//------------------------------// // VOLUME FINALE - Chapter 14 - A New Hope // Story: The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds // by Kamahido //------------------------------// Derpy awakens on the couch still in Arc’s arms. The gray mare looks at her friend lying there, sadly. “I'm sorry for not being able to save you, my friend. I don't know if humans... bury their dead, but I’ll see to it you have a proper funeral by pony standards.” Derpy can almost hear Arc's voice as she lays her head sadly on his chest and begins to cry. “I appreciate the thought, but... I'm not dead yet.” Amazed, Derpy raises her head to see Arc smiling back at her. With tears in the corners of her eyes, she returns the smile with one of her own. “But, how?! I... I watched you die!” “It appears one can’t die in a dream here either. I see you were able to vanquish Regret. Impressive!” “Arc, I... um... I'm not sure what I should say other than... thank you!” He picks Derpy up, careful to avoid her stomach, and sets her down on the couch next to him as he glances at the clock. “That may have felt like an eternity, but it looks like only a few hours have passed. Hungry?” “I'm starving! Is there any more soup left?” Arc stands up and walks toward the kitchen. “Let me check the fridge.” There is enough soup for each of them to have another bowl. Derpy eats hungrily. “Food hasn’t tasted this good to me before!” “I guess you just had to get that weight off your shoulders, huh?” Derpy laughs. “I guess so!” Arc looks in Derpy’s direction. Suddenly a dazed and confused expression crosses his face. She smiles at him. “Let me guess. It's the first time you heard me laugh?” Arc points toward the fireplace. “There is that, yes, but…” Derpy turns to look. Her heart nearly stops at the sight before her. The Spear of Hope is hanging neatly over the mantle. She stares at the spear, wide-eyed. “How in Equestria did THAT get here?! I left it behind!” “Can I assume this is not a normal event in Equestria?” “Not that I know of!” Arc looks back to Derpy. “I’ll ask Twilight about it when next I see her.” “Who is Twilight? “The pony who runs the Golden Oaks Library in here in Ponyville. Twilight Sparkle is also the one who is responsible for my being in Equestria.” Derpy smiles at him as she goes back to eating. “I'll be sure to thank her for that later!” There is a knock at the door. Arc stands up and walks toward the Living Room. “I’ll answer it. You keep eating. “Okay!” Arc opens the door. The moment he does a small purple blur darts past him. He closes the door and looks down at the visitor. “Hi Spike.” The little dragon’s teeth chatter as he rubs his claws together. “Sweet Celestia is it cold out today! Twilight had me bring some supplies to Fluttershy's cottage. I just wanted to stop by and warm up a bit before heading back.” “Actually Spike, I need you to do something for me. I learned all about our robed friend here. But now I really need Twilight's advice on a mysterious item I uncovered.” “Really? That’s great!” Arc opens the front door again. “Now hurry and get Twilight! I'll explain everything when you get back!” Spike rushes out the door with his assignment as Arc returns to the Kitchen. Derpy nears the bottom of her soup. “Who was it?” Arc sits back down. “Spike. Twilight’s dragon friend.” She looks up at Arc astonished. “There are DRAGONS living in Ponyville?!” “Just him. And he's just a baby. I told him to go fetch Twilight. Hopefully she can shed some light on that mysterious Spear of Hope as you called it.” Derpy looks over at Arc apprehensively. “It's just... I'm a bit nervous about meeting somepony... and a dragon.” Arc smiles at her. “Don't worry. Twilight is a good friend of mine. You can trust her.” Returning the smile. “Well… okay. If you say so.” Derpy finishes her soup but still looks hungry. “Want some more?” “Yes please!” Arc picks up his bowl and hands it to Derpy. “Here. You can have the rest of mine. “Thank you!” As Derpy takes the bowl from Arc she suddenly doubles over in pain. The bowl crashes to the floor, along with the mare herself. Arc jumps up and rushes over to her. “Derpy?!” Gasping for breath, the mare looks up to him, clearly frightened. “Arc! Help… me….!” He kneels down next to her. “Is it time?!” Derpy looks to him and nods. “Yes… I think so…” Arc looks out the window to see the sun has set and a bona fide blizzard has swept in. He turns back to Derpy. “I was afraid this would happen. The weather won't allow us to leave the house.” Derpy looks up at him. A fearful tone in her voice. “What do we do now, Arc? I'm scared!” Arc picks her up. “Don't worry, Derpy! Everything will be fine! I know what to do!” He lays Derpy carefully on her mat in front of the fire. Arc then runs to his room and returns a few moments later carrying his satchel and the pail. “I should have everything I need here!” Arc pushes everything off the table in one sweep of his hands. He then makes a crude bed on the kitchen table with a couple blankets before returning to the Living Room and carefully picking Derpy up. “Alright Derpy, up we go…” Laying her on the table, Arc puts a pillow from the couch under her head before covering her with a blanket. “Comfy?” Derpy weakly nods. Arc gets to work putting a large pot of water on the stove. Setting out the Tin Bucket, the Ball of String, the Bottle of Rubbing Alcohol, opening the Med-Kit and