Equestria, Canterlot castle
Abigail POV
'Why does the afterlife smell like daisies and feel like death warmed over?' Was my first clear thought as the mist in my head began to clear up. Like a low bearing switch, my mind began to wonder how I got into this state.
From my face down I was hurting, mainly from the sides where they hurt the most. But felt a gentle light grace my face, like there was an open window somewhere nearby. Opening my eyes and squinting under the light, I saw that I was laying down on a bed in a lovely and expensive looking room. The windows and walls held blue and silver drapes. Marble white floors shined and fancy wooden furniture. The bed I rested in also had the same color blue blanket and pillows like the drips. Looking down at myself, I was once again weaponless and nude under the covers.
A soft beeping noise took my notice. Looking directly to my left, I saw what had to be a heart monitor and IV stand connected to my leg. I also saw a nightstand full of greeting cards. Looking at the closest ones, the words 'Get Well' and 'Thank You' were labeled on them. There were a bunch of them standing there on the table. Seeing so many brought a genuine smile to my face at feeling the love she was seeing. I then felt the bed I was rested in shifted slightly from my right, looking in that direction. I found the cutest sight I have seen since coming here.
Starlight Glimmer was sitting in a chair next to my bed, resting her head on top of her forelegs as she slept on my bed, letting out a cute little snore and a decent amount of drool coming out of the corner of her mouth. It would have been adorable if Starlight didn't have those dark bags under her eyes and her hair in a mess.
'She stayed by my side this whole time I've been out? So dedicated to her friends. She deserves some sort of reward.'
Reaching out, I gave a gentle nudge to Starlights head. Starlight stared a bit but didn't wake. Nudging her again Starlight's eyes fluttered open, looking around wondering who woke her before a third nudge brought the mare's attention to me. Now having her violet meeting mine, from there I could practically count the seconds it took for Starlights brain to kick in. I watched as Starlight's eyes grew full of tears slowly leaking out of the sides.
"Abby?" Starlight said in a fearful and hopeful voice. As if I was allusion on her mind or something.
I gave my friend a caring smile before I reached out and 'boop' her on the nose. "Look at yourself girl; I take a quick nap only to wake up to find you looking like crap." I teased. My purple friend just looked at me some more before her face turned sour.
"That's it? I've all been worried sick about you, and this is what you say to me?!" Starlight shouted, making me press back into the bed's backboard.
"Star, I-"
"Do you know how close you came to dying, do you?! How incredibly stupid that cool mare act you pulled, what in all that is holy were you thinking?! And you know what? I. DON'T. CARE! " She screamed before lunging at me with outstretched arms. Pulling me in a strong bear hug, making me cringe in pain from my wounds. "I'm just so glad you're alive." Starlight sobbed into my chest. She cried hard, within moments I felt my fur become wet with tears as Starlight released the floodgates. I could only reach around and embraced the girl.
"I'm sorry Starlight. I'm sorry for making you all worry about me so much," I whispered into Starlights ear. "I hope you can forgive me for my actions." I apologized.
I then pull her up to the point that our faces were only a few centimeters apart. Without a second thought, I brought her face down till our lips touched. Starlight's body tensed in shock over me at what I did but soon relaxed before returning the kiss. The kiss was gentle, caring. It broadcasted a wave of passion that I've not felt before in my life. I was once again surprised when I felt Starlight's touch my lips letting up, her tongue slide in between my lips and past my teeth. It wasn't long until we started exploring each other's mouths. Compared to others I have been with I noted that ponies have thicker tongues then humans as my tongue danced with Starlights. After a minute of constant making out, we were forced to separate for air.
We looked into each other eyes after the intensity of our kiss before starlight reached down and put pressure on my side. And like that any pleasure I felt before disappeared and replaced with a sharp pain. I hissed out which told Starlight to stop as she backed off.
"Oh, I'm sorry! Are you alright?! Where does it hurt?! I'll get the doctor and-" Starlight panicked before I got up and pulled her in to silence her with another kiss. It did the trick as Starlight relaxed and melted into it. Bringing her close, she laid there next me lost in each others warmth.
After that we just laid there embracing each other; I was about to let my friend go all then a new feeling took hold of me. A growling sound echoed throughout the room causing the two split. Another growling lets out that made me clench my body as a massive wave of hunger swept over. "Ok I don't know about you Star, but I feel like I would die soon if I don't get any food in me now." I pleaded.
