//------------------------------//
// Chapter 42: Healing At Canterlot General 
// Story: A Search for Something More 
// by HAKDurbin 
//------------------------------//

Third person P.O.V.


It's very early in the morning as the school bus makes its long journey to Canterlot from Vanhoover overnight. After word about what happened to Rough Draft got around, Mr. Iron Will ordered everyone to pack up for the bus back to Canterlot immediately. Everyone in the team was confused and annoyed at first, but when it was explained to them what happened, all of them - particularly Soarin, were quick to follow orders. Before long, however, everyone was fast asleep as the bus drove the long road home.
Everyone except Rainbow Dash, Soarin, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and especially Sunset Shimmer.
Sunset Shimmer stares at the road from the window seat, scared and determined to find out what happened to the boy she loves. Fluttershy, who is sitting next to her, rubs her friend's back for comfort, but she knows that nothing is going to help until Sunset Shimmer sees her boyfriend safe and sound. Pinkie Pie looks at Sunset Shimmer worriedly from the seat next to her and Fluttershy while Rainbow Dash and Soarin quietly talk in the bus seat behind them.
"So let me get this straight," Soarin says. "Sonata and the police tracked her sisters back home, and it turns out they came to the mall specifically to kidnap Rough Draft?"
"From what his mom explained to Sunset, yes," Rainbow Dash answers.
"And he just happened to have separated himself from the group just as security was coming to escort them to safety and the guard that went looking for him was knocked unconscious by a magical ability one of Sonata's sisters suddenly has now?" Soarin continues.
"Yup," his girlfriend answers.
"And now Caramel, Rarity, Applejack, and Twilight are expecting us from the school parking lot while we're all waiting for news?" Soarin asks. 
"That's about the size of it," Rainbow Dash confirms.
"Oh, this is heavy," Soarin groans as he rubs his face in worry while Rainbow Dash rubs his back for comfort. "What do they even want with Rough Draft?"
"I don't know, Soarin," Rainbow Dash says. "Maybe they somehow found out that he and Sunset are dating and they want to use him as payback or something? Maybe it has something to do with Sonata? I just don't know."
Soarin doesn't say anything. He looks down at the floor, worried about his friend as Rainbow Dash sighs and wraps her arms around him tightly.
A couple of minutes pass until suddenly, Sunset Shimmer's phone is ringing. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Soarin, and Rainbow Dash all huddle up around her as she immediately answers.
"Hello? Applejack, any news? What? Oh, thank God!" Sunset Shimmer says happily before she turns to the others. "The police found him and captured Adagio and Aria."
Everyone sighs in relief before Sunset Shimmer goes back to her call.
"Applejack, is he alright? Did they -"
But before Sunset Shimmer can finish, her face of relief melts into one of shock as Applejack talks over the phone. Her eyes widen, and her mouth quivers with each new information.
"What is it? What happened?" Soarin demands.
Sunset Shimmer slowly moves her phone away from her ear as tears start to come out of her eyes. 
"They ... they tortured him ... and shot him in the arm," she says.
Everyone stares at Sunset Shimmer in shock, unable to process what they just heard.
"He's unconscious from the blood loss," she continues. "They don't know when he's going to wake up. He's currently at Canterlot General Hospital. His parents were just there, but his mom just told AJ that they had to leave to handle matters with the police and let some other friends watch over him."
Immediately, Fluttershy hugs Sunset Shimmer for comfort as she stares into space from the news. Soarin runs his fingers through his hair in frustration, furious to learn that the two ex-sirens did this to his best friend. Even Pinkie Pie's hair is less puffy as she looks down at the ground sadly.
Eventually, the bus makes it to the Canterlot High School parking lot where Caramel, Applejack, Twilight, and Rarity are waiting for them. Twilight is looking down at the ground, ashamedly as the bus stops right next to them. As soon as the bus door opens, Sunset Shimmer bursts out with a determined look on her face.
"Sunset, I'm so sorry," Twilight pleads as Sunset Shimmer storms past them. "I didn't know. I didn't -"
But Sunset Shimmer doesn't listen to her. Instead, she walks straight to her motorcycle parked just where she left it, hops on, puts on her helmet, and turns it on. Twilight continues her pleas as Sunset Shimmer backs up and drives away. Twilight looks down ashamedly as tears fall down her face before Applejack puts her hand on her shoulder.
"She's not mad at you, sugarcube," Applejack says comfortingly. "She's just worried about Rough Draft."
"But it's my fault we got separated in the first place," Twilight sobs.
"No, it ain't," Applejack says firmly. "It was Rough Draft's idea to leave, and we had no way of knowing that Adagio and Aria were in town or that they were even after him. We thought they were still miles away from here until Sonata and the police came. You had no control over what happened. You understand?"
Twilight sniffs before she nods in response.
