The Dawn Cometh
Original concept written and edited by Shanenator
Chapter 3: The Reality Strikes
*****
Warm…it’s so warm…the sun is wonderfully warm right now. I can just lie here forever, basking in this wonderful, glorious warmth…
Mmm…
The grass beneath me is cool and soft. There’s a light breeze blowing, gently stirring my hair and clothing. I slowly but surely blink my eyes open. Immediately, I squeeze them shut again as the suddenly blinding sun enters my vision. Slowly but surely, I manage to ease my eyes open once again, and after a few moments I manage to adjust to the bright midday sun. Squinting up at the large golden orb, I guess it’s about noon or so. Maybe a bit before.
I stare straight up in the air. It’s a beautiful day today. The warm sun bathes everything around me in a gentle glow. The sky is crystal clear blue, with small patches of white drifting lazily across its vast expanse…
Or are they being pushed…?
I suddenly realize that my glasses are no longer present on my face. Huh. Where did they go? I mean, I’m not TOTALLY helpless without them like some poor folks, but losing them certainly inhibits my ability to make out details at distances larger than about ten feet or so. Oh well, I’ll deal with that in a minute. I squint once again at the distant clouds, and sure enough it seems to me that there are small colorful patches pushing the clouds around…odd.
Then it hits me like a sack of bricks: I’m supposed to be in Equestria right now. Obviously, those clouds are being pushed around by pegasus ponies. No duh. One mystery solved. Then I remember the harrowing plummet to Earth (or Equestria now?) that just so happens to be the last thing I remember. So…am I dead? If I died, I highly doubt I’d still be in Equestria.
So I’m alive. Good…I think. But there’s NO WAY I could’ve survived a fall like that without sustaining some sort of injury. I try to sense my body without moving, attempting to discern any sources of pain. I get no sensory input from my arms, torso, or legs whatsoever. …Okay. Not sure if good or bad. Only one way to find out if I’m okay, I suppose.
Slowly but surely, I raise my right arm to a vertical position. Okay, so far so good. I experimentally swish it about and flex the fingers. As my arm undergoes a particularly complicated motion, I release an involuntary hiss of pain.
Ow! What was that? It came from…my forearm. A couple more flexes and hisses of pain confirm that yes, indeed, there is something wrong with my forearm. Probably broken. Not surprising, really, considered what I just experienced. Okay, well…I can live with that. I’ve never actually had broken bones before, so I am a bit disappointed that my perfect streak has to end, but I can certainly survive and heal from an injury like this. So far so…decent. Time for the left arm…
“AAAAUUUUGGGHH!!” I scream in pain as I try to move my left arm. It doesn’t move, and it hurts like HELL. A single tear escapes my eyes as I turn my head to look at my arm. I gasp in shock as I behold the contorted position it is lying in. That…that shouldn’t be possible.
Not good.
I take a moment to recover from the pain and examine my situation. It would appear…that my arm is dislocated at the shoulder. I gingerly lift my right arm and manage to pull my left into a more…normal position. I gently, so as to not disturb my injured right forearm, prod at different parts of my left arm to check for further injury. Fortunately, my left arm seems to be fine…except for the fact that I can’t move it whatsoever.
Steeling my nerves, I know what I have to do. If I’m to get out of here and get to help somehow, I probably need a fully-functional arm. At least, it would certainly raise my odds of survival. I slowly align my left arm in as normal a position as possible, which would be lying parallel to my torso. I wrap my right arm around my left, settling the left arm into the crook of my right, careful not to jostle my injured forearm. Taking a deep breath, I begin to squeeze my left arm into my torso.
“AaaaaaAAAAARRRGGGHHH!!!” My cries of sheer agony echo around the nearby surroundings. Oh god, it HURTS! I continue to scream like a crazed madman very loudly and vehemently, but I refuse to let up. I squeeze tighter and tighter. My left shoulder is literally on fire. My right forearm aches. I can’t stop screaming in agony…
*POP!* “YYEEAAARRGGHH!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!” With a sudden popping, crunchy noise that made me feel sick, my left arm re-socketed itself. Very, VERY painfully. I arch my back in pain, but that only hurt EVEN MORE, causing me to cry out in further agony. I collapse back on the ground, letting my arms fall limp at my sides, my chest heaving as I try to catch my breath and just recover.
The fact that moving my torso caused more pain is NOT a good sign. Yeah, I am probably very seriously hurt. As that thought sinks in, I smile grimly. Well at least I have a working arm. I tenderly start to move my left arm, rotating it about. I’m very pleased to find that no major lances of pain ensue, but there is definitely still a throbbing ache in my shoulder. But hey, I’ll take that over dislocation any day.
Now that I have a fully functioning arm, I’m able to assess the full damage to my right. Yeah, the forearm is DEFINITELY broken. I can feel the smaller bone in two pieces, but the larger seems to be intact. So what did I break? The…ulna I think? I don’t know. I don’t care, learning the names of all the bones in your body isn’t important to most people, myself included.
