The royal guard screamed again as Spike tried to lift him up. This was his third attempt and it failed again as the warrior crashed to the ground, groaning in pain. The dragon whimpered in apology. He wiped the tears from his eyes, as he looked around the room, desperately searching for someone, anyone who could lend assistance. Once again, however, he found that he was alone. Alone in a room with dead and dying stallions, and he had no way of helping them. He didn’t know what to do, and his new found maturity was slipping away with each passing second.

‘Breathe, breathe, ok, I gotta do something to help, but what? This poor guy is so messed up, he can’t even tell me how I can help him! What…what am I supposed to do?!?’ his mind screamed as he grunted in frustration.

“Sp…Spike…” a raspy voice whispered.

Spike gasped at the sound of his name. He was at the soldier’s side immediately. He gulped and wiped a few more tears away before he spoke.

“Lieu…Lieutenant?!? Please, I want to help you, but I don’t know how! Tell me what I should do!” he shouted.

“Both…both of my front shoulders are…are out…out of place. You…you have to pop them back in,” he stammered through labored breaths.

“But…but won’t that hurt?!?” Spike questioned worriedly.

“Yes…a lot…now, take my left hoof in…in your claws, and…and when I tell you, I…I want you to pull out as hard…as you can, until…until you hear a loud pop. Do you understand?” he said through labored breaths.

Spike nodded and did as he was told. He was so scared about hurting the poor guard even more, but he knew that he had to suppress that fear. As he gripped the Lieutenant’s leg, he took a few deep breaths.

“O…okay. I’m going to count to ‘three’ and then I’m going to pull as hard as I can, alright?” he said.

“Good…and remember…this is going to hurt, but…no matter what, don’t stop…you gotta promise you won’t stop pulling…until you hear that pop, got it?” he ordered.

“Yes, I understand,” the young dragon answered.

‘Looks like it’s now or never,’ he thought to himself as he braced his feet against the soldier’s side.

“Here we go…one…two…THREE!” he shouted as he wretched the leg towards him with everything thing he had.

He’d never heard a scream like this before. The guard’s wails were the loudest and most painful he’d ever heard. Every fiber of his adolescent being begged him to stop, but he knew he had to push on. Mercifully, he heard a loud crack, signaling that he could release the stallion’s leg. He collapsed on his back next to the Lieutenant, but got to his feet quickly, rushing towards the soldier.

“Are….are you okay?” he asked nervously.

“Yes…thank you…Spike. I’m sorry I…scared you like that. Do you think you’ve got…one more in you?” he pleaded, motioning to his right leg.

“You got it,” Spike answered.

He rushed over to the other side of the stallion, and they repeated the process. Once again, the loud snap echoed through the room as the stallion let out a heavy sigh in relief. He nodded his thanks towards the dragon, who was once again at his side.

“So, are…are you alright? Wh…what are we supposed to do now?” he inquired.

“Spike, I…I don’t know. I…I’m not going to lie to you. I…I think I’m the only surviving member of my squad. And…and I’m in no shape to move, let alone escort you anywhere,” he stated.

“So, then…” Spike pressed.

“I…I think you should go to the rendezvous point alone,” he said.

“Wh…what?!? But…but it’s not safe out there! I mean…you saw what she did! What if she…” the dragon stammered.

“Look, Spike…as much as I hate to say it, we…we aren’t a match for Twilight Sparkle. She just took out a whole squad of us…with…without as much as a care. But…but the way she looked at you…I…I caught it. I…I don’t think she wants to hurt you, Spike, and…and I don’t think she could, unless she gets her magic on you,” he explained.

“Huh? Wh…what do you mean?” he questioned.

“Look, Spike. You’re a dragon. Dragons can do a lot. You can take a bath in Lava, so I don’t think you have to worry about that acid too much, and…and so far, that fire of yours is the only thing that’s actually hurt her,” he continued.

Spike’s eyes narrowed at the proposition. Twilight Sparkle was his big sister. They were family, and he would never consciously try to hurt his surrogate older sibling. He was about to open his mouth to chastise the guard when the soldier cut him off.

“I…I understand that you…don’t want to hurt her, but…this…this may be the only way. Spike, someone has to tell Princess Celestia what happened here. I can’t move, and the others are either dead or dying. It’s…it’s up to you,” he said.

