Baked Bean idly tapped a hoof on the exam table while Doctor Horsenpfeffer’s magic ran over his left foreleg. Visiting any Doctor’s office was never high on his list of things to do, and this visit was taking longer than he liked. But then, he had to admit that, all doctor visits took longer than he liked. Bean would have much rather limited his doctor-patient relationship to an occasional friendly wave across a palace corridor, and perhaps a nice gift during Hearth’s Warming. At least he did not have to wear one of those silly paper gowns, and there was a cherry lollipop in a jar nearby which had his name on it.
“So, explain to me how you managed to do this,” Horsenpfeffer asked without breaking her concentration.
“Oh, I landed wrong while attempting to dodge one of Celestia’s practice combat spells, and then she panicked when I let out a small—very small, mind you—yelp. That immediately ended the training session, and Celestia bundled me up in her magic and teleported me here to the infirmary.” He paused for a moment, but then added sourly “It’s not that bad.”
“I see.”
“So, Doc, will I ever be able to play the piano again?” Bean asked.
Horsenpfeffer glanced up at him. “Well, it depends. Could you play the piano before today?”
Bean pouted. “No.”
Horsenpfeffer chuckled. “You know, you should really come up with something a little more original than that. They teach you about that joke on the first day in med school. Now, would you like the good news or the bad news first?”
Bean shrugged. “The bad news, I suppose.”
“You definitely sprained your fetlock,” the doctor replied with a smile. “But the good news is that it’s a very minor sprain. You should be able to play the piano again, once you learn how. I want you to stay off of that hoof as much as possible over the next two days, keep ice on it to help with any swelling, and have the Princess give you lots of snuggles to help accelerate the healing process. Few ponies realize how much power there is in one of those things.”
“Should I not go to the Equestria Games, then?”
“I think you’ll be fine to attend,” Horsenpfeffer replied while she washed her hooves in the sink. “If you’re going to be with the Princess, she can levitate you around, and I believe you’ll mostly be sitting anyway. I’m going to get you a brace to help it heal, but so long as you don’t put a lot of weight on that leg, and don’t walk around a lot, you should be fine.”
“What about my training sessions with Celly?”
“First off, you tell your wife to play nice,” Horsenpfeffer admonished. “She’s sparring with you like you’re a sergeant of the Guard, and you’re not. She needs to pull her punches, or you’re going to be visiting my office in a basket. Second, no more training for a week, maybe two. I want that fetlock good and healed before you get back into the heavy training again.”
“Do you want to be the one to tell her she’s hitting too hard, or shall I?” Bean laughed.
“I’ll tell her; I don’t care. My job is to keep the Royalty as healthy as possible, and I can’t do that if she’s tossing you around like a cat playing with a mouse. I’ve gotten after her before, and I’ll do it again.”
Bean nodded. “Well, I think she feels pretty horrible about what happened, so I bet she’ll dial it back some.”
“Good. Now, if that starts to get really painful you come find me. I’ll be at the Games too, so I can look it over again, if need be. And I’ll get overtime for it, so it’s really not a problem.”
“Okay. Anything else?”
“You need to get a physical exam scheduled as soon as possible. Your records indicate you haven’t had one since high school.”
“I’m perfectly fine,” Bean said as his tail reflexively clamped down over his rear. “Other than one winged fetlock, I’m the picture of health. I admit my tap dancing is on hold for a few days, but I can still rumba and cha-cha.”
“Stallions,” muttered Horsenpfeffer with a grin. “I’m going to have a mare-to-mare chat with your wife. Both of you are as stubborn as they come about these things. I want you back here in the next three weeks, and then at least once a year thereafter. I want your reign to be long and prosperous, and you can’t do that if you’re suffering from high blood pressure.”
“Fine, fine,” Bean replied. “I’ll get something set up.”
“Wonderful! Now, anything else you want to discuss with me before the Princess blasts that door clean off of its hinges and spirits you away to Snuggly Healingland?”
Bean’s ears folded back for a moment, but then popped back up when he shook his head with a little extra vigor than was needed. “No, I’m good. It was just my leg, that’s all.”
“Are you sure, Your Highness? I am a fully trained and competent medical professional across all disciplines. If there’s something else you need me to look at, I’m more than happy to.”
The head shaking increased exponentially. “Nope, nope. Just that, honest. I can’t think of anything else.”