As another jolt of pain shoots through my brain, I let my right arm fall back to the ground. My vision is swimming. I suddenly have a thought: do I have any head injuries? Better find out. I raise my shaking left arm and feel my collar and neck. …All normal, it would seem. Good. Reaching up to my scalp, I feel about the top and back of my cranium. There’s quite a bit of blood, and…there. A rather large gash.
I withdraw my arm with a sigh. Great. I probably have a minor concussion, too. This just keeps getting better. I turn my thoughts to the pain in my torso I felt a moment ago. I lift my left arm again and probe the right side of my torso. …Everything seems fine. Now to test the left…
“Agh!” I gasp in pain and quickly withdraw my extended digits. Carefully, I gently probe my left side again, eliciting a hiss of pain. Okay, great. I have some broken ribs too. At least two. How could this possibly get any…wait, no, screw you universe. I ain’t saying it. Go to hell. With a groan of sheer agony, and leaning HEAVILY on my left arm, I manage to sit upright. My head throbs with pain as I steady myself.
Shaking my head once or twice, I blink my eyes back open, which I had shut in pain. I stare down at my legs. They…SEEMED normal, but if experience told me anything, it’s that looks can be deceiving. I quickly test my waist and hips by rotating my torso slightly. That wasn’t too bad… I test my pelvis with my left hand. It seems intact, although my right hip aches when I push on it. Maybe it’s bruised.
Now it’s time for the ultimate question: can I walk? I gently test both my thighs. They seem okay. The right knee seems alright. The left… I hiss in pain yet again as I touch the left knee. For some reason, pressing down on it hurts. I must have screwed up the kneecap somehow. Can I walk through an injury like this? Don’t know yet.
Gently, I roll over so that I am on all fours, like a dog or something, careful not to put weight on my left knee or right forearm. I quickly place my left leg beneath me and begin to rise. It seems to support my weight as long as I keep the knee mostly straight. With one final push, I rise to my full height, balanced on my left leg alone. I keep my knee locked straight in order to minimize the pain.
Alright! I can stand! Time to start walking…
“Yeeoooww!” Oops. Forgot to test the right leg. Big mistake. As soon as I take a single step, my right ankle buckles and I crash to the ground once again, landing rather painfully on my bruised right hip.
“Ow ow ow ow! Stupid, stupid, stupid!” I mutter angrily to myself as I fight down the pain. Pain is just weakness leaving the body, right? Yeah, right. Currently it’s the herald of my imminent death.
Okay, then. Status report: I have a minor concussion, my right forearm is broken, my left arm was dislocated, two or more of my left ribs are broken, my right hip is bruised, there’s something wrong with my left kneecap, and my right ankle is…something. Probably fractured, considering how it can’t support even a tiny bit of my weight.
Great. Juuust great. Here I am, stuck in the middle of god-knows-where, totally incapable of fending off the forces of the wilderness that will inevitably find me, just waiting for the first hungry monster to come wandering along. If something…malicious were to find me right now, I’m as good as dead.
Suddenly I had another thought: whatever happened to my savior? After all, if it weren’t for her efforts to slow me down, I would DEFINITELY be no more than a pink and red stain on the ground. I’ve certainly screamed enough to draw attention, why hasn’t she been drawn to my cries yet? Did she get angry that I kicked her off and leave? …Unlikely. She refused to let me go even when she might have gotten hurt because of it!
My heart warmed a bit as I thought of her selfless action. Or at least, attempted selfless action. Me, being the noble and chivalrous man I am, would have none of that nonsense. Women and children first, right? Or I guess, mares and foals…ah, screw it. I’ll find pony civilization first, THEN I’ll switch my terminology as appropriate.
Anyways, back to the matter at hand. No, not hoof, I’m still human at least. I unsteadily, and quite painfully, manage to stand again. Okay, so far so good. Looking around, I see that I’m in some sort of natural divot. Taking an awkward step forward with my locked left leg, I’m delighted when it doesn’t immediately give out. I shuffle my right foot forward, placing my weight on it for only a second, before thrusting forward with my locked left leg again.
Success! I took a couple of steps! Grinning with grim determination, I begin my unsteady hobble up the slight incline. I must look completely ridiculous right now, what with the way that I am both limping and constantly bent to my right due to my left leg being locked stiff as a board. But, hey! It’s progress! Rather…painful progress.
As I reach the crest of the slight hill, I pause for breath and look around. My breath catches in my throat as I finally take in the Equestrian landscape.
