"Miss? Miss Pinkamena? You need to wake up now.... I need you to get up." A calm but stern mare said

Pinkamena's eyes fluttered open. The bright light of the morning sun burned and she rolled over burying her face her pillow. She pulled the covers over her hear. "Go away." Pinkamena said to the voice.

"You need to get up now Miss. We need to examine you."

"Five more minutes please." Pinkamena said scrunching the pillow around her ears.

"You've been asleep for over thirty hours Miss. It's time to get up."

Pinkamena pulled her head up from the pillow squinting her eyes to get used to the blinding light. "Thirty hours? I've been asleep thirty hours. I... How did I get here?"

"Your friend the Grey Pegasus with eyes brought you in." the voice said.

Pinkamena turned to the mare in the door blinking her eyes. "Who are you?"

"Just the day nurse. The Doctor will be along to examine in a few minutes."

Pinkamena sat up slowly with some difficulty. It felt like her joints were filled with sand. "What am I doing here?"

"You overdosed on barbiturates" The nurse held out a fore leg. "Take my hoof."

Pinkamena reached out slowly to to grip the nurses hoof but missed it. "What's going on" Pinkamena groaned.

"Tell me your full name, where you are, how you feel and why your here." The nurse said.

"W... what. you know all that stuff. Why am I having trouble moving my..."

"Please answer the question right now miss." The Nurse said in a serious tone.

Pinkamena sighed. "Pinkamena Diane Pie, Ponyville Hospital, like shit and I overdosed."

"Okay you're not having difficulty thinking. That's a good sign. You are experiencing coordination problems, sluggishness, slowness of breathe and drowsiness."

"No kidding..." Pinkamena said rolling her eyes.

"Those are all symptoms of the overdose."

"And the pain?" Pinkamena asked.

"Where is this pain?"

"My back it hurts."

"It's probably bed sores. You were in a coma for about 36 hours. Roll over onto your back."

Pinkamena slowly rolled over onto her back. "I woke up last night for a few minutes. A pony I know named Fluttershy paid a visit."

The nurse cringed."Yeah we all know Fluttershy, poor dear."

Pinkamena smirked "You think she's ugly."

"What?"

"I said you think she's ugly."

"No, no I don't think that." the nurse replied.

"So then you think she is good looking."

The nurse looked uncomfortable. "Well I mean she's..."

"Has holes in her face." Pinkamena interrupted flatly. "Big fleshy holes. Isn't that cute." Pinkamena could hear the nurse shutter and wretch at her comments.

"You're cruel, making fun of her just because she is ugly."

Pinkamena laughed. "I didn't say she was ugly. I asked if you thought she was ugly and you just said so. You forgot a symptom overdosing. Faulty Judgement. Do you think my judgement is faulty? "

The nurse huffed and looked away. "Your sores are fine, they'll heal up once you get out of bed. The doctor will be along soon and your family is in the lobby. I will send them in, in a few minutes." she then walked out of the room.

Pinkamena laid on her stomach began to stretch out her legs. She heard the door open behind her.

The Doctor walked into the room. "Miss Pinkamena I'm your Doctor. Doctor Wellness. It's nice to..." The Doctors jaw dropped as he spotted his patient. Her hind legs splayed open on the bed slowly swishing her tail back and forth.

"Are you here to examine me?" Pinkamena asked slowly with a building emphasis on each word.

"I... I... umm maybe you should... role over." The Doctor said nervously.

"Why? Do you want to listen to my heart beat Doctor. It's mean of you to make me role over when I'll just need to role right back when you check my aching back." Pinkamena swished her tail brushing it up against her thigh. "Come here and take a closer look."

"O... Okay" Doctor Wellness stuttered trotting towards the mare. He touched a fore hoof to the red welt on the pink mares back.

"Mmmn, that feels nice can you rub my back?"

"This... Isn't appropriate Miss I..."

"Please sir. My back hurts and I would really appreciate it." Pinkamena said while slowly licking her lips. The Doctor pressed his fore hooves clumsily onto her back. Pinkamena winced from discomfort. "Mmmn that feels good Doctor, you have magic hooves." she lied.

"Umm, Thank you Miss."

Pinkamena's eyes suddenly went wide with a look of fear and tears formed in the corner of her eyes. Her whole body started trembling. "Why are you doing this and why do you want my hind legs to be spread open?" Pinkamena whimpered loudly.

The Doctors look turned to confusion. "I don't underst..."

"What the buck are you doing to our step daughter!?" A loud stallions voice called from behind the Doctor. Doctor Wellness swung his head around to see a very angry pair of Earth Ponies. A yellow stallion and a blue mare.

"No, no you don't understand she asked for it."

Pinkamena suppressed a giggle. She could swear that she actually heard the moment Mrs. Cake snapped.

"She asked for this!?" Mrs. Cakes eyes went from shocked to narrow. ""You scum sucking little buck I'll kill you!!!" she screamed.

The Doctor looked down at the mare he had his hooves on. "Please explain to them that..." the Doctor started to say with fear in his voice.

"Why... why did you want me to spread legs Doctor" Pinkamena cried with tears streaming down her face.

"I... I..." The Doctor started.

"Get your hooves off of her now!" Mr. Cake yelled.

The Doctor jumped back from the crying mare and fell to the floor.

Pinkamena watched Hospital Security drag a ranting Doctor Wellness out of her room as he screamed about how she was a slut and wanted it. Pinkamena laid back on her bed forelegs crossed behind her head. Facing her head away from the door and towards the wall she smirked. I bet no pony will be asking why I overdosed for a long while. she thought.

