“Hello again, Twilight Sparkle. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” a middle aged unicorn doctor asked kindly.
Twilight looked him up and down, noticing that his brown coat and incense cutie mark was remarkably clean for once. The filly couldn't help but smile at the sight of his enormous, goofy looking glasses that nearly completely obscured his orange eyes. “Celestia said I have to go for another check up.”
“My my, is it that time of the month already?” The doctor smiled. “Time flies, doesn't it?”
“I guess.” Twilight shrugged.
The stallion took a step back and gestured to the bed next to him. “Please sit.” He turned to the lingering earth pony nurse standing by the door and flashing him a smile. “I’m sure I’ll be fine, Nurse Forceps.”
The nurse frowned, glancing from the filly to the doctor before shaking his head. “If you are sure…”
The doctor scoffed. “I think I can handle a single filly. Besides-” he turned around and smiled at the young unicorn, “-Twilight isn't going to be a hoofful, are you?” The filly shook her head. “See?”
The nurse reluctantly sighed before bowing out. “If you insist, Doctor Feel Good.”
“I do.” The older stallion closed the door to the room and made his way over his desk, which was absolutely littered with personal effects, and took a seat in the ancient, well worn office chair. “Alright, let me just grab your file and we can get right down to it.”
“Okay,” Twilight muttered, absentmindedly kicking her hooves while staring at the floor.
The doctor’s gaze lingered over the despondent filly a moment longer before turning to his enormous filing cabinet and pulling open the appropriate drawer. With a deftness that belied his age, the stallion gripped the appropriate file from the numerous others before clearing a spot on his desk amidst the hoard of pictures and files that had yet to be organized.
“Alrighty then,” he announced, slamming the heavy file onto his desk. “First off, how have you been?”
The filly shrugged. “I’ve been okay, I guess.”
“That doesn't sound very enthusiastic, are your studies becoming too much?” Doctor Feel asked, while tapping his pen against the open file.
“Not really,” she muttered.
“Hmm...” He turned, made a note of the apparent stress she was suffering from. “Twilight, do you think you would mind doing a few tests today?”
“Whatever,” the filly muttered.
Frowning deeply, the doctor tapped his page a few times before standing up and retrieving a reflex hammer from a drawer. “Alright, first thing I’m going to test is your reflexes. Do you remember how we did this last time?”
Twilight giggled. “Yeah, you hit my knee and nearly got kicked in the face.”
“Yes, well, we’ll try and skip that last part this time.” He chuckled, levitating the hammer over to the filly’s knee. “Ready?”
Twilight nodded, and received a light knock to her knee, causing her to swing her leg out a second later.
“Hmmm.” The stallion rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Reflexes are a little delayed.”
The filly frowned, looking down at her leg with disdain, a hint of worry beginning to worm its way into her mind. “Is there something wrong with me?” Twilight asked nervously.
“I don't think so, but we better make sure.” The stallion smiled widely before plunking back in his chair and causing a small wave of dust to billow out. “So, are you getting enough to eat?”
“Why is everypony worried about that?” Twilight frowned. “I’ve been eating lots, and sticking to the strict diet Celestia put me on.”
“Odd,” Feel Good remarked. “Have you been getting enough exercise?”
“Yeah. Celestia put me on a routine and everything,” Twilight remarked sourly, hooves crossed over her chest.
“And have you been keeping away from sweets like we talked about last time?”
“Uh huh.”
“And…” The doctor stopped, tapping his chin while deep in thought. “Have you been getting enough sunlight?”
“Uh…” Twilight scratched her head. “How much is enough?”
Feel Good frowned, turning back to his desk and made a few notes. “Nevermind that. Would it be fair to say that you feel lethargic, unenergetic or sickly?”
Twilight thought about it for a second before nodding. “All three, I think. Lethargic means lazy, right?”
The stallion nodded. “Pretty much.”
“Then yeah.”
“Do you mind if I scan you for a moment?” the doctor asked. “It will only take a second.”
“Alright…” Twilight frowned, crossing her hooves back over her chest. “But try not to take too long. Scans always make me feel funny.”
“I’ll go as fast as possible, I promise.” Feel Good made a crossing motion over his heart, earning him a slight smile from the still grumpy filly.
Lighting his horn, the unicorn quickly went through the motions of casting the scanning spell, before finally pushing a little extra magic through his horn, causing the spell to take form. A shimmering sphere of light green magic encapsulated the filly’s body in its dull glow. Twilight shivered briefly but otherwise didn't move, merely sitting patiently as the stallion’s magic focused on one part of her body and then another.
