//------------------------------//
// Hospital rooms always smell like bleach (Ch. 10) 
// Story: The Chronicles of Star Well 
// by Eragon5055 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 10: Hospital rooms always smell like bleach




"This is unprecedented! Nothing like this as ever happened in history of this prestigious institution!"

"We cannot very well deny a request from the Princess."

"Even the Celestia must realize the ridiculousness of this request! Accept some random orphan, found in dumpster, without even an entrance exam. The colt doesn't seem to understand Equestrian! We aren't even allowed to measure his magical capability for ourselves, we have trust those imbeciles at the palace with their measurements. It's not even impressive enough to warrant this kind of treatment, a 6.4 on the Grey Scale of magic. That's barely above the average score of the students that are accepted!"

"We are just going do what the Princess asks."

"How can we? The colt didn't even know what a door is! He stood outside the office trying push it open with his hooves before giving up and jumping in through an open window. We aren't equipped to essentially raise the foal.

"Look, in a couple of weeks we will have enough proof that the foal can't handle the curriculum here and the Princess will have no other option other then take him from our hands. I even assigned Wordsearch to act as his caretaker."

A blue colt sat in the empty room, listening to the voices in the office next door. Their voices sounded agitated and harsh to the foal, ignorant of any meaning the sounds strung together. He could not understand the meaning of the sentences spoken, could not understand the meaning of the words said. He sat there, waiting. He did not know what he waited for but did not dare to move, lest the tall ponies started yelling at him again.

He sat there, unnaturally still as if he were a cat instead of a young colt, listening to the ticks of the clock on the wall. The door at the end of the hall, opposite of the office, opened. A head of a white mare with a well-kept pink mane tied into a bun poked into the room. She turned her head to face the colt and smiled warmly.

"Star Well, let our company depart."

The young blue unicorn did not understand the words but understood the meaning perfectly. The warmth of the mare’s words welcomed him and he immediately got up to go with the mare. The gentleness of her voice promised comfort and safety to the colt and that is all he needed to know.

His first happy memory faded as he awoke in a hospital bed, surround by curtains and solid stone, with an empty I.V. in his hoof and a heart monitor attached to another hoof, beeping steadily in corner.


....................


Star Well looked around in his small hospital room, questions of where he was and how he got there flowing through his brain. ‘At least it isn't a psych ward' he remarked. The prior events at Ponyville started racing through his brain as his groggy brain tried to re-instate logic into his situation. He jolted awake as he remembered that he had been slashed and immediately removed the blanket covering his waist as he sat up. Bandages wrapped around his midsection, confirming that he was indeed attacked by giant insects. 

"Screwball!" Star gasped, he immediately remembered that the mare was attacked as well and had been knocked out of the sky. 'Is she O.K.?' He started to get out of his bed, full intent of finding where and what condition his assistant/roommate was in, when the curtain to his was withdrawn as a nurse popped into the room.

"Ah, your awake and appear to be in the same condition as your namesake, Mr. Well."

"Where is Screwball? Is she hurt? I have to see her!"

"Sir, please settle down, you'll re-open your wound. Miss Screwball is fine and as health as an ox. She's actually been quite worried about you. She hasn't left the ward since you were admitted. You gave your little sister quite a scare."

Relief washed through Star as he heard those words. Star felt calm return to him as he spoke, "She actually not my sister."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make assumptions."

Star's hoof waved in dismissal, "It’s alright. When can I see her?"

"I'll let Miss Screwball and your friends visit while I go get the doctor. He'll want to know your awake and besides, it’s probably best not make a bunch worried mares wait. You must be something for catching so many lovely mares..."

Star did a double take."Wait, mare's'?" But his question came too late as the nurse had already headed for the doctor. Moments later, a flying pastel mare came flying into the room, followed by a blue unicorn mare in a cape and an orange pegasus mare, dressed in a dark brown coat.

"STAR!!!" shouted the excited mare, "HUGS FOR THE HUG GOD!!!" Screwball declared as she jumped on him and squeezed him tight, the surprise attack knocking the breathe from him and causing his side to sting sharply.

