Newbie Dash (Alternative)

Rarity designed a full wardrobe for Rainbow, to help her stay warm and comfortable.

Applejack delivered a cart full of apples, apple cider, apple pies, and other things apple, figuring that there would be something that Dash would still enjoy.

Fluttershy promised to take care of Tank until Dash felt well enough again.

Pinkie Pie.. was a bit disappointed when they all agreed to postpone any further parties regarding Rainbow Dash for the unforeseeable future.

Twilight created a meal plan, based on the research she’s done.

For weeks, Twilight tries to support Dash to the best of her ability, and is glad to report to their friends that Dash is able to eat almost normal amounts again, and is slowly gaining back the weight she has lost.

The latter part leaves Dash spending more and more time in front of any mirror and other reflective surfaces, trying to convince herself that she’s not ballooning absolutely out of control.

Her insecurity is only fuelled by her still not being able to fly. Instead of accepting it as a sign that she’s still not nearly as recovered as she thinks, her brain is trying to convince her that she’s become too heavy to be able to fly.

Whenever her panic strikes, she can’t bring herself to eat a thing. Not until she’s talked to Twilight, asking her urgently if she’s getting too big.

Time and again, Twilight reassures her, and points out that the clothes Rarity made wouldn’t fit her anymore if that were the case.

During the worst times, Dash is completely convinced that Twilight or Rarity have put some sort of spell on said clothes, which make them always adjust to fit the pony.

“How much longer, do you think, before I can finally fly again?” Dash asks, annoyed and impatient, after no amount of flapping her wings could get her up in the air. She’s finally warm enough to be without clothes inside the castle, and looking a lot more like herself again.

“I’m not sure.” Twilight replies honestly. “The only info I could find in the books on The Science Of Pegasi Magic - Volume 1 to 3, is that it can take weeks, even months, to fully regain Pegasus Magic. Though, those case examples were not about losing magic due to illness.”

Rainbow hangs her head with a sigh. “Months?!” She shakes her head at Twilight. “I can’t miss months of training!” She begins to pace nervously. “What if I’m still grounded when the Wonderbolts have their next show?! What if I’ll never get back to my level of skills?” She stops dead in her tracks, gasps, and sits down. “What if I’ll never fly again?!” She covers her face with her hooves, then flops down so she’s laying on the floor.

Twilight frowns, walking to her side. “Are you sure that you’re not just catastrophising a little?”

Dash lowers one hoof to throw her a pointed look.

“I know, it sounds ironic, coming from me. But you still have a long way of recovering ahead of you.” The alicorn points out. “You lost a lot of strength when you lost so much weight, it’ll take time to get stronger.”

Rainbow frowns, seeing this as a challenge. She jumps to her feet, then makes a show of running a circle around her friend, stopping with a rear. “Who are you calling w-wooaah-” a powerful dizziness knocks her off her legs.

Twilight sighs, but refrains from saying ‘I told you so’.

Rainbow, once again laying on her belly, wings spread out to feel more balanced, folds her forelegs and rests her head on them, then buries her face in them with a groan. When she looks up again, she complains, “this is going to ruin everything!”

Just as Twilight makes to say something to comfort her, her cutie mark starts to flash, as does Rainbow’s.

“What in the… a friendship problem?” Twilight asks in disbelief.

Their cutie marks fly off to the Friendship Map, so the girls hurry to it. Or at least they try to; the sudden exertion causes the black vision to return, and Dash stumbles painfully into the doorway before falling to her haunches. She rubs her sore shoulder, ignoring Twilight’s questions, and joins her at the magical table when she could get up again.

Rainbow wonders why Twilight looks stressed, but understands why when she takes a look at where they’re needed. “Cloudsdale?” She asks in shock, opens her wings to throw them a worried look. “But.. how am I supposed to get there?”

“Furthermore: are you even able to walk on clouds? That ability is tied to Pegasus Magic.” Twilight points out.

Dash’s eyes widen.

“Are you even up for this?” The alicorn asks.

“I will have to be… some ponies out there are having a friendship problem and need our help. We’re not called to minor issues, Twilight. This could be us being called to prevent a full on war.” Rainbow says seriously. She steps away from the table and over to a window. Pointing upwards, she says, “go and get that cloud down here. If I can stay on it, you can push me to Cloudsdale with it.”

“Good thinking!” Twilight comes over to her, but pauses. “Hang on. We might be away for a few days. We need to pack enough foods that are high in protein, and we can’t forget your pills!”

Rainbow rolls her eyes at her.

“Dash, this is serious! Remember that you could have died if you had kept going for just a few more days?”

The reality check sobers her up a bit. “But I’m doing better. Sure, I’m not able to fly yet, but I’m eating and you said that I’m gaining back the weight I lost.” Her voice wavers a bit at the last part, and she can’t bring herself to look at Twilight as she says it. “But I’m getting there, so you don’t need to panic.”

Twilight opens her mouth to say something, then closes it again. She shakes her head, then teleports a protein shake over, much to Dash’s dismay. “I will get that cloud,” she points outside, “if you finish this.”

Dash recoils in surprise. “But- but I already had breakfast with you!”

“Please, don’t fight me on this. We might have a very late lunch later, we don’t know yet what the problem is.”

“Mmmph.” Dash groans, but accepts the shake and makes quick work in gulping down the whole thing, trying very hard not to think about all those extra calories and what they’ll do to her body. She has to remind herself that this is what she’s supposed to do, to recover and to fly again.

“Thank you.” Twilight smiles, teleports the empty glass into the castle’s kitchen, and flies out to grab a cloud from the sky. Struggling a bit, she brings it inside and holds it down to keep it from floating upwards.

Dash tests with one hoof if the cloud would support her, then gets on it fully. They’re happy to note that at least Rainbow will be able to get to Cloudsdale this way.

Twilight sighs in relief, then teleports saddlebags to them, levitating all sorts of foods into them, much to Dash’s annoyance.

“Twilight.” The Pegasus chides, crossing her forelegs over her chest impatiently. She’s slowly beginning to float upwards on the cloud.

“Just to be safe.” Twilight promises, then grabs hold of Dash’s cloud. “Alright, let’s go save some friendships!”