One-legged Dash

You know what, if I wasn't writing shit right now, I'd write a short bit on Anon slowly coming to love Dash, trying to restore her crushed image of herself, while also altering his booknerd studies to develop a prosthetic leg for Dash that while wouldn't be entirely revolutionary, would greatly restore her ability to walk, would be able to grow with her like a number of high end models and be incredibly durable, allowing her to run and do other basic sports shit.

Kind of like Emmy's line in Katawa Shojo.

>The hours you spent up late the night before were taking their tole
>A lethargic shuffle, the sound of your feet dragging upon the concrete with the occasional patter of a kicked pebble, acting as the whole of your focus
>AKA holy batnipples, you were tired
>For most guys, it'd be because of partying
>Guys who had social lives but you were not privy enough to perform social commentary on such a phenomena
'Easy there brain, we're only allowed to use words with no more than two syllables today, even during sarcastic monologues'
>And while you certainly didn't fall into the slackers, you weren't one of the nerds either
>And certainly not an outcast
>Just the odd sort, in a good way, you liked to think
>The problem solver odd sort
>The problem solver who often got caught up in fits of inspiration that made him forget that he had biological priorities that took president
>Not artistically
>If you could call engineering art, at least in the traditional sense
>Implying your tinkering could be called engineering
>It started out as a hobby, having taken interest in space shuttles, firearms and giant mechanized monuments of unadulterated fuck you
>Wonder sparked from your Japanese anime
>But it still served to spark that curiosity
>Its because of your deep and introspective monologue that you fail to notice the crack in the sidewalk
>A curiosity that face planted like you just did
"God fucking..." You groan, face still stuck to the asphalt
>The sting is almost overwhelming, but it is a good pain
>At least you try to tell yourself because it stings like a mother f
>"Oh my, are you alright Shepard?"
>The voice, from the sounds of it, comes from in front of you
>You can't tell where because you're currently internally debating just calling it a day and remaining where you are on the ground
"Yeah I am Flutters." you groan, "Just trying to get more intimate with the sidewalks as thanks for keeping me off the streets."
>A bubbly giggle comes from the same direction
>The shuffling of feet makes its way towards you
>Two arms drag you to your feet, the stinging on your face dulling to an ignoble throb
>"Looks like you took a digger there, sugar cube."
"Ah, and I'm guessing that the reason why it looks like there's raspberry jam in my eye is because of said dig?"
>Something did feel oddly warm on your face
>its with a quick touch you confirm, yep, that's definitely blood
>"Here you go Shepard!"
>You hiss like a man at the sensation of something being pressed to your forehead
>You quickly take hold of whats stopping the bleeding to stop the pressure being applied
"Thanks EyJay, you too Ponks."
>Now that your grievous wound sustained in the great battle between man vs earth, has been patched, you're able to take note of the small group of girls in front of you
>Applejack merely gives you a nod, while you can't spot Pinkie, Fluttershy looks like she's barely able to stop herself from panicking
>Poor girl is beyond fretting
>"Shepard, you really should let me take a look at that." Fluttershy tells you."
>"Don'tmakeasarcasticquipdon'tmakeasarcasticquipdon'tmakeasarcasticquip."
"Pinkie, its only monologue if I think it,"
>She giggles before bouncing around and to join her friends
>"You comin partner?" Applejack asks
>A simple shrug is all you need to manage before you go back to shuffling, this time with those few who you've found yourself having grown attached to
>Oh and what were you doing last night?
>In a fit of shedding a number of manly tears, you had the sudden inspiration to find out how prosthetic limbs work and are built
>If nothing, once you got your degree, you'd be able to build your self a set of augmented arms
>Aint nobody goin to ask if you lift
>The train of thought brings attention to a lack of something
>A lack of friendly chatter among the girls, the happy smiles and concern for your health having simply disappeared during your now burning train of thought
"Where's Dash?"