…Beautiful. It’s the only word I have for it. Fields of the richest, most vibrant green stretch off into the distance, the strands of grass gently flowing in the soft breeze. Behind me, a grand tree line stands, the leaves dark, rich green and the trunks a lively, earthy brown. In the far-off distance, a range of majestic purple, snow-capped mountains stand guard, ancient sentinels over this serene land. As I close my eyes and listen, the sounds of vibrant life resonant around me. Birds chirp merrily, squirrels chatter in a lively manner, and leaves rustle in the wind. I can even hear a small brook babbling its way along somewhere.
Equestria. It’s everything I ever dreamed of, and even more.
Hmm…water would be nice. But that can wait for a moment. Where is that gray pegasus pony? Seeing another rise a short distance away, I once again begin my unsteady hobble. Cresting that hill, I look about once again. “Hello?” I call unsteadily. I do a double-take at my own voice. I sound horrible! My voice is all raspy and dry-sounding. Guess I was out for a while. A slight disturbance in the serene backdrop reaches my ears. I turn towards the source. What I see takes my breath away yet again.
But for completely different reasons.
What I see…is something I swear right here and now I hope I never see again. In all my long years of watching the show, the thought always lingered in the back of my mind that situations like this remained a possibility. But it was the type of thought that we as a community agreed we never wanted to see. Only the most twisted of minds would take joy from a sight such as this, or indeed attempt to create such a visual. Yet here it was…just feet away from my own eyes. Eyes which I suddenly found difficult to see though due to the tears that sprang to them, unbidden.
Lying about ten feet away from me was a small gray and red pile.
I cursed rather loudly and began to hobble down the slope. “Derpy!” I rasped, the concern evident in my voice despite its horrid sound. “Derpy, are you alright?”
No response.
“Damn it, damn it, damn it…” I mutter as I finally reach her and, carefully, drop to my knees at her side. “Derpy…” I say sadly. “Come on, speak to me. Are you okay? Say something! Anything!” Desperate, I wrap my arms around her shoulders and neck and shake her slightly.
“Come on! Derpy, please…please…I’m so sorry…please be okay…” I can’t keep talking. A sob wells up in my chest and breaks free, my ability to fight it no longer prevalent. I begin to moan in desperation, tears now flowing freely from my eyes. I watch as a few of my tears fall on her gray and slightly reddened coat.
I still am unable to talk, simply holding the pony who saved my life moments ago and rocking gently, sobbing uncontrollably all the while. How did this happen? She’s a pegasus! How did…suddenly it hits me. I just kicked the clumsiest pegasus on the show in midair. Clearly, she was unable to recover and also slammed into the ground.
I killed Derpy.
My anguish soars to new levels upon this realization. A pained, agonized wail escapes my lips, echoing around the clearing. I’m a monster! I just killed my favorite background pony after being in Equestria for, what, five minutes? How? How could I have been so stupid? How did this happen? Why can’t I do anything right EVER? WHY?
“WHYYYY??” I scream in horrible anguish as the tears continue to flow. Time seems to blur as I simply sit there, crying, holding the unmoving form close to my chest. Eventually, I run out of tears to shed and my wails die down into gentle sobs. Suddenly, I feel something on my cheek. My eyes shoot open and a wave of relief washes over me as I behold something truly wonderful.
My gaze locks with a pair of bright golden orbs. There are tears flowing from them as well. I flick my eyes to the left and see a gray hoof resting on my cheek. Without hesitation, I pull the gray pony into a gentle embrace. “I’m sorry,” I whisper gently in her ear. “I thought I killed you.”
A soft chuckle is my response. “Nope…still alive…” she mumbled quietly.
I release her and stare back down at her. “But for how long? You look dreadful…” I trail off.
She smiles gently once again, but I can tell how forced it is. “Heh. You’re one t’talk…” I look down at myself and notice for the first time the bloodstains on my clothing, both old and fresh. It seems that the probing of my left side opened up some barely-healed wounds.
“Well,” I say quietly. “At least we’re both alive, huh? If it weren’t for you, I definitely wouldn’t be. Thank you,” I say sincerely. “Thank you so much. But…why did you let this happen to yourself? You should’ve just let go…”
A shake of her head silences me. “No…never leave a pony in need…” she mumbles quietly. I watch as she closes her eyes and heaves a pained sigh. Suddenly, she starts to cough violently, turning her head to the side. I cringe when I see blood spew from her mouth, painting the delightfully green grass a sickly red. “Ow…” My heart very nearly gives out from that one word. To see one of my beloved characters in such pain…it burns my very soul. I swear I’m going to go to hell for this.
I turn my gaze from her face and look over her body, trying to discern her injuries. Her limbs were splayed out in every which-way, some of them at very bad angles. “Derpy…” I say softly. “Where does it hurt?”
“Hurts ev’rywhere…hurts bad…” She screws up her face in pain. Another tear slips down my cheek. “Wings hurt most…” she manages to continue.
