The Bridge Between Worlds

by Artemis Orion

Chapter 33: Partial Augmentation

Partial Augmentation

"I'm worried."

You worry too much.

"That's the reason I exist, isn't it? If I hadn't questioned every one of your decisions, where would you be?"

Your ethereal; you've never felt the consequences of your choices in your life! Meanwhile, here I am; facing the punishment, whether it was your decision or mine. Now look... what's done is done, and we can't change that. We can only make it better. We are supposed to be one being, Aura, and if we could just cooperate as such, we can do anything!

"You also way too optimistic..."

Born this way, not my problem.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Celestia's sun rose over Ponyville and the rest of Equestria, shining high in the sky. Even from the unusual events of the night before, I still managed to slip into a light slumber. Cracking open an eyelid, I gazed out the square-patterned window of the hospital. I was itching to get out there as I watched the trees sway and the ponies went about their business in the warm sunlight.

What time is it?

Slowly craning my head to the bedside table, I squinted to read the hands of the clock, reading half-past ten. But something else had caught my eye. The grand-looking weapon leaned on the wall against the corner, with its spaulders dangling from the attached strap. I gulped, holding back the cold sweat; this only confirmed that Legion's visit wasn't a dream.

Out in the hallway from my empty ward, I heard the clopping of hooves. It became clearer to multiple hooves, coming closer to the door. The imminent knock on the door soon followed.

"Come in..." my voice had gone hoarse again. I had grown restless from just laying still for so long that I had almost wished they hadn't given back my sense of feeling yet. But that wouldn't matter now, if the procedure were to occur today.

The door swung slowly on its hinges, opening to a certain lavender coloured pony, followed by a certain scholar.

"Twilight. Trotter." I greeted, trying to sound as awake as I could.

"Good morning, Human." Trotter replied in his usual unchanging happy-tone. "Feeling any better?"

"Can' tell..." I wheezed slightly.

"No matter! Once the operation is through, you'll feel better than you were before!" His confidence faded for a moment, allowing me to hear his whispered follow of, "... at least I hope so..."

"Oh, leave him alone, Trotter! He's been through enough!" Twilight retorted in my defense, tossing the scholar an annoyed glance.

"Alright then, let me get straight to it. I'm here to make sure you're ready for the operation, or if you want back out of it-"

"No, it's fine. Let's get on with it."

"Wow, he gave a answer faster than I thought!" Trotter chuckled. "No offence, Keith, but not everypony that comes here is as quick to a life-risking decision as that. But very well, I shall go alert the surgeons. The ponyville hospital also said something about not being responsible for any permanent damage-"

"Trotter!"

"-I mean we will do our best to make sure you get out alive!" He grinned, glancing nervously at Twilight. "Better?"

"Close enough." Twilight shook her head as the blood red professor trotted back out into the corridors.

"Is he always that socially awkward?" I inquired.

"Uh, most of the time yes." Twilight sighed before trotting up the bedside. "Sorry the others aren't here right now. We've all got a lot of catching up to do since we left."

"But you made it. Thanks, Twilight." I managed a smile. She returned it for a short moment before it went into a frown.

"So you're perfectly fine with this? Letting them tamper with the spinal cord of a creature they've never seen before?"

"Well now that you put it that way, it sounds dangerous... but no, I'm not changing my mind." I subconsciously tried to raise an arm, but none of my limbs responded to anything. "And besides, I have Princess Celestia in on the process! What could possibly go wrong?"

"Where should I start?" Celestia's star pupil smiled again. "You humans are stubborn as a mule, you know that!"

"You're wrong! We can be more stubborn!" I mocked. But before we could continue the inter-species banter, a light cough came from the door. The figure of a black and white striped zebra stood in the doorway, with an all-knowing look in her eyes.

"Zecora?" I craned my neck up. "You're here too?"

The zebra merely nodded her head, she trotted up to the other side of the bed, pulling a strange mash of greens out of her bag.

"W-What's this?" Twilight poked a hoof at the small pile of leaves.

"They said that magic might cause some resistance, so here I am to provide more natural assistance." Zecora responded in kind. She got Twilight to levitate some in front of my face with reluctance.

"Please, eat these young man. Once you do, count down from ten."

I eyed the substance with suspicion. I couldn't be too sure, but it looked strikingly similar to another, more illegal type of human plant. I sighed, "Well, okay. I'm trusting you guys on this."

As soon as I bit down on the vegetable, Doctor Caramel came in followed by Nurse Redheart. Then, I began to count down from ten.

"You'll be alright, Keith." Twilight reassured me with her adorkable face. I began to feel minor dizziness.

