Don't Give Up

Don't Give Up

Chapter 6

Relief

“Did you take care of her?”

“No, she woke up before I could, every time I tried that annoying unicorn was there.”

“No matter, I always have back-up plans. Here's what you need to do.”

-_-_-_-

“Twilight, are you sure this is such a good idea? I mean, telling them all at once? Wouldn't it be best to go one by one?” Dash asked. She was sitting at a average size table, able to hold up to eight ponies.

“True, but then what would happen if they found out what order you went to see them in? What would they think about you going to see, say, Fluttershy before Applejack? They would think that you liked one of them more then the the others. If that happened they would be insulted, then they would be mad at you, and if they were really mad at you they might not forgive you, and if they never forgave you they might start getting jealous of each other and start growing apart. And if that happens the we wont be  able to use the elements of harmony, and if that- mmmph mm mmphmmphmmm” Twilight's rant was cut off by a light blue hoof being shoved in her mouth.

“Twilight, calm down, do you really think that's going to happen?” Dash asked, slowly removing her hoof from Twilight's muzzle.

“Well, no, but we can't take any chances!” Twilight said, before walking towards the door leading to Sugar Cube Corner's kitchen where their friends were currently waiting. Twilight had finally managed to convince them to meet somewhere for lunch, though she did not tell them that Dash had woken up.

“Fine, but if I get smothered in a group hug it's on you.” Dash said, leaning back in her chair and putting her hooves behind her head.

“Alright.” Twilight said, opening the door and walking through to where the rest of their friends were waiting for Twilight to come get them. Rainbow could hear some low mumbling as Twilight was talking to them, followed by silence as the door was encased in a purple glow.

“Just don't smother her, she'll blame me for it.” Twilight said as she opened the door, her friends confused by what the unicorn had meant by “she” though that confusion quickly turned to understanding when they saw the cyan mare at the table. And that understanding changed to relief even faster.

“RAINOW DASH!?” They all cried in unison, quickly charging through the door and past Twilight, nearly trampling her.

“Hey guys.” Dash said nonchalantly.

“When did you wake up?” They asked, again in perfect unison. At this point they had formed a tight circle around the pegasus, some tearing up, and some flat out crying.

“A few hours ago.” Twilight answered for her, cutting through the crowd up to Rainbow Dash. “She woke up While I was there, so when the doctor said she could leave I took her back to the library with me.” Twilight lied. She and Dash had decided it best that the rest not know about her being conscious, seeing as how some of her friends had very... personal, conversations around her. And without knowing what Dash had known about, it would have been very hard to explain Twilight randomly teleporting away.

“Why did she go back to the library with you? Wouldn't she much rather have flown back to her own house if she wanted to rest? I know if I could rest on a cloud bed I would, I've heard that they do wonders for your skin.” Rarity said, her eyes glazing over as she imagined laying in a bed made of clouds.

“I would have, but my wings aren't totally healed yet, can't fly for at east a week... I already tried” Rainbow added under her breath, obviously annoyed at her lack of flight.

“Yes, and because her house is floating she'll be staying with me until her wings are fully healed. Any other questions?” Twilight asked, scanning the crowd around her.

“Oh! OH! OH! I HAVE ONE! PICK ME PICKE ME PICK ME!” Pinkie shouted, waving a hoof in the air, as if asking permission, though she started talking anyway. “Did you  see the cupcakes I left you? Did you eat them? Did they taste good? I hope you liked them, I tried really super hard to make them for you, I even made them mach your coat and mane, so how were they? Were they good? Were they were they were they?” The hyperactive pink earth pony somehow managed to say everything without taking a breath or tripping over her words. A skill that Twilight wished she had, as it would make lectures so much easier.

“Uh, yeah, they were good, thanks Pinkie.” Dash lied, in honesty she had forgotten all about them. Being too wrapped up with getting out of the hospital, finding Twilight, convincing Twilight it wasn't her fault, asking Twilight if she could stay with her, and thinking about Twilight in general... come to think of it, there had been a lot of Twilight in Dash's life recently.

“Good, because those were just the first in the series of sweets I'm going to call “The Elements of Sugar” what do you guys think? There's going to be a cupcake type for each of my friends!” Pinkie cheered excitedly, while the rest of her friends just looked at her, bewildered expressions on their faces.

“Uh, Pinkie, that's great and all, but I don't think that's a particularly pressing matter.” Applejack said, turning her attention back to Twilight and Rainbow dash. “If y'all don't mind me asking, why Twilight? I mean, don't y'all hate libraries, and books, and reading, and... pretty much everything Twilight likes?”

“Huh? Oh, well I originally went with her because I needed to talk to her about... something that happened... and one thing kinda led to another, and we ended up deciding that it would be best if I just stayed at the library, should something happen and I need medical attention or the hospital she'd be the pony to go to, ya know?” Rainbow said, trying to both keep herself from looking at Twilight and stop the blood threatening to rush to her cheeks.

“So darling, what was it like being in a coma?” Rarity asked, seemingly sensing Rainbow's unease with Applejack's question.

“Well, it's kinda like you're sleeping.” Rainbow Dash was panicking, what was she supposed to say? She couldn't tell them what it was really like, and she didn't know what most ponies thought being in a coma was like.