Starlight nodded quickly before rushing to the rooms doors. Opening it up revealed a pair of white stallions in gold armor. 'Are they the royal guard? The guys the girls thought I was similar to, looks like a bunch of pussies to me.'
"Please inform Princess Celestia and Luna that Abigail is awake. Also, can you have one of the maids bring a plate of food for the princess's guest?"
The guards looked at Starlight for a sec then to where I was laying. Seeing that I was awake, the request was met with nods of approval before Starlight shut the door. Starlight then made her way back to my bed. "It would be a little while before the Princess comes in, she's in the middle of day court with some stupid noble so just stay there and rest... I'm so relieved that you're alright. I thought that you-"
"Stop," I firmly said and with a hoof to Starlights mouth. "I didn't so don't talk like that." I then smiled. "We're all alive, and we are all here. That's all that matters, Okay." I said, getting a reassuring smile from her friend. "By the way, where are we? This doesn't look like one of Twilights castle bedrooms. No crystals anywhere."
"We're in Canterlot; it's the capital of Equestria. Princess Celestia and Luna had you moved to their castle here so they can monitor your recovery."
"Cool. How long have I've been out?"
"Two and haft weeks."
"What?!" I said in surprise. "Two weeks?"
"Two and a 'haft,' almost three really. You weren't in good shape at the end of everything. Like I was saying after you got out of surgery, you were put here after the doctors made sure you can be safely moved around." Starlight explained.
"And everyone we saved?" She questioned.
"Twilight and her friends along with Discord and Trixie, all went back to Ponyville. Princess Cadence, Prince Shining Amor and their daughter Furry Heart went back to the Crystal Empire. Celestia and Luna are here in Canterlot and Thorax was reunited with Cazador and are leading Changelings, now acting as their new leaders." She answered.
"And Chrysalis?"
"Dead at the base of the hive she once ruled."
"So everything is back to what it was before with the exception of Thorax and the changelings?"
"Pretty much."
"Do the Twilight and the Princesses know everything that went on in the Hive?"
"Yes, all the princess gathered and interviewed me, Trixie, and Discord about how we rescued them... I haven't heard what their plan is for when you wake up just that they keep telling me to relax while you heal. "
"Alright then. Mmmm... say where's my armor?" I asked.
Starlight looked a little hesitant before answering." Ah well, Prince Shining Armor confiscated it while you were in surgery?" I just looked at her like she was stupid.
"What?"
"He found your helmet in the rubble when he and the others got freed from their pods. And when and when I took your armor off for the doctors, he took it with him back to Empire before I could say anything." She finished, looking a little worried at me. I, on the other hand, didn't feel offended. Oh no, I felt mad.
"And my weapons? Did you recover them?" I asked.
Starlight looked to her side as if tell her would only make me angrier. At this point, however. "Thorax found them in the rubble and sent them back to you with his thanks for ridding them of Chrysalis... Princess Celestia, however, took them from them and had since put them in Canterlots researched division headquarters to be dismantled and studied..."
"That bitch of a thief! That scavenging asshole! I go out of my way, risked my life several times in a single day, nearly kicked the bucket to save the lot of them, took down a major public enemy, and this is how they repay me!" I waved a hoof to herself. "By sticking me in the most conferrable hospital bed in the world while they take everything I own in this world?!" I fumed.
Let it be known I was not a happy Gear right now, and with her stomach begging for food the way it is, I did not like life right now. 'No one steals from a gear unless you pry it off their cold dead corpse.'
A gentle hoof from Starlight told me to stop.
"Please don't be mad Abby. Princess Celestia is just worried about you having such dangerous devices around her subjects. I told her it wasn't a good idea to take them but wouldn't listen to me. Just said that she would explain her reasoning when you are awake." Starlight explained. "They are just scared after what they saw you did to Chrysalis."
"I don't care if she has a reason why the sky's blue! It's simple; you don't take and disassemble someone else's stuff while they are recovering from their death bed after saving them! Who does that?! As for their reasons. Then they better be damn good. As far as I can tell, this world doesn't have weapons like mine, and in they get in wrong hands, things could be devastating for everyone if not handled right. You get what I'm saying?" I explained. Praying that they haven't reverse engineered my weapons of war for personal use. Otherwise, it may start a fiasco similar to the Pendulum Wars.
