Hope and Shadows
Chapter 9 "Metal and Muffins Part 2."
By Steven Little
My Little Pony © Hasbro
"Dawn, please come out, you've been cooped up in your room for two months now. Please sweetie, we miss you." Luna called through her daughter's bedroom door.
"No! Go away, I don't want to see anypony! Just leave me alone!" She hollered at her parent.
"If that is what you wish angel, just remember that we love you and we're always here for you." Luna said as she slowly walked down to the main area of their tree home.
"She still won’t come out?" Twilight asked.
"No; I know she has to come out sometime to eat and use the bathroom but I don't know when." Leaning down she whispered in Twilight's ear. "I'm going to stay up all night and try to see when she leaves and where she goes."
Twilight nodded her understanding. "What about Dusk, I haven't seen him around the house lately."
"He's been over at the Whooves with Tootsie Flute. For the last few days, he's been needed over there for some special project, he won’t tell me what." Luna sighed. "What are we going to do about our kids? One is heartbroken and so afraid of herself that she's locked herself away from the world, not letting anypony see her. The other is oblivious to the fact that a mare is in love with him."
"Wait, Dusk has an admirer?" Twilight asked.
"She's a little more than an admirer. Haven't you noticed how Tootsie Flute looks at him? It the same way you look at me when you think I'm not paying attention." She said smiling.
"Tootsie Flute, really? Hmm, I suppose you should talk with him about this or at least Tootsie, I'm sure she could use a supportive word."
"What about you?" Luna asked.
"Dear, you're much better at talking to ponies about this sort of thing."
"What are you talking about, you were great the last time. The way you helped Sweetie Belle and then with Jato and Honey, it was wonderful. Besides, I don't know if I can do this without you. These are our children we're talking about; I know you want them to be as happy as I do. Something about these events tells me they are as connected in this as in everything. If we're going to help them we will need to aid them at the same time and I need your help for that."
"Yes Luna, you're right of course. I've been so tied up in my research on the High Queen that I seem to have neglected my duties to our family. As soon as Dusk comes home, I'll talk with him. I think you should handle things with Dawn. I've never had to deal with the loss of a limb while you, I mean, your wings, when…"
"I understand my love, I wish you wouldn't still feel guilty about that; it was a long time ago and it wasn't your fault. Besides, you gave me these new beautiful wings so it all worked out in the end, I only hope the same can be said for Dawn." Twilight got up from her books and hugged her wife tightly. "We'll make it through this somehow Twilight. We've dealt with far worst things in the last twenty years. We'll make it"
Luna had raised the moon an hour ago. The night was still as a gentle fog rolled in, covering the ground in a spectral veil. Normally, the light of the heavens would have stood out strikingly from the black of the evening but on this night, Luna wanted to make sure that anypony that wanted to move around in the dark without being noticed, could do so. The Princess of the Moon was waiting in the darkness, concealed by the shadows. The night and all things dark was her domain alone and it obeyed her slightest whim. As she pulled a large group of clouds in front of the moon, concealing it's light, Luna was rewarded by movement from one of the upstairs rooms. A silhouette of an alicorn hobbled onto the balcony, breathing in the night's crisp winter air. Spreading her wings, she took flight toward the northeast corner of town. Letting her get a short lead, Luna flew off after her wayward daughter.
Luna silently shadowed her daughter as she flew towards the White Tail Woods. Veering off to the left suddenly, Luna had to brake with her wings quickly to keep from flying into her. Hovering in the air, Luna followed Dawn with her eyes, watching her float down to the roof of a mailbox shaped house. 'I figured as much.' She thought to herself. Luna landed like a wraith behind her daughter but remained in the shadows watching her. Dawn lay on the roof watching the workshop in the back yard, trying to get a glimpse of what was being worked on.
"Quite the beehive of activity down there. At least I know where your brother's been running off to everyday instead of attending his lessons." Luna said quietly as she stepped out of the shadows
Dawn whipped her head around quickly. "Mom! What are you doing here?" She asked as she tried to get up on her three remaining hooves.
"Easy sweetheart, I only want to talk." Luna told her as she lay next to her.
Dawn turned her attention back to the workshop below. "So, Dusk is in there too? I should have figured that out when my projections kept bouncing back. He's shielded the whole workshop."
"Any idea why?"
"No, and I really don't care." She stated plainly.
"If that’s the case, then why are you here Dawn? You're mother and I are very worried about you."
"I miss my friend. Dinky hasn't come to visit me and when I tried to visit her one night she gasped when she saw me at the door then slammed it in my face." Dawn began to cry. "She yelled at me and told me to go away. Am I really that horrifying?"
Luna hugged her crying daughter. "She doesn't think you're a monster and she certainly doesn't hate you dear, quite the opposite."
"What do you mean? What other reason could there be?" Dawn asked her. "Even in the hospital, you saw how she reacted. She was freaking out and when you couldn't fix my leg then she just ran off. She doesn't want anything to do with me anymore."
