An Equestrian Witcher

by OblivionShadow

17: Recovering with Time...

           The rooster sounded off and Oblivion startled awake.  He heard Sasa growl as he groaned.  “I really hate that bird.”  He said aloud. His magic gripped the blanket and he pushed himself to his hooves.  Pain tore through him and he gasped as he dropped to his knees.  Sasa was by his side in moments.

            “Chosen!”

            Oblivion panted as he waited for it to pass.  “Easy girl.”  He whispered to her.  He inhaled and got to his hooves slowly.  “I’m okay.  Just moved too fast.”  The black Unicorn got to his hooves and moved away from the bed, pushing Sasa gently out of the way.  She mewed at him as he waited for his body to calm before he moved again.  The door opened and Applejack looked in.

            “Ah heard something hit the ground, ya okay?”

            “Yes.  I’m fine.  Just very sore.”  Oblivion said as his swords landed on his back and he cringed out from under them.

            “Ya might want ta leave them off fer today.”  Applejack whispered.

            Oblivion inhaled and tried to lay them on his back again, but was unable to let them sit in place.  “Dammit.”  He muttered as he opened the wardrobe and set them inside it.  His magic locked the door as he pulled his mane up and hid his wings.  He looked up and cringed as his neck and back popped.  He looked up and Applejack was watching him, concern in her eyes.  “I'll be fine.  Just sore and a bit stiff.”

            Applejack looked at him.  “Just take it slow and easy.  Ah think ah’ll take Apple Bloom ta school.  No arguin’.  Ya are in a bad way and it will hurt you more ta move about.  Ah need ta get yer pain killers anyway.  Which ya really need by the look of it.  How long can ya go without meat?”

            Oblivion stood in silence as he considered.  “It’s been a couple of days, so maybe 2 more.”

            “All right.  Come down when ya are ready.  Take it to slow all right.”

            Oblivion nodded and waited until she was out of the room before he moved.  His shoulders were stiff and a dull ache was consistent with each step.  “Must be from flying.”  He thought to the cat beside him.

            “That was the first time you flew?”

            “Yes.  I copied Rainbow's knowledge of flight so I do know how to fly.  Just never did it till yesterday.”  He stepped out of his room and Apple Bloom walked into his leg.  He winced but didn’t falter.

            “Ah’m sorry ah...”  Apple Bloom's eyes fell on his sides were heavily bandaged.  “Wha’ happened?”

            Her eyes were wide and scared as he looked to her.  “It’s all right Apple Bloom.  I stopped a monster from coming into Ponyville.  It got a lucky hit, that’s all.  Applejack will be walking you to school today though.”

            She looked crestfallen but didn’t argue.  The filly walked to the stairs and down them.  Oblivion was behind her but he waited till she was off the stairs before he reached them.  He looked down and hesitated before starting down them.  The Unicorn stepped down one step and his body screamed at him to stop. “Sasa.”

            “Yes?”  The cat asked from behind him.

            “Grab my tail and pull me back.  I am not walking down the stairs.”

            The cat picked up his tail in her teeth and pulled gently till he had all four hooves at the top of the stairs once more.  His horn lit and the stallion teleported down the stairs.  He stood by the table and watched.  He didn’t sit as he had a feeling that sitting would be the easy part.  Getting back up would be nearly impossible.  He looked behind him to find Big Mac coming down the stairs.  Oblivion moved out of the way from the red pony to pass by him.  Mac stopped and stared at the heavy bandaging.

          “Applejack mentioned that ya got hurt, but Ah didn’t think it was that bad.”  He commented.

          “It’s not in my opinion, but other ponies disagree.”  The Unicorn replied.

            Oblivion was having to remind himself that he had actually taken a bad hit from the Ursa Major and that he was now paying for it.  His body complained at the slightest movement.  He started to leave the kitchen and head outside when a hoof grabbed his tail.

            “No, ya don’t.  Ya are gonna stay inside fer a minute.”  Applejack said to him.  He titled his head slightly.  “Granny wants ya ta wait fer her.”

            “Oh no,”  Oblivion grumbled under his breath.

            He flicked his ears as the old mare started down the stairs.  He looked to the stairs as she got to the bottom and looked around, her eyes settling on the Unicorn.

            “Ya got yerself in trouble again?  What did you do this time?”  She asked as she walked to him.

            “I stopped an Ursa Major from hitting Sasa.”  He told her, his voice flat.

            The green mare looked to the cat, who hung her head.  “Ya did?”  He nodded.  “Well, ya saved her then.  Ah’m proud ah ya then.”

            Oblivion's head spun to look at her, even as pain raced through him at the movement.  “Pardon?”

            “Ya did a brave thing protectin’ ‘er.  Not many ponies woulda jumped in front of a big critter.”  She said as she gently put a hoof on his shoulder, careful to keep her touch light.  “Ya care bout her.  Ah’m proud of ya fer acting as ya did.  I may be upset that yer hurt but ah understand why.”  The old mare walked up to his neck and wrapped her hooves gently around his neck.  “But be careful ya hear?  As proud as ah am, ah hate seein’ ya hurt.”  She said and released him to go to the table.

            Oblivion stared at the old mare for a moment before using his magic to slowly walk outside.  His ears flicked back as Applejack spoke up.  “Hey, Mac?  Can ya take Bloom ta school while ah go get the pain killers from the doc?  Ah think he really needs them.”

            “Eeyup.”

            Oblivion listened to them but didn’t comment.  He walked to his usual tree and stood under it.  He let his body lean against the tree trunk and waited.  He looked up when out of the corner of his eyes he saw a purple light coming towards the farm.  He knew it was Twilight and she had Spike with her.  He watched as they came through the gate and she saw him under the tree.  Spike jumped off her back and ran up to him.  Twilight used her magic to set her saddlebags on the ground.

            “Wow.  You really are bandaged up.”  Spike said.

            “Brilliant observation, Spike.”  Oblivion deadpanned to the dragon.

            Twilight snickered as she reached him as well.  “How are you this morning?”

            “Sore and stiff, if I am being honest.”  He replied to her.

            “That bad?”

            “That bad.”  He conceded.

            “It must be bad if you're admitting to it.”  She said as she drew up close to him.  “Are you sure you should be outside leaning on a tree and not inside on a soft bed?”

            “I’m okay to move a bit.  Nothing strenuous.”  He stopped when AJ came out of the house and broke into a lope as she passed him.

            “Ah’ll be right back with yer medicine.”  She hollered as she went by.

            He nodded as she went through the gate.  He kept watching as a royal purple light that was Rarity came through the gate as well.  She carried his cloak in her magic in front of her.  She paused when she saw him.  She was there last night but she and Rainbow had left before he got there.

            “Oblivion darling!  What in Equestria happened to you?”  She cried out as she neared him.

            “He fought an Ursa Major that was coming into town after the baby that the Colts lured into the town.  It would have left Ponyville in ruins.  But he drove it back to its cave but, it tried to hit Sasa and Oblivion jumped in to protect her so he got hurt instead.  Applejack and I took him to the hospital to get patched up.”  Twilight explained.

            Oblivion gripped the cloak in his flame and laid it over his bandaged body hiding the white bandages.  “Thank the Gods those are hidden.”

Sasa came out of the kitchen and sat down beside him.  Rarity stood next to Twilight and looked to the wounded stallion.

             “You should lay down and rest dear.”  She said to him.

             He nodded.  “I know, but I have no desire to lay down since I am certain that if I do it will be more difficult to stand back up, magic or no.”  He responded.

             Twilight grimaced.  “Well, Applejack went to get medicine that the doctor prescribed for him.”

             “Pain killers,”  Oblivion said as he leaned on the tree.

             “Oh my.  Well, I hope you feel better dear.”  Rarity excused herself and left them behind as she trotted back to town.

             Twilight and Spike stayed by him as they waited for Applejack to return.  Mac came outside with Apple Bloom, who ran over to hug Oblivion’s leg before they left for school.  Spike stood by his legs and waited.  Oblivion looked to the gate as an orange light loped through them.  Applejack trotted over to him and pulled two bottles out of a bag.

             “Okay, this one is yer pain killer and the other is the antibiotic.  Ya need to take both in the morning and both at night before bed.”  The mare opened the bottles and pulled one of each out and held them in her hoof.  Oblivion's magic picked them up and he summoned a glass of water.  The stallion swallowed the pills and sent the empty glass to the kitchen.

             The stallion stayed where he was, leaning against the tree.  Applejack went back into the house.  Twilight stayed with him.  It took roughly a half an hour, but Oblivion felt the pain killer kick in and he gave a low sigh.

             Twilight looked to him.  “Feeling a bit better?”

             He looked to the mare and nodded.  “Yes, though I am not sure how long it will last with my metabolism.”

             Twilight nodded.  “Hopefully it holds on.  Otherwise, we may need to talk to Nurse Redheart.”

             He nodded and lowered himself slowly to the ground.  Sasa sat beside him as he let his head fall to the ground in front of his folded forelegs.   The cat nuzzled him and he groaned back at her.

             “Chosen?  Are you all right?”

             “I’m fine Sasa.  Just tired.”  He spoke to her.

             Twilight giggled.  “I think it does have a side effect.  Could cause drowsiness.”

             “Yup it does.”  Applejack commented as she came out of the house with a pillow and blanket.  “Ah thought it might so Ah figured ah should get these ready, but Ah got sidetracked with helping Granny.”  She patted his neck and he raised his head up and she laid the pillow under him and tossed the blanket over him.  “Ya can take a nap out here.”  She said, gave his shoulder a gentle pat and trotted away from him as he laid his chin on the pillow.  The purple mare laid down close by him and pulled 2 books out of her saddlebags.  She set one on the ground and used it as a prop for the other one.

             Oblivion glanced over to her.  “You don’t have to sit here with me.  I’m sure you have better things to be doing.”  He commented.

             “Something better than sitting with one of my friends, who got hurt protecting the town and his cat?  Oblivion, there is nothing I should be doing, that is more important than this.”  She told him.

             The black stallion stared at her for a moment, before looking forward once more.  “Very well.”  He said to her and closed his eyes.

             “Get some rest, Chosen.  You have earned it.”  Sasa said to him as she laid down beside him.  Oblivion groaned and let his mind slip away as he slept.

             His eyes opened slowly as a bite of pain jarred him from sleep.  He saw Sasa napping beside him and Twilight had Spike laying against her side as she read.  She was still beside him.  He slowly raised his head, releasing a hiss of pain as his neck popped as he moved.  Twilight looked to him and waited.

             “Are you all right?”  She asked him.

