Pinkie stared at the wooden wall of the wagon, her eyes closed shut and her mouth chanted the same few words over and over.
“Have to be happy. Promised Fluttershy. I have to be happy. I promised Fluttershy...”
Rarity could hear Pinkie’s soft voice. She wanted to voice out, tell Pinkie everything would be okay and calm her down, but she couldn’t even tell those words to herself. Rarity turned away from Pinkie, her eyes sealed shut as she desperately tried to push Pinkie’s words out of her head.
Everything will be alright. Everything will be fine. Rarity tried to tell herself in her mind, though it was obvious it was no use. She wanted to wake up, in her Boutique with the sun shining on her. She wanted to hear Sweetie Belle’s voice and the smell of fresh cookies and cakes coming out of Sugercube Corner. However, the sound of the wagon’s wooden wheels rolling on hard stone floors always brought her back to reality.
All the while, Twilight held Fluttershy as tightly as possible. Fluttershy’s tears wouldn’t stop flowing, Twilight could feel them drip onto her coat and with each tear that fell, it seemed to transfer the sadness over to the purple unicorn. Her eyes started to water too, but she quickly shook it off.
He has to stop soon, we’re already in Gryphus. Twilight thought to herself. Time moved slowly for everypony in the wagon, what seemed like minutes were only seconds.
Applejack watched Twilight and Fluttershy hug in the middle of the small enclosure. She leaned down towards the injured mare, who would have been assumed dead by most if not for the remaining colors in her mane. Applejack brought one hoof down to Rainbow’s fading mane, sweeping away stray strands that fell across her face. She did it slowly, as if feeling pain with each strand of the mane she pushed back up, revealing her wounded and near lifeless face.
“It’ll be alright, Rainbow. Ah p-pr-pro...” Applejack couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence, tears streaming down her face.
The cart jerked violently, startling everypony in it as it eventually slowed to a stop. The echos of claws hitting stone could be heard just outside the walls of the wagon. Twilight assumed it was Roland, but she had no way to be sure. For a few seconds, there was silence when all of a sudden, the back of the cart flew open with a loud noise and immediately, two claws reached in and grasped Rarity and Pinkie into the open.
“Pinkie!? R-Rarity!?” Applejack yelled out but was quickly silenced by a claw reaching in and grabbing her muzzle, forcing it shut. Another claw reached from the darkness and grasped Fluttershy before pulling both of them away.
Twilight sat, alone with the shivering Rainbow Dash. She wanted to scream as loud as she could, crying for help for somepony to save them, yet, something inside her kept her mouth shut. She felt...safe. She couldn’t explain it, neither could she place her hoof on where it came from, but she simply knew not to scream. All of a sudden, a voice whispered into the cart.
“Twilight Sparkle, bring your friend out now!” Twilight immediately scrambled to lift Rainbow on her back, hearing only soft whimpers, like that of a dying pet. She trotted cautiously to the back of the cart, her eyes unadjusted to the pitch black darkness that laid a few feets away from her. She could make out an outline of a-
*Fwosh*
Twilight felt the cold hard talons of a griffin before being snatched out. Upon landing on the cold, harsh stone floor of Gryphus, she looked up to see Roland, a slightly panicked expression on his face.
“Twilight Sparkle. In!” He quickly gestured towards the entrance to some building, guarded only by a thick wooden door which she laid in front of.
Twilight rose to her hooves, immediately noticing something was missing. She turned her head back.
“Rainbow!?” Looking up, she saw that Roland had caught Rainbow softly as he dragged Twilight out, holding her as light as he could with his claws, making sure to grip her with the flesh in between his talons. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief as Roland lifted the pegasus onto Twilight’s back and motioning her to get inside.
As Twilight trotted into the odd building, the first thing that caught her eyes was that the walls on the inside were made entirely of a dark brown shade of wood. The floors were of a much lighter-brown, but it was still wood which creaked with each step Twilight took. Inside sat a few chairs around a table and in the middle of the room, sat a counter but with nopony attending to it. Small oil lamps lit the building, casting dancing shadows on the worn wooden walls.