"I remember but I must have been in a different room because I saw something much different.” Luna explained. I saw a mare distraught over her friend’s injury and the belief that she was the reason for it. Didn't you hear what she said to us? She was willing to sacrifice her magic, her very life to make you whole again. That's not the actions of somepony that doesn't care about you. Haven't you noticed how that gray filly acts around you? It's quite adorable actually."
"Are you serious, Mom? Dinky and I are simply friends and nothing more." She said crestfallen. "I hardly think somepony as smart and attractive as Dinky would waste their time on me."
"I don't recall you having such a negative self image before the accident." Luna commented. "So, you think she's pretty huh?"
"What?! No, I mean yes she is but that's not what I meant."
"What did you mean then?" Luna asked smiling. Dawn stammered for a moment then hung her head in defeat. "So, how long have you known that you like mares?"
"A while now. I just never was interested in colts. They're just so crude and the though of some grunting sweating stallion on my back is possibly the most distasteful thing I’d ever considered."
Luna laughed quietly. "I don't think I've heard it put quite that way before but I think I understand what you mean."
"Mom, it's not funny; I do sort of really like Dinky but she hates me now or at the very least she doesn't want anything to do with me anymore because I look like something a dragon coughed up; I really miss being around her. What am I going to do?"
"While I think Spike would take offense to that comment, you are not ugly. You're not deformed or mangled; you had an accident helping a friend that you care about a great deal more than I think you're admitting. Dawn, if Dinky doesn't want you in there it's most likely because she's working on something for you, but I have no idea what."
"So, what are you going to do?" Dawn asked curiously.
"First, I'm going to try and contact your brother and ask him what's going on. He can deny you all he wants but he will not deny me." Luna concentrated for a moment trying to reach her son then recoiled as if someone took a swing at her. "That boy is asking for trouble. Dawn go home and wait for me, and please have something to eat and speak with your mother, she's as worried about you as I am."
"But Mom, I want to help if I can." Dawn insisted.
"I'm sorry dear but no, what you need right now is food and rest. I wasn't joking when I said your mother is worried, she's been reorganizing the same section of books for three days. She says she's doing research but she only reorganizes like that when she's either really worried or frustrated."
Luna helped her daughter to her hooves and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Alright mom, I'll go home and talk with mother but when you return home, I want to know what's going on in there."
"You have my word Angel, I will tell you of my discoveries when I return." Dawn smiled for the first time in months then turned and flew off toward the library. Luna turned her attention toward the workshop. "Dusk, you are about to learn why it is unwise to anger your mother."
Dusk peaked out the window again. "They're gone." He announced to the four other ponies in the workshop. They gave a collective sigh when the lights of the workshop started to dim. The five ponies in the shop looked around them as the shadows on the walls grew large and seemed to move of their own accord.
"So, you would dare prevent the Princess of the Night to ask a simple question of those my children consider friends." Using the Royal Canterlot voice hurt her throat these days but the effect was unquestioningly helping.
"Mom, would you cut it out? Stop being so melodramatic and scaring everypony." Dusk called out to the inky blackness.
The shadows and darkness swirled around to the center of the room and faded away leaving Luna standing there in all her royal glory. "You really know how to ruin somepony's fun. And just so you know young colt, you are not too big for me to turn over my knee and spank that flank; think about that next time you slam an ethereal door in your mothers face."
The other ponies in the room started to giggle except for Tootsie Flute who's coat turned decidedly redder. Dinky hurried to cover the workbench with a cargo blanket. "Uhm, what can I do for you Princess?"
"Since when have you ever been formal with me Dinky? Even as a young filly you always called me by my name." Dinky turned her face away from Luna, ashamed to even meet her gaze.
Julian walked over and sat next to his daughter. "Sorry about being so secretive Luna but Dinky here has been under a lot if stress for the last few months. She feels guilty about what happened to Dawn, so much so that she destroyed every one of her inventions to get the parts necessary to build these." He said pointing to a shelf on the far wall. Standing on the shelf sat what looked like three mechanical legs. The first one was crude, rough, and consisted of a solid metal beam coming down in to a joint then moving down into a stationary metal hoof. The second one was much more elaborate, the whole leg was bronze in color and used gears and pulleys to manipulate the knee and ankle.
"You made these, for Dawn?"
"Yes, I figured if magic couldn't fix her than maybe science could.” She said.
“At first she wanted to replicate the leg of a Cyber-pony but I forbade it. Instead, I told her that if she rally wanted to make something for Dawn that meant anything, she’d have to do it on her own.” Julian informed her.