             Oblivion looked to her and nodded slowly.  “The soreness is coming back.”  He stated to her.  The mare gave a concerned look and waited for him to continue.  “So I am not sure if I can move easily or not.”  He admitted to the mare.  Sasa stirred and woke up beside him.  She gave him a gentle nuzzle and waited at his side.

             “Do you need another pain killer?”  Twilight asked.

             “As nice as that would be, I'm sure that they are not meant to be taken aside from the times that I was told.”  He said to her.

             “Need to ask Applejack since she is the one that has the instructions for them,”  Twilight said.  She looked to Spike and found him to be happily napping.

             Sasa stood up and trotted away from them.  “I will be right back Chosen.”

             Oblivion nodded and looked to Twilight.  “She’ll get her.”

             Twilight smiled.  “Don’t move too much.  We will just wait till Applejack gets here.”

            “How long was I asleep?”

            Twilight thought for a moment.  “About 4 hours, give or take a few minutes.”

            Oblivion’s eye widened.  “Hmm…  Longer than I thought.”

            “Not too surprising.” She said.  Oblivion looked at her.  “We were up late getting your injuries treated and you still got up really early like normal.  Then your body is still trying to heal so it’s using its energy to that end.  So I’m not surprised that you fell asleep so quickly, with the help of a strong pain killer.”  She said with a coy smile.

            Oblivion chuckled and looked the way Sasa had left.  He cringed, the bones in his neck grinding slightly, but he ignored the discomfort.  Applejack walked over to them with Sasa at her side.

            “Ya woke up.  Ah been by a couple of times ta check on ya and ya were fast asleep.”

“Did you need me for something?”  He asked the orange mare.

             “Nah.  Just checking in on ya.  Though Twilight has been staying with ya so I might not have needed ta.”  The mare said.

             “His fast metabolism might be working against us Applejack,”  Twilight said to her. AJ looked at her and waited for an explanation.  “I think the pain killer that should last most of the day is actually starting to wear off.  I think he may need one that is taken every 6-8 hours.”

             Applejack looked to the black unicorn.  “Are yer injuries startin’ ta hurt?”  Oblivion shifted, trying to move his legs and winced.  “Never mind.  Ah’ll go to the hospital and ask.  Ah had forgotten about that.”  The orange mare turned to the gate and broke into a gallop.

             “No, it’s fine… Gods dammit.”  He said and sighed.

             Twilight looked sympathetically at him.  “You know she was gonna go anyway.  Soon as we mentioned that the pain killer had worn off.  Hopefully, the doctors can understand what she means and figure something out for you.  In the meantime why don’t you put your head back down and just relax?  You look as though your neck is bothering you.”

             “It’s nothing major.”  He said but still, put his head back down on the pillow.  Sasa laid down and rubbed her head on his shoulder.  Twilight looked back to her book and read.  “Perhaps I can try to heal my own injuries?”

             Sasa looked to the stallion as his thought reached her.  “No. That spell is you healing them through their connection to the World Spirit.  You are connected as well, but you cannot heal your own spirit.”

             “So it wouldn’t work?”

             “It’s possible that it would make it worse.”

             Oblivion grumbled but acquiesced to the Tiger's logic. He glanced at the gate as AJ loped through it.  She had a bag on her back.  Twilight looked to her and waited.  Oblivion started to raise his head, but the grinding stopped him.  “I’m beginning to think I need to have my neck looked at.”  He grumbled to the cat, who nuzzled him.

             “Okay, Ah got ya taken care of.  The doc said that the medicine we have is okay to take more often, he said at the most every 6 to 7 hours.  But he also gave me one that will help if we are out and about with ya. This one is as needed.  So if ya are out and yer wounds hurt more and it’s too early for one of the big ones then we use this one.  Ah’ll get the other one fer ya.”

             Twilight was quiet as she looked to the black pony.  “Well, that takes care of that for you.”

             Applejack came back outside with a glass of water and held out her hoof for Oblivion's magic to take both medicine and water from her.   He swallowed the water and medicine and gave the glass back to her.  The mare accepted it and turned to go back into the house.  Oblivion sighed and looked to the sun.  It was early afternoon if he had to guess and he laid in silence as Twilight went back to her book as Spike continued to snore.  Time went by him and he felt the pain fade and he relaxed a bit under the blanket.  Sasa watched over him and nuzzled him occasionally.  He looked to the gate as his ears picked up on Apple Bloom running through the gate with Mac on her heels.  The filly ran up to Oblivion and stopped in front of him.

             “How are ya doin’?”  She asked the black unicorn.

             “I’ll be fine, little one.”  He assured her.  “In time.”  She looked unconvinced and sat down by him.  “Sasa, will you take her to play?”  He thought to the cat.  Sasa stood up and walked to where Apple Bloom’s ball was sitting by the barn.  The cat batted the ball till it bumped into Apple Bloom's tail.  The filly looked to the big cat who batted it again.  The filly smiled and stood up to play with her.  “Thank you.”  He thought to her as the cat played with the filly.

             Twilight watched and smiled.  “That's so cute.”  She looked back at him and smirked.  “You asked her to do that to get the filly away from you, didn’t you?”

             Oblivion said nothing as he looked to Twilight and winked at her.  The mare giggled.  Mac smiled and looked down at his injured brother. “Ya all righ’ laying on the ground?”

             Oblivion glanced at the red pony and gave a slight shrug. “Will have to be, since I’m not moving.”  He commented.

             “Can ya move?”

             “Slowly, I’m sure.  Though I have yet to really try, since this morning.” The black pony replied.

             “Call me when ya try to move.  Ah don’t want ya pulling yer stitches or anythin’ like that.”  Mac asked.

             Oblivion looked up at him and started to nod, but his neck twinged and he looked to the farmer.  “Got it.”

             Mac nodded and walked back to the orchards.  Twilight watched as Oblivion cringed and stayed still.  “Are ya alright?  Aside from the obvious.”  She amended at the blank look from the stallion.

             “I’ll live.”  She gave him a stern look and he sighed.  “My neck is bothering me.  Moving it causes some discomfort and it feels as though the bones are grinding on each other.”

            The mare looked away and then back to her book.  “Is it a painful grinding or just the sound?”

             Oblivion thought about it for a moment before he responded.  “It’s more discomfort and the pain is slight but constant when moved.”

             “How far up your neck?”

             Oblivion looked at her, his look said ‘seriously?’.  She looked sheepish before explaining.   “I brought a book about anatomy and bones with me, so I was trying to see if I could help.”

            Oblivion's eyes softened as he nodded in understanding.  “It’s just above the middle of my neck.”

             “Okay, so it’s a cervical injury. Since that’s the name of the entire neck bone system that’s not helpful, but since we can narrow it down a bit that’s helpful.  So it sounds like the bones are pushed together and need to be realigned.  So you need a chiropractor.”

             “A what?”  Oblivion watched the mare.

             “Somepony who can realign the bones safely.”

             “Ahh.  That makes sense.  I would need to wait till this heals.  Otherwise having some pony pulling on me won’t help it.  Or how is it done?”

             “It could be done in your current condition.  So long as they are careful.  I would think to fix it sooner rather than later would be in our best interest.”  She observed and Oblivion nodded slowly.  “I’ll look around for a chiropractor in Ponyville for you.”  She waved a hoof to silence the stallion as he opened his mouth to protest.  “You don’t know where to look and it would require you to walk through town to search.  You’re too injured for that right now.”

             Oblivion growled, but couldn’t argue with her assessment.  The mare went back to her book and Oblivion laid in silence.  Spike snorted and smoke curled out of his nose for a moment before he yawned and stretched.  The baby dragon looked to the stallion and smiled.

             “You’re awake.  You were out cold for a while.  Are you feeling better?”  Spike asked as he sat up.  “Twilight said that we had to be quiet so that you could rest and start to heal.  But now you are awake so I can talk to you.”  Oblivion glanced at the dragon and waited.  “I need your advice.”

             Oblivion slowly raised his head slightly and waited before responding.  “What could you possibly need my advice with?”

             Spike looked away then over to Twilight.  “Hey, Twilight?”  The mare looked to him.  “Can you go for a walk?  I wanna talk to Oblivion. Ya know, guy stuff.”

             Twilight rolled her eyes and got up.  “I want a drink anyway.”

             Spike watched till she went into the house.  “Okay, perfect so I need your help with Rarity.”

             Oblivion looked to the dragon and tilted his head.  “What about her?”

             Spike looked uncomfortable and fiddled with his claws in his lap.  “Well, ya see, I kinda…  Umm...”  Spike stuttered over his own words. Oblivion snorted.  “I have a crush on Rarity.”

             Oblivion stared at him for a moment.  “All right.  So what do you need my help with?”

             “How do I talk to her?  I mean I want to see if she likes me.  What do ya think?”

             Oblivion was silent as he considered.  “Spike, I am not the best one to judge what is the best way for you to approach her.  I’m sure she cares for you as well.  But I cannot say for certain what kind of care it is.  Trying to impress her and whatnot is probably a waste of time.”  Oblivion said to him.  “That being said I am not certain that Rarity sees you as a romantic interest, so much as a friend of hers.  That is simply my take on the situation.”

             Spike frowned and slumped.  “But ya think there might be a chance?”

             Oblivion said nothing.  “I suppose it could be possible, but the chance is also remote as well.  But again, that’s my opinion.”

             Spike looked away from him and then back, a wide grin.  “So I have a chance.  I mean she isn’t with anypony.”  Spike beamed at the black stallion, who sighed and laid his head back down on his pillow.  The dragon turned to the house and waved.  Twilight walked out the door and came back over to them.

             “Get the advice you needed Spike?”  She asked as she folded her legs under her.

             “Yep.”  He chimed as he sat down, reached into her saddlebags and pulled out a book of his own.  He leaned back against Twilight, with a content sigh.

             Oblivion was quiet as he let his eyes close.  The pain was gone and he let his shoulders and back relax.  Under the enchantment, his wings laid loosely against his sides.  His eyes opened and he looked up to find Mac sitting beside him as well.  The red stallion was quiet as he looked down to find Oblivion watching him.

             The pony smiled and stood up.  “Time ta get ya inside.  Supposed to be a storm tonight so we need to ta move ya.”