The dragon grimaced at the mention of the elder alicorn’s name, but only for a moment. As much as he may have hated the monarch, this wasn’t the time for personal vendettas. The Lieutenant was right. Princess Celestia needed to know about what happened here. He didn’t know what he’d do if he ran into Twilight again, but It was a risk he had to take, especially if the guards outside were still alive. He sighed heavily as he closed his eyes.

“Okay. Tell me where this rendezvous point is,” he whispered.

-

“Thank you for the blanket, Doctor,” Rarity said, nodding to the white coated unicorn in front of her.

“Of course. This is a terrible situation for everyone, especially Miss Applejack,” he answered.

Rarity looked over her shoulder at the mare sleeping on the floor. Her frown deepened as she studied her. She looked so peaceful now, but that was only because she was exhausted. She’d been hysterical since the injury to her brother, so much so that she literally cried herself to sleep in the fashion expert’s own hooves. Her only reprieve was the short visit they received from the princesses. Even then, it didn’t last long, as Princess Luna stormed off, her sister giving chase. She sighed deeply as the foreboding thoughts consumed her. Luna had clearly been upset at seeing Big Mac like this, probably due to the fact that they were lovers now. Rarity thought of her own experience, her mind drifting onto Halberd, and then eventually Moonbow and Comet. She straightened up, flashing the doctor a smile, before she could dwell on her feelings.

“We will be here for her, doctor. Please, if there is anything we can help with, let us know,” she stated softly.

“You do the same, Miss Rarity. I’ll be back periodically to check on Big Mac,” he said turning around to exit the sterile medical room.

The unicorn walked slowly over to Applejack’s sleeping form, laying the blanket over her. Fiddling with the ends, doing her best to tuck the earth pony in, she sighed again, using her left hoof to gently stroke the mare’s back. Regardless of the fighting, it pained her to see the farmer like this. Applejack was always the calmest and most collected of them, regardless of the situation. Now, she was blubbering mess. It frightened her to think of Applejack like that. In many ways, she was the strength of the group.

‘What group?’ she thought to herself sarcastically as she eyed Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie.

They came in not too long after the princesses left, missing them only by a few minutes. They’d both been stopped in their tracks upon seeing the state Big Mac was in. Pinkie Pie shivered at the sight, while Rainbow Dash just hung her head, letting the tears flow freely. Now they were standing on opposite sides of the room, the only sound permeating it was the beeping of the monitors attached to the stallion’s body. Rarity could tell that something happened between the two of them. There was something about the way they acted towards each other. That and the clear sign that they’d been treated for some minor injuries. The unicorn’s eyes narrowed as she cleared her throat to get their attention.

“Anything you two would like to tell me?” she inquired.

“What?” Rainbow Dash grunted, snapped out of her daydream.

“You heard what I said, Rainbow Dash,” the fashion expert quipped as she made her way over to the young flyer.

“Nothing. Don’t…don’t worry about it,” she answered, turning her gaze away from the unicorn.

“Well, it certainly doesn’t look like ‘nothing’ to me,” Rarity huffed.

“I…I don’t want to talk about it,” Rainbow Dash said, fiddling with one of her bandages.

“Did…did you two have a fight?” the unicorn pressed as she turned towards Pinkie Pie, frowning deeper.

“How about you mind your own business, Rarity?!?” the pegasus snapped.

Rarity turned back around startled at the forcefulness of Rainbow Dash’s remark. She glared at the young flyer, gritting her teeth as she got nose-to-nose with the mare.

“I can’t believe you! You did have a fight, didn’t you?!? Big Mac’s hurt badly, Twilight’s out there doing Celestia knows what, and here the two of you are acting like foals!” she scolded.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Rarity! First off, the fight only happened because SOMEONE decided to run off after a monster who is killing royal guards, and I tried to stop her to keep her safe! And secondly, we didn’t know about Big Mac till AFTER our argument, so how’s about you cut it out with the high and mighty act!” Rainbow Dash retorted, not backing down from the unicorn.

“Argument?!? ARGUMENT?!? You…you came after me and tackled me to the ground! You…you called me stupid! And crazy!” Pinkie Pie alleged, as she walked over to join her two fellow element bearers.

“Rainbow Dash, is this true?!?” Rarity gasped, her eyes narrowing.

