Twisted

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Pinkie smiled sadly at Fluttershy, not sure what kind of flashback the mare had just had. She quickly ran out of the room and returned with a wet cloth.

"Not a problem, shy," she said, leaning over and wiping away at the vomit gingerly. It smelled just terrible, reminiscent of hay but not quite. The smell made Pinkie's eyes water and she almost gagged herself. However, it was soon all cleaned up and the smell would soon fade as well. She then grabbed an air freshener, which smelled like vanilla, and misted the room with a thick, sugary smell.

Fluttershy felt her cheeks turn even more red than they already were.

"Thank you so much, Pinkie. I'm really sorry about the mess on your carpet and-" Fluttershy froze, sniffing the air immediately. She couldn't tell if the room now smelled bad or if it was her breath. How embarrassing! "The....smell. Say, do you have a toothbrush hidden anywhere?"

Pinkie rolled her eyes.

"Yes, silly!" she skipped away and came pack with a small yellow toothbrush and some toothpaste, "And don't worry, I don't mind the smell, I'll just go make cookies to cover it up! Why don't you head over to the bathroom and clean up?"

Fluttershy cringed with embarrassment as she stared at the toothbrush, but she still felt grateful.

"Err, thank you, Pinkie Pie, but baking cookies wont cover the smell, it will just mix in with it and make everything even worse."

Fluttershy quickly exited and brushed her teeth. The toothpaste was a sweet, sugary flavour, not the mint Fluttershy was used to. The bristles felt odd and slightly painful against her gums, which were now swollen and bleeding. Every time she spat, a trail of blood would follow. It was somewhat embarrassing, for Fluttershy took much pride in her hygiene, especially anything dental related. She could also smell every stink as it came off of her teeth, making her uncomfortable and nauseated once again.

Fluttershy found Pinkie Pie cooking away in a kitchen that had been cleaned up a little bit. Pinkie Pie had even opened up a window, and bright, natural light flooded the kitchen.

"All done!" Fluttersh chirped, proud of a job well done. She exchanged looks with Pinkie, who giggled at her achievement and high-hoofed the yellow mare.

"Sorry about the mess, Shy..." Pinkie Pie sighed, looking around at it, "I guess I'll just have to organize today!"

"Let ME," Fluttershy insisted, looking Pinkie in the eye and placing a hoof over her friend's foreleg. She knew how bad Pinkie was at organizing, and her kitchen really was a wreck. There were piles upon piles of dirty dishes, and there wasn't even a clean surface in sight. Crumbs stuck to the bottoms of her hooves, and every appliance was sticky. The sink was filled with dirty dishwater and the garbage was overflowing with discarded food wrappers and actual food. Flies surrounded the metallic can like vultures wanting a kill. Fluttershy was neat and tidy herself, and couldn't stand a mess. She really had trouble wrapping her head around the fact that Pinkie was totally fine with living in a germ-ridden pigsty like she did. Fluttershy would have gotten sick or called in help by this point and time.

Pinkie Pie blushed and looked at Fluttershy skeptically.

"Fluttershy, how about we go for a walk instead?" her eyes shone with a certain energy Pinkie Pie hadn't recognized in a long time.

"Yes."

Apple Bloom's heart sank and her eyes filled with tears. She exchanged a regretful glance with Sweetie Belle, and the two fillies tried to protest Scootaloo's ultimatum.

"Please, Rainbow Dash! I know we've messed up in the past, but this time it's all different. We're going to be the best friends Scootaloo could ever ask for!" Sweetie Belle argued, hurt and confused.

"We could at least try!" Apple Bloom added, desperate not to lose Scootaloo again.

Dash was confused. Confusion just made her even more angry. It was a wonder she hadn't punched anypony yet, but judging from the way she gnashed her teeth and flexed her hooves, that couldn't be very far away. She saw Scootaloo hesitate. That was the last straw. With a step forward she threw her hoof at Apple Bloom's face. It connected with a loud crunch.

Apple Bloom had been ready for the punch, she had known that Rainbow Dash was going to need to release her frustrations on somepony eventually. She had prayed it would not be Sweetie Belle, who was in such poor shape that a feather probably could knock her out. Even Scootaloo, who was physically a tough little mare, was emotionally just as bad as Sweetie Belle. Thankfully it was the young Apple who the older pony took her anger out on. As Rainbow Dash slammed her hoof into the light olive mare, she quickly shifted her back back along with the punch, and angled her head just right so the punch would avoid her eye. It would still hit her, and it would hurt, but she would not lose a eye in the process.

Apple Bloom fell to her knees groaning, clutching her face with a hoof as it throbbed. She was definitely very bruised, and she could feel blood begin to trickle out of a small cut.

"I'm sick and tired of you acting all fucking sanctimonious!" Rainbow Dash screamed at the dazed earth pony, "You were just like the rest of us! You fucked up your friendships with your own fucking ignorance! You can't just stand there and lecture me on how to treat the only fucking pony I ever gave a damn about!" Rainbow shouted with all of her pent-up anger and rage. "How can I even think about trusting you with Scootaloo again? You can't even look after your own bitch of a sister!" Rainbow turned on her hooves and trotted towards the door. "Come on Scoots. Fuck these guys."