---

*Beep Beep Beep*

"I'm up!" Rainbow Dash shouting

*Beep Beep Beep*

"I said I'm..." Rainbow Dash pulled her head out of her pillow. "Right your an alarm clock." she said bringing her hoof down on the off switch.

*Crack*

"Well you were an Alarm Clock." Rainbow Dash shook her head. Most important day of life... Get this right. Rainbow Dash scarfed down her breakfast, groomed and flew out the door. As Rainbow Dash left she caught site of the little hovel below her home. That's where that retard lives. Pinkie deserves better. Rainbow Dash scooped up a raincloud and left it hovering over over the small shack before darting off into the distance.

Rainbow Dash landed outside the hospital and checked in at the front desk for a Visitor ID. She sat in the lobby for about an hour waiting to be allowed  Dash with increasing anxiety wondered what the hold up was. Did she say no or is she still hurt they wouldn't tell me anything. Stay calm, Pinkie will understand. I mean we threw a party together. So what if she gotten a little shy, we'll be back to BFF's in no time flat.

Nurse Redheart walked out from behind the front desk up to the worrying pegasus. "She can see you now. Sorry it took so long we had a..." Her voice went down to a whisper "staff issue to sort out." Her eyes shifted back and forth looking around the crowd in the waiting room. "You can head on up to see her now."

Rainbow Dash walked through the hospital to Pinkie's room. Okay here goes nothing. Rainbow Dash stepped through the door into the pink mares room. She was sitting up in her bed, her long hair flowing down her back. It was a little bit disheveled in comparison to the fine sheets it usually fell in. I guess two days worth of bed head will do that to ya. she thought. Pinkamena slowly turned her head to look into Dash's eyes.

---

Of course that idiot would come here. Pinkamena thought looking at the cyan mare in the door. She took in her appearance. She doesn't look like she has had much sleep. She seems tired. I wonder if I looked that bad when my friends abandoned me. Pinkamena stared into Dash's eyes. They look so... desperate. Full of sorrow but with a little bit of hope

"Hi Pinkie. I heard about what happened to you. I came to see if you were okay." Rainbow Dash said nervously.

Pinkamena stared at the nervous mare. She really isn't taking the being blown off by her friends very well.

"Where did you go during the party? What happened? We were supposed to host it together."

Pinkamena heard the confusion in Rainbow Dash's voice. She began to suck on her lower lip as she thought back to her... fun after she left the party

"Well?"

Pinkamena snapped out of her thoughts. "I went to hangout with Derpy. You'll notice I don't host many parties anymore..." At least that you know of dear Dashie. But that's going to be a big surprise for you. Pinkamena thought.

"Derpy" Rainbow Dash scoffed. "Why would you want to hang around that lame-o."

"You sounded just like Gilda." Pinkamena said giggling. "Derpy's my best friend and your jealous."

"But I'm your best friend." Dash said in a sad voice. Her eyes went to the floor.

"You? Really? My best friend huh. Hey I have a question. Which pegasus became my friend when I was unpopular and which one tried to crawl back when she became unpopular."

"I bucked up okay. I bucked up badly. But I don't want it to end like this. I want to be where we were. I want us to all be where we were. I even tried to get the others to visit the hospital with me. Once you're back we'll all be fine again, they won't hate you forever."

You're right it won't end like this. I've already written your ending. Pinkamena thought "They don't hate me anymore Dashie they hate you. Fluttershy came to visit me last night alone... Without you. Oh and Rarity sent me this wonderful card." Pinkamena picked up one of the few cards on her bedside table. She opened and began to read. "I know we aren't on the best of terms anymore but I want to wish you well and hope that you get better soon. -Rarity" Pinkamena put the card down. "I guess they just didn't want to come here with you. Just like they didn't come to your party. When is the last time you really hung out with any of them. They've all moved on and left you in the dust. For once Dashie you are the slowest pony in Equestria."

"It's not true... You said we could be friends again. That day in your home when I came to visit. You said you would be glad too."

Images of chalk dust and mixed up sedatives flooded Pinkamena's mind. The worst part of that day was pretending to wanted to be friends with the annoying mare. "Oh yeah... so I did."

I said I'd be her friend again to get close to her... Spring the trap and have my fun with her. Great job that's doing... I need a new strategy to catch Dash. I will have to consult with Lieutenant Rocky when I get back to home base / my room. When's the last time I played with my toys anyways?

"So we're friends again?" Dash said jarring Pinkamena out of her thoughts.

"I'll have to consult with Lieutenant Rocky" Pinkamena said distracted.

"Umm what now, you mean that Pile of Rocks" Dash asked confused.

Pinkamena facehoofed. See this is why everypony thinks I am crazy... inside thoughts stay inside. Still though I'm tired of pretending to be amicable with that thing. I'll catch her whether she likes me or not.

"Pinkie?"

Well if I am going to dump this charade I might as well have fun with it. Pinkamena thought.

"I was wrong. I''m not glad to be your friend again. In fact I am sickened by it. It's not surprising that you have no more friends Dash. They are tired of putting up with you."

"W... wha... what? I... You can't mean..." Dash stuttered in shock.

"Fluttershy can't even stand you long enough for a hospital visit, Rarity thinks you are barbarian, Applejack dumped you for a few extra bits and Twilight would rather do homework. That is what your so called best friends think of you." Pinkamena giggled. "You're pathetic Rainbow Dash."

"That's not true your just jealous because!" Dash yelled.

Pinkamena cut her off. "Because you convinced every pony in town that I was crazy... Shocking why anypony would have a problem hanging around you."