             Twilight packed up her books and Spike jumped onto her back.  Oblivion’s magic picked up the blanket and folded it off to the side and laid the pillow on it.  Sasa stood on the other side of Big Mac and waited.  Oblivion moved his neck slowly and slowly got his forelegs out from under him and got them in front of his chest.  He pushed himself up and sat upright.  Mac moved to stand beside him in case he fell so he could catch him. Oblivion tried to pitch forward but hissed when his wounds complained.  Sasa walked behind him and started to push his flank with her shoulder.  Mac held his leg and they pushed, pulled him to his hooves.  Oblivion had stiffened when Sasa had begun pushing him but went silent as they got him to his hooves.  The black pony sighed and nodded to the others.  His body ached as his skin trembled.

             Twilight smiled.  “Well, I will let you go inside and relax in there, out of the incoming rain.  I’ll come by tomorrow morning if I find a chiropractor.”  She said to the two stallions.

             Both stallions acknowledged the mare’s statement as Mac picked up the blanket and pillow and led the black Unicorn inside.  Twilight teleported herself and Spike and they were gone in a flash of magenta light.  Oblivion walked slowly behind the other stallion with Sasa behind him.  Mac led Oblivion into the front room so he could collapse onto the couch and lay quiet.  The unicorn did as instructed and let himself fall onto the soft couch.  Sasa laid down by the couch and listened as the rain began to fall.

           “Hopefully it will be easier for you to move tomorrow.”  Sasa commented from her place on the floor.  “How are your wounds?”

             “The pain has dissolved into more of a dull ache.  It sharpens if I move more, but if I take it slower it’s fine.  Though you will be hunting for both of us if needed either tomorrow night or the day after.”

             Sasa looked up at him and nodded.  “I understand.  Just inform me when you wish to go to the forest and I will be with you.”

             Oblivion leaned back into the couch and sighed.  His right side was still sore so his breathing was shallow.  He laid his head on the armrest and closed his eyes.  The stallion looked up as he heard hooves on the flooring.  He opened one eye to find Granny Smith walking to him.  He shifted to be able to look at her.  The aged mare came up to him and a smile graced her muzzle.

             “Applejack said ya stopped that big critter from comin’ ta Ponyville.”  She said to him.

             Oblivion looked to her and nodded.  “Sasa and I drove it back to its cave.”

             The old mare smiled once more and reached out to lay a hoof gently on his cheek.  “Ya are a rare pony.  Ah’m proud of ya.  Thank ya fer protectin’ all of us.”  She ran her hoof on his cheek and smiled at him.

             Oblivion gazed back at her and felt a small smile tug at his mouth.  “I choose what I do.”  He said to her, his voice was quiet.  “I just happen to run into it.”

             Granny Smith smiled and turned to walk away from him.  “Ya rest up ya hear.”  She said over her shoulder as she went into the kitchen.

             Oblivion watched her leave and looked down at Sasa.  “It just happened to be that we ran into it.”  He thought to her.

             “That may be true, Chosen.  But to them, what you did is a feat of courage and strength.  They admire it and wish to praise the pony that accomplished the feat.”  She said to him.

             Oblivion leaned back and thought over what Sasa had said for a moment.  “Still.  It was not that big a deal.”  He thought to her.

             “Not to you.  But even I was in awe of your swift action.  All I could do was follow your direction.  You knew exactly what to do and how to accomplish your goal.  You are willing to put yourself on the line to protect those that you have met and even those that you haven’t.  It is considered normal to run away from a creature such as we faced.  While you run into the flames, others would run away from them.  That courage is meant to be admired.”  She said to him.

             Oblivion blanched and gazed into the kitchen where the Apple family was gathered.  “I knew that if a creature that size went into town lives could be lost.  That was my only thought on the subject.”

             Sasa purred and rolled onto her back.  Her paw batted his hoof.  “That’s just how you are, Chosen.”

             Oblivion gave a quiet snort and waited.  The others finished making dinner and Apple Bloom walked into the front room.

            “Ya want me ta bring ya yer dinner?”  The filly asked.

             Oblivion's ears flicked back as he looked to her.  “No, it's fine.  I'll join you in the kitchen.”  He said to the filly, who looked unsure of his statement.

             “Are ya sure ya should be moving?”

             “I’m sure.  I’m sore, not crippled.”  He replied and pushed himself slowly to his hooves.

             Applejack looked into the room and found him walking up to the kitchen.  “What in tarnation?  Ya need ta stay down.”

             “I’m all right to move a bit, AJ.  As I told Apple Bloom.  I’m sore, but not crippled.”  He said to the orange mare, who looked even less convinced.

             Big Mac watched as his elder brother walked into the room and sat down in his usual place.  Applejack grimaced as she saw the bandages around his body.  She went to the counter and pulled his medicine forward and gave it to him.  She set a plate of spaghetti in front of him.  The stallion took the medicine and ate his dinner with them.  He finished and instead of leaving the table as normal he stayed in place and waited.  The rest of the family finished their food and Apple Bloom helped with the dishes.  Granny Smith turned to face the black unicorn.

             “Ya head ta bed now.  Yer body needs ta rest so it can heal.  Ya can relax tomorrow as well.  No arguin’ youngin’.”  She said to the protesting stallion.

             Oblivion groaned and looked to Sasa, to find the cat chuckling under the table. She hid her snout behind a paw as a laugh hissed from her.  He glared for a moment before he reached forward and gripped her scruff in his hoof and used that to pull himself to his hooves.  Sasa growled and planted her paws to keep herself from sliding forward as Oblivion pulled himself up.  He rotated his shoulders slowly when he stood and smirked at the grumbling cat.  The unicorn could feel the pain killer acting and decided that he would rather go to bed than argue with any pony or feline, so he teleported to his room.  He heard Sasa growl as she bounded up the steps after him.  His magic opened the door and she trotted inside.  The door closed and the black stallion removed his cloak, laying it over the desk and stretched his wings.  He winced and the joints popped, muscles pulled and he inhaled as he let them go back to his sides and then drop to the ground.  Sasa watched him, waiting for an explanation.

             Oblivion looked at her and shook his head.  “They hurt.”

             “Not surprising.  You rolled over them and then landed on one of them.  I’m just happy they didn’t break.  Then you would not be able to hide them.”

             Oblivion nodded slowly in understanding.  The black wings moved from the ground to his sides and stayed in place.  It was early in the evening but his body was exhausted and he needed to rest.  He knew that but he stayed standing for a moment.  Sasa jumped up onto the bed and laid facing the window.  Oblivion's magic pushed back the quilt and he slowly got into bed as well.  His wings laid flat on his sides.  The stallion looked over Sasa's body and out the window.  He flicked his ears and listened to the storm outside.  He laid his head down and let his mind drift to sleep.

             “OBLIVION!”

             A scream tore him from sleep and he pushed the blanket back.  He knew who had screamed.  He teleported to Apple Bloom's room and saw the filly was sitting up, holding a stuffed rabbit and sobbing.  Oblivion walked over to her and stood by her bed.

             “What is it, little one?”

             The filly sniveled and jumped out of her blankets to hold onto his fur.  He leaned into her bed and patted her back with his hoof.  He flicked an ear back to find Sasa coming into the room as well.  Applejack and Big Mac looked into the room as well.

             “What in tarnation is goin’ on?”  Applejack asked.

             Oblivion looked back and gave a shrug.  He stiffened as his wounds complained.  Instinct had moved him to get to the screaming filly as quickly as possible.  Sasa jumped onto the bed and nuzzled the sniveling filly.  Outside thunder roared and lightning split through the skies.  Apple Bloom flinched and whimpered at the sounds.  Applejack and Mac walked in and stood by him.

             “Ya’ll alrigh’?”  Mac asked him, quietly.

             Oblivion gave a quiet groan and nodded.  “I’ll survive.”  He commented dryly.

             Mac patted his shoulder gently then looked to the trembling filly.  “She never has been a fan ah storms.”  He admitted.

             “Why would she call for me?”  Oblivion asked them both.

             “Well, yer the eldest.  So she thinks ya’ll protect her.”  Applejack said to him.

             Oblivion snorted and looked down as the fillies grip on his fur tightened.  He tried to shift, but the filly refused to budge.  His ribs complained and Oblivion had to fight not to growl at the sudden pain stemming from the wounds.  Applejack cringed as she saw that his body was twisted and the bandages on his side were twisted with him.  She came around and tried to get Apple Bloom to release his fur so he could move.  The filly broke into tears when her hooves were removed from Oblivion’s fur.  The stallion exhaled as he shifted and his wounds calmed.

             “Apple Bloom,”  Oblivion said to her.  The filly stopped crying and looked to the black stallion.  “It’s all right.  Being afraid is not something to be ashamed of.”

             She nodded and turned to her siblings and Sasa, who nuzzled her again.  “It's just scary.”

             Oblivion gave a slight smile.  “I’m sure it is. But you can choose to be afraid or not.  It's all your choice.”

             Apple Bloom flinched when thunder peeled once more.  “Well ah don’t wanna be scared but...can ya stay here with me?”

             Oblivion’s ears went back as he looked to her.  “You want me to sleep in here?”

             “Yeah.  Ah mean ya don’t have ta but I’d like ya too.  My bed is big enough to fit us both.”

             Oblivion’s ears flicked forward at her words. “Sleep on your bed with you?”

             Apple Bloom nodded and waited.  The Unicorn looked to the siblings, who simply smiled.  He sighed and stood beside the bed.  “Very well.  You’re going to need to move a bit.  You are in front, I’d rather you didn’t kick me.”

             Apple Bloom moved and Oblivion laid down on her bed behind her and let her huddle into his chest and neck.  Sasa laid down on the floor and Mac tossed Apple Blooms quilt over them.

             “Night ya’ll.”  Applejack said and left the room with Mac, who turned out the lights.

             “I’m certain to feel this in the morning.”  He commented to Sasa, who purred.

             “Most likely.  Still, it is sweet of you to agree to her request.  Thankfully, she is small so you don’t have to worry about her falling.  And her bed is wide enough for you to sleep on without falling off the edge.”  The feline replied.

             He could hear the humor in the cat’s voice.  “True enough.  I’m simply hoping that I don’t end up in a worse condition than yesterday morning.”

             Sasa stood up and gave his hoof a gentle nudge.  “If needed I will wake Applejack in the morning to get your pain medicine.”

             He shook his head, sure that the cat could see him.  “I’ll be fine.  I can teleport if needed.”

             Sasa nodded and laid back down.  Oblivion looked to the filly snuggled against him and he watched her sleep for a few minutes.  The stallion laid his head down on the pillow and closed his eyes.  His ears flicked as thunder went off outside.  Apple Bloom cringed in her sleep and huddled harder against him.  Oblivion used Axii to calm her so she could sleep without fear.  Several minutes passed and he finally slept as well.

