//------------------------------// // 55.4 A Visit to the Hospital // Story: Prey and a Lamb // by Lambs Prey //------------------------------// "Sir," Both Night Guards came to attention in the doorway, and saluted to Nighthawk, "Private Lilly Blossom, she's just awoken." The blinds in Lilly's hospital room were drawn, the light dimmed on purpose. Apparently, this was because the doctors wanted to test if they could either stop or slow the meld wood's budding if they cut back on the exposure to sunlight. Prey knew this because he was eavesdropping on the thoughts of the four different doctors fussing around Lilly Blossom. Prey, Crimson, Nighthawk, Starry Wing, and even Scenic were here, silently crowded in the doorway. Since Gloom wasn't in the hospital at the moment, he didn't get to be here, but Starry Wing had gone and fetched Scenic himself, rushing the Earth pony over in a wheelchair. Not one of them said anything, just stood peering in through the doorway. Because Lilly hadn't said anything either. The mare was sitting upright in bed. Her shoulders were hunched, and her head hung, eyes staring at nothing. Or perhaps at her hoof. Singular. One hoof and one meld wood stump. There was little trace of the aggressive, energetic, and angry mare Prey remembered sitting in the bed before him. She'd been sitting there unmoving for the last five minutes, either completely oblivious to the doctors or ignoring them entirely. "Lilly Blossom, do you know where you are? Can you hear me?" "Her heart beat is elevated, but not climbing." "But her pulse is still slow. It should be higher. Here, get me her chart." "Where's the floor nurse? When was her medication changed?" The doctors may as well have been background noise. The waxy root which sprouted from under Lilly's jaw and ran up her face to encircle her horn looked like some kind of huge earthworm. The other twig protrusions running up the right side of her body and neck could've been the worm's smaller brethren. And the branch in place of her leg was their much larger twisted sire. Prey coolly evaluated his own hoofwork yet again and remembered the rushed field operation he'd performed to leave Lilly in this condition. He was just out of perception range, standing here at the door's corner, and couldn't hear what Lilly was thinking. He didn't go closer. He knew it wouldn't be anything good. However Prey could hear the thoughts of everyone else around him, excluding Crimson. It made for grim and depressing listening. '-I can't imagine waking up and finding myself in Lilly's position-', This was from Starry Wing. Scenic's thoughts were filled with a mix of revulsion and pity; '-all of us have been scarred by this dumb mission, but nothing like Lilly. At least I'm going to get out of my wheelchair, but her...-' And Nighthawk was considering if it was possible for Lilly to recover. Not physically, because removing the meld wood would certainly kill her, but mentally recovered. He'd already decided that; '-stay or go, the Night Guard will support her. We look after our own, thestral or not-' Prey rubbed at the bandages under his eyes, using the movement to look at Crimson out of the corner of his eye. The pegasus was simply looking at Lilly, face blank. Prey couldn't figure out what he was thinking. 'Perhaps it would just be best if we were to leave. Should I suggest doing so?' Lilly jerkily raised her head and everyone stilled, even the doctors. The peach fur of her face and solid blue of her mane were somehow greyed, like the giant worm of a root was leeching the colour from them. But it was the hopeless look in her eyes which really finished the picture of despair. They stared at her. She stared back, and her pale eyes found Scenic, Crimson, and Prey. "What is this?" Lilly croaked. She raised the meld wood peg leg, "What is this?" She repeated in disgust, voice hollow. "What happened to me? Why am I... like this? Why am I alive?" It was Crimson who answered without hesitation, doing what he thought was right no matter how difficult it was to say; "Your leg was bitten off by the Mama'duke. You were poisoned and about to die. This was the only alternative. We performed an emergency field operation to keep you alive." Crimson didn't specify it'd been Prey who'd performed the actual operation, he merely said 'we'. They all held just as much responsibility as Prey did. One of the doctors tried distracting Lilly, "Please remain calm. Breathe deeply and lie back down. Do you want something for the pain?" Lilly didn't even look at the doctor. She raised her remaining hoof and trembling, pointed at the root growing out of her face along with the twigs sprouting from her flesh, "What is this, this, this stuff in me?" Prey saw Scenic look at the ground, wishing he was anywhere else but here. Prey stayed where he was. Too many times had he seen this before. Too many times had Snake forced Prey be the one to tell the patient when they woke up that a limb or wing had been amputated. Twice the unfortunate patient had still been strong enough to beat Prey into bloody unconsciousness in the desperate blind rage which followed. "It's meld wood. It kept you alive." Crimson answered. The doctors were waving frantically at Crimson to shut up. "Why did you do it? Why did you do this to me? I don't want to be like this." Lilly's voice cracked. Crimson's jaw worked for a second. It should be Prey answering, but Crimson was selflessly doing it in his stead, "It was the only way to keep you alive. I'm sorry." "Why? Why would you save me to turn me into a, a, a bucking twisted tree?!" "Please Miss Blossom, you need to calm down. You've been in a coma and you need to rest." One of the doctors pushed Lilly back down, but she thrashed and fought him off, making the stallion flinch away. "Tell me! Why would you do this to me? You should've let me die in my sleep!" "Don't say something so foalish." Nighthawk snapped, "You're still alive, that is all that matters. You have your life, and another chance. Don't think for a moment it would've been better if you had slipped quietly away. Everything happens for a reason, and that includes you surviving." "This isn't living, I'm not a pony anymore. I'm a monster. My m-magic, it's gone, I can't use it, there's nothing left for me." "It is too early to give up-" "No! You don't know. No! I hate this!" Lilly cried, and bared her teeth to bite down on her wooden limb. "No!" The doctors cried, horns lighting up. A moment later Lilly was lying back down flat on the bed, restrained under a pink glow. Prey flinched away from the magic display. Lilly continued to weakly struggle, but only her head was still able to move as the doctors magically held her down. Captain Nighthawk stalked over to Lilly as Prey looked on. The Captain shoved aside a doctor who tried to stop him and glowered down at Lilly Blossom. "Nothing worth living for? Would you like to tell that to your parents?" He demanded. Lilly blanched and sought for something to say, but Nighthawk wasn't done: "I'm not saying you don't have a right to feel this way Lilly. After what has happened, you have a right to feel however you damn well please. If you want to end it all, fine, I won't even stop you." Scenic gasped loudly, and the doctors all cried out in anger and protested, "How dare you say such things to her? Get out of the room this very instant-" "Shut up." Nighthawk didn't raise his voice, but the tone and accompanying flash of fangs silenced the doctors as effectively as any gag. Nighthawk looked back down at Lilly where she was restrained under the pink magic. "If you want out, if you really want to give up after surviving so long, then I'll fetch you the dagger myself. But only after you try to live. And I can promise you, I won't be the one making pretty lies to your parents. If you want to die, you've got to look your parents in the face and tell them first. That is my final word." 