It started with pain, immense pain. Pain Starry could barely believe existed. It engulfed him, made his body feel like fire. Like that was all there was in the world. The pain was the only thing that existed, the world, who he was, everything that came to be was playing second fiddle to the impossible, inescapable pain. Then, black.
But the black didn’t last for long, soon the world came back, he didn’t know what anything was. Shapes became a foreign concept, what was left was an abstract mismatch of colours, he tried crying, tried screaming but nothing came out, he couldn’t even feel it over the persisting pain slowly becoming almost natural, or it was dulling, Starry couldn’t tell. Then another bout of black. He couldn’t think though, this wasn’t the type of contemplative black either. The type of peaceful black where you could mull over your deepest thoughts in bed alone. This was a different black, one where there is no thoughts, no contemplation, just images, just flashes. Then it would return. Fading deep like the feeling of falling. But it suddenly stopped, and what Starry could only imagine was his stomach heaved, leaving a nauseating amount of motion sickness. There was a stretcher, there was lights, more flashes, shouting even, but it didn’t last long. If it was his body giving up and passing out or a full system shut down, Starry couldn’t say, for back came the haunting, thoughtless black.
Then there were no lights, no flashes, no falling, no lurching, no pain, no nothing.
Deeper, emptier darkness that he had experienced within this whole ordeal.
It lasted for a while. He couldn’t think, all he do was feel fear, his body long since vanished. But, soon feelings returned, emotions started to be tied to them. The fear still dominated. Fear of nothing and everything, he didn’t know what, for there was still black, but now there were feelings of dread, confusion. He wanted nothing to do with the black. He tried to open his eyes, or he thought he was, he couldn’t tell at all. But there was no physical connection, like he was paralysed, unable to avoid the void of emptiness.
Another lurch. Another falling feeling and light slowly began to creep back into his existence, like a long lost friend, he felt that strong piercing pain all throughout his body. There was no particular place he could peg it, but he now knew he was strapped down into something, his hooves pegged but his eyes refusing to open. He couldn’t hear, there were still no shapes. It lasted too shortly, and once again his senses faded, the noises ebbed, the pain subsided, he was once again thrown amongst the darkness.
But this time it didn’t quite stay black, images appeared and spread, a near foreign feeling from the deep dread. Silver appeared, a distant image in the background. He tried desperately to call out to him, but no words came out. Just a sick feeling from his stomach where his words should have come from like something was holding back his voice. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye Silver dashed up to him in an unnatural, almost horror-stricken pace. His face inches from Starry’s own. Yet it wasn’t Starry’s face, it was one of the guards. But the guard's face was contorted, different, not quite the same and off-putting, like a room with something slightly off. They were in the alleyway and Starry was on the ground yet again, dread he never thought possible filled his throat as the figure shoved his face into Starry’s own.
“WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME STARRY!” The figure shrieked a blood-curdling cry. “WHY DID YOU ABANDON ME!”
Starry could only scream and cry as the figured lumbered over him, a corner appeared behind him from nowhere and Starry had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Cowering closer to the corner of the wall he could only try to look away but the figured arched it’s back in unnatural ways and pushed his head closer to Starry’s their foreheads almost touching.
“WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME! WHY STARRY! WHY DID YOU ABANDON ME!” It yelled louder, the disgusting form screamed. It was barely pony anymore, melting and dropping and hollow, the eyes having no pupils and the teeth no longer holding shape as it gaped it’s mouth wider.
Starry lifted his hooves to his ears, desperately trying to block out the noise. Every part of his body shook uncontrollably as the figure only drew in closer. But no matter how tightly he held, the screams and yells coming from the beast only served to get louder. His hooves and chin felt hot, unbearably hot. His head was forced up and his hooves into the side of the wall. He could do nothing except let the tears stream from his face as Silver’s body only began to twist, contort and build in size.
Starry could take it no longer, he screamed a blood-curdling scream, right in the direction of the now flaming, decomposing, contorted corpse of Silver Heart and the guard.
“BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!”
Tears streamed from Starry’s eyes, his chest felt tight, his throat felt raw and every atom of his body shook as the figure drew backwards, losing his ground. Huffing and panting Starry began to cry again.
“You saved me,” he sobbed heavily, “you saved me from where I was and I love you for it. I shouldn’t, I know I shouldn’t I’ve known you for a week but you have made my life...”
