//------------------------------//
// Wounds That Won't Heal 
// Story: The Olden World 
// by Czar_Yoshi 
//------------------------------//

There was a shuffling in the hall as many ponies, including ones who hadn't been on deck like Gerardo and Howe, crowded closer to listen. Celestia turned around, regarding them all. "These are negotiations I require to have with a captain," she gently said. "One who speaks for all of you. If no such figure is present, it will be more difficult for me to safely allow you harbor in my realm, but not an impossibility. First, how many of you are there, excluding those who have Writs of their own?"

"That would depend upon how you count." Gerardo cleared his throat. "Some of us are here by circumstance, and others more permanent members. Though I apologize if I'm late to the discussion."

"You don't need to count me." Saffron shrugged.

Celestia held up a wing for quiet. "Peace. You will not be returned to the north tonight whether or not this is immediately settled. There are many more pressing matters to attend to, such as those of you who are unwell."

Felicity delicately coughed. "What manner of unwell are you referring to, might I ask?"

"I'm the doctor," Harshwater sighed, stepping forward with a nod at Felicity. "And her. Since you want someone in charge, this is our area."

Princess Celestia nodded. "Appreciated."

"I believe that's our cue from on high to clear the area for her majestic largeness," Howe breathed in Gerardo's ear, slinking away.

Celestia's head snapped up in his direction. "Well, you're unshaken enough to joke in the presence of royalty."

Howe grinned cheekily. "Accusing me of tactlessness? Hey." He shrugged. "No one here is going to vouch for me, so I may as well go out with a bang."

Harshwater groaned and shook her head, but Celestia's gaze eventually passed him over. "It is good to know your spirits endure. Ordinarily, I would be in more of a mood for this, but for now, there is business." She turned back to Harshwater and Felicity. "If you would."

"Go on. Clear out." Harshwater waved everyone off down the stairs with a sigh. "It's crowded here. I'm newer here myself, but we're definitely over capacity."

"What can we do for you, then?" Felicity politely bowed.

Celestia appraised them. "I must know every being on this ship, starting with those who are worst off, either in mind or in body. But first, how are the two of you faring?"

Harshwater shrugged. "Working myself to the bone to pay off a debt to a mare who no longer exists, which is miles better than my old boss. I could do with a break."

Felicity bit her lip. "Oh, you know, the usual ruing that my family died and I lived by a stroke of luck and nothing I spent my life doing matters anymore, and did I mention that I'm crippled for life with four or five months of foal I only wanted exactly that many months ago? Par for the course around here, I'm afraid. This place is a mess. The best I can do is find friends who will help me put it out of my mind."

Celestia stared at them and slowly whistled.

"That's just us, of course. Everyone else has their own problems." Felicity waved a hoof dismissively, far more nonchalant than the situation warranted. "That Prince Gazelle fellow hasn't gone out of shock since we got here, Meltdown is a zombie, our captain hates everything, half of us are crippled and injured and the ones who aren't are either overworked heroes or untrusted former enemies like yours truly and those weirdos in the pantry, we have a couple of insane fillies who are budding mad scientists, and don't even ask me to deconstruct Maple's issues. I used to find out what made ponies tick for a living, and I wouldn't stick my face in her clock if you... err... Bad analogy. Never mind." She reddened slightly. "So, what kind of goddess powers do you have for all that?"

Celestia actually looked slightly overwhelmed. "How did you make it across the mountains in such a dysfunctional state?"

"By running for our lives," Harshwater grumbled. "Everyone here is a civilian except maybe Gerardo, and I don't even know about him. I used to be a mercenary. You learn how to roll with things you don't like. But most everyone is here because they were all glued to a single mare who's gone now. Valey must have had a thing for collecting ponies with the same problems as her, whether deliberate or not. But I'm here because of her, and so is almost everyone else. Without her holding us together and with no goal better than survival to move towards, things have ended up like this. Though being on rations for a month doesn't help."

Felicity instantly nodded. "I don't suppose you have princessly abilities to carry large amounts of things, or soldiers to do it for you, but if you really wanted to help us, there's supposedly a large cache of food near the rails south of here. Complicated business, don't ask. A proper meal would certainly do my spirits a world of good, and would probably help for everyone else to boot."

Celestia looked thoughtful for a moment. "My train is extensively provisioned. For now, my soldiers are staying near this ship for security, but we could aid you in this."

Harshwater's stomach growled. "I sure wouldn't mind..."

"You said Gazelle was here." Celestia straightened up. "High Prince Gazelle, from the Griffon Empire. The last of the imperial line."

Felicity winced. "Well, here in body..."

Harshwater flicked her tail, leading for the infirmary and beckoning for Celestia to follow. The princess had to bow her head to get through the sliding doorway, but Shinespark's room was empty enough that she didn't make it feel cramped. Meltdown wasn't there, having been brought to the deck for the arrival, and Saffron was with the others below. Only Gazelle remained, staring lifelessly at the ceiling with pinprick eyes.

"...Poor creature." Celestia lowered her head and lit her horn, hovering it over him for a moment. "He is paralyzed by chaos," she said when she rose. "Garsheeva would have told you that sphinxes are not natural life forms. They are both harmonic and chaotic, created with forbidden knowledge and experiments that should never be performed today. This makes them far more susceptible to certain imbalances and conditions. His mind has suffered a great strain, in an area where he would have been magically compromised..." She closed her eyes, and her horn pulsed brighter. "Awaken."

Gazelle started to thrash and cry.

Celestia immediately pulled back, the prince still not lucid. "Lyn..." he moaned, his voice drier than the wastes of Gyre. "Lyn, no, don't go..."

A white wing reached down, a single feather wiping his brow. "Lyn!" He snapped his teeth at nothing, eyes darting. "Lyn!"

"Hmmm." Celestia exhaled. "This is a wound that may be too deep to heal."

"He can't stay there forever," Harshwater protested, pointing a hoof. "Look at how scraggly he's gotten. He's eating even less than the rest of us, and I know a thing or two about being bedridden too long."

"He wasn't exactly the nicest of ponies," Felicity murmured. "Then again, I'd be a slight hypocrite if I said he deserved this fate... What will you do? There's obviously nothing we can provide."

Celestia shook her head. "It would be irresponsible of me to allow him to return to the Empire in this state. If he ever does wake up, his grief would be terrible, and allow no room for his kingdom amid the denial and thirst for revenge. He would likely stop at nothing to be reunited at his sister, even if it was in death. I will take him to Canterlot. Until he is rehabilitated, it will be a mercy to his land."

"One less mouth to feed, I suppose," Felicity sighed, Gazelle fitfully writhing in the bed. "Assuming we stay together. Though honestly, without a common dream, I probably should be thinking about what to do after that changes..."

"Isn't this ship called the Immortal Dream?" Harshwater bitterly laughed. "Ironic you should say that about its crew."

"It is?" Celestia stared at her with interest. "Where did it come by a name like that?"

Harshwater shrugged. "It was before my time. Maybe Shinespark would know. She's technically the captain, but good luck dealing with her."

"I would like to meet her next," Princess Celestia announced, straightening up. "Where does she reside?"

Felicity glanced at the doorway. "These days? The darkest part of the ship, which is either the bridge or the cargo bay depending on how many others are there..."