opening a book at the end of the counter. He then sits down in a chair next to Derpy. “We should have a bit of time now. You still hungry?” She smiles over at him weakly. “Actually yes.” Arc pulls a couple apples out of his satchel and cuts them into manageable chunks with his Hunting Knife. He then hand feeds Derpy the pieces one by one. Derpy looks over at the carefully selected supplies on the counter. “Arc? How did you know what supplies to buy? Have you done this before?” He holds up a foal-bearing book. “Nope. But I pretty much memorized this. Been reading it pretty much all week.” Derpy closes her eyes and sighs. “Thank you, Arc. You’re so good to me... and I have done very little to earn that...” “Derpy. Friendship isn't something you have to earn. It's about being there for others when they need you! However... right now, I need this...” He reaches into his satchel and pulls out the Can of Coffee. “…as it looks like the water on the stove is ready.” “Looks like you thought of everything. I’m glad you're here with me, Arc. To tell the truth, I was really scared I would have to do this alone.” Arc pats her hoof. “Don’t worry. I’m here.” He holds a cup of coffee in one hand and strokes Derpy's mane gently with the other. He notices she has closed her eyes and is smiling. “Derpy?” “I'm fine. It's just... well... no one has ever done anything nice for me without wanting something in return. I've never even had my mane stroked before. It's really comforting!” Derpy suddenly gasps in pain. “It… it’s time!” Arc stands up quickly and tosses the cup of coffee in his hand to the side. “I’ll take my place at the end of the table!” He gently pushes the blanket up and pushes the mare’s hind legs apart. Gently he moves her tail to one side. She looks to the side of her at Arc's empty chair and stretches a hoof out towards it. “I wish... he was here to hold my hoof right now...” Arc takes one of her rear hooves in his hand and gives it a quick squeeze. “I wish your foal’s father was in that chair right now too Derpy. But I'm here for you.” Arc looks between Derpy’s hind legs. “Now listen to me Derpy. I'm going to put my hand on your stomach and feel for the right contractions. I'll tell you when to push. Okay?!” Derpy cries out in pain. “Now Derpy! Push!!! She screams like nothing Arc has ever heard before. “You're doing great, Derpy! I can see the tip of a horn! It's a unicorn!” Derpy gasps for breath between contractions. “I can’t… I just can’t do it!” Arc again puts his hands on Derpy’s stomach again. “I saw your mother do it for you, Derpy! Now it's your turn! Again! PUSH!!!” Sweat pours down her face. Blood from the delivery begins to flow down the end of the table and onto the floor. Arc leans over to the book and quickly flips through the pages. “Argh, this isn't going to work! You’re... uh... just too small for this!” Derpy raises her head to look at him as best she can. “Arc... please! I don't.... I don't care what happens to me! Just please... make sure my baby... is... is safe!” Arc quickly puts his Hunting Knife in the fireplace, grabs the bottle of Rubbing Alcohol and pours it on a rag to clean Derpy's nether regions. Then he rubs it down with a local anesthetic before throwing the rag and other detritus into the Tin Pail. “Okay, no more pushing! We only have one shot at this! I'm sorry, but this is going to hurt like crazy! That and you cannot under any circumstances move! You understand?” Derpy nods silently. Arc puts a wooden spoon handle in her mouth. “Bite down on this.” Derpy obeys wordlessly. Arc grabs the Hunting Knife out of the fireplace and reaches inside Derpy to make sure the foal’s head is not too close. “Okay, here come the knife. Remember, don't move!” Arc makes a quick incision to widen the hole. The air is suddenly filled with the scent of burning flesh as the wound is cauterized as fast as it is cut. Derpy screams in agony as she bites down hard on the wooden spoon, but forces herself to remain still. Arc tosses the bloody blade to the side and reaches toward Derpy’s flank as a small horn peeks out again. “Almost... there...! Give me a big push! Everything you’ve got!” Sweat and tears roll off Derpy's face. Her body shakes uncontrollably from the extreme strain of pushing. “I see the head! Keep going! Don't stop!” Derpy lets out a blood curdling scream as Arc carefully reaches in and pulls on the foal very gently. “There we go!” The foal emerges. Arc uses the Ball of String to tie two knots in the umbilical cord before cutting between them. “Congratulations Derpy! It's a filly!” Derpy smiles weakly. Arc looks down at the squirming newborn filly. “Alright, let's get you cleaned up...” Suddenly… the filly stops moving! The blood drains from Arc’s face. “…oh no…” Derpy looks over, weakly. “What… what’s wrong?” Arc runs over to the table, and with a quick sweep of his hand knocks the medical supplies off and lays the newborn on her back next to Derpy on a folded blanket. “She’s stopped breathing! I can’t feel a pulse!” Derpy begins to cry. “No… please…” Arc pushes gently on the center of the filly's chest over and over again. “Come on, little one!” He tilts the filly’s head back and places his mouth over her nose and mouth and exhales into her before resuming CPR. “…come on little one! Fight! A gagging noise is heard from the newborn. Arc quickly turns her head to the side and sweeps the fluids