The figure was silent, almost contemplative, staring deep into Starry’s eyes. The body backed away, losing its arching shape along the way. The face faded and reappeared, but not as an angry guard, but Silver Scroll’s own. The figure came forward and held onto him. The alley melted away, the colours softened, the light became blinding, his breathing felt ragged and inconsistent. The falling feeling returned and his body began to lurch into pain. Yet he could feel something. Somepony stroking his forehead. He tried to move, yet his body wouldn’t allow it. He tried to talk yet his throat was already filled with noise, more weeping. His cheeks felt wet and a large shape sat beside him.
“Shhh, shhh. It’s okay Starry, shhh…” Yet the faint words slowly faded away, his own crying, the pain, the noises slowly faded away, back into the black.
Falling once again, yet this time things came into view, it was vivid. Reality and fantasy were no longer two different realms, he could see everything so clearly, the wind whistled past him, the sky was red, the land was orange. He landed, not with a thump but a slow, soft approach. The field was beautiful, dandelions swaying gently in the breeze a stallion and a mare sat beside Starry, smiling as they looked upwards. He couldn’t recognise their faces or their features, but something about both of them seemed familiar. Like parts of them belonged on somepony else. Following their line of sight, Starry set his head back and looked up, he looked at the beautiful red sky slowly fade into darkness, but not quite darkness, for the sky soon gained a lonely bright star, glimmering through the darkening maroon red.
“Starry.” The mare softly cooed through the wisps of wind trailing through their manes. “That’s you, that beautiful bright star up there. Just like your name.”
Starry looked on attentively, not daring to break the moment of peace or painlessness with a breath or a shudder. Warmth flooded over him, something about these two seemed to comfort him, he couldn’t put a hoof on it like calm had washed over him and the fear had been replaced by comfort and safety. Another star started to fade into view, slowly but surely appearing close to the first star. Starry’s star. The sky darkened but no other stars came into view, it was just the two in the sky shining brightly beside each other.
“That’s him, Starry. You know who it is because half of him is here.” The stallion touched his chest and beamed at Starry radiating comfort and warmth.
The mare spoke up again, putting a soft hoof on his shoulder. “Some things in this world are too loud, too bright, too fast and too mislead to let you and him shine together,” she looked over to the slowly fading sun in the background, its rays still bright but losing it quickly. Turning back she got closer to Starry, filling him with emotion. “Sometimes it takes something or somepony that is dark, or hidden, or quiet to let you shine. Even when you can’t be seen, even when the world is too loud to understand your beauty, don’t let it stop you shining together when nopony else is around.” She smiled.
“And even though it may look like he is saving you right now, just know that you are saving him just as much.” The stallion replied, Starry finally realising who these ponies in his mind where.
They both hugged him at the same time, it all felt so real Starry couldn’t help the tears beginning to stream down his face. “Even though I may not be here,” The mare whispered.
“And even though I may be far away,” The Stallion added just as softly.
“We will love you with all our heart just like we do him,” this time their voices spoke together, a perfect harmony, their bodies beginning to fade slowly, another set of stars beginning to slowly set into the now velvety sky. “Thank you for saving him, thank you Starry Scroll. Thank you… Don’t remain voiceless, shine brightly.”
Both the voices faded, the feeling of their soft, warm hooves began to slowly dissipate. The stars either side of the original two got brighter until they shone just as brightly. The wind slowly began to pick up, blowing flower petals through the brilliant silky silver fields and rolling hills, the expansive night sky began slowly filling with brilliant stars of every brightness and size. The wind carried the voices of the couple through the fields, the soft wisps of wind giving the look of dancers deeply enthralled in the depths of a deep, slow waltz. Bouts of wind supporting and leading the other, the careful dance filling the fields and running itself through Starry’s mane.
Tears slowly dripped down Starry’s muzzle as he sat there looking at the beautiful brilliant night sky. Yet, like magic, he felt a warmth next to him. The first two stars in the shine shone brighter than ever, brighter than all the others that illuminated and surrounded the moon. It was Silver Heart.
He sat there, right beside Starry Scroll, rubbing his shoulder slowly and gently with his hoof, comforting him as the tears started to hit his lap and stain his coat.
He sat there, right beside Starry Scroll, rubbing his shoulder slowly and gently with his hoof, comforting him, Starry smiled, through the all the aches of emotion as he felt Silver slowly move his hoof to his face and gently wipe the flow of tears streaming gently. It felt more real than any dream he had ever experienced. The depth of Silver’s expression, the unspoken bond held between the two shone brighter than ever. Nothing needed to be said, nothing needed to be faced, in Starry’s mind the two were together and right then, that was all that mattered.
It felt like an eternity the two sat there, not in each other’s arms but just comfortable, touching shoulder to shoulder, the warmth emanating from the connection they held. The wind blew, the dandelions danced just as they had before. But the warmth never left the air, the night never grew colder and Starry Scroll couldn’t feel happier.
