In Stitches

Over the next three hours Rainbow and her new friend laughed and giggled till the pain in her sides was more than in her wings. Most of the time was spent telling dark and ironic jokes while the other half was spent talking about her kids and the future.

"Anyway, your mane is looking a lot better now, your tail too" Rachel said still giggling a bit.

"Thank you so much, you are a great friend." She said really meaning it.

"Awww thanks Rainbow. But aren't I your only friend?" They both laughed at the dark humor.

"No. I have doctor what's his face too... What was his name?" She laughed.

"Monocles, Doctor Monocles." She stated seeming to find it funny.

"Oh right right right. What is wrong with your names here. I mean seriously, It's kinda weird." She asked.

"Weird how?" She demanded faking an offended tone.

"Well, they are so short and as far as I can tell have nothing to do with you."

"And Rainbow isn't a weird name?"

"Dash, Rainbow Dash." She finally corrected now that she was speaking proper.

"Oh." She said sounding like she just hit a brick wall.

"Most people just call me Rainbow anyway. Not really a big deal." She smiled.

"Okay then. Why didn't you say that earlier though?" She asked.

"Well. It hurt too much to speak to correct it before."

"It hurt? Does it still?"

"To be perfectly honest, everything hurts right now. I feel like every bone in my body is on fire. Everything hurt. And I am starting to think it always will."

"You poor thing. Why didn't you say anything?" She asked sadly.

"I'm a big girl. I just have to deal. It's not nearly as bad as it was when I was found." She said trying to sound proud.

"You shouldn't have to hurt though. He could get you something for the pain."

"It's okay. Seriously. I'll be fine." She said lying to herself.

"Okay okay. If you are sure you are fine."

"I am." She said trying to not sound fake.

"Soooo... Are you hungry?" She asked trying to restart the conversation.

"Starving."

"I'm guessing that was literal?"

"Yeah. I don't know if I will ever be full again."

"Do you want me to get something for you?"

"Yes please."

"Will you be okay by yourself for a bit?" She asked.

"I'll live." The pegasus replied.

"Okay. I'll be back in a bit."

Rainbow heard the Dragon get up and leave. It was the first time she had been alone in a while. She took in what she could of the room. She was on a cushy object the doctor had told her was a couch. She could smell wood burning and could hear the crackling of a fire. The room was warm and the quiet. When she had walked in she had taken 40 steps to the couch so she guessed it was a big room. She started to draw a picture in her head.

She was in a large room. There was a door on the far side from the couch and a door somewhere behind her that the Doctor and Rachel had used. There was a fire place to the right of the first door and a table somewhere in front of her that the Doctor had put a glass on. Under her was a couch which she guessed was almost in the middle of the room based on how far the Doctor had walked.

She listened closely. There had to be something else she could here, or maybe smell. There had to be more information she could gather. The fire was covering most other sounds but she was sure she could hear something else. She listened harder. she could hear something moving around slightly. It sounded like fabric. There was nobody around that she could hear but the sound was still there.

"What is that?" She said to herself.

She lifted her head and tried to figure out her new companion. Try as she might she couldn't pick out what it was. A few minutes passed and Rachel returned.

"Something the matter Rainbow?" Rachel asked.

"I can hear a rustling sound. What is it?"

She giggled. "It's the curtains on the windows. Their open."

"Oh" She blushed. "Come on. You should have gotten that."

"Don't worry about it. I brought you some food." She said.

"Thanks." And with a pause added. "Can... Can you help me? I'm blind."

"I know.. It's okay Rainbow. I'm here to help. You don't need to be embarrassed."

"Well? Can you help me out then?"

"Sure." She felt a straw lifted to her lips.

She drank in the cool tasty liquid, little lumps of fruit passing over her tongue that would eventually bring back her strength. She took it in slowly and in a few minutes was finished. Her stomach begged for more but she knew there was a reason it had to be slow.

"There. How was that Rainbow?"

"A lot better then what I used to eat." She said and she could hear the heavy hoof steps of the Doctor returning.

"Which was what?" He asked making her jump a bit.

"You don't want to know." She said "Please don't make me say it."

"Well I kinda need to know to help you recover."

"Of course you do. Fine." She sighed. "You sure?"

"Yes Rainbow. It's important. I need to know so I can tell if I need to be worried about food related disease or something."

"Well?" Rachel asked sounding interested herself.

With a complete deadpan she said "They would give me a dead pony once every two weeks and it was up to me to make it last. Blood is a precious thing when it makes up most of your water intake." She showed her teeth, some of which in the back were ground down to points.