"That... that was an accident."

Pinkamena grinned. "Lets talk about what's not an accident Rainbow Dash. Your constant pipe dreams about being a Wonderbolf for starters."

"I am going to be a Wonderbolt. I am the fastest pegasus in Equstria."

"Oh that's great, you should join the Pegasus drag racing circuit. Sure they're not as famous but they're holding a bake sale to buy uniforms. That will really shake things up for them." Pinkamena said in mock enthusiasm.

"I preformed a Sonic Rainboom!" Dash yelled.

"Annnd they didn't take you. I guess being a one trick pony just isn't what they're looking for."

"I... I have plenty of time to make them see how great I am." Dash said in an unsure voice.

"Really? They start training new members at sixteen. Your twenty-two now Dash. You're just too old to join the Wonderbolts. You'd have a better chance of getting in if you were sixteen and an Earth Pony instead of a twenty two year old pegasus. Any member your age has been on the team for eight years and they all retire at around twenty six. You missed the Cloud Dashie." Pinkamena felt giddy as the mare in front of her started to tear up. Time to add the finishing touch. Pinkamena thought maliciously.

"Let's paint a picture of Rainbow Dash's future shall we. A sixty year old pegasus third in command of Ponyvilles weather team who could have led the team but she needs to spend all her time training for the Wonderbolts. No friends, no family and everypony thinks your stuck up because you'll still be bragging about how awesome you are. Oh and my bits are on you being an alcoholic as well."

Rainbow stood staring at the wide grinning Pinkamena her mouth hung open in shock. She could feel the tears start to fall and didn't care enough to try to hold them back. "You.. you..." Rainbow Dash started before running out of the room. The last thing she heard was the pink mare shout after her.

"You're going to die old, alone and unknown Rainbow Dash!" Pinkamena was overjoyed at her work. Well you're going to die a lot sooner then that Dashie. I hope you don't off your self first. she thought before settling back into bed. I wonder where Derpy is. I thought she would have visited by now.

---

Dash huffed out of breath. She felt like collapsing on the street. She had run from the hospital to Ponyville town square. Her life as she knew it was over, Her last play was felled by the friend she thought she could count on, the friend that two month ago she had pitied for being in the same position she is in now. Unable to run any further she flipped her mane in front of her face to hide the damp fur beneath her eyes. She just couldn't go home to that big empty cloud castle with no progress and no friends left. She just couldn't be alone right now so she stood in Town Square surrounded by Ponies that went about their day not paying her a hoofs attention. In the back of her mind the thoughts of loosing her chance at ever joining the Wonderbolts crushed her. Alone, no friends and no future.

Worst of all to her it was like some big open secret. The thought of everypony around her knew of these things. That they all thought of her as arrogant, a chore to put up with and annoying. They thought her bragging about someday being a Wonderbolt and how great she was at flying was pathetic but nopony had the guts or worse, cared to tell her.

Rainbow Dash turned a corner and in between the hairs of her main spotted the dilapidated ruins of the post office that had burnt down on Nightmare Night. It was surrounded by construction ponies. A perfect example of my life. she thought looking at the crumbled building.At least they are trying to rebuild it. Putting it back together. Dash sighed. Look where that has got me. Looking through her mane she noticed somepony staring at her,

Big Macintosh approached Rainbow Dash and stood in front of her quietly staring. "Hi there Rainbow Dash" he said after a few moments.

"You're rebuilding the post office huh." Dash said weakly."It looks like a lot of work."

"Nope. We're tearing it down. It's to broken to bother recovering."

A sob escaped Rainbow Dash. "I gotta go." Dash whimpered turning to run off.

"Yah look a mite pathetic there. Like a lost puppy." Big Mac said.

Dash's eyes shot open and she turned around fast her mane flung from her face. She was unable to believe her ears. "Wh... what?!"

Big Macintosh took a moment to take in the other mares appearance. It was much worse then he thought. Her mane was in tatters even after it was out of her face. Her wide eyes were puffy and the fur of her was face damp. Her mouth hung open and her lips trembled. Her fur was patchy like it had been scrubbed to hard and more then a few feathers were out of place. Her legs shook under her frame which looked to have some lost weight. Worst of all was the way she carried herself Tired.

"Yeah..." Rainbow Dash sighed. "I'm just one big joke aren't I. An Arrogant and annoying pony with no friends who brags about nothing. Who won't shut up about how great she is. Want to hear about how I'm going to become a Wonderbolt this year for sure and about how awesome Sonic Rainbooms are." Dash had a hard look in her eye. "You're the only pony who has the guts to say it." Dash started to breathe more rapidly. "Come on everypony you know it's true just say it!  Say I'm pathetic!" Dash yelled at the top of her lungs as ponies around her turned there heads ton gawk at the sight before turning back to their friends to talk about what they just seen.

Big Mac turned back to the construction site. "Gimme fifteen minutes!" he yelled before nudging Rainbow Dash into an alleyway.

Rainbow dash collapsed against the wall of the alley and slid onto the ground. "Oh Celestia what have I done." Rainbow Dash cried. "And in the town square..."

"What happened?" Bic Mac asked.

"You called me pathetic. You of all ponies. Why?...  Why does everypony say your nice."

Big Mac stared at the crying mare huddled on the ground. "Because you looked pathetic." He sighed. "But I didn't know it was this bad. Not like a puppy at all"

"Just go away." Rainbow Dash whimpered.

"Nope."

"Go!" Dash shouted

"I won't."

"Why?" Rainbow dash asked.

