//------------------------------// // Canterlot Infirmary // Story: A Tale of Equestrian Proportions // by DitzyDerpy1992 //------------------------------// The crash alerted me that the back door was now open, and the mares all ran into the street at the back and making their way towards the platoon of Royal Guards guarding the bunker. But Rainbow stood with her eyes on Robbie until the final moment. He charged forward with a fear-inducing cry before the sound of a harsh fight broke out in the small room. “Robbie!” Rainbow let out an anguished shout from beside me, and tried to rush to his aid, but I grabbed her and pulled her away from the fray. The fight sounded intense, screams of pain and anger echoed through the desolate house, and it was obvious that Robbie was managing to hold his own. Another large crash emitted from the small room that Robbie was managing to hold, as a large griffon plummeted through the ceiling behind him, before making an advance. “No! Robbie! Let me go! I have to help him! Robbie!” Rainbow cried out and once again struggled to get free of my grip, but I had made a promise to Robbie, and I wasn’t about to break it. Tears were still flooding down her cheeks as I pulled her away from the house and down the street where the others were waiting for us. Rainbow was in hysterics, barely able to walk; I had to almost carry her towards the bunker. She wasn’t making it easy for me though, she kept trying to break away and run to the aid of her colt who was probably by now, although I hate to think about it, overrun. After getting inside the protection of the Royal Guard I set Rainbow down and knelt beside her. “Rainbow, I know this is hard for you, and you may not like me for dragging you away when he obviously needed the help, but I was only keeping my promise.” I sympathetically said to her while trying to look her in the eye. “What promise?” She sniffed and wiped her runny nose with her hoof, “The promise to let you drag me away, while he got himself killed?” she spat that last statement with a little bit of venom behind the words and I was a bit taken aback by her hostility. “I promised him, that I would keep you safe. That I would not let anything happen to you as long as it was in my power to do so.” She gave me a slight glare through her puffy eyes and another flood of sobs and tears came flowing from her. Applejack and Twilight soon joined her and began to try and comfort her a little; Robbie had obviously meant a lot more to her than anyone else. The tears seemed endless as we convinced her to enter the safe room where the Princesses awaited us. “I’m glad you all made it!” I heard Princess Celestia’s voice say in a calm tone as we entered the room and I simply looked her in the eyes and shook my head slightly before returning my gaze to the floor. Her confusion was put to rest as soon as the sobbing Rainbowdash was led into the room by Twilight and Applejack. Pinkie, Fluttershy and Rarity were in the corner, obviously in shock from the last turn of events. Celestia then approached me. “Where is your friend who was wearing the kilt? Did he get separated?” She asked me in a quiet and calm manner while trying to stick to a level that Rainbow wouldn’t hear her. “He stayed. We were in a house, under siege by a horde of changelings.” I felt myself begin to well up as I told ever so recent story to the Princess. “He told us to escape while we could, that he would hold them off while we made our getaway. Last we saw of him, he charged the swarm himself, and then he was set upon by a griffon, and we made our escape at that point.” My head bowed solemnly as a few tears dropped to the floor and Celestia looked around mournfully at Rainbowdash who was still sobbing heavily in the corner. “Were they close?” She asked, once again turning to face me. “He was her coltfriend; the last words he said to her, were that… he loved her. After she had said she loved him.” It was now pointless in fighting back the wall of tears as they proceeded to flood from my eyes to the floor where they formed a pattern in the dust. I was beginning to get annoyed that my voice was failing me and I kicked the dust in frustration. I shouldn’t have let him stay on his own. I could have helped. We all could! But it was no use dwelling on these thoughts now. Celestia had made her way over to where Rainbow was curled up, crying into her, now tattered, gown from the gala. She knelt beside the weeping mare and began to speak. “Rainbowdash” The distraught mare could only offer a small muffled “mmm” as a response and the Princess continued; “Your coltfriend made an amazing sacrifice to allow you to be here, do you know that?” Rainbow once again just made another muffed noise between sobs and she began to cry even more. “By letting you all escape, he has brought the Elements of Harmony to this room safely, and with the help of Cadance, Luna, Shining, Twilight and I, this plague on our fair lands will not be able to continue this reign of terror for much longer.” She spoke in a soft tone that you could see was comforting Rainbow slightly as the sobs became quieter the more the Princess said. “We have a spell for times like this. It was last used over a thousand years ago, when there was a great war with an army from the Southlands below Equestria, and we will perform it today to clean our kingdom of this scourge once and for all.” The determination in the Princess’s voice was astoundingly encouraging, even with the sounds of the war still raging on outside. Rainbow’s sobs were now extremely quiet as she looked up at the Princess through blurry, puffy eyes. The Princess stood up, now confident in the plan she had carefully put together over the past few hours. “So I beg you, my dear Rainbowdash, be strong, if not for us, but for Robbie. Make him proud” Rainbow’s head raised out of