//------------------------------// // And Broken // Story: The First Law of Magic // by Jest //------------------------------// The next few hours spent tromping through the forest were remarkably pleasant, though Twilight couldn't say she enjoyed it. She had just lost her entire family forever... or for the foreseeable future, if she was lucky. Her shattered leg hung limply from the bear’s embrace, every so often hitting a branch or tangling into a bush.  All of that a hundred miles from her home, rendering any attempt to raise her mood only marginally successful. After a while, Fluttershy’s arms became tired and Twilight was forced to hobble the last few minutes with a fretful bear by her side, constantly catching her when she fell and offering polite words of encouragement. Though Twilight had insisted she was fine, by the time Fluttershy mentioned they were getting close, the unicorn was forced to admit that she was anything but fine. The feeling of her bones rattling around inside her leg was like jiggling a sock filled with twigs. Just thinking about it made Twilight shudder with disgust. She still had no idea why it didn't hurt, but by now the sheer sensation alone was beginning to drive her to madness. She was pretty sure they would have to amputate it if they didn't get to a hospital quickly. She sighed and stopped for a moment. “Hold on, Fluttershy. Just give me a minute.” The bear stopped a few paces in front of the tired unicorn, shyly wringing its huge paws together and glancing down at the pony nervously. “Are you going to be okay until we get to the hospital?” Twilight breathed hard, looking down at the ground while doing her best to not think about her leg or the unnerving sensations coming from it. With a deep sigh, she took a step forward. “Yeah, I think so. How much further?” The bear looked from the unicorn and then over its own shoulder, squinting into the gloom that had only gotten deeper by the minute. “We aren’t far now. If you keep walking straight, you should hit it. I’m going to go dig up some gems I had stashed away for an emergency. It will be just a minute, are you going to be alright?” “I should be fine, but why do you need gems?” The bear looked back, cocking an eyebrow. “Well, how else are we going to be able to pay for getting your leg fixed?” With that the bear turned and left, tromping off deeper into the forest. Twilight blinked twice. “What in Equestria… Wait, we have to pay for a hospital stay? This really is a cursed and desolate hellhole.” She shook her head and walked towards the direction the bear had initially signalled. The second Fluttershy was gone, the forest seemed to close in around her, reminding the unicorn she was alone once more. The few brave streams of light that broke the canopy were barely able to illuminate the forest floor enough for her to see where she was going. She focused her attention on the ground just before her, carefully choosing each step to make sure she didn't trip and fall once more. She became a lot less sure of herself without the bear’s company. The forest grew darker when she realized she could no longer hear the heavy footsteps of the kind bear. Twilight cursed her luck and picked her way through the underbrush, more than a little annoyed that there wasn't a path despite their relative closeness to the supposed town. A few more feet in and a large leafy bush blocked her path. Grunting, she picked her way around the bush. She made sure she didn't overstep, lest she end up in a heap without Fluttershy nearby to pick her back up. When she finally managed to get around the bush, which was way bigger than she had first thought, a soft red light could be seen seeping through the cracks left between the foliage. In front of her was civilization. The light was welcoming and disturbing in equal measure; it was soft and almost gentle, and reminded Twilight of the red cross that stood atop most hospitals. Only small spears of light made it through the foliage and illuminated the underbrush, casting everything around in an almost sinister light that mingled with the shadows. Twilight gulped and took a step forward only to shriek and stumble backwards when a huge black shape rose before her. “AHHHH!” The shape screamed back in a high-pitched, feminine voice. Twilight’s scream died in her throat nearly instantly. She squinted her eyes into the gloom. “Fluttershy?” The huge furry shape stopped screaming and settled back down onto all fours. It took a step back only to blink, revealing a soft and gentle pair of teal blue eyes staring back at the unicorn. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief at the sight, she knew a bear’s eyes didn't have the light, emotion or color of a pony’s or whatever Fluttershy once was. “Sorry if I startled you, Twilight.” The bear pawed the earth submissively, looking down and away from the unicorn. Twilight’s metaphorical heart melted at the sight and she let out a breath of air. “It's fine, just… warn me next time. A bear popping out of the woods right in front of me is not something my bladder can take a second time.” The bear blushed a little and gave Twilight a gentle smile. “Sorry, I'm not used to being able to sneak up on anyone. Almost every being can spot me before I even notice them.” “It's fine, Fluttershy. Are we almost there?” The bear nodded and pointed a little to the right of the direction Twilight had been walking in. Noticing her error, Twilight blushed a little, to which Fluttershy merely smiled kindly. The bear turned and took the lead, either clearing or showing the way for Twilight’s much smaller and less confident steps. Within a minute they had clambered through the last of the underbrush and found themselves stepping out into a clearing. Twilight stumbled forward, captivated at the sight she beheld. Her attention was so focused on what was in front of her that she hardly even noticed her hooves slipping out from under her, caught on a tree root. The bear’s large paws were there to catch the unicorn just in time, placing her back on her hooves while giving her a wary look. “Where are we?” the unicorn asked breathlessly, her eyes frantically running this way and that, trying to take it all in. Fluttershy merely smiled and waved a dramatic paw towards the objects of Twilight’s fascination. “Welcome to Ponyville.” Twilight had enough sense to at least close her mouth, though not enough to look and walk at the same time. The collection of hovels and lean-tos she had expected was nowhere to be found. Instead, there was a plethora of strange and wonderful homes made from just about everything Twilight could imagine. Directly in front of her sat a large tree that stretched up into the canopy, it was quite the sight to behold. All over it were the marks of civilization; circular windows dotted the outside of the tree and softly glowing red crystals dangled from hundreds of branches, bathing the entire area in a strange eerie light that neither illuminated everything nor created shadows overly deep. Twilight smiled despite the strange situation, her analytical mind already deciphering the enigma of her surroundings. The glow could be seen for a great distance, but such intensity would usually come with the light source being nearly blinding. Now that she was relatively close, it was neither blinding nor eerie, but rather… pleasant, and the longer Twilight looked at it, the more she was forced to admit that the artificial additions to the tree only accentuated its beauty rather than taking away from it. The tree itself was a huge structure that was probably the size of four or five of Twilight’s houses in Canterlot squished side by side, and probably ten of them tall before the windows petered out, though something told Twilight that the hospital itself probably extended beyond what the lack of windows might imply. The wood was a soft, earthy red color that snaked along the branches but became more green as the tree rose skyward, culminating in rich, vibrant green leaves that stood out against the reddish trunk. Twilight couldn't help but smile. Initially it seemed as though it would be a waste to kill such a massive tree in order to use it as a structure of some kind. Seeing the fresh leaves rustle in the wind, she quickly realized the tree was still alive and thriving. Its life-giving liquids ran just below the bark, leaving the long dead, hollowed-out part as a place of healing and renewal. Clearly there was a careful hoof and powerful magic involved as well. Beyond the tree, Twilight could see enormous mushrooms the size of adult spruces, their windows emanating the soft, artificial glow of candlelight, indicating they were being used much in the same way the hospital was. Perhaps even more surprising than either of those were the random boulders that dotted the landscape. They lay between trees and jutted out of the forest floor haphazardly, each and every one hollowed out much akin to the trees and mushrooms around. Strangest of all was the distinct lack of ponies, or beings, that would have lived in such a town. It seemed deserted, and the few spots of movement that did catch the unicorn’s eye were simple birds or small animals who apparently had the courage to wander through the center of town. Though despite not seeing anybeing around, Twilight couldn’t shake the distinct impression she was being watched. With a shudder she turned her thoughts away from such grim musings and back to the strange and fascinating buildings she had seen. The skill and craftsmanship that had to go into those wonderful buildings were beyond Twilight’s wildest imagination. She wondered how long it would take to construct even a single home from any of those strange materials the inhabitants had chosen. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she saw a faint glimmer of something, her curiosity sparking. She focused on the spot and peered deeper into the gloom. Her eyes were unsuited to the low light, but even they could see the black stone building she hadn't noticed before. It was small, narrow, and reminded Twilight of one of the many watchtowers that dotted the walls surrounding Canterlot and the palace. But where Celestia’s towers were grand and sparkling, made to be seen from far and wide, these were inconspicuous, and nearly invisible while shrouded in the mid-evening gloom. Twilight was completely sure she could walk within a few feet of one without noticing the nearly five story tall tower. If it wasn't for the glint of something she had seen, the tower would have stayed hidden. The thought sent a shiver down Twilight’s spine and a thought occurred to her. There was probably a lot more than just the one tower. How many of those could I have passed in the woods without even noticing they were there? A small cough made Twilight look down where a small, white and brown spotted bunny with familiar eyes looked up at her. “So, what do you think? I may not stay here often, but to me, Ponyville is home.” “It's…” Twilight paused, trying to think of the right words to properly display the awe and wonder she was feeling. However, a writer or a poet she was not. “It's big, and intriguing. Do you know what those towers are made of?” Fluttershy shook her tiny head. “I don't know. The night guard don't let anyone inside and…” The bunny looked both ways before whispering, “They are kinda scary. All big and black and sometimes I bump into them in the forest without even noticing.” The bunny shivered and hopped a step closer to Twilight. The unicorn grinned despite her companion’s fear. There was much to learn while she was trapped in this unfamiliar place, and she decided then and there that she would learn as much as she could in order to bring that knowledge back with her to Canterlot. She took a step forward, only to forget about her back leg and nearly fell flat on her face yet again. Thankfully she caught herself and shook her head. Focus, Twilight. First things first. Twilight couldn't quite see the entrance to the hospital from here. Judging from the location of the rest of the town, it was probably just on the other side. As she trotted closer, she noticed the soft padding of Fluttershy’s tiny feet was no longer following her. Twisting over her shoulder, Twilight noted the bunny hadn't moved from her spot and was rubbing her tiny paws together nervously. “What’s wrong, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked, turning and lowering herself to look the bunny in the eye. “It's just… well, I don't like the hospital. Oh, I know it sounds silly, but I’ll just wait over here for you if that's okay.” Fluttershy pulled one ear down over her eye and looked away shyly. Suddenly the prospect of going into the hospital became much more terrifying to the unicorn when she realized she had to do so alone. Twilight hadn't even thought that her new friend would stay behind, and the thought of going into this new and strange place without Fluttershy made what little courage Twilight had left to slip away. “I don't like hospitals much either, the only time I went in one somepony tried to vivisect me.” The unicorn laughed nervously, but stopped quickly when she noticed Fluttershy was trembling at the thought. “Maybe we could face our fear together?” The bunny looked off to the side, unable to meet Twilight’s gaze, her paws running down her ear nervously. “I don't know, Twilight…” Fluttershy muttered. “Please, Fluttershy, I don't know any other po- I mean beings, everyone else is gone and I’m… scared.” The unicorn looked down. The realization that she was well and truly alone for the first time in her life was a crushing one. Fluttershy hopped closer and gently booped Twilight’s nose. “Okay, I’ll come with you. But could I ride on your back? I don't want to get lost and left behind in there.” The unicorn smiled, her courage slowly creeping back up her spine. “Sounds good.” Twilight lowered herself closer to the ground, being wary not to put any weight on her injured leg. Fluttershy scrambled onto her back and gripped Twilight’s fur tightly, her body pressed tight against the unicorn’s neck. “All set back there?” The bunny took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay, I'm ready.” Twilight stood back up and took a step forward, only to stop and turn to look at the tiny scared rabbit clinging to her back. “Thank you, Fluttershy.” The bunny’s trembling seemed to wane and she flashed a small smile back at the unicorn. Twilight, now much more confident that she had somebeing else with her, strode forward steadily, around the hospital and into the tree building. The twin doors between her and the hospital had large windows in them, showing off the waiting room just beyond. The room was filled with many differently sized chairs in front of a monolithic black desk made of some sort of stone Twilight had never seen before. Though Twilight couldn't quite see the being working the counter, the sheer size and color of the waiting desk