"Do I need a reason besides caring?" Big Mac asked.

"Just go. I don't need any pony seeing me."

"No friends, Wonderbolts, arrogance." Big Mac started listing off her rantings.

"Buck you!" Dash yelled spreading her wings. Big Macs hoof came down on her left wing pinning it to the ground. "Let me go." Dash said coldly her eyes narrowing at Big Mac.

"What is going on with you? Why were you walking through the middle of town looking like that? Why didn't you fly away sooner."

"Because, just because... I don't want to be alone okay. Now let me go."

Big Mac stared into Rainbow Dash's eyes. "Well you got what yah want. You aren't alone."

"Wish I was." Dash muttered.

"What happened?"

"I'm not telling you." Dash said.

"Are you afraid of loosing your pride?" Big Mac asked softly.

Dash buried her head in her fore legs. "What pride?"

"What happened?" Big Mac asked again more forcefully.

Dash gave a loud sigh. "your not going to give up are you."

"Nop..." Big Mac started before cutting himself off. He looked down at the scruffy mare. "No Rainbow Dash I'm not." He took his hoof off of Dash's wing and sat down next to her. "I'm here for you."

Dash sighed and began to explain the events of the past year. Her screw up with Pinkie Pie, growing apart from Twilight and Rarity, Applejacks constant working, Fluttershy's accident and how she just kept putting her hoof in her mouth when she tried to talk to Fluttershy. She went on to what Pinkie said about the Wonderbolts and how everypony thinks of her as a braggart. Big Mac just sat quietly beside her.

"I feel like the post office, so brunt I might as well just fall down."

"We're building a new one a block down. It will be up in a week."

"I've tried rebuilding my life. Look where it's gotten me."

Big Mac opened his mouth then closed it again then paused trying to think of a response. "Well... Ya tried salvaging your life, not rebuilding it. What ya had is gone now, ya should to start over."

"You make it sound easy. All I ever wanted is to be a Wonderbolt. What am I supposed to do now."

"All I ever wanted to do since I was little..." Big Mac smiled. "well what counts as little fer me, is work on the farm and when I hurt ma back I couldn't buck a single tree." Bic Mac sighed. "I've moved on."

Rainbow dash scoffed. "And work the rest of my life as some lame weather pony. Just live my life like... like..."

"Like everypony else." Big Mac cut her off. He reached out a fore leg and turned Dash's head towards him. "From what I see being a normal pony might not be so bad."

"What's the point if I don't have any friends. Everypony thinks I'm so stuck up."

Big Mac rolled his eyes. "Whelp... I reckon ya don't be stuck up then. Pegasus still look up ta ya. Go talk to some of them on even hooves. I'm sure they'll be yer friends."

"So that's it. It's over. I just leave my friends. Abandon them all and move on. Leave Fluttershy an angry shut in, Pinkie a cruel pariah, Twilight a workaholic, Rarity whatever her deal is and Applejack is just plain..." Dash looked up at Big Mac. "Uh... Perfect the way she is." Dash gave a nervous chuckle,

"Greedy an pig headed is more like it." Big Mac said with a scowl. "Don't give up on er... or them. They have there own problems right now. Just don't make your whole life about them. Ya don't have to fall apart there problems."

"Just rebuild my life."

"Yuuup."

"Just like that."

"Yuuup."

"It's going to be hard without any friends. I don't want to go home."

"I'm your friend." Big Mac said putting a hoof on her shoulder. "But I'm going to have to get back to work soon."

"Since when..." Rainbow Dash asked confused.

"Whelp fer about five minutes now."

Rainbow Dash looked up at Big Mac. "Thank you." Big Mac smiled and turned to walk away. "Wait!" Dash called after him. "I think this is the most I ever heard you say. You're usually so quite."

"Yuuup..." Big Mac paused for a moment. "When it's important."

"It really hurt when you called me pathetic..."

"Sometimes you have to be blunt with somepony. I've watched yah fallin apart fer weeks now. I didn't know it was this bad. I would have been nicer if I..." Big Mac smiled. "Ya look a lot better now."

Rainbow lowered her eyes taking a moment to think through what Big Mac said. "You have to be blunt even if you know the truth will hurt them. I guess but Pinkie was blunt with me and... it hurt a lot. Not like this but... it just hurt. If I have to blunt with somepony I know... How do I know if I will hurt them or help them."

"Ya don't always know but say what's in your heart. If you mean well an care they'll understand."

Rainbow Dash grinned wide. "Thanks, you helped me twice today." Dash hopped up into the air and hovered. "Time to start rebuilding!" she shouted taking off into the sky.

Big Mac watched silently as the cyan mare darted off into the distance. She really is a fast pony. He thought before turning and slowly making his way back to the burnt post office.

---

Fluttershy lay on the floor of her cottage surrounded by clutter. Angel limped about the room trying to clean up.

"You don't have to do that Angel dear. I'll help you when I feel a little stronger." The bunny collapsed on the floor. "Oh you poor dear. Don't overwork yourself because of me."

*Click Click Click.*

"What's that noise?" Fluttershy heard the front door to her home open. "Who... who's there?" she called out nervously.

Rainbow dash walked into the living room. "Hey Fluttershy I stopped by for a visit."

"Oh it's you." she sighed. "This isn't a good time and... wait I locked the door."

"Yeah I picked it." Dash replied. "So how have you been?"

"You...You picked the lock? ... You broke in." Fluttershy's jaw dropped. "Get out of my home!"

"No."

Fluttershy looked into the cyan mares eyes. She could see the ever present disgust in them. "Go. Leave and don't come back."