“This isn’t real…” Starry finally whispered, barely audible. He knew it. It didn’t matter how real it felt, how real this all is, he could see past its guise.
“Starry?” Silver whispered back, “Starry if you can hear me… Squeeze my hoof… Please be safe, I’m right here with you.”
…
With all the effort he could muster, Starry opened his mouth and let the soft words flow. “I love you. You mean so much to me… We’ve not known each other for long, but you’ve changed my life.”
…
The soft whispers paused, Starry felt something well up in his chest, in his heart, it ached.
“Hang in there Starry.” The whispers ended and Starry felt peace. The field slowly left his gaze, the night sky slowly faded, the stars lost their glow but Starry was ready.
“Hang in there Starry…” the wind repeated until finally, he couldn’t feel it rushing through his soft fur. Tilting his head back Starry slowly closed his eyes. He felt tired, sleepy. The world faded and became blurry, slowly turning black, yet this time Starry wasn’t scared. Not as scared as before anyway. The dreams were only going to get worse, more horrific, more painful, more… real. But he had help, he had somepony there, with him, he couldn’t see him, but he knew he was there.
Silver had sat there for hours now. Using his tired eyes to look up at the clock.
It read 6 am...
He arrived at the hospital midnight, all night he had spent wide-eyed within the hospital, not a second of it spent thinking of anything else other than his friend. Initially, doctors had been working on him, so in the waiting room, he sat. He started by reading, reading whatever he could find, posters, magazines, but the words just rolled through him, not pausing to be processed. So after half an hour of staring at the same magazine in a vain attempt at trying to get lost in it, he put the magazine down, close his eyes, and began to think. He began to think of Starry and the time he has spent with him, something about the stallion filled him with happiness. He wasn’t a colt, he knew the feeling, but he didn’t want to believe them until now, there was something about Starry that he really knew he could address.
“Mr. Heart?”
His eyes jolted open and he sat up straight, looking over to where the voice had come from. An earth pony doctor with a brown coat and heavy set glasses on his snout stood in the hallway, looking around for the name he had called out.
“Mr. Heart would you come with me?”
Looking around in case he was mistaken and there was another Mr. Heart that he was referring to, Silver got out of his seat and quickly made his way up to the doctor who beckoned him to follow quickly. Silver quickly caught pace with him and made a moderate trot down the bustling hospital hallway.
“Can I see him?” He asked, not even really meaning to ask the question. It just allowed itself to fly out of his mouth with not a second of hesitation. The doctor quickly looked back without stopping or faltering as they moved along the wide, clinical hallways of the hospital.
“I’ll just take you to my office and we can sort out everything.”
Onwards they pushed, twisting and turning, up a large set of stairs, down a smaller set, all the way to the back of the hospital, the emergency ward. The walk felt slow, heavy, quiet. All too quiet, no noise, not like a peaceful quiet but an anxious quiet. Like all that you want is to be free of it. Like you need to make a noise just to make sure that your ears still work because background noise was no longer being processed. Silver wondered if Starry was feeling the same cold, lengthy quiet he couldn’t escape despite being surrounded by subtle but still present sound.
Silver never like the smell of hospitals either, it smelt too clean, like it was trying desperately to hide other smells. To cover up what it meant to be in the hospital. It was clinical, lingering, invading.
Finally, the doctor stopped at a brown door that looked all the same to the countless brown doors they had passed along their route save for the doctor’s name in neat, printed lettering on the slider. In he went, away from the horrible winding hallways to the scant stock standard hospital office with the odd but rare touch of personalisation. A painting, a picture of a family, a poster of the pony anatomy. Even the personalisation looked boring and standard, the clinical smells and sounds being inescapable at this point.
“Alright, Mr. Heart. Please, take a seat,” the doctor said with a sigh as he hit his own office chair. His table was against the wall, not between him and the various guests in his office. Silver sat down without a sigh, feeling a very obvious bout of discomfort on his face and the rigid way in which he sat. The doctor quickly turned his attention from his guest to his ledger, quickly scribbling in a few notes and looking up every now and again whilst he quickly scribbled down whatever it was that needed to be scribbled. “Pardon the wait, I’m sure you can understand that we have been working very hard to get your friend in a stable condition, which, you’d be happy to know has been achieved. But his condition is very serious and there is still a lot of unknown over the… circumstances of his attack, and even we are still working on what implications this is going to have on him in the long run.”
Silver sat there, nodding along and looking blankly at the wall. “He isn’t in a good way is he,” Silver replied, his voice so quiet the statement barely reached the doctor’s ears.