As his magic shifted, the stallion’s frown deepened until finally the light of his horn dulled and died. It was clear that something was wrong with her, that much was obvious, but due to the parasite’s machinations any information he gathered was borderline useless. Twilight had a new normal from any other filly, and as such the metrics he always looked for in a healthy pony, foal or adult, were simply irrelevant here.
He mentally set that information to the side, putting it out of his mind and focusing on what he could say for certain. After all, the information he gathered wouldn't help, not until he had built up a larger database anyway.
With that in mind the stallion rubbed his chin thoughtfully, staring off into the distance.
Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle had grown increasingly paranoid, her thoughts starting to run faster and faster as she pondered just what this might mean for her. It was obvious from the doctor’s expression that whatever was wrong with her was serious, but without any clues other than her general laziness over the last month and a bit she couldn't draw any conclusions. Was it some sort of flu? Or perhaps something far worse then a mere flu?
The filly gasped, chewing idly on her hoof as her mind continued to race with possibilities.
The cutie pox? No, worse! Cooties!
Then, just as her brain was starting to overheat with all her panicked thoughts, Doctor Feel Good suddenly perked up, jumping out of his chair. “This must be some sort of deficiency. It's the only thing that makes sense.”
“What? But I’ve been sticking to the diet, I promise,” Twilight whined.
“And I trust that you have, but perhaps you need something you are not getting.” Feel Good grinned. “After all, you are a growing filly, and it's not like the cooks have had to make anything for a young mare in a long time.”
“I guess.” The filly’s eyes lit up suddenly. “Does that mean we get to go back to the kitchens?”
“Unfortunately not. I am going to get to the bottom of this right now.” The doctor smiled at the filly, ruffling her mane. “You should probably scamper back to Celestia.”
“Daw fine…” The filly hopped down and trotted to the door before stopping. “Can I at least get a sucker?”
Doctor Feel Good stopped, and mulled it over for a moment before making the mistake of looking down at the strangest pair of puppy eyes he had ever seen. His heart melting, the doctor retrieved a blue sucker, her favorite, and hoofed it over before he even knew what he was doing. “Alright, but that's all the sugar for today, understood?”
The filly squealed in delight, tearing through the packaging in seconds. “Thanks, Doctor Good!”
Shaking his head, the doctor made his way out of his office, making sure to close and lock the door behind him, remembering well the princess’ warning about security when it came to anything about his special patient. With his wards up and his locks now secure, the stallion turned, smiling faintly as he heard the distant sound of the filly humming happily as she walked down the long hall, accompanied by the steady thump of steel clad hooves.
Turning down a different path, the stallion made his way deeper into the castle, winding through ill used side passages and other less traveled sections of the castle. He knew well these strange and winding side paths, his habit of walking as he thought leading him down many of the lesser known halls of Canterlot Castle.
With his knowledge of the castle layout, the stallion made short work of the distance, emerging into the castle kitchens in mere minutes from leaving the small hospital found deep within the castle itself. As he looked around, trying to find the distinct tuft of silver mane that signalled the presence of the one pony he knew could help, he idly wondered just how he might be able to cure the filly’s most recent ailment.
With the sheer alien nature of the parasite that now lay dormant inside the filly’s body, there was a chance that her cravings could be for something truly unnatural and before his mind could go down any more darker paths, he shook his head. “That is not logical,” he reprimanded himself, forcing his mind away from the dark thoughts and towards a potential solution like vitamins or some other dietary supplement. “I wonder if…”
“Hey Feel, still talking to yourself I see,” a voice whispered from behind him.
Turning around, the doctor smiled, instantly recognizing the voice and its owner. “Miss Tea Spoon, so nice of you to stop by the kitchens today.”
The chef’s eyes narrowed for a second, before she threw back her head and laughed aloud. “Still as sharp as ever I see. Here I would have thought your self prescriptions would have dulled your wit by now.”
The stallion chuckled nervously, tugging at a collar he wasn't actually wearing. “Well, be that as it may, I’m actually here on business today.”
“Really?” The pegasus leaned against the door jam, using her dull grey wing to move the bangs from her eyes. “What can I do for ya?”
“Do you know of a filly named Twilight Sparkle?” he asked.
Tea nodded. “I sure do. She's Celestia’s new student, the one with the special diet.”
“Indeed.” He nodded. “I’m assuming Celestia sent you a list of guidelines, correct?”