“If you say so, then,” Horsenpfeffer replied, but with a wary look. “If you change your mind about how ‘fine’ you are, I’m ready to listen and to help whenever you are.”
“I’ll remember that.” Bean hopped off the exam table, limped his way over to the door, and opened it a crack. “Thank you, Doctor, for taking the time to lo—eep!”
“Are you alright?! Tell me you’re alright.” Celestia’s magic hauled Bean into her waiting embrace at near breakneck speeds, and her wings wrapped around him tightly once he was within it. “I promise I’ll adjust our training regimen so this never happens again. How long will your recovery take? Please tell me you can come to the Equestria Games. I will be mortified if you cannot attend, and if you cannot go then I will remain here with you.”
“Celly, breathe,” Bean admonished. For a moment, he considered telling her that his leg was broken, but given her current mood, the joke would probably not be received well. “It’s a minor sprain, so I can still go to the games. I just need to take it easy for the next few days.”
“Then I hereby absolve you of any and all royal duties until further notice,” Celestia proclaimed instantly. “I will make sure you have everything you need, and you are not to lift a hoof unless absolutely necessary.”
“I’m wounded, not dead,” Bean muttered while Celestia nipped his mane. “I can still walk, you know.”
“Not if it’s going to aggravate your injury. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Don’t go overboard with your care, Your Highness,” Horsenpfeffer cut in. “He still needs to stretch it out, or else it’ll become stiff and painful. I’ll write up some exercises you can do to help it heal faster.”
“I’ll make sure he performs them as needed, Doctor.” Celestia levitated Bean up and across her back, and despite his grumbling, Bean had to admit to himself that he did like the extra attention.
“I don’t doubt that for a moment. Now, put my patient down, let’s get a brace on that leg, and then you two can head out to the Games. I’m sure Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadance are waiting on you.”
* * ✹ * *
Bean smiled to himself while the carriage touched down just in front of the Crystal Heart. He’d been feeling a rising sense of excitement building within him since they had crossed the border to the Crystal Empire, and Princess Cadence seemed to be the source of it, if her slight prance was any indication.
“Auntie Celestia! Uncle Bean!” Cadence nearly pounced on them both in her excitement to embrace them, but she pulled back quickly when Bean took in a sharp breath. “Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were hurt!”
“Just a minor sprain, that’s all,” Bean replied with a smile, and he took a moment to show off his brace. “This is more of a precaution than anything.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear it’s nothing serious. Auntie Luna! Oh, I was worried you wouldn’t come!”
“What, and miss out on the first Equestria Games to ever be held in the Crystal Empire?” Luna hugged her niece while she continued. “Perish the thought! Besides, I have instructions to protect my brother-in-law from my sister. Doctor’s orders.”
Cadence rounded on Celestia with a stern look. “You broke your husband?”
Celestia’s ears folded back, and she chuckled nervously. “I may have had a small role in his injury during our training session this morning.”
“Oh!” Cadence brightened up. “At least you’re taking good care of him.”
“Do you need any assistance with your preparations? My Bean may be out of commission, but Luna and I would love to assist if we can,” Celestia offered, and Luna nodded in agreement.
“Oh, thank you, but we’ve gotten everything taken care of. Twilight should be arriving any minute now to help me take care of the arriving teams, Shining is doing one last check of the field and stadium, and Miss Harshwhinny has everything she needs. Unless some emergency arises, we should be good to go.”
Celestia smiled deeply. “I see. You’ve done well, dear niece, just as I knew you would.”
Cadence mirrored Celestia’s smile, and she stood just a bit taller. “Thank you, Aunt Celly. Now, why don’t we have the valets get your bags up to the guest suite, and then Uncle Bean can relax for a few hours before the opening ceremonies.”
“I like your addition to the courtyard.” Bean nodded to the new crystal sculpture while Celestia picked him up in her magic.
“It was installed just last week,” Cadence replied. “Do you think Spike will appreciate it?”
Bean took a moment to study the larger-than-life statue, and he chuckled. “How could he not love a towering version of himself, The Great and Honorable Spike the Brave and Glorious, holding the Crystal Heart aloft in a heroic pose?”
“I’m sure Spike will be quite enamored with it,” Celestia added in agreement. “In fact, it may be some time before we stop hearing about how much he likes it.”