Sitting on the chairs were the other ponies. Fluttershy held Pinkie in her hooves, a soft smile on both of their faces as they sat, completely unaware of Twilight’s presence. Rarity and Applejack, however, much more alert. From the very first creak of the wooden plank, Applejack shot her head upwards, staring in horror as Twilight trotted in with Rainbow. Immediately, she jumped off the chair and raced towards the unicorn.
“T-Twilight!” Applejack gave a look of pure horror and concern towards her friend. Twilight smiled knowingly and, using a portion of her waning energy, levitated Rainbow onto Applejack’s back.
Applejack smiled for a short while, her heart resting a little easier, knowing she could be beside her dear friend.
Almost immediately after, Rarity lifted her hoof over Twilight’s shoulder, who wasn’t even aware Rarity had moved from her spot.
“We’ll get through this, Twilight. Together,” Rarity assured.
Twilight could only nod in return, realizing how much energy she had used over the past three days. She was close to falling down and fainting, but kept up, knowing that if that were to happen, it would only cause more worries for the friends she held so dear.
Not long after, the sound of sharp talons hitting wood resonated behind Twilight, who spun around, staring at the griffin that had led them here as Rarity and Applejack trotted back to their seats.
“Roland, what is this place?”
Roland gave an odd look, one of disbelief.
“I... assumed they had hospitals back in Equestria... was I mistaken?”
A hospital. Twilight’s eyes widened as she gave one more look to the area around her.
“Are you sure this is a hospital? Why is it so... empty?” Twilight asked.
“That is not important. Ponies aren’t allowed in Gryphus as I think you’ve figured out. Most griffins would expose you in a second.”
Twilight’s heart started racing. She threw her sight back on her friends, who were still innocently tending to each other, oblivious to what Roland had just said.
“N-No... We have a permit! We have permissi-” Twilight’s yelling was cut short but Roland’s forceful grip on her muzzle.
“Permission means nothing here. Whoever sent you on this ‘mission’ has just sent you into a death trap, whether they might know it or not. Now listen close, Twilight Sparkle, I said ‘most’ as this hospital contains the only three understanding griffin that remain in Gryphus. I know this is a lot to ask from you, to trust three griffins whom you have never seen before. But I need you to trust me if we are to save your friends. Do you understand?”
Twilight trembled with fear the more Roland spoke, but turning once more back to Rainbow, she gave a soft nod. Immediately, Roland released his grip on Twilight, who fell to the ground, shaking.
“My apologies.” Roland walked towards the counter, ringing the bell. After a few seconds, a griffin appeared and immediately, Twilight could tell it was a female. The griffin had pink pupils, and her feathers were all very neat, perfectly groomed so as to look as presentable as possible. As she laid eyes on the ponies in her lobby, a look of horror washed over her face. Roland then started to whisper something towards the griffin, who muttered something back in return. Their voices were too quiet for Twilight to hear or make out, she could only watch with a nervous mind as the griffin retreated back from where she came.
Roland walked back to the nervously waiting unicorn.
“S-So? How’d it...?”
“They’ll provide all of you with shelter, food, water and medication,” Roland answered calmly, as if he expected no other result. Twilight couldn’t help but let tears flow down her cheeks. This was the first, and only, good news she had heard since they arrived in Gryphus.
“T-Thank you so much, Roland. I just- I can’t- She’ll be okay. Rainbow’ll be okay,” Twilight chanted to herself, acting as if the words had some sort of mystical power, healing her broken mental state.
Roland gave a solid nod of his head before trotting towards the door.
“W-Wait!” Twilight shouted. “You’re not... staying?”
Roland shook his head lightly. “I’m sorry, Twilight Sparkle. But this is where we must part ways,” he calmly said before turning back to the wooden door, inches away from him. “Stay here in this hospital and keep a low profile. Do whatever it is you need to do in this town and get out. That’s my recommendation.”
“Roland. I owe you so much.” Twilight said with tear-filled eyes. Roland, however, didn’t respond. Instead, he allowed the silence to hang for a while, a frown on his face. Only after had a minute passed then did he speak again.
