It was a few days after the fateful meeting with Princess Celestia, and Little Gear was looking at all the metal parts she'd managed to get on order from Celestia herself. The chance to get the most expensive metals and kinds that would last a ponies' lifetime...and she only wanted the most basic of metals to work with, Iron. No copper-lined steel, or carbon fiber cores, not even the strongest of the precious metals would do for her. Little Gear wanted to be absolutely sure that by her hoof this was made, so she specified it to be a simple malleable iron.
“Dunno why you wanted it this way, but I believe all geniuses of their own caliber and measure deserve some leniency. This is merely just a hoof-full of bits worth, barely pocket change for some ponies. I believe you will find it just as useful as you imagine, Little Gear. Princess Celestia tasked me to find you this, so when I heard what it was...I scoffed at the idea. Its cheap, but considering your ideas and what they are to accomplish, I realized that you are a shrewd businesspony with a taste for the practical. I wish nothing but the best of luck to you, so that we may one day meet and I can give you a proper thanks for this most helpful of meetings.
Of Her Majesty's Special Services,
Cat's EyeP.S. Yes, I was at the hospital due to an injury in the line of work for our Princess. That whole 'miner pony' thing was just a cover to see if you were indeed the pony she was looking to meet. I'm also told that a current Royal Guard was sent to Ponyville for a friend of yours. Lightning Shaker, is it? If so, give Snow Star my regards later...perhaps when you grow up, Little Gear. It is imperative that I not break code, since it is uncommon for a Non-Agent to receive thanks.
P.P.S. Oh, one final thing, Little Gear. Return to your family once you've gotten that hoof made. There's been news lately about their roaring success in making heart-based stimulators or whatever they're called. Pace-something's, some nonsense like that. I believe you may find help with your project back where you began, Good luck...future genius.”
Little Gear didn't know what to make of this letter that came with the literal crate of iron that was shipped to the hospital, though all she did know is that the amount of iron here was more than enough for her to make her own leg...for now. She did know it would take more iron later on, when she got older and her legs were longer. But for the moment, it was more than sufficient. Granted, this did give her plenty to work with to build up a repertoire and menu of sorts for other ponies.
“...perhaps I could make a leg for Cat's Eye. He did send me all of this and it would be rude to only make my own leg with it.” she mutters, looking at the frozen flame-like crystal curiously. She smirks and sets to work on creating magic-based capacitors, the most basic of building blocks for the power source.
~~~~~Several Hours Later~~~~~~
There was a knocking at the door, snapping Little Gear out of her reverie of metal beating and careful work to fashion a workable magic channeling conduit.
“..yes?”
“Little Gear, lunch has arrived.” Nurse Redheart sing-songs, trotting in with the usual cart and easily setting up the food on the tray that slips out and around to the side of the bed. Redheart was so into her lunch setup that she hadn't realized Little Gear was standing on her own, working on the heaps of metal all over the floor next to her bed....at least, not until she went to check for the glass of water, which caused the light from the window to bounce off a particularly shiny bit of metal and make her squint. Her reaction was to stare at Little Gear, dumbfounded at the filly's energetic work as half of the prosthetic she was building had been created so far.
“L-little Gear...you did all of that so far?” she asks, the filly smirking and nodding before abandoning her project to start eating. It was only a slightly messy affair, mainly due to Little Gear's ravenous appetite. Nurse Redheart just keeps watch of the filly, occasionally glancing towards the shaped iron pieces that were littering the floor around the other hospital bed. Once Little Gear finally finished her lunch, Redheart simply gave a small smile, “Well, if you can clean it up, I think we may be able to move in another patient with you later today...”
“Another new pony to meet? Is it anypony who has a lost limb?” Little Gear implores, curious as her eyes sparkle and shine with a brilliance of wanting to help another like herself. Nurse Redheart smiles lightly, putting a hoof to Little Gear's mane and softly rubbing it.
“No, but she's a pony who needed some help recovering from some wing trauma. I heard they moved her out from Manehatten to here on the same basis as your treatment, so fresh air is important.” she states, giving a soft nod to Little Gear. The young filly just sighs and shakes her head, moving over to her piles of shaped iron and slowly returns to work.
“So, who is it that I'm going to have for a roommate now?” Nurse Redheart checks the list of patient names, noticing that this pony was listed as requiring anonymity for her name.
“I can't really tell you, but she has her reasons for privacy. I'm sure you'll get along just fine...she's a filly about the same age as you, maybe one year older. A pegasus if you need to know what kind of pony. Please have the area around the bed cleaned up by supper tonight, Little Gear?” there was a muttering along the lines of an affirmation of some sort as the mechanically-minded filly continues her work.