When she released him, Star quickly gasped for breathe and grunted "I hope he's appeased."

Screwball smiled slyly, "For now!"

Star Well then turned his attention to his two unexpected visitors. "Trixie... I'm surprised you came to see me. In fact, I remember that the last time we met, you were heading in the opposite direction of Ponyville."

The blue mare blushed and looked away. "Trixie suddenly remembered that...she had... had unfinished buisness with the local blacksmith...Yah, that’s it."

Star Well gave Trixie a curious look to stage magician, but decided not to push further and gave her a small grateful smile. "In any case, I'm glad you were there. I wouldn't be in one piece if you didn't show up."

Trixie somehow blushed a deeper red and continued to look away. "It was nothing for the Great and Powerful Trixie. She faced tougher opponents in her sleep."

Star continued to smile, 'I'm glad to see she's matured, a little. She used to elaborate that she could fight tougher opponents while being locked up, blinded, and asleep.' Star set his sights on the stranger in the room. "Hello Miss. While I always glad to have people, I am afraid I don't know you..."

"You saved my life."

Star was taken back by the statement. "Come again?"

The orange mare gave an audible sigh and began, "My name is Bright Shadow. I am a kunoichi of Taifuu Clan. I have been living in Ponyville as an undercover agent. My goal was to protect the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, a task that I have failed. Now, I want answers."

"Kunoichi?"

"I'm the ninja ya dolt."

Star mentally face-hoofed as his brain made the connections. He did indeed remembered the ninja that fought with them, he also distinctly remembered thinking she was male. He felt like an idiot for not realizing who the mare was a little sooner. "Miss Shadow, I apologize."

"It doesn't matter," grumbled the pegasus, "What is important is that you answer my questions. First, why were you in Ponyville and second, what was your business with Miss Twilight?"

The blue mare then stepped forward and gave the ninja an agitated glare. "Trixie wants to know why you are treating Star like a suspect. You said it yourself, he saved your life!"

Bright shot back at the magician, "That still doesn't change the fact that as soon as he and his friend over there showed up in town, Ponyville was attacked and 9 mares were kidnapped. There are rumors that the bugs have spies, and buddy, you’re at the top of my list right now for possible suspects."

Trixie seemed ready to deck the mare, so Star tried to quickly tried to defuse the situation. "It’s alright Trixie, I'll answer her questions. Screwball and I were visited Ponyville on a semi-vacation. I was here to gain assistance on a new tracking spell formula from Miss Twilight. We were in library discussing the matter when Miss Rainbow Dash flew in and warned us that others were in danger. We ran out, and well, you were there for the rest. I'm just an ordinary pony and am just as surprised by the existence of those... bugs as you are. You can ask my assistant, Miss Screwball. She could tell you pretty much the same thing up to the attack."

"I already talked with Miss Non-sequiter over there, she doesn't exactly have all her marbles."

"HEY!!!" Screwball exclaimed, appearing quite offended by the pegasus's statement. "I do too have all my marbles! I check every day!" the strange pony lifted off her hat and pulled a bag full of marbles and showed them to the surprised mare. "See? All there! You can count them yourself. I have 270 in all."

"That's... nice. Anyway," Bright turned her attention backed to the injured stallion, "Don't expect me to believe that you’re just some 'ordinary' pony and this is some crazy coincidence, your hospital room is being funded by the Princess herself!"

"My Goodness Star Well, is your external abdominal oblique in functioning condition!" exclaimed an older white mare as she walked into the room. "I journeyed here as soon as time would allow me to go forward."

Surprised by the sudden appearance of the older mare, Bright Shadow asked "Who is that?" Equally surprised Trixie responded "That's Miss Wordsearch, the 'Foreign Language' teacher."

Star sighed "No she's not a 'foreign language' teacher, that's just a silly nickname that the other students gave her. She's the Equestrian teacher at the CSGU." Star then turned to face her warmly "Miss Wordsearch, I'm side is fine. How did you get all the way up to Ponyville so quickly?"

Bright Shadow interjected "We're not in Ponyville. We are in a makeshift hospital at the old royal castle in Everfree Forest."