"No."

"You can't say no this is my home."

"I can and I did. I'm not going anywhere. You're going to have to throw me out." Dash said looking at the pegasus sprawled out in front of her.

"Fine." Fluttershy began to push herself up onto her hooves before collapsing back onto the ground. She seethed with rage as she laid impotent and immobile on the floor. "Y... you bucking bitch. Get out I don't want you here. I don't want to be your friend Rainbow Dash get that through that thick skull of yours."

"I'm good here Fluttershy." Dash said nonchalantly. "I'm just gonna clean this place up a bit." Rainbow Dash began to walk around the living room picking up tissues and throwing them into the trash.

"I can clean my own home. If I need help I have my Angel, I don't need you."

Dash looked over to the sleeping bunny laying next to a pile of books he was stacking. She picked up the bunny in her mouth and walked him over to his bed and put him down. Dash turned to Fluttershy "Let's let Angel rest. I'll clean up a bit. I won't take no for an answer. Okay?"

"Don't look at me." Fluttershy growled.

"What?"

"I said don't look at me! Clean whatever the buck you want but don't look at me!" Fluttershy shouted.

Dash took a step towards Fluttershy. "What do you mean. W... why? Why can't I look at you?"

Fluttershy hid her eyes behind her mane. "I said stop looking at me." Dash lowered her head. "Stop looking at..."

"I'm not, I'm not!" Dash shouted.

Fluttershy peaked up from behind her mane. "Good." she whispered.

"I... I don't think..." Rainbow Dash stuttered then paused. "Why can't I look at you?"

"You don't think what Rainbow Dash? That I'm ugly, hideous, disgusting?" Fluttershy growled. "I can see it in your eyes."

"I don't!"

"Look at me!" Fluttershy yelled. Dash looked up at Fluttershy and she stuck her tongue through one of the two holes in her check. Dash started to gag and covered her mouth with a foreleg. Fluttershy glared angrily at Dash.

Rainbow Dash looked away from Fluttershy's cold eyes. She could feel the hurt and anger from the other mare. Dash racked her brain trying to think of something to say to smooth it over but she knew Fluttershy was right. I don't like how she looks, the scarred skin, the mangled wing the holes in her face and even the way the left side of her face droops. It looks so gross.

"I really think it's time for you to leave Rainbow Dash. Don't come back here again." Fluttershy said quietly looking away.

Dash started to feel tired, the familiar stress from earlier in the day coming back to her. I came here to be tough, for her own good. Am I just hurting her? I guess I have no choice but to leave. Dash sighed and lifted her head to take one last look at her now former friend.

"I said stop looking at me! Everypony else has the decency to look away, even my doctors. I am tired of your taunting eyes. Stop looking at me!"

Rainbow Dash took a step towards Fluttershy. "Even your Doctors? What pony does look at you Fluttershy?"

"... I'm not somepony to be looked at anymore..." Fluttershy whispered. Rainbow Dash took another couple of steps towards her. "Stay back."

Rainbow Dash walked over to the yellow mare a laying on her stomach. Fluttershy lowered her head to the ground her mane falling over her face. Rainbow Dash sat on her haunches in front of of the pegasus taking a close look at her. Her coat was matted down with sweat and she smelt stale and musky. The same disgusting scent that permeated the cottage coating the floors and wafting into the air, rot and sweat and urine only it was more pungent around the mare. She had no fat or muscle left on her frame. Her coat hung a little off her with tufts of hair missing around the scars and bites to her left side continuing down under her belly. One of her wings was sick interpretation of of what the limb should look like. As if it was a wing drawn by a small foal. Half the feathers were missing and more then a few sticking out at unnatural angle while the limb itself was crisscrossed with scarring and teeth marks.

Rainbow Dash in recent weeks had always been thrown out before she could notice Fluttershy's physical condition and the state of her home. The cottage was in worse disarray then when her animals stayed in it. It now looked like a long abandoned home that nopony would live in. Seeing the mare below her all thoughts of leaving left her mind. She no longer worried about whether Fluttershy was better off without her. After seeing everything their was only one conclusion Rainbow Dash could come up with. "Your dying here." she whimpered.

"So what?" Fluttershy said trembling.

Rainbow Dash placed her forelegs on Fluttershy's back and began to massage her. Dash lowered her head and nuzzled the back of her neck. She felt the fur on her muzzle and legs damp as they touched her. She did not dare breathe through her nostrils and even air coming through her mouth had a terrible taste.

Below her the pegasus began to cry. "Don't touch me." she said between sobs. Fluttershy's shyness had always made her wherry of ponies touching her and that fought with the realization she had made after the accident that no pony would ever really touch her again.

"How did you ever make it to the hospital to see Pinkie?" Dash asked.

"I.. I shouldn't have. I'm so tired, I can't moved..." Fluttershy paused for a moment. "I told her I was getting better." she let out a loud whine. "I'm getting worse. I can't get skin grafts... I told her I was but I'm to weak to be put under. I... said I could visit her someday but the hospital is... less then a mile... it's so much closer and now I can't move. Everything aches so much Dash. So what if I die. I don't... I don't..."

"Your not going to die Fluttershy. Stop talking crazy I won't let you. You're going to get better."

"You can't even look at me Rainbow Dash and you're going to help me. If it wasn't so pathetic I'd laugh."

"I'm looking at you now Fluttershy."

"And you're disgusted."

"Then live with it!" Dash yelled. "What other option do you have, live with it."