"I just hope Rough Draft is okay," she says.
"I'm sure he's going to be just fine," Applejack says.
"Hey, did she seriously leave without us and left all of her stuff behind?!" Rainbow Dash calls out as she, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Soarin exit the bus with the rest of the soccer team. "Not cool."



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Nothing is heard in Rough Draft's hospital room except for the beeping coming from the pulse monitor. Rough Draft lies unconscious in a bed wearing a hospital gown. His right arm is bandaged and injected with painkillers and a blood bag, and his left eye still swollen from the beating. Cuddling next to him on his left side is Octavia without her purple vest, watching him slowly breathe with a sad look. Vinyl is looking out the window while Derpy is sleeping on a couch next to the window.
Suddenly, the door opens, revealing a satisfied Doc entering the room. Vinyl's head snaps to Doc's direction, and she walks over to him.
"Well, the worst is over on our part," he announces. "As far as the police are concerned, we just happened to be around when we found our friend at that warehouse with the two armed escapees, and we decided to help him before they tortured him anymore or worse before they could get there. They understand that we thought we had no choice - particularly with a knife and a gun in their possession, but we do have a warning not to act outside of the law like that again. Lyra and Bon Bon have managed to sneak their MN-DGs and Octavia's club and shield back to your place despite the warehouse under police surveillance, and Sonata has assured me that she won't say a word about our agenda to them."
"That's good to hear," Vinyl says. "What about explaining the electricity and the fireballs to the police?"
"Surprisingly, we have Sonata to thank on that matter. Apparently, she tricked the police into thinking that Adagio and Aria built weapons capable of conjuring electricity and fireballs," Doc explains. "Thanks to that, they think the remains of your bass cannon are proof that their 'weapons' were destroyed during the fight. I guess it was too damaged to be recognized as something that has to do with music rather than shooting fire or electricity. Add that to the fact that they have no way of knowing we had weapons of any kind, and it wasn't hard to make up a convincing story that their 'weapons' overloaded and blew up during the fight and back it up with the electric burns from your bass cannon's remains."
"Well, at least my baby didn't die in vain," Vinyl says with a sad smile.
"Indeed," Doc says before he continues smiling. "Now Adagio's face might be a little disfigured complete with a very broken nose after facing Tavi's wrath, so she was taken to a different hospital where she's under surveillance and will be sent straight to prison along with Aria as soon as she recovers. Also, I've heard that we're supposed to testify in court against them for a hearing."
"Yeah, Rough Draft's parents were here a couple of hours ago, and they talked about that after thanking us endlessly for rescuing him," Vinyl explains. "From what I understood under all the venom in his mom's voice, they're pressing the charges for kidnapping and shooting their son, and they want us to testify so that Adagio and Aria stay locked up for a good long time.
"Ah, well, I think I can speak for everyone in our group that it would be our pleasure," Doc says with a smirk. "So with Adagio and Aria going back to prison and Rough Draft's folks grateful for rescuing their son, it looks like a solid victory for the E.M.R. all around."
"Not quite," Vinyl says, frowning as she turns to the unconscious Rough Draft. Octavia is still in her sad state as she stares at her ex-boyfriend, waiting for him to wake up. Doc's proud face falls at the sight of his unconscious former friend.
"How has he been doing?" He asks.
"Better than he was when they put him in an ambulance," Vinyl answers. "From what the doctors told us when we got here, he's lucky to be alive after losing so much blood. None of his muscles or bones were damaged, but the blood loss between when he got shot and how long it took for an ambulance to arrive made things suspenseful. When they finally let us and his parents see him, he was already looking better but still unconscious. They said it's hard to say when he's gonna wake up, so Tavi didn't waste any time to hop on the bed and wait until he does."
Doc frowns sadly.
"Are you sure it's wise to let her do that?" He asks. "They're not together anymore, and there's no telling how he feels about her right now."
"Probably not," Vinyl answers, staring at Octavia. "I've tried to get her off the bed a couple times, but she won't budge. She knows he's with someone else, but she still wants him back really badly. I figure we should let her have this until Sunset Shimmer or any of the Rainbooms come here. She misses him so much."
"Yes, but he's still in love with another girl," Doc points out. "Are you sure it's worth the risk of her cuddling next to his unconscious body knowing that he's going to come back to Sunset Shimmer when he comes to?"
"Well, think about it, Doc," Vinyl says. "Could you bear to stay away from Derpy even if she dumped you?"
Doc hesitates before he turns to his sleeping girlfriend and sighs defeatedly.
"No," he answers. "I would endure a million years of life without my Derpy if it meant I could somehow be with her through every waking moment of her life, even if she wants nothing to do with me or doesn't even know I exist."
"There you go then," Vinyl says. "Besides, I prefer to hope that Tavi and Rough Draft might get back together. Part of that comes from seeking redemption for my actions, but it also comes from remembering how much they made each other happy.'
