She wasn't herself. That was the only way Red could describe it. The Dia she was with yesterday wasn't even the same Dia she was with today. In spite of the hands hooves confusion, Dia seemed to be Dia. Her voice was a little lower in tone than she remembered and she seemed to have an accent that she didn't possess before. Nothing Red hadn't seen or heard before.
Looking over at her sister, Red tried to gauge where Dia actually was and who she was at the moment. Her little sister just laid there with her forehooves crossed over her chest chewing on her bottom lip.
"Do ya think you can remove this pee tube' cause it's starting to become uncomfortable," said Dia as she pointed her hoof at the offensive object.
No pony liked catheters. The medical profession didn't like catheters. But they were a necessary evil.
"Hold on and I'll see if I can get a nurse to help you out," said Red, before walking to the door.
"Why can't you do it?" asked Dia, looking up from the tube taped to the inside of her thigh.
Red shook her head and smiled,
"I'm not your nurse."
"Fine," huffed Dia before she crossed her forelegs again. Red laughed at her sister. Dia was Dia. Red loved raunchy humor but she was rarely anything but modest, Dia wasn't modest. Dia didn't care for social niceties. Her current position was very Dia-ish. Forelegs crossed and hind legs wide apart, giving anypony who dared to look, a good look at her mare bits.
Perhaps it was that daring streak that led her sister to her successes before both in love and in business. Red loathed that, mostly her sister's success with the opposite sex. Not that Dia, slept around or anything, just that she could have her pick of any stallion (or mare) she ever wanted to be with both platonically or not so platonically.
"If you're done day dreamin' I would like for you to get that nurse now,"
Red chucked again and walked out the door.
I hope Filthy Rich was able to calm down Dee, thought Rose as she made her way to the nurses' station. Dee was dramatic even when she was in control of her emotion, and when she wasn't... she was a hooffull.
The long term care facilities were connected to the hospital and many of the medical, clerical, and support staff worked shifts in the facility. The large buildings facilities were divided by different floors.
The top floor was reserved for stable patients who also weren't getting any better, like coma patients. The next two floors were served for ponies that couldn't take care of themselves, otherwise known as Ponyville's nursing home. The bottom three floors were the assisted living quarters, ponies that could still somewhat take care of themselves, who wanted the comfort of having a physician close by in case of emergencies called the place home.
It wasn't a bad place, in fact many of Ponyville's seniors who lived elsewhere often came to play bingo and bridge. Don't forget about karaoke night. The assisted living home served as the headquarters for several clubs like Fillies of the Lunar Rebellion and the Equestrian Legion.
Red had spent a fair amount of time working in all three facilities. She had done so more often after her sister was moved there for long term care.
Nurse Tenderhoof sat at the Nurse's station, her old eyes pour over the latest issue of the Free Foal press. Her face was leathery, the result of too many hours tanning.
"Tenderhoof, Patient three is awake and would like her catheter removed if at all possible," stated Red mater of factually.
"Yeah, I know Doll. Patch told me that she was awake," Tenderhoof moved closer and smiled, "You must be excited, Doll, it's not every day that somepony wakes up from the long nap. And for that pony to be your sister, well let me tell you something, if it was my sister who had woke up from a coma I'd feel... I don't know what I'd feel like but I know I would be happy."
Red gave her a polite smile, "I am very happy, happier than I've been in a long time. It's just that she isn't the same and even though I knew that was a possibility I just never expected it to be that way."
"You win some, you lose some. Just be thankful that she actually woke up, that alone is something to be happy about. It's a sad reality that many of the ponies up here will never wake up."
"I know," said Red, feeling guilty for questioning her own happiness when weight against all the ponies that would never experience the miracle that she had.
"So, how about I send one of the student nurses down to take care of that filly for you, doll."
"Is May Berry on duty?"
"No, she won't be back until tomorrow morning."
"Alright, then just send one of them down and I'll supervise," answered Red.
Tenderhoof shifted some paper work around uncovering the PA controls. The board had numerous buttons, each labeled for a different room or in the case of the large square button, the whole floor. She cleared her throat and then pressed the button.
"Ms. Aid to room three please," she said in a dull monotone. Red snickered at the sound of her fellow nurse and occasional boss, drone on. Tenderhoof's voice was usually lively she only adopted the tone when she spoke over the intercom.
A mare dashed out of the coffee room across the way, sliding to a stop when she noticed the two nurses staring at her. Her quick stop propelled her pink nurse hat forward, the brim down to her nose covering her face. Righting her hat, she tried to cover her blushing face with a hoof.
Red and Tenderhoof giggled at the mares spunk. There was a time when they were just as full of starch.
The mare pointed at herself and mouthed, "Me?"
Tenderhoof nodded yes and pointed her in the right direction.
"I better help the poor dearie, in case she gets lost," said Red as she walked over to the nursing student.
They met just ouside of Dia's room. Aid looked jittery, her wings kept wiggling on her sides. After a moment of nervously pawing the floor she took a deep breath and then looked at Red.
"So, um what will I be doing?" she asked.
"All you'll have to do is remove a catheter. It'll be a piece of cake," reassured Red.