             Oblivion's eyes opened and he lifted his head, only to wince at the short stab of pain.  He looked down at the sleeping filly and shifted to get off the bed.  Apple Bloom’s grip on his fur had loosened and he pulled away from her easily.  He used his magic to open her bedroom door to stop AJ from using a pan to wake them.  He looked behind him to see how far the edge was and yelped when he fell off the bed.  He landed heavily and laid in silence on his back.  Sasa grunted as she woke up.  Oblivion laid on his back, panting.  Pain stabbed through his body and he let his head fall to the ground as he tried to slow his breathing.  He closed his eyes and started to roll over, but stopped when he realized that he would have to roll onto his right side, which was out of the question.  The unicorn’s eyes opened when soft fur rubbed his cheek.

             Sasa stood by him, concern in her luminous blue eyes.  “Chosen?  Don’t move too much.  I doubt that you are able to move too much.  It makes me wish that I had laid down on this side of the bed.  Then you would have at least landed on something soft.”  She said to him, nuzzling his face in an attempt to comfort him.

             She looked up as the door opened and Big Mac walked in.  He glanced from Apple Bloom, who still slept, to Sasa.  The red pony walked to her and looked down at the black unicorn.  Oblivion gave him a blank look.

             “Wha’ happened?”  The farmer asked him.

             Oblivion sighed before answering.  “I underestimated the width of this bed and when I tried to get off it without waking the filly and I fell off the other side.”

             Mac cringed.  “Ah’m guessing that yer injuries are screamin’.  Ya need some help?”

             Oblivion closed his eyes as he inhaled.  “I would appreciate the help, yes.”

             Mac reached out his forelegs and his hooves gripped the fur on the unicorn’s shoulders. He used it to pull him gently away from the side of the bed so he could roll over onto his other side.  Oblivion rolled to his side and slowly hauled himself to his hooves.  Apple Bloom was sitting on her bed watching them.  The black stallion groaned in pain and breathed as he worked to relax his body to allow for the pain to recede.  Mac stayed by him as he recovered.

             “Mornin’ ya’ll.”  Applejack greeted them as she came into the room.  “So, Oblivion, how was yer...night?  What happened?”

             Big Mac looked to his sister.  “Fell off the side of the bed.  He was tryin’ not ta wake Apple Bloom.”

             Applejack cringed and came to stand in front of the ailing stallion.  Oblivion closed his eyes as he breathed.  He pushed the pain into the back of his mind and straightened.  His slitted orange eyes opened.  “I’m all right.  Was a bit of a shock, hitting the ground first thing in the morning.”  He admitted to the siblings.  Sasa nuzzled his chest and purred to him.  Apple Bloom jumped off her bed and tapped his foreleg to gain his attention.

             “Ah’m sorry.”  She said to him, her voice was quiet.

             “For what?”  The unicorn was unsure what she had to be sorry for.  “You didn’t push me off the bed.  I fell off due to not knowing exactly how wide or thin it was.  So it was my own fault.”  The stallion reasoned.

             Apple Bloom hung her head for a moment before responding.  “Are ya sure?”  The stallion nodded.  “All right. But next time wake me up and ah’ll move.”

             Oblivion nodded and started for the door.  The family followed him down the hallway with Sasa bringing up the rear.  The unicorn teleported down to the table and sat down beside it.  He trembled for a moment before his body calmed and went still.

             The others reached him and Sasa went under the table, as had become her normal place.  Oblivion declined breakfast and nopony argued with him as he took the pills offered to him and drank them down.  He stayed with them as they ate and waited for them to finish.  He stood up slowly when they finished and levitated the dishes to the sink and went outside.  Walking was easier and the pain had lessened to a more manageable level.  Sasa followed him outside and waited with him.  His ears flicked as he caught the sound of hooves.  A bright purple light came through the gate and trotted up to him.

             “Oblivion.  I have good news for you.”  Twilight said to him, her excitement palpable.

             “Oh?”

             “I found a chiropractor for you in Ponyville.  I spoke to them last night after I left and they said that you could come in at any time.  I’ll go with you since I don’t think you know where the Ponyville spa is.”  She informed the listening stallion.

             “Your right, I do not know where that is.  Sounds like a good plan in any case.”  He responded. The unicorn had to admit that he was looking forward to having his neck fixed and helping to ease the pain that it brought.

             “It might take two visits to make sure that it stays corrected. But they were pretty confident that it would only take one.  But it does depend on how bad it is.”

             Oblivion nodded to the mare.  Applejack came outside and walked up to them.  “Hey, Twilight.”

             “Morning Applejack.  I just came to let Oblivion know that I found a chiropractor for him in town.  I’ll lead him there when he’s ready.  Did he already take a pain killer?”

             Applejack nodded.  “Yup, a few minutes ago.  It should kick in pretty quick.  Ya’ll can take Apple Bloom ta school and then go into town.”

             Twilight nodded.  “Sounds fine to me.”

             Oblivion nodded and his horn lit up.  The black cloak settled onto his back and he pulled the tie out of his mane.  He shook his mane as best he could and then put it back up to keep it out of his face.  He stood with the mares and chatted with them as they waited for Apple Bloom to get ready.  The black unicorn looked to the door as Apple Bloom came outside to stand with them.

             “Ready?”  Twilight asked her.

            “Ah’m ready.”   She said to the group.

             “Ah.  Hang on.”  Applejack turned and ran back into the house.  She returned a minute later with a bottle.  “Here are the other pain meds the doc gave ya.  Keep ‘em with ya.  I’d say put ‘em in yer saddlebags, but ya can’t wear them.”

             His magic surrounded the bottle and held it close to him.  There was a flash to the side of him as Twilight vanished.  A minute later she reappeared with her own saddlebags around her girth.  She took the bottle from him and set it inside her saddlebags.

             “There.  Now we can keep them with us and not have to use your magic to do it.”  She declared.

             Oblivion nodded and started walking to the gate.  He looked back and tilted his head to the gate.  Apple Bloom and Twilight followed him.  Applejack disappeared inside the house as the three ponies left the farm.  His pace was not as fast as normal so the mare and filly stayed with him.  His head was lowered due to it hurting less.  Twilight gave him a concerned look as they walked.  Apple Bloom trotted merrily in front of them.  Oblivion sighed and stayed silent.  Sasa stayed at his side purring encouragement to him.

             “Almost there, Chosen.”  She said to him, with a gentle nudge to his shoulder.

             He sighed again, giving her a slight nod.  The schoolhouse loomed up in front of them and Oblivion’s pace slowed as they neared it.  Apple Bloom waited as the two adult ponies neared the gate.  She trotted through it after giving Oblivion a hug and thanking Twilight for walking her to school.  The foals waved to the stallion and he nodded back to them.

             “You okay?”  Twilight whispered to him.

             “I’ll live. Simply tired.  Apple Bloom woke us all up last night due to the storm.”  He informed her.

             “Yeah, it was a pretty violent one.”

             “Yes, she woke up screaming and asked that I stay with her.  She insisted that I sleep next to her. I obliged but this morning I tried to get off the bed without waking her and ended up falling off the side of it and wound up landing mostly on my back.”

             Twilight cringed and looked at him, sympathy in her violet eyes.  “That’s definitely a rude awakening.  So, if you weren’t hurting before, you are now, I take it?”  The stallion nodded, but stopped and cringed when the bones started grinding. He gave an annoyed snort. “Don’t worry.  We’ll get that fixed.”  She said, her voice quiet and sympathetic.

             He looked to her, his eyes agreeing with her before he looked away.  The black unicorn looked up as Cheerilee came out of the building.  She reached the two unicorns and stopped.

             “Apple Bloom said that you fought an Ursa Major?  I thought Twilight sent it to its cave?”  She asked of the pair.

             “I did.  But I sent back an Ursa Minor, a baby.  Oblivion met up with the parent when it was starting to come toward Ponyville.  He and Sasa drove it back into the cave.”  Twilight informed her.

             “Oh, so that’s what she meant.  She also mentioned that you got hurt and that was why you didn’t bring her to school yesterday. I see some bandages on your chest, but nothing dire thankfully.”  Cheerilee said with relief in her voice.  Twilight reached over and lifted up his cloak, revealing the bandages around his girth.  The dark pink mare gasped and put a hoof over her mouth.  “Oh my.  Should you even be up and walking?”  The mare asked of him.  Concern plain in her voice.

             “I’ll survive.  Twilight found a chiropractor in town so that is where we are going.”  He replied.

             Cheerilee looked at him.  “Still. It must be painful to walk around like that.”

             He said nothing and gave a small shrug.  “It’s tolerable.”

             The dark pink mare appeared unconvinced.  “But how did you get hurt?”

             Sasa growled and hung her head as she sat down.  Oblivion glanced at her and stomped his hoof, calling the cat to his side.  The ethereal cat walked slowly up to him and sat at his shoulder.  He ran his hoof over her fur, comforting her.  “The animal went into its cave, but then turned and swiped at Sasa.  I pushed her down and was struck instead.  She then finished pushing it into the cave.”

             Cheerilee looked down at Sasa and found that the cat still had her head hung.  “Not very happy about that, is she?”

             “Oh, certainly not.  She was quite distressed by it.”  He answered, as Sasa growled and pushed her head against his shoulder, as firmly as she dared.

             “Well, just shows how much you care for her.  I’m glad that you will be all right.”

             “Thank you.”  He said to her and put his hoof on the ground, as Sasa stayed in place at his shoulder.

             Cheerilee looked to the clock on the outside of the schoolhouse and smiled at the ponies.  “All right I need to start class.  Rest up and I hope the appointment with the chiropractor goes well for you.”

             Twilight nodded and turned, leading Oblivion into town.  The black pony stayed at her side, with her matching his pace.  Sasa stayed close even as ponies began to turn to stare at the large cat.  They walked through town and Oblivion was starting to grow even more tired when Twilight stopped.

             “There it is.”  She pointed to a nearby building with one hoof.

             He looked up and gazed at the building.  It was tan with a deep green roof with points jutting out from it.  Small windows adorned the front and sides of the building.  The door was a deep pink with hearts on the face.  He looked sideways at Twilight who smiled.

             “I know it doesn’t look like the right place, but trust me.  You’ll feel better in no time.”  She assured him.

             Oblivion walked with her and she opened the door to allow him inside first.  Sasa trotted through the door after he and Twilight closed it behind her.  A bright blue mare with deep blue eyes and a flower on her flank greeted them.

             “Good morning.”  She said.  She had an accent that Oblivion couldn’t place.  But he ignored it as she continued.  “Welcome to Ponyville day spa.  What do we owe the pleasure?”