“You owe me nothing,” he said in a commanding tone but in a much softer tone, he continued. “We’re even.”
Twilight was perplexed. “Even? But I haven’t done anything for you.”
Roland gave a short snicker, a smile on his face as he spoke once more. “I wasn’t talking to you, Miss Sparkle.” With those words, he trotted out the door, slamming it shut. Twilight and her friends were left in the hospital, a quiet and confused atmosphere hanging around them.
“Excuse me, Miss Sparkle?” a soft voice called out from behind her. Twilight turned around to see the same griffin that was at the counter minutes ago.
“Y-Yes, that’s me,” Twilight responded.
“Well, I need to-”
Before the griffin was able to finish her sentence, Applejack’s booming voice echoed through the hospital.
“Twilight! R-Rainbow!!”
Both the griffin and Twilight turned to see Rainbow’s last color finally fading away. The nurse leapt forward, forcefully grasping Rainbow away from Applejack.
“What in tarnation do ya think you’re doin!?” Applejack angrily shouted back, preparing her hooves to buck the griffin across the hall, but Rarity and Twilight’s magic restrained her.
The griffin whispered something under her breath before flying down the small hallway, which had many doors along it, grasping Rainbow in her claws.
“S-Stop her! She’s ponynapping Rainbow! Rainbow’s in trouble!” Applejack struggled harder. “Let go of me!”
Twilight and Rarity didn’t let up, tightening the spell harder, freezing Applejack in place.
“Applejack, you need to trust her,” Twilight tried her best to convince the struggling earth pony.
“Ah ain’t trusting no griffin with Rainbow! She needs me!”
“Applejack, please. I know its hard, but you need to calm down. The only creature here, griffin or pony, that can help Rainbow is the staff in this hospital. Please, AJ, calm down!”
“Twilight’s right my dear, her injuries are absolutely horrid and we don’t have the skills, nor the resources, to deal with such injuries!” Rarity added.
Applejack’s tears could clearly be seen glistening under the lantern’s soft light.
“B-But...”
“Please AJ,” Twilight pleaded once again. “Trust.”
Applejack turned her head towards Twilight, staring into her pleading eyes. She slowly relaxed her limbs and allowed Twilight and Rarity to release her from their magic’s grasp. Applejack trotted sorrowfully to a corner of the hospital, her sobs could be clearly heard, though her face was hidden was everypony’s view.
“Twilight Sparkle, is that right?” another voice crept up from behind her. This time, however, the voice was deep and it was clearly male. Twilight spun around once more and in front of her, stood a fairly large griffin, donning a doctor’s coat and a pair of glasses.
“Y-Yes. That’s right.”
“I see. And these are your friends?”
“Yes...” Twilight answered nervously. She knew she should be trusting them, but after her previous experiences with griffins, she found that that was no easy task.
“Well, let me be brief. I need to do a very detailed check-up on you and your friends. If you would please follow me.” The griffin trotted off, not waiting for a response.
Everypony looked at Twilight, who gave a swift nod before following the griffin into one of the doors along the corridor. Upon opening the door, Twilight could see that it was a small ward, containing precisely six beds, three on the left and three on the right. Each bed had a pillow and a light green blanket. At the back of the room were the windows, which were understandably closed and curtained. It looked like any other hospital Twilight had been to in Equestria, except less advanced.
“Please take a bed each, I shall attend to each of you shortly.” the doctor spoke before exiting the room.
Everypony was nervous. They wanted to trust the griffin, but found it hard to do so without suspecting something. Fluttershy lifted and placed Pinkie in a bed on the left, near the exit, before getting into one next to the perky pink pony. Rarity gestured to Applejack, who was dragging her hooves with her head held low, to the bed next to the one the white unicorn laid in. Twilight chose the bed nearest to the windows, all the way at the end on the right, next to Fluttershy.
As soon as Twilight’s head touched the pillow, she immediately felt inclined to drift off into sleep, the days of exhaustion wearing on her body. However, the voice of the doctor brought her back sharply.