“Sure did, was right ticked too.” The mare shivered. “Boy is she scary when she's pissed.”
“You are telling me.” Feel Good shivered as well, remembering well the thankfully few times he had the poor fortune of being near the alicorn when she was legitimately angry.
“Right, anyway. You are in luck, I was just about to go see Needle Beak and check how he was doing with the whole diet thing anyway.”
“Not very well apparently,” Feel Good remarked before sighing. “On second thought, he might be doing just fine, but there are certain… complications. Does he know who he's cooking for?”
“No one in the kitchens does,” Tea Spoon whispered, leaning in close. “It's just another security precaution put in after that whole chowder incident.”
“Ahh.” The stallion gulped, his stomach doing backflips at the mere mention of chowder. “I don't suppose you could direct me to this Needle Beak pony?”
Tea Spoon lifted an eyebrow. “What? Oh, he ain't a pony, thus the name.”
Feel Good slapped a hoof against his forehead, groaning. “Right, that's obvious.” He gestured towards the kitchens. “Lead the way.”
“As usual,” Tea remarked with a giggle, flicking Feel Good’s cheek with her tail.
Blushing furiously, the doctor followed the mare closely, weaving in and out of the many working ponies that all labored over a multitude of varied dishes. The stallion only stopped for a brief moment when his nose caught the scent of the most delectable pie he had ever smelt. Shaking his head, he quickly trotted back up to the head chef as she approached the corner of the royal kitchens where an aged griffon tom was dicing tomatoes.
“I see you are already starting on supper,” Tea Spoon announced.
The griffon blinked, placing his knife to the side before turning around, his eyes widening. “Head Chef Tea Spoon, what a delight. Give me but a moment.” He deftly cleaned his knife and put it in the waiting block before turning back around, cleaning his claws on his apron. “And to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“There were some… concerns about the dishes you have been making recently,” she said dourly, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly, clearly unused to the seriousness of the conversation.
“Oh?” The aged tom caressed his beard and looked from the chef to Feel Good who was now standing next to her. “I’m assuming you are the one who has these ‘concerns’?” he asked, adding air quotes to the last word.
“I was actually hoping to see the list you are working with first before I pass judgement,” Feel Good responded.
“Ahh good.” The old tom chuckled. “About time one of you horn heads actually asked some questions before judging me.” He chuckled harshly, turning back to his workspace and deftly pulled out a scroll from behind his chopping block and handed it over to the unicorn. “Here it is, all the weakly schedules for the last two weeks as well as for this one.”
Looking over it, Feel Good did a few calculations in his head before frowning. “This seems perfect. I assume you stuck to this menu plan the entire time?”
Needle Beek’s eyes narrowed for a moment. “Other than not having carrots for the stew last weak due to someone missing an order, everything has been done by the book. Or in this case, scroll.”
“Interesting,” Good remarked, handing the scroll back to the griffon. “For the record I’m the recipient’s doctor and I am merely chasing a lead, I didn't mean to assume any foul play or incompetence.”
The griffon nodded slowly, eying the doctor up carefully. “This whole cloak and dagger may not be my style, but I sure hope you lot wise up and start giving this little chickee what she needs.” He snorted. “All this pony food is good and all, but growing chicks need meat. Plain and simple.”
“She's not-” Tea Cup said only for Feel Good to step closer, raising a hoof and silencing her.
“Why do you think she's a griffon?”
Needle raised an eyebrow. “Well, you ain't in a hurry, so it's probably something small and if I had to guess she's probably just acting mighty sluggish. To me that sounds like a griffon who hasn't gotten their fill of meat, which is something I’ve seen plenty of over the years.”
“You are not wrong…” Feel Good admitted. “She has been rather lethargic and has been losing a little weight despite the diet.”
The griffon sighed, running a clawed hand down his face. “You ponies do a lot of things right, but you sure seem to have trouble thinking outside the box sometimes.” He snorted. “As soon as someone's not feeling up to snuff you think something’s wrong, as opposed to what they might be missing.”
“Hey that's not true!” Tea Spoon interrupted.
Feel Good raised his hoof once more, silencing the mare and earning himself an irritated glare. “He's not wrong, Spoony.”
A blush spread across her face and she shot the stallion a second, more intense glare. “I thought I told you not to call me that.”