~*~
“How is that, my dear Bean?” Celestia asked while her magic gently fluffed the pillow under Bean’s injured leg. “Is it soft enough? I’m sure I can find something else, or something softer, if you need.”
“I’m fine, my love,” Bean replied with a quick kiss. “The pillow is nice, and everything you’ve done is more than enough.”
“I still feel guilty. You would be fine if I was not so eager.”
“Well, I was the one who landed wrong. Really, this is nothing. I’ve had worse accidents in the kitchen.”
“Really?”
“On yeah. Cuts, scrapes, abrasions, burns, you name it. And the best part is that, injured or not, Mom and Dad still expected me to work the next day. The rule was that unless you had a bodily fluid coming out of you that wasn’t supposed to, you work.”
Celestia pulled a disgusted face. “I suppose that makes for a sanitary cooking environment, but the phrase could use some adjusting.”
“It got the point across. Keep it simple, right?”
Celestia tilted her head slightly and regarded her husband with half-lidded eyes. “I do believe that acronym has one more letter in it. It should be kay eye ess—”
And the kiss she then planted on Baked Bean’s lips threatened to ignite the air in the room. If this was what happened in Snuggly Healingland, he wanted to buy several acres, build a house, and then have Celestia move in with him forever.
After a few minutes, Celestia pulled back and allowed her love to catch his breath. “So, since you are so accustomed to working while injured, does this mean I won’t be needing my nurses outfit?” she said with a pout. “It took forever to find just the right stockings in my size.”
Bean blinked for a moment, fully aware of the blush in his cheeks. “Well, I… I think I could use a little attention. I mean, just a bit.”
“Only a little bit? Are you sure?”
Bean swallowed hard. “You really have one, don’t you?”
Celestia gave him a coy look with a flick of her long lashes.
Bean wanted to say something. He really did. But he found it was rather hard to speak when his face felt like it might set his mane on fire.
“But I am afraid such frivolous activities and abuses of my power will need to be postponed.” She nipped his neck, then booped him quickly. “After all, we don’t want to be late to the opening ceremonies. Perhaps we should complete some paperwork in the meantime, hmm? That might help you to cool down.”
“You might need to bring up a bucket of ice water too.”
“Be careful what you wish for,” she chided with a laugh. She then opened the door, presumably to call for Wysteria, but instead her wings flared and she retreated back a step when she found Trixie on the other side, a hoof raised and ready to knock.
“Oh! Trixie apologizes, Your Highness,” Trixie offered quickly while she retreated back a step as well. “Miss Inkwell sent me to help take care of anything you need. She’s having an argument with Corporal Quillpoint at the moment.”
“She is?”
“Miss Inkwell is rather displeased that the Corporal went out with his friends last night and forgot about a dinner date he had promised her. Trixie thinks that Miss Inkwell is making a big fuss out of nothing, but since Trixie is just the hired help, I will keep my opinion to myself.”
“I bet you will,” Bean remarked dryly.
“I will need the recent transit proposals and funding requests from Manehattan and Baltimare, Miss Lulamoon, and the minutes from the Ministry of Transportation’s last meeting. I also need a fresh ice pack and clean towels for Prince Bean’s injury, an inkwell and a quill, several sheets of paper, and our lunch, when it is ready.”
“I’ll be right back.” Trixie nodded, dipped her head, and took off down the hallway with a brisk trot.
Bean had to clamp his mouth shut to keep his giggles from escaping; his beloved was just too adorable when she went into super-protective mode like that. He quickly forced himself to be serious when Celestia turned to face him again, but the sly grin on her face made it hard to not laugh.
“And what is so funny?” she challenged.
“Nothing, nothing at all. I was just thinking about how cute you are, and how you care about me.”
Celestia puckered her lips slightly, and it was clear she didn’t fully believe him. “Hmm. I suppose I should thank you for the compliment. Now, let’s take that brace off and stretch out that fetlock. I don’t want you to be in pain during the Games.”
* * ✹ * *
When the Equestria Games had been held in Salt Lick, Baked Bean was still a small colt. From what he could remember, his parents had seen the influx in visitors as a fantastic way to promote their still-fledgling restaurant, and he had been so busy helping out with the crowd that he hadn’t had a chance to see any of the competition. At the time, he hadn’t minded this; there wasn’t much appeal in sitting in a large stadium, surrounded by ponies that produced screams and whistles at ear-drum splitting pitches while a pony ran around a large oval.