Uh oh. I gently roll her onto her side and begin to very, VERY carefully probe her wings. She whimpers softly in pain but says nothing. As for me, I’m resisting the strong urge to vomit. I have NO idea how wing anatomy really works, but there’s probably some sort of bone. But these…these ‘extremities’ simply flop about as if they have no internal structure whatsoever. If there are indeed bones in here, they are badly broken in multiple places. She probably landed right on them…
Suddenly, an inexplicable pain wells up in my own chest. I try to resist, but I can’t. I begin to cough violently as well. Screwing my eyes shut, I turn my head to the side and hack until the pain recedes. Ow…that wasn’t fun…
Opening my eyes, I’m shocked to see the grass I was facing is also stained red. Red with my own blood. Sure enough, a distinct metallic taste now fills my mouth. Turning back to Derpy, I meet her concerned gaze. She saw the whole thing. The glance we share speaks more than words ever could. It’s a stare that says ‘I’ve only just met you and now we’re both going to die.’
…No. No, I can’t let that happen.
My heart threatens to give out, but I soldier on. For her. I’ve never been too great with blood and stuff, but I force myself to remain calm. For her. As gently as I can, I fold her wings against her body in as natural a manner I can manage. She groans in agony, but we both know it has to be done. My will turns to iron as I look down once more at her quivering, shaking form. It’s time to take action. Time to redeem myself. Time to do the impossible.
For her.
“Derpy,” I plead, shaking her slightly. One eye cracks open in acknowledgement. “I need you to tell me where the nearest settlement is. We both need help, and lots of it.” She opens her eyes fully and squints up at the sky, but even I can see how unfocused her vision is. I’m surprised she can see anything through pain like that.
“Where…where’s th’ sun?” she mumbles. I point off to my left. She studies my arm for a moment, her vision actually focusing for a second or two, before pointing shakily to my right. “Ponyville’s that way…not too far I think…”
“Alright then,” I say, confidence gradually working its way into my voice. “Then that’s where we’re going!”
Derpy shuts her eyes again and trembles slightly. “Can’t move…go quick…”
I raise an eyebrow. “Oh, no. You’re coming with me!”
Her eyes widen in a panic. “But-”
“No buts!” I shout proudly, unsteadily rising to my feet over her. “You saved my life, and now it’s my turn to do the same! Come on, now!” I proclaim as I gently pick her up and hug her close to my chest, careful not to disturb her wings. She’s not that heavy, really, but my injured forearm and shoulder immediately scream in agony. I completely ignore them, though. I AM going to save her! I AM! “I’m going to get you help!”
“Th-thank you…” she murmurs quietly before closing her eyes once again.
“You just hang on, okay? Don’t you DARE die on me! We’re both gonna be fine!” Setting my gaze forward, I gulped once before taking my first hobbling step. There was another hill to climb, this one quite a bit higher than the others, but nothing, NOTHING could stop me now!
‘Time to be a man, Shane…’ I think grimly as I begin my long, painful trek towards Ponyville, precious cargo nestled unsteadily in my shaking arms.
*****
“You must be swift as a coursing river…” I mutter under my breath. The same song has been playing in my head for the past…however long it’s been, but I don’t mind at all. It’s actually been quite invigorating. Nothing like some epic music to inspire one to do the near-impossible. By now I’m almost at the top of the hill. That’s the good news.
The bad news? I think I’m going to die. Both of my legs burn in agony. My ankle is swollen and throbbing, and my sock is stained with fresh blood. My left leg is stiff and sore. The left side of my shirt is soaked red. My shoulder and right forearm feel ready to give out from the exertion I’m forcing upon them. My breath is ragged and my vision constantly swims in and out of focus.
But I have to keep going! I have to!
For her.
Cresting the hill at last, I pause to catch my breath and survey the idyllic surroundings. I release a sigh of relief as I take in the sight of a quaint little town a short ways away from the base of the hill. As my eyes pan over the gentle landscape and the homely buildings, a release yet another gentle sigh of relief and astonishment.
Ponyville, in all its glory. Exactly like one would imagine.
And, more importantly, Ponyville General Hospital is now just a few hundred feet away. Releasing a groan of agony and shifting my grip on Derpy, who has grown frighteningly still since I found her, I begin to stagger down the hill towards the town. However, it is quite difficult to walk down a steep incline, still slick with morning dew, with two injured legs and a rather significant weight in one’s arms.
Thus, the inevitable occurs. Releasing a cry of alarm as my right foot hits a particularly slick patch, it of course buckles completely and I lose my balance. Quickly twisting myself about, I land hard on my back and proceed to slide down the rest of the hill, screaming the whole time in pain and alarm. I feel my back get cut open by a couple of stray rocks that I rather painfully run over.
“Aaaaaahhh!”
I eventually slide to a stop with a groan of pain. My back and butt hurt…a lot. That hill wasn’t exactly a cushion of pure grass. Looking up, however, I see that I actually traveled quite a distance rather quickly. In the grand scheme of things, I should probably be thankful that happened. I doubt I could have gotten down the hill faster.