'That's low,' Prey thought, 'And probably not all that effective. Her family isn't exactly fond of her, nor she of them.' But against Prey's expectations, it did seem effective, at least for the time being. Lilly went still, and stopped trying to break free of the pink magical cocoon protecting her from herself. Then, much as Prey had been expecting, she started to cry. It was not a pretty sight. Her nose ran and her body shuddered with ugly sobs. With the doctor's soft pink magic restraining her, Lilly couldn't even turn her head away. "Come on, it's time we left her." Starry Wing said quietly, taking hold of the handlebar of Scenic's wheelchair. "Lilly is part of our squad. I mean, we're supposed to be there to help her." Crimson protested. "Yes, but later. Right now, what she needs most is some time." Starry Wing said, beginning to wheel the unprotesting Scenic away. The Earth pony's ears were flat and he was still looking fixedly at the floor. '-poor, poor Lilly. I wish I could help her-' Crimson hesitated, glancing between everyone as Lilly continued to cry, the doctors continued to fuss, and Nighthawk marched out after Starry Wing. Prey strongly disliked Starry Wing, but in this instance, the Lieutenant was right. "There's nothing more we can do here right now. Lilly doesn't want to speak with us. We should go." Prey muttered to Crimson. But Prey didn't start limping away himself until Crimson left. Crimson looked back as they went around the corner. Prey didn't. --- They didn't return until that evening, 'they' being Crimson, Prey, and Scenic. Prey didn't want to see Lilly again, the sight was an unpleasant reminder of the Deeper Green and of his own twisted hoofwork, but Crimson wanted to try again. So Prey hadn't spoken a word of protest and had limped along behind the pegasus as they first stopped by to pick up Scenic in his wheelchair again, and then onward to Lilly's room. 'I could order Lemon Pink to slip in and give Lilly poison in her sleep. It would even be what Lilly wants. Would that be so wrong?' Prey knew inside that was only half his real reason though. The other half was that he didn't want to deal with Lilly possibly moving on from despair to vengeance. Prey was the one who'd used the meld wood on her after all. People were dangerous when they had nothing left to lose. He'd tentatively shared this concern with Crimson earlier, not something he would've ever done before. But now things were different, and Crimson understood that life wasn't clean. ---A few hours ago--- "Crimson?" "You have that look Prey. There's a problem. What is it?" "I... am concerned about what Lilly Blossom might do, or attempt to do. To us." "In what way, Prey?" "I operated on her. You fetched the meld wood. Gloom gave the order. Scenic looked on. She's already expressed the wish to die rather than live as she is now. She's distraught right now, but it's only a matter of time before that grief turns to rage." "Lilly would not attack us, surely. And, I mean, how would she even do so in her current condition?" "She was very hot headed if you recall. Not so sure about now though, but desperate people do desperate things. Just look at what we did when having to fight the reaper king." "You're right Prey. But, if she wants revenge on us..." *sigh*, "...Then we will just have to live with that, I suppose. I don't know what else we can do." "But what if she-?" "I don't know Prey. But Lilly is our teammate, she is weak, hurt, and alone. You and I both know what that feels like. But Lilly does have some support we don't. Her family." "...I don't think her family is going to be as helpful as everyone is hoping for, Crimson." "They must. They are her family. You don't mean you think they'll abandon her, do you Prey?" "They might. I don't know the details, but they are not on good terms with Lilly. And they're planning to sue the Night Guard." "Really? How did you hear-? Nevermind, but who are they even going to sue? Us? Captain Nighthawk? Princess Luna?" Crimson asked in complete bewilderment. "Ha. Sue Luna! Now that would be something worth seeing." Prey had muttered darkly.  They'd had to leave it there though, because neither of them had an answer to Lilly's dire problem. Or perhaps each of them both privately had the same answer, but could not speak of it for fear that the other would be horrified and disagree. Or even worse, agree. Or perhaps it was all just Prey. --- So here they were again at Lilly's room. Scenic privately did not want to be brought again, but; '-how can I say no to visiting a sick teammate?-' 'She's not sick you idiot, she's crippled. This is how Lilly's going to be for the rest of her life.' Prey thought. "Here we go again." Scenic mumbled as Crimson stepped around the wheelchair and knocked softly. Crimson blinked in surprise when the door was actually opened instead of them waiting to see if Lilly called them in. A pudgy unicorn nurse blinked up at Crimson, and then at Scenic and Prey. Prey tried to look harmless in front of the unicorn.  '-ah, these were all the ponies brought into the hospital at the same time as Lilly Blossom-', The nurse remembered. Crimson cleared his throat, "Hello ma'am. We are here to see Lilly. If we are allowed. Is she awake? Will she see us?" "Umm..." The pudgy nurse looked back over her shoulder, absentmindedly stopped her little white hat from falling off. She made a face, and then stepped aside, "I suppose it couldn't do any more harm if you saw her." Lilly was just an indistinct shape under the covers as they stepped into the room, but she was awake, Prey could've told that from her breathing even if he couldn't hear her miserable thoughts. '-why have they come back? Why them? Just buck off, leave me to die-'  Prey looked at Crimson and gently tapped one drooping ear, then nodded at Lilly's bed, signalling she was awake and listening. Crimson nodded, then took a deep breath, "Lilly. We've come to talk with you." No verbal response came from under the blanket. '-go away damn you, I don't want anypony to see me, I'm a horrible freak, just go away go away go away-' The nurse shook her head at them and mouthed; "She hasn't talked to anypony. Keep trying." "Gloom isn't here, he's been released from hospital already. But when he hears you're awake, he'll come to see you. He was very worried if you'd be alright. I mean, we were all worried. Are worried. Not that you're alright. But you're still alive." Crimson looked to Prey for help before he tied his words into any more knots. '-go away go away go away, I hate you, I hate me-' Prey looked up at the ceiling. There was nothing he could say which would help here. Words were just words, and this was something only actions could fix. Lilly wasn't in any state to listen regardless. 