“Really? Did you dream about anything?” Fluttershy asked.

“Uh, I can't really remember, ya know? It's like when you know you've had a dream, but just can't remember what it was.” Rainbow lost the battle, her cheeks flushing a bright burgundy, she stole a quick glance a Twilight, remembering one of her more favourable dreams involving the lavender unicorn, she was oblivious to it.

Unfortunately for Dash, Rarity was not as oblivious as Twilight. “Is that so?” She asked, almost sadistically, “Are you sure? Not a single detail? Like, say, what pony was in it?” Rarity smirked as Dash's face grew even redder, once again looking towards Twilight, this time she saw it.

“Something wrong, Rainbow?” She asked with that smile. That beautiful, wonderful smile.

“No!” Rainbow mentally scolded herself, “I am not allowed to think of my friends in that way, any of them, that would be totally uncool.”

“Uh, no, nothing's wrong, just a little tired.” She said, faking an overly large yawn.

“How are you tired? You've been sleeping for a month! Or were you not sleeping? Were you playing a prank on us? Or maybe you were paralysed, not in a coma. Or maybe-” The ball of energy that was Pinkie Pie was silenced by an orange hoof.

“Pinkie, just because she was in a coma does not mean she got any real sleep, I imagine that it would take a lot out of a pony, am I right, RD?” Applejack said, still keeping her hoof firmly over Pinkies mouth.

“Uh, ya, just cause, ya know, it was kinda like napping, doesn't mean I actually got any real sleep, right, Twilight?” Rainbow said, pushing the question over to Twilight, who nodded, still oblivious to Dash's scarlet face.

“I would imagine. While the body is comatose, the mind is still fully functional, with no real nutrition  fatigue is severe after any extended time in a coma.” Twilight answered, as if reading it directly from a book.

Hey were interrupted as the bells over the door announced another customer.

“Hello, welcome to Sugar Cube Corner.” Pinkie said, bouncing off to great the new customer.

“Hey, I was wondering if you guys sold cinnamon roles?” The unknown mare asked, she had a deep, rough voice, even deeper then Rainbow Dash.

“Of course! What kind of sweet shop would we be without cinnamon roles? Come over here, we have 12 different types to choose from.” Pinkie said, bouncing behind the counter, a red pegasus mare following close behind. Her mane was dark blue with red highlights, and she had a black lightning bolt outlined in red as a cutie mark.

“It can't be...” Dash thought aloud, thinking back to when she was in the coma. She had seen that mare before, she had come into her room by mistake, but she remembered her from before that. Finally the odd dream she had made sense, that strange feeling she got when she looked at the red pegasus.

“What's that?” Twilight asked, looking down to the pegasus sitting in the chair next to her.

“I know her...” Dash said, though her name and where she knew her from still alluded her.

“I wouldn't be surprised, there aren't many pegasi in Ponyville.” Twilight said, not particularly interested in the newcomer.

“No, I mean, from before Ponyville, she looks like... she is... that's... Neon?” Dash said, the red mare turning at the mention of her name.

“Yes?” The pegasus turned around to see who had called her.

“Neon Lightning? Is that you?” Dash asked, standing from her chair and walking over to her.

“Yes... Do I know you?” The mare asked, taking a step back as Dash got a little to close for her comfort.

“It's me, Rainbow Dash! Remember? From flight camp?” Dash said, taking another step towards the mare.

“Rainbow Dash? It is you! How could I forget that mane of yours? It's been a long time, how's life been treating you?” Neon's suspicion was washed away as recognition filled her expression. Clearly happy to see an old friend.

“Okay, just got out of the hospital, had a coma after a little accident, but I'm fine now. Where have you been? I haven't seen you since I was thrown out of flight camp.” Dash said, pulling the red pegasus into an embrace, Neon returning it for a brief hug before pulling away.

“Probably practising a new trick, knowing you. But I've been doing fine, got a job on a weather team in Manehatten, making my special brand of lightning, of course, folks there like a good show every now-and-then.”

“That's good to hear, you always were famous for that lightning, weren't you?” Dash chuckled, thinking back to flight camp and her days with Neon.

“Of course, who else can make lightning look like your mane?” Neon chuckled back, playfully punching Rainbow with her hoof. “Hey, sorry but I have to go, I'm having a late lunch with a friend and I'm just here to grab some food. But I'll be in Ponyville for a few more days, we should hang out some time.” neon said, before walking up to Pinkie, picking out a particularly tasty looking cinnamon roll, and buying two of them.

“I'll see you later.” Dash called as Neon walked out the door, leaving her with her friends once again.

“Who was that?” Twilight asked, walking up beside Rainbow.

“Oh, just one of my old friends from flight camp.” Dash answered before returning to her seat. “Now come on, let's eat, I'm starving!”

Twilight just giggled as she walked back and took a seat next to Dash, the rest of their friends doing the same at various points around the table.

-_-_-_-

“Are you sure about this?”

“Of course, she won't be able to resist. We have a few more days, so we have time to throw suspicion off us. Remember that dentist I told you about?”

“Yeah.”

“Good, she's a unicorn, so we'll need to take care of her first. You have it all ready?"

“Of course."

"Good, we'll start tonight."