I turn my gaze back to the gray pegasus. To my great relief, her eyes are open and regarding me with evident concern. “What…happened? Y’okay?”
I nod. “Yeah…just slipped. Sorry.” She blinks once in response. The sluggishness with which she does so is rather concerning. “Listen, Ponyville’s just a short ways away. I’m going to try to stand and keep going.” A barely imperceptible nod in response. Come on, Derpy, just hang on…
I slowly roll over, placing most of my weight on my good right knee. Locking my left leg, I slowly and shakily begin to rise. The pain in my legs and arms burns fiercely, and my side feels about to explode, but I force myself to stand.
For her.
“With all the force of a great typhoon…” Aw, yeah. That’s the spirit. Unsteadily, I begin my slow unwieldy hobble once again, eager to reach the safety of Ponyville.
*****
I…where am I? Oh, right. Equestria. Near Ponyville. How…how did I get here? …I don’t remember. Not important. Probably hurt myself, though. I mean, I’m in pretty bad shape. EVERYTHING hurts. Hell, I can’t even see straight! This is sooo great! Never been better! Heehee!
…I think I’m losing it. Why is it so hot? Why is my throat so dry? Why is that colorful blob over there screaming and running away? I dunno. Who cares.
Seriously, heat. Go away. You’re not helping. I’m in the middle of doing something…important. I don’t know what yet, but I know it’s important. Having you make me feel like collapsing doesn’t help. At all.
How far have I walked? …Dunno. How long? …Don’t know that either. Time flies when I’m having fun, right? Or rather, undergoing the worst suffering in my life. I can’t…really…feel my legs anymore. They used to hurt. Now they’re just…kinda numb. Is that bad? Might be. I dunno.
Who cares, right?
…Why am I carrying this…thing? Hmm…doesn’t look so good. Awfully bloody. Guess it’s hurt too. Ooh, maybe I can find some medicine here! I would love to ASK if all these stupid colorful blobs would stop running and screaming for ten seconds!
Guess it can’t hurt to try right? …Why can’t I talk? All I can do is make this funny rasping noise. Don’t think that helps. Pretty sure I heard at least a few more screams just now. A nearby pink blob just fell over. That’s odd. It was really busy shouting ‘the horror’ just a moment ago. …Why does that seem familiar?
Dunno. Who cares.
Pain…pain sucks. It is all-consuming. When one is in pain, all you can do is think about it. I think it’s driving me crazy. My arms feel about to fall off. I’m pretty sure I’m spilling my guts out my left side it’s so wet. My head is pounding. Why…why won’t the path stay straight? It keeps wavering and…and…
Whoof. Okay, break time. Can’t keep walking. Too difficult. Why am I carrying this…thing again? It’s sooo heavy, maybe I can just…set it down and take a short breather. I can do that, right? Right? …Why do I get the nagging feeling that’s not a good idea? I don’t understand anymore. I’m just hot…and hurting…and tired…and thirsty…and…and really, REALLY dizzy…
Oh look, more blobs! One of them is even purple! Heehee, I love purple! And it’s standing right in front of me. And…they aren’t running? Oh good, maybe I can finally get some…whatever it is I wanted to get. Suddenly, a voice rings out. “You! Stop right there!”
Stop? …Okay, I know how to do that. I slowly stop shuffling my feet and stand still under that hot, hot sun. Seriously, I’m baking here! My legs also still hurt like hell. Or are they numb? …I can’t really tell. It doesn’t matter. Can I sit down, maybe? I should ask. “Ha…hack…” Hmm, nope still just that annoying raspy noise. Seriously, not being able to talk sucks. Like, big time.
The blobs seem to step back a pace. “I…” the voice from before speaks again, but it seems to be wavering. “I have no idea what you are, or what you did to Derpy, but if you just put her down we can…” The rest of what the voice is saying fades away as I concentrate on the words. Derpy? What’s that? Who’s that? Why does it seem so…familiar?
Then it clicks. Oh yeah, Derpy is the thing in my arms. She needs…stuff…too. That’s why I’m here in Pomegranatetown, right? Wait, no…was it…Pawnington? Prancy City? I don’t remember. Not important. That’s why I’m here. Right here where I stand. For stuff. Definitely.
What…what was I doing again?
“Hey!” The voice, which definitely sounds female, snaps me back to reality. …Kinda. Still hot. Still blobby. Still wanna sit down. “Were you even listening? Put her down right now, or I’ll make you!”
Uh oh. Now I’m being threatened by blobs. Who knows what freaky powers they might have? Better do as Her Blobbiness commands. Wait…no…I can’t put her down. There’s a reason for that. I know there is. Just…what is it?