The pegasus gritted her teeth, baring them like a wolf. She’d had enough. Ever since Twilight Sparkle’s return, Pinkie Pie had been judging her, and now the others seemed to have a similar opinion of her. Who were they? They all had their own faults and weaknesses all of which became painfully obvious over the course of their treatment. Stomping her right hoof, she straightened up as she spoke.

“That’s it, I’ve had it! With you, and with everyone else! You’ve all done nothing but judge me ever since Twilight came back, and you know what?!? I think it’s ‘cause you’re jealous! Yeah, that’s right! Jealous!” she hissed.

“Jealous?!? Of what?!?” Rarity shouted.

“Because, unlike the rest of you, I’ve actually been dealing with everything! Me and Princess Luna have been talking and I’ve been able to work things out! I’ve admitted my fear, and I’m stronger for it! Well, what have you done, huh?!? Rarity, you’re worse than when you first came here!” she yelled back.

“What?!? What are you talking about?!?” Rarity bellowed apprehensively, backing away from the pegasus.

“Oh, please, you didn’t think I’d notice?!? What, do you think I’m stupid or something?!? You’ve been a nervous wreck lately! You threw up in front of us, and then ran away muttering to yourself! You keep saying you’re frightened, but you haven’t admitted just how scared you really are, have you?!? And even then, what have you even done to deal with it?!? Have you even done anything?!? Talked to anyone?!? Tried to even work anything out for yourself?!?” Rainbow Dash countered.

Rarity was stunned. She’d thought she put up a perfect façade, but here was Rainbow Dash looking right through her. She cursed herself for her selective memory. She’d been so emotionally involved in the incident that the pegasus had brought up that she forgot about their last big argument where she broke down. She felt the sweat on her brow as she became more anxious with each passing second. Finally, she turned away from the Cloudsdale resident with tears in her eyes.

“I…I…I’ve been…trying. I just…” she stammered.

“That’s enough, Rainbow Dash! At least she’s just been nervous, and not hateful or spiteful like you!” Pinkie Pie retorted.

“Pinkie, we just had this argument. You refuse to listen to a single word I say, so at this point, I don’t really care what you think! So, go on, accuse me of whatever you like, it doesn’t matter to me anymore!” the pegasus shouted, turning to walk away.

“Of course not, I mean, why would it matter to you? It’s not like you need us anymore, now that you have Princess Luna!” Pinkie Pie shot back.

“Ha! See, I knew it! You are jealous!” Rainbow dash retorted, turning back around, stomping towards the earth pony.

“It’s not about being jealous! Think about it, Rainbow Dash! She’s been spending all of her time either on her royal duties, with Big Mac or with you! What about us, huh?!? You…you accuse Rarity of not talking to anyone about her feelings, but you never stopped to think about who she COULD talk to?!? Princess Celestia was busy with the telepods, Princess Luna was busy with you and Big Mac, so tell us, Rainbow Dash, who was she supposed to turn to?!? Where was she supposed to go?!?” she countered.

The pesasus’ eyes widened at the inquiry. She never thought about it like that. She was the most physically injured of them, and therefore she needed help getting her wings back in shape. She never looked at it as though she was taking anything away from her friends. However, it was hard to argue with Pinkie Pie’s assessment after she thought about it for a moment. The flyer sighed as her eyelids became heavy. She owed them an explanation.

“Look, I…I was hurt, and when Princess Luna came to see me after my surgery, she scolded me for disobeying her orders about flying. She thought that I was using flying as a way to run away from my problems, and…and I guess that maybe I was, at least at the beginning. But I fought it because…because flying isn’t just what I like to do, Pinkie. It’s…it’s a part of who I am. It’s how I work things out when I’m alone, but I wasn’t really doing that until the princess offered to help me. She approached me about it. How could I say no? Look, I…I know you’re hurting, that we’re all hurting, but…but this was her idea, not mine. I didn’t mean to take anything away from you,” she said softly.

All three of them stared at the floor after Rainbow Dash finished. What else could they say? The pegasus was right. She’d been injured to the point of needing surgery, which was physically far worse than anyone else at the time, save Twilight. Maybe they had resented her for taking Princess Luna’s time, but after finding out it was the princess’ own idea it was hard to argue back. It was a great opportunity, and one they probably would have all taken had it been presented.

