Don't Give Up

Don't Give Up

Chapter 5

Blame

“What is going on in here?” The doctor charged in through the door, undoubtedly alerted by Twilight's scream.

“I told you.” Was all Twilight had to say to the doctor, Rainbow Dash still on her lap, they were both crying into each other's shoulders.

“Ya, you told 'em Twi, you told 'em...” Dash said, her voice muffled by Twilight's shoulder.

“You certainly did, when did she wake up?” The doctor started walking over to them, picking up a clipboard and looking at the various machines Rainbow was still attached to.

“Just a few seconds ago, she just randomly jumped out of bed and tackled me.” Twilight said, her face still buried in Rainbow's neck.

“Is that so? Tell me, Ms. Dash, why did you jump out of bed? You could have injured yourself worse.”

“Nah, I know I'm fine, you said so yesterday, remember?” Dash said, slowly pulling away from Twilight and hopping to the floor.

“Wait... You were conscious? How is that even possible?” The doctor was obviously confused, looking over charts and graphs from the previous day, looking for any signs that she had woken up.

“I dunno, I woke up 10 days ago, the last time all my friends visited me together at the same time, I just couldn't move. It was weird, like I was trapped inside my head. I could see, feel, and hear everything, I just couldn't move.” Dash said, walking over to where the doctor was standing on the other side of the bed.

“Wait... 10 days ago... that means... EEP!” Suddenly there was a bright flash from the chair where Twilight had been sitting moments before. The tell-tale cracking of a teleportation spell filled the room before she was gone.

“What was that about?” The doctor asked, completely ignoring the mile long piece of paper in his hooves.

“Oh, probably nothing.” Dash said chuckling, knowing full well that Twilight had realized everything she had been awake for.

“Okay... well, I would rather you stay for a few more days, but if I remember anything from your last visit here then you won't be staying.”

“You know me too well, see ya later!” Dash called as she walked towards the door.

“Just remember to keep off the wing for about a week.”

“OK... wait, how the hay am I supposed to get home?” Dash asked, turning back around to face the doctor. “My house is in the sky!”

“I told you it would be better to stay here for a few more days, at least until you figured out where you were going to stay.” Dash thought for a moment. Pinkie was out, sure, it was fun to have a sleep over with her every now-and-then. But a week of constant Pinkie Pie? Dash knew she couldn't handle that. Rarity was out of the question, she did not want to be turned into a fashion model. That left only three, and she didn't want to have to put up with angle. That left it down to two.

“I know where I'm staying, thanks again doc.” She called as she walked out the door into the hospital hallway, just as annoyingly over clean as the room. A few turns and stairs later and she was free of the sterilized  building into the fresh, open air. It took all of her will power to resist taking to the air instantly, her wings already extending, as if expecting her to take off.

"Sorry guys, but we're gonna be on the ground for a while." She said, tucking her wings back down to her sides and starting the walk down the hill to Ponyville.

“Lets just hope she doesn't slam the door in my face, she is prone to over reacting quite a bit." Dash thought to herself as she rounded the last corner, her destination in sight; Golden Oaks Library.

“I hope she agrees, I don't think I could live with a week of non-stop apple pies and fritters.” Dash thought as she approached the door.

Knock

“Come on Twi, answer me.”

Knock

“It's not that bad, I won't tell anypony if you don't want me to.”

Knock

“What is taking her so long? At the very least Spike should open the door.” She thought, those three knocks had taken 10 minutes in her mind. In reality it was about 5 seconds.

“Why am I worried?” She thought, “Twi wouldn't turn me down, would she?”

“Oh, hey Dash, how are- DASH! How did you get out of the hospital? When did you wake up? Why are you here?” Spike was spitting out question after question, quickly overloading the cyan pegasus.

“Whoa, calm down Spike, I just woke up today. I'm surprised Twi didn't tell you, she was there when I woke up.” Dash said, though Spike still looked like he was going to burst with questions.

“Oh Dash, it's been terrible without you.” Spike said, running up and hugging Rainbow's leg, already crying into her soft fur.

“Hey, it's alright, I'm back now, but I need to talk to Twilight, she is here, right?” Dash said, shaking Spike off her leg, only for him to latch onto her other one.