Now that he was older, Baked Bean found he really had missed out on something special back then.
Yes, the stadium was loud, and it was packed, but those were the only two slight downsides Bean could find. There was an electric energy in the air, a pent-up bottle of excitement that was begging to be released. Flags and banners waved all around him in support of the various teams, and Bean felt a bit of pride when he saw a large patch of ponies from his hometown, cheering and whooping like the games had already begun. He had the best seat in the house, both for the view and for companionship, and Celestia had been rather insistent that he have the softest cushion the Empire could produce for him to rest upon.
If his fetlock was hurting at all, the atmosphere all about him kept him from thinking of it.
“Miss Lulamoon?” Celestia called out, and the mare appeared out of nowhere. “Ah. Where is Miss Inkwell?”
“I’m not exactly sure, but I think it’s better that Trixie keeps it that way. Miss Inkwell threatened to make me the personal assistant to Prince Blueblood when I asked her where the Transit proposals were.”
“Very well then. I believe I would like some nachos. Would you go procure some for me, and for my husband?”
“Oo! I would like the cheese-covered chips as well,” Luna added eagerly. “And one of those sugar cinnamon sticks, if you please.”
“You do mean a churro, right?” Trixie asked.
“Is that not what I said?”
“You said… never mind. Anything else?” Trixie asked.
“Not at the moment, no,” Celestia said while floating a few bits over to the assistant. “This should cover the cost.”
“Fine. Trixie will be right back.”
Twilight then appeared from the nearby entrance, and she stopped abruptly when Trixie entered her field of view. Bean was glad that Celestia had sent a letter to Twilight explaining Trixie’s new position, but given their history, he was understandably worried about how this meeting would turn out.
“Hello, Trixie,” Twilight offered in a slow and low tone.
“Hello, Sparkle,” Trixie replied. “You’re looking well.”
“So are you.”
“If you’ll excuse me, Her Highness Princess Celestia has asked me to procure some items of vital importance.”
Twilight gave her former foe a flat look. “She asked you to get nachos, didn’t she?”
“And a sugar cinnamon stick!” Luna shouted.
Trixie stammered for a bit in frustration, but Twilight took one step to the left and motioned with a hoof to the exit. “Please, don’t let me stand in the way. Oh, but could you bring me a churro too?”
Trixie grumbled while she left, and Twilight took in a deep breath. Bean continued to watch as the fourth princess glanced to the dignitaries sitting before them, the crowd in general, and then down to the field where her friends were waiting to cheer on the flag bearers and Rainbow Dash’s relay team. She then turned to face Princess Celestia, and Bean felt a little knot of guilt build in his gut when Twilight bowed the knee, spread her wings, and dipped her head to the Diarchs of Equestria, and to himself. He didn’t think she needed to show such reverence. She was a princess of Equestria, after all.
Celestia nodded to her former student, however, and she motioned with a hoof for her to sit in her—well, her own throne, Bean supposed. It was too lavish to be called a seat, and far grander than the fluffy cushion he had next to Celestia, so he supposed that counted for more points. Twilight then glanced to Luna, waved to Cadence, and got a look of concern when she spotted the brace on Bean’s leg.
“Prince Bean, what happened?”
“Celly and I got into a fight, but I’m okay,” he replied before getting smacked upside the head by Celestia’s wing again. He giggled as said wing then wrapped around him, and he took a moment to explain what had really happened.
“Well, I’m glad it’s not serious.”
“You look nervous, Princess. Everything alright?”
“I’m fine, I’m just worried about Spike,” said Twilight while she glanced to the massive cauldron across the stadium. “He’s never been before this many ponies in his life.”
“I’m sure he’ll do fine,” Bean replied in a reassuring tone.
“I hope so.”
“Fillies and Gentlecolts!” Shining Armor’s voice echoed throughout the stadium. “I present to you the delegation from Fillydelphia!”
The Fillydelphia fans churned themselves into a foaming, frenzied mob as their flag and their team took the field. Though he wanted to cheer for his hometown, Bean decided it might be for the best if he followed his wife’s lead and remained calm and dignified. It was probably for the best that he not play favorites.