"As for my armor, This prince Shining Armor guy, better gives back my gear to me, or he would be better know as Busted Armor when I get done with him."
"I would advise going against fighting my former Captain of the guard, I have trained him quite well in magic and combat. "
Both of our attentions were then brought to a halt as two tall alicorns with manes flowing in a nonexistent breeze were standing at the door. The white one was the one that spoke had a white fur and a light mulita colored pink, green and blue rainbow flowing and a big yellow and orange sun on her flank. There was also the midnight blue one that I remembered seeing from the changeling tower with her bright starry mane and tail.
"Then it should be fun when I take him down a notch or three. Cuss if I can take down enemies by myself without magic that he can't do with an army behind him then it might be a pretty short fight. But that's for a conversation for another time. As for you ma'am, I don't think we officially met."
"No we have not Sargent, I've heard your name clearly right before you finished Chrysalis. As for me, I am Princess Celestia, Co-ruler of Equestria and mover of the sun. Right next to me is my sister Luna. Who I rule with and is the mover of the moon." She pointed to the one by her side.
"Tis is an honor to meet the one who finished off the tyranny leadership of the changelings, and one of thy new heroes to Equestria." Luna expressed with a light bow.
That last part did stick out to me. "Me? A new hero?" I asked in confutation, to which both princesses smiled.
"Why yes. Cuss of you, Starlight Glimmer's, Thorax, Trixie Lunamoon, Discord and your self-sacrifice to save others. Your actions will be recorded in Equestria's history in everypony's rescue and involvement of changeling relations." Celestia explained. I then looked over at Starlight with a surprised face wondering if she knew about this to which she was also surprised.
"Me to Princess?" Starlight said, surprised to which both princesses nodded. Thou I was still sore about her stuff.
"Alright, I guess I can be under the hero's spotlight for a time. But don't think that this is going to distract me from my issue with you within taking my property and having your research team possibly breaking them apart or having someone kill themselves by their stupidity with an accident." I clarified. Celestia didn't look offended by my attitude towards her, but her younger sister just looked up to her sister with a questioning.
"Sister, what is thy Sargent talking about? What weapons?"
"Thorax came by the first week Abigail was rendered unconscious, he only wished to drop off the Sergeant's things that she left behind in the changeling hive. He didn't know the name of any of her weapons that she used in the fighting, but he did send them to us. I merely had them taken to our Royal researchers and weapon smiths to be cleaned and looked at and also for study for their functions." Celestia explained to her sister.
"Which brings me to why I'm not happy, princess." I began. "Your playing with more than one fire if you don't stop your team of researchers. It's political dynamite."
"Explain this to us, good sergeant," replied Luna.
"Starlight, tell me. You've seen my weapons in action. You know what they can do. Have you seen any nation in this world with weapons like mine anywhere?" I asked her friend, to which she shook her head.
"No, not like the weapons you possess, the closest to it would be the mentors and griffins. but their weapons only fire one shot, not like yours." Starlight told me, which actually shock me.
"Wait really; there are guns in this world? Why haven't I seen any, are they not on the civilian market?"
"No, weapons like that are illegal to own by the lower class towns ponies. And only unicorns like yourself and Starlight are likely to wield them, from the other nations, so they are in short demand as effective weapons to use. Also, I've civilians are not allowed to own weapons." Princess Celestia explained.
"Huh... Welp, then there goes that part of my argument. But another thing that would concern yourself with is the political dynamite you would have." I warned.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, if word gets around to the other neighboring nations to you about your country's production of new advanced weapons far greater than their own, then you're going to have a few problems on your hooves," I explained. "It would show the world that your preparing for something, like a war to just name one. Just as a fair warning is all, but lastly, and this what really pissed me off..." She hung on the word 'pissed' making sure she had the royalty attention.
"I don't like being robbed from, especially if it's from those I helped save. I'll let this matter die right now if my things get returned to me, preferably intact if you can be so kind." I nicely asked, which from the looks from the two sister royals had different effects.
