-The Next Day-

Journal of Dr Blaze Carousel Entry 160 – Yesterday I visited Fluttershy to ask if she could check on Hammy, who was ill at the time, when she fainted. As a doctor, I ran here to get my medical equipment and went back to check on her, and she showed signs of fever. I brought her back here to diagnose her properly, and I diagnosed her with The Illness. I have resolved to not leave Ponyville while I can help her. Even if it means caring for her for the rest of my life.

Blaze put the pencil down, another tear in his eye. He was going to do what he had written. He quietly opened the door to Fluttershy’s room and walked in, closing it behind him. He walked slowly over to her. She sighed, and her eyes flickered open. She coughed.

“W-where am I?”

“Shh. You’re ill. I came round your house yesterday to see if you could see to Hammy, and you fainted. I checked you over and when I saw you were really ill, I brought you to my house so I could treat you. Here,” he picked up a bowl of steaming soup and a spoon “you need to eat this stew.”

“W-what’s in it? AH!” she put a hoof to her head “My head hurts.”

“I can give you some medicine for your headache after you eat the stew. It’s apple and mushroom.”

“O-ok.” Fluttershy sat up and Blaze fed her a spoonful of the soup. As he fed the stew to her he thought about the Illness. It acted quickly, Minerod had fainted the day after he came out the mine. That meant ponies showed symptoms the next day after being exposed to… whatever made them ill. Fluttershy had fainted yesterday, so that meant she had gotten ill the day before, the day they went to…

His eyes widened “F-Fluttershy, when did you start feeling ill?”

*Cough* “U-um, after you said goodbye. Why?”

“Because I think I know what made you sick.” he finished feeding her the rest of the stew, checked her temperature.

“I-it’s really hot.” she said. “Do I have to have this blanket?”

“Yes, I’m sorry Fluttershy. Otherwise you’ll get worse. Here,” he took the cloth off her head and dunked it in the bucket of cold water then wrung it out. He laid it on her head “you can use this to keep cool.” he looked down and muttered. “I have to work on a cure.”

“A-a *cough* cure?”

“Yes. This is an illness I’ve seen before, and it doesn’t have a cure yet. It’s a long story.”

“Can you tell me? Please?”

He sighed. “Ok.  Would you like something to drink first?”

“Yes, s-some water please.”

“Ok.”

10 Minutes later, Blaze hold told Fluttershy his story and what had happened since she fainted

“S-so you’ve been all over Equestria, looking *cough cough*for a cure?”

“Yes.”

“For Minerod and the unicorn you loved.”

“Yes.” Blaze looked at the floor. “And now you’re sick, I can’t leave. I won’t leave. I WILL help you.” he was about to turn and go, but Fluttershy beckoned him closer. He leant down, and she hugged him. “Thank you Blaze.” he was surprised, but hugged her back, a reversal of their last hug. “It’s ok Fluttershy. I’ll cure you, if it’s the last thing I do.” he turned and walked out of the room.

“I won’t let you die like her.” he whispered.

He walked into his study and opened his random stuff chest, pulling out an Army radio. He turned it on, waiting for a response.

“Maverick are you there?” he waited a few seconds. “Where are you?” another few seconds. “Good, because I’m calling in that favour you owe me.”

Fluttershy’s POV:

She still had a headache, but it was calming down. The stew that Blaze had given her was helping already. She wasn’t worried that she was deathly sick. She had seen how Blaze had protected her against the Manticore the other day, and she knew he would do all he could to look after her. She hoped her hug had told him how she felt about him.

-Last Night-

Twilight was walking to her library with Rainbow Dash next to her.

“He’s never flown…” Dash muttered to herself.

“I hope Fluttershy will be ok.” said Twilight as they reached the library. “Goodbye Dash.”

“See you later Twilight.” Dash said sadly, still feeling guilty.

Twilight walked into the library and closed the door. She had to do something. Blaze had asked Applejack to look after Fluttershy’s animal friends, and that’s where Applejack was now, but she herself couldn’t help yet. Then she thought of something.

Using her magic she picked up a scroll and quill and began writing a letter.