The old tom chuckled. “Sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to say that it's perfectly natural to fall into what you know.” He sighed, running a claw through his beard. “I’ve seen it plenty of times when I was working in soup kitchens. If ponies were in charge they made pony food, and if a griffon was in charge they made sure to cook for both.”
“Is that still an issue?” Feel Good asked nervously, his heart going out to the griffons who may be suffering because of some ignorant pony.
“Not so much anymore. Celestia had me go around the various orphanages and whatnot to teach the staff how to cook for a griffon’s special diets a few years back.” He smiled faintly at the thought of the alicorn. “Helps that we standardized the whole meal thing for schools and whatnot a few months after that.”
“I’m sure it was difficult to add meat to the menu for so many places,” Feel Good remarked.
The tom shrugged. “It was at first, but it helps that fish ain't as intelligent as other animals.” He snorted. “I’ve seen flies smarter than most things I’ve caught.”
“That makes sense.” Tea Spoon tapped her chin. “Most chefs have to at least learn how to clean a trout during schooling and if you want to work here, you have to know a lot more than that.”
“Exactly.” Needle Beak smiled. “Plus it's cheap protein and the only pony tribe that can't actually process fish at all are earth ponies.”
“I remember that from first year med school,” Feel Good remarked.
Needle Beak nodded. “If you want I could whip something up that's nice and subtle. Even if your little chick hasn't eaten meat in her whole life she won't even notice it.”
Tea Spoon and Feel Good exchanged a look before they nodded. “If you wouldn't mind, of course,” Feel Good responded.
The old tom raised an eyebrow. “Right now?”
Tea Spoon smiled. “I think what Feel Good is trying to say is that he wants to test this hypothesis as soon as possible. That isn't a problem, right?”
Needle Beak frowned, looking over the small array of vegetables he had already cut. “Well…” He tapped his chin. “I could probably make a pretty good stew out of this, but it might take an hour or so before I have everything ready.”
“Perfect, that should put it right on time for supper.” Feel Good turned to Tea Spoon. “Give me a heads up before the food is delivered so I can be there.”
“Of course.”
The stallion smiled. “Thank you for all your help, Needle Beak.”
The old tom shrugged. “Just doing my job, now would you mind getting out of my kitchen? I have work to do.”
“Absolutely.”
Feel Good and Tea Spoon turned and left, quickly trotting into the hall before ducking into an alcove and dodging a maid. “This is perfect,” Feel Good announced happily.
“We are sneaking meat into a filly’s food,” Tea Spoon pointed out. “That doesn't exactly sound like a good thing.”
“If it helps, it is.”
“I don't know…”
“Spoony, look at it like this. It's just fish, and if it works she’ll feel better and we’ll know more about her condition,” Feel Good pointed out.
The mare winced, rubbing the back of her neck. “I guess. It just doesn't sit right with me, you know?”
The stallion sighed. “Me neither, but it's the hand we've been dealt.”
The chef frowned. “Hopefully this works.” Shaking her head, the grey coated mare smiled, throwing a foreleg around the stallion’s shoulders. “So, are we still on for friday?”
Feel Good smirked, bumping his hip against hers. “You know it.”
The stallion trotted up to the door in the royal wing, nervously glancing around at the guards standing beside what seemed like every door he passed by. He gulped, trotting a little faster under the intense gaze of a random guard and making his way over to the door he had been pointed to.
“Ahh, you must be Doctor Feel Good.”
“Bwah!” The stallion stumbled back, somehow not noticing the white coated unicorn mare that stood next to the door.
“You are a flighty one, ain't cha?” The mare snickered, offering a hoof. “Name’s Silver Bulwark.”
“Feel Good, Doctor.” He winced, facehoofing. “You know what I mean.”
“Yup.” She smiled. “The princess already told me you were coming, so go right on in.” She lit her horn, pushing open the door with her magic before stepping aside.
“R-right.” He gulped. “Thank you.”
She shrugged. “Just doing my job, better hurry up though. Twilight was told to wait for you to arrive and I can just tell she's already chomping at the bit to get at that stew that nice chef lady brought by.”
The stallion chuckled. “I won't dawdle any longer then.”
Scurrying inside, the stallion looked around the room, his gaze lingering on the high ceilings and the other very generous accommodations. Shaking his head, he looked down to where the filly sat, staring intently at the bowl before her, a thin line of drool dripping from the side of her lips. “Hello there, Twilight Sparkle,” he announced loudly.
The filly shook her head, wiping the drool from her face and sitting up a little straighter. “Oh hey, Doctor Good. Does that mean I can eat now?”
