You knock on the door to Twilight’s room in the castle, pausing to wait for a response.

A number of paroxysmal coughs echo from within. Wincing, you put your ear to the door and wait for the hacks to die down. “Twilight? Are you alright?”

“Come in,” she croaks.

Scrunching up your muzzle in empathy, you nudge open her chamber doors and walk inside. Peering slowly into the darkness, you make out the form of Twilight. She’s sitting up but hunched over in her bed, and covers her mouth with a hoof as she lets out another round of barking coughs.

She groans as you approach, clearing her throat. “This is all your fault, you know.”

You shrug. “Yeah, I guess it is. I didn’t mean for you to get sick.” You cast a soft look in her direction as she sneezes. “...We did get some good data for our project though.”

Twilight appears to be miserable as she sniffles heavily and groans. “True. But it’s not fair that I’m the only one that got sick.”’

You scrape a hoof against the floor slowly in survivor’s guilt. “Yeah...Bad luck, sorry.”

Twilight begins shivering, and with her wavering magic she pulls her comforter snugly around her body. Her teeth begin to chatter as she continues to quake in place.

You shake your head empathetically at her. This new strain of flu was very often accompanied with crippling fever and chills, as you knew from your recent field work. “Can I get you anything? Painkillers? Some willow bark tea?”

Twilight weakly shakes her head, her teeth still chattering as she quivers. “N-no, I-I-I already t-took all the pills I’m allowed t-t-to based on the l-label recommendation.”

You shook your head and smiled at Twilight’s behavior. Of course she would follow the medicine recommendations to the label. Still, looking at her pitiful condition, you can’t shake the feeling that you should do something for her.

To climb into bed with Twilight and snuggle her, proceed to Chapter 43.

To get Twilight another blanket at let her be, proceed to Chapter 44.

Next Chapter: Chapter 40 Estimated time remaining: 33 Minutes