Suddenly it hits me. I remember it all. The fall. The crash. Finding her…things are bad. REALLY bad. We need help. I have to tell the blobs! I cough repeatedly trying to clear my throat, desperate to manage a single sentence. “Ha…harrgh…help…” Success! A word! “Help…us…”
There…did it…why aren’t the blobs saying anything? They’re just standing there. Hello? Time for round two, I gue-
“Take THIS ya freak!” a brash voice suddenly rings out.
Oh, dear.
The impact to the back of my head is swift, brutal, completely unexpected, and very, very painful. My vision goes black as I cry out in pain. All I can see is stars as I screw my face up in pain. I feel myself pitching forward. I’m going to faceplant right into the ground…great…
Wait…I can’t fall on Derpy! No no no no no! Without wasting a second, I thrust my arms out before me.
*THUD.*
I hit the ground. HARD. It doesn’t hurt, though. At least, not when compared to the pain I’ve been experiencing for the last…however long it’s been. Eternity for all I care. Derpy, however, cries out with a shriek of agony. My heart twists in on itself at the sound. I suck a deep breath in, but immediately start coughing from the amount of dust I pulled in. Yeah, these roads sure are dusty. It’s all over the right side of my face now. It’s in my mouth and nose, too. Yumm.
That seemed to do the trick at least. The blobs suddenly spring into action, their panicked voices mingling with their multitude of frenzied hoofsteps. The bright sun above me is blocked out, presumable by bodies huddled over us.
Above all the commotion, though, one voice rings out quite loudly: “RAINBOW DASH!! Of ALL the stupid, thoughtless, boneheaded…whamby pooofy moooormboooo…”
Hehehe. She sounds funny. In fact, everything sounds funny. It’s like listening to a song or movie in slow motion. Slooooow moooootiooooon…heehee! This is fun! Everyone sounds so silly! I don’t know why, but it’s certainly amusing.
There are hooves touching my arms now. Pretty sure it’s not intentional, though. They obviously just want to check on Derpy. That’s fine, she probably needs…the thing more than I do. Man, I wish I could think straight right now. It would be nice. I feel like I’m supposed to be doing something. But…I can't. I definitely can’t. My body hurts all over. I feel like I’m breaking apart. I am literally incapable of moving anything…I should just lie here and fall asleep…
Even with my eyes closed, I can make out a soft purple glow nearby. I wonder what that is? I can’t open my eyes, though. They refuse. My hearing does start functioning enough to pick up a few snippets of conversation, though: “…injured badly…immediate medical attention…team from Ponyville Hospital immediately!”
There’s several vibrations in the ground as several of the blobs hurry off. Well, I guess they’re not really blobs, are they? I am in Ponyville, after all. They’re probably ponies. Galloping off to…do pony stuff I guess. Wait, no…they’re going to get help. Help! That’s right. That’s what we need. Good…mission accomplished, now I can sleep…
*****
I slowly feel myself returning to consciousness. There are more voices now. Most of them are very serious, shouting short orders to each other. Suddenly, the weight on my arms is gently lifted away. I instinctively reach my arms up after her.
No! Derpy! They can’t take her from me! I had to do something! She needs me for…something! I release a groan of anguish and try to push myself up to look around for her. I blink my eyes open but the blinding sun immediately sends me reeling. Shielding my eyes with my left arm was a bad idea, too. Immediately my right arm buckles and I collapse once again to the dirt, crying out in pain.
Well, this is it then…I failed her. Sorry, Derpy, I tried…I really did…
There’s a gentle pressure on my right side. The pressure increases, and I feel no need to resist. Slowly, I’m rolled over onto my back. Suddenly, there’s a cool rag being pressed into my face. It slowly but surely works its way around my forehead, cheeks, and chin, carefully wiping away all the dust, grime, and sweat that accumulated there.
What I feel next can only be described as heavenly.
Something cool and smooth is pressed against my lips. Instinctively I part them, and am rewarded with a soft trickle of ice-cold water entering my parched mouth. I gently swish it around and swallow. “That’s it, drink up dear,” a voice softly soothes.
The next few minutes are spent gulping down small mouthfuls of delightfully cool and crisp water. Eventually my thirst is slated considerably. Flexing my now dampened throat muscles and clearing my throat, I manage to speak. “Thank…thank you…needed that…”
“You’re very welcome. You were most dehydrated,” the voice says again. I don’t quite recognize the voice, though. I want to see who is responsible for such acts of kindness!
“Can…can I open my eyes?” I mumble.
A pause. “I don’t see why not. Here, I’ll block out the sun for you.” The light threatening to pierce my closed eyelids darkens. Hesitantly, I blink open my eyes. It takes a moment or two to adjust, but sure enough a form of a pony is standing between my eyes and the bright sun. I can’t see its face, though. With the sun behind it all I can see is a dark blur.
