Rarity had gone home for the day, Twilight had visited and now it was sleeping time for the patients of the Dodge City hospital. However, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom had demanded to stay. Scootaloo seemed visibly upset to be alone in the hospital for the first time and threw quite the tantrum when Sweetie was to leave with Rarity. It wasn’t directed at either in particular, she just didn't want to be by herself.

Besides, tomorrow she was to be released. Rarity and Twilight had found a spa located not too far from the hospital. They figured they could go and relax as soon as the filly was out and about. They also found a quaint diner next to aforementioned spa.

The bits for both things had been acquired by Applebloom and Twilight who had done innocent favors for various ponies in the town. Re-shelving libraries, apple picking, small repair projects were among some of the things they did....for a price of course.

Sweetie Belle was laying stomach first on the side of Scootaloo's recovery bed, anxious to fall asleep though it was barely past mid-day. Scootaloo was still tired as well despite her sleep as she was still sore in places from Rainbow Dash's attack.

“I can't wait to blow this dump.” Scootaloo groaned.

“Don't worry Scoots, tomorrow will come soon enough.” Sweetie Belle replied, she was beginning to sound like her sister.

“I just don't get it...” Scootaloo mused, “I just can't put a hoof on why the pony I trusted the most would hurt me like that...I can deal with the injuries—nothing unusual...aside the wing. But I can't really get why she said those things.”

The filly felt a lump in her throat, an all to common sensation at this point. “Am I really that annoying?”

Applebloom scooted over to Scootaloo and put a hoof around her. “Naw Scootaloo, you ain't annoyin'...though to be honest you did bug Rainbow Dash a good deal..but that still doesn't make it right what she did.”  

She paused for a second to put together the next sentence: “Ah know what it feels like Scootaloo, Mah own sister, drunker than an alcoholic drownin' in moonshine, tried ta do me in, kill me......Ah'm gonna be honest with ya Scoots, ah still haven't really 'come to terms' with it as Twi' says. Ah'm still scared, and wouldn't you believe it, part a me still misses her, an' Big Mac, an' Granny, an' the farm. Ah know they all though ah was dirt, ah know ah shouldn't, but ah do.....once a pony becomes more to you than just another pony...it hurts a little more than it should.”

“I guess you have a point..” Scootaloo conceded, “I was a bit obsessive, I had a hat just like her mane and everything.” She smiled slightly, pitying her past nave worship of the pegasus. “I never really had anypony who loved me or cared for me for a really long time...until I met Sweetie Belle, than awhile after you, and then Rarity adopted me and....until all of that and even after, Rainbow Dash was the 'coolest pony in all of equestria'. She had everything I didn't, she could do everything I couldn't. I don't know if I admired her because I thought good of her, or that I just wanted to be her.”

“What do you mean?” Sweetie Belle asked, intrigued by this very forthcoming conversation.

“Well....I can't fly, and probably never will now.” Scootaloo began, “Nopony ever wanted me around and everypony couldn't get enough of her. She did all these cool tricks and stunts and was just....everything I wanted to be. Or at least I thought.”  Her nostalgic face turned to a scowl.

“That bitch is a monster. I hate her.”

“Ah guess ah hate mah sister too...” Applebloom added, “Because ah guess she hated me.” Tears started  streaming down her face, she didn't expect putting those thoughts into words would stike the chord it did.  “....Mah whole life was a....damn lie!”

Applebloom slumped into a sobbing fit. Scootaloo propped her up beside her and hugged her. Sweetie Belle came over and hugged her as well.

“We always have been and always will be your friend Applebloom.” Sweetie Belle assured the filly, “You've been nothing but a friend to us, you can expect the same from me.”

“And me.” Scootaloo added with a smile.

“Thanks girls..” Applebloom sniffled, “Sorry for bein' the downer when we're suppose' ta be makin' y'all feel bright Scoots.”

“Don't worry about it, we've had a pretty crappy week.” Scootaloo muzzled her friend affectionately.