"I could just die he..." Fluttershy was cut off as Rainbow Dash ducked her head under Fluttershy's belly and rolled the other mare onto Dash's back lifting her wings to support the damp and limp mare so she couldn't slide off. "What are you doing?" Fluttershy moaned feeling resistance against her aching flesh as she was hefted off the ground.

"Something I should have been doing since day one." Dash said as she started walking the mare towards the stairs. Dash could not believe how light Fluttershy weighed.

Rainbow Dash climbed the stairs and deposited Fluttershy on the mess of stale sheets and blankets that made up her bed and left her there retreating down the stairs. Rainbow Dash looked at the clock on Fluttershy's wall. 1:45 PM. She started her work by opening each and every window on the ground floor.  She took a moment at each one to take in a breath of fresh air. Rainbow Dash went into the kitchen and removed a garbage bag from under the sink.  

Food lay rotting on the counter, black water and dirty dishes caked with mold filled the sink. Taking a pare Rubber Dish Boots from the drawer Dash pulled them over her forelegs. She drained the sink of black water leaving clumps of black sludge and piled plates. Dash took a hoof towel and swept the plates, sludge and the towel into the trash then grabbed a sponge and scrubbed the basin of the sink. She then swiped the rotting food off the counters into the bag and scrubbed the counters. Going through each cabinet she removed anything that looked rotten or stale and trashed it. She left the cabinets open to air out. Finally Rainbow Dash filled a large bucket with soapy water and scrubbed the floors, walls, ceiling and any other flat surface she could reach.

After the kitchen was in a manageable state.Rainbow Dash picked up a new trash bag and started on the living room picking up the tissues that coated the floor filled with snot and bile and tossing them in the trash. She spotted a pile of news paper in the corner horrified to discover that it was covered in pony waste from when the mare couldn't make it upstairs. Dash felted sick of the thought of her long time friend forced to live like an animal. No more of this Fluttershy. I'm here now. Dash silently promised being extra careful while trashing the paper pile.

Rainbow Dash took off the rubber hoof boots and tossed them out before flying into the kitchen and scrubbing her forelegs vigorously. Rainbow Dash with clean hooves began picking up the various books and other items lefts around the cottage and putting them away. She took down the curtains rolled up the rug and took Angels blankets from his bed. Angel raved angrily at the mare until he saw the floor clean of clutter and breathed a sigh of relief. Dash smiled at the tiny three legged bunny who up until now had been responsible for cleaning and feeding the mare. "I don't know how you took care of this place alone" she said surprised by the tiny disabled bunnies strength. Dash lifted the rabbit onto her head where he quickly fell asleep in her mane. "Now for the hard part." Dash said to herself.

The stairs, the living room and the hallway needed to be scrubbed from floor to ceiling. Grabbing her bucket she went to work having to refill the bucket several times. When she was done she went upstairs to clean Fluttershy's room. The mare was asleep in her bed. "When's the last time you slept on something that wasn't a floor Fluttershy?" Dash asked whispering so as not to wake her. She then went through the same process of opening the windows, cleaning the trash off the floor, taking the rugs and curtains away then clearing the floor of clutter. She washed the floor, walls and ceiling with soapy water. Dash then walked into the only washroom in the cottage adjacent to the upstairs bedroom. The floor was caked with dry urine and the walls had some mold. Rainbow Dash steeled herself and without a moments complaint she cleaned it all. Walking back into the bedroom Dash peered at the bedside clock. 4:53 PM

Rainbow Dash poked Fluttershy with a foreleg. "Rise and shine Fluttershy."

Fluttershys eyes opened groggily. "Oh your still here." she said annoyance clear in her voice. Fluttershy's eyes shot open as she felt the breeze and smelt a hint of soap behind her own stale breath and body odor. She saw the floor clear of clutter and the trash bags. "What are you doing?" she asked nervously.

"Cleaning" Rainbow Dash replied.

Fluttershy blushed. "Please stay away from... from..."

"Got the newspaper and the washroom." Dash said flatly. "Don't worry about it, just about everything is clean now."

"I... I..." Fluttershy was at a complete loss for words.

"This is going to be awkward so I'm just going to blurt it okay...." Dash said nervously. "Please don't take offense."

"What are you..."

"I need to give you a bath." Dash blurted.

Fluttershy turned beat red and threw her forelegs over her eyes.

"Ahh Fluttershy?... Fluttershy? Are you all right Fluttershy?" Dash poked the cowering mare. "You in there Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash sighed at the catatonic mare. Faster I get this over with. Dash thought hefting the Mare off the ground and flew her into the washroom. Dash sat her down into the tub and turned on the water.

"I can stay sitting up." Fluttershy said meekly.

"I'm only filling the tub a few inches." Dash replied. She poured liquid soap into the water. "We're going to have to scrub the caked grim off."

"I don't think I am strong enough." Fluttershy said.

"I know." Dash held a sponge in her foreleg.

Fluttershy stared in shock. *Splash* then fell over onto her side.

"Umm... you alright Fluttershy... Fluttershy hello?" Rainbow Dash began poking the mare with her forelegs. "Fluttershy?"

"I.. I'm fine." Fluttershy whimpered.

"This is one of those close your eyes and think of Equestria moments." Dash snorted filling the sponge with water and wringing it out over Fluttershy's head.

"It's so humiliating." Fluttershy whispered as Dash began to scrub her back.

"It isn't so bad Fluttershy."

"Yes it is." The sponge reached the base of her left wing. "Don't scrub my wings. I'll do them."

"I got it Fluttershy I..."

"No don't touch my wings!" Fluttershy yelled.