Nine...

Zecora cleared her strange substance away, stowing it back in her saddlebag and nodded to the doctor.

Eight...

The dizziness became greater, followed by a little light-headedness.

Seven...

Sounds of clutter around the ward become softer, my breathing unintentionally slowed.

Six...

"Careful with him, Doc." I heard Twilight say.

Five...

"Don't worry. You can count on us!" Caramel replied, their voices became slightly softer and muffled.

Four...

"Nurse Redheart, please move him... slowly." The Doctor instructed.

Three...

"Yes, Nurse Redheart, that is a hand. Stop fiddling with it please."

What?

Their voices echoed in my ears by now, and the dizziness had turned to drowsiness.

"What if something does go wrong?!"

Shut up!

"That's strange... that sword wasn't in this room yesterday..."

Screw this! Zero!

I heard nothing more as the strange herbs took effect, drifting me off into a deep sleep.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I shot up, gasping for air. But I was nowhere in the hospital. I was surrounded by vibrant colours of flowers, and unnaturally, so were the trees. Yellow sunlight broke through the gaps between the colourful leaves and stone pedestals scattered throughout the strange woods. I felt peaceful again, the familiar warm serenity that I knew I had felt before.

"Back in Limbo already?" It was the voice I knew from my previous experience here. I got to my feet, and turned to the grey Alicorn. He continued to wander around the woods, barely noticing me.

"Hello, Grey Ghost." I tried to get over the disorientation of this new strange environment.

"Hmm. It's funny; you're only meant to be here when you're close to death." The Alicorn contemplated.

"I'm having surgery. Something may have gone a little awry." I knew it may have been something to be worried about, but it was nearly impossible to feel anything negative in this surreal realm. "But Limbo isn't quite what I remembered it..."

"It never is, Keith." Grey Ghost continued onwards, leaving me to choose to follow him. He broke through multi-cloured ferns and low branches. Seconds dragged on to minutes as they turned into hours, and the Alicorn never spoke a word.

"Well?" I inquired.

"Well what?"

"Is there nothing else you can tell me now that I'm here?"

"What more is there to say?"

"You should know."

"You never asked."

The Grey Alicorn came to a halt. I almost fell over the ledge he had stopped at. The grass and dirt broke away, leaving nothing left to walk on. It seemed we had reached the edge of Limbo. The sky, now clear to me, was coloured red,yellow, orange and purple. Light poked through dark grey clouds in beams, and shone onto the land we stood on. Beneath us was a swirling pot of images. Pictures of places faded in and out of an endless pattern that I could only begin to understand. The realm stretched on forever, coming to no visible end.

Grey Ghost lay down on a grass patch, staring out into the empty space of the link-world. "The places you see beneath us are not only places that exist, Keith. They are places imagined, formed into such detail that it has created a world on its own."

"Can we go there?" I began to sit on the edge. In a swift motion, Grey Ghost flapperd out a wing, restricting me.

"I'm afraid you can't. Your fate is uncertain if you were to fall in that 'pit'. Even I haven't been there." I lay down next to the Alicorn, bringing my arms up to my head. I began to feel sleepy again, but I had so many more questions for the Alicorn.

"So how does the bridge work?" I asked. "Do I use it anytime I want?"

"Supposedly." He muttered. "I've barely used it for that purpose."

"Can you tell me when the prophecy will happen?"

"At ease, young one. Don't search for your fate in haste."

"What... does that even... mean?" My eyelids became heavier. Soon I would be going back to the real world. It partly brought relief, knowing that the procedure went through fine.

"Not in a long time, Keith. Just be ready..." The Alicorn lay down his head and shut his eyes, as I soon followed.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Yoohoo!"

A light, cheery voice echoed in my head. It definitely wasn't Aura's.

"Rise and shine sleepyhead!" The voice became clearer, amplifying the pink party pony's morning calls.

I opened one eye, only to get a face full of the hyper-pink pony.

"Uh... morning?"

"Morning?! It's the afternoon, silly! You've been asleep for more then twenty four hours, and thats more than a day!" Pinkie Pie held an alarm clock in her hoof, bumping it against my nose.

"Uh, Pinkie, let him up first..." The voice I recognized as Rainbow Dash spoke. Pinkie Pie bounced off the bed, putting my in full view of the Mane Six, Doctor Caramel and Professor Trotter. Behind me, I heard the distinct sound of a heart monitor, beeping at regular intervals.

"Good to have you back human." said Caramel. Eye bags had formed under his eyes, the same way it had formed under Trotter's.