             Twilight stepped up to the counter.  “I was here last night and spoke with Aloe.  She arranged for my friend, Oblivion Shadow, to have an appointment with the chiropractor this morning.”

             “Ahh, I remember her mentioning it.  This way please.”  The mare came out from behind the counter and opened a side door for them to walk through.  “I am Lotus Blossom and please follow me.”

             The ponies walked through the door and the blue mare led them into the back of the building.  Oblivion glanced around him and saw ponies having their hooves filed and others sitting in an enormous tub.  He looked away and refocused on Lotus Blossom.  Sasa stayed close to the stallion as they followed the bright blue mare.  Lotus stopped next to a room and opened the fabric curtains for them.  Inside was a long table that was heavily padded and covered in a plush white blanket.  The walls had shelves of bottles on them.  Oblivion’s sense of smell was being overwhelmed and he looked back to the two mares with him.

             “Aloe mentioned that your friend was injured in a fight and that it needed to be comfortable to avoid hurting him further.”  She remarked as she reached up to the wall and pulled aboard with paper on it and held it in front of her.  “So injuries are to the right side, neck, and most likely back, avoid pressing on areas covered in bandages.”  She looked to the stallion, who used his magic to lift his cloak up to show her. “Ahh.  Understood.  All right so it appears to be the mid-neck that has been injured and is needing to be realigned.  You can hang up your cloak on that hook over there.”  She pointed to a hanger on the wall.  Oblivion used his magic to hang the clothing on the wall at her instruction.  The mare cringed at the bandages around the stallion’s body.

             Twilight cringed at them as well.  Mostly due to knowing what was under them.  Oblivion's skin twitched and he reached a hoof back to scratch his left shoulder.  Sasa found a corner and pushed herself into it to avoid getting in the way.   Lotus looked from the clipboard to the stallion and smiled.

             “All right, just lay down on the table.  Legs on either side of it.  Make yourself comfortable and he will be with you shortly.”  She said, hung up the clipboard, and left the room.

             Oblivion looked at the table and then back to Twilight.  “It’s fine.  It just looks uncomfortable.”

             “Really?”  He replied, sarcasm dripping from his words.  The mare gave him a stern look and he deflated a bit before walking over to the table and laying down on it with his legs on either side of it.  “Comfortable my flank.”  He retorted to the mare.

             “Just lay quiet and relax.  Or try to.  Once you relax it will be fine.”  She said to him as she pulled a chair over to sit on.

             They sat in silence for several minutes before the curtain moved to reveal a large white pony.  His mane was a blond Mohawk and a short tail.  His body reminded Oblivion of Letho of the school of the viper.  All corded muscle.  His legs were short and he had a barbell on his flank.  His eyes were a bright red.  The pony turned to pick up the clipboard and Oblivion started to see that he was a Pegasus.  His wings were tiny at best.

             “Can he really fly with those?”  Sasa asked him.

             “I doubt it, but I am not sure.  I’m more concerned with how he is going to help me with those tiny legs.”  He replied through their mental link.

             “Good point.”  Sasa responded, her voice held doubt.

             “Okay!”  He yelled.  Twilight startled and Oblivion pinned his ears, cringing.  “You hurt your neck in a fight?”

             Oblivion glanced sideways at him.  “Yes, that’s accurate.”

             “My name is Bulk Biceps and I will be your chiropractor today.  Mind telling me what happened?”

             Oblivion sighed and spoke.  “I met up with an Ursa Major in the Everfree forest when I was out for a run with my cat, Sasa.  She’s over there.”  He pointed a hoof back.  Bulk looked startled as the cat gave him a respectful bow of her head.  “We drove it back into its cave, but it turned around and struck out at Sasa.  I teleported, pushed her down and took the blow myself.  I rolled a few times and I’m pretty sure that’s when I injured my neck.” He explained.  Glad to see that the first yell seemed to be the last one.

            “So an impact injury.”  The pony mused as he looked over the notes.   “How would you describe the injury?”

             Oblivion considered for a moment before responding.  “If I lift my head it feels and sounds as though the bones or something is grinding and the pain could be described as sharp and lasting when it happens.”

             Bulk was quiet for a moment.  “All right.  Sounds like you might also need to have your back aligned.  I will gauge if that should be done today or later.  Is there any pain in your back?”

            “Yes.  When I was thrown I landed heavily and rolled.  So a back injury is not that much of a stretch.”

             Bulk nodded and set the clipboard down.  He walked up to Oblivion's back and set a hoof on it.   The stallion flinched but didn’t move otherwise.  “High pain tolerance?”  He asked.  Oblivion smirked in response.

             “Very high.”  Was Twilight's response.

             Bulk nodded and applied easy pressure to different places on Oblivion's back.  After a few minutes, he stepped back.  “Well, I think that aligning your back would be beneficial.  Having your back placement as skewed as it is will only lead to making your neck worse.  So, we will work with the immediate pain first then look to the other.”

             Oblivion gave a slight nod of understanding as he laid still.  “So, what’s the plan now?”

             “I will start out with your neck and get that tended to.  What I need from you is to just relax and let me move it as I need to.  I will not lie to you and say that it will not hurt or be uncomfortable.  Just trust that I know what I am doing and will ensure that it is more comfortable for you in the end.”  Bulk said to the black pony.

             Oblivion looked back at him and considered for a few moments.  “This is no time to be thinking of how to act, Chosen.  Let the pony do his job. That’s why you are here.”  Sasa barked at him.  The stallion sighed and gave a short nod.  He closed his eyes and relaxed as best he was able.  He heard Bulk move to stand in front of him and then pick up his head.

             Oblivion grimaced but was silent.  The muscled pony turned his head and the bones grated and then turned it the other way.  Oblivion stayed still and silent.  Bulk suddenly jerked his head and a serious of pops sounded in Oblivion’s ears.  He kept his eyes closed, but he had to fight not to act.  Bulk repeated the motion with the other side then ran his hooves up and down Oblivion’s neck.  The muscles tensed under his hooves and he circled on them to relax them.

             “How bad is it?  Any ideas?”  Twilight asked.

             “Well, it’s not good.  It may take a couple of more sessions to completely subvert the damage.  By aligning his back that will help.  I’m hesitant to handle his back due to the injury to his ribs on the right side.  So I may have to use a different method of aligning it then I would normally.”  He informed the inquisitive mare.

             Bulk went back to moving the black unicorns head and shifted it to try to alleviate any further grinding.  He lifted Oblivion’s head higher, only then did the black stallion react.  He jerked back slightly and Bulk lowered his head.  Oblivion’s orange eyes opened and he looked to the pony.

             “Okay, that settles the range of motion question.  So hold your head up high is the more painful position?”

             “So it seems.”  Was the reply.

             Bulk started lifting his head in slow increments and Oblivion closed his eyes once more.  It took over an hour to get it to where Oblivion could lift his head without the shooting pain.  Bulk stepped back and let Oblivion move on his own.  The black stallion shook his head and sighed in relief.

             “Finally.  Thank the Gods.”  He breathed.

             “Better?”  Twilight asked him.

             “Much.  Thank you.”  He said to the other ponies.

             Bulk smiled.  “Yeah!”  He yelled.  The other two cringed.  “All right now we have to decide if we are going to start with your back.  As I said, I would have to use another method versus doing it by hoof like I would normally.”

             “And that method is?”  Oblivion inquired.

             “It requires a certain amount of force.”  Oblivion sent him a blank look.  “Basically, I pull your tail really hard and then find the right angle to pull the bones into place.  Its usually only done with some ponies due to having to find a pony of close to the same height.  The problem with you is, not your height, but the fact that your back itself is bruised badly.  Anypony else would be unable to walk.”

             Twilight looked from the black pony back to Bulk.  “Is it dangerous?”

             “If done wrong yes. I will not say that I am an expert, but I do know how not to hurt him.  So long as we do not raise his head at the same time we will be fine.  So you would need to keep your head down and try not to tense or move.”

             Oblivion looked at him and considered his options.  “So the only thing stopping you is the concern that it will cause more pain?”  Both ponies nodded.  “If it works then I’ll deal with it.  Pain is not something I am unused to. So if you think it will help then I will cooperate.”

             Bulk nodded and moved to stand at Oblivion’s tail.  He picked it up and wrapped some of it around his hoof to hold onto it.  He leaned back a few times to check the angles to ensure that it was done properly.  Oblivion kept his head down on the table, cooperating with the other pony.  He flinched when a slight tug went through him.

             “All right.  So if you can try to make sure that you do not move, then I will start pulling gradually.  I’ll adjust as I need to so just stay as still as you can, keep your head down, and hold onto the floor if possible.”

             Oblivion nodded and set his hooves onto the floor.  He used them to grip the floor and looked back to Bulk and nodded.  He set his head back down and waited.  A slight tug went through him and he didn’t react.  Bulk used a series of short and quick tugs to figure out the best angle to realign the black pony’s spine.  He looked to the side and found Twilight and Sasa standing at the front of the table.

             “Hold on.”  Bulk warned.

             A hard yank went through him and Oblivion grunted at the pull but remained still.  His back popped a few times and Bulk released the pull. He leaned back again and started a slow pull.  Oblivion’s hooves held fast and his body remained in place.

             “Relax.”  Bulk barked at him.  Oblivion snorted and closed his eyes, focusing.  “There we go.”

Another series of pops were heard as Oblivion's back began to realign.  None of them could see, but his wings had risen from his sides and were fully extended, the tips folding against the ceiling.  Oblivion growled quietly as his spine lengthened and he could feel the pressure dissipating.

             “Okay.  One.  Last.  Pull.”  Bulk panted.

             Oblivion snorted that he understood.  Bulk leaned back onto his haunches and gave as hard a pull as he could, which considering his muscled body was considerable, and a series of loud cracks resounded.  He began to slowly release Oblivion’s long tail.  When he had finished he let go and sat back with a groan.

             “That was more difficult than I thought it would be.”  He commented.  “So, give me a second and I’ll see how we did.”

             Oblivion said nothing as he laid in silence.  He opened his eyes and looked to the mare and cat.  Both were looking between the black stallion and Bulk himself, the latter panting slightly.  Oblivion laid his black wings back along his sides.  It no longer hurts to move them.  Bulk finally got to his hooves and stood next to oblivion’s back, applying slight pressure.  After several minutes he stopped and smiled.