“And I’m glad he did because I think I’ve come up with something far better that those dumb machines.” Dinky said, pointing to the legs on the shelf. “The first two there are little more than elaborate prosthetics, the third one is a bit more complicated with an articulated knee and ankle that is controlled through muscle movements of the shoulder and upper arm, but this one here on the work bench, I think is truly something." Dinky whipped off the cargo blanket reveling a leg that was unlike anything Luna has seen before. The whole apparatus was snow white, streamlined, and as smooth as glass. It was far thinner than any of the other legs and was the complete opposite of clunky. Luna inspected the leg closely; everything about it was crafted with the utmost care. The joints of the ankle seemed to have garnered special attention, as it appeared to be the most intricate part of the artificial appendage. Lying next to the leg were four rectangular slips of metal and what appeared to be a round brace with a hole in the center and four radiating arms coming off its sides.
"This is amazing. What are these little bits here off to the side? I can't seem to find any place on the leg where they would fit"
"Those little rectangular things are actually contacts for the leg. The circular piece is a brace that is surgically implanted and connected to the bone. The contacts are attached afterward and lay against the skin outside the leg. The brace gives a more stable anchor for the new leg and also connects the patients nervous system to the leg so they can actually control it with their thoughts like any other appendage." Tootsie Flute announced proudly.
"So this leg is not permanently attached?" Luna questioned further.
"Oh no, it has to be able to come off for maintenance and in case it gets damaged somehow. To have surgery each time would be horribly taxing on the patient." Fluttershy explained.
"This is the first prototype that is a truly autonomous limb, the patient can move it around like they would a real limb. I had been hoping to refine it further but it will have to be done later, I don't think we can keep Dawn out much longer." Dinky told her.
"Why don't you want Dawn to know what you're doing? I know she'd find all of this interesting. Why all the secrecy?" Luna asked.
"I didn't want her to know in case something went wrong or we couldn't get the interface to work correctly, I didn't want her to get her hopes up. So far, everything looks good and there shouldn't be any problems. I have a few more things I have to tie up on my own and then we'll be ready. I'll let you know when we're ready and then we can talk to Dawn. Princess, please let Dawn know that I don't hate her. Please tell her that I, that I'm sorry." Dinky said. "All of you, thank you for your help, but I have to go now. The night is getting late and if I don't leave now, my timetable will be thrown off. When I'm ready, I'll send each of you a message with instructions, thank you again." Dinky grabbed some sketches off the workbench and stuffed them in her saddlebags; hitching them up she walked out of the workshop and into town.
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Dinky had long passed through town and was now walking past the cottage Fluttershy and Big Macintosh shared. As she walked past the small home, a voice called to her. "Dinky, wait up, there's somthin’ I want to talk to you about." The gray mare turned around to see Macintosh trotting over to her.
"Hey Big Mac, how are you tonight? Oh and Fluttershy should be home soon, sorry about keeping her out so late."
"I'm doing fine and I'm not worried about Shy, she told us about what y'all are up to and I wanted to let you know that I think what y'all are doing is great." Mac told her, smiling. "I know how you feel about Dawn and I know how hard it's been on you these last couple of months but I think you really should talk about all of this with her. The poor thing can be as oblivious about things as her brother. Don't get me wrong, I like them both but I swear they’re just like their parents, can't see what's right in front of them sometimes."
"Thanks Mac. I promise, after tonight, I'll talk to Dawn and tell her everything but for now, I have something I need to do." Dinky said as she turned and stated walking toward the Everfree forest.
"You aint goin’ in there are you, not at this time of night?" Macintosh asked with a worried tone in his voice.
"I have to, I have to talk to somepony; I need to know that the artificial leg is the only option for Dawn."
"Well at least let me come with you just in case anything in there gets it in their head to take a swing at you."
"What about Chaser, who's going to watch him till Fluttershy gets back?" She asked.
"Oh, no worries about that, Fluttershy's parents are visiting us and I'm sure they wouldn't mind. Let me go talk to them and I'll be right back." Big Macintosh galloped off toward the house and after a short while, returned with a large set of saddlebags slung across his back. "Alright, the In-laws will be watching Chaser so we can go when ever you're ready." Dinky didn't want to admit it but she was glad to have some muscle around considering where she was headed.
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The two ponies had walked for what seemed like hours. Neither Dinky nor Macintosh had any idea where they were going but somehow it felt right to the gray mare. "I hate to ask an obvious question but do you know where you're headed?"
"I know where the destination is but the journey is a complete mystery to me. I'm going on instinct right now and that tells me I'm going the right way." Shortly they came to a bridge of stone and mortar spanning an impressive chasm. To the left side of the bridge was another much older bridge made of rope and planks that looked as though it would fall apart should a feather have the impudence of landing on it's weathered surface.
"I vote we take the stone bridge, that one doesn't look to sturdy." Macintosh offered. As the large red stallion finished his sentence, a leaf from a nearby tree gently floated down to land upon one of the worn planks of the rope bridge; with a gentle groan, the once tattered bridge fell apart in a cloud of dust and rot, descending into the inky depths below.
