Lingering Chaos

by nightelf37

Preparing for Disaster

POV: Ashen Rise

Leaving the room as the other ponies went to prepare themselves, Ashen made her way through the halls of the hospital. She found the common room, which the staff had converted into a barracks of sorts for the (extra) personnel to stay in so they wouldn’t have to be summoned from their homes every time they’d be needed.

Walking over to her bed, Ashen retrieved a few items from the cupboard next to it; a container of cotton discs, a small bowl of burn-salve, and her pouch of bits. She put the last of those in a pocket on the inside of her cloak. After checking if there was anypony nearby in the halls, she moved to a more private part of the room.

Using her magic, Ashen took off her cloak and hung it from a nearby hook. Opening the cylinder and taking out a disc, she tapped it into the bowl of salve before quickly applying it to the scars across her burnt body, relaxing at its cool touch, but wincing at the contact with the worst of the wounds.

After she was done, she donned her cloak again, some of her nerves still aching even with the salve's soothing effects. Ashen reunited the bowl and cylinder with her pouch on the inside of her cloak. Before she left, she had one more thing to retrieve as she left her hood off.

Again checking if nopony was nearby, Ashen focused her magic on the loose tile in the ceiling above her bed, moving it up and aside. Taking hold of the wrapped package she hid up there, she levitated it down to herself. Moving to sit on the bed, she unwrapped the cloth protecting it, revealing a book, burnt and broken, much like its owner.

Words failed her as she laid eyes on her oldest and most prized possession, opening its damaged pages carefully as her mind recalled the memories and emotions attached to it as her eyes started to water.

Allowing herself to bathe in the past for a while as she lay on the bed, smiling with her eyes closed as she kept the book firmly to her chest with her front legs.

---

POV: Tango

Tango was walked the down the hall, Crinoline on his back. Seeing the dignified purple pony from earlier slow his pace, Tango matched it. The large pony somewhat unconsciously took a more subdued posture in his authoritative presence, though this did not stop Tango from his habit of making cheery, shallow attempts at conversation.

"Ah, Mr. Mystic. We were just talking about hometowns," he greeted. "You from around these parts?"

"Nope. I'm from Baltimare," Mystic answered Tango as they exited the hospital and made their way to the marketplace, which was full of stands selling overpriced food, clothes, potions, anything you can think of. He was still en route to his academy; the market was just on the way.

"Well, fancy that! I'm a Baltimare colt as well. Don't suppose you know the Spring Concerto flower shop? That's the family business. We're all gardeners," Tango responded with evident pleasure at finding something in common. "Guess you can't know everypony in a big city, though. Don't seem to spend too much time in the heart of the city myself anyways."

"I think I will buy some sweets, excuse me for a moment!", Crinoline said suddenly as she dismounted from Tango and ran off.

"Spring Concerto?" Mystic asked. "Can't say I've heard of that. I've nothing against flowers, but I don't spend much on niceties. Say, have you heard of any self-defense schools back in Baltimare? I was once a student in one such school belonging to a great unicorn named Aegis. At least he's great to me." He then noticed that Crinoline was gone. "Hey, where'd the young lady go?"

"Can't say I know of any Egees, sorry. Like I said, don't spend too much time in the city." Crinoline returned a short while later. Upon that, Tango bid the purple pony a farewell and made his way back to the hospital to see if he can be of any use.

"Bye." Mystic called back as he waved.

(A/N: During the conversation, Tango purchased three regeneration potions (heals wounds over time) and thirty feet of rope. Crinoline meanwhile acquired a couple of 'throwing nails', her preferred weapon, a hoof-held small-range explosive, and some sweets.)

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POV: Mystic Shield

Later…

While shopping at the market, Mystic acquired two regeneration potions and an alchemical sun-rod. According to the seller, the sun-rod works like a bright glow stick; bend it to activate and it stays on for two and a half hours before fading. According to the shopkeeper, it glows is as bright as a fire and works underwater. It also doesn't smoke you out of a cave unlike a torch.

He was now home. It was like many in Ponyville, only bigger, and it had a sign nailed on top of the doorway, which was a pair of double doors. He paused for a moment as he looked up at the sign written in a foreign language.

"七転び八起き. Nanakorobi yaoki. Perseverance is better than defeat."

With that, he passed the double doors of his home and looked at the empty dojo, its tatami mat clean. He then crossed it and opened another door to his quarters. There, he looked for and found an old chest. Blowing the dust off, he opened it, and looked at it contents.

There was an old armor made of light iron, although it could use a little polish. There was also an ornamental spear, a family heirloom of his old teacher's family. He hasn't revealed any of this to anypony, not even Chronicle. He stared at them for a moment, recalling memories of his past, before picking them up, and getting to work in polishing them.

He was finished shortly after and put them on. He also levitated the spear and did a few moves with it, remembering having used them before arriving at Ponyville. But upon closer inspection of its spearhead, he said, "I'll need a new spearhead."

With that, he exited the dojo, taking off the armor and placing it in his saddlebags, and made his way to the armor and weapons trader. Chronicle introduced him to the guy once, calling him Graphite. He would know of somepony who could help fix up his gear.