             “Well, it worked.  This will help keep your neck in place as well.  Let me check that and see how it was affected, if at all.” He moved his hooves along Oblivion's neck, checking the location of the bones themselves.  “That’s in perfect order as well.  We will need to do one more session for your neck but I think that will be fine as well.  I don’t anticipate any issues with your back.  You have the muscle structure to keep the bones in line and stop any problems with it.  You can get up when you’re ready.”

             He barely finished that final sentence, before Oblivion was in motion.  He rolled off the table and stood on his hooves.  He raised his head and sighed when the pain was nearly gone.  Was now more of an ache.  His arched his back and despite the complaint of his ribs his back was better, despite the bruising.

             “How is it?”  Bulk asked.

             “It’s a marked improvement. Thank you for the effort.”  Oblivion replied.  His ribs hurt from the treatment, but he could ignore it without trouble.

             Bulk looked pleased and smiled at the stallion.  “I’m glad to hear that.  Your spine is surprisingly flexible.  It’s not rigid like most ponies.”

             “Is that a bad thing?”  Twilight asked.

             “Not at all.  I’d say he has an advantage actually.  His flexibility gives him the ability to bend and flex more than another pony.  For example, he can arch his back much higher than we just saw and if he falls, like a cat, he can twist around to land on his hooves.  It’s remarkable that his body seems to naturally bend.  That is what made it harder to align him.  His body was trying to compensate for the pull that I was doing by shifting itself into a better position, or trying to.”  He explained.  Oblivion said nothing. “The only thing that is even a bit similar is the spine of a Pegasus.  Their spine moves with their wings, to a certain extent.”

             Oblivion stayed silent as he listened to the explanation.  “That’s what a Witcher is designed to do. Even before the wings, I could move unnaturally well.  It’s one reason why people think we are an unnatural being.  The mutations alter our bodies, though I had never thought much about bone structure.”

             Sasa nuzzled him in reply.  “It would makes sense in a way.  Musculature and even your blood were altered was it not?”

             Oblivion gave a slight nod to the cat before listening to Bulk once more.  “Anyway, now we should probably do one more alignment then you should be fine.  Will only need to do your neck.  Your back is fine.”

             Oblivion thanked him once more, pulled his cloak off the wall and put it back in place, and left the room with Sasa and Twilight behind him.  He stopped at the counter and Lotus waved him off saying it was taken care of.  He looked to Twilight who shook her head, she didn’t pay for him.  They walked outside and Oblivion paused.

             “All right, now I need to find out who paid for that.  I refuse to be shown charity when I am perfectly capable of paying.”  He said when they got outside.

             Twilight shook her head.  “How about you take it easy and I will ask around?”  She negotiated with him.  The stallion gave her a blank look.  “I’m serious.  I’ll look, you’re already exhausted from today.  So I will try to think of who all knew that you fought the Ursa Major and get answers for you.”  She waited as he regarded her.  His orange eyes were slightly narrowed and she fidgeted for a moment. “Please?”

             Oblivion sighed and his shoulders sagged for a moment.  “Very well.  I’ll leave this to you then.  You’re not wrong when you say I'm tired.  It just doesn’t sit well with me to have somepony going behind my back like this.  Applejack rewarding me with a new sword was different.  That had been partially agreed upon before it happened.”  Twilight tilted her head at him.  “She reasoned that instead of a spa trip that I would prefer a new blade.  We had agreed on the trip during that harvesting fiasco.”  Twilight nodded in understanding.

             “I’ll take care of this.  You need to rest.  That reminds me are you in any pain?”

             “Some, but nothing dire.  That last yank pulled me some, so I had to brace more than intended.”  He explained to the purple mare.

             Twilight’s magic lit up her saddlebag and she pulled the bottle out and read the labels. “Okay, take 2 as needed for pain.  Okay, can you conjure some water?”

             Oblivion nodded and his horn was covered in azure flame.  Twilight held two of the small pills in her magic and gave them to him.  He swallowed them with the water and destroyed the glass in his magic.  Twilight put the bottle back in her saddlebags and waited as Oblivion sighed.  His ribs ached and he shook himself to rid himself of the itching sensation from the bandages pulling his fur.  Twilight looked at him, sympathy in her eyes.

             “I’ll be fine.  Once these bandages are removed I’m going to run before they put more on me.”  He vowed.

             “Why?”

             “It Itches.  I can ignore it for a while but this is becoming maddening.”

             Twilight looked thoughtful as she regarded the bandages on his body. “Hmm.  Hold still.”  The stallion waited as she walked up next to him and pushed his cloak out of the way.  She could see that his fur was being pulled by the edges of the bandages and that was beginning to itch.  She brought up one hoof and laid it gently on his side.  She rubbed that spot and watched as Oblivion turned to her.  Her touch was light, but it was enough to help it seemed.

“A bit lower.”  He instructed.

Twilight smiled and brought up her other hoof and sat down beside him. She rubbed his skin with her hooves and Oblivion had to stop himself from collapsing in relief.  After a couple of minutes, Twilight looked to him.  “Better?”

             “Yes.  Thank you.”  Oblivion said to her.

             The mare stood back up, put his cloak back in place, and shook the dirt off herself.  “It’s not permanent, but it helps for now.”

             “It’s good enough.  Thank you again.”

             “No problem.  Back to the farm?”

             “I was going to go to the bank to convert a couple of crowns.  But now I find that I do not need to.  So yes, I suppose we should head back.”  Twilight nodded and walked next to him.  Sasa followed at his hip.  “It is nice to finally be able to move my head without any pain.”

             Twilight nodded.  “I can’t even imagine how much that hurt.  Bulk seemed surprised that you could move at all.  Though I do wonder something.”  The stallion waited for her to continue.  “The reason why your back is so flexible is due to that Trial right?”

             “Yes.  It alters the body of the initiate.  Apparently, that includes bone structure to a degree as well.”

             “It’s remarkable what it can do.  But it comes with a heavy price even if you live through it.”  Oblivion nodded in agreement.  “Anyway enough of the gloomy subjects.  What a fun story you know?  Maybe about you and the other Witchers?  You mention that you share stories all the time when you meet.”

Oblivion chuckled.  “Such as?  Most stories are vulgar at the best of times.”

             Twilight considered for a moment.  “There must be just a fun experience.”

             Oblivion suddenly chuckled.  “There are a few.  Most of them are drunken escapades though.”

             Twilight giggled.  “So let’s hear one.  I’m a grown mare and since Spike isn’t here I can hear them.”

             Oblivion chuckled and thought about it for a moment.  “All right.  One of the times all of us were at Kaer Morhen together for the winter.  It was Geralt, Lambert, Eskel and myself.  Vesemir was there, but not part of this stupidity.  We were up late playing cards and, of course, drinking ourselves stupid.  So I was on one side of the table with Geralt.  Lambert and Eskel on the other side.  After a few hands of cards, Lambert decided it was time for a contest.  Of course, we knew he meant a drinking contest.  So he told us about a game a student from one of the magic colleges taught him.  One pony says ‘I have never...’ if the others have done that thing they take a shot, then it’s their turn. So we all decided to play.  Cause we’re idiots.”  Oblivion started.  Twilight giggled and waited for the rest of the story.  “Lambert started out since he was the one who knew the game best.  He said ‘I have never had to jump out a lover’s window.”  Twilight giggled and waited for him to continue.  “I didn’t drink, Geralt didn’t, and Eskel did.”

            Twilight barked a laugh and put one hoof over her muzzle.  “Needless to say of course we had to ask.  He was sleeping with the wife of a noble, who vehemently, hated Witchers and all non-hu... non-ponies. His wife did not hate Witchers. In fact, she was quite fond of them, especially Eskel it seemed.”

            Twilight looked shocked.  “So she was sleeping with one behind her husband’s back?”

            Oblivion nodded.  “Several times might I add.  Hubby came back early one night and Eskel had to jump out a window to avoid getting her and him in deep shit.  Granted he left a very expensive piece of armor behind.  He went to the house a few days later and found it in the bushes outside.  We assume that she saw it and tossed it out.”

            Twilight laughed aloud and bumped his shoulder with hers.  “Okay, so that means its Eskel’s turn.  What did he say?”

            “He said ‘I have never fallen down drunk while tracking a contract.’  I expected Lambert to fall on his sword with that one.  He surprised me by not drinking.  Geralt however, did.  So, of course, we had to ask.  He told us about a monster that he had to bait by being completely and utterly soused.  So he walked down the narrow streets of Oxenfurt singing the maids of vicavaro at the top of his lungs.  And to answer the question it is a really vulgar and rude song that drunks will use to piss off guards. So he walked around the streets by the tavern since it seemed this monster, which turned out to be a katakan, had a thing for the blood of drunks.”

            “Wait.  Whats a katakan?”

            “A higher vampire. Not the worst of them but fast as hell and just as mean.  So it took a bit, but it eventually came after him.  So Geralt had to fight it, drunk off his ass.  Thankfully he is no slouch with a silver blade, even tossed, so it fled and he had to sober up quickly to chase it down.”

            Twilight smiled.  “Good for him.  Okay, his turn.”

            “All right, so, Geralt looks at each of us and waits for a second.  Now bear in mind that at this point all of us have been drinking for a few hours at least.  ‘I have never taken fisstech.’  Geralt, Eskel and Lambert didn’t drink, I did.”

            “What is fisstech?”

            “It’s a drug, a very nasty one.  It’s highly addictive and in large doses is fatal.”  He informed the mare.

            “Why in Equestria would you take that?”

            “It was not intentional. It was an accident.  I took a contract to put an end to some bandits that were murdering and pony napping merchants and peasants.” Twilight waited patiently.  “So I found their lair which turned out to be hidden in the underbrush and opened the hatch.  I found them and after fighting a few of them, I turned to the others and got a face full of it.  Of course, me being the fool that I was, I inhaled.  And that’s how you ingest it.  At first, I was not sure what they had hit me with.”

            “How did it affect you?  Your body has been altered.”

            Oblivion sighed and a smirk went across his features. “Basically it induced a state of heightened attack.”  Twilight looked at him.  “Basically it made me angry, very angry.  It hurt like hell and burned.  My lungs were on fire, my nose bled and I was half blind.  A Witcher is not immune to losing their temper, though it takes a long time to get us to it.  I have to admit it was one of the most unpleasant experiences I have been through.”

            “How long did it last?”

            “To damned long in my opinion.  I ran out of targets and eventually just collapsed.  The drug put my system into overdrive and ran through my store of energy in a half hour.  Normally that lasts days.  Needless to say, I collapsed among the bodies and came to the next morning, with a pounding headache and covered in the Gods knew what.  I picked up a few pieces of paper and realized I'd been hit with a huge dose of fisstech.  Hoping it would slow me down, or kill me.  Should have killed me, but due to the enhanced Trial, I did it just hurt like hell.  Never thought I would be happy about being experimented on.”