~~~~~~Several Hours of Work and Cleanup Passes~~~~~~
“Little Gear? Company has arrived...” Nurse Redheart states, a little flatly and walks in ahead of the pony to join them. There's a pause as Little Gear waits with baited breath, then instantly takes a sharp inhale at seeing...
“H-hi, Gear....” Snow Glider was back, and her wings looked in terrible shape...drooping and even losing a few feathers from the looks of it. She's avoiding eye contact with Little Gear so much, that she doesn't even notice her stance is shifting far enough to lean her half onto the other bed. There's just this long silence as Little Gear half-squints at Snow Glider, wondering and mentally accusing the pegasus of purposefully hurting herself to get here JUST to see her.
“Well, you two fillies play nice. Wouldn't want one of you to get hurt even worse from anything, all right?” Nurse Redheart says confidently, the two fillies barely recognizing her words as the Nurse heads out, shutting the door silently behind.
It was another twenty minutes or more before Snow Glider broke the silence, “Yeah....wing trauma. They can't rightfully say I'm losing my wings due to a peculiar disease...” This got Little Gear curious as she slowly moves closer to look at Snow's wings.
“....so jest what is dis den?” she mutters, Snow giving a wry grin at hearing that familiar accent all over again.
“Wull...its jus' a condition that slowly removes all'a my feathers, then the wings themselves. They call it 'Wing Rot', some sorta ol' Pegasi version of what happened to yer tail.” Snow says, blushing lightly as Little Gear gives a slight grin from that.
“I'll have ya know that my tail didn't rot out....it just didn't exist ta begin wit'.” she snarks back, before sighing and looking at the wings of Snow Glider again. She noticed a peculiar dark molting to 'em, which she lightly touched with a hoof before finding it stung something fierce and pulled back.
“...wull...they did say I'd have a lot of blood loss...but so far all that's come out is that dark stuff. I think they might'a said its supposta be feathers....but they don' feel like feathers atall.” Snow Glider remarks, as Solid Gear prods and checks Snow's wings for a bit. She even moves the wings lightly, just to see if any new feathers fall out. A single, bright white feather falls out and lands by Little Gear's hoof, the curious Earth Pony examining it.
“Hey....this one's completely normal. What gives? I thought one of the darks would've fallen out.” Gear mutters, Snow mildly nervous at the switch in accent. Little Gear then moves back and puts it on her bed, turning to Snow Glider, “You sure you didn' jus' make up that disease? Seems awfully fishy...” she mutters, staring Snow straight in the face.
“Well....uhm....” Snow fidgets, her wings shuffling and she yelps lightly as one extends out fully to show off that....while she was losing feathers, she was growing in new ones....but at a faster rate than they fell out or could be preened out. Much like an Earth Ponies' teeth could get crooked from growing in too quickly, Snow Glider's more adolescent wings were coming in quite awkwardly enough to prevent proper flight capability. The wing was quickly retracted in, as Snow blushed crimson to avoid looking any more incriminating.
“That would keep you grounded for half'a month, Snow....but you'll be outta here before I am.” she says, smirking lightly and returning to her prosthetic works, moving all the still-in-process pieces around to the clear area where she works. Snow Glider watches this, sitting on her bed.
“Wull....at least I kin keep ya company while ya wurk.” she mutters, Little Gear nodding silkenly as she lets the pegasus talk some more about things. It eventually turns to memories of home, how things used to be and suddenly enough.
“....I'm sorry for bein' such an idiot, Gear....” Snow Glider was looking away and Little Gear heard the faintest of sniffles. She slowly looks up from her work, spying that her old friend who was obviously trying really hard to revive their friendship....crying.
“If there's anypony who would deserve to not have a secon' chance. Its you. I really shouldn't....but ya kinda...wull, let's jus' say ya Grind Mah Gears a good bit more than ya used ta.” Little Gear states, trying her best to be tactful despite her really wanting to be honest and level with Snow Glider. There's a dead silence as Little Gear does some more work on her prosthetic, Snow Glider frozen with fear and sadness from what she'd just heard.
'I...I 'grind her gears'? Is that some odd way of tellin' me that I should try to be more helpful or....what?' Snow Glider thinks to herself, confused and baffled on top of all her other emotions. This just kept prolonging the silence...until finally.
“Look, Snow....I'm not keen on givin' other ponies secon' chances, but if yer willin' to try and fix things up...I can't say anythin' agains' ya.”
“Wull...then can we start over....from where we...first met?” Snow Glider asks, looking mildly more hopeful than she should be. Little Gear looks up and eyes Snow cautiously, then moves over and offers out her left hoof.
“Sure....My name's Little Gear...yours?” Snow Glider offers out her own left hoof to touch Little Gear's completing the hoofshake.
“Snow Glider....nice to meet ya.”