//------------------------------// // Check-in out (Ch.11) // Story: The Chronicles of Star Well // by Eragon5055 //------------------------------// Chapter 11: Check-in out "How long have I been out?" "About two days. A lot has happened?" .................... Star Well sat on his hospital bed, pondering the events of the day. Shortly after the doctor arrived in the room, Bright Shadow decided to leave and promised to be back for more answers. The doctor had informed him that his side was healing quite nicely and was unlikely to leave a visible scar especially after when his fur would grow back. He was astounded at Star's recovery rate and joking remarked "You sure you aren't an earth pony" After the doctor left, Trixie decided to leave as well, remarking that now 'her subordinate' was fine, she needed to check up on her belongings, promising to return in grandiose style. Miss Wordsearch and Screwball stayed for quite awhile. Star was happy to see his parental guardian again for the first time in awhile, and the three talked and laughed for the remainder of the evening. To Star, this was his family, and the sight of them happy and unharmed was enough. Eventually, they too had to leave to give Star some rest. Star was to be discharged the next day, thanks to his speed of recovery, but he found he could not sleep. Bright Shadow, before she had left, had explained to him the condition that Equestria was in and the more Star thought of it, the grimmer it seemed. Canterlot was attacked in his absence. The city's radio towers were destroyed, preventing long range communication, leaving Canterlot isolated from the rest of Equestria as the threat of ambush prevented travel from the city. Princess Celestia was forced to use a new experimental teleportation array developed by Twilight Sparkle in case of emergency. The devise was a small scale version, made in secret save for the Princess and her student to see if it was possible to give any pony a way to teleport and was still in its experimental stage. The device worked, mostly, as the denizens of Canterlot were sent through the device in groups. The device did 'accidentally' send one group on top of house, but the rest made it safe to the other end in Ponyville, the end platform situated in Twilight's library. When Celestia arrived, she learned that Canterlot was not the swarm’s only target. Cloudsdale was in ruins, mostly because clouds are not the sturdiest material. Most of the pegasi had escaped and fled to Ponyville, the unlucky ones captured by the invading forces. Fillydolphia also was attacked, but by some miracle, the opposing force was defeated a forced to retreat. There were reports of Hoovington had also been attacked and was being occupied by another branch of the opposing force. The real shock came to Celestia when she had learned of the events that transpired in Ponyville. The Princess of the Sun ordered the evacuation of the town had them and her force move to into the Everfree Forest. The Princess decided to use the abandoned capital as their new base of defense, using the forest and its dangers to help provide a defense. The Castle was now home to refuges with the guard on strict watch, searching for invaders. Star Well had been moved to the castle on the Princess's orders into the make-shift hospital wing being used, handing down a summons to the doctors to give to him to meet with the Princess as soon as he was fit. Star wondered why the Princess wanted to see him, did she think he was a spy too, or is there something else? Star Well never met the Princess in person but was told she was the reason he sent to the CSGU. Other than that, the Sun Goddess was not involved in his life more then anypony else. Why did she pay for his treatment? Why is any of this happening at all? Star continued to ponder, his head deep with guilt. He had been almost useless in the fight against the mantis and because of his ineptitude, the bearers of the Elements of Harmony and three fillies were taken Atlas knows where. Both of the Elements and their bearers were now in invaders hooves and they didn't even know where they were being held! "That's it!" Star quietly exclaimed. The idea came to him in a flash and he grinned as he thought 'I think I would be getting much sleep this night.' .................... Princess walked down the hall of the fallen capital. Tents decorated the hall as families hurried and huddled together in the dark castle. Worry and fear shown through their eyes as they looked at their god princess. Celestia the sight weighed heavily on the ancient rulers mind. Celestia had lived and seen war countless times, but the sight still affected her same as it did a thousand years ago. As she surveyed the hall, the captain of the Royal Guard walked behind her and spoke. "Princess, I know you don't like having your guard follow you everywhere, but considering our situation, I wouldn't recommend not having a guard. You almost cased a panic amongst the guard, they feared you too were captured." "I am sorry Captain, I shouldn't have been so inconsiderate. I make sure to follow your advice on the matter from now on." The guard pony sighed and