“Yeah and besides, everypony needs to cry every once in awhile—or at least that’s what Rarity says, she says its healthy for your....your con-something.” Sweetie Belle, usually the repository of lingual proficiency found herself unable to put that one together.

“Ah've always wondered somethin'” Applebloom decided to change the subject, “Twi and our sisters became friends 'cause they were the Elements of Harmony....we became friends 'cause we're 'blank flanks'....”

“Well...us three did.” Sweetie Belle corrected. “Scootaloo and I were friends before anypony at school even had their cutie marks.”

“Oh, well...will ya still be mah friend when we get our cutie marks? Ah mean, all we do is crusade or talk about crusadin', once we have our cutie marks we won't really need to go crusadin' anymore...we won't have any reason ta hang out an' then we'll just go our separate ways.”

“What makes you think that?” Scootaloo asked.

“Yeah remember what Twilight said?” Sweetie Belle added, “Cutie marks are pointless. We aren't the 'Cutie Mark Crusaders' anymore, and haven't been since we left.”

“Last time I checked, we're still friends.” Scootaloo smiled.

Applebloom had never really thought about this before but indeed they were right. Following Twilight's lecture back in Ponyville, all three disposed of their aspirations for the much-revered ass tattoo that turned out to be nothing more than a vehicle of social control. Despite all of that they still played, hung out, and were side by side through some crazy moments, still just as much friends as they were when they conspired in the Crusader Clubhouse.

The three fillies stayed locked in a warm, happy hug for quite some time as they fell asleep right where they were. In the loving hoofs of eternal friends.

A contrasting scene played out a mile away back at the lodge where Twilight and Rarity were discussing far more putrid subject matter.

“I still can't believe she would do something like this Twilight....” Rarity would not stop repeating this same line. She could not let go of her confusion and simmering hatred for the cyan pegasus that did a number on 'her baby'.

“Rarity as I said, its behind us now. Scootaloo is beyond recovered and we need to just do what we came here to do.” Twilight was getting slightly annoyed at her friend's repetitiveness.

“You're right Twilight.” Rarity spat, “I shouldn't begrudge Rainbow Dash....”  She turned to Twilight with a look indescribable as anything other then fury.

“I should be mad at YOU!”  Rarity pushed Twilight to the ground.  “If it wasn't for you finding those STUPID stories, telling those poor fillies and scaring them out of their manes than we wouldn't even BE in this mess! I would be asleep right now, with my sister and my daughter and I would be happy!”

The white unicorn stomped around the room. Letting out a few angry grunts along the way.

“You think I fucking like being on the run like this Rarity?” Twilight had gotten up.  “Do you honestly think for one second I wanted this to happen?”

“What in the world did you expect to happen?! You broke every sacred tenant of Equestrian Law and had our lives upended for your own selfish ends!” Rarity was face-to-face with Twilight but something inside prohibited her from lifting a hoof sans the accusatory jab.

“What? The thing that got this whole thing all bent out of shape was the incident with Spike! If it wasn't for him doing what he did--” The lavender unicorn felt her emotions seeping too, these of sadness and regret.  

“You think you're the only one who's lost what you loved?”

Rarity softened some and took a few paces back.

“I lost my Spike, my baby. I not only had to deal with the acceptance that he was even capable of doing an unimagionable, unethical act of aggression, I had to be stripped of everything I ever accomplished by my mentor, and I had to loose my baby....”  

The tears flowed freely now... Rarity rushed to comfort her.

“...at least you have your sister, your daughter. At least the mos timportant pones in your life get to kiss you goodnight, you get to tell them t—that everything will be okay.”

Twilight couldn't speak anymore. She hadn't succumb to her persistent, bubbling emotions since her sentancing in Canterlot.  After an endless parade of matted fur, dried eyes, and a soar throat, the two mares finally released and looked at each-other.

“I'm so sorry Twilight...” Rarity said weakly, “I had forgotten.”