“Miss Sparkle. I’ll be starting with you. Would you please lay straight and try not to move,” the doctor ordered. Twilight obeyed, laying as straight as plank as the griffin raised his claw and lightly placed a talon on Twilight’s chest.
Silence.
Twilight felt the cold, sharp talon on her chest, over her heat. She knew that one small force would end her immediately, taking her life in a blink of an eye.
The griffin stood with his talon over Twilight’s heart, his eyes closed. Everypony stared intently at the two, all preparing to pounce if the griffin were to do anything to their friend.
Only after a few tense minutes did the griffin remove his talon, allowing Twilight to release the breath she had been holding in for the whole while.
“Do you have any major injuries I should know about?” the doctor asked.
“No, I was lucky.” Twilight replied.
“Good. Then you are suffering from major exhaustion, dehydration and minor starvation. I’ll bring in some food and water for all of you after I’m done inspecting all of you. After that, get some much needed rest. Roland told me that you five-”
“Six. Doctor, there are six of us,” Twilight corrected, slightly angered and worried.
“My apologies. Roland told me that you six have been through a lot. I assure you that we’ll try our best to keep you safe. Now, I’ll be moving on to you.” The griffin turned to Rarity.
“Wait!” Twilight shouted. “What’s your name?”
“Milov. That’s my last name. Call me Doctor Milov.”
“Thank you, Doctor Milov. And... h-how’s Rainbow?” Twilight was afraid to ask, for she was afraid of the answer.
“She’s undergoing an operation currently. We’ll do our best to save her, you have my word. But having such lethal injuries for such a long period of time...No offence but she shouldn’t even be alive.”
“Wha-How can ya say that!?” Applejack yelled as loud as she could. “She’s a strong pony! She’ll make it! Ah know she will!”
“I apologize. I was merely saying what I thought.”
Applejack was fuming as she stared at Milov. “Just get back to ya work,” she bitterly said, turning to face the entrance, away from Rarity and the doctor.
“I’ll begin on you. Please don’t move miss...?”
“Rarity,” she quickly answered.
“Miss Rarity. Please stay still as I perform the inspection.”
Milov did the same maneuver, lifting up his claw and placing a talon on Rarity’s chest, feeling each pulse and each heartbeat. A few minutes later, he removed the talon and gave the same diagnostic.
“You have the same condition as Miss Sparkle, Miss Rarity. Dehydration and serious exhaustion. Though it appears you need a lot more treatment for the various cuts on your body. The cuts weren’t deep, but there are quite a number of them. I shall apply some medication after my inspections.” Milov walked to Applejack, who was still facing the wall.
“Excuse me, Miss...?”
Applejack kept quiet.
“Applejack, please let him see what’s wrong with you. They’re trying to save Rainbow, she’ll be alright.”
Applejack didn’t budge for a few seconds, but eventually, she reluctantly turned around to see the doctor, exposing the long cut on her face. Milov didn’t react, only staring at the cut.
“That cut used to be deep, but it has healed itself fairly well. It appears to have been, correct me if I am wrong, magically healed? For the wound still seems to be fresh, but the cut tells me otherwise.”
Applejack nodded, barely, though Milov’s quick eye caught it.
“Very well. I’ll get some medication and-”
“Ah don’t need no medication!” Applejack stubbornly refused. “Back when Ah was on the farm, when Big Mac, Apple Bloom or Ah got hurt, we would still do all our chores! Ah don’t need no stinkin help!” Applejack turned back to the wall, her heavy breathing apparent to the whole room.
“I... I’m sorry, Miss Applejack. I was merely trying to help,” Milov apologized.
“Well then go help somepony else! Like Fluttershy or Pinkie Pie! Because Ah don’t need your help!” Applejack firmly stated, pulling the blanket up to her head. Milov could only ignore her and walk towards the two remaining ponies.
“Let’s start with you. Pinkie Pie, right?”
“Yessiree!” Pinkie cheerfully replied. “That’s me!”
Milov recoiled a little. This pony was... smiling.
