//------------------------------// // Recovery // Story: Equestrian Life // by StapleCactus //------------------------------// Voices. "-doctor?" "Cracked rib. Fractures along both arms. Extreme manticore poisoning and a few serious bruises. The fact that he's even alive in his malnourished state is a miracle." "Will he recover?" "It's hard to say. At this point, we can only hope." Voices. "...will ...doctor?" "...been ... long ... want ... make ... choice soon." Weeping. "Doctor! He's waking up!" I felt horrible. Everything hurt and yet there was no reference point. When I opened my eyes, I was blind. "I'm here, let me see. ...yes, yes." "...where..." My voice was rough. It hurt to speak. "Don't speak right now. I'm going to run some tests." Clacking sounds got fainter. Hooves? "...what..." "Shh..." The first voice was talking. "You've been through a lot. I'll tell you everything as soon as the doctor comes back." Voices. Always voices. I slept. I heard hoofsteps returning to the room. "It looks like he'll make it. We'll keep him on monitors and IV for now." "And his mental state?" The voice from before was still here.  "Tell him. It's best to do it now while we can watch him." "Very well, doctor." The voice got closer. "Dex? Can you hear me?" "...yes..." "I'm going to tell you what happened. Are you going to be alright?" "...yes..." "You are in Canterlot hospital. You were pretty banged up when we found you. It seems when you fought a manticore, it managed to get you with its stinger. The blindness you are experiencing will go away in time." "..." "One of your ribs was broken and your arms weren't far from it. I don't know how you managed to survive, but we'll save you." "...thank....you..." I didn't know what else to say. I would live, but there was so much pain. "...pain..." "Unfortunately, we don't know how much morphine we could give you. I'll give you more now." I felt a cool fluid enter my veins and sleep took me again. Voices. "Do we have to, doctor? Can't we wait a little longer?" "I don't... .... ... yes. Take as much time ...." "Thank you, doctor." "Dex!" I was startled awake by a familiar voice. The darkness was receding. I could only make out a vague shape and a dark purple color. "Thank Celestia you're awake." "Twi... light?" My throat was dry, but my voice was stronger than before. "Yes, I'm here. I just wanted to check up on you. I'll get the princess right away." She ran out of the room. "Oh dear, I hope she didn't bother you too much." That voice... "Who?" "I'm the nurse on call for our one and only human." She sounded excited, but tired. "Water. Please." An off-white blur walked into my vision and set a glass against my lips. I drank in shallow gulps, then the glass was pulled away. "Thank you." Much better. "My pleasure. It is quite interesting to finally get to talk to you." "I don't think I'll be very good conversation." She giggled. "No, I don't suppose you would right now. Give it time, dear. You'll be up in no time." Purple and white blobs entered. "Dex, I am told you have awoken." Celestia's voice. "That I have," I coughed up some mucus, "Your Highness." "Do not worry about etiquette right now. Tell me, are you up for a talk?" "Pardon me, Your Majesty, but I asked the same thing. He may not respond often." "Very well, I will just wish him well at the moment." There was a slight pause. "Dex, when you are better, we will talk." Yup, totally looking forward to that. "I look forward to it, Celestia." Days passed. I am unsure of how many, but my vision eventually returned. The medical equipment in the room had a glow to it, almost as if it was an afterimage. Voices would plague me when I was alone occasionally. My only respite was when the nurse came in. "Good morning, Dex. Sleep well?" Now that I could see, she looked beautiful. At least, she did in the strictest sense of the word. With a peach colored coat and white mane and tail, she was easy to look at. Her cutie mark was green snake wrapped around a brown rod. "I did with the morphine." "Yes, I believe we can switch you to some weaker pain killer now. Your bruises are nearly gone and your arms are healed." I didn't know what was up with Equestria and fast healing, but I wasn't complaining. The less pain I was in the better. "Hmm... Well... maybe a bit longer?" She just laughed. "Now now, dear. I think you've gotten addicted to it. Don't worry, it's normal. You'll be fine with something else." "Of course. So what did you want to talk about today?" With Twilight busy with research, and the princesses being princesses, the nurse was my only constant visitor. Stone showed up once, just to tell me to buck up. I ended up having all sorts of conversations with the nurse. One day, the voices were too much. "Shut up! I don't know who you are, but I don't care! Stop talking!" The nurse came running in, in a panic. "Dex! Calm down! Nopony's there." It took some time for her to calm me down. I had managed to pull my IV out and knock over the heart monitor. I found out later, that it wasn't damaged. God damnit! Just go away! I sighed. "Sorry nurse. It just annoys me that they won't go away." "It's fine dear. And please, call me Panacea." "Heh, it took me acting up to get your name." "What?" She looked at me perplexed. "Dex, I've told you my name multiple times." What? No! I may be hearing voices, but I refuse to believe that I'm losing my memory! "Are you sure? I usually have a really good memory." "I'm sure... Are you all right?" "No. I don't believe I am, Pan." "Pan? Nopony has called me that since I joined the medical field." "Oh? Tell me more." As long as she was around, the voices stayed quiet. We talked about all sorts of things. Time melted away as I was released before I knew it. I said my goodbyes and thanks to the medical staff and left. A couple guards met me at the entrance and I was escorted back to the castle. It was time to speak with Celestia.