>Shit, if Pinkie's bandage touched a raw nerve
>Your three traveling partners awkwardly slow to a stop
>Dash, while she had earned the name "Rainbow Crash," was prone to accidents, there never was as strong of a reaction like this from the girls
>And never could you imagine her doing something to intentionally hurt the other girls
"What happened." Your fears get the better of you, making your question sound more like a demand,
>From the corner of your eye, you see Flutters to flinch
>But its not just her, you look at AJ to see she is looking off in the distance, you can barely see her face with how low her hat is tipped
"Pinkie what is."
'Oh fuck'
>You take a glance at Pinkie
>Pinkie who is crouching
>Crouching with her face buried in her legs
>With her hair flat and dull
>But that's not the only thing you notice
>Today was Monday
>There was school today
>And none of the girls had ever intentionally missed a day
>And it was ten to nine
>You were just making your way to school thanks to what basically was a 3 hour block of study hall in your mornings that you were allowed to skip
>And here they were, without their backpacks or bags
>Except Fluttershy, who has a plastic bag with what looks like textbooks crammed inside along with a stack of papers
>You look back at Fluttershy who is now trembling, her hair obscuring her face
"Fluttershy..." You do your best to keep your voice calm but a bit of edge still makes its way in
"Fluttershy, I need you to tell me what happened to Rainbow Dash and why it looks like something I don't want to say happened, happened." You finish.
>"Shepard, a'h reckon its best if you came with us to see fer yourself." Applejack says, her voice seemingly struggling to put to words with what ever she's trying to say
>There finally is a cold, heavy weight in your stomach, the atmosphere finally catching up to you
>It takes a minute to pull out your cellphone and call your Father who understands that when you say that something happened, don't ask, you really don't want to be asked what happened
>Your attendance out of the way, your sleep deprived mind is able to conjure what ever horrors your fear is able to stir
"Shall we?" Is all you manage, having been swept up into the morbid atmosphere
'Just what the hell happened?'

(At this point, Shepard turns to Non, as in Anon Shepard, which is actually a name.  Seriously, I just found out Anon is a Nordic name.  Not making this up, go fucking google that shit.)

>Applejack gently grabs hold of your arm, pulling her to your side
>Pinkie falls back with Fluttershy
>Poor girl has calmed down, if slightly, but now appears more depressed if anything
>Pinkie attitude is a similar reflection, forgoing her prefered skipping to stay behind with Flutters, holding her hand holding a one sided conversation loud enough for only the two of them to understand whats being said
>Applejack gives you a nudge, pulling your attention away from the pair
>"Its... Its not good, partner. You'll see for yer self once we get there." AJ whispers to you.
>You give a nod and turn your focus to whats ahead of you
'Its a better alternative to imagining just what happened'
>Though it is done to try and ignore the frozen lead weight in your stomach
>'Try' being the key word here
>...
>The houses give way to the commercial district, nameless faces give small nods of acknowledgement, of which you and Applejack half halfheartedly return
>And from the sounds your friends, Pinkie mood has brightened with her more honest greetings
>Fluttershy remains silent though
>Applejack leads you four through the winding streets, eventually coming to the Canterlot Hearts and Minds Clinic
>You're given little time to steel yourself as you shuffle through the revolving doors in pairs of two
>Once again, you're led by Applejack who seemingly knows exactly where your destination is
>Its when you enter the Intensive Care Ward that your thoughts start to turn to the worst
>Every attempt you make to say something catches in your throat, your words beaten down by the heavy laden smell of antiseptic
>Its just up the elevator and out into another hall that you four stop in front of a vacant counter
>It takes but a minute for a male nurse to come out and assist you
>The fear that he recognizes the girls is pushed down in order for you to explain your relationship to Dash, and sign in with who find out to be the head nurse on the floor
>He gives you the go ahead to visit Dash's room, leaving to go attend to another patient of his
>The four of you make way through the halls, most of the doors are closed but every few you're able to peek inside
>Finally you reach what is Dash's room, noted by the printed tag's place in the sign next to the room's entrance
>Applejack grabs hold of your sleeve, pulling you to a stop, letting Pinkie who gives you a bitter sweet smile before entering, as well as Fluttershy who grabs a hold of your hand, giving it a squeeze and you the same bitter sweet smile Pinkie did, before following in kind
>The door closes behind Flutters before AJ gives you a nod of her head to follow
>You're led down the end of the hall to a vacant sun room, from the looks of it, a consolation room for doctors to meet with the beloved of patients
>Its a shame that the warm afternoon light filling the room is a far cry from the dread you feel
>"Sit" Applejack states
>You do as you're told, slinging off your bag and delicately placing on the floor
>Applejack goes into one of the attached rooms adjacent to the entrace
>It takes a minute before she exists holding two steaming cups
'Coffee. I feel like I'm going to be needing this.'