'The only way to turn her around at this point is either invading her mind and changing it, or if she changes it herself. But there's very little we can do to make it happen.'  Nevertheless, for Crimson, and not for Scenic or Gloom, Prey gave it a try. Prey spoke, putting on a contemplative air; "Hello Lilly. Still alive, I see. They want us to speak with you and try to make you feel better." '-Prey too, go away you nasty little lamb, I hate you, you're still healthy and going to grow up whole-' "But I'm not going to try and convince you. Talk is cheap and the supply exceeds the demand. Words are just a bit a bushel. They're easy to say, and easier to forget. Ha, what good can words do? None. If you'd wanted to hear words, you would've listened to the doctors telling you to not give up. But what do they know? They're not you. They don't understand what your life is now, do they Lilly? They're shallow, privileged, spoilt, empty fakes, am I right? They don't understand." Scenic was staring, but Crimson waved him and the aghast nurse to be quiet and let Prey work. '-what... How did he know that?-' "Words are just noises in the air, anyone can make them, and they mean nothing if you don't want them to. So when or if you want a whole bunch of useless words, I'll fetch you a newspaper about some super model busting the Gala or other such rubbish." The blanket shifted a tiny bit, '-...what?-' Prey yawned loudly on purpose so Lilly would hear, "Well, I'm tired and it's getting late. I don't have anything for you but words. If you want anything more than words, you're going to have to physically get up out of that bed and take it. Although, until you're ready to take things for yourself, you're only worth words. Cheerio for now!" Prey finished with very obvious fake cheer, and limped out the door. Lilly Blossom was too stunned to know what to think before Prey left her behind and she was out of his mental perception range. He'd said his piece, and he wasn't interested in sticking around to see what the outraged nurse had to say. Much like Nighthawk, Prey's words were chosen to stir Lilly's broken spirit back up, not to comfort her. Either it would work, or it would fail. Or that was the excuse Prey was going with. He didn't see why he'd even had to try fixing the ex-unicorn mare. But he'd been forced into so many dumb and tedious conversations since he'd woken up in this hospital, so what was one more snowflake in a blizzard? Prey waited outside the door to the room, seated against the wall until Crimson and Scenic both finished up for themselves and Crimson wheeled the Earth pony back out. "I can't believe you said that to Lilly, Prey. That was so mean." Scenic said in a hushed voice. Prey flicked a sideways glance at him, and Scenic flinched. "I said what I thought would work. Or what I thought had a decent chance of working anyways." Prey answered, although it was more for Crimson's benefit than Scenic's. Crimson just gave a single nod of understanding, "I hope your words will work. You were always the best at getting people to think what you want them to think." If Prey didn't know better, Prey would've thought Crimson knew something he shouldn't. But it was just Crimson speaking the truth as he saw it, as always. He hoped. Scenic was the outsider in this conversation, and the Earth pony knew it, but that didn't stop him from trying to join in as they wheeled him back to his hospital bed: "Poor Lilly Blossom, I can't imagine what pain she must be in. To wake up and find out you'd been turned into that, I just... I can't even... I mean how does somepony even deal with that? I know I couldn't. I'm lucky, I'm going to heal but she's not. She's stuck with freaky roots growing out her fur forever. I have Carton Juice, she's so good to me, but Lilly doesn't seem to have anypony. Why haven't her parents come? I know she has an older brother and sister, so what about them too?" Scenic rambled on while Prey and Crimson kept their peace. Scenic kept up the nervous stream of chatter all the way up until Crimson had helped him back into bed, (an effortless feat with the jade necklace), and they'd left again. Outside, Prey winced and leaned against the wall to rest for a moment. He was a lot better, but still not back to full strength yet.  'And I had precious little of that to begin with anyways.' He thought morosely.  Crimson waited for Prey to get his breath back, not offering a hoof because he obviously knew by now that's the last thing Prey would want. "Do you really think Lilly will still commit suicide? Or try to?" Crimson eventually asked. Prey huffed out a breath, "Maybe. She's not like you and me. She's a Canterlot pony, or was, I guess. I think there's a three out of ten chance she tries, and manages to succeed." Crimson's wings went stiff, "That chance is too high." Prey had nothing positive he could say to that. ------ "Alright, that's it, just pull it off gently." Doctor Humphrey encouraged. Prey opened his eyes as he pulled the last bandage from off his cheek. He grimaced and blinked, feeling the strange tingle of open air and the unexpected lightness of his face now that the annoying padding was gone. "There, much better," Doctor Humphrey, the name of the unicorn with the massive round spectacles, said, "Let me have a look and check it's all healed up." Reluctantly, Prey turned his head to the side under the light so the doctor could examine him. Examine, but not touch, Prey'd been very clear on that. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Crimson had also finished removing his own bandages, but he couldn't look just yet. Crimson had been visiting, same as he'd been doing every day and had been telling Prey more about flying and how calming it felt, when the doctor had walked in. "Ah!" Humphrey had exclaimed, pleased, "Good, you're here too. Perfect. That means I can do the both of you at once. It's finally time to take those bandages off." So that's what they'd done, and now Prey was impatiently waiting for the doctor to finish peering at his face. "Hmm. Hmmmm. Hmm hmm..." "Well?" Prey asked tersely, running out of patience. 'If you dare touch me...' "Oh, it's healed just as expected, so that's good." Humphrey lied with a slightly strained smile. "And?" Prey asked. "It, ah, it looks fine. You can hardly even notice it. Really." '-that's so ugly, and right on their faces too. I wouldn't be able to look in the mirror every morning like that-' Prey was not a proud or vain person. Wearing his ribbon just to spite everyone was proof of that, plus, he was a runt anyways. Nevertheless, Prey knew appearances were very important. Importantly deceiving.  