Celestia looked at me in shock at the what implications I said, Probably haven't thought about that. While Luna was eyeing both her sister and back at me with mixed reactions. Before anyone could say anything, a sudden laughter filled the room, and a familiar annoying voice replaced it.
"Oh, how I do love watching this mare work. Even without her boring yet wonderful little toys and silly black armor, this girl knows how to make some chaos."
With a flash appeared beside my bed was Discord himself sitting in a bean bag chair with a bag of popcorn in his lap. "Don't you agree, Starlight? With a little work about, she can be on par with your level of past problems. Expect that she wouldn't need to be reformed the same way as you neither."
"Discord!" Shouted the two princesses and Starlight, the last looking embarrassed about her past being mentioned. "What are you doing here? You should be in Ponyville with the rest of the elements." Celestia question while glaring at their mismatched companion.
"They're fine, 'Tia,' they are all grown ups you don't need to worry about how they're doing, in fact how about you tell them yourself." He countered by snapping his Talon followed by another flash of magic. Now stood eight familiar faces of Spike, Trixie, and the elements, well seven stood one was flying headlong into the wall above Abby's bed. The cyan rainbow known as Rainbow Dash flew into the wall head first before falling backward and landing on top of me, causing more pain to her body. I clutched my body as Rainbow lay on top of her with her rainbow tail in my face.
"Ow! What happened?!" Rainbow asked out load before seeing Discord seeing him smirking at her. "What do you want Discord! I was training at Wonder Bots field and... Oh hey, girls what are you doing here!" Rainbow shouted as I grabbed Rainbows tail and jerked her off me.
"Hey, whats the big-- Abigail!" Rainbow yelled once more. "You're alive!" She and the rest of their friends that quickly surrounded and overwhelmed me. They were quickly pulled back when a dark blue aura pushed all of them back to let me breathe.
"Thy Sargent had only just awoken my dear friends, give her a moment to collect thyself," Luna said calmly to them. Some of them blushed visibly through their fur. She was never going to understand this world. Twilight was the first to walk up to the bed followed closely by the rest.
"Hello again Abigail, I'm so happy to see you awake. I was worried about you not ever waking up again." She said before Rarity spoke next.
"We all were Twilight darling. After the way you 'distinguish' yourself in dealing with Chrysalis and helping to rescue us. No one would blame you in the slight." Rarity answered with nods from the rest of the gang. Rainbow was the next to go up to me.
"First I wanted to say thanks for getting us out of there even if it wasn't your problem to help solve." Now they were starting to make me blush.
"It wasn't a problem, just doing my job really. Protecting others from monsters that have a thing for world domination."
"I was just there for support thou. Starlight's the one how kept the group together, Discord and Trixie were to tear each other apart if Star wasn't there to stop them." I said, praising to my friend, making her blush in embarrassment and while getting sheepish smiles from the other two. "I'm just glad we all got out of there alive. I mean, if Chrysalis didn't do the whole villain monolog and explain her evil plan to Starlight while she gave me time for a surprise attack, I don't think any of us would be here... On that note, good job by the way."
"It just came to me is all," Starlight replied.
"Oh and Twilight, sorry about the mess I made in your castle." Twilight just looked at me in confusion. "
What mess?"
"You know. The dead changeling that were impersonating you guys, they were pretty hard to miss when you go through the front door and in that map room of yours. Although I'd understand if you missed the severed head that flew up and landed on the light fixture in.. the... hallway. What?" All the ponies in the room were now looking at me with green sick faces. I then looked over and saw Discord rocking slowly back away whistling along like he hadn't had anything to do with it.
"Discord..." catching the gods attention.
"Did you clean up after my mess?" I asked.
Before he could answer, Pinkie appeared between Starlight and me and pulled us into a bone-crushing hug.
"Let's forget about those little details for now; I still need to throw you your party and add a "Thank you for saving Equestria party" to your "Welcome to Ponyville, Equestria, Eques reality PARTY!!" She declared.
Looking at the Pinkies mare's friends they only shook their heads and smiled at the pink pony. My stomach made itself know once more with a growing vengeance that made her clutch her body in slight pain.
"Will there be food?" I asked. I can grab my weapons later when there wasn't a raging beast that threatened to tear a hole in her gut, now was food, then guns, then the armor from the Broken Armor and finally Twilights home for later.