>You take your cup, mumbling your thanks
>Applejack retorts with a "don't mention it, Sugar cube."
>It takes but a sip for the ice in your stomach to slightly thaw, your nerves relaxing physically at least, though your mind still buzzes with activity
>The clack of Applejack's cup snaps your attention away from your own
>"Like ah said, its not good but its not nearly as bad as it was before."
>She licks her chapped lips before taking off her hat, running a hand through her hair, before continuing
'So I'm not the only one who's struggling with what's going on, AJ can barely put it to words.'
>"Rainbow had an accident. Ah don't know the details, none of us girls have been able to find out anythang. We were all woken up Saturday, Rainbows Mah and Pah called all our parents in the evnin, sayin somethin happened to Dash and we needed to be there fer her when she woke up."
>You both take a drink, giving you a chance to absorb what Applejack is telling you
>"When we got here, it had been a couple of hours since Dash had come out of surgery. What we all saw..."
>Applejack's hands begin to tremble, prompting you to grab a hold of one
>She clenches it, using the other to shakily rub her eyes, giving her a chance to look catch a look of her blood shot eyes
>She sniffs and exhales, catching her breath
>"Ms. Firefly sat at Dash's side, stroking her hair. Her father, Mr. Blaze, took us out here and told us what I'm telling you now. Dash... Dash is going to need us to be strong fer her. You'll see why when we go back inside."
>She shakes her head clear, putting her had back on
>"She's awake though. Dash is a strong girl but... But she's too strong fer her own good, makes it harder fer her to stand back up when she's fallin down."
>She pats your hand, pulling you out of your seat with her grip on it and into a tight hug.
>It feels like its more for you than it is for her, making you dread what is to come, all the more
>"C'mon," she says as she lets go, "I'll have the girls give the two of you a moment alone. We'all each got our own and ah think it'd do Dash a spot of good. Think you can handle it?"
>For Applejack to be as serious as she was, to be able to be strugling with what ever had happened to Dash, what ever it may be...
"I'll manage somehow."
>Applejack gives you the same bitter sweet smile, leading you back to Dash's room
>You stand outside the room as Applejack slips inside
>Thoughts and expectations have left you numb, unsure of what to feel
>The door clicks once again and the girls file out
>Pinkie and Flutters are joined by Rarity who isn't wearing her usual makeup, Twilight who you can tell hasn't slept for the past couple of days, with her frazzled hair and deep sunk eyes, Shimmer who while looking no better, manages a nod to Pinkie who's standing next to you before pulling Flutters, Twilight and Rarity away into the Sun Room, with Applejack closing the pack and door
>She steps away, giving you a nod, before following the rest of her friends
>You grab hold of the steel handle, anticipation stopping you from going in
>But its Pinkie who grabs hold of your hand, mumbling something for you to hear, alone
>"I can't make Dashie smile right now but if there's something I've learned its that the right person can make anybody smile. So please try and do what I can't."
>By the time you're able to look over, Pinkie's already half way to the sun room
>You cut loose a sigh that you held trapped
'Its now or never,' you decide
>The door rolls open on its oiled hinges and you step inside to the well lit room
>The first thing you notice is the steady beep of the heart monitor
>Like you're in some crappy soap opera
>There is a short hall that leads to the foot of the bed, a small enclosure to your right which appears to be a bathroom, to the left is a series of shelves and a TV that's turned off for the moment
>You shut the door and move inside
>It takes far too long to recognize who you're looking at
>Even with the shades drawn open and there being plentiful light coming from her bed side windows, Dash is almost unrecognizable
>First thing your eyes are drawn to is the bandage covering her left eye and half of her face, though from the looks of the blood, its merely a wound that extends over her eye not into it.
