"Thank you, doctor, I appreciate the help!" Twilight waved at the orange stallion as she walked out of the hospital.
"You are very welcome, Miss Sparkle! Have a nice day!" the doctor shouted back from across the hall.
Oh, I'll have a good day, all right. As soon as I do some research on Ventricular Fibrillation, she thought to herself as she walked back toward her home. Even if it was only a five percent possibility, it's still a possibility. Even if it weren't a possibility, if she hears about it, she has to know. It's just a feeling. It's like something is gnawing on her mind and soul. And it won't go away until she knows what it is. She just has to know what everypony else knows. She doesn't want to look like a fool. I've always wondered if that has anything to do with the fact that I have an obsessive compul-
"TWIIIILLLIIIIIGHT!" the purple unicorn heard a familiar underdeveloped male voice. She squinted as she saw a small figure running toward her.
"Spike?" the mare began to recognise his rotund shape and frightened face. What's wrong?
"Twilight!" the little dragon grasped her front hoof and sobbed, "Twilight! Th-they told me what hap-pened! They told me-e to wait at the libr-ary, but I-I wanted to make sure you were- you were really okay…"
Twilight looked down at Spike in worry. Oh, poor Spike. He must have been so worried. "It's all right, Spike. I'm okay; It was just epilepsy." The dragon looked up at the violet mare. Through his tears, he managed to see the smile that she offered for comfort. "Come on, Spike, the sooner we get back, the sooner we can eat cupcakes."
Spike sniffed and ended his crying, "Right!"
The two made their way home while the others were waiting inside the library with a spare key Rainbow Dash had. Pinkie Pie had brought a baker's dozen of cupcakes. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were hanging up a "Welcome Home" banner on the bookshelves. Applejack was setting up a table with apple-based pastries and snacks. Rarity was fluffing the pillows on the couch after every time that Pinkie had decided to jump on it.
"Pinkie Pie, stop bouncing on there! You're going to ruin Twilight's couch and hit your head!" Rarity yelled in frustration.
"Okay!" Pinkie Pie jumped off of the couch as she gladly responded, "But you could have just said so, silly. There's no need to be angry."
"My apologies, Darling. I'm just a bit tired," Rarity said in an exhausted tone.
"I um, I know how you feel, Rarity. I couldn't sleep at all last night," Fluttershy said as she flew down to the floor.
Rainbow Dash looked out the window, "Hey guys, I think I see Spike and Twilight."
Pinkie Pie gasped, "Quickquickquick! Everyone hide!" She suddenly hid under a table.
Applejack walked up to the threshold, "Pinkie Pie, come out'a there. It's not a surprise party, y'know."
Applejack opened the door for Twilight and her assistant, "Howdy Twilight, Spike. Ah hope ya'll don't mind, but we decided t'go ahead and set things up," she gestured to the pastries and the banner.
Twilight chuckled to herself. She had to admit, her friends did care about her, "Thanks, this was really nice of you girls to do."
At that moment, Pinkie Pie jumped out from under the table and landed in front of Twilight, "Aw, it was nothing, Twi. Now, you just go on, have a cupcake, and do whatever it is Twilights do, okay?" She petted the unicorn on the head and bounced her way over to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.
Twilight gave a cupcake to Spike as she began to eat hers, "Thanks, Twilight," the dragon said. He took a bite out of the confection before speaking, "Mmm, Twilight, I forgot to tell you; the Princess sent a letter to you this morning."
He handed a scroll with a royal seal to the unicorn, "Dear Twilight, I'm glad to hear you're having fun with you're friends….hmmmm…mmmhmmm…Sincerely, Princess Celestia," she rolled the letter back up and turned toward Spike, "I'm going to do a bit of research for a while. I just need to find the book I need and then we can have fun, all right?" Spike nodded, she then went to her bookshelf to find the book she needed.
…Pony Pox...100 Bacteria Ponies Come in Contact With Each Day…Lung Diseases…Types of Seizures, Spasms, and Side Effects from Medication…Is this it? Twilight surrounded the book in her violet aura and opened it up. She quickly glanced behind to make sure no other pony was suspicious. …Chapter sixteen: Ventricular Fibrillation…She flipped to the page and quickly began scanning through…occurs when…usually caused…Ischaemic Heart Disease? She replaced the book and took another one named 150 Cardiovascular Conditions and Infections. She hesitated; she thought that perhaps she should read later and just pretend that everything is fine now.
