This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.
Chapter 23
Bright lights and searing pain woke me up from what I thought was to be my eternal slumber. I moaned as I felt a sharp sting on my left side. I heard a grating sound coming from one of my sides and I opened my eyes.
“Crimson! He woke up Doctor!” said a voice half happiness, half frantic nervousness that I recognized as Fluttershy's.
“Hey there chap!” said a Trottingham voice. “This will hurt for a bit, mate.” he said as I felt an excruciating pain. I screamed and tried to move, but was pulled down by a strong hoof.
“Keep him there Macintosh.” directed the Doctor. “I told you this would hurt for a little. Now hold still.” he said waggling a hoof in front of my face. Then he dropped out of sight and the grating noise returned along with the pain.
I looked around while I panted from the pain, trying to keep my mind preoccupied in any way. My searching revealed I was in the Ponyvile hospital, in what appeared to be an operating room. Harsh white lights blazed down onto me on a gurney as Big Mac held my convulsing body down. I caught glimpses of a few other ponies, but I couldn't be sure who they were since my head was restrained. I heard hoofsteps and a familiar face came into sight.
“Don't worry Crimson, we stopped the spread of the stone, so now we just need to free you.” said a tired looking Syringe. I tried to answer, but I knew if I opened my mouth I would end up biting my tongue clean off. The grating stopped, as did the pain, and the Doctor popped back into view, waving his sonic screwdriver up and down my body.
He looked at it and put a hoof to his chin. “Hmmm. That can't be good......”
“What? What can't be good?” I asked, a little scared.
The Doctor looked at me and smiled. “Oh nothing at all!” he said throwing the sonic screwdriver away. I heard it clatter against the opposite wall as the Doctor continued. “Don't worry about it! We're just in a bit of a sticky wicket right now....... But don't worry, you'll be out of here in no time!”
He started to dip out of view again, but I stopped him. “Wait! “ I shouted. “What's wrong? Last I remember I was in the forest around Ghastly Gorge turning into a statue.”
The Doctor smiled sheepishly. “Exactly. That's you're here.”
“Let me out.” I commanded.
“Look chap, it's best if you....”
“Doctor, let me out now.”
“Crimson, we're trying to help.” said Fluttershy's quiet and calm voice.
“Thanks, but let me up. What you're doing isn't working.” I replied flatly.
“Crimson, be logical here.”
“No Syringe.” I said stubbornly. “If you don't let me out of this brace right now, I'll use my magic and then truly turn into a statue.”
“Garsh partner. Yer as stubborn as a rock in the tillin' field.” said Big Mac's voice as his hooves pulled off of my chest and the head restraint loosened.
I sat up and looked around, confirming my suspicions that I was in the Ponyville Hospital. I glanced down and saw that I was out of my uniform and gauntlets and that my lower half was covered by a white sheet, which was held up near the end.
“Who took off my uniform?” I asked.
Fluttershy blushed and raised her hoof. I snorted and looked back to my uncovered hooves. My front legs appeared clear of the stone, but I could tell they weren't from their weight. I pulled my heavy legs up and bent them slowly, felling my stone elbows try to fight the movement before eventually succumbing to my will. I pulled the sheet from my body and just stared blankly. My whole lower half was encased in stone. I tried to move my back legs, but they gave nothing more than a slight twitch. I stared blankly at them.
“Fenrir and I went back for you after you teleported all of us to Luna. We appeared right in the middle of her troops and surprised everypony. At first they thought we were Fire-Eaters, but then they saw our faces and colors. Fenrir and I told Luna about what you did and we all went out looking for you. We found you because Fenrir smelled the smoke and then we saw the Master and you were up against that tree.........Luna did some sort of magic on you and the stone stopped creeping up you, but then she teleported away to Canterlot saying something about getting help. Then we brought you here.” Syringe said solemnly.
“So I won't be able to walk again.” I said stunned.
“From what we can do, I'm afraid so. I'm so sorry Crimson.” said the Doctor.
“Could I get out of this bed?” I asked in a whisper, swallowing the implications of what this meant. And to think I joked about turning myself into a statue but a few minutes ago. The Doctor nodded and Syringe picked me up with magic. Fluttershy brought a wheelchair and Syringe placed me in it gently. I wanted to walk out of the room with a such a longing I've never felt before, but I knew it wouldn't come to pass. I was now a cripple. That was the price I paid for protecting my friends and loved ones.
I was slowly wheeled out of the room by Big Mac through two large swinging doors and down a long hall. I heard the others in the room follow quietly as I was pushed down what seemed to be a never-ending hallway. Finally, we came to another set of doors, but Big Mac stopped in front of them.
“Everypony's out there Crimson.” he said guiltily. “If ya want me ta clear 'em out...”
“No. I need to get used to this.” I said with finality.
“Alright partner. Ah'll go first.” Big Mac said as he wheeled me around. I gave a flat smile to my friends who followed me from the operating room as I was pulled backwards into the waiting room.