Doc chuckles with his mouth closed and says, "Things haven't been the same without her both ridiculing and loving him for being one nerdy guy."
"You got that right," Vinyl says.
They smile as they watch their gray friend continue to watch the boy she loves until something reaches the edge of Vinyl's eye. She walks over to the window and notices a motorcycle parking in the hospital parking lot. Vinyl sighs sadly as she sees the driver's unmistakable fiery yellow and red hair flowing in the wind as the driver takes off her helmet.
"Dang it," she says. "It's Sunset Shimmer. She's coming."
"Oh, dear," Doc sighs. "We can't let her know we're here, can we?"
"Not with Tavi cuddling her unconscious boyfriend, we can't," Vinyl says. "We gotta get out of here before she notices us."
Doc nods understandably and walks over to the sleeping Derpy and shakes her shoulder.
"Derpy, dear, we gotta go," he whispers carefully. "Sunset Shimmer is coming, and we got to - hmmph!"
Doc's eyes widen as Derpy jumps into a sitting position, wraps her arms around Doc's neck, and kisses him passionately. When they part, Derpy looks at Doc with a dreamy look in her crossed eyes before Doc snaps out of his shock and smirks at her.
"You were listening," he states.
Derpy nods her head cutely.
"You little trickster," Doc says.
"Learned from the best, Doc," Derpy says in a matter-of-factly tone.
Doc shakes his head and says, "You really are a treasure to behold, Derpy."
"Doc, we gotta go!" Vinyl calls out.
Doc snaps out of his love-stricken state. 
"Right, come, my dear, I better get you home," he says as he takes Derpy's hand, and she follows him, hugging his arm.
Vinyl smiles at the affection of her two friends as they leave the room before she turns to Octavia, whose face remains unfazed as she stares at her sleeping ex. Vinyl frowns again, knowing that she has to separate her best friend from the love of her life again, but then she gets an idea. As quickly and quietly as she can, she takes out her phone, sets its sound to silence, and takes a picture of Octavia and Rough Draft. She checks the photo and mentally prays that she'll find a good use for it as she puts the phone away, places her hand on her gray friend's shoulder, and shakes it gently.
"Tavi, we gotta go," Vinyl whispers.
"No," Octavia says plainly. "I want to stay with him."
"You can't. Sunset Shimmer's coming," Vinyl says. "We can't let her know that we're here."
"Let her," Octavia says, her eyes still fixed on Rough Draft. "I want her to know that I want my darling back."
"Now might not be the best time for that," Vinyl says. "Besides, you said you wouldn't interfere with their relationship as long as she makes him happy, right?"
"Yes, but -" Octavia begins.
"Then don't cause any problems that could get in the way of that," Vinyl demands. "If you love him, you won't cause any problems with their happiness so long as they are together."
For a moment, nothing is said. Then Octavia sighs, sadly accepting that Vinyl is right and slowly gets up to a sitting position. She caresses Rough Draft's cheek and kisses him on the lips before she leans into his ear.
"I love you, my darling," she whispers. "Please heal quick."
With those words, Octavia takes one last look at Rough Draft's unconscious face before she gets off the bed and follows Vinyl out of the room. She closes the door, leaving Rough Draft alone with nothing heard except the pulse machine once again.
Shortly after they leave, however, a quiet groan comes out of Rough Draft's mouth, and his right eye begins to move, still closed. His head moves slightly as he says one word.
"O...Octavia?"



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Rough Draft's P.O.V.


My good eye opens very slowly as I regain consciousness. I see nothing but a white ceiling as my eye fully adjusts, and I utter the name of the person I thought I just heard.
"Octavia?"
"I'm afraid you just missed her," says a female voice.
I adjust my head and look around to realize that I'm in a hospital room. I'm wearing a blue hospital gown, and my right arm is bandaged and injected with needles attached to a couple of bags hanging above a pole next to the bed. A woman with white skin, pink hair, and wearing blue pants and shirt walks over to me while writing on a clipboard. She looks up at me and smiles.
"Good afternoon, Rough Draft," she greets. "I am Nurse Redheart."
"What...what happened?" I manage to say.
"Well, I'm afraid I'm a little lost on some of the details," Nurse Redheart admits. "From what the police explained, you were electrocuted, beaten, and shot in your right arm. You lost a lot of blood when your friends tried to put pressure on both sides of the wound before the police arrived. Lucky for you, the bullet was low velocity and didn't hit any particular bones or muscles."
"How long have I been out?" I ask.
"Oh, about a good 13 or 14 hours or so," Nurse Redheart answers. "It's a good thing the police came not too long after you were shot, otherwise who knows what would have happened to you."
"Am I back in Canterlot?" I ask.