"So how'd it go?" My throat was as dry as sandpaper. My voice cracked at almost everything I said.

"Oh, don't ask us." Caramel stifled a yawn. "Try it out for yourself!"

"What?"

"You heard the Doc, get up!" Applejack encouraged.

The room filled with silence. Drawing in large breaths, I began to sit up. It was surprisingly easy, as I thought I would have weakened after being bedridden for so long. Small gasps emerged from the minor crowd in the ward. Next, I tried to move my arms. Then, it was my legs. Slowly but surely, I stood up at the side of my bed. It felt like an achievement. Suddenly, I was rushed by Pinkie Pie, charging me back onto the bed in a pile of giggles. Strangely enough, I didn't feel much different.

"Well, it looks like the implants worked." Caramel looked too tired to show much joy. Instead, he scribbled something onto his clipboard. "Okay, so stretch daily for a couple of weeks; the plasma implants need to form into shape before the harden. You're going to need a Unicorn to keep the plasma at a constant until it hardens..."

"How do you feel, Keith?" Fluttershy asked. I stood back up, the wires and plugs that connected to me restricted me from going very far, but I got the feel of movement again.

"I feel... a little taller..."

"Here's a little souvenir." Trotter levitated a picture into my hands with a tired grin. "The glowing yellow ones are the magical ones." My eyes swept over the picture, looking at pattern of bone and magic alternating down the spinal cord.

"Word of advice though; try to avoid x-rays. Who knows what everypony-er...person will think." Trotter managed a weak chuckle.

"Hey!" Pinkie Pie shouted out with a glint of excitement in her eyes. "You know what this calls for?!"

"Pinkie, darling! Now's not the best time!" Rarity placed a hoof over Pinkie Pie's mouth.

"They also banned you the last time..." Rainbow Dashed added.

"It would be best if you fully recover first. Unfortunately, we don't know when that will be, so once you think you're ready, you may go." Caramel let out a sigh.

"Thanks Caramel!" I said gratefully, sitting back down onto my bed with the picture in hand.

"Uh... no problem?" Caramel smiled sheepishly, his cheeks turning a darker tinge of orange.

"You too, Prof."

"Finally I get some credit!" The scholar wiped the sweat of his brow with a hoof. "Now if anyone needs me, I'm going to take an extended nap." Trotter dragged his hooves out the door, followed silently by Caramel.

I was left in the ward with the Mane Six. After one moment of silence, they jumped up into a big group hug. I let out a sigh, it was one of contentment. I felt extremely lucky for everything that had happened, but from now, I knew I couldn't live on luck alone.

"How 'bout now?" Pinkie Pie bounced up and down on the spot.

"Okay Pinkie, a party." I giggled. "A small one!"

"YAY!"

Comments

[Artemis Orion]

Oh my gosh I've been so inactive! Really sorry about that!

We'll be drawing to a close soon, and I'm going to need some advice on stuff. Let you guys know later.

Also I got really tired at the bottom half of this chapter. I think the quality dropped there, might wanna redo it.

Not much to say really. I'm going to make a little info chapter with author's notes, so just wait for that. And I'm on holidays now! Expect no more inactivity!

Still tired as hell though...

Artemis Orion

[uTTerAbsurdity]

My guess: Keith's gonna eventually go into limbo and jump off the cliff and into that melting pot of stuff way down below. What happens before and after that? I have no idea.

SECOND!

[Mard93]

390347
You are on holidays, I am starting the school year

[Azzazel]

I understand, you don't wish to add too much too soon. Lets see, Legion blade, good [ still hardly worth it] . So he... almost died... for a blade ... that was left... by his enemy. -.-*? Risky surgery, almost lethal [ prediction, slight augmentation is utter crap and worthless]. And that alicorn is coming off as a criptic jerk [ you get props if your intention was for everyone to hate him] and offered nothing. All in all very unsatisfying [ not the chapter mind you]. I'm not going to speculate what might happen with the magical crap, who knows maybe he will actually get something awesome [ ahahaha yeah right], Legion blade doesn't cut it, it was given, not received. I'm not getting my hopes up but I will see you next chapter !

[eclipse162]

Can someone explain why it has the G1 cast instead of the G4 cast? I'm a little confused here... Was there some kind of special day today?

[RealityCheck]

oh dammit, is this site totally buggered till april 2?

[Glassed]

391945 I believe so. It was fair enough for them to change the banner and make a few other changes, but the name-thingy is just messing up the reading... It's really annoying.

Yay, he can walk again!
-Glassed

[Ignis Infinitus]

391945>>392869 there is an option to fix that, go to the bottom and press Toggle G1 Mode.