the gown she had been sobbing into before slowly raising to her hooves. “I’ll try Princess” She replied with her voice cracking, and she once again wiped her nose on her hoof before giving a determined look. My tears had now dried up during that inspiring speech and I rose to my hooves as well. “What can I do to help?” I asked with a new found strength flowing through my veins. I had to do something to help, for Robbie. We spent the best part of the next hour going over the plan in minute detail. The Elements of Harmony had to be called upon and then a very specific spell had to be cast at the same time. This was no simple spell and I felt a lump in my throat just looking at the instructions. The sun was beginning to rise now and we were finally ready, the Elements gathered in the centre of the room with the Princesses, Shining, and I forming a circle around the six ponies, and when given the signal the elemental symbols on each necklace began to light up, and I began to concentrate as hard as I could on the spell. I could feel that my magic would barely help, but every little counts. All the unicorn’s horns began to glow simultaneously, and I felt the will to purge these evil creatures out of this land for good, when memories of times Robbie and I had shared came flooding back. The first day in Equestria with him, the dinners he cooked for Ditzy and I, the night we went to Bass Drop, and the preparations for the Gala. I was filled with emotion as the memories flooded my mind all at once, and I let out an angered cry as I felt magic seep from every pore in my body. My eyes were blinded by a white light and I felt my hooves leave the ground, magic now flowing through me with a power I wasn't aware I even possessed, before there was a deafening boom and as quickly as the fit of rage began, I fell to the floor, with a wave of peace engulfing me. Panting heavily I sat up, looking around the room. Twilight and her friends were all sat in the middle of the room, the unicorns and Princesses all looked exhausted, and I was left wondering if it had worked. There was an eerie silence that hung in the air, no more crumbling buildings, no more explosions, and definitely no more screams of terrified ponies. Then the call came. “All clear, your Highness” from the guard stationed outside the door. A large cheer erupted from everyone in the room and I galloped over to Twilight before taking her in my forehooves and planting a kiss firmly on her lips, which she returned eagerly. We all exchanged hugs and shook hoofs, with Pinkie going as far as high-hoofs for everypony. The joy was contagious in the room until I noticed that we were missing somepony. “Rainbow!” I shouted, galloping into the street to see the cyan mare galloping towards the crumbled remains of the house where Robbie had made his final stand. I galloped as fast as I could towards the wreckage and the room where the original battle had ensued still stood, against all the odds. Once again the sound of loud sobs tugged at my heartstrings as I solemnly walked into the room to see Rainbow slumped over a motionless grey Pegasus with a bright red mane. Several changelings lay unconscious around the room and we would have to inform the guards soon, but for now my main concern was Rainbow. She sat hunched over the limp figure of her boyfriend with his head in her forelegs, her head pressed to his, tears spilling off her face to the dusty floor. I placed a hoof on the weeping mare’s shoulder and I could not imagine how she was feeling right now, any words of mine would have been fruitless, so I maintained the silence of the room. I knelt beside my fallen friend, and tears once again began to flow from my eyes. Even though Equestria was a land of happiness and joy it became apparent that tragedy did strike every now and again. My friend would not be forgotten though and I would personally make sure of that. Rainbow rested his head back down on the floor and retreated to be alone for a few moments. I was left alone with Robbie. His form was truly horrific; one wing was bent grotesquely out of shape, his torn shirt revealed his badly bruised ribcage, his face was half swollen with a small amount of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, and one of his rear legs was broken to the extent you could see the misshape of it quite clearly. I sighed at my friend, who lay motionless, and wiped away the blood from around his mouth. It was still warm… I placed my hoof roughly a centimetre away from his muzzle, with some meaningless hope in my heart, and a faint air disturbance alerted me slightly. Lowering my ear to his mouth the sound of faint breathing made my eyes pop open and my heart skip a beat. It was short shallow breaths but he was breathing nonetheless. “Rainbow!” I called out excitedly “He’s alive! Rainbow get through here now!” Rainbow galloped through and slid to a halt beside Robbie. She too heard the breathing and I gently draped him over my back. “Rainbow, fly to the hospital and tell them that they have a seriously injured pony coming in.” Rainbow gave me a quick salute before taking off into the sky, and I followed her rough flight path to get myself going in the right direction, taking off and working my way up to full gallop I tore through the streets, not willing to let my friend die on my back. I was galloping hard now, my pace not slowing even for a moment as I followed the signposts for Canterlot hospital, and I found myself wondering if there would even be a hospital left. The streets were rather difficult to navigate with all of the crumbled buildings around, some confused looking ponies had bravely ventured out into the open to find out what had happened. The, admittedly short, war was over, but I was now battling against time to save my friend. I sprinted my way down a particularly damaged