"Hey Pinkie, I know I said no parties, but…you wouldn't happen to have your party cannon here…would you?" the unicorn asked as she grabbed one of the apple fritters that Applejack brought.
Pinkie Pie gave a blank stare for a second. She processed her thoughts in half a second, That's odd. Twilight suddenly wants a party? Oh well, PARTY TIME! "Of course I do, silly. Why would I not have it?" The party pony stretched her forelegs to somewhere in the library and (somehow) got her party cannon.
The pink mare shot balloons and confetti out of the cannon. All of the other ponies danced to music and began to get into party mode. Twilight liked this. If this turns out to be deadly, then I'm glad I get to share these kinds of moments with them. Wait! How can I even assume that? I haven't even read anything. I need to just loosen up and enjoy this time. The ponies spent the whole day at the sudden party. Eventually they go tired and went home.
Without wasting a second, she took the book and sat at her desk. Spike and Owlowicious began to clean up without her. Twilight opened to the necessary chapter and was immediately immersed in reading. Okay, so Ventricular Fibrillation is a symptom of Ischaemic heart disease. And it's when there is not enough blood supply. Earth ponies and pegasi are seldom infected. However, it is crucial that they do not exhaust themselves through flying or other forms of work if they have it. As for unicorns, they must use little or no magic if possible. The energy used can sometimes require excess blood that the heart cannot produce in such a state. The ischaemic heart disease is fatal, however, it can be treated…So, then…I might die? No! To tartarus with this book! I use magic all the time and Celestia knows for how long I've had this! Do I even have it? There's only a five percent chance…Hm, maybe if I visit Zecora, she can tell me what to do. If I'm lucky, she might have some sort of herb for this. I hope at least.
The next morning, Twilight headed toward the Everfree Forest. She took every step with extreme caution, making sure to not step on loose dirt, Poison Jokes, or trip on something she couldn't see with the fog. She wasn't very afraid of the forest any longer. She figured if somepony could actually live here, it's probably not all that bad. She looked around at the dead trees with branches that threatened to fall on her. The tall grass made her nervous; perhaps a venomous insect would crawl up her legs and bite her. Soon she saw it, a humble exotic hut with light coming from the inside.
Her knock on the wooden door was answered by a kind zebra, "Ah what a delight. To what do I owe this visit, my dear Twilight?"
Twilight loved Zecora's rhymes and riddles. She smiled and asked, "Hello Zecora, can I come in? I have something important to ask and don't want anypony to find out just yet."
"I see. Well, in these woods it is not safe to roam. Please, make yourself at home," Zecora stepped aside to let her guest in, "So, something important is troubling you? I hope there is something I can do," she closed the door behind her visitor who was already sitting on her hoof-made cushions.
"Well, you see, two days ago, my friends and I went to watch a movie. I had a seizure and the doctor said it was most likely epileptic, but there's a small chance that it was ventricular fibrillation."
"And you want to know what you're near future will be. That is why you have come to me?" Twilight gave a very small nod, "Well, have no fear. I have the brew you need somewhere in here," the zebra pulled a few herbs from her shelf and mixed them together. She then turned to Twilight, carrying a bowl made of clay with a clear fluid inside, "This will say what you're future is. Place a strand of your hair and it will tell you if you will have misfortune or bliss."
Twilight pulled out one strand from her mane and placed it in the fluid, "Now what?"
"Simply wait. Then, it will tell you your fate. If the liquid turns red, then blue, you will have a very long life ahead of you. But if it turns red, then blue, then once more red, you will soon be-"
"Dead" Twilight said. Zecora nodded. The striped pony took the bowl and placed it where she was certain Twilight would not see it. She waited a few seconds before it turned red. Afterward, the liquid turned blue. She was about to smile, but she saw the brew turning red again. Her face went pale with fear. She tried to calm down. She was a wise mare and she knew that Twilight would not react well with such tragic news. And besides, it's best to enjoy your last few days without worry.
She turned to the purple mare, anxiety written all over her face, "Worry not about the brew. Fortunately, it has turned blue,"
Twilight let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding, "Oh, thank you so much, Zecora!"
Twilight went over to her and hugged her. Zecora hugged her back. She hoped Twilight had not caught on to the melancholic way she returned the embrace. As soon as her guest had left, Zecora began to weep, "Oh why?! Why must she die? Why must I protect her with such a lie?! Why must this be the end? Why must I lose…yet another friend?"