“Ah…Ah guess there aren’t any easy answers, huh?” a voice rang out from the other side of the room.

The group’s necks snapped to the side as they found Applejack standing up with the blanket draped over her back. They could see the tears beginning to form in her eyes, as her knees began to shake. They were all at her side in an instant, pulling her into a hug.

“A.J. we’re so sorry about Big Mac!” Rainbow Dash said.

“He’ll…he’ll get better! He’s so strong, and…he’ll be good as new, I just know it!” Pinkie Pie said, bringing Applejack closer to her, hugging her tight.

The group just held the farmer as they let her cry, her soft sobs mixing with the beeps of the machines monitoring her brother.

-

Princess Luna galloped down the hallway, five guards flanking each side of her in two lines. Her eyes narrowed as they approached their destination. She needed to get to the northwest lounge. Twilight’s last known sighting was around that area, and considering what her plan involved, it was the best place for them to start their search. As they neared the lounge, Luna went over her plan again.

“We are almost to the northwest lounge area. As you know, the corridor adjacent to it leads down most of the halls for this part of the castle. I’ve placed an enchantment on your armor that will act as a magical beacon. You will each take a direction in pairs, and if you see Twilight Sparkle, immediately touch wings. This will activate the beacon and allow me to track your movements. Follow Twilight a closely as you can without being seen. This is a mission of stealth, not strength. If she does attempt to engage you, do not fight her, but instead, lead her towards the throne room where my sister is waiting for her. Do you understand?” the moon princess explained.

“Yes, your highness!” they shouted in unison.

She nodded as they stopped in front of the entrance to the lounge. The dark-coated alicorn scanned the area to make sure it was clear. Before her were two large doors, with ornate handles. The adjacent room was round with hallways sprouting off in different directions. Once she was satisfied that the entryways were clear, she turned to begin directing the teams. She took in a deep breath as she stared at them. They were so young, and they’d lost one of their own already. Even though it was their duty, it pained her to send them against such a dangerous foe. This was their mission, however frightening it might be, and they would see it through like the professionals they were. She straightened up, as she spoke again.

“Teams one and two, down halls ‘A’ and ‘B,’ she ordered, pointing to her left.

They saluted as they ran towards the corridor.

“Teams three, four and five, down halls ‘C,’ ‘D,’ and ‘E,’ she stated, lifting her right hoof directing them towards the next set of hallways.

The remaining guards once again saluted and were quickly on their way. Closing her eyes and concentrating her magic, Princess Luna brought up a grid of the area. She opened her eyes, staring at the ethereal map before her, once again breathing deeply.

‘Please be safe, my brave guards,’ she thought to herself, as she studied the map.

As the grid flashed before her she stared intently, waiting for some sign from her scouting parties. Seconds turned into minutes, but nothing was happening. Luna huffed in frustration, stamping her left hoof hard against the ornate marble floor.

“It’s been over fifteen minutes! What are they doing?!?” she muttered to herself.

A loud thump snapped her away from her concentration on the map, as she turned her gaze towards the entrance to the northwest lounge. She raised an eyebrow as she studied the doorway.

‘That’s strange. I thought that this area of the castle had been evacuated,’ she thought, as she stood silently.

Another loud bang once again caught her attention, forcing her away from the task in front of her. She grunted in frustration as she made her way towards the doorway. She didn’t have time for this. She needed to find Twilight Sparkle and the only way she was going to do that was through her guards. Using her magic she opened the two posh doors that lined the entrance, sticking her head into the pitch black room.

“This place is off limits! You must get to the rendezvous point as per the plan set out by my sister! You must move quickly!” she shouted.

She didn’t receive an answer, which piqued her curiosity even further. There were no windows to the outside in this particular lounge area. Even though her night vision was enhanced due to her station, she still strained to see anything or anyone in the room. She illuminated her horn as she entered the chamber, getting angrier and angrier at each passing second that took her away from her mission. The only sound she heard was the echo of her own hooves against the ground.

“If anyone is in here, then come out! The princess of the night does not have time for this!” the monarch shouted.

