Twilight was dumbfounded. What in the name of Celestia was going on? A million questions ran through her inquisitive mind as she looked to the mint-colored nurse who gazed back with a sad expression written on her face. As Twilight opened her mouth to inquire the nurse cut her off.

“We weren’t sure of the severity of the brain damage until she woke up not too long ago.” She moved to the side to let the four orderlies out. “I shouldn’t be the one telling you this, it should be Doctor Stable, but her mind…it well…regressed.”

“Regressed?” Twilight asked, rolling the word off her tongue, it felt foreign and unpleasant.

“Like reverted back-” The nurse started to explain before Twilight shook her head.

“I know what regressed means. But how?” Twilight asked. She had read about this before, the mind is a fragile thing but she had to admit, pony psychology was fascinating.

“We don’t know. There was enough tissue damage to kill a pony.” The nurse started. Twilight felt her stomach fall. “But somehow, she survived. Now I think that her mind has reverted to a more…safer state.” The nurse explained. Twilight turned her gaze to her sleeping friend.

“What do we do?” Twilight mumbled, asking the question more to herself.

“Sadly, I cannot give you that answer.” The nurse shook her head before walking over to the other bed in the room. “You can sleep here tonight.” She gestured to the empty bed and changing the subject. “If you need anything just press the button here.” She motioned to the red button on the side of it. “If Miss Dash wakes up press the one by her bed.” The nurse explained. Twilight nodded, her gaze still transfixed onto her restrained and sleeping friend. The nurse sighed and started walking out of the room. She stopped at Twilight and put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “I’m very sorry.” And with that she left.

Twilight placed her head on the sterile bed sheets, watching Rainbow Dash’s chest rise and fall in steady intervals. Listening to the constant beeps of the heart monitor and the slight sound of the IV drip. All proof that Rainbow Dash was alive. But Twilight still felt the pang of grief for her friend. “Oh Rainbow…” She whispered. “I’m so, so sorry” She finally let her tears fall and she sobbed into the covers.

--

Twilight Sparkle finally passed out from crying leaning on Dash’s bedside. Too exhausted to make it to the adjacent cot. Her dreams were interrupted by a wet, spongy mass sliding on her face. Twilight grimaced but didn’t open her eyes. Maybe it would go away if she laid still. That, as she found out in a few seconds, didn’t work as the spongy mass only slid faster and with more intensity.

Twilight opened one eye to see Rainbow Dash with her tongue out looking at her. She quickly connected the dots.

“Rainbow!” Twilight sat up and rubbed her face with a hoof. “That’s gross!” Rainbow just cocked her head to the side, not understanding. “No.” Twilight said firmly. “We don’t do that.” She scolded. That seemed to get through to Rainbow as her ears fell flat against her head and her lip trembled on the verge of an outburst.

Twilight couldn’t help but feel bad and didn’t want Rainbow to burst into crying fits. “It’s ok,” Twilight reassured. “I’m guessing you’re hungry?” Rainbow Dash nodded eagerly.

“Hungwey” She responded.

“Well let’s see…” Twilight found and pushed the red button by the bedside and soon enough the mint-colored nurse came in with a tray levitated in her magic.

“It’s breakfast!” The nurse chimed in her happy voice. In her magic was a tray of regular hospital food and a foal bottle filled with a thick cream-colored liquid. “How did you sleep Miss Sparkle?” The nurse asked as she gave her the tray of hospital food.

“Fine.” Responded Twilight lifting a fork in her magic and poking the grayish matter on her tray and holding it up to inspect it. It looked like something that escaped from Tautarus. The nurse levitated the bottle up to Dash’s mouth and she suckled instinctively. Twilight touched the food to her tongue and had to fight the urge to gag. She gently placed the fork on the plate and placed the tray on the table beside her. “When are visiting hours?” Twilight asked the nurse, praying that the taste will soon leave her mouth.

“From noon to 5 daily.” The nurse curtly responded. Twilight nodded. “Dr. Stable should be in to talk to you soon.” She never took her eyes off what she was doing. “You sure are a hungry girl aren’t you?” She giggled and cooed at the pegasus as if she were a real foal patient. Rainbow giggled in response and laughed as the nurse tickled her gently. Twilight found it slightly funny to watch Rainbow enjoy herself more than ever before.

“How is everypony doing?” A new voice entered from the doorway. Twilight turned to see Doctor Stable enter the room. Rainbow Dash saw him appear as well and started struggling and screaming.

“No!” She yelled, tears forming in her eyes. The doctor sighed and put a hoof to his temples. “No! No! No! No!” She struggled against the restraints put on her.

“Sedate her.” He ordered. Twilight looked on in horror as the nurse pulled out the syringe again.

“You can’t do this!” Twilight stood in front of her friend protectively. “She can’t control herself!” The doctor placed a hoof over the nurse’s forearm and lowered the syringe.