A chorus of “Crimson”s cheered through the room, but I closed my eyes at their calls. Slowly, the room became quiet as they saw the wheelchair and Big Mack turned me around to face everypony.
I opened my eyes and saw all of my friends with sad eyes, but my gaze was taken off of them as a purple flash blasted from the crowd of waiting friends and kissed me straight on the lips.
Twilight hugged me and pulled out of the kiss, sobbing on my shoulder.
“I thought you had died.” she cried as she held onto me. I raised a heavy hoof, shocked, and patted her back.
“Ow.” she laughed as my hoof landed on her back a little heavily. I looked at my fore hooves and then down to the ground.
“Maybe it would have been better if I had.” I whispered.
Twilight let go of the embrace, picked up my head with one hoof, and smacked me with the other.
“Don't you dare say that!” she screamed at me as I massaged my jaw. “Do you know what I would do without you?” she said sobbing. I pulled her into a tight hug as she cried against me, and I just held her. I kissed her as she stopped crying and I looked into her teary eyes, never wanting to let her go. Unfortunately, a sly cough from Rainbow Dash made me painfully aware that there were a lot of eyes watching us. All of my friends from Ponyville, all of Puck unit, and a few other ponies I recognized from Ponyville were waiting there for me. I slowly let go of Twilight as she became aware of the amount of ponies watching us. We both blushed as they looked at us smiling.
“They do make a cute couple don't they?” said Rarity slyly to Cadence.
“One of the best. I can tell.” the alicorn princess replied, smiling.
“Ah'll bet ya two barrels a Sweet Apple Cider that they're married by tha end a tha year.” Applejack said, not-so-discretely.
“I'll bet that they're married in six months time!” said Rainbow Dash.
“Ooooh! That means I get to plan the party! Yay!!!!” said Pinkie Pie throwing streamers and confetti everywhere.
“GASP! And I get to design the bridal dress! And new dresses for all of you!” Rarity, un-ladylike.
“The only thing I wonder is that if that stone spread and made somethings rock-hard, if you know what I mean.” Ditzy said elbowing Shining, making his face lose all blood at the thought.
“AHEM! Ok, that's enough.” I said clearing my throat while everypony in the room laughed.
“We're just playing Moony.” Ditsy said with a goofy smile.
“Plus we already know how you are Cap'n! Especially from all the noise you an...” Solitary said happily.
“SOLITARY! I SAID THAT WAS ENOUGH!” I said as my face turned as red as my mane.
“It's ok.” said Twilight as she nuzzled me. “No pain, no gain, or so they say.” she said, silencing everypony in the room. We all looked at her incredulously with wide eyes, her friends with dropped jaws.
“What?” she said, blushing as deeply as I did.
“Hawhawhawhawhaw!!!” Big Mac laughed, leading the rounds of laughter that swept throughout the room. Even I laughed harder than I ever had before. I looked back at my hooves and laughed again.
It was worth it.
I was home and my loved ones were safe.
My hate that had plagued me for so long was gone, and I was finally happy and in love once again.
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Two weeks later, Twilight received a letter from Princess Luna, while I was wheelchair-proofing the Library with my magic. I could stand out of my wheelchair, but not move, so I would stand statuesque in the middle of the Library while I used my magic.
“Crimson! Crimson!” Spike called from upstairs, running down the half-stairs, half-ramp I was working on converting into a ramp.
“Wait! Spike, don't...” I called as he tripped on the last step and rolled down the ramp, landing in front of me.
“Look!” he said, unfazed by his tumble. He held up a letter. I looked at it undaunted, until I noticed it held Luna's Royal Seal instead of Celestia's.
“It's for you!” Spike said excited.
“Really?” I said as I used my magic to grow a podium of wood out of the floor in front of me. “Put the letter on it.” I instructed Spike. After he did so, I grew it taller so it stood right in front of my face. I had perfected this method after being stuck in the Library while Big Mac made a self-moving wheelchair for me.
“What does it say?” Spike asked excitedly. We hardly ever got letters from Luna, and this one was addressed to me, so it just made both of us excited.
I started to read aloud.
“Dear Crimson,
Come to Canterlot. Now.
-Luna”
“That's it?” Spike asked incredulously.
I nodded. “Spike go get my wheelchair. I need to find Twilight and go to Canterlot. Luna's only ever informal when it's an emergency.”
“Ok Crimson.” Spike said with a salute he learned from Puck Unit.
Shortly, I was outside the Library in my wheelchair traveling through Ponyville with Spike walking beside me. I looked around the houses that were being reconstructed and all the damages being fixed as I went straight for the one place I knew Twilight would be: the construction site of the new and improved Sugarcube Corner.
“Twi!” I called as we approached the construction site. The new Sugarcube Corner was little more than a foundation, but I knew Twilight was doing the best she could along with the rest of the ponies who decided to help out.