Suddenly, an ethereal moan surrounded her in the darkness, making her stiffen, and drop into a defensive posture. Her eyes narrowed, and her ears perked up, trying to find the direction of the sound. It was difficult, however. The stone and marble flooring created an echo chamber making it much harder to pinpoint where the noise was coming from. Her eyes darted from side to side in a frenzy trying to find the source. She put more energy into her horn, illuminating some more space in front of her. She squinted as she tried to make out a shape in the corner of the room. She couldn’t tell if it was alive or simply one of the many chairs and couches that adorned the lounge area.

‘Better to be safe than sorry,’ she thought to herself as she activated her magic again, encapsulating the object in her aura and levitating it towards her.

Whatever it was, it hadn’t moved, even within her grasp. As it slowly came into view, she could see the stich work and woodwork that was associated with the fine crafts of the palace become clearer and clearer. She sighed as she set the couch down.

‘Victory over a piece of furniture. Oh, how they will sing songs of this day,’ she mused as she turned around to go back to the corridor.

She gasped as the doors to the lounge slammed shut. Her eyes went wide, as she charged her horn with even more power. Another moan permeated the room, causing her eyes to widen. There was no mistaking it this time. Twilight was in here with her. She dropped low again, standing ready to defend herself in case the deformed unicorn attacked. Her ears perked as she felt beads of sweat appear on her brow. She scanned the room back and forth, but there was no sign of her. Suddenly, she felt something brush past her left flank, just skimming over her fur. She jumped, taking to the air, a yelp escaping her throat. She heard another moan echo through the chamber as she stayed in the air, backing away towards the doorway, keeping alert.

‘Where is she?!?’ the alicorn thought to herself.

Just as she reached the exit, a brilliant flash blinded the monarch as a blast of magic slammed into her, knocking her through the two large doors. She grunted loudly as she felt her back strike the wall with a resounding thud. As she slid to a sitting position, she fought to keep her eyes open. She forced herself to stay on guard, regardless of how vulnerable she was at the moment. Shaking her head, she scrambled to her hooves once again taking up a defensive stance. She took in gulps of air, forcing herself to calm down.

‘That…that blast was incredibly intense! I can’t believe how…’ her thought was cut off as the still swinging lounge doors exploded off their hinges.

Princess Luna’s eyes widened as the large golden boards flew towards her. She had to think fast. Activating her horn she encapsulated herself under a magic shield as she watched the objects bounce harmlessly off to the side. Once they landed, she dropped the field, as she started walking forward. The clacking of hoofsteps stoppered her cold, however. A shape was approaching her from the entryway of the lounge. Luna once again brought her stance low. Finally after a few seconds, the beast came into view. It was her. It was Twilight Sparkle, her form more monstrous than she could have ever imagined. The princess whimpered as she eyed the creature.

“What hath thou wrought, Twilight Sparkle?!?” she gasped.

Once the unicorn/fly hybrid crossed the threshold of into the corridor, she leapt at the dark-coated alicorn, releasing a guttural bellow. Luna dodged to the right, stumbling on the remains of the doors as she took to the air. There was no longer any time to waste. They were now engaged in battle. The moon princess’ horn lit up in a brilliant flash, as a beam of light streaked across the room, striking the former scholar in her side, driving her back. Twilight turned to face the monarch and leapt again, this time connecting, pinning the frightened mare to the ground.

‘What?!? That blast should have been enough to render her unconscious!’ she thought in surprise as her eyes widened.

Twilight Sparkle’s deformed hooves caught the alicorn’s and slammed them into the ground straddling the squirming mare. Luna grit her teeth as she fought bitterly to push herself up from the ground. She gasped again as the hybrid slowly opened her mouth. The princess gasped at the implication. She’d heard about the acid spewing attribute that her sister’s pupil developed during her transformation and from the looks of it, she was about to be on the receiving end. Reacting quickly, she shot a blast of magic right into the beast’s mouth, knocking her backwards. The alicorn followed up quickly, shoulder blocking Twilight’s midsection, forcing the creature on her back. Luna’s advantage didn’t last long, however. She soon felt the former scholar’s newly formed limbs pinch her skin, and thrust her into the air, her back striking the ceiling as she screamed. As she found herself in a freefall back towards the monster, Luna began flapping her wings hard, flying backwards.

‘I need to create some distance! She’s strong, fast, and her magic is still very much intact!’ she thought to herself as she landed on the other side of the corridor.