smiled. "I accurately found you so that I could apologize. My behavior lately has been... inexcusable. I know you expect more from a captain of your guard and I promise that it won't happen again." The Princess smiled warmly at her captain, “It’s alright Shining." "It's not alright. I let that ass, Blueblood, get to me. Errr... no offense." "Non taken" The donkey that appeared walked off, leaving both parties to wonder how he would always appeared at the right time to give his consent. Shining armor then regained his train of thought. "As Captain of the Royal Guard, my actions are held to a higher standard. I should have known better and not have let Bluebloods words get to me." "Shining, I would think you inequine if none of this affected you. Now Captain, how has research gone on the weapon we retrieved from Ponyville." "I am told that the researchers are currently baffled. They don't even know where to begin with the weapon. The weapon doesn't appear damaged, but nopony can get it to function. I am also told that the spell smiths can't unravel whatever spell is placed on it as it appears to be producing it on its own." The last sentience caused Celestia quickly turn her head in alarm. "The object is producing its own magic?" Shining Armor replied "That’s what I was told. Princess, is something the matter?" "Yes Shining, I am afraid this causing even more questions." Celestia's mind raced. Could it be a coincidence? Are they working with the enemy? Did the bugs find their research? "Shining, this changes things. I want a guard posted at the research center, somepony you can trust. I want ponies documented when they enter or leave. This research has just become high priority and we cannot allow the enemy to steal it back." Shining then bowed and prepared to depart. "Yes, your majesty." "Also Shining, I want you to have a certain researcher contacted and brought in. Her research may be crucial in understanding the technology and may allow us to reverse engineer it or nullify it." "Who is this pony?" Shining inquired. "Her name is Lyra Heartstrings." .................... "Mr. Well! What is all of this?" The nurse arrived into the room to do a morning check-up to find the mother of all messes in the patient’s room. Paper with small indescribable writings and pattern were strung around the room, books were scattered throughout the floor in stockpiles, more books and paper floated slowly in the air as the stallion quickly referenced the book and moved on to the next one, writing in the air more of the insane writings. The room looked like an insane asylum cell and the nurse thought that Discord himself would have been proud if he saw Star's hoofy work. "How did you do all this?" exclaimed the nurse, "I mean where did you even get all this paper and all these books?" Star Well did not look up from his work and pointed to a saddle bag in the corner of the room. "From there." he stated, engrossed in his work, "Screwball dropped it off yesterday. It has a compression spell on it." The stallion continued his work, despite the distraction. Star was on a mission and he was determined to get an answer. "You were supposed to have gotten rest last night on doctors orders. Your wound isn't going to heal properly unless you get some rest." 'Why do I always have to get stuck with the eccentric ones' the nurse complained silently. "I almost got it! Hold on for just a moment." The Stallion continued to work despite the nurse standing at the end of the room. 'I'm missing something, but what!?!' Star continued to rummage through his books, the storm of paper steadily growing around him as he continued to search. "O.K. Mr. Star Well. Your friend is here to walk you out- WHAT IN CELESTIA'S NAME HAPPENED HERE!?!" The doctor walked in with Screwball and stopped as he saw the unbridled chaos that was before him. The nurse replied to the doctor, "I have no idea." Screwball smiled at the sight of storm of paper and flew in into the tornado of books that formed around the blue unicorn. Star scratched his head, oblivious of the mare flying around him in the storm of books. When he finally did look up, he was greeted by the sight of two angry physicians looking at him. He paid them no mind as he was deep in thought. He finally looked up and an epiphany struck him and he said "Stop right there!" The swirling tornado of books stopped instantly, including the flying mare. Star finally saw the answer he sought in the pattern created by the floating books, with the mare filling in the missing link. He immediately finished his equation on the paper and smiled at his assistant as he spoke, "Screwball, you’re a genius." The mare gave her trade mark crazy grin and exclaimed, "You know it! Now let’s go get some HAYCAKES!" The doctor and nurse watched in astonishment as the mess of papers and books flew into Star's saddle bags with no trouble and in a couple of seconds, the room appeared clean with no sign of the aforementioned chaos that had occurred there. The two ponies were still dumbstruck as Star and Screwball exited the room. Star had a formulated a plan, one that might return what was lost to them. But first, breakfast was in order.