Looking harmless and weak had always been one of Prey's greatest defences.  And scars also went beyond something that simply damaged his disguise. They represented pain, suffering, and Prey hated having them visible to everyone, who would then either judge or pity him. Exactly like those on his back, which were no one else's business but everyone was still fixating on when they thought he wasn't paying attention. And now he had more scars directly on his face for all to see. "How bad is the scarring?" Prey demanded. Humphrey quickly waved his hoof, "No no, really, it's fine. Really. Hardly noticeable." '-if my colt had scars like those, why I'd, I'd... well, I'd do something about it-' Prey scowled and turned aside from the useless doctor to someone who would not only give him a straight answer, but would also be able to provide a point of reference, "What do they look like Crimson?" Crimson wing-shrugged, "With your white fur, not that noticeable. It does look like you've been crying though. Just a bit." "Well, crying out the poison is more or less how I got them." Prey said with distaste. He strongly disliked the thought of anyone having any more of an excuse to call him 'crybaby'. He fought down the urge to touch at his cheeks, since they were still a bit raw. "And me?" Crimson asked in interest, stepping closer and bending his head down. Prey finally got a good view of the poison burns on Crimson's face, which almost certainly mirrored his own. Not that Prey was going to look in a mirror to check, no fear. Prey raised his eyebrows at what he saw. Really, it wasn't as bad as the doctor's thoughts had led him to believe. From the way the pony had been carrying on, Prey had almost been expecting gnarled tracks of raised scar tissue. It was nowhere near as dramatic as all that. Two to an eye, from each corner, and less than two inches in length a piece. Really, in the deep red fur of Crimson's face, you wouldn't even notice the thinnish pink lines at first glance.  It was still unpleasant to look at. In stories scars are cool. In real life, they're ugly things. And these were definitely ugly. Much like the shiny scar flesh left behind by a burn, that's what the lines down Crimson's cheeks looked like. Seeing them, Prey couldn't help but change his mind and lightly touch at his own face. He felt the slight, uneven divots in his checks. It was unpleasant, but judging by the feel of them, they were even smaller than Crimson's. Prey remembered that back in the grotto as the poison gas flooded in, he'd been the one to cover his eyes first. He recalled that Gloom and Crimson had also used their wings to shield their own faces. Scenic had been the most badly affected, and Prey would bet the stallion's facial scars would be the most unpleasant. Prey decided he was lucky to have gotten away the most untouched out of the four of them. One of the benefits of living with fur was it tended to cover the edges of scars and blur their outline, and, if the scars were small enough or the fur thick enough, sometimes hide them completely. Doubly so with wool, such as the ones zig-zagging across his back. 'Okay, these aren't so bad then. I could hopefully probably carry out entire conversations with people without them noticing, unless they look closely.' Prey thought, nodding to himself. "Yours aren't so bad yourself," Prey said to Crimson, "They blend in with your red fur colouring, and they're really thin." Crimson made a noncommittal grunt and shrugged, "I am alive and I'm not blind." "Although I do not recommend it so soon or without counselling, I can provide you a mirror if you wish to see for yourself. But I do recommend waiting first." Humphrey said. Crimson dismissively flicked his wing at the doctor's concerns, "A mirror, yes please." "I'm fine personally." Prey quickly said, as the doctor reluctantly pulled out a square of mirror from under a cloth. He'd had the mirror all along. Prey hurriedly averted his eyes lest he catch sight of his own reflection as Humphrey hoofed it over to Crimson. "Oh. Is that it?" Prey heard Crimson ask in a bored tone. "Ha?" Humphrey made a noise. "Yours are even less noticeable than mine Prey. Come and look for yourself." Crimson said. Prey waved Crimson off without looking, "There's no need, because I don't care. Scars don't make me whom I am, nor will I pretend they do just because other people expect it. I'm still alive and that's all that matters." Prey's noble words were really just an excuse to avoid looking in the mirror, but Crimson accepted them at face value. '-wow, what impressive mental fortitude, especially in one so young-', Humphrey thought as he received the mirror back from Crimson, impressed. While Prey and Crimson could have cared less about what the doctor thought, it would've required effort to do so. Humphrey had not been there, and despite tending to them here while in hospital, he really had been nothing more than an annoying pest most of the time. Crimson and Prey jointly gave the unicorn a pointed look, until Humphrey took the hint and left them alone. With Humphrey gone, Crimson resumed telling Prey about flying, since Crimson didn't have a lot of other interests, and flying was what he was doing with most of his free time at the moment. Six to seven hours a day of flight, actually. As an obvious result, Crimson was looking even more lean and fit than usual. "The weather in Equestria is so tame and listless. Even a foal could fly unattended without danger." "Where's a hurricane to turn dirt into sandpaper when you need one, am I right?" Prey joked with perhaps an unnecessarily cruel smile, one that Crimson just took in his stride as being Prey. When Crimson was done talking, it would be Prey's turn to tell Crimson something. To distract him, if Prey was being honest. They kept skirting around the things neither of them wanted to speak about yet, so talk of flying prevailed over the conversation instead. Prey, having the disadvantage of being a sheep, of course had no first hoof knowledge to draw from, so all he could do was listen and ask questions as Crimson talked about different types of updrafts, cloud formations, and various types of winds. Headwinds, cross winds, soft wind, hard wind, bumpy, jagged, fractured, uneven, smooth, buffeting, and many others. Who knew there were so many different types of wind? Prey certainly hadn't. But Prey did know flying was Crimson's method of coping with what had happened. Prey personally didn't really care what they talked about, just that he was talking with Crimson. The novelty of having a friend was still so fragile and new. Prey imagined Crimson secretly felt the same way, which was all Prey really wanted. Still, Crimson's new face did prompt Prey to spare a thought for what Gloom and Scenic would now look like: 'Scenic suffered the worst poisoning. I wonder how bad his scars are?' Prey wondered as he got comfortable again on the bed. --- The answer turned out to be; fairly bad. The poison trails left down Scenic's cheeks were significantly more puckered and obvious than Prey and Crimson's. Still, Prey had seen facial scarring far more disfiguring before. Like that Resistance fighter who'd had their whole cheek torn off and somehow survived the following infection. Prey had seen all sorts of terrible wounds and scars in his life, and he was mostly numbed to it. Appearance didn't reflect on someone's ability. But how well did Scenic take his new appearance? 