>The next thing you notice is an apparent lack of some sort of dress covering her chest, though the thick gauze and bandages wrapped around her entire breast would make it difficult to change were she covered
>Her arms are dark. Two shades too dark. Bruising but at least her hands look relatively fine
>Whats left of her is covered by a blanket, though from the looks of the wrappings that start just bellow her waist, there's probably more
'...'
...
...
...
>You're beyond words or thought
>A shuffling of your feet brings you to her chart at the foot of her bed
>While you certainly weren't a nurse, you were familiar with many terms and words used in the medical field
>While you would consider it a benefit of being a polymath, here it only serves to make you better realize the extent of Rainbow's wounds
>Her blood pressure had plummeted
>She had lost quite a bit of blood and they are trying to fill her back up
>Multiple fractures stretching from her collar bone all the way down to her talus
>She got hit. Hard. And what ever did it did a pretty good job of it.
>Multiple lacerations, all listed, same as the fractures
>A moderate to severe concussion causing her to slip in and out of consciousness
>Minor internal hemorrhaging off...
...
'That's enough'
>If the first two pages were bad, you don't want to see the rest
>The clip board takes its place back on the hook and you shuffle to Dash's side
>The steady beep takes its place in your attention
>You're... You're trying to manage somehow
>This was...
>It didn't happen to you, but even then, for someone like Dash...
...
>There was a bit more to where you fit in, in school
>While you were strange, strange is often ridiculed and criticized
>You had managed, somehow, dealing with the scorn and hazing
>But those who stood up for you were few and far
>Those who had no reason to do it, those who were first to take a stand for those like you who accepted it and moved on
>She was lying right next to you
>Strong physically as she was diligently
>Loyal to the very end
>An end that would never come
>And a loyalty to all those who didn't deserve anything but
>"And you.. the hopeless... romantic... Nerd." Is wheezed
>A train of thought crashes through the station, killing at least 23 people
>You turn to see Rainbow slightly smiling, trying at the very least, what she can manage
>Dash's hand twitches and you take hold of it with your right
>She gives a pleased hum as you feel yourself choke
>Here you were, barely able to hold yourself together
>"Easy... Non... Don't need... Another... Idiot dying." she rasps while giving your hand a slight squeeze
>You wipe your eyes with your off hand and give a forced chuckle
"Am I talking aloud again? I thought you broke that habit of mine?" You choke out, partially laughing
>Dash's smile grows slightly
>"No you... Dork... Can read it... On... Your face." She wheezes
>Finally in better control of your emotions, you take notice of the water pitcher on the bed side
>You pour Dash some
>She takes notice of it and waits for you to hold it up to her lips
>It takes a few tries, but she eventually manages to take a sip and swallow
>"Button... Press once..." she groans
>You take notice of the small paddle and do as asked
>A quiet beep goes off, drawing your attention to one of the many dangling bags feeding into Dash
'Ah. Morphine.'
>Dash gives a content sigh as the drug is administered
>Some of the haze in her eyes clears
>When she's ready you help her take another sip, this time going down with more ease with the aid of the pain killers
>The cup is placed back on its spot and Dash gives your hand another small squeeze
>"Thanks Non... That helped more than... You think." Her words still come out with difficulty but more because of the shallow breaths she is only capable of taking, regardless of the oxygen being fed to her
>You bite your tongue but you're still able to smile at Dash's grateful smile
>The silence comes back, now accompanied by Dash's thumb drawing circles in your own hand
...
>There comes a sniff
>And then a cough
>That turns to a wheeze of pain
>Immediately you turn to Dash and see tears streaming from her one visible eye, screwed shut in pain
>Its almost impossible to hear
>"I'm broken."
>Dash's words
>"I'm broken,,,"
>Again
>"I... I'm broken..."