made Twilight gulp. Stepping inside hesitantly, the two beings were awash in a pleasantly cool feeling, some unseen enchantment ensuring the air was kept at a more comforting temperature than outside. Twilight idly considered riddling out what exact spell it was, but judging from the complete vacancy of the seats that surrounded her, she didn't think she’d have the time. “Hello! How can I help you, miss?” called out a sweet, feminine voice from the direction of the desk. Twilight quickly turned her mind from potential spell combinations to the voice, stopping for a moment and twisting her head. She rolled her eyes and mumbled. “That explains the paid services.” “Um... what?” Fluttershy asked, subtly moving to keep Twilight between her and the staring receptionist. “That's a wyvern behind the counter, they are dragons that don't grow very large or breathe fire, instead their tails are poisonous and they don't have the head fins that dragons have. One thing they do share in common with the other wyrms is greed.” Twilight whispered quietly in disgust. “Just because they are greedy doesn't mean you can call them worms, Twilight,” Fluttershy whispered back in an accusatory tone. The unicorn sighed. “Wyrm, not worm. There is a Y in there, it's a term for dragons and their cousins.” “Oh.” The bunny blushed, making a note to read more on dragons when she had the chance. “We also share their wonderful sense of hearing by the way.” Twilight slowly turned away from Fluttershy, both of their cheeks burning red with embarrassment. “We are far more even-tempered though. My great uncle Forge Fire would have roasted you lot for such a slight, but not me! Not like I can roast anything, mind you.” While the wyvern spoke, Twilight carefully examined her, hiding some of her embarrassment behind cold curiosity. She was taller than Twilight, but not by much, and she was currently leaning on the desk, her chin in her hand and an amused expression on her face. She was also surprisingly thin, which would explain how she managed to sneak in here without Fluttershy’s big ears catching her approach. She pushed up and beckoned the pair over. “I won't bite, unless venom would somehow fix that mangled leg of yours.” Twilight shook her head, stopping herself from staring into the wyvern’s polished alabaster scales or deep crimson eyes. “Sorry about that, I’m new around here.” The wyvern raised her scales where an eyebrow would be. “I would say so, we don't get many of your type around here.” Once Twilight had carefully trotted up to the counter, the wyvern extended her claw. “Name’s Red Heart. Nice to meet you.” Twilight extended her hoof and shook the wyvern’s claw, an act that made Red Heart shiver and recoil suddenly. “Likewise. Is something wrong?” Red Heart shook her head. “No, nothing. Just felt like someone walked over my grave all of a sudden.” “Oh um, sorry about that. So uh, Red Heart, interesting name for a wyvern,” Twilight remarked awkwardly, hoping to change the subject. The previous awkwardness forgotten, the wyvern snorted. “If I had a nickle for every time I've heard that... Originally my name was Red Hearth, not terribly uncommon for a dragon, but after studying medicine, it didn't really fit anymore. Anyway, what can I do for you and your talking bunny?” “Uh, the obvious.” Twilight picked up her worthless leg and shook it slightly. “Stars above, that must hurt! How are you even standing?” Red Heart grimaced in part because the various bits of bone pushing obviously against the unicorn’s flesh, but more disturbing still was the fact the mare treated the injury with the same calm as one would a papercut. “I don't really know, to be honest with you.” The unicorn and the bunny shared a look before looking back at the wyvern. “Well as much as I hate to mention it, how much do you have in gems? That doesn't look like it’s going to be a cheap fix.” Twilight’s muzzle scrunched up in disgust before plucking the bag of gems from Fluttershy’s diminutive paws and dropping it on the counter. “Is that enough?” Thief! Twilight thought, but did not say. The wyvern grimaced. “This will be enough to pay for a proper brace but I’m afraid that's about it.” Twilight groaned. “Are you sure there isn't anything we can do? A loan or something?” “Ma’am, we are a hospital, not a bank. Do you want the brace or not?” The unicorn turned to the sheepish-looking bunny, with a sigh she turned back to the dragon. “I guess it will have to do.” The dejected sigh and sullen look of resignation were almost enough to pull on the heartstrings of the nurse, almost. Instead she simply swept up the bag of gems, weighed it and having confirmed her fears tucked it away under the counter and turned towards the door behind her. “Just a moment, please. Have a seat.” Twilight frowned at the chair. She knew, logically, that sitting would be a good idea, but despite the long walk she wasn't the least bit fatigued... which was odd for the mare who so rarely exercised. “I’m