The front doors of the hospital slid open, allowing Kind Goldhoof to walk out into the warm afternoon air, relieved to finally leave work. Slaving away at the hospital was hard work. Especially in the pediatric's unit. It was taxing physically. And mentally. Sometimes, a foal's parents would have to go home. And the poor child would cry. Tears leaking from their eyes while they'd say, "Why'd mommy and daddy leave me?" Reminds her of Bright Snow.

Tomorrow was Saturday, where she would visit Quick Hooves. She also had to speak to Magenta about the Country and Manehattan sounding foal and Griffin who asked about her. Hopefully she remembered something. It was unlikely but anypony could look to the dusk sky and dream.

Goldhoof breathed in deeply through her nose. Taking in the scent of the city air. Then huffed it out and began to make her way home. Dinner was waiting.

"Miss Goldhoof!" Dinner could wait. She stopped and looked behind her at the pony who called her name. Maximum Gold trotted over quickly and breathlessly. Obviously tired. He must've tried to catch her on the pediatric floor. "Hey," he greeted, offering her a smile.

"Hi, Max," she greeted playfully. He chuckled before she asked, "Can I help you with something?"

"Yeah, uhh..." He scuffed his hoof across the rough ground. "Do you have any plans this weekend?"

Goldhoof turned and said, "Yeah, I promised Magenta and Bright that I'd visit them every weekend. So I'm heading over there tomorrow to see how they're holding up."

"Oh. Well I don't want to keep you from that," he replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, what you were you planning?"

"I was going to ask if you wanted to go out to dinner with me sometime, but—"

"Oooohhh," she seethed, inhaling air through her teeth. "Ummm, sorry but I'm not looking for a relationship right now. I have too much going on, so...."

"Oh." he was obviously disappointed. Based off his drooped ears and downcast eyes. "Well, I hope we can settle for just being friends for now."

"That's okay," Kind agreed. "Just don't get too close. At least not until I'm ready. I know I just met you, but you seem like a really nice guy. So until I'm ready, we can settle for being friends."

He smiled and lifted his ears again. "Okay! Thanks! Have you heard from Bright yet? I was a little concerned about her for a while, so..."

Kind shook her head and answered, "No. That's why I'm going over there tomorrow. I'm not sure they would allow it, but you can always try to visit them. I signed up for it. Since you were Bright's nurse, that and I can confirm it, they may let you in. But it's still a fifty-fifty percent chance."

"I'll take those chances. See you monday?" Mac asked. He turned around and prepared to make his leave but kept his eyes on her.

"Yeah. I have to head home. See ya'!"

"See you later!" He waved and began to walk down the street with his saddlebags on his back, bouncing along the way. She smiled and watched him leave happily before turning to go the opposite direction. Looks like dinner was back on.

Magenta sleeps weird, was the first thing Bight thought the next morning when she woke up from the sunlight hitting her face and saw Magenta lying on the bed opposite of her. She was lying on her back, snoring with the covers kicked off and hooves thrown out on either side of her. Bright yawned and rubbed her eyes for a moment. Then tried to get some sense into what was going on. She was sleeping. That's it.

After a few more seconds, Bright sat up to stretch her arms and wings. Then stood up on the bed. "Magenta," she whispered, trying to get her attention. But those logs she was sawing were causing quite the ruckus. "Magenta~," she sang a little louder. Magenta's snoring stopped for a second before she shifted. Then continued snoring again. Mental note? Magenta is a heavy sleeper, Bright thought to herself. "Magenta," she said at full volume before she fluttered her wings and flew towards her bed. She landed on the covers and poked her cheek. "Time to wake up."

"Hmmm, don't wanna," she grunted. She unconsciously pushed Bright's hoof away and shifted the useless bones and muscles in her back that used to be attached to her severed wings.

Bright grinned and pushed a hoof into her mouth. "Looks like we're doing this the hard way," she whispered.

Magenta stopped snoring and shifted. Then her eyes popped open, looking straight into Bright's face. Then took notice of what was in her mouth. "Hmmmm?!!" She yelled in muffled confusion then pushed Bright's hoof out of her mouth. "Huh?! What are you doing—what were you doing?" She asked.

Bright shrugged and answered, "You weren't waking up! So I had to wake you somehow."

Magenta deadpanned and asked, "You couldn't call me?"

Bright shook her head rapidly and said, "Nope! I did three times and you still didn't wake up! You sleep heavily. Now come on! It's Saturday!" She jumped off the bed and opened the door to the hallway, taking in the cool and chilled air. Then turned back to the bed. "Come on! Get up!"

"Ugghh," Magenta groaned before she slowly stood up. Then stretched herself out to rid herself of sleep. "Okay, I'm up. I'm up," she complained, then slowly walked down the steps to her bed.

"Yay!" Bright cheered before she jumped up and down by the door, waiting for her best friend/sister. Once Magenta made it to the bottom, she took a moment to gather herself, then walked over to Bright who turned back to the door.

"Hi!"

"Gah!" The two fillies stepped back from Bluebell's grinning face. Magenta took a deep breath to gather herself once again. Then asked, "Uhh...huh?"