street, knowing it wasn’t the safest, but the hospital was in sight now and it looked like it remained mostly intact. “Just hang on Robbie, we’re nearly there, just hang o… ” I tumbled mid thought as a small piece of rubble collided with my head at the point where I had bashed it a few days ago, knocking me to the floor and causing me to drop Robbie in the process. I tried to stand, woozy from the impact and found I couldn’t, I was too dizzy. There was nothing else for it, if nothing else would get me through this then sheer determination would! I grabbed Robbie by his one good leg, and proceeded to crawl my way the last couple hundred yards towards the hospital, dragging the limp form of my friend behind me. I felt a warm trickle down the back of my neck and I knew that I was bleeding once again. I let out a frustrated shout as I managed to make it to the hospital steps. I was panting heavily and sweating out of the sheer exhaustion. But finally I managed to make it through the doors of the grand building to be met by a team of doctors who were standing by. Robbie was immediately placed on a gurney and wheeled away behind a closed door where nopony but doctors were allowed, and with that I collapsed from exhaustion and I quickly fell unconscious. I awoke to bright lights in my face and I squinted slightly at the sudden invasion of my eyes. I took a moment to adjust and focus and the room I was in came into perfect vision soon enough. My head was aching and I felt slightly woozy as I attempted to sit up. “Here let me help you with that” A familiar, friendly voice said from beside me as Twilight Sparkle supported me and helped me up. I thanked her and looked around the room, placing one hoof on my head, which was now encased in bandages again. Twilight explained that I had been unconscious for a day or so and that I had a pretty bad concussion, so I would have to stay in bed for a few days while I rested up. I groaned slightly and looked around the room to see Shining Armour standing in the doorway before he walked over and asked how I was feeling. “I-I’m a little, dizzy” I replied leaning back into the soft cushions, when the final events of my memory sprang back into my head. “R-Robbie, is he… okay?” I struggled to get the words out due to the head injury but I would manage for now. Twilight and Shining exchanged a quick look before Twilight took my hoof in hers. “I don’t want to worry you too much in your current state, but Robbie is in the intensive care unit, in an artificially induced coma. His body wouldn’t cope without the relief from the pain he was in.” She explained softly and I began to tear up slightly, he was alive at least, but in a coma? Celestia knows how long that could last. I sighed and slumped back into my pillows. It was then I noticed the IV drip in my foreleg, I could be here for a while. The day slowly dragged by with me taking plenty of naps. Twilight and Shining waited by the bed patiently all day. Shining obviously cared for his sister more than anything, as he stayed to keep her company while she sat all day by my bed. The day ended too quickly and Twilight had to leave as visiting hours were over and I slumped into my pillows, exhausted even though I had done nothing all day. I was grateful that Twilight had taken the time to bring the Daring Do book in for me to finish reading while I was stuck in bed. I slowly lost myself in the book and soon I found myself extremely tired, so I turned off the bedside lamp and drifted off to sleep. It was going to be a rough few days in bed. It had been a couple of days since I had first woken up in the Canterlot Infirmary, and today was the day I would finally be allowed to visit my friend for the first time since I had dragged him to the hospital. He was apparently recovering, but his progress was slow and I had asked to be kept updated with everything that happened. I thought it was slightly excessive that Twilight requested that she should take me along in a wheelchair, but I wasn’t really in the mood to have a discussion about it, and I obliged her. She wheeled me along the corridor towards the I.C.U, and as she rolled me through the doors I could barely contain myself. He had looked in such a bad state last time I had seen him, and I was hoping now he would at least look like he hadn’t almost had the life beaten out of him. My hopes on his appearance, however, were crushed as soon as I was wheeled into the room where my friend lay, hooked up to a heartbeat monitor and had multiple drip feeds inserted in his forelegs. An array of tubes protruded from his mouth and his eyes were firmly closed, as if he was sleeping through a nightmare, which I guess he was. His rear leg was firmly set in a cast, as was his wing, his face still horribly swollen and bruised, his ribcage looking much the same. As I was wheeled to the side of the bed, a cyan mare with prisma-coloured hair, sat holding his only good hoof cupped in hers. She apparently didn’t move from this position all day, every day, not even to go get something to eat. I guess she thought the body contact from someone he loved would speed up the recovery, which was an extremely sweet gesture. “How are you Rainbow?” I asked her, making contact for the first time since I had woken up after the night of the Gala. It was a silly question as I could clearly see she was hurting inside, maybe wishing that I had just let her go instead of holding her back like I did, but I said it then and I will say it again now, I wasn’t going to break that promise. “Oh, you know… awesome.” She replied, her voice hoarse and distant. She looked terrible, bags had appeared underneath her eyes, her mane was a mess and she obviously hadn’t been eating much as she was thinner than last I saw her. I sighed and placed my hoof on the bed beside Robbie. “Hey buddy, I know you can’t