>And over again
>All you can do is hold her hand
>"It's... gone,,,"
>She whispers having seemingly cried herself to sleep
>Something wrenches in your gut
>A connection is made but its unclear
>Her hold on your hand relaxes but you hold on for a bit
>The door opens and you catch Flutters peek around the corner of the hall, before beckoning you to come out
>You quietly move from your seat next to Dash
>Which Flutters daintily takes, carefully grabbing hold of Dash's hand before giving you that same bitter sweet smile everybody is forcing today, before shooing you out of the room
>Once outside and the door is shut, you're wrapped up in the arms of someone far larger
>And boy are they hard
>Its like you're being hugged by a rock wall
>"Thank you so much for what you did for my daughter." A voice mutters
>You're let go of and you're able to take in the mountain of a main that is standing before you
>Rainbow hair and goatee combo, body hard as a rock and built like a wall
"Mr. Blaze?" You ask.
>"Son, I just watched what was the first time my daughter has cried since she's woken up and you were there for her."
>This time he takes hold of your hand and pulls you into a far more comfortable brotherly shoulder hug
>"Far as I'm concerned, you can call me Blitz." He finishes, pulling back to show his eyes watering
'I thought I was a fucking mess.'
>Someone clears their throat behind you
>"As touching as this all is, I think its best if we move into the Sun room." comes Twilight's voice, highlighted by hints of mirth
>"Come dear, the boy's had a rough enough time as it is, lets give him a moment to breath."
'Wait,,,'
>"You must be my Dashie's last friend."
'If I was a lesser man'
>AKA, had seeing Dash not killed your libido for the next 72 hours
'I'd be out cold'
>AKA, holy shit, Ms. Firefly is acutely named because she's... Well you can tell the resemblance
>Like her husband, her body appears to be solid
>Not like that, but in the sense that you feel like a pat on the back could probably break something, but her muscle is far less defined
>Her sky blue hair is a harsh contrast to her magenta eyes
>A tanned completion
>And you're pretty sure if you stared any longer, it'd start getting creepy
>Ms. Firefly walks over to you and pulls you into the same sort of hug her husband first did
>"Really, thank you for what you did for our daughter."
>She pulls back and joins her husband's side
>You're left in a slight daze from how sudden the gesture is, not because boobs
>You swear
'I'm getting a lot of hugs today... Its kind of nice.'
>"We were going to go inside and see how Dashie was doing but when we heard the two of you talk, we decided to watch through the reflection on the Television." she finishes.
'Normal... I g.'
>"We were kind of hopping you two wouldn't start doing anything lewd given Dash's current condition, but the possibility of her having a boyfriend... Well, we couldn't resist not finding out." Blitz explains.
'Ah. This is why Dash never mentioned her parents.'
>The two of them laugh while you awkwardly blush and chuckle. Twilight...
>Twilight doesn't look like she's enjoying what she's currently imagining
>"Well, now that everybody has had to see Dash, why don't you take squirt and get some lunch, dear?" Ms. Firefly asks her husband.
>Blitz gives himself a pat down, once even going for his groin, which you'd be far better off having not seen, before he find his wallet and giving Firefly a kiss
>"Come Twilight, I need to talk to you as well." Firefly illiterates as she pulls Twi back to the sun room
>"Killer, let go get some food. And for you, some strong coffee. You look like hell." Blitz rattles, turning and walking through the halls
>It takes a bit to catch up to the mountain of a man, with his stride being far, far longer than yours
>Not that you were short, or he that tall, he just took really fucking huge strides
>You're led out of the hospital to a four seat pickup
>And the two of you haul ass out of the lot
>And out onto the highway
>Words fail you
>And everything is moving all so quickly
>Its a struggle to just take in all that is happening
>Not just to Dash, but everybody else
>You all could feel her pain
>Not to mention her words...
>"Wasn't pretty, huh?" Blaze asks
"Hmm?" You dumbly respond
>He cuts a weary sigh and you begin to truly see how tired he looks
>"Never got used to it myself. Learned how to become numb to it all. Had to, especially when you have to clean out what's left of your best friends out of their Humvee. who you were watching bootlegged M.A.S.H. episodes with not an hour ago, all because the D.O.D. was too cheap to deploy actual MRAPs." He explains, the words are said as if they're being read off a script
>"Its taken me finding my little girl with the only leg she has left, in a grave, to finally break that image I have with something far more nightmarish."
'Oh god...'