“Crimson?” her voice called from inside the building, in the basement that was being re-done. A second later she popped into existence next to me. “What's wrong?” she asked nuzzling me when she came close. Spike made a gagging motion with his finger and mouth, but I ignored him.
“Luna sent a message to me. We have to go to Canterlot. Now.” I said quickly.
“Right now?”
“Yes.”
“Let's go then.” she said, her horn starting to glow.
“Nonononononono.” I said quickly. “We're going my way.” I said as I pushed myself out of the chair.
Twilight frowned. “Crimson you know...”
I cut her off by throwing a hoof over her shoulder and pulling Spike into our hug. I concentrated for less than a second and we were off.
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“Never again.” Twilight said after she threw up into a garbage can outside of the Royal Castle.
“It couldn't have been worse than your way you know.” I said as I floated above Twilight's head. She frowned at me and lowered me to her gaze.
“Never again.” she said seriously. I shivered.
“Ok. I get it.” I said, and she floated me to the right of her, just a tad off of the ground. Spike giggled at our exchange until Twilight shot him a stern look. I looked at him and shrugged.
We traveled through Canterlot Castle, earning a lot of strange looks from the guards, which turned into stranger looks when they found out that the Element of Magic was carrying the General of the Lunar Battalion throughout the castle by magic. After what seemed like forever, we came to the large twin doors that entered the throne room.
“I got it.” Spike said as he went to open the doors, but the doors beat him to it, opening before he could knock.
A midnight blue alicorn wearing glasses, looked back and forth until she saw me. She dashed out and grabbed me from Twilight's magical hold, taking me into the throne room. I saw Twilight and Spike shrug and follow us into the room.
I sighed and rolled my eyes, until I saw the ponies standing in the room.
There was ,of course, Celestia, Shining Armor,and Princess Cadence, but there was another pony I thought I'd never see again: Century Sentry.
Luna set me down in front of them and Century smiled.
“I thought I'd never see you again.”
“In a different time, you wouldn't have. But here I am.” he said, raising more questions than answers, as always.
Twilight's eyes grew wide as she saw who stood before me. “Who is this Princess?” she asked to her mentor.
“He is our older brother, my little pony.” she answered.
“What?” she shouted loudly.
“Yeah, it's a long story for another time.” Century said offhoofedly. “But I can see you have yourself stuck between a rock and a hard place.” he motioned towards me.
“Real funny.” I deadpanned at his stupid joke.
“Well? Go on brother. You said you could help him.” said Luna guiltily. She glanced towards me, and her stare said it all. She thought this was her fault.
“Well sister, I said I could try. We all know I am no Princess of the Earth.”
“Yes, but it's not like we have any other choice here.” Celestia replied. “You're stronger with this stuff than either of us.”
“Stuff?” I asked.
“Earth Magic. You know.” Century said, waiving a hoof around.
“Are you saying what I thing you're saying me?” Asked Twilight.
“You don't mean.....” Spike said.
“Yep.” said Century.
“So you're gonna heal me?” I asked in a whisper.
He just shrugged his shoulders. “Heal? Maybe. Make it so you can use your legs; Yes.” His horn started to glow and he closed his eyes. “Stand back everypony.” he commanded as he opened his eyes. Like back in Whitetail Woods, they glowed and showed an eternity of time and space that would drive a pony insane if they looked at them for too long.
I felt time stop once again. I glanced around and saw that Twilight, Shining, and Spike were all frozen, along with Celestia, Luna, and Cadence. No pony, not even alicorns, could escape time. I felt my flank pulse with energy as I was surrounded in Century's magic. He walked closer to me, bending the very fabric of reality around himself as he moved.
“You'll need to connect yourself to the Earth.” Century said in his god-like voice. I obliged silently and I could feel that his energy was connected to the Earth as well. It felt unnatural, yet like it was there from the beginning. It was a raw, coursing power, that threatened to overwhelm Me and the Earth itself, but it didn't. Century managed to control all of it. I could also feel that his energy combined with that of my own, and like the Earth's seeped into myself, however it felt unnaturally strong.
“Yes, I know.” Century said flatly as I shifted uncomfortably. “So how has life been?” he asked, his tone becoming more friendly as he did.
“Well I can't use my back legs, I've been in a wheelchair for the last few weeks, and almost died from petrification.”
“Not since I last saw you.” he said shaking his head, his god-voice echoing through my mind. “Since you left the Lunar Battalion.”
“I had PTSD you know.” I said angrily. He knew my story, I had already told him everything. “And it was all my fault.”
“Yeah, but if you could go back, would you change a thing?”
I thought for a second before a large smile came to my face. I remembered Oakleaf, which brought a pang to my heart, but my smile grew wider as I remembered her true last words, what she said to me in Ghastly Gorge. Then I thought about all the friends I made and were reunited with, and how even if the world seemed to be filled with hate and destruction, there's always love. Always.
“Never.” I replied to Century.
He smiled widely. “Good.”