//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Old Visits, New Damages // Story: Gears Within The Soul ~ Memories of Solid Gear // by Solid 6GEAR //------------------------------// Several months later saw Cats Eye discharged from the hospital with a crutch-leg custom designed with help from Little Gear's designs by the Doctor known as Dr. Stable. This was to be the first of a full line of crutches designed personally for ponies who have lost legs from injuries related to work or otherwise, including accidental encounters from the Everfree Forest. However, during this time where Little Gear was working cautiously on her leg design... “Hey, I finally found ya...you wouldn't believe how long it took me to get a straight answer from your folks, along with getting an earful of--” Snow Glider blinks as she was suddenly being hugged by Little Gear, the young pegasus mildly surprised at the immediate reaction. It was several awkward minutes, as Little Gear realizes she'd forgotten to put on the crutch-leg she has. Fortunately, Snow decides to break the silence. “So...it was true. You DID have your leg taken off...” she mutters, sounding mildly upset. Little Gear blushes a little, knowing she shouldn't be embarrassed and yet completely ashamed at this. “Y-yeah...do you...do you mind helping me back over? I kinda...need to put on my 'replacement'.” she mumbles, Snow giving Gear a smirk before helping the earth pony walk over to the crutch-leg. She watches as Little Gear slips on the harness and secures it on, mildly amazed that she can manage with just one foreleg to hold things. “...is this how you've been spending your years? Gear, what are you doing that needs so much movement? Last I heard they were forbidding you from even getting out of the bed.” Snow states, glancing around at the room and then spying the blueprints Little Gear was working with. She canters over to it, keeping her wings furled at her sides since flying was forbidden in the hospital during visiting hours. “Yeah, well...here in Ponyville the doctors understand if somepony needs fresh air. Though I'm not surprised, since the air in Manehatten wasn't all that great...you should know, Snow. Your brother used to complain about it all the time...” Little Gear grumbles, looking at Snow Glider challengingly...something Snow herself had never seen before in her best friend. In fact, she was hoping it'd be easier to come back and pick up their friendship where it left off, with her helping Little Gear to walk. The fact she was walking on her own, long before getting any help from Snow was shocking...and mildly insulting. “So...you just decided to abandon what I promised you? That I'd be there to help you walk? You know it took you two years to just get well enough to be moved out of the hospital, right? How could you do this without me?! Didn't I tell you to wait for me?!” Snow starts to yell at Little Gear at the end, starting to go into her own histrionics of drama. Little Gear's ears flop down, her expression quickly souring at this whining from Snow. 'This wasn't what I want to hear from Snow Glider...I just want to hear how home is doing, whether my parents are doing well. The shop was always faster when I'm helping out, so somepony has to have started helping out there....if not, then I need to go home soon.' Little Gear thinks to herself, mildly blotting out the continued hysterics of Snow Glider's drama. She tunes in just in time to hear, “--and what are your parents going to do about this?! They can't be at all that agreeable on letting you return! Its going to hurt sales and better yet, nopony of the upper class would want to let you work on their clocks! It'd be a disaster! You hear me? DE SAS TER~!” Little Gear narrows her eyes at this, now quite angry as Snow Glider had just insulted her family's honor and capabilities should she return, “...shut it.” “...wut.” Snow Glider states, her drama cut much shorter now as she notices Little Gear's hardened expression. “I said...shut ya mouth. I can't beleev I called ya a friend befo' dis. I waited two years fo' ya to return, so ya finally appear afta' two more yeah's? What makes ya so wellcum ta do so? I thought ya remembah'd how most of my life had been spent in 'ard wurk and back-breakin' labor movin' tha 'eavier piles of gears and metuls for my fam'ly, 'ours an' years spent bein' a good helpa and doin' tha hardest part'a tha job?” Little Gear stomps the crutch-leg, which causes a reverberating 'thoomp' on the ground, Gear herself moving closer towards Snow. “I...I-I...uhm...” Snow barely tries to talk, Little Gear immediately stopping her. “Dun't talk! Ya dun't deserve ta keep me as a friend any more with all'a dis! As far as I'm concerned, this friendship is OVER!” “But...I...” “OVER!” Little Gear snarls the word out, Snow Glider flinching at it and recoiling away, nearly tumbling over her rear legs as she steps back. Little Gear wasn't aware of the extremely hardened and angry gaze she was giving Snow, though she could see a slight reflection in Snow's eyes. “I....” Snow sniffles, the fact of their friendship being over having fully hit her...having hit both of them, in fact as Little Gear realizes she'd just shoved away the last pony she knew as family. Snow quickly turned and galloped out of the hospital, paying no heed to the nurses warning her to trot instead, tears burning in her eyes as she goes out and flies off into the sky. Little Gear had tried to follow her, but could only do so at a trot because of her crutch-leg. She keeps her gaze skyward, tears straying at the edges of her face on a friendship lost. “I...I'm sorry, Snow Glider. Pahaps 'tis betta widout ya.” Little Gear mutters, carefully sitting down and watching on as Snow disappears completely into the clouds overhead. She slowly thinks through everything, 'I'm....I will speak normal from here on out....until such a time that things are fixed.'