            Twilight chuckled.  “Okay, so now it’s your turn.  Did anyone get Lambert to drink?”

            “Oh yes.  ‘I have never fallen on my own sword while drunk.’  Any Witcher with brains knows to keep the weapons away from yourself when you drink. Otherwise, it ends badly.  Only Lambert drank on that round.”

            “Oh no.”

            “Oh yes.  So we have to ask the story.  Lambert took a contract on a bunch of drowners.  Nasty bipedal creatures that feed on the living.  So he got rid of them, they run in groups, but aren’t a major problem for an experienced Witcher.  So he took a few heads as proof and went back to the village Elder.  This is one of the only times I have ever heard of a village being thankful to a Witcher.  They led him to the tavern and bought the drinks.”

            “Oh, this won’t end well.”

            “With Lambert it never does.  But it’s usually hilarious. After several hours and a few drinking contests later Lambert is so pissed drunk that he can’t see straight.  The locals lead him outside so he can puke out there and leave him be for a few minutes.   They came back to find one of the village children standing with Lambert's steel sword in his hands.  He was smart enough to not have them on his back in case he fell, but he set them down by the fence and the little kid grabbed one to play with.  Lambert looked up from the fence he was laying on and despite being tossed he saw that the sword the kid was trying to swing around was his own.  Unfortunately, he stood up, yelled at the kid, scared the brat, who turned and Lambert found himself with his own sword in his leg.”

            “Oh, ouch.”

            “Yeah.  The kid screamed and dropped it which made the injury worse and ran.  Lambert would have followed if not for the ground coming racing up to meet him.  Passed out and had to be taken care of by the village.  He woke up with a screaming hangover and a heavily bandaged leg.  Lesson learned.  When you get yourself pickled that badly put the swords on your saddle first.  Kids won’t go near it.”

             “What if he got attacked in the tavern?”

            “Use your fists and speed.  A Witcher is able to fight without the swords, it’s just faster with them.”

            Twilight laughed as they walked through the front gate.  Apple Bloom was out front playing and she smiled at the sight of the two ponies.  Twilight leaned into him for a moment and spoke.  “Will have to hear more stories another time.”  She chuckled and Oblivion glanced back to her.

            Apple Bloom ran up to the pair and stopped in front of them.  “Ya feel better Oblivion?  Applejack said ya were gonna get yer neck fixed.”

            “I’m doing better Apple Bloom thank you for asking.”  He said to her as she bounced on her hooves.

            “Good.  Can ya play?”  She asked.

            “Unfortunately not, little one.”

            “I got her.”  Sasa jumped forward and batted her paws at the now squealing filly.  The cat chased her till they reached the ball and she pawed it to the filly.

            Apple Bloom played with the cat as Oblivion and Twilight laid down under a tree.   The mare folded her legs under her and suddenly giggled.  Oblivion looked at her and waited for her to explain.  “I was just thinking of how that game would end up if it was all of our friends.”

            Oblivion thought about it before he snorted.  “Gods, I don’t even want to think of how Pinkie Pie would behave.  She breaks enough of the rules of nature as it is.”

            Twilight laughed.  “That’s true.  But I still think it would be interesting.”

            “No doubt of that.  The question is how can any pony get drunk on the weak booze here?  I tried some while I was in Canterlot and it was weak at best.  It would take a barrel or two to end up drunk or even close to it.”

            “I haven’t tried many drinks, but I wouldn’t think that it would be so different from your own.”

            Oblivion barked a laugh, interrupting the mare.  The black unicorn was silent as Twilight waited.  “If I gave any of you the alcohol that is from my homeland you'd be under a table in no time.”

            Twilight looked affronted at the stallion and grumbled.  “What makes you so sure of that?”

            His eyes laughed at her as his horn lit up.  A green bottle appeared in front of her.  “This is called Mahakaman spirit.  It’s on the stronger side.”

            His magic removed the stopper and Twilight leaned forward to give it a sniff.  Her nose immediately burned and she snorted trying to rid her nose of the burning.  She rubbed her nose with a hoof and coughed.  “What in Celestia’s name?  Oh, it burns.”

            Oblivion put the lid back on it and sent it back to his saddlebag.  “Warned you.”

            Twilight waited till she could speak without coughing before replying.  “You drink that?”

            “Of course.  Is a favorite of a good friend of mine.”

            “Oh, by the sun.  That was awful.”

            “Sasa sniffed it as well and that was her response as well.”

            Twilight coughed and recovered from the surprise.  “How can any pony drink that?  Oh, wow that hurt.  Do you not breathe when you drink it?”

            “I breathe just fine.  I’m not surprised it was so startling for you. The spirits I tried before were like juice in comparison.”

            “Anything is weak compared to that stuff.”  A serious look crossed her face.  “You’re not drinking that in your condition are you?”

            “Gods no.  I’m many things, but stupid is not one of them.”

            “I thought not, but I wanted to ask.”

            Oblivion looked to Sasa as the cat and filly ran around, kicking up dust as they played.  He watched then laid his head down to watch them.  Twilight moved one leg and put a hoof on the front of his shoulder, earning her his attention.  “I’m glad you’re feeling better.  It was terrible seeing you in so much pain.  Even though you are a master of hiding it I can only imagine how much it truly hurt.”

            “It’s fine.  I’ll live through it and keep moving forward, same as always.”

            She removed her hoof and folded it back under her.  Oblivion closed his eyes and relaxed his body.  His neck and back felt better so he ignored any lingering soreness in them.  He knew that his back had been pulled on and he would feel that pull tomorrow.  At that moment he only felt tired and a bit drained.  His magic was fine, it was his physical strength that was lowered.

            Oblivion’s head snapped up and he groaned at the sudden stab of pain from his right side. It faded in moments but he paused none the less.  Twilight was still by him, but she had a book with her.  The purple mare looked to him as he looked around him, startled.  Sasa stopped playing with Apple Bloom and looked to the black stallion. He looked away from the mare and started to get to his hooves.

            “What is it, Chosen?” The cat could sense that he was on edge.

            “There is something here.” He replied to her through their link.

            “What is it?”

            “I’m not sure.  It’s to the right of the barn.  Farther in the field.”

            “I’ll check.  You remain here.”  The cat turned and ran in the direction he had mentioned.

            “Gods dammit.  Of all the bad timing.”  He griped quietly.

            “It’s fine Chosen.  I can borrow power from you if needed.  If I get overwhelmed I will call for you.  You can use magic as a ranged attack.” 

            “Agreed.”  He said to her.  “I’m not sure what you’re looking for.  Anything out of place.”  He saw Sasa’s light slow down as she began to search the area.

           “Oh my, that stench.”

            “Describe it.”  Oblivion ordered the cat.

            “Dirt, blood, and hang on...”  Sasa went silent as she walked.  Oblivion waited, silent, for the cat to continue.  “Water?”

            “Drowner.”  Oblivion said to her.  “Can you hear how many?”

            “No.  The scent is fading.  There is no sign of it that I can see.  Your eyesight is better suited to this than I.  I am a hunter, but you are superior to me in tracking.  That is frustrating.”

            “Yes it is.  It has happened before.”

            “Oh?  How often?”

            “This makes four.  Nekker, Noon wraith, drowners.  Gods.  What is happening?  It seems as though my world is bleeding into this one.  The monsters are never close to ponies but close enough to catch my attention.”  He considered for a few moments before continuing.  “Could it be due to the fact that I am here?”

            Sasa was quiet as she trotted back to the farm.  “I do not have an answer for you, Chosen.  It seems as though it is bleeding into it some.  Seems to be minimal but that could change.  I do not believe that you are the cause.”

            “They appear close to me but far enough away that they vanish before I get to them.  Is it possible that when I came here there was overlap?  Similar to the Conjunction of the Spheres?”

            “You’ll have to explain what this is Chosen.  I can get information from your memories but I choose not to since you do not like mind reading.”

            “I’ll explain later.  Just get back here.”

            “Very well.”  The cat agreed and started to trot faster.

            Oblivion sighed and cursed under his breath.  He turned to find Twilight watching him, intently.

            “Are you alright?”

            “I’m fine.  Why?”

            “You woke up suddenly and stared out past the barn.  Sasa took off like a shot and you had this intense look to you.”  Her eyes lit up as she understood.  “Was it another Wraith?”

            “No.  According to what Sasa could scent out it was probably a Drowner.  Without being there myself I can’t be positive.  But the scent she described is familiar.”

            “What is a Drowner?”

            Oblivion considered his options before speaking.  “A drowner is a monster that lives in bogs and rivers.  They are normally a pack creature.  Groups of 4 to 10 are not uncommon. They are a bipedal being that is normally a cowardly creature, but every now and then they will become predators.  If a lone pony should wander off a trail, or stumble upon them then they better hope they can run fast.  They are fast and will pull their victim under the water and drown them.  Shall I continue?”

            “No, no I’m good,”  Twilight said to him as Sasa walked up to them and flopped onto the ground.  “I’m glad you didn’t run after it yourself.  I think that would have torn your stitches and caused bleeding.”

            “It’s true that it might have.  Whatever it was has vanished just like the others.  Once again I am left chasing my tail, with nothing to show for it.”  He commented.

            Twilight set her book on her back as she stood up.  “Well, I am going to head back to the library.  I decided to wait until you woke up.  I didn’t want you to wake up alone.  But now that your awake and have Sasa at your side I can head back and start asking around for who paid for your treatment.  I’ll talk to you as soon as I find out anything.”

            “I appreciate the help, Twilight.  Thank you again for your help so far.”

            The purple mare looked to him and smiled. “Glad to help out.  Get some rest Oblivion.”

            The stallion nodded and the mare teleported in a flash of magenta.  Sasa rolled over and wriggled till she was beside him.  “I’m glad you don’t seem to be any pain Chosen.”

            “Whatever pain there is, is not dire.”  He looked over and saw the bright orange that was Applejack's aura coming toward him.

            Applejack came out of the orchard to find Oblivion looking in her direction.  She walked over to him and stopped.  “Ya’ll are awake.  Ah came by a couple of times and ya were out cold.”

            “How long was I out?”

            “2 hours or so.”  Sasa supplied.

            “Ah’m not sure.  Twilight woulda knew the answer ta that.”

            “Not a problem, Sasa knew the answer as well,”  Oblivion said to her.  The cat purred in reply.