They faced off, eyeing each other intently. Moving ever so slightly, encircling each other, they matched each other movement for movement. Twilight’s new found powers and viciousness frightened Luna. She never thought that the young mare could turn into something like this. For the first time in a very long while, she was actually scared of a battle. She needed to concentrate on something different. She needed to block the fear somehow. Suddenly, Big Mac’s face entered her mind. The images of their time together, and the mental snapshots of his broken form lying in a hospital bed soon became enough to quell the fear. Her fright was now replaced with anger, as well as a realization. If the princess was to survive this, she could no longer see the thing before her as Twilight Sparkle. As much as it pained her, Twilight was gone and this was a different creature all together, and this is the creature that almost took Big Mac away from her before she could talk to him. The mere thought infuriated her. Her eyes began glowing as she once again charged up her magic.

‘I’m sorry, sister,’ she thought to herself.

“FEEL MY WRATH, VILE CREATURE!” she bellowed as she let forth a massive blast of magical energy.

Twilight Sparkle didn’t back down, however. Instead, she charged her horn and met Luna’s attack with one of her own. As the beams collided, the brilliant flash blinded them both as the explosion rang in both of their ears, debris flying in all directions. Stone, marble and pieces of the now fully decimated lounge doors careened everywhere. Both of them were thrown back by the sheer force of the attacks. Luna quickly regained her footing, using her wings to balance herself. She shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs and ringing that now permeated her ear drums. She looked up to see the hybrid monster charging forward. Luna’s eyes widened again as she readied herself for another attack.

‘I…I can’t believe how fast she is!’ she thought, just barely dodging the lunge.

As the princess turned around, however, she realized the intent behind the attack. She stood fast, expecting to feel another strike, but saw Twilight’s retreating figure instead. Was she trying to get away?

‘She may now indeed be a beast, but she is still quite cunning,’ the alicorn mused as she galloped after the hybrid.

Luna was able to keep up with Twilight Sparkle, despite her improved speed. Luckily for the princess, each turn was bringing them closer and closer to the throne room.

“Thou must keep her on this path, Luna!” she whispered to herself as she let another blast of magic streak from her horn.

The blast hit the top corner of the corridor, keeping Twilight on route towards the throne room. The process repeated itself each time the beast would begin choosing the wrong path. Luna’s confidence increased with each bolt of magic she shot.

‘Almost there! One more turn, and we should be right by the doors to the throne room!’ she thought to herself as she pushed her legs to gallop harder.

The royal alicorn almost smiled. The plan was actually working. Soon, however, it would get a bit harder. Her sister was still in the throne room, making her final adjustments to the telepods and the magic storage device. She hoped with all her might that she was finished and ready to receive her student. However, as they were about to make the last turn, Twilight stopped short, and jumped to the wall. Luna stopped dead in her tracks as she watched the hybrid slither up the wall, and onto the ceiling. The princess tried to fly away, but soon realized her mistake. She was cattycornered. Her eyes widened as Twilight Sparkle pounced from above, pinning the royal mare beneath her.

‘She…she wasn’t running away from me! She…she was trying to get to a better attack point! One where my wings would be useless!’ she thought to herself as she once again struggled against the beast’s iron grip.

Luna whimpered as she saw Twilight’s mandibles approach her face, small drops of acid dripping lightly onto her coat.

-

“Sounds like there’s a war going on out there,” the physician muttered, shaking his head.

Fluttershy only grunted, her eyes fixated on the floor in front of her bed. The doctor had just come in to check up on her, and decided to go over her test results and prognosis. It was one of the most surreal things she’d ever experienced. She couldn’t believe the lasting damage that had been done to her. She brought her hoof to her scar on her head, rubbing it gently. She wasn’t just injured on the outside anymore. Now she was hurt on the inside. Her timidity had brought her here. She kept thinking that if she just stood up to Applejack, she’d be away from this place and all of its darkness. The thought infuriated her. It wasn’t until the medical provider began to go over the next steps of her treatment that she truly realized how alone she was. Her eyes moved from side to side, drinking in the empty room. That was how she felt now. Empty. None of her friends had been to see her, and even when she woke up, the only one here was the last pony she ever wanted to see.

“We’ve administered the proper medications through your IV, but you will need to get prescriptions filled. Due to the…extreme nature of the situation, however, I will be able to provide them to you directly until you get home,” the doctor said evenly.

