Chapter 1: the NLR (pt. 1)
The bloody civil war raged on, and another skirmish between the republic and the empire was taking place. A few ponies from the NLR's band of stars, an elite team of Pegasi in charge of steath missions and espionage, versus a border patrol squad from the empire. The pegasi were outnumbered, five empire ponies to two republic ponies. But the empire had the misfortune of coming upon these two pegasi, rainbow dash and scootaloo. The empire's side consisted of Rarity, Carrot top, Breeze, cloud kicker, and caramel. Rainbow Dash froze at the sight of Rarity. She couldn't bear killing her best friend.
"Come on, Rainbow Dash!" Urged Scootaloo, her pistol aimed at Breeze's head. Still nothing from Rainbow dash. She didn't need Rainbow Dash. She could protect her. Scootaloo fired, the bullet landing dead center, splattering her blue republic coat with Breeze's life fluid. Cloud kicker drew her sword and lunged at Scootaloo, the others drawing guns and swords, and firing at the orange peagasus. All except Rarity, her gaze locked on Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo, using her wings, thrust herself into the air, barely missing cloud kicker's sword. She landed behind Cloud Kicker, shooting her in the back. Suddenly, a shotgun shot went off, and an agonizing pain shot up Scootaloo's leg. Scootaloo whipped around to see Carrot Top pumping her shotgun, preparing to shoot Scootaloo again. Scootaloo took this chance to pull out a knife. Except Carrot Top wasn't that slow. She once again fired, this time hitting Scootaloo in her left arm, rendering it useless. Loosing blood fast, Scootaloo's vision went hazy, and she started to wobble. But she wouldn't give up that easy. gripping the knife, Scootaloo tried to attack, the world spinning around her. Everything was now a hodgepoge of swirling color. Her attack missed, having gone to the left of Carrot Top. She tried to keep standing, to fight Carrot Top, but Scootaloo just couldn't do it. Her legs buckled, and she fell, letting the knife drop.
"Rainbow Dash!" Called out Scootaloo weakly, the last wisps of vision fading away as she drifted into unconsiousness, hoping her sister would save her.
Rainbow Dash snapped out of her trance, coming back into reality. She heard Scootaloo call out to her.
"I'm coming Scoot!" Yelled Rainbow, rushing over to her sister, picking up the steel knife.
"It's no use. She's going to die, and so are you." Sneered Carrot Top, shotgun pointed at Rainbow's head.
"No, you are you bitch." Fumed Rainbow Dash, rolling to the side as the orange mare fired. Rainbow quickly got up, lunged at Carrot Top, and slid the knife across her throat. Carrot Top collapsed, landing with a thud, dead. She looked over her shoulder to see Caramel and Rarity retreating over the hills. Rainbow quickly turned her attention to her little sister. She was bleeding out, and needed help. Fast. Desperate, Rainbow tore a long strip of cloth from her shirt, tied it around Scootaloo's arm, and did the same for her leg. Rainbow Dash picked her up in her arms and carried her to their home camp to see the medic. Rainbow landed at camp, then walked into the medical tent, Scootaloo still asleep in her arms.
"Hello, this is an emergency!" Called Rainbow. A white unicorn on crutches walked in.
"Oh, hello. I'm the new medic. My name is Holly Redd, but you can call me Holly." Greeted the unicorn. Her chocolate brown hair was tied up in a bun, and she wore black glasses.
"I'm Rainbow Dash. This is Scootaloo. She's hurt real bad." Said Rainbow Dash.
"Oh, my. Come with me." Said Holly, opening a curtain to reveal a bed next to a cart of sharp medical tools.
"Lay her here." Instructed Holly, pointing to the bed. Rainbow hesitated at seeing various knives and a saw on the cart, but she trusted the young mare. Rainbow then laid Scoot down on the bed.
"Alright. I'll call you in when I'm finished." Said Holly, undoing the makeshift bandages. Using her magic, Holly pulled the curtain shut
Holly levitated a hot iron into her workspace and gently applied it to Scootaloo's wounds after removing the metal balls. Balancing on her one leg, Holly placed the iron back into the fire, then levitated a box of bandages. Removing one of the rolls, she placed the box on the bedside table. Holly tightly wound the bandages around Scootaloo's wounds, then put her arm into a splint. The bones in there were shattered. Alright. She had dressed Scootaloo's wounds, but she needed to get blood into her system.
"Rainbow Dash!" Called Holly. The cyan peagasus flew over to the bedside.
"Yes, Holly?" Asked Rainbow. "Is she okay? Is my little sis alright?"
"Yes Rainbow Dash. She will be fine. But, do you know what blood type your sister has?" Asked Holly.
"Yeah, she has type B blood. Same as me." Said Rainbow. "But why did you ask?"
"Scootaloo suffered extreme blood loss. We need more in her system." Replied Holly, Several blood bags levitated around her, enveloped in light pink magic.
"Oh no. Oh no no no no no." Said Holly, frantically levitating more bags off a shelf.
Rainbow's eyes went wide.
"WHAT! What's oh NO?!" Asked Rainbow, trying not to sound worried and keep her cool.
"It seems we ran out of type B blood bags." Said Holly, looking with concern to Rainbow Dash.
"I'll be a blood doner." Said Rainbow, pushing up the sleeve on her leather jacket.
"Thank you, Rainbow Dash." Said Holly, sticking a needle into one of the many veins in Rainbow's arm. A long, slender plastic tube connected it to a small machine, which in turn, filled a blood bag labeled 'B' with a black Sharpie. Holly flipped the switch on the machine from 'OFF' to 'ON'. It whirred to life, the tube filling up with blood.
"Anything to save Scoot." Said Rainbow Dash, looking down at the filly.
"Have a seat." Said Holly, levitating a chair and setting it next to the bed.
"Thanks Holly." Said Rainbow, sitting in the offered chair.
5 MINUITES LATER...
A red light on the machine lit up and it went 'ding'.
Holly hobbled over on her crutches and turned the switch to 'OFF'. She then removed the needle, wiped it down with the only sterilizing thing they had, baby wipes, then stuck the needle into Scootaloo's right forearm. Holly connected the now filled bag to the tube and hung it up on a metal hook over the bed. A couple minutes went by.
Scootaloo's eyes fluttered open, and she gazed at her surroundings. She was in the medical tent at her camp. She noticed Rainbow Dash talking to someone who she couldn't see. The last she remembered was Carrot Top towering over her, then everything went black.
"Hey Rainbow Dash." Said Scootaloo, gazing up at her sister. Rainbow looked down at her with a warm smile.
"I missed you, kid." Said Rainbow.
She tried to sit up in her bed, but whenever Scootaloo tried to move, pain overtook her.
That pony was talking again.
"Is she awake? Asked the pony. Finally she came into view. She was a white unicorn with brown hair, brown eyes, and black glasses.
"Hey there, Scootaloo. Your sister told me about you. I'm Holly, the new medic here. It's nice to meet you." Greeted Holly.
"Oh. Um...how long do I have to stay here?" Asked Scootaloo.
Holly glanced at the wall calendar. "Hmm...since you broke your arm and you got shot in your leg, you'll be here for approximately three weeks." Replied Holly.
"Three weeks!?" Shouted Scootaloo, her leg jolting. Pain spread up her leg like a wildfire. Scootaloo settled down again, then spied Rainbow Dash exiting the tent. Her punishment had begun.
