//------------------------------// // Act 2-2 // Story: A Place Called Home // by FoxUnderFire //------------------------------// My eyes stung and my throat hurt horribly. Five hundred years and it still hurt just as bad as it did that day. I turned my head and gauged the expressions of everyone in the room. Alex stared at the floor with an expression of frustration. Twilight had tears in her eyes and and sniffled every few seconds. Fluttershy and Rarity had dissolved to full blown sobs while holding each other. Pinkie was oddly quiet and her mane was now straight and a grayish pink, Twilight busied herself by studying her sudden change. Applejack had her hat covering most of her face but she let out a shake every now and then. Finally, Rainbow seemed... outraged? Dash waved her hoof at me, "Wait, wait, wait. You mean you have to pay for basic medical care? I mean, a private room, or a tail extension, or an ear job, sure. But, stuff that keeps you alive? That's crazy." She turns to Alex, "I thought you said humans had health care like we have here." Alex looked up, "I guess I should have said where I come from. I lived in a country called Canada. We had socialized medicine, like you have here. You lived in the States, right?" I nodded and he continued, "Sorry Dash, different country, different system. I never understood it, really, but it is what it is.” “But why? Wasn’t there anybody who would help you?” “No.” My answer may have been blunt but it was true, “Most humans won’t do anything unless it directly benefits them.” Her rage turned to confusion, “But Alex-” “Alex is better than most men. Whatever good he has done was because that’s what he is, a good person. Everyone else is anything but selfless. Humans are greedy and violent by nature” Each of those words felt like poison dripping from my tongue, I knew that I was at least hinting about my own persona. Rainbow may have been stubborn but even she knew when an argument was at a close. Slowly her mood became somber and she instead chose to hold onto Alex. As we sat in the uncomfortable silence, the thick, fetid air hung in the room. Both sides were thoughtful, but our thoughts were focused on different paths of the same subject. They were thinking about my past and I kept trying to bury it. As I finally decided to say something, I was interrupted by the door to the room being opened. In walked a pony who wore a nurses cap on top of her light pink mane. Her coat was a clean white, not unlike the walls. The words died in my throat as she spoke, “Okay everypony, I just checked Jack’s chart and when he wakes up you can take him home.” She watched their faces expecting a display of joy. Instead she received a wall of blank faces staring at her intently. Before she could question their strange reaction, Twilight did the most sensible course of action. She raised her hoof and pointed to the very much awake me. The nurse slowly turned around, I gave her a little wave and a smile. We continued to stare at eachother for an unbearably long period of time. Finally deciding that we could be stuck here all day, I was the first to speak, “So I can go, right?” That seemed to have broken her from the daze she had been in, “Oh, uh, Yes that is correct. You are in condition to travel but do take care for the stitches we put in could pop easily.” I chuckled and shook my head, “Don’t worry if they do pop, I know how to stitch myself. Also if it’s too much to ask could I get a small medkit?” She nodded her head but her expression changed to one of confusion, “Sure, but how are you going to use it, you aren’t a unicorn.” I laughed and wiggled my fingers in the air, “The magic of opposable thumbs should do fine.” She nodded her head and headed towards the door muttering something along the lines of ‘damned evolution’. I ignored it and turned to face my friends once more, “Alright, you heard the nurse, I’m a free man.” Rainbow was the first to respond “Great! I need a na- I mean, I need to get started on my routine.” The only sign that she had ever been in the room was a rainbow colored trail. Alex chuckled knowingly as she left with a gust of wind and burst of colour. Everyone stood up and headed for the door, before all of them could leave I cleared my throat, “Hey remember me, the guy who can’t walk. Al, I’mma need some help here.” Alex nodded and made his way to the bed. I slid my feet over the side and wrapped my arm over his shoulder. He supported my weight and I finally got a good look at the clothing I currently found myself in. I was wearing a hospital gown, but this one seemed to have been cut down in many places. It was also uncomfortably short. Looking over my shoulder I saw multiple ‘sleeves’ dangling from my back. Alex saw me looking over my questionable attire, “Your shirt got ruined in the fight, I brought you one of mine and we still got your pants.” I nodded my head before I realised what he had said, if someone had taken off my shirt then surely they would have seen... I