Bluebell adjusted her frames and said, "It's about time you fillies woke up! It's almost eleven!"

Magenta looked towards the clock in their room. Then back at Bluebell. "It's only ten forty-six."

"Yeah! Almost eleven!" Bluebell turned and pointed down the hall. "Breakfast ends in a few!"

Bright gasped in terror. The matrons always made the best breakfast. She just couldn't miss that! She turned to Magenta and said, "I'm carrying you!" Before she could ask what she was talking about, Bright buzzed her wings and flew over her. Then latched her hooves around her barrel. Hefting her up, she flew into the air and buzzed past Bluebell to get to the kitchen.

"Wait! No! Put me down!" Magenta protested, although she didn't struggle against it. She was happy that the pain in her body had lessened down. Her front hooves weren't in pan, just a noticeable ache. And Bright was making it a little worse.

Before she even realized it, Bright had set her down at the table. There were a few matrons inside, getting ready to clean up before they spotted the two. "Oh! Hi, dearies. Did you just get in?" One of them asked.

"Yes," Magenta responded. "Bright and I overslept."

"Okay, Magenta. We'll make you two some breakfast." The matrons began making something, much to Bright's delight. She was twitching in her seat. Magenta wondered if her young friend had a calm side. She moves a lot.

Once the sun hit her eyelids, Kind Goldhoof's eye fluttered open. Looks like it was a new day. She had places to be and two foals to visit. She sat up and stretched her wings and hooves. Getting up was always tiring. The movements, physical exertion, and the struggle of actually combing her mane. One had to look beautiful after all.

After getting up, taking a shower, eating breakfast, and brushing her teeth, Kind stepped out of her home and began walking. Today was a warm day. Pretty but still warm. Not too hot, not too cold. Of course that could only last but so long. The Pegasi were preparing for a storm later on this week. Meaning that old poncho was definitely going to be used, and finally have a chance to breath air. Cold, wet air.

She walked to a nearby store first to get gifts. Bright was always a hugger. So excitable. Can easily bring you up from sadness just by being around. Magenta had her own thing going on. But Kind couldn't deny she'd be a singer in the future. She had some lungs on her.

After purchasing the gifts, Kind walked out with two bags and made her way back down the sidewalk. She knew exactly how to get to Quick Hooves from here because all she had to do was walk straight. The tall Manehattan buildings casted cool shadows on her as she walked. The sun high in the sky, and the clouds white and fluffy. It was indeed a beautiful day. Kind smiled as she walked along, greeting ponies who happily greeted back.

Soon she found herself at the steel gate and the large two winged building. Home of lost foals. Lost, but never forgotten. Walking over to a panel on the brick wall that was connected to the gates, she pressed a buzzer and waited.

State your business," a female voice said on the other end.

"Visitor," Kind responded.

"Party?"

"Magenta Streak and Bright Snow." The buzzer buzzed loudly. Then the magic latch on the gate unlocked, giving her access. She walked inside and pushed them back into place for security reasons. Then made her way to the front entrance.

Bluebell looked through her deck of cards while sneaking glances at her group of friends. Bright was across from her beside Magenta, both having joined forces for a more intelligent approach. The others were on the side watching. Finally, Bluebell grinned and threw down her deck of cards. All blues and twos. "Uno!"

Lightning Dust zipped over and looked at the deck in disbelief. "No! No, no, no, that is the third time in a row!" She leaned into Bluebell's glasses and growled through her teeth, "You're cheating somehow. I know it."

Bluebell scoffed and pushed her away playfully. "If being smart is somehow cheating, guilty as charged."

Magenta chuckled while Bright grinned and threw down her cards. One of the matrons in the room looked over at the door and smiled. Then got up and made their way over. "Hello, can I help you?"

Kind dropped her saddlebags and greeted them. "Hi, I'm Kind Goldhoof." Bright and Magenta both gasped and turned around. "I'm here to see—"

"Ms. Goldhoof, Ms. Goldhoof!" The nurse looked over and was immediately knocked off her hooves by a seemingly white snowball. Bright squealed in happiness and hugged the hurting pegasus by the neck. "You came! You came!"

Goldhoof got up then sat down on her haunches to hug Bright Snow back. "Ooohhh, I missed you, Bright! How are you?"

"I'm fine! Magenta's been keeping me company!" She responded.

"Hi, Ms. Goldhoof!" The nurse looked over and gasped at Magenta's smiling face as she slowly walked over. She could tell she was healing nicely enough.

"Hi Magenta!" Once she reached her, Nurse Goldhoof calmly laid down Bright and picked her up, being careful not to touch her bandages. She pulled her into a light hug, but welcome nonetheless when Magenta wrapped her own hooves around her. "Ooooohhhh, how are you girls?"

"We're fine," Magenta responded. "We made some friends!" Goldhoof set her down so Magenta could point out the four fillies in the playroom. "Guys! Come meet Ms. Goldhoof!" The four fillies looked at each other in curiosity, then trotted over. Or in Lightning Dust's case, hovered over. They stopped in front of the smiling adult mare that was grinning at them. Then to Magenta for an explanation. "Ms. Goldhoof took care of us while we were in the hospital!"