>...
>Blitz catches your stunned silence
>You caught it
>His eyes flick to you and back to the road
>The truck pulls off the highway and onto a long winding road
>From there, a few more side detours are taken through farm country before you reach the destination
>Just a couple miles from town is the kind of house you would expect to find in some B rated horror movie
>The ride on the gravel road is smooth, mostly because of the wild grass being drove over
>Blitzs seems to know the way though
>Your mind is reeling at the revelation to realize this though
>The truck is stopped at the two story wood house, windows nailed over with rotting wood, same as the door
>Blitz hops out leaving you inside
>He stops with the door still open and turns to you
>"C'mon we're going for a short walk. Burn off lunch fore we get it." he calls you
>You undo your belt and hop out, stumbling a bit, lost in your thoughts
>Instead of his fast, almost jog like, walk, he lets you set the pace
>It lets you better think thankfully
"How..." you manage
>"How doesn't matter so much. Whats done is done. But to sate what will no doubt bug you, yes it was an vehicle accident and the person who hit Dash is sitting on a steel table right now. Do not blame them, they couldn't have had control of their actions."
>It hurts knowing that his words help
'But the truth can do both'
>It better helps you organize your thoughts, giving greater ease to the handling of the burden on your mind
"And Dash?"
>Blitz silently nods, thinking a moment
>"For the most part, she's beyond lucky and one hell of a fighter. Doctors had to operate all Friday night and into Saturday evening.
>"Stitches, cutting open her chest to relieve the internal bleeding and to set the fractured ribs, reconstructing as much as they good as far as her left leg but her right... Well, there was nothing left for them to rebuild, as it were.
>"But the doctor who operated on her is one hell of a son of a bitch. Ha, the man who rebuilt me, if you can believe that." He chuckles nudging you
>"Met him overseas. Bastard will cheat you out of every dime you have in a game of poker, but I know his knife work first hand and he's about as squared as they come. And if he says Dash will make a full recovery minus the... Well, amputation of her right leg, then I'd be one hell of a moron to not believe him, especially when I took his word on Firefly, Officer Nurse Firefly she was known back then."
>Blitz smiles nostalgically
"I guess there's a good story to that as well?" You ask, feeling a little better
>His laugh is more of a bark that subsides into a long chuckle
>"Oh, maybe when you're older, or become a part of the family, which ever comes first."
>This time, you laugh as well, though nowhere nearly as powerfully as Blitz
'Give him credit though, this is one hell of a man.'
>"Ah, but there is something Firefly and I are worried about and its the wound of Dashie's that we can't heal alone." he explains more sedately
"And I'm guessing you're asking me to help, along with the girls?" You ask, yourself
>Surprisingly, he shakes his head, "I can't ask you to do anything. Nor would I want you do promise anything definite. Your life is your own, what you choose to do with it is your choice. Dash is a strong girl and she's recover in time..."
"But its a matter of how much time will be needed to heal these wounds?" You state
>He smiles, if slightly
>"Interesting choice of words, but yes, I'd give anything to see my baby girl be able to walk again, but she will never be able to try and bear the weight if she's too afraid to even stand."
>Blitz goes morbidly silent for a second
>"And you've seen why she'd be first hand."
>You find yourself unconsciously clenching your hand, the painful realization of Dash's words once again stabbing your heart
>Blitz catches this too
>"So you get it, don't you?"
>You nod in agreement, though, your thoughts are temporally distracted
'He's not even watching me, and yet he can tell how I'm reacting.'
>The walk the two of you are taking is coming to a close, the truck a couple hundred feet away now, the path having lead you in a circle
>"If what Dash has said about you is true, then I know you have a bright future ahead of you."
>You cast Blitz a figurative glance
>"Yes Dash has said quite a bit about you, so I know you better than you think. I just wanted to give you a word to the wise.
>He thinks for a second before speaking
>"People are like dice. They can throw themselves in different directions. People are free because they can do that. Everyone's circumstances are different, but no matter how small the choice, at the very least you can throw yourself. Its not chance or fate, its the choice you made.
>You smile as you recognize the quote
"Jean Paul of Bla?"