'Let's take a wild guess,' Prey thought, 'Even putting aside him being a Guard, and not a self-image obsessed unicorn or mare, he's still a pony, and comes from the shining capital city of Canterlot. So I'm going to say 'poorly'.' Prey was one hundred percent correct. But exactly how poorly did Scenic take it? Well, when Prey and Crimson went to see Scenic for their daily visit, (Crimson's insistence), they found his giantess of a marefriend, Carton Juice, already there, and fussing over Scenic with a makeup brush to hide the scars. And Scenic was letting her work without any protest! In fact, he was anxiously asking her how it was going. "How does it look? Can they be hidden? Is it working?" "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing, my poor Spot. Now hush and hold still, I don't want to get any more in your eye." Carton fussed, her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth and nose scrunched up as she worked. The hoof mirror and various other unidentifiable implements she'd removed from her hoofbag looked tiny in the mare's huge hooves. She was working on the scarring under Scenic's eye with the piebald spot over it, which especially stood out because of the contrast in fur colour. Prey and Crimson just stood unnoticed in the door, blinking at the scene. "This is so embarrassing. I feel pathetic." Scenic mumbled, not able to meet his marefriend's eyes.  "You've been injured and hurt so badly Paint Spot. There's nothing to be ashamed about not wanting to be seen all scared." "But, uh, I'm supposed to be a stallion, and ohh, I just can't help feeling guilty. Compared to what happened to Lilly-Uh..." Scenic broke off. '-oops. I'm not supposed to talk about Lilly to non-Guards-' Carton Juice managed a worried smile, "I love you no matter what you look like, but it's you I'm worried about." "Thank you. I love you too Carton." Scenic said, finally meeting her eyes with a real smile on his lips. Then he saw Prey and Crimson standing in the open doorway. "Urk!" Scenic choked and his face went red. "You know, we could just get you a paper bag and cut out some eye holes if that'd be easier." Prey deadpanned. --- Prey had stolen Scenic's unused wheelchair parked in the corner, and was using it as his seat. "Sorry." Scenic muttered, starting at the floor tiles. Crimson paused, "Sorry? For what?"  "Yes, there's no need for you to be sorry over anything." Carton Juice quickly chimed in to reassure her coltfriend. She'd hastily repacked her hoofbag, and was now sitting next to Scenic's bed, holding his unbroken leg's hoof between her own huge two hooves. Scenic winced, face still red, "Sorry. Because of... And you guys are all scarred up too but I'm, uh..." "Worried about your looks?" Prey suggested with a false smile. "But their scars aren't as bad as yours though." Carton assured Scenic, then gasped and slapped a large hoof across her mouth, "I, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to imply-" "It is fine," Crimson interrupted, "You are merely speaking the truth." Which she was. Scenic's poison burns were much more visible than Crimson's, which meant they were extremely more visible than Prey's. Crimson's words were just the blunt truth, but they made both Scenic and Carton's ears lower in shame and embarrassment respectively.  "But you guys are just so..." Scenic made a motion to encompass Prey and Crimson, "...So blasé and not worried. Whereas I'm all, uh, embarrassed. Like I'm ashamed of us." "What us? They're your scars. Act as you wish with them." Crimson said blankly. '-he's really cold and distant. Was he like this all the time as Scenic's squad mate or is it just because I'm here?-', Carton worried, wondering if she should leave but not wanting to. "But, but it's so shallow!" Scenic exclaimed in frustration at himself: "I mean like; compared to what could've happened I'm lucky! I'm still alive and healthy, uh, relatively healthy, but Lilly's all mangled and we basically turned her into a kindersn-A, uh, er..." Scenic hastily bit his lip before he could finish that. "No, don't stop there. A 'what'?" Prey prodded. "I didn't mean that." Scenic mumbled, looking away and hunching his shoulders. Carton Juice was looking back and forth between Scenic, Prey, and Crimson in confusion. "What happened Spot? You told me there was a Lilly in your squad, dear. What happened? Is it bad?" '-Paint Spot always stops before he tells me about what actually happened. I'm no clown, I know Paint Spot's just trying to protect me, but I just want to help-' "That's not for any of us to say. Lilly's condition is private." Crimson said firmly, giving Scenic a flat look. Carton Juice gulped at Crimson's tone. Prey thought this was all vaguely amusing in a twisted kind of way. Carton was afraid of Crimson, whereas her coltfriend was more unnerved by him, Prey's private discussion with Scenic the other day notwithstanding. Usually Prey would be concerned with deceiving Scenic back into thinking he was a harmless little lamb, but really, what could Scenic do? Nighthawk was already putting Prey on a watch list, and despite his wishes, there were already too many people who knew about all the kindersnatches he'd killed with the bone rot mines so there was no hiding it. And although Prey couldn't get back at Nighthawk, he could get back at Scenic Paint a bit instead. Carton Juice gathered up her courage, squared her rather impressive shoulders, and addressed Crimson, "Mr. Crimson...Trace was it? Paint Spot hasn't told me much about your mission, but he mentioned you were part of his squad. I want to say thank you for bringing Paint Spot back to me safely. Thank you, thank you, thank you." Scenic and Carton did not know Crimson, nor were they pegasi, so they didn't spot the way his wings shuffled in embarrassment, "Keep your thanks. He almost didn't make it." 