But he would still cheer for them if they did well in the events.
Bean snuggled into his wife’s side slightly as the teams were announced and presented. Most of the major cities, and many of the smaller towns had fielded teams this year, and Bean had the thought that there were more competitors at these games than there had been during the games in Salt Lick. He was pleased with this, though; he wanted the Crystal Empire to have the best games that had ever been, just to show how far they had come since their return. He did have to bite his lip when the team from Salt Lick was introduced, but he managed to curb his enthusiasm and remain professional.
He wasn’t the least bit surprised when Twilight cheered the arrival of the Ponyville team. Two of her closest friends were on the relay team, and she was the princess of friendship. She did smile in embarrassment when she noticed Celestia watching her outburst of support, but the gentle smile and nod that the solar princess offered showed her approval without saying a word.
Bean then turned his attention to the cauldron, and the small dragon who was standing at the base of a ladder. This would be one of the easiest tasks Spike would ever be asked to complete, all he had to do was use his dragon fire and the rest would take care of itself.
But Bean quickly saw why Twilight had been right to be nervous. Spike didn’t move until Miss Harshwhinny shouted something at him, and he hesitated yet again when he reached the top and leaned over to look in the bowl.
“C’mon, Spike!” Bean heard Twilight whisper. “Just breathe!”
Spike leaned back and drew in the largest breath he could, but when he tried to produce his legendary fire…
He sputtered and coughed. Nothing came out.
Bean’s nerves ramped up quickly for the baby dragon, and Spike seemed to be talking to himself, possibly in an attempt to calm down enough to perform. However, he kept talking to himself, and with each unheard word he seemed to grow more alarmed.
“What’s wrong?” Cadence quietly asked herself, and Bean found himself echoing the sentiment. The Spike he knew was usually confident and capable, eager to please and surprisingly efficient. The Spike on the ladder looked terrified, and his feeble efforts to produce fire was beginning to make the crowd nervous. The cheers were turning into murmurs of concern, and even Celestia looked a bit worried over the delay.
Cadence then turned to the guard next to her. “Will somepony go and help him?”
The guard quickly trotted away, and Bean felt highly embarrassed for Spike. The poor little dragon looked like he was going to give himself a hernia with the amount of effort he was putting into this. All of his attempts were ending in failure, and Bean wondered if Miss Harshwhinny would just throw a match into the cauldron to be done with it.
Bean jumped a bit when the cauldron suddenly caught. The flames burned bright orange for a brief moment before settling down into a calm blue, and the stadium erupted into cheers. But how had that happened? Spike’s fire had been non-existent, but somehow the torch had been lit. Could Spike start fires with the power of his mind now?
Bean glanced over towards Twilight to ask her about the strange phenomenon, but he caught her wiping her brow and sighing with relief. Had she lit the cauldron?
“Let the Games begin!” Shining Armor shouted, and the sheer wall of sound that hit Bean silenced the question. All that really mattered was that things could move on.
“Trixie should not have to wait in line for food. Trixie is THE assistant secretary to Princess Celestia, she should get priority treatment.” Trixie continued grumbling while she walked up to the royals, and her magic flicked a churro towards Twilight. “Your cinnamon-sugar stick, Sparkle. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Trixie has your nachos and churro.”
“Thank you, Miss Lulamoon,” Celestia replied flatly while her magic wrapped around the offered food.
“So, what did Trixie miss?”
* * ✹ * *
“Well, this has been a most successful Equestria Games, I would say,” Celestia remarked, and Bean nodded.
“It has been. I’m a bit disappointed in Salt Lick’s performance, and I’d still like to know what Spike was thinking when he mangled the anthem for Cloudsdale, but other than that this has been very exciting. I really didn’t think Ponyville would do as well as they have.”
“They have been practicing hard, and it shows,” Celestia replied with a quick nuzzle for Bean. “How is your fetlock?”
“I haven’t felt it at all, really. I think by the time we get back to Canterlot it should be all right.”
Celestia started to reply, but she was interrupted by a rather irate Wysteria. She nodded quickly to Bean before whispering something into Celestia’s ear, and Bean felt that familiar knot of concern growing in his stomach as Celestia’s demeanor turned serious.
