Six years.
It's been six years since Love Tap has had a taste of alcohol. Six long, sober, and happy years. She gave It up around the time she got pregnant with Button...
But now, Love Tap was nursing a fairy old bottle of Sweet Apple Acres hard cider. She's had this bottle in reserve for a VERY long time, she was quite the party mare when she was young.
Fast forward nine years.
The stress of this situation finally got her to call up Mrs. Booze. Twilight had the foresight to put a soundproofing spell around the house when she poured the phoenix tears down the aliens throat, she also relocated herself to another room in the house. The reaction to that action was...
Immediate.
One second it was still and silent in the house. A metaphorical calm before the storm if there ever was one, because the second the tears were down the aliens throat, Twilight was screaming in agony. Crying and writhing on the ground...
But that wasn't even the worst part.
What drove Love Tap to the bottle wasn't her screams of agony. No, her profession makes her deal with patients screaming in agony almost on a regular basis. Thank Celestia that she mostly dealt with either sick foals or the occasional accident...
It's when Twilight started to beg Love Tap to end her life was what broke her from her years of sobriety.
'Please...end me! Make the p-pain...stop...please.'
Love Tap took a big gulp of her hard cider after remembering that...and many more of Twilight's desperate pleas to end her pain...permanently. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she tried to shake the memories away...
She wouldn't be able to count on the cider when she fell asleep...her nightmares would be prolific tonight...
Especially the last few moments of Twilight's pain... when she started giggling... then laughing maniacally... while crying.
Love Tap called the paramedics... after locking herself in her room to wait out Twilight's episode.
She didn't know what a meat bicycle was, and she certainly didn't want to be Twilight's new one. Thank Celestia she didn't go out to the town in that state...
And that was another swig.
That really didn't help her stress levels, though she handled it better than the average mare. One; because she personally knew and worked with the ponies in the emergency response unit, two; because her job made her (downright forced her) take stress management sessions (though, being a mother would be the biggest cause for those classes), three; Twilight's letter, and finally, the fact that she dealt with crazy ponies before.
She didn't bother to read the letter, it was meant for the paramedics who would care for Twilight....and she had a feeling that the less she knew about all the ripples that this event sent out, the better she could sleep at night.
After the medics took her away, sweating bullets due to the sudden pressure of the entire situation. Love Tap brought out her booze and started drowning her troubles in the drink she gave up long ago...
The first swig almost made her cough it back up again. She didn't have the stomach for the stuff that she had before Button was born, and it was coming back to bite her...
'Button...'
That reminded her. Soon enough, Button would come back from his field trip. He would most likely want to tell his entire day to her, paraphrasing, like only the imagination of an eight year old can. At least she had something to look forward to.
Which reminded her of another topic...an 'alien' one at that.
'How long has it been since the poor dear has eaten anything?' She thought to herself as she put her bottle away and trotted, with the slightest difficultly, to the kitchen to prepare at least something edible for the alien, which reminded her of yet another topic...
She didn't even know what the alien ate.
She couldn't assume that he ate flowers, hay, and grass. So, she settled on, even in the extreme diversity of her world, a universal food.
Bread, and water...
Lots of it.
So with that in mind, she got some bread and water. She put some jam to the side just in case the...'human', as Twilight called it, was able to digest that...
Stairs are annoying.
In her, slightly buzzed, state of mind, she was having a slightly difficult time going up to the second floor. Drinking almost half a bottle of hard cider before tending to an alien might've not been the best idea.
She had to thank her luck that phoenix tears also act like a relaxant...after the whole 'unbearable pain' aspect of the liquid had passed.
She wished that Twilight would have the same effect done on her...but it was the human who physically took the tears, not Twilight.
Love Tap suddenly felt her body grow heavy, she was right in front of the door leading to where the human was resting. She was nervous, she never interacted with this...being when it was actually conscious. Her hoof was centimeters away from the door, but she couldn't bring herself to open it. Too many things were going through her head, too many questions for her to keep track of...
With an audible gulp, she slowly closed the gap between her hoof and the door. As soon as her hoof touched the handle, something stopped her from opening the door, something...audible.
"Are you...going to stand there all day, or are you going...to come in?"
The voice was male, raspy and tired, but definitely male. It was quite, low, and controlled. The voice made Love Tap gasp.
'He...he's been awake all this time?'
A coughing fit drove her out of her shock induced stupor as she slowly opened the door and carefully trotted her way into the room. When she did, she finally got a look at the humans face when it actually displaced emotion. He was holding...what she believed to be 'hands' to his mouth. He was currently sitting up on the bed he was resting on, his back was bend towards his hands as he coughed violently.
Love Tap immediately, but cautiously, made her way over to the human. She placed the tray that held the food on the nightstand next to his bed.
"I brought some water and bread, can you eat any of this?"