Suddenly, the pony beckons to something off in the distance. “Yes, over here! Put that cloud right there if you would please, Cloudchaser. Yes, that’s perfect thank you.” The pony steps to the side, revealing a dark gray semi-bright disk where the sun used to be, and I can finally see who she is. I gasp in recognition. White fur. Pink mane done up in a bun. Gentle blue eyes laced with care and concern. White cap with a red cross adorning it perched on her head.
Nurse Redheart.
Wow…I really am in Equestria. I really am in Ponyville. Unbelievable. I just…I can’t…wow. Just…wow. I want to tell her I know who she is. But as I open my mouth to speak, I pause. On second thought, it might be a bad idea to tell every pony I meet that I already basically know who they are. How creepy would that be? It would lead to questions. Lots of questions. Probably from a particular purple unicorn I just so happen to know lives in these parts. Better to avoid that whole situation altogether.
“Thank…thank you. For everything.” She simply smiles. “Who…who are you?”
“My name is Nurse Redheart, dear,” she replies gently. “Don’t you worry none, you’re in good hooves.”
“And…Derpy?” I mumble.
A look of distress crosses her face at the mention of that name. “She…she’s being rushed to Ponyville Hospital as we speak. She’s hurt badly.”
I nod sadly. “I know…I know. I…might be the cause of that…” I say.
A dark look envelops her features. Oops. Might not have wanted to say that. “You didn’t do that on purpose, right?” she asks in a suddenly cold voice, struggling to maintain what was obviously anger.
I feel my face pale. I am hasty in my response. “No! No…no no no…of course not.” I breathe a sigh of relief as her face melts once again into an expression of care and gentleness. “I couldn’t…I wouldn’t ever…”
She reaches to the side and picks up the rag again, wringing it out slightly. “Of course not. I’m sorry I ever thought you would,” she says softly as she begins to gently wipe my face again.
“It’s…okay,” I respond. “Totally understandable, really.” She regards me with a thoughtful expression before simply nodding and returning to her work. “Is…she gonna make it?”
Redheart frowns slightly. “I can’t say for sure, but she’s with some of the best doctors in Equestria right now. If anypony can save her, it’s them.” Seeing my troubled expression, she smiles gently. “Oh, don’t worry hon. I’m pretty sure she’ll turn out alright.”
I release a shaky breath and smile softly. “Good…good. She saved my life, you know. I can only hope…I returned the favor…”
Redheart raises an eyebrow questioningly. “She did now? How?”
“I was falling,” I explain between pants. Is it just me, or is it getting harder to breathe? “She slowed me down, but couldn’t stop our fall. So I…I kicked her off. Didn’t want her to get hurt.” I feel a tear roll down my cheek. “You saw how that worked out…”
The cool rag gently brushes the tear away. “Don’t you worry, dear. She’ll be fine. I’m not surprised she wouldn’t let go, she’s such a sweetheart.” I nod in agreement but say nothing. “And that’s how she got hurt?” Another nod. “You as well?” Right again. “And then you carried her here, despite your injuries?”
“That’s…that’s right,” I gasp.
She seems to notice my strained response and frowns slightly. “Well. You have nothing to be ashamed of, dear. I think you just made the difference in her battle for survival.” I simply nod, too busy gasping for air to respond. Why is it so hard to breathe? “Now, I want you to tell me everything you can about your injuries.”
Right…my injuries…oh, how they hurt. “Okay…let’s see…” I look her straight in her caring blue gaze and find the strength to speak. “Alright. I think…have a minor concussion…” She nods once, slowly walking over to my head to examine it. “Right forearm…broken…”
“I realized that,” she affirms.
“Left shoulder was dislocated…left ribs broken…”
“Yes, that looks rather serious,” she mulls to herself, noticing the rather large bloodstain in my T-shirt that used to be blue. “Rather handy that you already had some clothes on, though. Useful for soaking up the blood. What else?”
“Uhh…right hip…bruised I think? Not sure…” I hiss in pain as she prods it experimentally, her forehead creased in thought. “Right ankle…really messed up…fractured probably…” She nods again, glancing worriedly at my right leg.
“And…something wrong…with my left knee…kneecap, probably…”
She frowns yet again. “Kneecap? …Here you say?” I nod in affirmation, and then groan slightly when she presses on my knee. “Hmm…and yet you could walk…”
“Barely,” I respond. Why, oh WHY can’t I breathe properly?
“Nurse Redheart!” a new voice calls out. Suddenly a purple pony I immediately recognize enters my field of view. “The medical staff is almost done fashioning a new stretcher. They should be here in ten minutes or so.”
Redheart nods. “Thank you, Twilight.” Turning back to me with a rueful smile, she speaks again. “I’m afraid our current facilities are unequipped to deal with species of your size,” she explains. “We’re having to improvise on the spot.”
I simply nod. “S’alright…makes sense ‘n all…” Twilight seems to notice my strained response as well and looks down at me with concern.
“Nurse Redheart…is it okay?”
“Its condition seems to be deteriorating,” she replies worriedly.