sorry, Twilight, I thought that would be enough to fix your leg,” the bunny whispered, sniffing back tears. The unicorn turned her head and gently ran a hoof across the bunny’s back. “It's okay, I appreciate you getting me this far. I just wish there was something more we could do.” The bunny fidgeted, looking away from the unicorn’s gaze. “Well, there might be something, but it could be risky.” Twilight’s brow lifted. “How risky?” “Well, we would have to go back into the forest and find a zebra that lives just outside of Ponyville. She healed some animal friends of mine for free and she might be able to help you as well.” “Well, that's better than nothing. Either way, I should at least get the leg braced before we leave so it doesn't get any worse,” Twilight said, giving her mangled leg a wary glance. “As if that was even possible.” The bunny nodded her agreement and clinged a little closer to Twilight’s neck. Together they stood and waited for the nurse’s return. Thankfully it didn't take long. The wyvern slipped back into the room and held the door open for the pair. “The doctor will see you now, third door on the right.” Twilight nodded, unable to bring herself to thank the nurse for a service she believed should be free. The unicorn limped down the white hall and towards the aforementioned door that, like the rest of the hospital, was a pristine white. A small lunar pegasus sat with his back to the door, his leathery wings tucked close to his body as he fiddled with a leg brace. “Come on, you darn…” As the pair entered the room the stallion stopped, a sudden shiver running up his spine. In a flurried instant he leaped off his chair and spun around, wings splayed in a frightened attempt to appear larger. With his sharp fangs bared and his wings spread wide, he was a frightening sight... well, at least to Fluttershy. The bunny trembled and gripped Twilight’s neck tighter. To Twilight, however, the entire situation was rather amusing. The stallion was just over half her height and even with his wings splayed, he was still quite small. The huge fangs she had been fearing were little more than a large pair of canines that barely even poked out past his other teeth. The pegasus was made doubly less intimidating by the fact that his lab coat was adorned by several childish stickers, and a bright teal name tag proclaiming him as Dr. Little Hoof. Putting two and two together, Twilight giggled; she was just threatened by a pediatrician. Recovering quickly, the stallion brought his wings in, a huge blush spreading across his face. “Oh stars above, I’m so sorry! I’m afraid you startled me.” He ran a hoof over his coat, straightening it and seeking an excuse to not look his newest patient in the eye. Fluttershy quickly stopped trembling. “Don't worry about it, I get that a lot,” Twilight added nonchalantly. The stallion stopped his grooming and looked up. “Hmm. Well, either way, I feel like quite the foal. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Little Hoof, pediatrician and one of the few doctors on staff so early. Don't let my area of expertise fool you. I am quite capable of applying a simple brace to an adult.” Twilight cocked her head. “Nice to meet you, my name is Twilight Sparkle. I am curious however, what do you mean by early? It's just barely evening.” The doctor cocked his head slightly in the opposite direction Twilight had, making Fluttershy giggle quietly. His eyes squinted and he looked the injured mare up and down. “Ahh, you must not be nocturnal, as most beings around here are. You will get used to it if you end up sticking around.” The stallion pointed a hoof towards the examination table in the corner of the office. “Please, lay down and I’ll get started.” “Fluttershy, are you going to be alright on the chair?” Twilight whispered to the bunny, who merely nodded nervously and hopped off the unicorn and to the small chair by the door. “Oh, I didn't see your pet, I’m sorry to say so, but we don't allow animals in the hospital. I’m going to have to ask you to take your bunny outside.” Fluttershy frowned. “I’m sorry doctor, I didn't know.” “Wait, you can talk?” The stallion’s eyes shot open. “Oh, you must be a wild soul! Forget I said anything. Please sit down and, if you wouldn't mind staying after, I would love to ask you a few questions,” he said in a somewhat pleading tone. Twilight and Fluttershy exchanged a worried glance which Little Hoof swiftly caught on to. “Another time then, perhaps?” Fluttershy ran her paws over her downturned ear and nodded, making the stallion grin. By then Twilight had managed to lay down on the bed and get comfortable without putting too much strain on her leg. Little Hoof trotted over to the mare and began inspecting the limb with growing disgust and pity. “Stars above, how are you not screaming in agony?” Twilight shrugged. “I have no idea.” The stallion mumbled to himself. “Possible nerve damage or the strangest case of shock I've ever seen.” He continued his visual