"Why not?" Dash  asked surprised by the sudden outburst.

"Just don't okay. I will do them."

"You're tired."

"I will find the strength." Fluttershy muttered.

"Fine." Dash grunted and continued to scrub the mare. She scrubbed every inch of the mares body trying not to think of the intimate nature of her task. Her face, neck, back, chest, stomach, flank, and all four legs leaving only her wings. Her wings of all places, why? Dash thought handing over the sponge.

"Don't look." Fluttershy said. Rainbow Dash turned away and Fluttershy lifted her limp wing in her forelegs and began to slowly scrub.

This is taking forever. Rainbow Dash thought as she listened to the slow scrubbing. I washed her whole body faster then this. Why can't she just let me do it. "Listen Fluttershy..." Dash said turning around. The mare was just washing her wing as Dash suspected. "This is ridiculous and..."

"Don't Look!" Fluttershy yelled.

Dash quickly looked away. "What is with you? You're just washing a wing grow up."

"It's nothing... Just don't look again."

"Tell me!" Dash shouted. "What is the big deal about your wings!"

"Nothing!" Flutteryshy shouted dropping the sponge from her mouth into the water.

Dash turned back around. "Just tell me what is going on! Tell me!"

"I can't fly okay!" Fluttershy yelled angrily. Her face began to fill with despair "I can't fly anymore..." she whispered.

Dash choked on her words for a moment. "I know." she said quietly. "I know you can't fly now. You'll get better. I'll help you."

"One of my wings is half paralyzed and the other is only half a wing. I am never flying again." Fluttershy hung her head her wet mane covering her face and Dash put a hoof on her back. "Don't touch me." she whispered.

"What makes you think I would care Fluttershy. Your my friend so what if you can't fly."

"Because you can." she said coldly. "Because it's all you ever talk about. Half the time you don't even walk you just float around. Because all through school you said Fluttershy why can't you fly well, Fluttershy you need to practice your flying, Fluttershy if you can't fly well your not a real pegasus, Fluttershy you might as well live on the ground like the dirt ponies if you fly that badly. Well I dropped out and moved down to this backwater town and then suddenly you show up again in my life asking me to help you train for the Wonderbolts or go flying with you and you scoff every time I couldn't keep up and fell behind. Just when I am starting to get good at it this happens. That's why Dash, Because you can and I can't!"

"Fluttershy... I... Just because you can't..."

"Shut up!" Fluttershy yelled. "Just shut up! What am I now.  I don't have a magical connection to the Earth, I can't cast spells, I can't fly and I can't walk on clouds or manipulate the weather because I can't get up there. I don't even take care of animals anymore. I have no Magic, I have no purpose and I have nothing. What job can an invalid pegasus do? What pony would ever fall in love with me? What is there left for me. You should have just left me here to rot away because that's all that's in my future. I never took advantage of my wings, you can fly and I can't and now I have nothing so Shut Up!"

Fluttershy dipped her head into the tub and picked up the sponge. She began to slowly scrub her wing limp wing. Fluttershy's anger had melted away away leaving a blank look on her face. Rainbow Dash watched her clean the wing silently. She watched her pick up her damaged wing and begin to clean it as well. Rainbow Dash spent that hour watching a mare with no hope cradle and clean her lost livelihood without a word spoken. No tears were shed and nothing was said. Their was no more false comforts given as the reality of what had happened to her set in.

Fluttershy pulled herself out of the bath and limped out of the bathroom. She slowly made her way down the steps into her living room. Rainbow Dash didn't dare help her.

Rainbow Dash looked over at the clock. 6:35 PM. She sighed and went back to doing what she had come here to do. Rainbow Dash pulled the sheets off Fluttershy's bed as well as the piled the curtains and the floor rug and hefted them onto her back. She walked down the stairs not daring to fly in the other pegasus's presence. She passed by Fluttershy sitting in the middle of her living room and picked up the rugs and curtains in the living room. Rainbow Dash headed towards the basement stairs with the load to clean them in the washer.

Rainbow Dash finished loading the laundry and walked up to the kitchen. She began to put together a fruit platter with what little unspoiled food was left in the house. "Rainbow Dash." Dash heard Fluttershy call out behind her.

"Yes?" Dash asked placing the finished fruit platter on the table.

Fluttershy said nothing.

"Come and eat something." Dash said sitting down at the table.

Fluttershy hung her head and walked over to the table. Fluttersy picked up a small piece of fruit and softly chewed it. With some difficulty she swallowed it. "Maybe soup would be better." she said meekly.

"You weigh next to nothing Shy, you need to eat solid food."

"What does it matter." she sighed.

Rainbow Dash stood up on her hind legs and smacked her fore hooves down onto the table startling the mare. "It matters to me okay!" she yelled. "You are going to get better and I am not going to watch you sit here and die because you gave up."

"I'm not getting better Dash!" Fluttershy yelled. "I can't fly and I..."

"Stop it! Stop it right now!" Dash flew over the table hovering in close to Fluttershy's face. "You already told me all the ways you won't get better. I don't need to hear them again. I've been depressed enough by you for one day."

"Well sorry if my life depresses you Rainbow Dash. I wouldn't want to ruin your view from up there." Fluttershy said sarcastically.

"Bucking right you should be sorry." Dash said poking Fluttershy on the nose. "I'm here to help you not drag you around. Things get better okay, they get better. Maybe not as great as you want them but they get better. It's hard work but they get better."

Fluttershy ducked back away from the angry cyan pegasus floating in front of her "I... I don't I... I'm scared."