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POV: Crinoline Ruffle

At the reception area of the hospital, Crinoline and Tango, the former riding on the latter returned to find Nurse Redheart (not that they knew her) rummaging around behind the desk for something, not noticing them.

"Ahem. Good day, miss," Tango said in a gracious attempt to get the nurse's attention. "It seems I'm to be running an errand of sorts for the hospital, but it looks as though I'm a tad early. Should I be assisting in some way in the meantime?"

Crinoline, relaxing on Tango's back, then heard hoof-steps getting closer and closer before stopping.

She turned her head to look and saw Mystic Shield, who had some sort of glow stick in his saddlebags. Mystic Rave… She silently put some of her candy into her mouth and just kept staring at him as Tango extended a greeting to him.

The purple stallion then said, "You're not gonna share that? It's okay with me if you don't."

Crinoline looked at him, confused for a second, put the bag of candy into a pocket inside of her dress, then exclaimed, "I will not share my place at Tango's side with you!" She then tightly onto the black stallion to secure her position on him.

Mystic looked confused at this, then said, "Oh sorry. I meant the candy. That is if you were thinking I was asking for something like a ride on his back like you're doing. I assure you I mean no such thing. Imagine the embarrassment. Not to mention the burden he'll bear."

"Hello there, are you here to see a patient?" Redheart suddenly asked, getting the attention of the small crowd.

Crinoline reached inside her dress to get a piece of candy. Levitating it carefully over to Mystic (Shield, she remembered now), she motioned him to speak to the nurse. Shortly after, she also motioned to him to stay away from Tango, who extended a brief nicety to the nurse.

Thankfully, Mystic seemed to get the message. "All right, all right. Sheesh," Mystic said as he 'took' the candy. "I don't swing that way if that's what you're thinking." He then turned to Nurse Redheart and said, "No, ma'am. I believe we're here to see Graceful Breeze. She told us to meet back here before sundown and that she had some supplies to give us. But since we're probably early and all, I suppose we could lend a hoof for the time being."

"Oh well. I suppose you can deliver supper to some of the patients. I would appreciate that at least, just go to the kitchen and tell them that I sent you," Nurse Redheart said as she took out a small stack of official looking papers and flipped through them on the front desk.

"Will do, Nurse." Mystic immediately set off to the kitchen (observing the signs on the walls), pausing only to turn to the other two unicorns as if waiting for them to follow.

Seemingly happily oblivious, Tango trotted along, humming pleasantly all the while and seeming quite pleased to have the purple unicorn taking the lead.

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POV: Ashen Rise

Meanwhile…

As she basked in the glow of the positive memories that clung to the book she still held clutched against herself, Ashen was awoken by Graceful Breeze.

"Dear, could you come with me, please?" she asked. "I have something for you before you leave."

"Huh!? Oh! I'll be right there, Mother." Ashen put it down on the bed as she got up and righted her cloak, but kept her hood off, enjoying the cool touch of the air. She then turned back to find that one of the damaged pages had fallen out.
Saddened by the creeping decay of her treasure and those other memories interwoven into its fabric, she decided it was better if she took it with her for her own sake as she replaced the loose page back in. Maybe she might even be able to decipher a spell or two from the notes her mother made in the old spell book…

Shaking off the bad thoughts, Ashen placed the book inside one of the bigger pockets of her cloak before leaving and following where Grace went.

Grace led her into her office. On her desk was a small bag. "Last time I let you go, I let you go too unprepared. I refuse to repeat that mistake. In this bag is everything you need to stay alive and well out there." She sidestepped to give Ashen a clear path to the bag.

"Mother…Grace…" Ashen said as she approached her surrogate mother before quickly hugging her. "Thank you." She soon let go, walked up to the desk, and paused for a moment as she looked it over.

It was a standard medicine bag about the size of a lunchbox. It was made out of white cloth with a red cross on it and a red cord keeping it tied shut.
Knowing her mother and her intentions, it wasn't difficult to guess its contents.

Grabbing hold of the bag with her magic, Ashen put it in her cloak in the same pocket she placed her spell book in and just as close to her heart as she turned around and walked back up to Grace again. She did nothing but smile at her for a few moments before finally caving in as her eyes started to water. She then embraced Grace in a real hug this time, not letting go for a good minute or so.

After a final few seconds of affectionate nuzzling and some whispers of concern for the other, the gray mare broke off the embrace and stepped back. "I will come back. But they need you here more now, so keep them safe for me. I'll try to do the same with the others."

Grace savored her moment in her daughter's embrace, holding back tears as she lets her go. "Its the least I could do, ashen. I wasn't planning on sending you off into the unknown without anything again." She gave Ashen Rise a reassuring pat on the back. Lightly, conscious of her tenderness and led her out into the hallway. "It's not quite dark yet, want to help around the hospital with me before you leave?"

"Yes mother," Ashen said, a bit embarrassed and not being used to being so emotional. "Just point me where and I'll do my best."

"Come with me. We'll feed the patients together." The two hospital ponies walked together in the same pace towards the kitchen.

Author's Note:

According to Nuin, the roleplayer controlling Crinoline, the "Mystic Rave" line is supposed to be a joke since people who go to rave parties often wear glow sticks and wave them around while dancing.