Three More Things!

by Tatsurou


Enforced Exhaustion

Jade chuckled to herself as she carried around bowls of soup and cups of tea for her patients. Jackie still was recovering from his broken leg, but seemed to be well on his way to a full recovery. Uncle needed extra tending, as the extra time he'd given himself in his study had finally caught up to him, and Sweetie estimated it would take at least a week - if not two - before he was fully recovered. Oddly enough, that put his recovery on the same schedule that the doctor's predicted for Jackie's leg.

The main concerns were Audrey and Apple Bloom. The 'fusion' had been very draining for both of them, despite the fact that most of the energy had been drawn from Tohru, who Uncle claimed had vast, untapped reserves focused throughout his entire body. Given the things he'd done with the Talismans, that was believable. Despite him taking the brunt of the drain, however, Audrey was all but wilting - even worse than when he'd been in the heat of Mexico - and Apple Bloom could barely walk, staggering this way and that when she tried. What was of greater concern in Jade's eyes was the fact that when she did walk, plants didn't sprout with her steps like they usually did.

Once she'd given Apple Bloom her soup and tea - both in bowls big enough for the poor filly to just stick her head in and slurp - Jade did the same for Audrey. In the plant's case, tea was poured into his pot for his roots, while soup was poured into his bulb where it hung open. As before, Jade was careful not to pour the soup on the Rat Talisman, where it was clutched between tongue and teeth. According to Uncle, Audrey was so drained that - until he received a new infusion of chi from Apple Bloom - the Talisman was all that kept him from reverting to an ordinary plant. Still, Jade's concern was great, so with her rounds done she made her way through the reestablished warp between the Section 13 apartment and the antique shop, hoping Uncle was up to answering questions.

As she entered the apartment above the shop, she found Uncle sitting up in bed and reading. That was a good sign, at least. "Hey, Uncle," she called out hopefully, making her way towards him.

Uncle set his book aside. "Jade," he greeted warmly, holding his arms open. "Come give Uncle a hug."

Jade started to rush forward, then paused. She remembered what happened the first time she saw Uncle give Jackie that instruction. "Should I get a helmet first?"

Uncle managed a weak laugh and beckoned her forward, embracing her as she got onto the bed. "You do good, tending all your weak relatives," he offered softly. "You, Sweetie, and Scootaloo."

Jade looked up at Uncle worriedly. "Are you sure you're going to be okay, Uncle?" she asked in concern. "You...you seem so weak...weaker than normal..."

Uncle smiled softly. "All magic has a price, Jade. Pay now or later, with your substance or that of another...but the price will always be paid. Using Rabbit Talisman gave me more time when it was short, but now when time is not I can do very little." He sighed as he lay back against the pillow. "I cannot even read my book right now, despite attempts to do so. I hold it as though I read for comfort...and because when I can read again, I know I will be close to a full recovery."

Jade shifted worriedly. "That's...actually part of why I came to speak with you. I'm...worried about Apple Bloom. She's just so...listless."

Uncle nodded. "Apple Bloom is still young, and her magic is not yet fully stable. Expending so much was not good for her, but was only option. She will recover in time."

"What do you mean, not yet stable?" Jade asked curiously.

"Is something I read in book on pony magic," Uncle explained, holding up the tome that Jackie had brought unwittingly to the store along with the pendants. "Young pony magic is unstable, and susceptible to violent shifts. One more thing, young ponies also leak more magic than adult ponies."

"But when does pony magic stabilize?" Jade demanded. "I mean, they're my age...right?"

"Book mentioned something about it...but Uncle not understand yet," Uncle admitted. "Perhaps it will make sense when it happens." Besides, Uncle thought to himself, the sage who sent book and pendants advised not mentioning these 'Cutie Marks' to the fillies unless or until they manifested. Apparently, they caused a great deal of chaos when they knew to quest for them...and they do enough of that as is! "One more thing. Does Captain Black believe in magic now after seeing fake Cthulhu eating San Francisco?"

Jade burst into giggles, remembering Jackie's face when he'd tried to confront Captain Black on that very thing. "Captain Black didn't see it!" she laughed. "And every recording device - both in and out of Section 13 - that captured an image of it as it was moving shorted out due to the magic, so no captured images remain. Even an old Polaroid picture that was taken burst into flame before it could develop!"

Uncle blinked for a time, then burst into laughter himself. "And no one in San Fran will make fuss over giant kaiju battle in bay because Apple Bloom was still wearing pendant when fused, and fusion amplify pendant's power as well!"

Jade nearly fell off her bed laughing at that, suddenly picturing a weary traffic cop waving people away from the massive battle with the classic monotone, "Nothing to see here, move along people," and people not even blinking. Another thought struck her, and she laughed even harder. "I wonder what people driving on the Golden Gate thought when one of the tentacles torn off flopped over all lanes!"

Uncle wasn't the only one to burst into laughter at that, as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stabilized the tray they carried together on an end table before it could dump its contents all over them from their laughter. Uncle smiled down at them all. "Is true what they say...laughter is best medicine."