“Go right a-” Whatever he was about to say was completely ignored as the filly dove right in, abandoning the use of utensils entirely and using her magic to shovel food directly into her mouth.
The stallion trotted over and plopped down across from the filly, watching in stunned silence as she ate the entire bowl in mere minutes. Not satisfied with just the entire contents of the bowl, she tipped the dish back, consuming the last of the liquid within before using her tongue to lap at what little remained.
The doctor took the moment to grab his notebook from the bags hanging from his sides. By the time he had his book out, and had found a quill and an ink well, the filly was already reclining in her pillows, a satisfied smile on her face and a perfectly clean bowl resting before her. “How was it?” he asked.
Twilight smiled faintly, rubbing one hoof over her belly. “I don't know what was in there, but that was amazing.” She sighed. “The second it came in the room it was like a light popped on in my head.”
“Huh.” Feel Good scratched down a few notes. “And how does it feel? Satisfying, I hope?”
“You could say that again,” the filly mumbled happily.
“Good, good.” He smiled, adding one last note before closing the book. “How did it taste?”
“Really, really good. There was something in there that I’ve never had before, but that was the best part.” The filly glanced at her bowl, as if checking more food hadn't magically appeared within.
“You know the staff, they like to make fancy food,” Feel Good remarked.
The filly shrugged. “I guess, but this was like, super different.” She frowned. “Do you know what it was?”
“Err. No, sorry.” He shrugged. “I’m just here to see if it fixed your stomach issues.”
The filly nodded, a smile slowly spreading across her face. “Whatever it was, it was yummy.” Her smile widened even more. “And I haven't even gotten any more rumblies since then!”
“That is most excellent, young Twilight. I was beginning to worry you may have had something serious.” Doctor Feel Good smiled as well, the filly’s innocent happiness almost infectious in a strange way.
“Thanks.” The filly hopped up onto her hooves and trotted over to the stallion. “I’m going to hug you now, ‘kay?”
The doctor blinked. “I, er, sure?”
The filly leaned in and gave him a bone crushing hug, squeezing the air from his lungs and making him wheeze like a balloon that was having the air squeezed out of it. “Mercy,” he whimpered, tapping the filly's shoulder.
Twilight’s eyes went wide and she hopped back, hoof over her mouth. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry! Celestia says my magic is doing funny things and, and-”
“It's okay.” He wheezed, forcing himself up. “I was a smoker in my younger years, not your fault at all.”
The filly breathed a little easier. “Still… I hope you are not mad.”
“Nonsense.” He smiled, standing on shaky hooves. “I’m just glad you are okay now.” He used a hoof to ruffle the filly’s mane before grabbing his book. “I’ll make sure to tell Celestia and alter your meal plan accordingly.”
“Does this mean I’ll still be on a diet?” Twilight asked nervously.
“Maybe…” He smirked, flashing the filly a wink. “But not if I have anything to say about it.”
“Yes!” The filly pumped her hoof in the air.
Chuckling, the stallion turned to the door. “I’ll be checking back with you tomorrow just in case. Until then I hope you have a wonderful evening.”
“You too, Doctor Good!” The filly waved, watching as the doctor caught his breath, before giving her a wave and slipping out the door.
Now alone, the filly frowned, her smile falling away in an instant and her gaze drawn to the bowl. Her thoughts wandered to what could have possibly been in the food, her mind combing through her surprisingly detailed and easily accessed memories. Her frown deepened when she came up with nothing that could truly compare to what she had just eaten. Stranger still, she could not even recall having smelled anything like it either, further deepening the mystery.
Still, even then she couldn't be too angry, as it had been just as amazing as she had said it was. Even more than the wonderful taste, it also seemed to have stopped the incessant rumbling in her stomach that had been bothering her more and more over the past few days.
With a shrug of her shoulders, she stood up and made her way over to the bathroom in order to pour herself a cup of water. As she watched the glass slowly fill, she couldn't help but realize that although she felt full for the first time in a long while, there was still a hunger deep in her belly that could not be so easily answered.
She gave a shake of her head, pulling her cup from the sink and downing it quickly before placing it back behind the mirror and making her way over to her bed and flopping onto her luxurious covers. Running a hoof over her stomach, the filly idly wondered what it was that had caused this in the first place, drawing the frown back to her face.
Turning in her bed, she looked through the open door of her bathroom, into the mirror and the glowing orange orbs reflected therein. “What is wrong with you?” she muttered softly.