"I think I’m going to trust you on this one." Dinky said as they started across. "I don't know what it is but this all feels familiar somehow. I think Twilight told me about this place, I think this is where the girls defeated Nightmare Moon all those years ago."
"I think your right, Applejack told me all about it, she even mentioned that old bridge back there but if this is the old castle, where did the new bridge come from?"
"An astute observation, I always knew you were the more attentive of your family." Came a familiar voice. "No offense but your sisters can be a bit impetuous at times." Discord said, stepping out of the shadows.
"Oh no." Macintosh said, shaking his head. "Dinky, did you know this is where you were headed?"
"Uhm, yes."
"I thought that much would be obvious. You two have been heading straight for my home since you entered the forest. Please, come inside make yourselves comfortable, I will not be accused of being an inhospitable host." Discord led them a short way from the bridge to a manicured park cut from the wilds of the Everfree Forest. In the middle of the picturesque setting was the Castle of the Pony Sisters completely restored to its former glory. The rotting stonework had been replaced with smooth walls of alabaster, trimmed with gold. The castle soared three stories into the sky, it’s gleaming towers stretching to the heavens, surrounded by clouds of cotton candy, heavy with their sugary chocolate rain. At the tip of the towers conical roofs stood a tower, pennants depicting the sun and the moon flapping gaily in the light breeze. As they drew closer, the rest of the castle could bee seen between the numerous tress surrounding the ancient home of Equestria’s Royalty.
Dinky looked up and imagined she could see all the way to Canterlot from the parapet running along the uppermost walkway. "What is this place?" Dinky asked.
"This is the old castle where Celestia, Luna and their mother ruled Equestria from. When I decided to hang around until I was needed, I rebuilt the place. It reminds me of some better times. Besides, where would you rather live, here or some crumbling ruins?"
"Point taken." She said. The two ponies followed him into the castle and to what Dinky supposed was the old throne room. From what she saw on the way to the main gallery, the gray mare guessed that the entire castle was made of alabaster, marble, and gilded in gold. The throne itself was a gaudy wooden thing that Dinky could never picture one of the Princesses using.
"Now, not that I mind the company or anything, but why are you here and please don't leave anything out. I hate it when stories are edited for length. Just start talking and if I need more clarification I'll let you know. "
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Since Luna left to follow their daughter, Twilight had been waiting for thier son to return. She was fairly startled when Dawn walked trough the front door. "Dawn, I thought you were still hold up in your room. You've had us so worried, are you okay?"
"Yes mother,” she said, sitting next to her on the couch. “I think I'm going to be okay. Mom and I talked for a bit and it helped but she told me to talk to you too. I want you to know that I'm fine Mother. I'm sorry I made you worry."
Twilight hugged her daughter tightly. "I'm sorry Dawn, I don't mean to be so doting on you but you were my first child. I had you and Dusk at the same time but you were first and that means something to me, I've just been so worried. I've looked through every book I own and even through the libraries of Canterlot. There's nothing I can find that can replace your leg. You have no idea how useless I feel. I was able to give Luna her wings back after she lost them, even if it was only for a little while, but legs are just too complicated. I'm sorry." Twilight told her as she started to weep.
Dawn hugged her mother back as best she could. "It's okay momma, it's not your fault. It's not anyponies fault, It just happened. If I had to loose a leg so Dinky can live than that's the way it has to be."
"Oh good, you're both here." Luna said as she and Dusk walked into the house. "Thank you for doing as I asked Dawn. Dusk, sit down and start explaining everything to your sister."
"Do I have to mom? Dinky is going to kill me if I tell her."
"I'll deal with Dinky, start talking." Luna ordered.
"Fine, okay." He said as he turned to his twin sister. "Sis, it's like this; Dinky has had me keep your mind out of the workshop to keep you from finding out what she's building. She feels really awful about you loosing your leg so for the last two months with her dad, Fluttershy and Tootsie, she's been building you a new leg."
"What?" Dawn asked dumbfounded.
"A little more detail perhaps Dusk." Twilight asked him.
"Okay, she's actually built four legs. The first two are really crude; the third one was better but still not all that great. This last one she's made is amazing though."
"What you're brother isn't telling you is that Dinky destroyed all her inventions, even the new ones to get the parts she needed to make them. This is the only thing she's worked on in months. She blames herself for what happened and she's trying do everything she can to make it better. She didn't tell you because she didn't want to get your hopes up."
Dawn slowly got up from the sofa. "Where is she?" She asked flatly.
"She said she had some loose ends to tie up but that she'd see you tomorrow." Luna told her.
"Fine, but tomorrow I'm putting an end to this nonsense. She need's to realize this isn't her fault, even if I have beat it into her." Dawn said irritated. "Until then, I think I'm going to go sleep, wake me if the house catches fire."
They watched Dawn slowly climb the stairs and disappear into her room. Twilight turned her attention to her son. "And what about you, are you still oblivious of your devotee?"