examination, carefully prodding the limb at certain points, all the while keeping a careful eye on his patient’s expression. He went to grab the brace only to stop, looking down at it in disgust. “I’ll be right back.” Little Hoof swept up the brace and tucked it under his wing before swiftly exiting the office. As the lunar pegasus fled the room, Fluttershy and Twilight exchanged a confused glance. “What was that about?” The bunny just shrugged and hopped up to the bed beside Twilight, laying her head on the unicorn’s flank. Within a minute the stallion returned in a huff, carrying a much more sophisticated brace that glowed faintly from several runes etched into it. “Alright, there we are. Just lie still and I will get this on you.” “I am no medical expert, but what good will a brace even do me at this point?” The stallion sighed. “The other one wouldn't have helped you much at all. However, this one should help healing and should enable you to walk on it as if it wasn't broken.” Twilight gasped, making Fluttershy eye her curiously. “That’s quite an advanced set of enchantments. Are you sure I can afford that?” The stallion gently maneuvered the brace into position and began latching it around the shattered limb. “Err, of course. It was just a mix up with how much your gems were worth. Actually, the one Red Heart thought was white topaz was actually a diamond, and as such you were able to afford a much better one.” He laughed oddly nervously and continued to strap the brace into place, finishing the last of the straps around Twilight’s upper leg and thigh, allowing the brace to place the weight directly onto the unbroken part of her leg. All the while Fluttershy watched and appraised the doctor’s actions. Though she hadn't applied a brace before, she knew the basics and was eager to find out more about the procedure. Some of her animal friends might benefit from such an action by an off chance. Meanwhile, Twilight silently ruminated on the sudden turn of events. Though she was no expert in petrology or gemology, she could have sworn that what she had seen briefly were in fact white topazes and not diamonds. The unicorn’s muzzle scrunched up and she silently eyed the stallion in a different light. Did he lie in order to do something kind for her? She shook her head and smiled softly. Either way, he didn't seem to want anyone to know about his kind act so she shut her mouth. Thank you, kind sir. The stallion stopped and rubbed his chin with a hoof, trying to make sure he didn't rush the last few straps and activation techniques. All the while Fluttershy yawned, curling up tighter against Twilight’s flank and slowly nodding off. As Twilight watched Little Hoof work, a sudden thought occurred to her. “Do you mind if I ask you a few questions about lunar pegasi?” “Hmm?” The stallion looked up at her for a moment. “Oh sure, fire away. I have quite a few questions pertaining to yourself as well. That is, if you don't mind staying for a few minutes after I’m finished. It's not often that we get some being from outside the forest, and I’d be remiss if I lost the chance to catch up on what is happening in the wider world.” Twilight smiled, forgetting some of her previous trepidation and fear that had lingered with her since she had first heard she was going to the infamous lost village of legends. “Do lunar pegasi drink blood?” she suddenly asked. The blunt question made the doctor stop and blink owlishly a few times. “What?” He scratched the back of his neck with a hoof. “Well, I suppose we can, though it's not like vampires or anything. We can digest complex proteins found in blood and meat, but we are still mainly herbivores. Do… do the beings out there think we drink blood?” Twilight blushed. “Maybe? There are a lot of myths floating around and it's hard to separate fact from a thousand years of fiction. Never mind the fact that there aren't any lunar pegasi in Canterlot, so it's not like I could just ask somepony on the street.” The stallion merely grunted at that and moved back to finishing his work, his demeanor dampening slightly as he focused more attention at the task at hoof. Twilight, however, soldiered on, undeterred by the change in atmosphere. “Are lunar pegasi purely nocturnal?” “Though more trouble than it’s worth, we can switch to sleeping during the night if need be, much akin to other ponies who are traditionally diurnal,” he answered robotically, as if reading from a text book. Twilight rubbed her chin idly, unaware of the brace that should be painfully tight by now. Fluttershy’s ear twitched at the firm sound of another series of clamps being shut around the unicorn’s leg. “Do lunar pegasi-” “Look, I get that you’re inquisitive, but there are books on our basic anatomy and history that exist, you know,” Little Hoof snapped. Twilight gulped. “That's fair.” The mare looked down at her limb, noting the fact that almost all the buckles, belts and clasps were now secure. “How much longer, doctor?” At the mention