            “Well ya gonna go huntin’ this evenin’?”

            “I had intended to yes.  I will wait till Granny Smith goes to bed then teleport to the forest.”

            Applejack looked away from him for a moment. “Well, ya could just tell ‘er.”

            Oblivion’s ears went back and he looked to the mare.  “Oh?”

            “Yeah.  Yer gonna have to bring it up eventually.  So why not now.  Since yer injured she checks on ya at night ta make sure yer okay.”

            Oblivion stared at her.  “How do I not wake up?”

           “She is not perceived by you as a threat, so your system does not react.  You do react with a slight movement but not enough to awaken you.”  Sasa supplied.  “I wake up and see her but that’s due to being a light sleeper.”

            “Hmm.”  Oblivion chose to let that go and move on.  “True enough.  Would be simpler than trying to sneak off every time.”

            “Exactly.  Ah’ll take Apple Bloom with me ta do a couple of chores.”  Applejack said as she called for her sibling and led her away from the house.

            Oblivion got slowly to his hooves and walked toward the old mare, who sat in her rocking chair on the porch.  “Granny Smith.  If I may have a moment of your time, there is something I wish to speak to you about.”

            The old mare leaned forward in her rocker and smiled.  “Ah course, sonny.  Ah got all the time in the world fer ya.”  She said to him as he neared the porch and stopped on the other side of it, the railing between them.

            “I will be going into the Everfree forest this evening, please let me explain before you react.”  He cut off the mare’s protests before she could start.  “Where I am from ponies eat more than just hay and flowers.  We are omnivores.  Meaning we can eat anything.  From plants to meat.”  He paused and waited for the reaction, which if judging from her grandchildren, would be interesting.  To his surprise, the aged mare waited for him to continue.  “So I use the forest as a hunting ground rather than hunt around town and risk upsetting every pony.”

            The mare considered what he said.  “How are ya gonna hunt injured like ya are?”

            “Sasa will be doing the hunting till I recover.  I will stand back and let her take care of it.  I would rather not make my injuries worse.”

            “Well, that’s good ta hear.  So ya need ta eat meat?”

            “Yes.  I did attempt to go without it while I was here and it resulted in me getting sick.”

            Granny Smith nodded.  “Well tha way ah see it if ya need a special diet then ya have to have it.  Just be careful.”  Sasa went up onto the porch and sat by the green mare, who reached down to hug her.  “Let this here kitty do the work fer ya.  Ah want ya ta be healthy and if ya need ta eat meat to be healthy then ah won’t argue with ya.  Mah grandchildren need ta be happy and healthy.”

            Oblivion stared at her for a moment before closing his eyes.  He opened them as he questioned the mare.  “So you are not going to argue with me about killing animals?”

            Granny Smith grimaced at his words.  “Well it is a lotta take in but ah want ya ta recover from yer wounds and be healthy.  Ya been tired and worn down the past couple of days.  If this will help perk ya up then ah say git hunting.”

            “I thank you for your understanding.  Applejack and Big Mac are already aware of this so it was decided that this was the best time to mention it.  The only one who does not know is Apple Bloom.  I planned on keeping it from her till she is a bit older.  Unless you object.”

            “Nah.  The filly needs ta grow up some.”

            “I agree.”  Oblivion backed up and started to turn away when he heard Sasa growl.  He glanced back to see Sasa jumping away from the chair.

            “Ah’m sorry pretty girl.  Ah didn’t see yer paw there.”  The mare bent over and the cat allowed the mare to pull her to her and console her.  “Ah know.  Ya stay right there.  Ah’ll be right back.”

            The mare slid out of her chair and walked into the house.  Sasa walked over to him and waited with him.  “You seem shocked?”

            “I was expecting a reaction similar to her grandchildren.  Disbelief and some arguing, but then acceptance after a bit of time.  I was not ready for acceptance without an argument.”

         “As far as she is concerned if you need to eat something different then that’s what you need to do.  So long as her family is healthy and happy then so is she.”

            “But I am not one of them.  Not in the literal sense.”

            Sasa laughed and swatted his leg with her paw.  “You think blood is what ties you?  You know better than that Chosen.  Like the others, you are considered one of them.  Despite you being from another world entirely.  It does not matter to them.”  Sasa stopped as Granny came out of the house on three legs.

            Oblivion looked to the old mare and looked at the little box in her hooves.  She sat back and put it in front of her face.  “All right.  Ya turn ta look at me and hold still.  Git that kitten a yers ta hold still and pretty fer me.”

            “Oh!  It’s a camera.  Hold on Chosen.”  Sasa jumped to him and pressed her forehead to his hip and pushed him till his side was facing Granny Smith.  She pulled his cloak to make sure the bandages on his ribs were hidden.  Sasa jumped to land in front of him and sat down by his hooves.  “It’s a small machine that holds an image and places it on the paper.  It's permanent and its how many ponies keep their memories of times past.  Now look at her and don’t scowl.” The cat admonished the confused black stallion.

            He looked to Granny Smith who smiled behind the camera.  “That’s perfect.” She hollered and held the camera in her hooves.

            A bright flash went off with a popping sound and Oblivion stayed stock still.  White dots covered his vision and he shook his head.  “By the Gods.”  He muttered.

            “Ah got it!”  She waved a hoof through the air with a piece of paper in it.  She held it in her hoof and held up the camera once more.  Oblivion groaned but held still for the picture.  A second flash and he cringed once the camera was lowered. Sasa growled as she walked up to the old mare and looked over her shoulder.  Oblivion waited for the spots to fade before he followed suit.  Granny Smith reached up to his mane and pulled him around to stand behind her.  In her hoof were the two photos.  Oblivion hid his surprise at the perfect images in her hoof.

            “What do you do with them now?”

            “Now?  Ya follow me.  Ah’ll show ya.”  The green mare ambled off and they followed her into the house.   She went into the front room and pulled two thick books off one of the bookshelves.  She hopped on to the couch and looked to the black pony and tiger.  “This here is the photo album.  Come over here and see.”

            Oblivion walked over and looked over the top of the book.  He could see several photos of the family and watched as she stuck the one of him and Sasa into the book and wrote the date and time on it.  She closed that down and opened the other, laying it over her lap.  “This one is the family album.  The other is for fun and chronicles all the important events.  Ah forgot ta get yer picture afore.”  She opened the book and laid the photo inside it and made sure it stuck.  She wrote on it as well and labeled it.  She looked to the stallion and leaned forward.  She planted a gentle kiss on his forehead, just below his horn.  Oblivion started and looked at her.  “Now ah got all mah grandchildren in the book.”

            Oblivion looked to her, having recovered from the kiss from the old mare.  “Should I really be in that book?  I have not grown up here nor am I related.”

            Granny Smith laughed as she regarded the black unicorn.  “Ya may not have been born and raised here, but that doesn’t matter.  Now, be careful and safe on yer hunting trip.”  She said as she got off the couch and started outside.

            When she was out of sight Oblivion looked down to Sasa.  “What just happened?”

            Sasa looked back at him.  “You just came muzzle to muzzle with pure love.  A parent feels such a thing for their offspring and in this case, Granny Smith is happy to call you one of her own.  Even if you are her senior.”

            “That's another thing.  They know little of me.  I am hiding that I am not from their world, am an Alicorn, am older than any of them, I wield a World Spirit with unlimited magic, and am immortal.”

          “You can tell them all of those things Chosen.  I am certain that they will not cast you out for it.  Love is many things.  It just means that they are attached to you and cannot imagine it without you.  You are limiting yourself by those secrets you hold.”

            “Perhaps.  But I do not think I am ready for them to know, as of yet.”  He admitted to the spectral cat.

          “I understand.  Eventually you will be ready to let them in.”

            The stallion said nothing in reply.  Instead, they started back outside when the Apple family started to come inside.  Oblivion sat down at the table with the others and watched as Apple Bloom did her homework, Applejack and Granny cooked, while Mac set the table.  Sasa crawled under the table and stayed quiet.  As dinner began Oblivion declined.  The elder ponies giving him a knowing look.  As they ate he sat in silence.

            “Why do you not just use your magic to hunt?”  Sasa asked of him.

            “Where is the sport in that?  There is no sport in it.”

            “That's true but in your state it would be safest.”

            “I have you for the hunting this evening.  Besides, would you like me to grab our dinner or work for it?”

            Sasa was quiet.  She lowered her head as she replied. “Good point.”

            Oblivion looked down to her for a moment.  As they finished their meal Oblivion stood up and teleported upstairs.  Sasa bounded after him as he walked into his room.  He would wait till every pony went to bed before he left for the forest.  He laid down on his bed and picked up one of the books he had borrowed from Twilight.  Sasa lounged on the floor as Oblivion read about the next stage of Equestria's history.  Despite finding the folk tale of windigo’s foolish he supposed that since he was not there he would let it go.  Even if it did make no sense.  Applejack leaned into his room and got his attention.

            “Have a good night.  Be careful.”  She said to him, a smile played on her muzzle.

            “I will thank you AJ.”

            “So how did Granny take the news?”

            “Surprisingly well, actually.  You and Mac looked frightened for a time, but there was none of that with her.  Even decided to take a picture of us for an album.”

            “Oh, she finally did?  That’s good.  Ah was beginning ta think ah would need ta do it for her.”

            “Not needed in this case.”

            Applejack chuckled and moved back to the door.  “Well, have a nice walk.”

            “I will, thank you.”

            She left the room and Oblivion looked back to his book.  His ears flicked and he listened for the rest of the family to go to bed and sleep.  It took some time but he was rewarded for his patience.  “Come Sasa.”  The cat grumbled as he stepped off the bed and teleported himself, then summoned her.

          “All right so how are we going to accomplish this?” The cat asked of him.

            “You know how to hunt.  I’ll show you a few areas that are usually inhabited.” Oblivion moved ahead of her and led her into the forest.

          “I have to admit.  The ponies aren’t kidding when they say this place is creepy.” The cat commented as she followed the black Alicorn.

            “It doesn’t seem that way to me.  Then again I have spent all my life in forests worse than this one.”  He replied to her.

            “That’s true.”  She pulled up next to him as he stopped and pointed ahead of her.

            A small herd of deer grazed in front of them.  Sasa slunk forward, minding the wind and ensuring that her paws were quiet as she stalked ahead of her.  She looked back only once and Oblivion nodded to her that he would wait.

            They returned back to the farmhouse a couple of hours later and Oblivion climbed into his bed with the cat by the window.  He sighed and laid quietly, his wings lazed by his sides and he pushed his head into the pillow and let himself drift off.