"What are you talking about mom?" Dusk wondered.
"You see what I'm talking about dear? The ponies in this family can't see what's right in front of them half the time." Twilight sighed.
"You would know dear, you were just as unaware with me. For the longest time I couldn't tell if you liked me either but here we are." Luna said.
"Okay, you two are starting to creep me out." Dusk told them.
"It's okay Dusk, I'm sure in time, you'll understand. Now we're going to bed and I suggest you do the same. It's been a long day and something tells me tomorrow is going to be just a long." Twilight started up the stairs with Luna close behind, leaving Dusk sitting by himself, totally confused.
Up in the bedroom, Luna was brushing her mane while Twilight waited for her in bed. "I think I'll go talk to Lyra and Bonbon tomorrow. I'm sure they've notice Tootsie's behavior, I know they can help.
Luna climbed into bed with her wife. "I'm sure you're right but lets talk about something else for now hmm?" Luna said stroking Twilight's cheek with her wing.
"Oh! Have anything in particular in mind Lulu?" She said smiling, and giving Luna as sultry a look as she could manage.
"I could think of one or two things." Luna said, rubbing Twilight cutie mark with a free hoof.
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Discord flipped through schematics Dinky had brought with her. "Interesting, I must say this is quite ambitious. When do you plan on building it?"
"It's already finished." Dinky informed him.
"If that's the case, then what do you need me for? Don't get me wrong. I find it refreshing the Celestia is actually willing to admit there is something that even she can't do but if you already have a solution to your problem, why talk to me about it?"
"Your magic is different from theirs, I wanted to know if there is anything you can do to give her a real flesh and blood leg again. The leg I built is a last resort, I'd do anything to put her back the way she was."
"Anything?" He asked; his interest peaked.
"I'd give up my magic, my very life if only to fix what I did to her." Dinky said, tears welling up in her eyes.
Discord laughed loudly. "Oh dear, nothing so melodramatic. I can give her a new leg of flesh and bone easily but it comes at a price not many are willing to pay."
"What are you up to Discord?" Macintosh asked.
"What would you require?" Dinky asked.
"Well my dear, the first thing you must understand is that you cannot create something from nothing. If you wish to gain, something must first be sacrificed. If you want Dawn to have a whole leg again, I will need yours, in return."
"What?" She asked dumbfounded. "My leg?"
"Yes child. I cannot truly create a new leg for her but I can swap her limb for yours. How do you think I got all these different limbs? I didn't always look like this you know." There was a brilliant flash of light and before the two ponies stood a curious creature. His back end was equine with the exception of a long dragons tail, a tuft of fur at the end. His fore legs were actually arms ending in a set of claws and on his back was a set of brown dragon wings. His neck was a little longer than Macintosh's and his head was that of a pony with a long unicorns horn gracing his forehead. He was covered in chestnut fur from his nose to his flank with a jet-black mane that traveled from between his ears all the way down his neck, back, and finally ending midway down his tail. The tuft of fur and the small beard under his chin were both a silvery white color. "Once upon a time, I looked like this. There was some; events, and I became the creature you know me as today."
"You looked more normal than you do now but what are you, really?" Dinky asked
"The appropriate name is Kirin. Back then, that was my name as well. My father was a dragon but my mother was a unicorn. To be honest I'd rather not talk about it. So, what is your decision? If you trust your invention so completely than I see no reason why you wouldn't be willing to use it yourself."
"Careful Dinky, think about this before you agree to anything." Macintosh warned.
"Will it hurt her? Dinky asked.
"The process is unpleasant and quite painful." He said honestly. "But a faint heart never won fair lady."
"If I do this, I don't want her to feel a thing. I'll feel it for her if that's possible." Dinky said.
Discord was shocked for a moment. "Maybe I was downplaying this a bit. The pain will be severe. To feel it for two ponies is, for lack of a better term, unthinkable."
"What's the matter Discord, I thought you liked the random and unthinkable? I'll do it, I'll allow you to give my leg to Dawn; I'll use the mechanical version myself." Dinky said. "Oh, and one more thing, while there is no danger that would require you to be in your actual form, I'd like you to stay as you are right now. I must say it is easier on the eyes and would allow you to walk around in broad daylight without drawing too much attention."
"You're devious, I like that but we never discussed terms of payment.” Discord said with a toothy grin. “I will swap your limb with Dawn's and I shall remain as you see me now, all I ask in return is that you do a favor for me at a later time of my choosing. Nothing big, nothing life changing, just a simple teensy little favor sometime down the road.”
“Agreed.” Dinky said without batting an eye.
“You can’t be serious Dinky, think about it at least, talk to your parents!” Macintosh pleaded.
“No, if this is what it takes, than so be it.” The gray mare stated resolutely.
“Excellent, It'll be worth it to rub Celestia's face in something she couldn't do." He said snickering. "This is going to be so much fun!"
