//------------------------------// // Chapter 36: A Hero's Reward // Story: Never Lucky // by Ferris the 1st //------------------------------// I drifted in and out of consciousness for a while. Sometimes I had moments of clarity and I remembered groaning as ponies in medical gear rushed around me, their voices sounding far away. One of them would always come forward and inject me with something that sent me back into the darkness around me. Other times, I could swear that I could hear Princess Luna or Princess Celestia calling out to me from the shadows. In the end, there was only one noise that filled my ears as I starting drifting back into the waking world... Beep...beep...beep...beep I hadn't heard that sound since Corium's accident. Hearing was followed by feeling and that caused me to let out a pitiful whine. I felt weak, but a particular area was just... sore. The smell of sterilization came next, telling me that I was probably in a hospital. Opening my eyes confirmed that after my eyes adjusted to the bright lights above me. I was laying in a bed and hooked up to a number of machines near the bed. It took me a few heartbeats to remember the events leading up to waking up here, but when I did, I sat up... way too quickly. I shouted in pain as my side gave a twinge. Pulling the blanket down, I observed the bandaged section of my body and gingerly touched it, hissing as pain sparked off from it. A quick glance outside told me that I was still in Canterlot, but with a lot less fire and airships. Fortunately for my sanity, my awakening drew the attention of one of the doctors. Originally coming in to check on a brief spike in my heart rate, he was ecstatic to find me awake. After confirming that I was actually awake and not semi-conscious like I'd apparently been previously, he asked me if I felt ready for visitors. I said yes on the simple grounds that I had absolutely no idea what was going on. Of course, I wasn't expecting to get swarmed by my fellow HERD agents. All sense of discipline went right out the window as all of them, including Silent, tried to speak at the same time. I was on the verge of getting overwhelmed when a single voice stood out, clearing her throat. Princess Celestia's mere presence caused the rest of the assembled ponies to snap crisp salutes and shut their mouths. She was looking leaps and bounds better than when I'd last seen her sans magic. Even her cutie mark was back, so I guess snapping Reach in half didn't have any negative consequences. We stared at each other for a long time and I could see the group of agents fidget between us. “...You pushed me out the window.” I stated dryly, arching my brow. “You broke my spear.” she shot back, raising her own brow. “...We'll call it even.” I decided, inclining my head with a slight smirk that she mirrored. I didn't have the strength to argue the ethics of pony versus magic artifact abuse. I was just happy to be in a position that any form of disagreement was possible. Looking down at my side, I scanned the faces in the room, “How long was I out?” “Two weeks,” Silent informed me, “talons pierced a lung. Emergency surgery. Touch and go. Nearly died several times,” his ears folded to the sides, “glad you're alive.” A murmur of agreement came from all of them. I blinked, letting that information settle in as I asked my next question, “What happened? Sunslayer's forces were attacking the city, but then next thing I knew, the Wonderbolts were on the scene and we were fighting back. Also, when did all of you get back?” I asked the former hostages. Glass stepped up to answer me, “Well, as it turns out, Dawn got our message only a couple of hours after we left. When she arrived on the scene and couldn't contact any of us on our hoofrings, she got the local guard together and came running. We managed to take most of the gryphon's lackeys into custody. We decided that we would rather be safe than sorry and sent out a general alert to the EUP stations and the Wonderbolts. When they saw a dragon speeding toward Canterlot, they mustered the primaries and the reserves as well as the local EUP before racing for the city.” Martial nodded her head, “I wasn't sure where you'd gotten off to, but I didn't have time to look for you. When the attack came down, we moved out to secure the city as best we could, but realized that the ships weren't trying to drop ground troops. Our best guess was that they didn't intend to stay long. After previous invasions, the EUP has been practicing a number of countermeasures and they must have known that.” She smirked, “Of course, they probably expected it to take a while for all of them to get moving and that they would have time to get in and out before troops arrived. Then a certain stallion decided to put a wrench in their plans by keeping Sunslayer from leaving long enough. I'll admit, that new Wonderbolt's Sonic Rainboom is a sight to see up close and personal... now if only her ego could get put under control.” We all shared a laugh at the mare's expense until Celestia made her way to my bedside. Leaning her head down to look into my eyes, she spoke, “Lucky Signs, despite all thoughts of the contrary, you acted as a key figure in this attack on Equestria. This nation and all the beings that call it home owe you a debt that could never be truly repaid, but if there is anything that the crown can do for you, simply ask.” It was a large, blank check that Celestia had just handed me and yet I couldn't think of anything to ask for... or could I. Smirking deviously, I bid the princess to come closer and whispered into her ear, “Any chance you could give this nice mare named Dawn Breeze a day off?” ** Epilogue “So... yeah,” Lucky Signs stated, wheeling his hoof about in the air, “it only took me several years and the near collapse of Equestria to do it, but I got myself a date. You always did say that I'd get one over on Nimbus, didn't you grandpa?” He looked down at the gravestone that marked the final resting place of his family member, settled right next to his grandmother. The spot was a beautiful one: a gently rising hill overlooking the lands that had once held the farm. Even with the new buildings set on the land, it was hard to say that the view didn't hold special memories for him. The part that made him feel the best about it was how, if he closed his eyes, he could almost feel his grandfather's hoof on his shoulder. Even when he'd failed in the past, old Plum Tucker had always loved and been proud of his grandcolt and the feeling still persisted in this place. “The only part that I still don't get,” Lucky stated with a tap of his hoof, “is why everyone thought it was funny that I was asking Celestia to be my wingpony on this. Come to think of it, I never did find Dawn that day, but I just figure that she was busy. Also, I think Princess Cadence may be rubbing off on her aunt, because apparently me going on a date with one of her assistants is enough to make her blush...” Lucky shrugged it off, “Well, that being said, I probably need to get going. The train back to Canterlot leaves in a little bit and if I'm not on it, I'm not going to make it back in time for my date. Who knows, grandpa... maybe I'll get lucky,” he started, “I mean, not like that, but like... maybe Dawn's the one, you know? Okay, I just made this awkward; I'm going now! Love ya, gramps!” Trotting away, Lucky started to hum to himself as he rushed toward his next adventure...