"Ohhhhh!" They all fawned.

Nurse Goldhoof chuckled and greeted. "Hi. What are your names, children?"

"I'm Bluebell!"

"Yellow Diamond," Yellow Diamond whispered. She darted behind Bluebell and hid there for a moment.

"I'm Silver Swirl!" Silver introduced.

"And I'm Lightning Dust!" The floating pegasus boasted. "I'm the fastest, the smartest—"

"What's two times eighteen?" Bluebell interrupted.

"I don't do math! It's not awesome!" Bluebell shook her head in dismay. Poor filly.

Goldhoof chuckled and said, "Well it's nice to meet you all? What are you doing today?" Magenta grabbed her hoof and tugged her towards the lounge they were playing cards in.

"Well, everypony's doing their own thing," Bright Snow responded as they entered the room. Their were some more foals in there, although—just like Bright said—they were doing their own thing. Reading, talking, some even drawing. "So we just decided to play cards."

"Hey look! The dumb fillies!" They looked over at the light blue pegasus walking past with a haughty grin on her face, staring at them.

"Ugh!" Lightning Dust groaned. "Why don't you go somewhere so somepony can actually talk and not be interrupted by somepony like you for once?"

The filly chuckled and walked away, leaving them alone once more. Magenta looked up at Lightning and asked, "Who is she anyway?"

Bluebell huffed and said, "Her name's Zephyr Diamond. Her sidekick's Silver Sound."

"She was being mean to my sister," Magenta added. She looked up to Goldhoof's worried face. "So I shooed her away."

"That's really sweet, Magenta," nurse Goldhoof praised. "Good job. Although I think it'd be better to tell an adult."

Magenta rolled her eyes and said, "Eh. She's my friend-slash-sister. I look after her."

"You're so protective."

"What's that mean?"

"It means you're very defensive of your property, important items, or important ponies in your life. I take it Bright is your important pony in your life."

Magenta wrapped around Bright's shoulders and pulled her into her chest. "Yep! Nopony touches Bright!" Bright wiggled her hooves around, trying to escape. Magenta would never let her go.

After they met with Twilight a few days ago, the Cutie Mark Crusaders had one last and final meeting on the hill of Greatness. They stared at the town below, Applebloom's hoof wrapped around Sweetie Belle's shoulders and Babs and Gabby standing on the side just looking in content. After Twilight said it could take a very long time to find Scootaloo, they decided that everything they had ever done had fell apart. And that it would indubitably take years to rebuild. Scootaloo had been traumatized. She's been traumatized, hurt emotionally, entirely physically, and now she's lost.

"When is her birthday?" Babs whispered without turning her head.

Applebloom sighed and answered, "October 6th."

"I vote we meet here on every October 6th. Just to hope and traditionalize."

Sweetie Belle nodded and said, "I second that. All in favor, say aye."

Gabby swallowed hard and said, "Aye."

Applebloom said, "Aye."

"Great. So... Are you two..." Babs motioned with her hooves towards Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. "...together?"

Applebloom nodded and tucked a bit of her long hair from behind her face. "Yeah... I admitted mah' feelings to her when she was in the hospital and—"

"Wait, what?" Gabby interrupted. She turned to Sweetie Belle and asked worriedly, "When did you get in the hospital? What happened?"

Sweetie Belle nervously tapped her hooves together and said hoarsely, "When we were looking for Scootaloo, I....I blamed myself for her fall. I couldn't take the guilt. I didn't want to take the guilt. I... I wanted to join her. So I had taken a rope, a large stone, and tried to throw myself over a bridge. The Royal Guard, the Princesses, and everyone else showed up to try and stop us from finding Scootaloo after I left a note in my room back at Rarity's. They tried to stop me. I didn't want them to."

Gabby walked up to her and whispered, "You tried... to commit suicide."

Sweetie Belle sighed and nodded her head before tears poured down her face. Applebloom pulled her into her chest to cry out her feelings. "The rope was so tight that it damaged her vocal cords," she explained, rubbing her girlfriend's back while she sobbed. "Which is why she speaks like this now. You guys weren't around when it happened, and they didn't even know you had arrived. As far as anypony knows, yah' showed up after everything happened in Manehattan. Sweetie's really sensitive about talking about it."

Gabby sighed and raked her talons softly through Sweetie Belle's hair. "We're so sorry we weren't there for you Sweetie Belle," Babs whispered. She walked over and gave her a hug from behind, soon joined by Gabby. "We'll be here for you now. Everything is going to be okay."

Sweetie Belle sniffed and nodded into Applebloom's fur, who was looking at the afternoon sun that was setting in the distance. Hopefully everything will be okay. And that Scootaloo would be fine.

I hope you like Magenta's overprotective big sister attitude she's getting! This was just a cute fluff scene that I'll probably be doing a lot of before we cut to ten years in the future after a few more chapters. I already a very sad part played out in my head, and a reveal and I guess reunion with the other crusaders and Rainbow Dash. This story will get very intense. Be ready!