>Blitz quickly puts a finger to his lips, giving the sign to shush
>"My wife would never let me hear the end of it," he smiles, "As long as you move forward with purpose in your heart, whether if its the ones you love, your integrity or wanderlust, You will be the strength Dash needs to see."
>As he finishes, you find yourself coming up to the truck
>This time, you enter feeling far better about what you will do than when you left
>The truck circles around the house and back onto the unseen road
>Leaving the place Blitz never gave a name to, lead up to by a long since overgrown road, with a house Blitz exactly knew the area around
>Strange, isn't it?
>The trip back, the two of you are more animated
>Blitz asks you a question, you answer it
>You ask your own question, he answers it
>Tick for tack
>And in a way, reminds you of your own father
>A few laughs are shared and you begin to see some of Dash's personality traits being shared by her father
>Before you know it, you're pulling through a Chinese drive through Blitz swears up and down, is far better and quicker than anything McDonald's could make
>The truck is loaded up with enough cultural enrichment to make your average European cry tears of shame
>Oh, and it smells really fucking good
>Coffee for you, is also grabbed
'Can't get enough of it today, it seems."
>The trip back to the hospital is made, Blitz proving once again he aint got no time for parking lots
>The bags split between the two of you, the walk back into the hospital is made
>And you've only been gone for two hours
>Nice...
...
>You make it back to the Sun Room to find the girls all there, minus Firefly
>A series of greetings is shared, food is dropped off and Blitz, after wolfing down his own portion in an honestly quite frightening 30 seconds, goes to relieve his wife from watching Dash, giving you a pat on the shoulder before leaving
>You take your own seat and pick at your food, unsure of what to do
>"Hey Anon, how are you holding up?" Sunset asks
>The attention of everybody else is directed to you
>You're not sure how to respond
"As well as I could. Blitz took some time to talk to me for a bit..."
>The pause seems unintentionally dramatic what with you taking a drink as well as take a pause
'Fucking...'
"He also gave me a better run down of what happened. I know about the accident, I know about just how long Dash was in surgery and I know that you six have been at her side ever since she got out
"Which considering that was Saturday, which you were brought here, continuing into today, since apparently everybody's had a few moments to talk to Dash, I also know you've all been here since you were first brought here."
>Your words linger in the space, nobody outright refuting what you've said."
>"It wouldn't have been right to leave dash here along." Whispers Flutters
>"I find myself agreeing with dear Fluttershy. I would have not found myself in good consonance leaving Dash." Rarity adds.
"I never said it was wrong, but all off you seriously need to take some time off and get some rest. Yes, even you Twilight." Twilight catches you looking at her, responding with an awkward chuckle
>A collective sigh is released, everything relaxing with it
>"Its nice to see you girls finally get it." Comes Firefly, smiling with slightly red eyes
>She takes a spot awkwardly close to you, not in the sense that she took the seat next to you, no she took it and moved even closer to you
>"So Nonny,"
>"NANI?!" Pinkie interupts, a with a wide smile on her face
>Firefly smiles, lightly giggling, "Pinkie, I would be disappointed in you if you weren't incorrect in what you said," Firefly turns back to you, this time with a certain... asset of hers now pressing against you, "Now Non... I heard you and my Blitzy got real close and personal. Mind if I share a moment with you too?"
>"Eh, heh he heh..." Comes Twilight from across the table
>A quick glance around shows everybody else with similar reactions
"I'd rather..."
>You can't finish that sentence
>Yet, its Firefly who is wickedly grinning
>She gives an unrestrained laugh while digging into her own food
>Everybody else, you included, awkwardly goes back to eating, small talk returning
>The small talk being shared doesn't catch much of your attention
>Because the center of your world is this amazing moo goo gai pan
>Well, that and what Dash said to you
>There comes a lull in the small talk and Firefly
>"Well girls. Non not included," She gives you a sideways smirk, "Have you given thought to my proposal."
'Proposal?'
>Fluttershy speaks up from her spot, "Well... I don't know about everybody else but if it gives me the chance to help Rainbow Dash then I'll do what ever it takes."
'Huh?'
