen?
Stubborn was what she was.
As Rainbow Dash was gradually trotting through the corridor with the moonshine illuminating on the floor that absorbed through the window as the curtains were waving about due to its night, cold wind since the window was opened, she unhurriedly descended the staircase to watch out for her broken wing and hoof and to prevent any interruptions from causing all the patients on the second floor of the hospital to wake up.
Once Rainbow Dash realised that she had made it to the ground floor quietly, she took a breath of composure and exited out of the entrance door to embrace herself into the starry night sky.
‘’Finally,’’ she said. ‘’I can now stretch out my wings...’’ -she gently flapped her wings but realised that they were covered in bandages- ‘’...or not?’’
A lonely pebble was sat in front of her which got her magenta eyes - that was sparkling within the moonlight - drawn on top of it so kicked the small stone with a healthy hoof.
‘’Hey! Watch it!’’ came a cranky voice to Rainbow Dash’s surprise. She turned her body around to spot an old violet earth pony sitting on a bench in front of her with an angry expression.
Rainbow Dash winced. ‘’Sorry,’’ she replied.
The old pony huffed with her head held high and trotted away from the pegasus with a trotting stick to balance herself and prevent her from falling.
‘’Now what do I do exactly?’’ Rainbow Dash asked herself helplessly. ‘’Cause a scene like when I was tryna grab the daring-do book to finish off the last scene?’’
She shook her head. ‘’Don’t be ridiculous, Rainbow Dash! You have learned from your lesson, haven’t you?’’
The unaccompanied pegasus sat her haunches on top of the bench where the old pony was once sitting. She merely stared wearily at the shining stars above until something caught her ears.
‘’Hello, Rainbow Dash! ’’ came an energetic, squeaky voice from a distance above the pegasus. Although, she didn’t know that so got up from her bench and glanced around at her surroundings.
‘’Who was that?’’ Rainbow Dash asked, eyeing suspiciously at a nearby bush.
‘’Dashie, it’s me! ’’ came the voice again. ‘’You don’t remember me, still? ’’
‘’That... voice seems familiar.’’ Rainbow Dash tried to pursue the intimate voice. ‘’Mind givin’ me a clue?’’
Then came a sigh. ‘’What starts with P and ends with E? ’’
‘’P and E?’’ Rainbow Dash repeated, scratching her head. ‘’I can’t think straight right now ‘cuz of you know if you know.’’ She glanced at her back and ruffled her bandaged wings.
In front of her came landing a space-suited pony until they took off their helmet to reveal their identity.
Rainbow Dash squinted her eyes to see in the dark. ‘’Pinkie Pie?’’ She smirked, glad to finally have company alongside her. ‘’What are you doing so late at night?’’
‘’What are you doing when you’re supposed to be resting?’’ Pinkie Pie asked crossly, trotting toward her friend and poking her in the chest while squashing her helmet against her chest.
The pegasus chuckled nervously. ‘’I got kind of bored and I wanted some fresh air when I realised I couldn’t use my wings to fly myself home.’’
‘’But you can’t fly yourself home without the doctor's permission, Rainbow Dash! ’’ Pinkie Pie shot back, crossing her hooves against her chest seriously which was very unlike for the pink pony to be in a way. ‘’I care about you and so do the others so go get some rest!’’
Rainbow Dash sighed and frowned. ‘’I know,’’ she replied. ‘’And I sorta wished I never pulled off that sonic rainboom because now look what I have done!’’ She sat atop the bench again. ‘’Even though it was epic.’’
Pinkie Pie sat on the bench next to her friend. ‘’I guess I know how it feels to be isolated and physically and emotionally hurt,’’ she explained. ‘’But don’t think negatively because I guarantee that you will go down in history for the first one pulling off a sonic rainboom and a double one!’’
Rainbow Dash chuckled. ‘’Even when I harmed myself?’’ she asked, huffing. ‘’Yeah, right. What kind of influence would I put on for the younglings who look up to me?’’
‘’Hey.’’ Pinkie Pie looked at her intently. ‘’You know what Twilight always used to say: that success always comes from your mistakes even when you harm yourself a tad. ’’
‘’Uhhh.’’ Rainbow Dash darted her eyes back and forth. ‘’She never did say that at all, Pinkie Pie.’’
The optimistic pony shrugged. ‘’Eh. I thought I heard someone say it before.’’
The pegasus rolled her eyes, then pawed intently at the floor. ‘’Have you ever wondered about us being more than just friends, Pinkie Pie?’’
Pinkie Pie looked at her. ‘’What do you mean? We are best friends, Dashie!’’
‘’I know, but since our personalities are a perfect match... have you ever considered us to be, you know, dating?’’ Rainbow Dash merely suggested out of the blue which suddenly made her cheeks feel hot.
Pinkie Pie smiled warmly and nuzzled herself in her friend’s coat. ‘’I wouldn’t know what the future holds, Dashie, but I was always hoping for us to finally think about it.’’
A peaceful smile led onto the cyan pegasus’ lips which urged her to drag her friend in for warmth as the wind swiftly went past them and the moonlight gradually shone on the two mares.
But then the pegasus pulled away for a second.
‘’What’s wrong, Dashie?’’ Pinkie Pie looked at her in concern.
‘’It’s just... it’s nothing. Don’t know what I’m so worried about. Let’s carry on now.’’
Pinkie Pie beamed ever so slightly and resumed back into nuzzling against her chest.