“He has, really?” Celestia asked when Wysteria was done, and the secretary nodded. “Goodness, I wish he’d come to me sooner. Tell him I will be able to meet with him tomorrow evening to discuss the matter. It shouldn’t take long to sort out, but we will need to keep this quiet.”
“Of course, Princess,” Wysteria replied. “I’ll make sure he gets the message.”
“What’s going on?” Bean asked while Wysteria trotted away, and Celestia smiled back at him.
“Oh, just a small problem in Maretonia. It’s nothing you need to worry about.”
“Are you sure? You know me; I want to help out if I can.”
“I know,” she replied with another nuzzle. “And I am most grateful that you want to. But I’m afraid this problem is something that only Luna, Cadence, and I can handle. I need you to trust me on this, and when I can, I will inform you of what is going on.”
“Well, okay,” Bean said softly. “If it’s that important, I’d hate to be the one to ruin it.”
“Thank you for being so understanding, my love,” Celestia whispered into his ear. “Trust me, there will be a fair reward for your patience.”
Bean shivered in delight, then booped Celestia with a laugh. He’d go relocate Canterlot by himself for one of Celestia’s rewards.
“And so the games conclude,” Shining Armor announced from the field, “as they always do, with the ice archery finals! Ice archers, take your places!”
“At least Salt Lick has one more chance to medal.” Bean pointed down to the competitor in the white tracksuit. “See him? That’s Dusty Bottoms. We both went to the same high school, but I didn’t know him then. He was on the archery team there. I know Cloudsdale is favored to win this event, but I bet ol’ Dusty will give them a run for their bits.”
Celestia watched for a moment while the brown pony Bean had pointed out fired a few arrows. “He does seem to have a smooth draw, and a nice release. His aim seems a bit off, though.”
“Huh, it does,” Bean agreed. “I hope he’s not getting nervous.”
Nothing more was said while they continued to watch, but Bean became more and more nervous with every arrow that Dusty released. It was obvious Dusty was quickly becoming overwhelmed; each shot seemed to take longer, and he was constantly glancing over to his fellow competitors. He had to calm down, or he was going to take dead last in the competition.
There was an audible gasp from Bean when Dusty kicked his bucket of ice arrows, and the gasp was matched by the rest of the crowd when he tripped over it while drawing back, and his arrow went sailing into the sky.
Fortunately, the arrow’s trajectory was such that nopony was in danger of being struck by the bolt. Unfortunately, the weather team for the Crystal Empire was currently attending the games, so a few stray clouds had drifted overhead, and Dusty’s arrow drove deep into a rather large cumulus cloud that had been idly meandering by.
Gasps turned into shrieks of alarm when a large ice crystal emerged from the bottom of the cloud, and was followed by several more. Within a few moments, the cloud had turned into a jagged ice block, and the whole crushing mass began to descend upon the stadium and the ponies who were now trapped within. A few ponies ran for the exits, but most realized there was no way they could all escape in time.
Celestia and Luna both gasped and sprang to their hooves, but their action sent Bean flying forward and he tumbled end over end for a few rows before crashing into the back of Prince Blueblood. Celestia’s cry of alarm distracted Luna, but several pegasi from the competing teams took to the air and attempted to halt the downward trajectory of the airborne iceberg.
“Steer it towards the field,” Rainbow Dash shouted. “Away from the crowds!”
“Cut the disabling spell!” Shining Armor ordered.
“There isn’t time!” somepony replied.
“Dash, Fluttershy!” Spike’s voice cut through the panic with a confident purpose. “Move!”
Bean watched from within Celestia’s levitating magic as Spike leapt from pegasus to pegasus to the frozen cloud, and with one massive breath, his flames struck the underside with a massive release of steam. A brief rainstorm from the melted ice then occurred, but Spike was oddly prepared for the drizzle, and he smugly opened an umbrella to keep himself dry.
There was a pause while everypony took in what had happened, but then the wildest cheer of the entire games rang out in joyous celebration. That had been a spectacular maneuver, and Spike simply looked around like he was being applauded for blinking.
Bean wanted to cheer too, but he found he was in too much pain to really do much of anything. Celestia quickly wrapped him up in her forelegs and in her wings, and with a familiar surge of magic, Bean found himself in the first aid section of the stadium.
“Prince Bean?! What did you do now?” Horsenpfeffer demanded.