“I’m gonna be frank here Mr. Heart, whilst he will survive, there is going to be a long recovery and it is quite likely he will never be the same way again, the injuries are very serious.”
“What do you mean?” Silver turned his head to face the doctor yet at this question the doctor’s
face fell.
“I’m very sorry, Mr. Heart. This isn’t anything against you or whatever relationship you share with Mr. Scroll but with the… nature of how he sustained these injuries… there are still ponies out to harm him. Our patient is under heavy guard as it is and legally nopony can visit him.” The doctor pushed his glasses back up his snout and against the bridge of his nose, turning back to his paper and scribbling out something on a note. “Of course when the police receive statements and you are deemed safe to visit him then you can see him, that process takes anywhere from a few days to a week, but without it, we cannot allow any visitations. But I’ll refer you to a mare I know who can try to get you the proper docu-”
The doctor was interrupted by loud knocks at the door, a confused look between Silver and the door, another more hurried knock and the doctor was quickly on his hooves making way for the door. “Sorry about this, I’ll be one moment.”
Opening the door there, stood two burly looking police officers. “Doctor Heart Wave?”
“That’s me,” the doctor replied tentatively, stepping out of his office and shutting the door.
Seconds ticked by, and without the talking and the shuffling, all Silver could hear was the now loud, obnoxious ticking of a square clock on the wall. The same repetitive motion causing time to slow drastically. Two seconds felt like a minute, two minutes felt like an hour. But, eventually, Doctor Wave was opening the door again. The officers gone, a slip of paper in his hoof and a very confused expression plastered over his face.
Sitting back down the doctor placed the paper on his desk, gave it a once-over and looked over at Silver Heart.
“Well…. Uhhh… an interesting development has just occurred… It. It seems as if. Mr. Heart, you can visit him. Mr. Scroll. Uhh, this is very rare and new to me but I’m not one to argue with how the police handle their policies. If they say you can have full disclosure and visitation, then I am here to help.”
Silver’s eyes lit up, his posture changed from awkward and rigid to elated. “Wait… really? I, I can see him?”
The doctor continued to look at the paper, seemingly almost entranced by it, miffed by it by no slight amount. “Well… yes, would you like to see him now or?”
“Now. I… uh, would like to see him now. Please,” Silver looked on at the doctor expectantly.
Within minutes the two are walking down the hospital hallways, the doctor almost needing to keep up with Silver despite leading the way. “The police gave me what is basically an enacting family membership exemption, which puts you within the rights and personal access as a family member of Mr. Scroll. But days before the time necessary to do full checks and safety precautions. But things must have changed, so you receive full disclosure on his state and current treatment. I’ll go through all of this privately when we reach his ward.
After another minute or so of walking, the two stallions found themselves in a small room just outside the ward.
“Alright, now we are alone I will give you a quick briefing on the state of your friend. As of right now, we have Mr. Scroll in a medically induced coma.”
Silver’s stomach did knots at the word coma, he knew what it meant and the doctor could sense it too.
“Don’t worry, this is just to allow his body to spend fewer resources on functions like his senses, processing things, and other currently not practical functions and more resources on healing and getting better. We’re still deciding on when to bring him out, putting him in the recovery and rehabilitation stage.”
This didn’t make Silver feel any easier. “Rehabilitation?”
The doctor was a bit quieter about this part, looking more solemn. “Well, his injuries are very severe, some of them are not going to heal in a matter of weeks. His upper right leg has been broken in the hock, the fetlock and two other places along the knee. His back, his upper right leg, and his breastplate are going to take some rehabilitation in order to repair properly. It’s not guaranteed if he will be able to fully recover from these injuries, it seems as if several nerves have been pinched in the attack, causing a possible paralysis. We won’t really know until he is awake and in control of his body,” The doctor finished, once again straightening his glasses. A whole new wave of fear plundered Silver’s body.
“It may sound grim right now, but really, he is alive and he will pull through this. I have seen far worse and I can assure you Mr. Scroll is in very safe hooves,” the doctor smiled, trying to give whatever reassurance he could.
“Has any of his family tried to see him yet?” Silver asked, shuffling in his seat.
“Well… No, from what I can gather you are the first pony to see him, but I can assure you that they will be notified first thing in the morning.”
Silver hadn’t heard a whole lot about Starry’s parents, he seemed tentative to talk about them during their time together.
“Alright, well thanks, doctor. Can I… can I see him yet?”
“Well, it’s no secret that you really care about this stallion.” The doctor smiled grimly. “He’s lucky to have a friend like you, come on. Let’s go.”