"So am I." Dash said her anger slowly subsiding.

"Of what?"

"Of you... What's happening to you, what' going to happen if you stay like this." Rainbow Dash pulled Fluttershy up into a hug. "I don't want to lose you." Rainbow Dash let go of Fluttershy and she stared up at the cyan pegasus..

"You don't look... as disgusted... in me as before."

"Because I got better." Dash said. "You said you were going to get skin grafts."

"I'm too weak." Fluttershy sighed.

Dash pushed the food in front of Fluttershy. "Then eat something. Tomorrow you start working out. You'll get those grafts and you're going to work for them."

"Pinkie's right I'll still be ugly."

"Pinkie's a prick and you probably shouldn't take any advice she gives to heart." Dash muttered angrily. "You have a goal so work to it. Then come up with a new goal, then a new goal and so on. Before you know it, who knows."

Fluttershy smiled. "You've changed a lot."

"How?"

"Less... stupid..."

Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped. "I'm not the only one whose changed." she said rolling her eyes.

"and pig headed and arrogant and full herself and self important and... "

"Okay that's enough."

"single minded..."

"Seriously just stop it now please."

"and you have a rabbit on your head." Fluttershy giggled.

"What?!" Dash looked up and a very awake Angel looked down at Rainbow Dash from out of her mane. "Oh right... I forgot about that."

Rainbow Dash watched Fluttershy finish her fruit plate then excused herself to get the laundry. She put back the curtains and closed the window's at Fluttershy's request. She put down the rugs and made the bed. When she came down the stairs Fluttershy was waiting by the door for her. "Good night Fluttershy. I'll be back in the morning."

Fluttershy smiled. "Good night Rainbow Dash. It was a pleasure having you over.."

Dash stood there for a moment wide eyed. "... I'm sorry it's just that... I haven't heard that in a while... I'll see you later k." Dash turned to walk out the door.

"Um Rainbow Dash. Can I have my bunny back now?"

"Huh... Oh Right." Rainbow Dash grabbed Angel in her forelegs and placed him on Fluttershy's head. "See ya." and she took off out the door.

Fluttershy looked up at Angel. "She's changed a lot hasn't she?" Fluttershy yawned. "Lets get to bed Angel dear." Fluttershy slowly made her way up the stairs her limbs aching. "It's been a long day for us hasn't it Angel?" she said crawling under her covers. Angle curled up next to her. Fluttershy took a deep breath taking in the scents of soap, clean sheets and fresh air.

"Tweet!"

Fluttershy's head turned over to the window. A small blue bird had flown in and began to sing. Rainbow Dash must have forgotten to close the upstairs windows. The bird hopped off the windowsill and landed on the nightstand singing its song. Fluttershy reached over her foreleg and rubbed its head before she fell asleep.

---

Rainbow Dash felt the night air chill over her wet coat as she flew through the late evening sky. After taking a long shower to remove the last remnants of the decay that up until early this afternoon was her friends living situation. Rainbow Dash hadn't felt this good since she help defeat Nightmare Moon. To her it was as if the grime that was washed away was her own, that she was free once again to begin anew. The weight on her mind that she lived and died by her current friendships and goals went down the drain. She was ready for a new life.

Row after row of Apple Tree's dotted the landscape below. Friendship quest take two. she thought rolling into a dive above a red barn. Rainbow Dash landed outside the barn taking a look around. She spotted an orange mare walking out from the tree line.

"Here ta bug me again?" Applejack scoffed. "And surprise, surprise on ah workday no less."

"Well hello to you too." Dash said blowing a piece of her mane from her eye.

"After how you acted you're lucky I just don't ban ya from the farm. Now git outta here I don't have time fer yer games."

Rainbow Dash looked around for a moment spotting something before turning back to the orange mare. Rainbow Dash grinned wide. "It's a good thing I'm not here to hang out with you. I would rather spend my time with cooler ponies." With that she turned and walked away towards an apple tree with a big red pony sitting under it.

. Big Macintosh looked up from his spot under a tree towards an advancing cyan pegasus. The pegasus rolled a small barrel off her back and hoofed it over to him. "Hard Cider." she stated. "Thought we could share a drink and talk."

"About what?" Big Mac asked.

"The Wonderbolts, Apple Farming, Weather Management, Construction... Anything. "

"Whelp... I think I'd like that." Big Mac replied with a soft smile.

---

The moonlight streamed in through the window over the pink mare lying in her hospital bed.

*11:45 PM*

"Nurse!" Pinkamena yelled.

A nurse walked into Pinkamena's room. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Are their anymore visitors or messages for me?"

"No, visiting hours have been over for about seven hours. You'll be released in the morning. We're again sorry for any trouble you might have had here Miss."

"Yeah yeah whatever." Pinkamena said the nurse out with her foreleg.

She's not coming. Why would she. I guess I should just be glad she hasn't turned me in yet... Or left me to die. I really thought she would be come though. That she would forgive me. I mean she saved me but that isn't the same thing. Pinkamena sighed loudly and stomped her bed with her forelegs. Like somepony would want the real me. I should just accept that I am going to be alone forever with nothing but rock piles, turnips and an alligator to keep me company. Living in my yet to be built castle in my yet to be formed country Pinkatopia wearing pony skin sweaters alone. That is definitely my accurate future that I predicted with my amazing fortune telling powers... Alone. The pink mare rolled over and began to nod off.

*CRASH!*

"Stupid Hospital watch where you are going!" came a boyish mare's voice from outside.

Pinkamena grinned wide as she heard her hospital room window lifting open.