His coughing subsided, and he slowly brought his hand next to the bread on his left. He put his hand on the bread, and carefully moved his hand until he felt the glass of water. He picked it up and slowly began to drink. After he was done with the water, he put the glass down and took the bread from its tray. He slowly began to bite and chew the savory loaf. The speed he was going at suggested he was savoring every last bite. He must have smelled the jam, because the remaining pieces of bread were coated with some of the delicious spread. With the help of Love Tap of course.
She was right, he was blind.
"Thank you...I don't know how long...I've been unconscious, but it must've been a long time for me to be starving like this...I apologize if I've become a burden to you."
Love Tap was shocked at his 'apology'. Everything...all of this that stemmed from Twilight's borderline narcissistic curiosity, her pain...Twilight's pain, and her loss of sobriety was completely out of his control. But, he still puts the blame on himself? Even though he was ignorant of the full situation...it still baffled her.
"Dear...this isn't your fault in the slightest! If anypony is in a position to apologize, it would be me..."
He sighed.
"Figured as much..." he said quietly as a single cough escaped him.
Love Tap was confused at the uttering of this sentence, "ummm, figured what, dear?" she asked.
"I knew you weren't human...that you had to be some sort of quadruped-." he was cut short by another cough, "excuse me, your...use of the term 'anypony' confirmed my theory..."
Love Tap grew tense.
"How...did you know I wasn't human?" Love Tap asked. She didn't know whether to be impressed, or cautious. She knew a couple of blind ponies, and all of them needed help round the clock, even to do the simplest tasks...
Of course, those ponies weren't blind since birth like the human in front of her, at least, she assumed that.
"A lot of things clued me in to your... well there isn't a word for it, or if there is, I don't know it. So I'll just make one up...Nonhumanness...we'll go with that.... but I don't want to bore you with the details."
"Umm..."
The human coughed, "Yes?"
"Could you please tell me how you were able to deduce that I wasn't human? I mean... if its not a bother to you."
Love Tap, despite her earlier hesitation to confront this alien, was actually curious to know how a mind, pony or no, adapts to life without eyesight, since birth. The other senses must've been extremely amplified to compensate for the lack of sight. Alien or no, he was going to live here... for a while. So she wanted to get to know him better.
"Really?" The human said with a confused tilt of his head. Love Tap only nodded.
"Well, when you came in, the sound your hooves made when they came into the room did not sound like you came in with two legs, so that's where the quadruped theory came from." He coughed a couple of times more before Love Tap brought out a cough drop that she always had handy, being a nurse gave her some quirky habits.
He took the cough drop, uttered a quiet 'thank you', and put it in his mouth.
Love Tap was very impressed at how the alien was able to find out that, and she voiced her feelings with a bit of awe.
"Wow...that's amazing!" She said with a smile. The human smiled back...but then he frowned, as if remembering something.
"I also heard those screams...it's really hard to stay asleep when you hear screams of agony... what happened?"
Love Tap frowned, remembering Twilight's...reaction.
"Oh dear...in your current state of health, I think it's best that know... I'll tell you if you want, but-"
Her sentence was cut off by another round of violent coughing. This time he spit out a trace amount of blood, Love Tap knew this would happen...
She knew that they didn't use enough tears to heal him completely. Heck, she only used enough tears to guarantee his survival, bare minimum.
That was the problem with phoenix tears, they could heal any wound, sure, but their universal use is dampened by their extremely painful side affects...
If enough tears are used, the pain would be so great that the patient would risk a heart attack from sensory overload, no pain medicine in the history of Equestria has been strong enough to numb the pain of phoenix tears. Diluting it in water didn't work either. Twilight's alicorn state wasn't just for show, the amount of pain she received could have easily caused a cardiac infarction in regular ponies.
Of course, Love Tap knew this, via Twilight. But even the mighty Princess Celestia couldn't take eight ounces...
Eight ounces.
And that...is saying a lot. Because Twilight only took the pain of 3 ounces of tears, and she...broke.
After his initial coughing fit, Love Tap rubbed his back all the while, he laid down on the bed and sighed.
"Well...that certainly was unpleasant." He said with a rasp. He tried to clear his throat, but that just set of another coughing fit, much smaller than the previous though.
"Dear...I'm so sorry your in this state, I...I'll get you some medicine." She said as she started to move away, slightly ashamed of herself for thinking that this ill being could pose a threat.
The human, between bloodied coughs and rasps, chuckled, "If you keep calling me dear; then I'm gonna have to call you honey...Honey." he only got a confused look from Love Tap...
Not that he could see it, of course.
"Oh...my names not honey, though she is a very nice mare, and an excellent nurse."
The human just gave her a bewildered look.
"...That was a joke..." He deadpanned.
"It...it was?"
"...Yes...yes it was...what...what is your name?"
"Oh! How rude of me, my name is Love Tap...may I ask what yours is?"
"...Your...name is two words....put together?"
"Yes...is...that odd in your culture?"
"But...names are supposed to have an implicit meaning behind them...the combination of two words though..." He trialed off as he shook his head in utter disbelief, "I just...I...I don't even-"
A short, but violent cough broke him out of his confusion. Some blood got on the blankets.