“Forgive me Miss Sparkle. Miss Dash is a danger to herself and others in this state.” The doctor explained.

“If you keep sedating her she’ll never learn!” Twilight growled.

“Miss Sparkle. I’m sorry, you don’t know what is going on in her head.” The doctor ordered.

“From what I can gather you don’t either.” Twilight challenged. Doctor Stable sighed, he hated explaining these things to family members and after 25 years of experience he never came across a case like this.

“Miss Sparkle. Your friend, as you knew her, is gone.” The doctor bluntly explained. Twilight felt her urge to fight flee and her shoulders slump in defeat. “Her mind, her memories and her experiences have been repressed. The trauma she experienced has triggered a reaction by her brain to go to a safer place. That safe place was deep within her mind, so she regressed.”

“She can come back right?” Twilight felt the last light of her hope fade.

“I don’t know. None of us know.” Doctor Stable admitted. Twilight looked back to Rainbow Dash who was now distracted by the nurse playing peek-a-boo with her. “What we do know is that she’s capable of hurting herself and others. She will need to have constant care that Ponyville General Hospital cannot provide I’m afraid. She’ll have to be transferred to Canterlot Medical Center.”

“…No…” Twilight’s ears fell defeated. She recalled the center from her time in Canterlot. She’s only ever seen it in passing but it was a cold, old building with spires that rival the castle itself. It sent chills up her spine to remember it. “It’s reserved for the ponies who have no where else to go...” She muttered to herself. However the doctor picked up on it.

“We have no choice. It would cost too much money and time to take care of her here.” Doctor Stable sighs; he really did feel bad for the pegasus and her friend.

“I can do it.” Twilight looked at him with determination in her eyes.

“Miss Sparkle, if we were to release her to your care we can’t be certain she would have the proper care.” He opposed. Twilight could feel the rage boil up inside of her. “We have the best intentions for her.” That was the sentence that threw her over the edge.

Twilight snarled, “Oh really? The best intentions for her are to sedate her and keep her isolated?”

“She can seriously injure herself or the other patients.” Doctor Stable explained. “If I released her to you, there’s no telling what will happen.”

Twilight felt her rage build up inside her. As a princess of Equestria, it was within her power to order him to release her if Twilight saw it fit. However, she felt like that was an abuse of her Celestia-given power. Nevertheless, she felt like she had no choice, this was her friend. As her anger reached its boiling point Twilight gave Doctor Stable a glare filled with rage and she flared her wings. Behind her Rainbow Dash cooed in wonder.

“As a princess of Equestria, I command you to release her to me.” Twilight ordered, her stance was strong and authoritative in attempt to make herself larger than the stallion she was trying to intimidate. She could hear Rainbow Dash giggle behind her, which only fueled her rage towards the doctor.

“Mommy!” Rainbow called behind her, Twilight didn’t waver though she felt her heart ache. Doctor Stable rubs his temples again, he knew that the physicians in Canterlot would only keep Rainbow Dash restrained and isolated. She would live out the rest of her days behind white walls if she was lucky.

“Very well.” He sighed, defeated. “I will arrange the discharge papers.” He turned to leave, the nurse followed behind him and Twilight tucked her rarely used wings away.

“Mommy!” Rainbow Dash smiled brightly. “Again!” She ordered.

“Again?” Twilight asked the pegasus, not knowing what her friend had meant. Rainbow Dash nodded furiously.

“Again!” Rainbow Dash demanded, getting frustrated she wasn’t getting her way.

“Oh, you mean my wings?” Twilight asked and unfurled her wings again. They caught the light from the morning sun and glimmered. Rainbow Dash giggled happily.

“Wings!” She repeated. “Wings!”

“You like those don’t you?” Twilight chuckled a bit and walked back over to the edge of the bed. Rainbow Dash giggled. There was a knock on the door. Twilight turned and opened it effortlessly with her magic. The mint-colored nurse greeted her.

“Miss Sparkle, it’s visiting hours and Miss Dash has visitors in the waiting room. I told them that she is awake and ready to be discharged but I wanted to check with you to see if it was alright if they came back.” The nurse explained. Twilight could tell she wanted to tread lightly around the alicorn after her little “outburst” with Doctor Stable.

Twilight looked back at Rainbow Dash, who was squirming again, itching to get out of the bed she was strapped to. Twilight gave a heavy sigh. Their friends had to find out what happened sooner or later.

“Yes, bring them in.”

Author's Notes:

Well, I was not expecting this kind of reception for this story. I'll admit, originally I had meant this to be for myself as a test to write something more comedic while still having dark elements. I was hesitant on even publishing it at all. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you to every commenter, favorite, follower, and watcher. Also, thank you to DarkenShade_OC for letting me bounce a few ideas.