'Okay, improving at social interactions doesn't mean good at social interactions.' Prey thought, hiding a smirk at seeing Carton flinch. Crimson saw her flinch too and took a step back, "I think perhaps we should leave, this isn't a conversation worth having. Prey and me, I mean." "Wait!" Carton called, "Can't you tell me anything about what happened? Paint Spot's my special pony, I just want to know how to help." Scenic flushed again and stuttered unintelligibly, but Carton Juice didn't let his or her own embarrassment hold her back, "Please, isn't there anything you can tell me about what your mission was?" "Why do you think we could tell you anything if Scenic would not?" Crimson asked, his tone seeming to indicate offence, "You would go behind his back and try to force out details Scenic isn't willing to share? And regardless, it is restricted information. Scenic is still a Night Guard, so he is under orders not to tell you." '-so cold and aggressive-', Carton thought, shrinking down despite her being almost twice Crimson's bulk. Scenic on the other hoof looked like he didn't know whether to be grateful or upset at Crimson's refusal. Carton Juice spotted Prey though, trailing along behind Crimson, and the sight of the lamb stabbed her conscience, '-if this hurt my Paint Spot so much, what must it have done to a foal? I just want to help them all-' "But what about Prey there?" Carton called out, "He's just a foal who's gotten caught up in all of this. That's not fair to him. Are the Night Guard making sure he's getting the help he needs?" Carton Juice missed her coltfriend hastily trying to signal her to silence behind her. Instead, she tried to smile warmly at Prey while simultaneously giving Crimson a defiant look, (or trying to get up the courage for a defiant look anyway). Prey paused mid-step. "Prey..." Crimson began warningly, but then shook his head, "Actually, you do what you want. You will anyway. Although maybe try to be kind about it?" But it was just a suggestion, not an actual instruction to be kind. Crimson wasn't going to order Prey what to do any more than Prey would order Crimson to. They didn't know Carton Juice, she was overstepping, and what's more, she was only important to them because of Scenic, and not important to them personally, no matter how harsh that sounded. Prey tilted his head and treated Carton to a lovely smile. Behind his bulky marefriend, Scenic's ears went flat as he saw that. 'Let's see,' Prey pondered, 'How to hurt you?' Start by telling her just a little bit about what had happened across the Ridgeback? Alluding to the horrors of the scarecrow and reaper king should be a good start, then move onto the burning of Alfalfa Dale while they were helpless to do anything would no doubt shock her. Mention the dead animals in the gorge and how they'd died of poison, the same poison Scenic was now scarred for life from, and finish off by saying; "And you know what? We're still all a hundred times luckier than the children of Mayflower. Wanna' hear about what happened to them?" 'Yes, that'll work. For a start.' Prey decided as he craned his neck back to meet the massive mare's compassionate gaze. In her thoughts was an earnest focus on wanting to help. "Well, I suppose that depends Miss Juice," Prey said sweetly, "On what you're going to do about it." "I, huh-what?" "Well, I mean, I'm just testing the waters before I jump, you know? I'm just seeing what protection you can offer. Could you protect me from dark magic users who cut up ponies for fun? Will you throw yourself in the way of a charging reaper king for me? Or will you run away when the things in the night start to howl? Because oh, believe me, they do howl." Prey casually rubbed a hoof against his wool and examined it, as confidently nonchalant as any child who had just announced there was no such thing as faeries. "If you're scared of those monsters, why would I want your help? Because no one needs help from someone who can't help. Duh." Prey's words nailed the fears home in Carton Juice's chest, '-oh no, Scenic doesn't think I'm capable of helping. Why would he need me if I can't understand what he went through? Are my efforts not good enough? Is he just too kind to tell me he doesn't want me around anymore?-' Carton looked back anxiously at Scenic, "I, you, you don't think I'm useless, do you Paint Spot? Is that why you won't, won't tell me?" "No no, no that's not it." Scenic hurriedly said, but Carton was only half reassured. '-what if he's just saying that because he thinks I can't handle the truth?-' She licked her lips, "Is it, is it because you don't think I can understand?" Scenic looked down at the bed covers, "It's, it's not that I don't want to tell you Carton. Part of me does, but I just can't face it right now." Prey bobbed his head and hummed to himself as Carton continued to dither and ring her hooves. He just needed to add the final touches. "Mmhm hmm, Hmm mhm. Raven magpie fly away, scarecrow, keep at bay~" He hummed quietly. "What?" Scenic squawked, head snapping around to Prey. Prey blinked innocently in confusion, "Hmm?" "That, w-what you said, about a scarecrow." "Haven't you heard it? It's a village foal's nursery rhyme. Here, let me sing it for you-" "No! Uh, that is to say, no thanks. No." "What's he talking about Paint Spot?" Carton asked, with a slight look of hurt on her face. '-or is this something else he's hiding from me?-' Scenic opened his mouth. "Ah ah ah! That's restricted information too, you can't tell her that, Scenic." Prey cut him off, wagging his hoof reprovingly, "Captain Nighthawk's orders, remember? But there's nothing stopping you telling her about the other stuff. Why haven't you told her about that yet?" "Other stuff?" Carton Juice asked at the same time as Scenic said; "What other stuff?" Behind Prey, Crimson gave a small sigh, but made no move to rein the lamb in. Prey was finding this boringly easy to play off their insecurities. Carton Juice was letting herself get worked up over his words by wearing her heart on her sleeve. Carton's issue was; she still thought he was a lamb, despite Scenic having warned her multiple times not to think of Prey as a child. So she was hearing what she believed to be a guileless child speak, and not believing that Prey could be so purposefully manipulating his words. 'Right, that's the groundwork of self-doubt sufficiently laid. Now to really start building.' Prey opened his mouth to do just that, "So, Miss Carton Juice, you..." Then Prey saw the pleading look Scenic was giving him. Again, Prey remembered being a little lamb, crying under a bush as a cruel zebra voodoo witch forced him to commit murder. Prey didn't owe Scenic, if anything the Earth pony owed him, but... But would it be so difficult to give Scenic something back? If nothing else, Prey respected Scenic's desire not to become a killer. "...You really want to help, do you? That's what you've been saying each time we've met, right?" "Of course I'm willing to help anypony who needs help, even if they aren't brave enough to ask for it." Carton leaned forwards eagerly at the chance Prey seemed to be giving her. Prey smiled again, but perhaps only Crimson saw the bitter edge to it, "If you really want to help, you should get Scenic to take you to visit Lilly Blossom. Then perhaps you'll understand what kind of trauma you're up against. You won't be allowed in to see her if Scenic isn't with you, though. You both have to go. Second corridor on the left, last room on the end. Good luck. You'll need it." Then he turned and hurried out the door as Carton and Scenic tried to call him back. Crimson waved goodbye with a wing and then used it to pull the door shut as he also exited, "I hope you recover soon, Scenic, Carton Juice." --- "That was... rather