-Back to the present-

Blaze was wondering what to do. He knew which plant would cure Fluttershy, but he didn’t want to leave Fluttershy while she was ill. He heard a knock at the front door. He opened it to reveal Rainbow Dash standing there.

“Look, I wanted to say sorry again. What I thought of you was awful and-” Blaze put a hoof out to stop her.

“It’s ok Rainbow Dash. I’ve forgiven you, and right now I need to help Fluttershy. I need your help.”

“MY help?”

“Yes. I need you to look after Fluttershy while I go get the plant that made her ill. MAKE SURE the Lavender candles stay lit, or you’ll get sick too.”

“B-but, what do I do?”

“Just check her temperature, keep the cloth on her head cool, and get her some water if she asks. I have to go. Look after her.” with that he grabbed a saddle bag and ran past Dash, leaving her temporarily with a face of confusion, but she soon turned and walked in.

Blaze ran. He had to get that flower, the one by the armadillo burrow. He didn’t even notice he had entered the Everfree forest, or the eyes watching him.

After 10 minutes of running, he could see the Breach ahead. But suddenly, he felt a claw swipe into him from the side as he was thrown against a tree. That was going to hurt later. He looked up to see a Manticore with a slightly scorched mane. Like a flare had burnt against it.

“You.”

The beast responded with a roar.

Blaze stood up and ran as fast as he could to the Breach. He turned around to see the Manticore chasing him. He looked forward and jumped the Everfree Wall and heard the Manticore shout in anger. He had hoped that would work and it looked like it had paid off. Then he realised he had no way of getting out of the Breach.

He sighed, and then heard a whoosh of air over head. He looked up to see a sky blue Pegasus with a dark red and dark blue mane and tail. He was wearing circular sunglasses, a blue flight jacket with half a dozen pockets and a red band on each leg. Blaze put a hoof to his mouth and whistled.

The pegasus turned around to see who had whistled and landed in the clearing.

“Hello Maverick.” said Blaze

“Sup Blaze. So, you needed my help?” said Maverick, pushing his slicked back hair back.

“Yeah, but stay here for a second. I need to grab a toxic plant.”

Maverick had a worried look on his face.

“Don’t worry, I have an airtight jar. Just, stay here.” he walked over to the rocky outcrop and saw the flower, what he had thought to be a blue rose. He pulled out the airtight jar and a gardening trough. He carefully scooped up the flower and placed it in the jar with a hoof-full of dirt and after locking the lid into place he walked back to Maverick, who had noticed the angry Manticore prowling along the clearings edge.

“Yo, what’s up with that angry animal thing?” asked Maverick.

“We’re not on good terms.” Blaze said dismissively “Now, I need you to fly me to my house.”

“What!? Come on man, I’m a good athlete but… huh. Fine. But now we’re square, got that?”

“Square.” agreed Blaze, climbing onto Maverick.

“Hold on, buddy.” with that, Maverick flew out of the clearing.

Rainbow looked out the window. Fluttershy coughed again, still asleep. She wished there was something she could do for her. Looking out the window again, she saw Blaze on a pegasi’s back, landing on the road outside. She walked down the stairs to meet them. She thought she recognized him, but thought nothing else of it.

Blaze got off Mavericks back.

“Thanks Maverick. It was good seeing you again.”

“You too bud. But you gotta lose some weight,” he stretched his back “Now go help the mare you love.” he said, flying off.

Blaze ran into the house and met Dash.

“It’s best you leave now. I need to concentrate on the experiments. And thank you for helping.”

“It’s ok.” she said quietly. She walked out the door, jumped into the air and flew off.

Blaze walked upstairs into his study and placed the jar with the plant on his desk. He grabbed some warning signs, walked to his front door and placed them at the entrance to his house with a box of 5 Lavender candles. He went back to the study again and opened the jar, carefully taking the plant out and placing it on the desk, and started to cut it up.

-2 Hours Later-

Blaze was sitting on the balcony with his guitar. He was getting close to finding a cure, but he had to wait for a mixture to boil. It would take 10 minutes, and he had just checked on Fluttershy, so he had decided to play his guitar. He picked it up and began strumming the tune he had learnt, adding words to the song he had almost finished.