Twisted

CHAPTER NINE

Pinkie Pie opened her weary, off-center eyes, feeling quite weak and sick. The first thing she saw were a pair of beautiful teal eyes and she felt her heart warm.

"F-Fluttershy..." Pinkie Pie mumbled happily smiling. She had her own hospital room now and was hooked up to an IV and a heart-rate moniter. Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle exchanged a look of relief. They had all been waiting for Pinkie Pie's return to wake for hours. During that time, Rainbow Dash had received a few stitches for her broken nose and they had all caught up. Fluttershy had been diagnosed with PTSD recently, and she felt quite anxious. Although Fluttershy wouldn't tell her old friends what trauma had started it all, she clearly wasn't in a very good head space.

Rainbow Dash had been on drugs, an alcoholic, and had been partying non-stop. Twilight was depressed and just wanted to bring everyone together again. The three ponies had bonded over those hours of talking and felt wonderful that Pinkie Pie had finally awoken. Especially Fluttershy.

"Pinkie Pie!" Fluttershy squeaked, hugging the pale mare tightly. Pinkie looked so pathetic, dark bags under her eyes and a frighteningly pale complexion. Her usually bouncy hair was straight as a pin. Fluttershy felt scared, but she still did love Pinkie Pie. Despite her violence, Fluttershy knew there was a beautiful mare below. Pinkie lifted up her weary arms and held Fluttershy as close as possible.

"I've missed you..." the friends could hear Pinkie Pie whisper. Twilight Sparkle conjured up a quick health spell, considering that Pinkie Pie was already stitched back up and given blood. The least Twilight could do was give Pinkie Pie a little bit of energy and make her feel a bit better.

Pinkie hugged Fluttershy tighter and the yellow mare squeaked in delight. The two were reunited and everything seemed to finally be going okay.

"It's good to see your okay, Pinks," Rainbow Dash said, looking on with a warm smile. Suddenly she felt a strange fear grip her. Her job was done. Pinkie was okay. Twilight was okay. Everypony was okay. Dash recalled her conversations that previous morning. Twilight had swaggered into her home full of hope, and Dash had left her broken. Pinkie must have tried to kill herself shortly after Dash left her. Her bright smile suddenly waned and vanished. She had been the reason they both had given up hope. She was the common denominator. She looked on fearfully at the happy embrace of her friends. Maybe...maybe she should leave them alone again. Maybe this was a sign. She looked down tearfully and said flatly,

"I've got to go," before galloping past Twilight and out of the hospital, where she took back to the air again in the direction of her house. Twilight stood immediately.

"Hey! Dash! Wait up!" she yelled as she galloped towards the mare, trying to keep up with her "D... Dash!" she yelled once more as her hooves started to get tired. She couldn't see Dash stopping any time soon so Twilight stopped and started to conjure a spell. She had been working on a short range transportation spell and if she was going to try it now was the best time. Her horn flared up in a magnificent ball of light, this was a powerful spell. Eventually the light enveloped her body and as she opened her eyes to see she found herself about ten meters up in the air further forward from where she used to be. Twilight prepared herself for impact with the ground as she fell. Right on top of Rainbow Dash! She collapsed on top of her, making them both fall towards the ground in a huge crash. Outside it was raining and cold.

Rainbow Dash was pretty tough, and took both their weight into the floor, somehow managing not to break a rib. She shook herself after the hit and noticed that it was Twilight on top of her. The pony she'd just been trying to avoid. Her wings kicked into overdrive as she attempted to lift off again, but Twilight was pinning her to the floor.

"Get offa me!" Dash shouted as she squirmed around trying to free. Through the corner of her eye Twilight could see Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie checking out of the hospital as quickly as possible. Twilight wished they could hurry up.

"Dash no! Why did you run?"

"Get off, Twilight!!"

"WHY!" Twilight shouted, thoroughly confused. She thought that things had finally been better! Dash growled and gave up squirming. Twilight didn't get off though. Soon Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were out of the hospital and running closer. Twilight looked at Dash straight in the eye and finally Rainbow returned the favor. Twilight's gaze said everything. The heavy rain soaked Fluttershy's mane and tail, and she looked at the ground below her feet. Shock vibrated through her body. She lifted her head in time to see blood wash away from Pinkie's coat. Pinkie Pie was so happy to see it wash away. Fluttershy slowly approached the squirming cyan mare, crouched down, looked straight into Dash's eyes.

"Rainbow. Please stay. You don't know how much I miss you." A wave of emotions hit the yellow mare quickly Fluttershy couldn't take it. Her legs gave out from under her, and she fell into a heap of sobs. She simply couldn't escape the sadness, not with her newfound PTSD and depression. Pinkie Pie quickly ran and hugged Pinkie tightly.

"Oh Fluttershy, no no. Please, stop," Pinkie's voice trembled, "come on, please, no tears, I can't bear to see more."

Rainbow Dash gave up struggling completely and went limp. It was then she noticed the rain. It fell in thick rivulets from the unkempt sky. Heavy droplets carrying untold wishes and promises. She closed her eyes and sighed loudly. Fluttershy's heavy sobs filled her ears, and Twilight's wide eyes filled her vision. She could have sworn that even Twilight was crying.

"You guys really want to get back together?" she said slowly towards the sky, "Despite everything that's happened? Despite all the things we've said and done? Despite all the things that I have said and done?"

"Dashie," Pinkie looked at the blue mare, "remember all the fun we had? The pranks? The parties? I've wanted that back since the beginning." Pinkie Pie's eyes suddenly centered, her pupils shrinking to a regular size. Everyone stared, shocked, but Pinkie didn't seem to notice the change. "Twilight, let her go, let her decide." she looked at the mare warmly.

Twilight couldn't help but chuckle as she stepped off of Dash and helped her up. "Not to mention we defeated the changelings, Nightmare Moon, King Sombra and Discord! Were not just great friends, we're a team!" she smiled as she wiped the tears and rain on her face. "I love all you girls, and I love AJ and Rarity. Even though we've had our troubles, nothing's going to change that!" she grabbed Pinkie and Fluttershy and hugged them tight. They hugged back warmly. Pinkie grabbed Dash and pulled her into the the team hug as well and smiled, something she hadn't genuinely done in a long, long time.

"Now, if we throw a party I've got a trick or two that we could use to get Rarity and AJ to come!" Pinkie Pie declared, already thinking up ideas. Dash looked around at the happy faces of her friends, and she felt like a massive weight had been lifted.

"Yeah, we're a team!" she replied cheered. Despite all of the pain, she could still feel some darkened part of her brain resisting. Pinkie Pie high fived Dash and squealed.

"ALRIGHT! Now Rainbow, clear up this rain and let the bright sun through!" Pinkie Pie practically sang her words, letting go of Dash. The blue pegasus mare fly quickly up to the sky and began to kick the clouds away. She sky was clear soon enough, and the sun was warm and comforting to all the ponies. It was time to start anew.