They entered to find Dia, examining her hooves. She would look at one and then the other, rolling her pasterns around to see all sides of the hooves. After doing the same with her hind hooves she looked up to her visitors.
" ''Bout time," said Dia in mock anger, her anger had left her and now she just felt confused and numb.
"Dia this is—"
"Mike" interrupted Dia.
"No, my name is First Aid not Mike, but I do look like her don't I?" replied Aid before she sat back on her haunches and then raised her front hooves in the air and started to jam out on her air guitar.
"Bullet Mike is like my favorite musician of all time, the stuff that mare can do with those lips and her harmonica is the shit."
Dia raised an eye brow.
"Do you have first hoof experience with her lips, Aid," smirked Red.
Aid blushed and then hid her head behind a wing.
Dia blinked a few times.
Red pressed a hoof to her lips and started to laugh. Making fun of the newbies was one of her little joys. It took little mirthful moments to get through the usually bleak and heart wrenching work that was nursing.
Dia's smile lit up the room and laughter set fire to her eyes.
"Okay Okay, enough picking on the new mare on the block. Let's pull out that pee tube. Hoorah!" said Aid, still profusely blushing, while pumping her hoof up in the air.
Dia's pink eyes followed Aid as she walked over to the medical cabinet. After pilfering around for a moment she pulled out a large syringe, alerting everypony present of her discovery with an, "Ah ha!"
There were two ends to the catheter, one led to the little collection bag and the other had a little clip holding the contents back, keeping the fluid inside for leaking out. She quickly screwed the syringe on and removed the clip.
Fire burned Dia's cheeks like a brush fire, having anyone other than herself that close to her privies was embarrassing. Her back hooves twitched, and she turned to look away from the little procedure.
Holding it in place with a hoof, Aid wrapped her lips around the plunger and pulled out. Clear fluid started to fill the syringe.
Dia peaked around and watched Aid, her blush deepened.
"Do you have to use your mouth?" she whined.
Stopping half way, Aid looked up from the plunger, "Ish na ike I can oo it ny odder way."
"That feels so weird," muttered Dia, as the little balloon deflated in her bladder. A few seconds later Aid had the catheter removed.
Dia rubbed her crotch before noticing the two mares watching. She quickly removed her hoof and looked away from them.
"It's good to see my sister libido is still the same," said Red with a sly grin.
"Shut up! It's not what it looked like, I swear!" Dia fired back.
"Sure it's not, ma'am!" added Aid, while shooting a worried glance at Red. She didn't want to be reprimanded for speaking out of place.
Red bumped Aid's shoulder with a hoof, "Humor no matter how vulgar is the only antidote for the horrors of a hospital. Keep it and you will do just fine, dearie."
"Yes ma'am!" said Aid with a grin, "So, I'll just get back to my coffee then."
Dia's ears perked up at the mention of Coffee. She the leaned forward and put all four hooves on the bed, looking like she could pounce the mare.
"Did you say coffee? You have coffee!" she said sounding way too excited about something so mundane.
"Well Duh, you don't think these medical quacks would start their day with orange juice would you, Mike."
Dia's smile widened.
Red winced before saying, "Bring us two coffees: one black and the other with two sugars and three shots of cream."
Aid saluted and then left the room.
The bed's springs creaked in protest as Dia leaned back once more. Her eyes were boring holes in to Red's hide, ever so gently tapping the end of her chin with her hoof.
It was as good a time as any.
"Dia what do you remember?"
Giving her a flat look, Dia replied sharply,
"Ask me with my real name."
"Okay, Diamond Mi—"
Springing up from her bed she crossed her front hooves together forming a large x.
"ERRRRN! Wrong! Guess again!"
Red slammed her hoof on the floor,
"Fine, what do you remember before you woke up, Mike?"
Mike leaned back on the bed and smiled.
"Was that so hard?"
"Yes, now answer the question," said Red.
The door creaked open and Aid returned with the coffee balanced on her back. The steam rose from the tops of the cups, little wisps of hot water tickling the air.
Snatching the cup from Aid's back, she turned it up and took a long swallow. Coffee was good, and this cup was possibility the best she had ever drank. Pulling the cup away from her lips she gave the other two a sheepish smile.
"This is the best Coffee I've ever drank!" she chirped.
"The best, ha!" said Aid while hoofing Red her cup of coffee, "This stuff is like the worst coffee in Equestria, if you want a good cup of joe, you have got to go to Donut Joe's in Canterlot. The second best cup of coffee is made right here in Ponyville's branch of Star Bucks'"
"I'll have to remember that," replied Mike before sipping on her coffee again.
Aid laughed and then sat on the floor between the bed and Red after being relived of her load. Red wore a fierce scowl.
"So, can I stay? It's not like I'm—"
"Yes," said Mike.
"No," said Red.
Mike and Red glared at each other. The temperature in the room elevated slightly and with that Aid made her way to the door.
"I said you could stay," said Mike looking away from the other nurse.
"He he, I would love to, but she is one of my bosses so I better vamoose," replied Aid as she pointed at Red.
Red gave her a stern look and then shooed her away.
Mike stuck his lip out and turned away from Red.