* * ✹ * *
“Well, you’re not dead. That’s a plus,” Shining Armor quipped. He’d been trying to fluff Bean’s hospital pillow for a solid minute, but he finally gave up on the attempt at making the flat lump comfortable and he slid it gently behind Bean.
“Yeah, but that tumble sure hurt,” Bean replied while he adjusted the ice pack on his head. “Oo. I’d rather not do that again. I’m just glad Horsenpfeffer managed to convince my wife to go to the closing ceremonies.”
“It’s too bad you missed it. The fireworks were pretty impressive.”
“I suppose I’ll just have to wait for the next games,” Bean replied with a wince of pain. “How’s Dusty?”
“Well, he’s wishing he was on the moon right now, but Cadence and I have been telling him that it’s not a big deal. Really, I should have kept a weather team on patrol; that would have prevented the whole thing, too.”
“Now we know, right?”
“Right. How long are they holding you here?”
“Just for a couple of hours, I think. Once they finish up some tests, I should be back under Celestial care.”
“Hey, that’s the best way to heal. It’ll be impossible to keep her away from you anyway.”
Bean sighed and settled into the hospital bed as best he could. “Shining, could I ask you something a bit personal? If you have a minute, that is.”
“Of course! What do you need?” Shining asked while pulling up a chair.
“Well, it’s kinda embarrassing, to be honest.” Bean smiled sheepishly. “I’m probably just overthinking the issue, too.”
“Hey, maybe you are and maybe you’re not. I’m here to help you. Us Princes have to stick together.”
“Well, it’s a… um, a personal issue. Between me and Celestia. Uh.” Bean stammered for a moment. “I think that I’m, well…”
Whatever Bean was going to say at that moment was interrupted by a bright flash of golden magic, and a white alicorn sweeping Bean out of his bed and into her embrace. “I am so sorry, my dear Bean! I feel horrible about what has happened, absolutely horrible! You will receive nothing but my undivided love and attention while you heal, I promise!”
“Thanks?” Bean asked while he pulled his head away from Celestia’s peytral. It felt like the center amethyst had left a deep imprint in his cheek. “So, what did I break this time?”
“Nothing, amazingly enough,” Doctor Horsenpfeffer replied while she strode into the room. “But you did bruise your ribs pretty good, and I bet that sprained fetlock feels a whole lot worse now.”
“I haven’t noticed yet, but it probably will when I put weight on it.”
“You’ve also got a nasty bump on the head, but the concussion tests came back negative. I’m going to release you to the care of the Princess, but only if you pinkie promise me you’ll stay in bed. I’ll check on you tomorrow and see how things look. Ideally, I’d like to keep you moving as much as possible, but for now you need to heal.”
“I don’t think the Princess will let me go anywhere, Doc. I’ll stay in bed.”
“Good. Make sure you keep hydrated, too. I want you to drink at least six cups of …”
The rest of the Doctor’s instructions were lost, and Bean found himself back in the guest room of the Crystal Palace. He wasn’t the least bit surprised that Celestia had teleported him away, but he did wish she’d waited just a minute longer so they could get the rest of Horsenpfeffer’s instructions.
“Now, you lay right there, and I will take care of everything,” Celestia admonished while she levitated a thin blanket over and tucked him into it. “I will not leave your side until you are fully healed.”
“The Doc is going to be mad at you,” he pointed out.
“She’ll understand. I want you to begin healing as soon as possible.”
“Don’t you have to meet with the Duke of Maretonia tomorrow evening?”
“Oh.” Celestia thought for a moment. “I can’t postpone that. I suppose I can leave for a short time, if need be.”
“I’m sure you’ll come back as soon as you can.”
“And I’ll bring all sorts of treats with me to help you heal. How does that old saying go? ‘Starve a fever, feed a cold?’”
“I think that’s it, but I’m not sick.”
Bean smiled and felt a wave of tingles pass through him when Celestia snuggled next to him and wrapped her wing across his back. “But as a chef, you must admit that there is much medicinal value in a good meal, and in a few sweets. I know cake always helps me to feel better when I am feeling depressed.”
Bean snuggled back, and he kissed his wife’s cheek. “And you always make me feel better. With your tender care, I’ll be up and running a marathon by this time tomorrow.”
“I hope so. I never want you to be hurt again, and I will do anything to make sure that you remain safe, secure, and with me.”