"Alright. We need to get things set up at the hospital. Macintosh, when you get home, have Fluttershy and the others gather in the lobby outside the number two operating theater. If you would Discord, I'll have you teleport Dawn there as well. I don't want her mothers to interfere. If they knew it was you, I'm afraid they'd tried to stop us."
"Oh course my dear. Are we all ready, good?" Discord snapped his fingers and they appeared in the lobby outside the operating theater.
"Where's Big Macintosh?"
"I sent him home to do as you asked him. We shall wait here until everything is prepared to your satisfaction, then I'll get that little alicorn you're obsessed about.
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Fluttershy and Big Macintosh ran all over Ponyville waking the ponies needed and brought them to the hospital. Fluttershy and Tootsie Flute were the first to arrive. "Dinky, are you okay?" Tootsie Flute asked.
"I'm fine and thank you for coming."
"Are you sure you want to do this Dinky, I mean isn't it dangerous?" Fluttershy asked.
"I assure you Fluttershy, this process is simpler and far less invasive than what you will attempt when you implant the brace for the new leg." Discord informed her.
"Macky told me you changed but I didn't know you looked like that once. It's so much nicer than the way you normally look." Discord didn't know how to respond. Next to enter was Macintosh and Julian. Across his back, the chestnut stallion wore a pair of saddlebags that contained the new leg and brace.
"Muffin, are you sure you want to do this?" Julian asked,
"Yes Daddy. You didn't tell mom what was going on did you?"
"I don't have the strength to tell her, we'll have to do it later. In her current state she's far too emotional to handle this."
"Well, are we ready, should I snag your filly?" Discord asked.
"We're as ready as we can be. Go ahead.” Dinky told him.
Discord concentrated hard and suddenly Dawn appeared before them.
"Where am I? What am I doing here?"
"Make it quick Dinky.” Discord told her. “I can tell that Celestia is already aware of what's going on. I’m keeping her from teleporting in but I’m still afraid she'll show up any minute to stop us."
Dinky ran to Dawn and, taking her face in her hooves she looked her right in the eyes. "Dawn, there's little time to explain fully but if there was a way to give you your leg back, would you take it?"
"My family told me about the leg you're working on. Of course I'd accept it."
"That's not what I mean." She said shaking her head, tears falling from her eyes. "I'm talking about a real leg of flesh and bone. You'd be back the way you were. If it were possible, would you do it?"
"Well yes but I don't see how…"
"That's good enough for me." Dinky said. "Discord, do it, now before the Princess comes."
"Macintosh, Julian, you're going to want to hold her down, this is not going to be pleasant. I caution all of you to look away. This process isn't for the faint hearted." Macintosh and Julian both sat on Dinky, effectively pinned her to the ground. "Are you ready Dinky?"
"Yes, now do it before it's too late!" Discord reached out and took hold of both ponies. Closing his eyes, his horn began to glow with a dark green aura. Dark magic began to spill from his horn as if it were brackish water. Splashing on the tile floor it moved and formed itself into a circle of glyphs, runes, and geometric shapes. In the center of the circle was a triangle with Discord, Dawn ,and Dinky at each corner.
Discord began to mutter in a strange language but only barely above a whisper. Dinky let out a primal screamed from under the two ponies holding her down. Julian couldn't help but sneak a glance and what he saw horrified him. Dinky's leg was dissolving into a stream of red white and gray. The stream swirled around Discord then flowed over to Dawn who kept her eyes screwed tight. A similar stream of red and white flowed from her to Dinky. Dawn cried as she heard her friend scream out it absolute agony and wondered why she felt nothing but a warm sensation around the remains of her right front leg.
Back at the library, Luna and Twilight were woke by the most soul-shattering scream they had ever heard. Twilight sat there in bed and listened to it for a second, tears streaming down her face. "Twilight, are you all right, what was that?"
Twilight wiped the tears from her eyes. "That's the sound of ultimate suffering. My heart made that sound years ago when Nightmare Moon cut off your wings. " She explained, nuzzling against her wife. Luna wrapped her legs and wings around her in a tight embrace. She had never realized just how deep that well of pain was for Twilight.
"We need to find out what's going on, but I want to talk about his later Twilight."
The two mares ran trough their room, Dusk was already out in the hall, having heard the horrific noise. "Mom, Mother, I can't find Dawn anywhere; she’s not in the house."
Luna and Twilight looked at each other with the same thought in their heads. The three alicorns ran from the house when Twilight stopped them. "Hold on one moment." Twilight concentrated, trying to contact her old teacher. "Celestia, we need you help. There was a horrifying scream heard all over Ponyville. Dawn is missing and we have no idea where she is."
"I'm aware of what has transpired. I believe the answer to both your concerns is at the Ponyville Hospital outside one of the two surgical theaters. I'm nearly there myself."
"Celestia says we have to go to the hospital. Everything is happening there. She's on her way and will join us shortly."