more kind of you than I was expecting Prey. Kind to Carton Juice, I mean." Crimson said after a time as they made their way back through the hospital corridors. "I wasn't feeling kind." Prey muttered. "You could've started verbally pulling her life apart, I know you. But it's good that you didn't. She is not a criminal or a suspect. She's just..." Crimson paused thoughtfully. "...Just a normal, sheltered pony who hasn't had to understand that survival isn't always pretty?" Prey suggested, being perfectly serious. Crimson gave a slow nod, "Yes. That. She wouldn't have deserved it." Privately, Prey mostly disagreed, but he did acknowledge that Carton hadn't actually done anything personal to him. They walked on for half a corridor in thoughtful silence, stepping aside to let a unicorn nurse pass, towing a line of empty hospital beds in a telekinetic chain behind her. They were on the second floor, and outside the windows, Canterlot glittered in the midday sun. "Oh. I don't think I told you," Crimson abruptly spoke up, cocking an ear like he'd just remembered something, "Do you recall the night before we were set to leave on the train? Out to Mayflower, I mean?" Of course Prey remembered, he remembered everything. Or nearly everything, anyways. "Yes? What event in particular?" "We were eating in the mess hall. We had to raid Cookie's cupboards again. That was our first meal with Lilly and Scenic too." "Yeah, I remember." "Those pegasi who interrupted us, the Wonder Clouds." "The name is 'Wonderbolts'," Prey corrected, "They're supposedly a military group. Supposedly." "Wonderbolts, yes, that was them. I received a letter with a provisional offer to possibly join their unit." Crimson said blandly. "How did they even get a letter to you? You don't have an address, and we haven't moved into our flats yet." Prey chose to focus on the less important logistical detail of how, rather than if Crimson could actually be considering the offer. "They gave it to Lieutenant Starry Wing, who gave it to me." "...And?" Prey eventually prompted. "It said their commander was impressed with reports of my flying and would extend a place for tryouts. Said how big of a privilege and rare opportunity this was. She wrote about tradition and performance a lot." Crimson recalled. "No, what I meant was, did you accept it?" "What? No, of course not." Crimson flicked his wing in distaste, "I would never abandon my duty to Princess Luna. I just thought you would get a laugh out of it. I mean, that's the sort of thing you seem to find amusing, the shallowness of Canterlotiens and all." "Knowing you, yes, I suppose it is funny that they'd think they even had a chance of swaying you with the paltry promises of fame and fortune." Prey agreed, the slight feeling of worry lifting from off his shoulders. It really had only been silly to be concerned. They were almost back to Prey's room. They hadn't been taking the most direct route, rather walking around the hospital's perimeter so Prey could stretch his legs like the doctors had ordered. Muscle and body wise, Prey was feeling mostly back to normal. Aside from his eyesight. He could've been released already, but the hospital was reluctant to release a young child who'd suffered such appalling injuries as he had. Their words, not his. Plus, the doctors were still deeply concerned about where his whip scars had come from and wanted answers. Well tough, they weren't getting any. They had tried gently broaching the topic and asking tangential questions, but Prey had stone walled them every single time. And Crimson and Gloom weren't asking. They didn't seem to want to know the answer, not yet at least. As the two of them walked, they occasionally passed other patients, sometimes hospital staff, in both cases Prey kept Crimson between him and them, but over all, the hospital wasn't very full. Prey estimated at least half the rooms weren't in use, with beds stripped of linen. 'How nice for them, to have such security in their overabundance.'  Crimson nodded in agreement when Prey said so out loud. As they came up to Prey's hospital room door, for just the slightest fraction of a moment, Prey hesitated. But then he kept walking. Crimson had already taken a few quick paces ahead, so he could politely get the door for Prey, and just as he was about to hook his wing under the handle, it opened inwards. Crimson took a quick step backwards, and the violet unicorn nurse almost ran muzzle first into Crimson. "Oh!" She exclaimed.  She blinked. Crimson blinked. They did that awkward little dance where they both tried to step to the same side to get out of the other's way. Pause. "Please excuse me." And with that, the violet mare slipped past and trotted off down the hall. It was just a nurse, one of many in the comings and goings of the hospital. Prey wandered into his room, but Crimson however frowned slightly, and looked out the door after the departing mare. "Is something wrong?" Prey asked. "She smelled of washed away blood." Crimson stated. Prey came back out to look after her too, "Washed out blood? She was a nurse, might that have something to do with it?" "Yes, no. Maybe. I don't know. I don't smell any actual blood." Crimson paused and considered, "She just smelled a lot like you. And me." "Did she now?" Prey narrowed his eyes, and more carefully hid the rolled note from the disguised Lemon Pink under his wool, "I'll make sure to keep an eye open if I see her again." "I will do so too. It's probably nothing, but a warrior must never let his guard down." --- Prey made sure the door was firmly shut before he clambered back up into the bed and unrolled Lemon's note. Crimson had taken off, quite literally, to find something to eat, since he was no longer a patient here and so wouldn't be served lunch by the hospital staff. Bad luck for Crimson, since free food was always free food. If Prey hadn't known that the nurse was actually Lemon Pink under an illusionary veil, he would've been a lot more concerned about a mimic laying a trap in his room. As it was, there was a small runic array on the door frame which told Prey if anyone had entered while he was gone. Not who, how many, or when, but it still served its purpose. Lemon Pink of course knew the array was there, and had reset it on her exit, just like Prey did every time he left the room. If someone else had been in the room before Lemon Pink, she would've loudly thought about it for Prey to pick up when she passed him in the corridor just now. She hadn't, so that was good. Prey glanced at the bedside table, at the small statue of Celestia cast in a regal pose set there. Just like he'd asked Lemon to fetch. Prey hated the sight of it, but needs must. It was important for his long term plans. With a sneer of distaste, he turned the little figurine around so it faced the wall, and went back to decoding the encrypted note. Prey was pleased by what he read. The note was good news, mostly. In it, Prey's biggest and most immediate concern had been addressed. The veropedes had been fed, and Lemon Pink had managed, through