Chapter 13: Fragments
Ash walks unto what appears to be a fortress shrouded by mist. “Why does this feel familiar?” he asks himself then calls out. “Anypony there?” Silence and the wind whistling are his only answers. He carefully walks up to the large wood doors, and notices a gap big enough for him to slip through and slips into the fortress. The fog blocks from his sight all but the immediate path. As he walks down the path he hears a clang, the sound of somepony fighting. “Who’s there?” He calls out in the direction of the noise. Another clang is all he hears as a response. He charges his horn and uses his magic to pierce the fog and carefully walks down the path the fog seems to make for him.
The fog opens up and he sees a black unicorn stallion with a blood red mane and golden eyes wearing Royal Guard armor battling an armored griffon. “We can’t hold them off long.” The stallion says as the fog swallows him back up.
“Wait!” Ash says as he darts right for where the stallion was a second ago, he charges up his horn and uses his magic to pierce the fog further out, his effort is rewarded with the sight of a wall, some broken lances and a discarded helmet, Ash sighs frustrated.
“Retreat!” A mare’s voice clearly calls out.
Ash turns his head toward the voice, the fog making a new path for him, he quickly dashes down the path. “Who’s there?”
“Retreat!” The mare calls out again. The fog envelopes Ash and he stops and looks around. “Run.” The mare’s voice says softly to him. “You must get away from here.”
Ash turns his head looking for the mare. “Who are you?” He briefly sees a gray earth pony mare in guard armor when suddenly he feels pressure on his barrel and is lifted into the air. He looks up and sees faintly sees a griffon carrying him. “No, no, let me go!” The griffon ignores him and Ash charges his magic. “I said let me go!” He hits the griffon with his magic and the griffon lets him go scrapping his shoulder and barrel as he falls. Ash screams as he falls and then suddenly he stops falling.
“What is this my little pony?” Luna says as she appears.
“Princess Luna?” Ash asks. “Does this mean that I am dreaming?”
“I think this is a combination of memories and dream. That’s why it took me so long to get to you.”
“Does that mean that the things I saw are my memories?” Ash asks.
“Most likely.” Luna answers.
“Zecora’s potion must be working.” Ash says.
“If your memory comes back we have many questions for you.” Luna says.
“I’ll be sure to let somepony know if my memory actually comes back.”
“Tell Twilight, she’ll send a letter.” Luna says.
“I will do that.”
“Very well.” Luna says. “I think it would be best if you woke up now.”
“Thank you Princess.” Ash says as the world around him ripples.
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“Wakey, wakey Ash.” Sweetie practically sings. “I made breakfast.”
“Breakfast does sound good.” Ash says as he stretches his legs. “I had an odd dream.”
“Want to share?” Sweetie asks.
“I was in a fortress, and I saw glimpses of a couple ponies, a stallion and a mare, then I was grabbed by a griffon only to be dropped.”
“Think you might be remembering your past?”
“Princess Luna said I was when she came and stopped me from remembering the rest of the fall thankfully, I’m sure sure I want to remember hitting the ground.” Ash winces at the thought.
Sweetie nods. “How are you feeling otherwise?”
Ash moves around. “I feel really good, my front leg, and my barrel don’t hurt at all.”
“We’ll take you to the hospital after breakfast and have them check you out.” Sweetie says.
“Probably a good idea..”
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“Let me take off your bandages.” Nurse Redheart says.
“Of course,” Ash says as he moves so that it’s easier for her to remove his bandages. Nurse Redheart carefully removes the bandages on his barrel and examines him.“Well?”
“I can’t believe it.” Nurse Redheart says. “The scratches are healed to scars.” She says and then moves to his leg and removes the bandages. “You’re leg appears healed too. It's only been a couple of days. How is this possible?”
“Zecora, the herbalist in the Everfree Forest gave me a healing potion.” Ash answers.
“That explains a lot.” Redheart says. “Climb on down, I want to see how your leg handles weight,”
Ash climbs down from the exam area. “Feels good so far.”
“Walk around a little please.”
Ash walks around the room. “No pain or anything.”
“I’m going to release you with a clean bill of health, just promise me you’re going to take it easy for a few days, ok?” Nurse Redheart asks.
“You mean I can walk out of here?”
“That’s what I said.”
“Yeah, I’ll definitely take it easy if it means I can walk out of here.”
“Then you’re free to go.”
Ash smiles as he goes out to the waiting area. “Ash?” Sweetie asks shocked. “You’re walking?!”
“Nurse said I’m good to go as long as I promise to take it easy for awhile.”
Sweetie hugs Ash. “This is great. We should go tell everypony.”
“Let’s go for a walk then, that shouldn’t be too hard on me.”
Sweetie nods. “Okay.”
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Later that evening, the two of them are returning to Carousel Boutique. “I hope we don’t get in trouble with your sister, we’re out awful late.”
“I told her we were going out to celebrate your recovery and we’d back before sunset.” Sweetie replies as she points a fore-hoof to the horizon. “And we’re almost there.”
“I’m so tired.” Ash says as they arrive at the door.
“Maybe we walked a little too much on your first day back on your legs.” Sweetie admits.
“I’ll be fine, I may just rest up a bit tomorrow though, no need pushing myself too hard and getting myself hurt.”
Sweetie nods. “Good idea.”
“We should head inside before we get in trouble.”
“Just one more thing before we do.” Sweetie says and Ash looks at her curious, then Sweetie kisses him and he kisses her back neither of them realizing the door opens up.
“You young lady have some explaining to do.” Cookie Crumbles says.
Sweetie squeaks. “Hi mom.”