shot a questioning glance at Alex who in turn just looked away, confirming my suspicions. I knew he wouldn’t ask me about it unless I wanted to talk about it, and I doubt he would tell the others. All in all, he was the perfect person who I would trust to keep quiet about it. I found the set of clothes magically floating in front of me. I reached out and grabbed ahold of them. Alex lowered me back onto the bed, and headed towards the door were Twilight stood. Before he left, he looked over his shoulder and studied me. I avoided his gaze and turned to look out the window, “We all carry scars, mine are just a little bit more visible.” Soon there was a click as the door shut. Wasting no time I took off the gown and pulled on my pants and the shirt. I was still barefoot but that didn’t bother me anymore. “Alright I’m done.” Alex walked back in and helped me back up again. There was something that had been bothering me for awhile. I turned towards Rarity, who had regained her composure exceedingly well besides a few smudges of make up. “Did ponies create denim yet?” She seemed thrown off by my question, “Why yes dear, but most fashion designers don’t have much of a use for it. May I ask, for whatever reason do you need such a material?” “Jeans, lots and lots of jeans.” The idea of being able to have my favorite piece of clothing definitely lightened my mood, although Rarity was still confused by my seemingly spontaneous question. It took us only a few more minutes to reach the waiting room, where Rainbow and Applejack had been. By the time we made it to the front door, the effects of my hospitalization were already making themselves apparent. I felt winded and my head pounded with exertion, I wasn’t even carrying my full weight either. Alex could see that I was struggling and tried to support more of my weight. I shook my head and took a deep breath, preparing myself for the long journey across town. Alex in turn looked over at Twilight, who was watching intently the entire time. He nodded his head while Twilight did the same. I only had a few moments to wonder what they were going to do when there was a bright flash, I closed my eyes and flinched. When I opened them I found myself in front of a cottage in the woods. There was an assortment of animals that wandered across the premises, they acted as if they belonged there but from what I heard so far, they probably did. I stared on in fascination at the serenity that the humble abode seemed to emanate. After awhile my face started to hurt, I realized I had been staring with a wide grin for about five minutes. I looked around at the company I currently found myself with. Rarity, Rainbow, Applejack, and Pinkie were missing and I was left with Alex, Twi, and Flutters. “Do you guys make plans about me, without involving me, all the time?” Twi gave me a sheepish glance and turned her head, “Oh, sorry we just thought that...” I chuckled at her apprehension, “Don’t worry about it, I’m just giving you a hard time. I appreciate everything you've done for me, all of you.” Alex started for the building, “Here, let’s get you in bed.” I had to admit, that a nap sounded good at the moment. Fluttershy opened the door for us to enter, Alex stopped in just inside of the house, “Where do I put him?” I could already feel the day catching up to me, my eyelids felt so heavy. “...room... upstairs... couch... for now...” I felt myself being laid down on a comfortable surface. I fell asleep almost instantly. ----- A young, squeaky voice, came to the edge of my hearing, “I think he’s asleep.” Another voice, like a young Rainbow Dash, answered, “Nu uh, my dad said that he would be awake.” A third voice that reminded me a lot of Applejack’s answered the first two, “Ah’m pretty sure he’s sleepin’ Scoots.” The squeaky voice exclaimed, “Wait, girls look he’s moving!” And as one, they yelled, "Hey, Jack," dragging me from the remains of sleep. Grudgingly I opened my eyes and looked at the three fillies. I wasn’t very happy and I was about to voice it when I saw their expressions. They were staring at me with unnaturally large grins attached to their faces. I sat up on the couch, “Can I help you?” Apple Bloom shook her head, “Nope!” Sweetie Belle spoke up next, “But we want to help you!” And finally Scootaloo, “For helping us!” Apple Bloom, a natural leader if I ever saw one, started, “Because we’re...” And they finished together, “THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADER NURSING SQUAD! YAY!” I was surprised by the level of noise that these small fillies produced, as the ringing in my ears died down I thought about what they had said, “So you three are my personal nurses?” Apple Bloom nodded her head, “Yup!” Sweetie Belle pulled a glass of water from seemingly nowhere, “Here you go!” I slowly reached for the glass. Why was I so apprehensive about these three? What’s the worst these fillies could do? My hand connected with the glass as I took it from Sweetie Belle... And then it exploded.