out of her mouth with his finger. She coughs several times before starting to cry. Arc breathes a sigh of relief. “Phew! That was too close!” He turns back to Derpy. “She’s back with us.” Derpy lies back on her pillow as tears of sadness are replaced by tears of joy. After cleaning up the filly with some warm water Arc wraps her up in a blanket and hands her to Derpy. She accepts her daughter and holds the bundle of joy in her hooves. “Hello little one! Thank you Arc! Looking into my little filly's sweet face makes all that pain and suffering worthwhile!” “I'm glad your filly is safe Derpy. But we're not quite finished yet.” “Huh?” Reaching into the Med-Kit, Arc pulls out a needle and surgical thread as he walks back to Derpy's hindquarters. “You're still bleeding all over the table.” Arc wipes away the blood as best he can, applies more local anesthetic, and begins to sew Derpy back together. “I'm sorry for the patchwork job, Derpy. When Twilight gets here, I'll have her run to the hospital for some real medical help.” “I'm just glad everything worked out in the end.” As Arc gets to work. “As am I.” A few minutes later Arc stands up and walks back over to Derpy’s side. “Well, that's the best I can do. The hospital can surely fix it better than I can. I was worried for a bit there that you might bleed out. Anyways, Twilight should be here any time now.” The newborn filly has long since nodded off to sleep. Derpy seems to be close to slumber as well. “I think the loss of blood has finally caught up with me. Just... feel so... weak.” “Want me to take her so you can rest?” Derpy shakes her head. “In a few minutes. I just want to hold her a little longer. She's just such a dinky little thing!” Derpy’s eyes widen and she smiles broadly. “That's what I'll name her! Dinky! Dinky Hooves!” She hands Dinky over to Arc weakly. He puts her in his own bed. As he closes the bedroom door behind him and slowly returns to Derpy’s side. “There we go. I put an extra log in the stove, so she’ll stay plenty warm. I hope the two of you will make many happy memories together.” Derpy looks up to Arc happily albeit in a tired voice. “You mean the three of us.” “I would be honored to be a part of raising little Dinky.” Arc walks over to the spear above the fireplace and picks it up before returning to Derpy’s side. “I hope Twilight can tell us something about this weapon when she gets here. It’s strange. Just holding it, I feel I could accomplish anything. You were right to call it the Spear of Hope, my friend.” The front door suddenly bursts open as Twilight and Spike rush in. The pair run through the Living Room and toward the kitchen. “Arc! I came as quick as I could! What's...?!” Twilight screeches to a stop and gasps as she sees the blood-covered table, items that had been thrown off the table in the haste covered in blood, a blood-soaked mare on said table, and Arc himself covered in blood from head to toe holding a spear. Twilight appears momentarily traumatized as she takes the bloody scene in. She glares at Arc, horrified. “ARC!!! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE???!!!" Spike runs in behind her. “Sweet Celestia! What happened here?!” Arc takes a step toward Twilight. “It’s not what you think! I can explain…” “ENOUGH!!!” A barrier suddenly forms around Arc, preventing him from escaping. Derpy attempts to cry out, but is too weak from labor and loss of blood to even move. All she can manage is an inaudible whisper. “No… stop… it.” "Arc shouts as he continues to pound on the barrier to no avail. “Twilight! Wait! Let me…!” Twilight casts a spell to momentarily silence Arc. “I never told you this, but Princess Celestia once taught me a lesson on mythical creatures. She told me about humans! How they were inherently evil! How they cared NOTHING for the land or the creatures who dwelt there! How they cared little even for other human life! I... I couldn't believe any creature could be so... so VILE! She must have been wrong, or so I thought. But, after seeing this atrocity I now know what I have to do.” Her horn aglow, Twilight opens a portal revealing a dark, bleak landscape covered in burning sulfur pools. Twilight slowly pushes the barrier toward the portal with her magic. “I wasn't able to find a way to send you home. But at least I can send you somewhere you'll NEVER be able to hurt anypony ever again!” Arc turns to take one final look at Derpy. He puts his hand on the barrier. Derpy uses all her strength to shakily raise her hoof a few inches toward him. Having been silenced Arc can only mouth the words. “I'll see you again... someday.” Twilight, thinking Arc was talking to her, glares at him. “I doubt that! You have a lot to think about!” The barrier carries Arc closer to the portal. Just before Derpy loses consciousnesses she sees Arc smiling at her with tears in his eyes. “He... wanted... to see me... off... with... a........s...m...il...e.” Arc looks back to Twilight one last time to mouth the words. “Goodbye my friend.” He vanishes through the portal as it closes behind him. Twilight sadly walks over to the bloody mare on the table. “I'm sorry I wasn't able to arrive sooner. I might have saved you from...” Derpy lets out a small cough. “Spike! I think she's still alive! Run to the hospital and get help! Hurry!!!” “Yes, ma’am!” Spike hurries out the front door while Twilight does her best to help the bloody mare.