Fluttershy nodded silently as the doctor placed the discharge notes beside her on the bed. As he turned to leave a small voice made him stop and turn back once again facing his patient.

“Umm, can I…can I ask you something?” she inquired just above a whisper.

Of course, Ms. Fluttershy, ask me whatever you’d like,” he responded.

“It’s just…well…” she stammered.

“Yes?” the stallion pressed.

“It’s just…you see…my…my special talent is taking care of animals, and…and it’s a lot of hard work, so…do...do you think that I can ever…” she stuttered.

The doctor sighed as he figured out her question. He trotted back over to her, and placed a hoof on her shoulder reassuringly. The look she gave him broke his heart. Usually the physician had to deal this this in patients that were older. Ponies past their prime who had to be convinced to act their age as their golden years were approaching. But to destroy the dreams of a mare so young was sometimes more than he could take. He knew he needed to be gentle, but he could not lie to her.

“Fluttershy, you’ve been through a very traumatic experience, and while you are alright now, you need to start taking precautions. I cannot say for certain if you can ever return to your duties as an animal caretaker, but I can say for certain that you will never be able to do the physical things that you used to. Perhaps with physical therapy, and with these new medications you’ll be able to do more, but it must be moderated,” he explained.

“But…but…can’t you just tell me? I…I need to know, please just tell me if I’ll ever be able to see my animals again!” she pushed, her voice cracking as tears streamed down her face.

“Honestly, I cannot say. I do hope that you recover as much as you can, and yes, maybe you can still take care of your animals, but you will need to be careful. If you strain yourself too hard, you can put yourself at serious risk of a heart attack. Just…take it one day at a time. Try moving around a little and see how you feel. Just please, don’t strain yourself too much, alright?” he said.

Fluttershy buried her face in her hooves. The not knowing if she’d be able to resume her normal life if she ever got out of this alive was killing her. The one thing that kept her sane throughout this ordeal was the notion that she’d eventually see her animals again. That if she’d just survive until it was over, that she’d be back with them in Ponyville, feeding them, nursing them back to health, taking care of them. Now she was in danger of losing the one thing that made her who she was, and it was all thanks to Applejack and Twilight Sparkle. She continued to cry as she felt the doctor’s hoof stroke her back gently.

“Look, you are a young and healthy mare. You have a chance to work yourself back up to a very good strength level. With a little time and effort, you’ll be back on your hooves," he whispered reassuringly.

“You…you’re just saying that!” she screamed.

“Fluttershy, I know you’re upset, and you have every right to be, but I’m a doctor. I’d never lie to you,” he said keeping his tone even.

“Wh...where is she?!?” she hissed.

“Where’s who?” the doctor inquired.

“APPLEJACK!” she shouted, causing the physician to jump.

“Fluttershy, calm down. She’s in a room at the other end of the hall. I can take you…” he started before she pushed him away.

The pegasus jumped off the bed, and took a moment to get her footing. Once gaining her balance, she made her way out the door briskly. She was furious. She stomped down the hallway towards the room that contained her fellow element. Once it came into view, she marched in. The sight before her immediately deflated her anger. Her eyes went wide as she saw Big Mac’s injured form lying in the bed unconscious with a bandage around his head. Fluttershy had so much to say, but she forgot it almost immediately. Within a few moments, a voice snapped her back into reality.

“Fluttershy!” Pinkie Pie yelled as she sprung forward hugging the pegasus.

The animal lover stood silently as her mouth worked up and down, trying to comprehend what she was seeing. He was the strongest stallion she’d ever known, yet here he was lying in front of her beaten and broken. Hearing hoofsteps, she snapped her head to the side as Rainbow Dash and Rarity approached her.

“He…he fought off Twilight trying to defend his sister, and…and you. She…she slammed his head against the wall. The doctors are keeping a close eye on him, but for now, he’s stable,” Rarity explained.

“Applejack, I…” Fluttershy started as she walked slowly over to the sitting earth pony.

“Don’t come near me,” Applejack said cutting her off.

“Wh…what?!?” the pegasus questioned.

“You heard me!” the farm mare retorted standing up straight, eyeing the timid flyer.

“Applejack, what has gotten into you?!?” Rarity inquired, making her way over to the bickering pair.