“So did I.” Twilight replied, “And...when all is said and done I guess I have Applebloom. We're by no means as close as Spike and I but...at least she loves me as much as he did. I just wish I could have my cake and eat it too you know?”

A small wrapping at the door interrupted their conversation and Twilight went to answer it. Rarity stay idle.

It was Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash was out of sight, afraid a white unicorn would lunge at her and take her for all she was worth.

“Any good news Fluttershy?” Twilight was eager to ditch the previous subject.

“Sort of...” Fluttershy said almost at a whisper, she had heard most of their exchange and felt intrusive.

“The city of Cloudsdale will consider our case.”

Twilight smiled, finally some genuine, good news for once in a long time. Without thought she dtre Fluttershy into an excited hug.

“That's my girl Fluttershy!” Twilight congratulated her friend.

“Well...it wasn't just me.” Fluttershy stepped back.

“Oh?” Twilight was curious.

“May I come in?....I would like to talk to you—and Rarity for a moment.”  Fluttershy made her way in and closed the door behind her.

“What is is darling? This all sounds very positive! And yikes, we sure needed it.” Rarity was oblivious to Fluttershy's concern.

Fluttershy shuffled her hooves, staring at them. She wanted anything but to broach it but it had to be done. She wanted as much harmony between her friends as possible.

“I heard about what happened to Scootaloo. I hope she's okay.”

“Oh...” Rarity panned, still messing it. “Yes she has recovered almost entirely. Aside from a wing that will need a sling and stitches for a week or so she is in her normal state......who told you?”

“Well....Rainbow Dash did.” Fluttershy barely said this, it was too quiet to hear yet Rarity could read her lips fine.

“I see...” Rarity tried to keep herself calm at the thought that her child's attacker could be nearby. “What brought this about?”

Fluttershy could sense the unicorn's unease. “I....she was the one who helped me convince the Council to hear us out...if it wasn't for her they wouldn't have taken me seriously....Rarity, I know this is going to sound—absurd but, she wants to apologize.”

Rarity blew her stack and was shaking with anger.  “Absolutely NOT. THAT SORRY EXCUSE FOR A CARCAS WILL NOT BE ANYWHERE NEAR HER IS THAT CLEAR?!” Rarity was yelling. She didn't notice, but everypony else did. Fluttershy was in a ball trembling by the door and Twilight had backed up considerably, ears flat.

“I—I'm so sorry Rarity, I..” Fluttershy was visibly scared.

“I don't fucking care!” Rarity boomed, “How DARE you even have the slightest idea I would want that pathetic hooligan anywhere near my daughter—or me for that matter! If she is anywhere around here my advice to you is to have her leave at once. Otherwise I won't restrain myself from whatever I might do at the sight of that trash.”

Rarity made a charge for the door but Twilight stopped her.

“Enoguh Rarity!” Twilight scowled. “I personally think it would at least be good for Scootaloo's conscience to at least know that Rainbow Dash feels some remorse.”

“She is not your child Twilight...I am responsible for her safety.” Rarity had calmed some. “I do not want her around Scootaloo, nor for Scootaloo to even see her....please.  I am sorry Fluttershy I just---I just don't want to risk her being hurt again.”

She calmly trotted to Fluttershy and lifted her up.

“You mean well but...I just can't allow this. Once was too much in and of itself.”

“I understand Rarity.” Fluttershy hung her head. “Excise me for a moment....I need to go take care of some things.”

Fluttershy left the room and Rarity returned tom pacing. Her head hurt and she deiceded to flop onto a nearby bed and get some much needed rest.

“I'm going to go check on the girls Rarity.” Twilight said.

“Please do. I'm afraid I am in no condition to do such a thing.” Rarity said, muffled by a pillow.

Twilight made her way out the door slowly. It appeared Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash had already gone. The unicorn let out a heavy sigh as she made her way to the hospital. She needed Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo can't fly and Fluttershy couldn't possibly do what she planned. She had to find a way to make this work. Next Chapter: A pissed off magenta-maned Pegasus beats the shit out of a dragon Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 23 Minutes