“I’m…a he…thank you very much…”
“Oh,” Twilight responds, blushing slightly. “Do you have a name?” she asks curiously. Oh boy, here come the questions.
“Twilight…” Redheart began in a warning tone.
“My name…you can…call me Shane…” I stutter out.
“Nice to meet you, Shane,” she replies politely. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, proprietor of Ponyville Library and personal student of Princess Celestia of Equestria. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“Likewise…” I gasp.
“Um, but if you don’t mind me asking…what exactly are you?” she asks curiously, bending down to examine me closer. “I’ve never seen anything even remotely like you, or read about anything in my books remotely resembling-”
“Twilight,” Redheart says again.
I decide, perhaps unwisely, to answer her question anyways. “I’m a…human…”
“Human?” Twilight says uncertainly, screwing her face up in concentration. “Human…human…can’t say I’ve ever heard of those. Maybe if I sent a letter to the-Shane!”
I don’t hear anything past that. I’m too busy coughing horribly. I squeeze my eyes shut, turn my head to my right, and cough like there’s no tomorrow. And oh god, does it hurt too. Even worse than my first coughing fit. I think I hear Redheart calling out worried instructions in the background. At some point, a pair of hooves picks up my right hand and cradles it gently. I won’t lie, the simple touch was quite comforting.
As the last painful cough dies away, I groan in discomfort and open my eyes. I’m quite dismayed to see a rather large red stain on the dirt path before my face. That can’t be good… Looking back up at Redheart and Twilight I grin sheepishly. Both of them look very worried though.
“S-sorry…I-”
“Shh,” Redheart cuts me off. “Don’t be sorry. You’re clearly hurt quite badly. Just lie still.”
I nod, but panic begins to well in my chest as I realize I can just barely breathe. “R-red…help…c-can’t…breathe…” I gasp between short, stuttering breaths. This is it, then. I’m going to die here. Awesome.
Both ponies’ eyes widen in a panic. “Oh no! Redheart, what’s wrong with him? Why can’t he breathe? What should I do?” Twilight’s mouth is running a mile a minute in worry. I can almost see the nervous breakdown coming on with the way she’s practically hopping in place with anxiety.
“I don’t know,” Redheart quickly replies, peeking at my bloody side. Suddenly her eyes go wide. “Oh dear…I think he may have a punctured lung.”
“Sounds…’bout…right…” I gasp, feeling the need to offer my own paltry medical experience.
Redheart shoots me a glare. “No talking. Lie still and just try to breathe,” she orders as she wets the rag again and gently tries to dab at my side. I hiss in pain. “Sorry,” she apologizes before resuming her work.
Twilight suddenly looks away, and an expression of relief washes over her face. “Redheart! The medical team is here!”
“Oh, thank Celestia,” she breathes.
Suddenly I’m surrounded by ponies, noise, and movement. I feel myself lift gently into the air, probably by magic, before settling into what feels like a soft bed. Although, it’s not quite long enough seeing as my legs dangle over the edge by a few inches or so. Redheart’s voice rings out in the background, evidently explaining my injuries as quickly as she can. All the while, it’s all I can do to keep sucking down short, painful gasps of air. Normally I’d be ecstatic to see magic in action, but right now…I’m a bit distracted.
Redheart’s face reenters my vision to my left. “Hold on, dear. We’re running you to the hospital now.”
A gruff voice from somewhere calls out: “alright ponies, let’s MOVE! Get out of our way! Emergency!” There’s a sudden thundering of hooves, and I feel my support start to move, taking me with it. Redheart moves along with me, although it’s pretty obvious she’s running. I simply stare at her face, focusing on the caring expression there.
But…wait…wasn’t there another pony? Where is she? “T…Twi…”
A worried expression crosses over Redheart’s face and she beckons to something behind her. In a purple flash, Twilight is on my right, also running next to me. “What? What is it? Is he okay?”
“He’s traumatized,” Redheart replies quickly. “Best to keep some familiar faces in view.” Turning her attention to me, she speaks again. “Focus on my voice, Shane. Focus on breathing. Think of a happy place. Of your home.”
“Wherever that is…” I hear Twilight mumble.
“Home…Earth…” I gasp out.
I grin when I see Twilight’s ears perk up. “Earth? Where’s that?”
“Far…away…”
“How’d you get here then?” Redheart looks about to shoot a warning glare at Twilight, but seems to realize that I like answering her questions. Which I do. As for getting here? Hah. Funny story, that. I fell through a hole in the sky, of course.
“Fell…through a ho-”
OW! OH GOD! PAIN! PAAAIIN! PAIN LIKE I’VE NEVER FELT BEFORE! SEARING THROUGH MY VERY CONSCIOUS! COURSING THROUGH MY BODY! IT’S LIKE A BOLT OF FIERY LIGHTNING! OH GOD, IT BURNS!!
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUGGGGHH!!”
Blackness.