“Ya know what the first thing you said to me was when you woke up?!? Ya said ya hated me! My…my brother is lyin’ here…’cause o’ you!” the farmer accused as she pointed her hoof at the former element of kindness.

Fluttershy opened her mouth to retort, but before she could she stopped herself to think on Applejack’s words for a moment. The farmer’s brother had been hurt protecting her. She began to feel the guilt overtake her, but she forced it away. She’d had enough. She steeled her glare as she looked back up at Applejack.

“How dare you…how dare you!” she shouted, stomping forward.

Applejack didn’t flinch and instead stood her ground as Fluttershy’s nose lightly touched her own.

“After guilting me into staying, you have the audacity to make me feel guilty about what happened to Big Mac?!? Tell me, why was I even there in the first place, hmm?!? I was there because you forced me to stay here. If you hadn’t then Big Mac wouldn’t have had to defend me, wouldn’t he?!?” she countered.

“Fluttershy, that’s enough! Big Mac is seriously hurt, and practically sacrificed himself to save you! If it wasn’t for him, both you and Applejack would be dead right now!” Rarity yelled forcefully.

“Seriously, Flutters! How could you be so disrespectful?!? This is Big Mac we’re talkin’ about here! It’s A.J.’s brother! How could you be so insensitive?!?” Rainbow Dash added.

“Of course I’m sorry about what happened to Big Mac! He’s a friend! I’d never want to see a friend like this! But I…I just can’t do it anymore!” Fluttershy shouted as she turned around, heading for the door.

“Wh...what do you mean?” Pinkie Pie asked, putting a hoof on the flyer’s shoulder.

The yellow pegasus shrugged off the attempt at comfort. She shook her head as she thought about all the circumstances that led her here. She’d been asked to think about Applejack, to think about Twilight. Perhaps now it was time to start thinking about herself. She sighed as she turned her head to speak over her shoulder.

“Do…do you know what my morning routine was like?” she inquired.

“What? What are you talking about, Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash pressed.

“I’d have to wake up early. A lot of the animals would wake up early, so I’d have to get breakfast ready for them. I’d have to put whole bags of chicken feed in my saddlebags so I could feed them. Then I’d have to straighten up their coup. I…I’d have to move a ton of hay and sometimes do my own maintenance on the coup itself. Then I’d have to clean certain animals, and I…I’d have to do massage on one of the bears because he has a bad neck, and maybe fix up some of the other injured creatures…” she explained before Applejack cut her off.

“Get to the point!” she bellowed.

“The point is, thanks to this condition, I may never be able to do any of that again! All of what I just described isn’t just part of my normal day! It’s taking care of animals! That’s part of who I am, and it’s my special talent! Don’t you get it?!? I may be too sick to do what I was meant to do!” she yelled, turning back around.

The group was stunned. They all stared at her wide-eyed as they took in the mare’s words. From what Applejack told them, she should have been fine, but apparently, ‘fine’ was very much a relative term. Fluttershy turned back around making her way towards the exit.

“So, I’ve decided I’ve had enough of this. Every time I think of someone else, I get hurt. So, no more! From now on, I’m going to take care of myself!” she shouted angrily.

“Fluttershy, you can’t mean that! You…you really don’t care about us anymore?” Pinkie Pie said with tears in her eyes.

“Excuse me, Pinkie Pie. I have to go see the doctor, now. He’s got the prescriptions for my medicines. The ones I’ll probably have to be on for the rest of my life,” she hissed as she walked out leaving the flabbergasted mares and the injured stallion in the sterile room.

They all looked at each other, surprise plastered on their faces. They couldn’t believe what they just heard. Especially from someone like Fluttershy. She was the embodiment of kindness, and yet here she was practically disowning them. Finally, Pinkie Pie’s sniffling broke the silence, as Rarity went over to comfort the crying earth pony.

“Don’t worry dear, I’m sure she didn’t mean it. You…you know from experience that she can say things she doesn’t really mean in the heat of the moment,” the unicorn offered, doing her best to console the party planner.

“I…I don’t know, Rarity. I just don’t know,” she whispered, putting her face in her hooves as she sobbed quietly.

-

And there we have it! Another chapter down! Things are getting pretty intense! Also, I got a new pic for the cover art! Well, I hope you all enjoy it!