of his official title, the stallion straightened his back slightly, a hint of pride worming its way into his thoughts. He quickly tightened one last belt and secured it in place. “Just need to activate the runes and then you are ready to go. Just give me a second to go grab someone magically attuned and I will have you out of here in a moment.” As the stallion moved towards the door, Twilight glanced down at the brace. “Wait, is it a simple reinforcement and weight distribution matrix?” The lunar pegasus stopped and turned. “Uh, yes, that's what the instruction manual said.” “Then if it's all the same, I can do that myself. I don't want to take up any more of your time.” The stallion blinked twice. The complexities of the activation runes supposedly necessitated special training and aptitude, and there were only three individuals on staff attuned enough with magic to even activate it. Who was this mare? His questions and confusion doubled when the mare’s eyes grew black and her horn became marred by a swirling reverse glow that sucked the light from the area around the mare’s horn. After a tense moment her magical senses receded, her eyes returned to normal and the unnatural darkness swirling about her horn dissipated. A moment later the brace clicked and glowed for a second before locking into place, the runes activated perfectly. As if nothing incredibly disturbing had just happened, the unicorn stood up, tested her newly braced leg and grinned. “Thank you very much for your kindness. I won't forget this, doctor.” The stallion merely stepped to the side, at a loss for words and suddenly aware of the fact that he did not want to be between her and wherever she may want to go. “Come on, Fluttershy, we are off to find that zebra you mentioned.” The bunny got up and yawned. “Sorry for dozing off, Twilight. Tt seems like Ms. Fuzzibuns was a little more tired than I thought. What did I miss?” The stallion wanted to interrupt and mention the disturbing show of magic, but he thought better of it and kept his mouth shut for now. “Not much, you were only out for maybe a minute.” The unicorn stretched briefly before walking next to the examination table, allowing the small fuzzy creature to hop up onto her back. With Fluttershy secure, Twilight walked tentatively to the door, her courage building as the brace did as it was supposed to. She nodded to the stallion as she walked through the door. “Thanks again doctor, you are a lifesaver. Next time I have a moment, I promise to come down and have a chat under nicer circumstances.” The bunny smiled weakly as they passed by, whispering her thanks as well. After the soft clip clop of hooves that was occasionally interrupted by a more mechanical clack disappeared into the distance, Little Hoof breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't a magical expert by a long shot, knowing only enough to diagnose the most basic and common of magical afflictions, but the terrible feeling of wrongness that accompanied her show of magic was enough to make him worry. “No, it's not my place to make baseless assumptions. I will just bring it up with Arcane when she is in later. No reason to get all jittery.” Despite his self-talk, he was doing exactly what he told himself he had no reason to do, wringing his hooves nervously together as his mind wandered. Absently, he made his way over to the door and shut it firmly before flopping down onto his office chair and staring off into space. After a few moments he got his breathing under control, and a minute later he had finally calmed his racing mind down and reminded himself to take his anxiety meds when he got off his shift. With his mind at ease, Little Hoof breathed in a deep lungful of air and glanced at the clock, noticing it was only ten minutes before his shift was up. He made the executive decision to leave a few minutes early, under the logic that he had been coming in early these past few days anyway. As he stowed his personal effects and quickly got his desk in order, he turned to the door, running a hoof over through his mane and reaching for the knob. A sudden trio of heavy knocks from the other side of the door nearly startled the poor doctor out of his skin, making him leap into the air, pumping his wings and sending himself across the room before he got a hold of his bearings once more. With fur on end and wings flared, standing atop the examination table, he called out in a squeaky voice a few octaves higher than normal. “W-who is it?” “Hey Little Hoof, it's me, Blue Leaf. Can we come in?” Breathing a sigh of relief, Little Hoof forced his wings to come to rest at his sides. “Door’s open, come on in.” The portal opened to reveal a smiling lunar pegasus clad in armor, eyeing him with a curious expression. “Did I catch you at a bad time, doc?” Little Hoof looked at his perch and rolled his eyes, hopping down from the examination table. “No, just startled me is all. Is there something I can help you with?” The guard gave the