“Yeah, but she's locked herself in her room, and she has the only key with her, I don't know whats wrong, but she won't talk to me.” The baby dragon pulled away from her leg, wiping his eyes with the back of his claw.

“She has a window, right?” Rainbow asked, a  mischievous smirk on her face.

“Uh, ya, it's around back, why?”

“Oh, no reason.” With that Rainbow took to the air, flying around the tree turned into a house until she reached her destination.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid Twilight. Why did I do that? I've really done it now. I'M SO STUPID!” Twilight was sitting on her bed, her head in her hooves as she violently shook it back and forth.

TAP

“Why? What is wrong with me? I'll never be able to leave the library again!”

TAP

“Who's there?” Twilight asked, looking around for the noise she had just heard.

TAP

“Hello?” She asked, slowly looking around her room until she got to the window, where a very familiar pegasus was slowly flapping her wings, wincing with every flap. “Rainbow! What are you doing? You know you're not supposed to be flying!” Twilight said, rushing over to the window and fumbling with the lock for a few seconds, completely forgetting about her magic.

After a few more seconds of fumbling with her hooves she finally got the window unlocked and open, Rainbow Dash quickly flying inside, half landing and half crashing onto Twilight's bed.

“Okay, note to self, do NOT fly the day you are released from the hospital.” Rainbow groaned, rubbing her wings in slow, circular motions.

“Rainbow! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be staying in the hospital for a few more days?” Twilight said, walking over to the bed where the pegasus was currently poking at her extremely sore wings, checking for signs of any serious damage.

“You know me, if I can leave the hospital I will. Unfortunately I can't exactly go home, now can I?” Dash said, determining that she hadn't done any serious damage to her wings.

“That's why you should have stayed at the hospital, but why are you here?” Twilight asked, obviously oblivious to what the pegasus was trying to ask.

“Would you mind if I crashed here for bit? Just until my wings heal enough for me to fly up to my house.” Dash asked, her face heating up a bit, though she didn't know why.

“Wait, you actually want to stay with me? In a library of all things?” Twilight asked, a bit shocked that she had chosen one of her least favorite things and, in Twilight's opinion, one of her more distant friends. While they got along fine and often had fun together, they were never really close.

“Could you imagine spending a week with Pinkie?” Dash said flatly. Twilight giggled a bit in understanding.

“I suppose, but still, why me?”

“Well, I still need to talk to you.”

“About what... wait, is this about- oh Celestia Dash I'm so sorry, I don't know what I was thinking, I thought you were unconscious, and I just felt so alone, ever since it happened I've shut myself in the library, trying to figure out what I did wrong, but I couldn't find anything! It's all my fault Dash, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry for everything, for nearly killing you, for putting you in that coma, for... what I did while you were in the coma. It's all my fault Dash, you should hate me.” Twilight was quickly spiraling into a panic, already starting to hyperventilate.

“I could never hate you, Twi.” Dash said calmly, scooting herself over to the edge of the bed, right in front of Twilight. “And I don't even blame you, you saved my life, we both know that, it's not your fault.”

“But it is! If I hadn't lost control this never would have happened, and I can't even find out why I lost control! I'm so stupid!” Twilight said, turning away from Rainbow.

“Shut up.” Dash nearly screamed, if there was one thing she couldn't take it was her friends blaming themselves for things beyond their control.

“What?” Twilight said, surprised by the sudden outburst.

“I said shut up. You are not stupid, you are anything but stupid, you're the smartest pony I know, probably the smartest in Ponyville. This is not your fault, this was never your fault, so stop blaming yourself. If I don't blame you for it you shouldn't blame yourself for it, got it?” Dash was forceful, yet caring at the same time.

“Yes.” Twilight said, crying, but still smiling. “When did you get so smart?” Twilight added, giggling softly to herself.

“I learned from the smartest pony I know.” Dash said, pulling Twilight into a warm embrace, the unicorn more than welcoming it.

“Now, I need you to promise me one thing.” Dash said, holding her purple friend a little tighter. Twilight nodded in response.

“While I stay here I don't have to clean anything unless I specifically volunteer for it.” Dash said, pulling away, her trademark cocky smile worn proudly on her lips.

“It's a deal.” Twilight giggled.