"You sure are," Nurse Redheart answers, smiling. "Your mom and dad were here a couple of hours ago too. Last I heard, they were going to the police station to press charges on the two girls who kidnapped you. Your mom looked like she wants to have their heads hanging above her fireplace. Hell hath no fury like a mother finding anyone harm her child it seems."
"Yeah, that sounds like my mom," I say with a small smile before I realize something. "What about my friends? And my girlfriend? Oh no, she's going to be devastated when she sees me like this."
"Yes, she was," Nurse Redheart says. "Octavia hasn't left your side since we put you on that bed."
I look at Nurse Redheart, confused.
"Why did you say, Octavia?" I ask.
"Because she's your girlfriend, right?" Nurse Redheart answers equally confused.
"No, she's not my girlfriend," I say. "My girlfriend is -"
"Rough Draft!" Comes a distant voice outside the hall.
"Ah, speaking of my sunshine," I say.
I hear rapid footsteps getting louder and louder as Sunset repeatedly calls out my name. She unknowingly passes by my door, and I call out, "Sunset!" I hear her footsteps suddenly halt as she turns around, races to my door, and stops the moment she sees me. My heart aches as I see in her eyes that her own heart is breaking at the sight of me beaten and shot. Tears already begin to fall down her face as she runs over to me and jumps onto my bed. I groan from her landing right on top of me as she kisses me all over my face.
"Oh. Rough. Draft. Oh. Baby," she sobs, kissing me with every word.
"I'll give you two some privacy," Nurse Redheart says as she leaves the room, closing the door behind her.
"It's okay, sunshine; I'm fine," I say, wrapping my uninjured arm around Sunset.
"No, you're not fine!" she cries. "Do you have any idea how worried I've been? I get a call from your mom that you were kidnapped, and then on the way here, Applejack calls me and told me that you were beaten and got shot and - oh babe, your eye!"
"It's okay, Sunset, it's okay," I say comfortingly as she cries, laying on my chest. "I'm safe now. Adagio and Aria are back in jail. They can't hurt me or anyone else anymore."
"But how?" she asks, hugging me with all her might. "How did you get away?"
"I didn't," I answer. "It was the E.M.R."
Sunset lifts her head to face me, her eyes red with tears as she looks at me, confused.
"What are you talking about?" she asks.
"I don't know how, but they seem to have found a way to create weapons to protect themselves from magic and take it away from Adagio and Aria," I explain.
"But why would they use them on Adagio and Aria? They don't have magic anymore," Sunset says.
"Yes, they did," I say. "Adagio gained the ability to throw fireballs, and Aria was summoning electricity."
"What? How?" she asks.
"I don't know," I say. "When I asked all they said was that it was a secret between them and their 'client.'"
Sunset stares at me, confused and troubled with this news. Then she shakes her head and lays her head back on my chest, hugging me even tighter.
"I'm too relieved that you're alive to care about that right now," she sniffles. "But why? Why did they kidnap you?"
"They wanted me to tell them where the portal is," I answer. "They were beating me for not telling them."
"What?!" Sunset shouts, raising her head to face me again. "They beat you because you didn't tell them where the portal is?!"
"Yes," I answer. "I refused to tell them to protect Equestria."
"But Princess Twilight and her friends could have handled it if they came to Equestria," she protests.
"But what about their 'client?'" I point out. "For all we know, he or she could be more powerful than the princesses could handle if he has so much power that he would just give some of it to Adagio and Aria."
"But they could have killed you if you refused," she says.
"They were going to kill me no matter what I did," I say sharply. "I had no choice but to buy as much time for you and the others to stop them if I died without telling them where the portal is. If they were going to torture me to death, then so be it as long as Equestria remains protected."
Sunset stares at me, shocked at my words.
"You...you mean you would have sacrificed your life?" She asks.
"Yes," I answer. "And my only regret would be leaving you."
Sunset looks at me, unable to believe what she just heard. Then she wipes the tears off her eyes and says, "Rough Draft, if that's the risk you were willing to take despite the odds, then I'm proud of you for being so brave. That said, I don't ever want to hear you risking your life like that again."
"Sunset -" I begin before she puts her hand on my mouth.
"I'm serious," she says. "I meant what I said at the Friendship Games. It would destroy me if I lost you because of what I've done."
I open my mouth to counter her words, but ultimately I know I should listen to what she says.
"I understand," I say.
"Good," she says before giving me a pleading look. "And please don't think I'm trying to push you down for what you did, Rough Draft. I really am proud of you. I just want you to be safe."
"I know, Sunset," I say. "And I would never leave you like that unless I had no other choice."
I caress her cheek with my good hand, and she smiles, holding it with both of her hands.
"I love you so much," she says, looking at me sweetly.
"I love you too," I reply, staring at her beautiful face with my eye before she leans in for a kiss, lays her head on my chest one more time, and we hold each other in silence.