"Don't act like a juvenile, Mike."
"I can act anyways I want to!"
Pinching her nose, Red groaned. She walked over to the edge of the bed and sat down. She reached out at put a hoof on Mike's knee.
Mike's head jerked around and looked at the hoof resting on her knee. Staring at it, she felt conflicted again.
Mike's face was a mosaic of emotions; happiness, warmth, confusion, love, anger and fear, all twisting around her eyes, those two pink depths from which a familiar light shined back at red. Those eyes were not the eyes of stranger, no matter how much Dia said otherwise. It was her sister behind those eyes; she just had to make Dia realize that.
"Please, tell me what you remember."
Sighing, Mike relented.
"My friends put together a party at my sister's place. We drank and cut up and stuff. It was a party in my honor; I had just been awarded a free ride to go to one of the most prestigious grad schools in the nation. It was kind of a big deal. After which I went home and went to bad. I woke up here, that is all there is to tell."
She traced a few circles over Mike's knee.
"What about Dia, what do you remember about her if anything?"
Mikes hoof came across faster than, Red could have expected, knocking her hoof away. Pulling back her hoof she rubbed her now sore pastern. She glared at her and then frowned.
Baring his teeth, Mike glared at Red. Her muscles were tense and her hackles were raised.
"DON"T MAKE ME THINK ABOUT IT!" she shouted, "I don't wanna to think about it."
"I'm just trying to help you."
He lunged at her. Red quickly raised her hooves to meet the purple bolt. Realizing that she could hurt her sister even more she let her legs go slack, not offering any resistance.
The two of them collapsed on the bed. Both of Red's hooves pressed against Mike's chest. Mike had one hoof on the bed and the other on Red's throat.
"No, you're not!" He sobbed, "You're not tryin' to help me, you're tryin' to confuse me, you want me to be her, but I'm not her. I'm Michael Carter. I'm Mike. I'm a man, not a mare. I'm not... I'm not..."
She collapsed on top of Red, sobbing on to her chest, drenching the mares coat in her tears. A hoof found its way on to the small of her back and began rubbing up and down.
"Shhh, it's going to be okay we'll get this figured out."
***
A funky beat in 3/4 time oozed through the elevators speakers, it was an instrumental of DJ Pon3's song, Real Color. Richie bobbed his head to the beat, trying to let it drown his conflicted feelings. Reaching up he pressed a hoof to his lips. He could still taste her on his lips.
How she could be so angry, he wondered. All that time apart and she pushed him away. He chewed on the inside of his cheek. It hurt, it really hurt. How long had he waited for her? How many times had other ponies told him to move on, find somepony else. She wasn't ever going to wake up anyways.
A loud crack echoed through the small room. Looking up he noticed his hoof and the dent he had made in the elevators door. He sighed.
Ding!
Leaning back, he brushed his hair back and then stepped through the door. A few of the hospital staff waved at him. He was a regular, come buy almost every day for seven years. Many of these ponies had become his friends. They had laughed with him and cried with him. And for that he was thankful.
"Richie's what bugging ya," asked an elderly stallion leaning against his mop.
"She woke up, Soppy," he said, his voice devoid of enthusiasm.
The coffee black stallion's lips stretched into a wide grin, his pearly white teeth shinning against his dark coat.
"Why ain't cha happy 'bout it then? If'en it was my mare that woke up I'd be singin' to the sun 'bout it," said Soppy.
"I'm happy that she woke up, but she—"
The door to the stairwell opened up and Diamond Tiara stepped out. Her mane stuck to her sweaty forehead and she huffed in exhaustion. She quickly scanned the room and started to the door. She took a couple of steps before turning to see her father looking at her with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm not going back. That isn't my mother. Mom never yells and that is all that mare did was yell," she screamed.
"DIAMOND TIARA!" roared Richie as he strode up to his daughter.
The filly shrank under his gaze. She looked up at him with wide eyes and a trembling lip, Daddy never yelled either.
"Yes?" she said lowly.
Richie scooped her up and pulled her tight against his chest. She started to gently sob against his coat. Removing her signature adornment he ran a hoof through her mane.
"Listen, she just woke up and is very confused. It will take time for her to act like herself. We just need to give her some time, okay," he said trying to comfort his equally confused daughter.
She looked up to him hopefully.
"You listen to your papa, little missy," Soppy stepped closer and placed a hoof around Richie's neck, "Ponies do all kind of crazy stuff when their sick, this one time my daughter placed a bag over her head when she had the chicken pocks, sayin' that she would never be pretty again."
Tiara giggled at his story, mostly because she never knew that Archer had a girly side to her: perfect ribbing material. And to think that filly was cool all of the time, this would be just to thing to make her loose her cool and it was going to be glorious.
"Okay, I'll give her a chance once she stops yelling," was all she offered in response.
"Let go see if Red managed to calm her down," he said. Tiara nodded in agreement and they headed to the elevator. They both waved to Soppy who gave them a hopeful smile in response.
The walk to room three was long and silent. Neither of them dared to speak neither wanted to break the silence. They both hoped that the mare they were about to see was more like herself. Hopefully Red would be able to coax her back from where ever she had been hiding.