room a quick once-over and popped his head out into the hall. “All clear, I’ll be out in a minute.” “Roger that,” said a new, deeper voice just beyond the door. Little Hoof scratched his leg awkwardly. “Am I in trouble, officers?” Blue Leaf closed the door and turned around, his friendly smile still plastered on his face. “No, no, just a precaution is all. It's always protocol with Steel Tempest.” The guard pony rolled his eyes and eyed the visitor’s chair. “May I?” Little Hoof gestured to the chair and sat in his own. “Of course.” The guardspony sat. “Thanks. You know, just between you and me, I think it's the name.” “I'm sorry, what?” “His name, Steel Tempest. He was doomed to be too serious since the day he was born.” Little Hoof cracked a smile. “With a name like that, I suppose it would be odd if he wasn't a little bit of a hard ass.” Blue Leaf suddenly became serious, his smile falling away. Little Hoof almost instantly began panicking, thinking he had crossed a line, but before he could apologize the friendly smile was back and a boisterous laugh was on the guard’s lips. “Too true doc, too true.” The guardspony took his helmet off and placed it on the ground next to him. “Hope you don't mind me getting a little more comfortable, that helmet always makes my ears itch.” Blue Leaf ran a hoof over the aforementioned appendages. “So, if I'm not in trouble and this isn't personal, then why are you here? If you don't mind me asking of course.” “Just got an interesting report from one of the scouting towers. Apparently Fluttershy brought us a rather interesting stray this time around.” The diminutive doctor snorted uncharacteristically. “That's one way to put it. That pony had the worst set of compound fractures I've ever seen, nevermind whatever magical ailment she has.” “Magical ailment?” the guard asked inquisitively, leaning in slightly. Little Hoof leaned forward, his voice lowering slightly. “Get this, her magic was black. I’m no expert, but that's gotta be bad. I mean, not even ponies that have black coats and black manes have black auras like that.” The stallion opened his mouth to continue, then closed it suddenly, shaking his head. Blue Leaf raised an eyebrow at that. “Go on, doc. You seemed like you were going to say something more.” “Well, this may sound like I'm jumping to conclusions, but the weirdest part was the fact that she didn't seem to feel any pain.” The doctor winced, imagining living with such a brutal injury. “What do you mean?” “Her back leg was completely snapped in at least two places and it would take a mountain of gems and half the staff to fix an injury like that. But it's not like she had that kind of money, so I just fixed her up with brace that is usually reserved for paralysis victims or individuals who have lost a part of a limb. The strapping and activation of the brace is excruciating, but she never once made a peep.” The guard pony put his helmet on his lap and let his chin rest on it. “Not even a little bit? I mean, I have only ever broken my nose and even then you can bet your bottom gem I still bitched and moaned when I had to get it put back into place.” “I remember that. You ever get that drunk Digger back for that?” Blue Leaf sighed. “I didn't have to, poor bugger drank himself into an early grave shortly thereafter, but that's not why I'm here. Anything else you can tell me about this strange individual?” “Only that she seems to be quite proficient in magic. She called on her magical senses and activated runes that usually take a proffessional a few minutes. She did it in a few seconds! Plus I think that was her first time ever seeing those specific runes.” The doctor leaned back in his chair, studying the guard pony as he digested the information. After a few seconds, Blue Leaf sat up and put his helmet back on his head. “Well, thanks for the info, doc. I gotta go talk to the higher-ups about this.” Blue Leaf hopped down from his chair and made his way to the door. “She isn't a threat, is she?” Little Hoof called out, a hint of worry in his voice. “Let's hope not. If you see her again, let me or Steel know, alright?” Little Hoof nodded his head vigorously. “Of course.” “Good morning, doctor. Pleasant dreams.” “Same to you!” Little Hoof called out after the retreating form of the guard. When the clip clop of hooves once again receded down the hall, Little Hoof sighed. “I am so eating that cake I was saving.” With sugary delight fresh in his mind, Little Hoof began his journey home. Meanwhile, two other beings were heading back into the twisted forest and into the jaws of an uncertain future. Though neither of them knew it, they were again being pushed down the path destiny had paved for them, all the while the evening star burned in want, feeling though it was on the precipice of something either great or terrible. Only one thing was certain; destiny was at work, and it was only a matter of time before it and its earth-bound host found out what the future had in store for it.