Dinky had stopped screaming moments ago. "What happened?" Julian asked.
Discord answered him without looking away from his task. "I knocked both of them out. This way Dinky won't have to feel the pain anymore and Dawn doesn't have to listen. They've endured enough."
"Why would you force her to do so in the first place?!" Julian shouted at him.
"I didn't force her to do anything. She requested that any pain involved in the process would be felt by her alone. As a part of our bargain, I had no choice but to acquiesce to her request. However, she didn't specify how long she should feel it; only moments ago I could divert some of my attention to it, now if you don't mind this isn't as easy as it looks, try not to disturb me further."
"He's right Jules. I was there, she insisted on it." Macintosh reassured him.
"But why? Why would she do that?"
"Isn't it obvious? She loves her, has for some time now." Tootsie Flute said. "She and I have talked about this at some length you see, we both have the same problem. We both have feelings for the children of Twilight and Luna. She's completely head over hooves for dawn and I sort of like Dusk more than I think I should."
Luna and Twilight burst through the door of the surgical lobby followed shortly by Dusk. The scene before them was something out of a nightmare. The floor of the lobby was glowing with dark energy. In front of them was a creature that appeared to be a combination of a dragon and a pony and at either side of it was Dawn and Dinky, both passed out.
Twilight ran to her daughter but was stopped by Fluttershy. "Twilight, no, you can't interrupt. I didn't know what would happen if you stop it before it's finished."
"That's quite all right my dear Fluttershy, the transmutation is finished. I suggest you and your team work on Dinky while the nerves are still fresh, once they set it will be more difficult to do what you need to."
"I suppose you're right. Macky, you and Julian lift her up on that gurney. Tootsie, we have some work to do, Grab Julian's bag and let's get started." Fluttershy said, ordering ponies around like a seasoned professional. The two medical ponies wheeled Dinky into the operating room and locked the door behind them.
"Twilight and Luna cautiously walked over to their daughter noting that she was not moving. "She's quite all right; she's just unconscious. Give her a few minutes and she'll come around."
"Who are you and what did you do to my daughter?!" Twilight questioned him angrily, her horn beginning to glow.
"All I did was grant a simple heart felt request to a love sick mare who had nowhere else to turn." He said smiling.
"What did you do?!" She shouted at him.
"Twilight." Luna called. "Her leg, look." Twilight looked down on her sleeping daughter and saw that her right front leg had been completely restored but the color of the fur over the leg was wrong. Instead of being the same bright white color as the rest of her, the leg appeared to be a grayish blue.
"How, how is this possible?" Twilight asked not able to believe what she was seeing.
"Discord!" Princess Celestia shouted as she walked through the doors.
"Oh great, her royal pain is here. What is it now Celestia, mad that I was able to upstage you for once?"
"Wait, wait, wait; that's Discord?" Twilight asked, shocked.
"Why yes, didn't your all knowing teacher ever tell you this is what I used to look like? I suppose it was too much to ask to be depicted as anything but a monster but that's what you get when you let somepony else write the history."
"Discord, You promised me that you'd never use that spell again!" Celestia shouted angrily.
"Oh yes, and what about your promise to protect me from the aristocracy when they came hunting for me? What about your promise to never leave me alone, to always be my friend? What about your promise to, to..." Discord couldn't finish the words; tears of pain and anger were cutting a coarse down his cheeks. The entire group of ponies were shocked, none of them had ever seen him cry honest tears before. "I'm leaving while I still have a little of my dignity. I promise they'll be fine as soon as they've come to grips with what's happened. I fear Dawn will have the hardest time of it, good bye." Discord snapped his fingers and vanished.
"What was that all about?" Luna asked her sister.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, is Dawn okay? Where's Dinky?" She asked.
"Dawn appears to be fine and I think Dinky is in the operating room. I hope everything is okay." Luna said.
"I'll stay here with Dawn, Luna. You and the others go to the observation room, make sure everything is okay." Twilight told her. Julian led the charge to the viewing room with the others close behind him. They crowded in the small room looking over the operating room. Tootsie Flute waved at them from the table. Dinky appeared to be still out cold.
On the wall next to Julian pushed the intercom button to speak. "How's it going down there, everything according to plan?"
"Yes,” Tootsie called up. “There haven't been any complications, we're about to close up soon and then we'll dress up the incision site and bring her out. How's Dawn?"
"I'm fine I think." She said walking into the room with her mother. She looked through the window at Dinky lying on the table. "This is real isn't it? I mean, she really made Discord give me her leg."
"I'm afraid so dear." Celestia said.
"Is there anyway to reverse it? I didn't want her to do this. She asked if I'd want a new leg if it were possible. I didn't know she meant this. It's not right, it's not fair."