"Sorry..." He said as he plopped back onto the bed.
"I'll...get you some medicine dear...please get some rest." She closed the door and made her way to the bathroom, forgetting to ask about the humans name.
She felt ashamed really, that she thought of this human as a dangerous wild card. Even though it was a justifiable suspicion. She still felt bad for thinking that.
When she was conversing with him, she knew that this human was genuine. At least, that's what she got after talking to him. Though, every time he coughed, she felt her heart wrench. She knew that it would take a while for him to heal, even with the literal 'second wind' the tears gave him. It would take weeks for him to fully heal from his wounds...
Weeks they didn't have.
The stress was momentarily forgotten because of the interesting conversation with the alien...
But now it all came back at full force.
She had more things going through her mind to count. How the other princesses would react, how ponyvillie would react, how Twilight's friends would react...
How Button would react...
Button...
Button!
'Oh...buck how will Button react to this!? He's coming from his field trip soon! This is not good...'
Everything else was hard to take in sure...but Button was always her top priority. No exceptions.
She got the medicine, a yellow potion, made by zebras, called 'Saradomin Brew'. Though she would have to be careful, it would temporarily weaken the recipient after the initial healing effect.... and it had a very disgusting smell.
'Why does zebra medicine always have a catch?'
She trotted back into the room where the human was resting. He still was awake though. When she got close enough, he turned his head to the side .
She popped open the bottle containing the brew, and as soon as she did, the humans face contorted into one of disgust.
"What is that horrid smell?" He said. almost choking on his words.
"It's your medicine, dear. I'm sorry that it smells a little... harsh."
"Smells like someone milked a skunk and put it in a bottle, am I right?"
"What's a skunk?"
The human just stared at her for a second, he sighed.
"...Nevermind...please tell me that it tastes better than it smells."
"I'm afraid not dear, though I have to warn you, you'll feel a little weak after drinking it...and this isn't the last time you'll be drinking it...sorry."
He almost vomited twice because of the horrible taste.
"Dear...you were right about me having somepony living with me, he's my son, Button. He coming soon and-"
"Mom! I'm home!"
"...Buck....pardon my language."
"So, mom, what's he like?" Button asked as he and his mother ascended the stairs. Luckily for Love Tap, the alcohol passed through her system and she had no trouble going up them this time.
"He's umm....different dear. I have to warn you...he's fragile."
"Are you bringing work home, mom?" Button asked.
Love Tap giggled, "no Button, he...certainly isn't from Ponyvillie hospital."
Love Tap slowly opened the door to reveal the human, he was 'looking' towards the door with a blank expression, his eyes half-lidded, and his breathing steady.
Button's eyes widened as he took a step back to take in the foreign face.
"...Mom..."
"Yes, Button?"
"Is...is that an alien?"
"Ummm...yes Button. It's rude to stare at ponies, so stop."
"But... he's-"
"Button, don't be smart with me, I know that he isn't a pony."
"...Sorry mom." Button slowly approached the weak and helpless (he really is) human who is just lying there.
"H-hello, my name is Button Mash... but you can call me Button."
He didn't answer.
"Are you alright?" Button asked, some of his earlier hesitance forgotten, "mom said that your weak... did you get hurt?"
He didn't answer.
"Umm... mom? I think he's sleeping."
True to his statement. A small snore was heard from the sleeping human.
"The brew must have put him under." Love Tap said. Button cringed at the mention of the Brew.
"Ewww! You mean that icky yellow stuff that you give me when I'm sick?" Button stuck his tongue out and made a very loud 'blargamaflarg' sound.
"Uhh-what...oh...must've dozed off." Button's overreaction caused the alien to wake up. Love Tap gave Button a stern glare. To which he cringed at.
"Sorry for waking you...I'm Button Mash, what's-"
A deep inhale interrupted Button Mash's sentence. The human sighed and looked at Button with a dumb, loopy smile.
"I can smell you... you smell like strawberries." He said while swaying back and forth.
"Umm... yeah? I had a strawberry smoothie today-"
"I like strawberries..."
Before he could respond to that, the human started slowly bringing his hand toward Button. It was shaking a lot, and he was panting. He was having a really hard time just bringing his hand out.
"Teach me all your secrets...strawberry... pony."
After he said that, his hand dropped, and he fell asleep. His hand and head were touching the ground.
"That... was weird." Button said as he slowly backed away the human. Love Tap came towards him and positioned his body on the bed correctly.
"Strawberries..." He muttered in his sleep.
"I'll get you some strawberries when you wake up dear...Celestia knows you deserve them." Love Tap whispered as she ran a hoof through his hair and tucked him in. She didn't take into account that his alien body would react differently to the Saradomin Brew.
"Is... he sick?" Button asked.
Love Tap sighed. Button was completely unaware of what this being went through... it wasn't going to be pretty when she had to tell either the human, or Button...
She was really going to get this humans name.
"Yes Button, I think we should leave him to sleep for now..."
She looked at the time, 3:30.
"Want to order out today Button?"