a light application of mind magic, to secure a meat supply from three different farmers who raised pigs as a side business. Lemon had worn a different illusionary disguise for each farmer, of course. And, it seemed, she'd already found a possible solution to Prey's second need. A secret base. Prey's suggestion about the sewers had led Lemon to stumbling upon an alternative that might, from first appearances, suit Prey's purposes even better. Quite by accident Lemon had found a cave down inside of the mountain Canterlot was built onto. The cave was reachable either from Lower Canterlot, or by tracking through the undercity pipework. On further investigation, Lemon had discovered that the cave was part of an extensive cave network which delved deep into the earth beneath Mount Canter. Lemon had not ventured into the depths, but she confirmed there were no signs of any animal life or pony activity. It might prove to be perfect. It should even be possible to get the veropedes up there. The bad news was a little more abstract, or at least more distant. There were two pieces of it, kind of. The first was about the Diamond Dogs. When Lemon had returned to the woods with a small herd of pigs with which to feed the hungry veropedes, her trip had taken her near the site from which she'd originally set out from with the splinter pack of Diamond Dog guides to cross the Ridgeback with. Then she'd tricked, drugged, and sacrificed all the dogs to hatch her veropede. 'Murdered' was the correct word. On Prey's orders, even if only by her interpretation of them. At the old meeting place, Lemon had found fresh signs of at least two Diamond Dogs searching the site, before the tracks set off in the direction of the Ridgeback, retracing Lemon's steps. It was obvious these dogs were looking for the splinter pack, not knowing they were all dead. Perhaps they might even be family? They'd find nothing, but Prey once again felt the weight of being Prey. Everything had a price, including survival.  The second piece of bad news wasn't even technically that. It wasn't anything Lemon Pink had included in her brief report. In fact, it was the absence that prickled the back of Prey's neck. There was the sense that there was something wrong, something which he couldn't rightly put his hoof on. It was nothing Lemon Pink wrote, no change in the rhythm of words or gap in her explanation. Lemon Pink was completely loyal to him, so he wasn't worried about her trying to betray him or something. She was his tool. But Prey was still getting the sense that something was amiss. Lemon Pink may not even be aware of it herself, which was actually a large part of Prey's concern. Lemon Pink had been created by Prey binding together his memories with the remnants of Night Watcher, a process that was neither stable nor safe. It wasn't a process which Prey had ever performed before, and he didn't know if there were long term side effects. Lemon Pink had always been flawed, but were there now more cracks developing? This was the third time Prey had gotten this vague impression about Lemon Pink. 'Or is it just my own lingering paranoia over the mimics? A better question is, what am I going to do about it either way?' Prey looked up sharply and crumpled the note into a tiny ball. There was a brisk knock on the door and then it opened before Prey could respond. Lieutenant Starry Wing stood there. Behind him there were two other Night Guards, both carrying spears, and beside them, to Prey's surprise, was Crimson. What was he doing back here so soon? Prey got the feeling he was about to find out. "Prey, if you could join us. There is a meeting you need to attend." Starry Wing ordered politely, but it was still an order. Did that mean Prey was resuming active Guard duty as of right now? "Yes, sir." Prey said, climbing down from the bed. "Ah, no, you're still on enforced leave, so it's not sir." Starry Wing shook his head. 'Yet you're still giving me orders.' Prey thought. Starry Wing stepped aside to let Prey join them in the corridor. Prey sent a look to Crimson, but he just got a shake of the head in return, indicating he didn't know what this was about either. Starry Wing saw the look, "Happily, we flew into Crimson on the way here. It's a bit of good luck really, as he's needed for this meeting." The Lieutenant seemed to be in a strange mood. Frustratingly, Starry Wing's thoughts weren't providing a convenient answer either this time. Starry Wing set off at a brisk pace through the corridors, and Prey had to hurry to keep up with everyone else. The other two Night Guards, a mare, and a thin bony thestral stallion, didn't know why they'd been brought along either, just that they were ordered to come armed to act as a protection detail. '-seems likely to be a secret meeting we'll be standing guard for-' '-hardly any different from standing guard every night in the Palace then-' "It's good to see that you're healing up nicely," Starry Wing said over his shoulder as he led the way, "Except for the scars, sorry about those. We were all worried when we heard about, well, you know. I'm just thankful to Luna you all made it back." Luna. The dark alicorn's name echoed oddly in Starry Wing's head for some reason today. "Here we are. After you two." Starry Wing said, abruptly coming to a halt beside a nondescript hospital door and pulling it open. Crimson moved forwards to enter first, as the two Night Guards took up positions on either side of the plain door at a nod from the Lieutenant. Prey looked up and down the corridor, uneasy. "After you Prey." Starry Wing repeated, still holding the door. Without much choice, Prey followed Crimson in, hugging the other side of the door to keep out of Starry Wing's reach. Prey looked around. The room was decently sized. It looked like a conference room of some sort, with a long oval table in the middle with chairs drawn up around it, and a large blackboard against one wall. The hospital managers must use it for meetings. The room was a bit dim, the blinds half drawn. Crimson moved to stand in the middle of the room by the oval table, looking the otherwise empty room over. He turned back around as Starry Wing came in, shutting the door behind him. "My apologies for the bit of cloak and dagger, but this visit wasn't something the Night Guard could take lightly. It was last minute and unplanned." He said, striding around the table and towards the closed opposite door. Starry Wing didn't give Prey or Crimson the chance to respond or ask questions. He rapped sharply three times on the closed door. With a tint of pride in his eyes, Starry Wing pulled the door open and bowed, "Your Majesty. Both Prey and Crimson are here." There was a shift of dark blue, and the sparkle of starlight. A cold breath of air washed through the room, like the chill air of a cloudless night. Crimson's eyes widened and he quickly dropped into a bow. Prey instinctively froze, his hooves rooted to the carpet. With a glance that surveyed all and took command of everything she saw, Princess Luna swept into the room. ---I---