Sweetie Belle was soon at Apple Bloom's side, her timid nature put aside for a few moments.

"Are you okay?" Sweetie kneeled next to her, taking a close look at the injury on her face, "That- that must've really hurt."

"Prob'ly just got a bruise..." Apple Bloom fell on her rump and sighed, "Ah jus' don't know! Ah thought Ah had all the answers! Thought Ah could get everypony back together again and make it all lahk it used t' be!" she quickly wiped away the tears as they started to flow. "We maht need the other girls t' help break Rainbow Dash out of her grumpy-funk."

Apple Bloom looked up and saw Twilight Sparkle staring at her in an observing manner. Her skin practically crawled.

"Get out of my library, girls..." Twilight quietly said, escorting Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle to the door. They didn't protest.

ONE WEEK LATER

Rarity's eyes slowly opened, and all she could see was fuzzy, bright light. As her eyes slowly focused she saw a pair of worried green eyes staring back at her. A loud beeping sound chimed next to her ears and she could feel a sharp IV sticking into one arm.

"Rarity!" the white mare immediately recognized Applejack's relieved voice.

"Wh-where am I?"

"The hospital, Rar," Applejack replied nervously, "don't ya remember?"

"Remember..." Rarity echoed.

"Ah found ya lyin' in the street!" Applejack cried, clearly exasperated. Suddenly the door opened and a sullen looking nurse with blue eyes a pink mane in a bun entered.

"Miss Rarity, I'm glad you're awake," she said, checking boxes off a clipboard, "You're very lucky that Applejack here found you earlier today. I have a few questions for you, if you don't mind..."

"Don't mind..." Rarity echoed.

"Now, have you been eating?"

"What kind of question is that?" Rarity asked, immediately frustrated.

"Miss Rarity, you arrived here anemic, fatigued, and vitamin deficient. You clearly have not been eating."

"What business of yours is that?" Rarity snapped, anger taking over.

"No need to be angry, Miss Rarity," the nurse replied, taking a step back cautiously. Applejack, who had been shifting around on her hooves for some time looked to the nurse and then to Rarity sternly.

"Rarity, yer as skinny as a plucked chicken. Your mane is fallin' out. For Celestia sakes, Rar, yer a mess!" Applejack lectured her friend, pounding her hooves on the ground.

"That's enough, Applejack," the nurse said softly, then turned back to Rarity, "Miss Rarity, have you been sexually active in the past few months?"

Scootaloo sat on the floor in tears. She had never felt so lonely in all her life, and she had never been so angry with Rainbow Dash in all her years. How could she restrict her to just a sister or two friends? Of course she had picked the sister. Family before anything, right? At least, that's what people used to tell her, especially Apple Bloom (who, of course, had an enormous family).

Scootaloo had nobody in the world anymore except Dash, and the thought made her sick. Maybe she had been right, though. Maybe Sweetie Belle was just a pretty little bitch with serious pain game problems. And maybe Apple Bloom was just a dull little hick who would move on from Scootaloo in a second as she had before. But something just wasn't right. Scootaloo immediately knew who she'd need to visit: Twist.

In the next room over Rainbow Dash had locked herself in. The life she'd built in the past six months since Granny Smith's death was in serious danger of crumbling all around her. That Apple bitch had been trying to take Scootaloo back. Dash did the right thing, right? So why did it feel so wrong? Why did Twilight have to try and befriend her again? Why did Scootaloo have to grow up now? Why was this all happening now? Dash needed something familiar. Something that New Dash'd enjoy. It was too early to hit the clubs though. Another stunt? Without Scotaloo there was no point. She sat up and glimpsed a half empty bottle of Absinthe under her bed. She'd found something to do. She grabbed the bottle and swigged it. The liquid ran down her throat like molten lava, burning her esophagus with its potent touch. She could have her own party, she decided.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom laid around lethargically, not sure of what to do next. The two young mares had been brainstorming ideas to get everypony together for a few hours, but no such luck. Apple Bloom had seen Applejack leave hours ago, and Sweetie Belle wasn't sure where Rarity was. The two girls found much solace in one another, solace that their sisters could never offer again.

"Ah think Ah'll stop bah Zecora's place an' pick up some more serum for yer scars, Sweetie Belle. They're lookin' better, though,"

"Thank you," Sweetie Belle replied quietly. She had begun to care for herself again, and she hadn't cut herself since she and Apple Bloom had been reacquainted.

"Ah've got it," Apple Bloom said, absolutely certain of herself.

"Got what?" Sweetie Belle asked, confused.

"The solution. We throw a big ol' Pinkie Pie party!" Apple Bloom declared, "Think about it! It's perfect!"

Sweetie Belle replied to her with a smile and a grin, not a word escaping her lips before the two girls got to their hooves again and headed towards the door. They took off for the town, quickly arriving in town square.

"Who do we talk to first?" Sweetie Belle asked, curious. Apple Bloom pondered for a moment, but knew her answer almost immediately.

"Twalaht. There was somethin' odd about her behavyer last tahm we saw her. Ah think she wants a change."