hear me, but in a way, I kind of hope that you can…” I trailed off as my voice began to crack. I took a moment to compose myself before continuing, “I’d just like to say thank you, for allowing us all the time to get away. It really did the trick, and you paid such a terrible sacrifice for our safety…” once again my voice was trailing off, leading to me forcing back tears. “I’m sorry there was nothing I could do to help you, I wish I could have been there to have your back like I should have. But I made a promise… and I kept it.” A lone tear now meandered its way down my cheek as I spoke to my friend. “I’m glad you’re on the mend now, and I really hope it won’t take too long for you to wake up and be your normal self again… I’d like to tell you the story of how we all pitched in at the end… and how you made that possible.” My voice was seriously starting to falter now and I could restrain my eyes no longer as floods of tears trickled down my face. “Once again, I’m sorry for not being there for you, and I hope that when you come around, you will be proud of what we achieved that day. Unfortunately I can’t hang around for long, the doctor says I should really still be in bed, but I feel fine so Twilight here brought me along to see you.” I patted the hoof on my shoulder which Twilight had placed for moral support. “Anyway I’d better be going to back to my room now; the doctor said I was only to be away for twenty minutes at the most. So until I see you next. Goodbye my friend.” I began to shed yet more tears as Twilight wheeled me back to my room where the doctor was waiting patiently for me. He immediately went into a lecture on why I shouldn’t have been allowed to go and see Robbie while I was in such a fragile condition, and Twilight tried to argue with him but he would see no reason. I was in no mood to be putting up with people arguing around me after what I had just witnessed in that room, and I snapped slightly telling the doctor to leave. He walked out of the room looking rather angry, but at this point in time I didn’t care. I just wanted to have my friend back the way he was, not hooked up to a dozen machines and in such a terrible condition. After I climbed back into bed, Twilight took a seat beside me on the mattress and wrapped her forelegs around me, and I broke. Tears once again flooded from my eyes as the horrid image of my pal was permanently etched into my mind. Twilight just sat patiently with me while I let it all out, gently running a hoof up and down my back in a comforting manner. Before long, I felt exhaustion take me and I fell asleep in Twilight’s embrace. “He looks terrible” I heard a familiar voice say much later, I decided to keep my eyes closed to see where this conversation was heading. Rarity had obviously dropped in to visit me and noticed the state I was in. “Yeah, he saw Robbie for the first time today, and he took it pretty hard, it’s easy for us now that we’re accustomed to it, but Matt was in complete shock.” I heard Twilight reply and most likely throwing a worried glance over towards me, “He was utterly devastated, and all I could do was try and comfort him, I feel so helpless” “Well you know Twilight, some things just take time, and he is lucky to have someone like you who will sit by his bed with him all day, and comfort him when he needs it. It is truly remarkable what you two seem to have.” Rarity replied calmly before trotting over and placing something on the bedside table. “Well when he wakes, tell him I stopped by and that I will be back soon to check up on him.” “Bye Rarity.” Twilight said, sounding a little disappointed that her friend wasn’t sticking around for longer. She quietly returned to her seat beside the bed and began to read her book again, and my heavy eyes dragged me back into a deep sleep. When I awoke, Twilight was gone and I sat up to see if visiting hours were over. There was still a couple of hours left and I wondered where she had gone, but I didn’t dwell on the thought for too long. I picked up the Daring Do novel once more and began to read. I had almost finished it by now and the tension was unreal as it was drawing towards the climax, but before I could get too far engulfed into the book, Twilight returned and apologised for not being around when I had woken up. I told her that it was fine and that she didn’t need to hang around all the time if she didn’t want to, but she was quite insistent that she did so I didn’t argue the case any further. I was happy for the company to be quite honest, and I was glad it was the mare I had developed feelings for. I had almost forgotten about the item that Rarity had placed on the bedside table, I spied it from the corner of my eye, reminding me of its existence. It was a large yellow envelope with my name written in beautiful lettering. I proceeded to open it, and inside was a card, decorated with glitter and many other shiny items that spelled out “Get Well Soon” on the front. I opened it and the inside was covered in signatures from residents of Ponyville, Ditzy had signed it, as well as Berry Punch, Mr and Mrs Cake, Pinkie Pie had signed it twice, and lots of other names I didn’t recognize. A smile spread across my face knowing that people were concerned for me, but I shouldn’t really be the one they should be concerned for, although the gesture was greatly appreciated, and the card was displayed proudly on my bedside table. Twilight left to go back to her accommodation as visiting hours ended, and she bid me farewell with the usual hug and kiss before she trotted out into the hallway. I began to read my book again as the day drew to an end. I was getting pretty bored of just sitting around all day now but tomorrow I would try and get myself up and about. I switched off the bedside lamp and laid my head on the pillow and soon, sleep took me once more.