>Firefly catches your confusion
>"I'm giving the girls basic nursing training so they can help Dash down the line, deary. What about you, Pinkie?"
>Its unintentional when you zone out
>As much as you'd like to help, it would be somewhat difficult given the whole man parts thing
>You catch the end of the conversation from Firefly
>"Well its settled then. Come by our house tomorrow and I'll see if I can dig up my caretaker's kit and get you all started."
>She takes a look at her watch and gives a whispered curse
>"Well, we actually don't have much time left. Visiting hours end in thirty and I'm sure all of you could use some sleep," Firefly sensing the protest puts up a hand, "NAH! You five look like, well, you like shit. Go home, get some sleep, take a moment to process this all and be by the house at O nine hundred. Now, if everybody's finished, I'll see if Blitz can give you girls a ride home, after you say goodbye to Dash, if she's up to it."
>This seems to improve their mood
>The garbage is collected and you make to throw it out while the girls go to say their goodbyes
>As you're about to leave, a calling whistle is made from a side hall
>Which turns out to be Firefly
>Giving your shoulders a shrug, you go to her
>"Easy killer. the girls are going with Blitz. There's not enough room in the van anyway. You and I get to take the truck. Sound good?"
>She gives you a genuine smile before turning around and walking down the hall
>You quickly catch up to her
>"So, what did you and Blitz talk about while you two were gone? And don't worry, any stories he told you, I was probably there." She asks
>By the time you reach the truck, You've finished your brief tale thanks to the careful omission of a few more personal details
>You get in and thank the gods that Firefly doesn't drive like her husband
>"Its good you two connected over something. Despite what you may think, Blitz doesn't get too many chances to vent like he did. And rarely does he let his guard down. He trusts you." Firefly illiterates
>"But what about you? I wasn't joking back in the sun room or out in the hall." she says, while still smiling but it seems more forced now, "Ever since Dash woke up yesterday, she hasn't once cried. And while we are more than happy she made such a quick recovery that was the first time she let loose.
"...I want to be happy about that but..."
>"You don't know what to feel?" she asks, finishing your sentence, "Saw it a lot myself in the service, like Blitz, I saw guys like Dash, only I tried to stitch them back together. It never really hit me as much as it did the day before. so I understand what you're going through."
>Though the words help, frustration still bubbles inside of you
"I just feel... Fuck me, fucking useless." You sigh
>Firefly gives her own sigh while taking a moment to think
>"I won't sugar boat it, killer. The reason the girls are taking the nursing training as well as the caretaker training is because me and Blitz are going to have a rough time these next couple of months so we won't be able to help Dash as much as we want to. But knowing you saw her, you understand why you can't exactly do what she needs."
>You unintentionally blush, which Firefly catches, lightly giggling
>"Just do what Blitz told you to do. And do what you will. Dash has more than enough people to patch her back up, now she needs someone to help her stand and will force her to walk."
",,,I guess that's the hard part then. Accepting that this is just what's going to happen."
>Firefly signals a turn and pulls into a parking lot
>She leaves the truck running, turning to you
>"Sweetie, I've been patching up men all my life. i still have nightmares about all the blood and cairn and smell. The first week after I came home from my first deployment, the smell of cooked meat made me puke because I had to smell the burnt flesh of a soldier who found himself on the other end of a White Phosphorous grenade.
>"All I can do is accept what I've seen and what I've done. It isn't easy..." she ellipses while taking hold of your hand smiling
>"But we all have a part to play. Trust me. Dash will need someone to prove to her that she can still be strong. You will know what you want to do. All you can do is accept that."
>You nod
'I think I've had enough pep talks today.'
>Firefly lets go and pulls out of the parking lot
>The ride back is sedate, the radio plays some soft music only interrupted when you give directions
>Eventually you find yourself at your house
>You give Firefly your thanks for the ride
"I'll also swing by the hospital to see Dash again. Since you're going to be helping the girls."
>Firefly smiles creepily
>"Going to make some moves on Dashie while we're not there to supervise?"
'Good to see she's back.'
>She laughs as she pulls away, no doubt at your mad blush
'I think this is the moment where if I was 21, I'd say I need a drink."