"Dawn, my sweet angel. The greatest gift a pony could receive is a selfless gift that is born from the heart. Dinky wanted you to have this. She gave you a piece of herself to make you whole again." Twilight tried to explain to her crying daughter. "I think she always knew that it might come down to something like this and I have my own theories as to why and how but that doesn't matter right now."
"She's right dear. That little gray mare is so torn up by love and guilt she did the only thing she thought would make things better. Please, for her sake. Accept this gift and be happy for the both of you." Luna said, giving her a tight hug.
"I'll try. I just need to think about this a while." Dawn said walking out of the observation room.
Twilight went to follow her but Luna held her back "Leave her be for a while Twilight, she needs to sort this out on her own."
Hours had passed and Dinky was still unconscious. The surgery was a complete success but for some reason she was still in a coma. "Is there any evidence that the implant could have caused any damage during the surgery?" Julian asked.
"I can't see how, it hasn't even been powered up yet, it won’t until the leg is connected to it. The only way it could cause any damage is if there was a feedback loop that injured her nerves and traveled up to her brain but like I said, it hasn't been turned on yet." Tootsie Flute explained.
"What about the transfer itself?" Fluttershy asked? "She seemed like she was in a lot of pain. That sort of thing can cause damage too."
"Discord warned her 'bout that. He tried to talk her out of taking the pain for both of them but she wouldn't have it." Macintosh informed them all.
"Is she awake yet?" Dawn asked walking up to the group.
"No, sorry, she's still out. We have no idea why." Julian said. "I should really go and get Ditzy. She should know what's going on." The brown earth pony turned and trotted down the hall toward the exit.
"Would it be okay if I spent some time with her?" The young Princess asked.
"Yes, of course please do. We'll be down the hall if you need anything." Fluttershy said. Dawn walked into the room and shut the door behind her.
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Dinky found herself floating in a small weather-beaten rowboat on a pond she did not know the name of. The mist was heavy on the water and an early morning chill hung in the air. The light seemed to be coming from everywhere. Off in the distance she could see a dock and the trees behind it. Looking around she could not find the oars for the boat nor did she care. The gray unicorn was content to simply float there, letting the boat drift further and further from the shore. "Why art thou here child? It is not thy time yet."
Sitting across from her in the boat was a white alicorn mare with a red mane and tail and a set of penetrating blue eyes. Atop her head she wore a golden crown of laurels. "There's nothing left for me back there. I've done what I needed to do. I've fixed my mistake and now, I want leave before I cause more pain and hurt."
"So instead of facing thy tribulations, thou would rather flee and commit another error?"
"I don't understand." Dinky said.
The alicorn laughed heartily. "We find that difficult to accept as true. Thy command a remarkable intellect." She knew that she would have to spell it out for the comparably young mare. "Does thy Sire and Dame mean naught to thee? Thy friends? Does our granddaughter mean naught to thee?" She asked smiling.
"Your Granddaughter?"
"Yes, We thought that would gain thy attention. Dawn is our granddaughter. We know how thee feel about her and We know how she feels for thee. Listen, she is with thee even now."
On the wind, Dinky could hear a voice calling to her. "Dinky, Dinky, please wake up. You can't leave me like this. You can just give me a part of yourself and then leave. Remember all the trouble we used to get into when I was younger? Remember what you told me? You promised you'd never leave me to take the blame alone. You promised you'd always be there. I love you Dinky, I don't know when I started to have these feelings but I do. You can't leave me now!" She confessed between her tears.
"There, thou understand now We hope. Wouldst thou leave her like that?" She asked her. "What is this, it seems she isn't finished." She said, looking back toward the dock. "Look child, thee seem to have a visitor."
Off in the distance, Dinky could see Dawn on the dock. Sitting there, watching Dinky drift further away Dawn began to sing to her.
The bluish-gray mare sat there listening to her song, tears pouring from her eyes. She reached behind her and used her magic to rip the seat she was sitting on out of the boat. Struggling hard, she used the board as a makeshift paddle, trying to get back to shore. "What are thee attempting to do? We though thee wanted to flee that world."
"No, I can't leave her, not now, not ever! I was stupid and selfish to think I should or even could slip away. You were right, I can't let the pain of my death weigh on any of them; not my parents and definitely not Dawn. I'm done making mistakes."
"Sweet child, thou will always make mistakes. It's called life. The real trick of it all is to learn from thy errors and grow in spite of, or sometimes because of them." The alicorn spread her wings and flew behind the boat. "It also never hurts to receive a little help time and again." She said as she gave the boat a push toward shore.
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Dinky woke from her comma with Dawn crying silently on the left side of her bed. "Shh, shhh, don’t cry for me. I'm okay." Dinky said slightly above a whisper.
"You're back! Thank Aunt Celestia, I was afraid I'd lost you." Dawn said hugging the unicorn tightly.
"I don't know how but I heard you calling me back. Thank you for the things you said. You reminded me of my promises to you and you gave me something worth living for."
"I love you Dinky."
"I know."