“Is she usually like this?” Milov questioned.
“Oh yes. It’s very Pinkie of her to smile in any situation.” Fluttershy replied with a smile of her own. “It’s quite infectious.”
“So, doctor! I got a really painful injury you should probably know!” Pinkie joyfully exclaimed.
“Umm...s-sure. I suppose so.” Milov wasn’t sure how to respond to such a comment.
Pinkie turned to show the huge burn on her flank to the doctor, who reeled upon seeing the wound.
“T-That’s quite a burn, Miss Pinkie.” Milov stared at the injury for quite some time. “Miss Pinkie, would you let me see your hooves?”
“Sure, doc!” Pinkie lifted her hooves towards Milov, who gave a quick glance before lifting up his head.
“Just as I thought...Third degree burn marks, charring on hooves, black strike lines. You were struck by lightning, weren’t you Miss Pinkie?”
Pinkie gave a large gasp before talking. “Oooo! You’re good!”
“But there’s a problem. Roland told me he found you in the forests, and the trees there are large enough to direct all the lightning away. For you to be struck by lightning, it had to be struck on you on purpose. And since, from what I’ve read, pegasus are the only other creatures beside griffins that can modify the weather. That means that either Miss Fluttershy struck you with lightning-”
“She didn’t!” Pinkie’s tone suddenly turned defensive.
“That means that... a griffin did this to you. Am I right, Miss Pinkie?”
Pinkie didn’t reply, her smile vanished.
“Miss Pinkie, who did this to you?”
“Doc, would you mind just healing my wound?”
“But I need to-” Milov tried to force it out, but was interrupted by the pony across the room.
“We’ll tell you another time, Doctor Milov. But for now, would you please tend to our injuries? We’re exhausted,” Twilight reasoned, to which Milov agreed.
“Very well. I’ll get some medication, like the others.” Milov turned his attention to Fluttershy. “And you, dear? Any outstanding injuries I should be made aware of?”
“No, Doctor. I’m fine. Just tired, thirsty and very hungry,” Fluttershy replied weakly.
“Ah, I see. Well then, I’ll be right back,” Milov said as he left the ward.
About ten minutes later, Milov returned to the ward with a small cart filled with sweets, hot chocolate and several bottles of medicine. Milov wheeled the cart up to each pony, passing them several sweets and a cup of the hot cocoa.
“Each and drink up, then get some rest. I’ll be attending to those that need treatment.” Milov wheeled the cart up to Rarity. “Miss Rarity, this might sting a little from the amount of cuts you have, but I assure you that it will feel much better once the medicine sets in. Ready?”
“Yes, whenever you are.”
Milov picked up a small blue bottle. Twisting the cap open, he tilted it and poured out the thick yellow liquid on several cotton patches. Lifting up those patches, he placed it on the various cuts on Rarity’s body. Rarity winced and groaned painfully with each patch that was applied and as the medicine sank it, it only felt more and more piercing. However, after what seemed like hours, Rarity finally felt the soothing feeling of the liquid take effect, quickly sending her into a comfortable slumber as her eyes closed shut and her consciousness faded away.
Milov wheeled his cart towards Pinkie, who was still sitting with her injury for all to see.
“Now, Miss Pinkie. This will hurt a lot, but it’s an important step in making sure the wound is not infected. And if it already is, to stop and kill the infection. I suggest you grab on to something.”
Pinkie turned her attention to Fluttershy. Fluttershy didn’t even have to think twice before gripping Pinkie’s hoof and grasping it tightly.
“I’m right here, Pinkie. Don’t worry, alright?”
“Are you ready, Miss Pinkie?”
“Yuppy Duppy! Just tell me when it’s about to hurt!”
Milov poured a thin, watery, green liquid onto a small cotton patch. Lifting it inches away from Pinkie’s wound.
“Alright. In three,” Milov started counting down. “Two, One...”
As soon as the cold patch hit Pinkie’s injury, Pinkie released a stifled scream, tightly squeezing Fluttershy’s hoof. Her face twisted in pain as it felt like a giant needle was shooting up her entire being. The pain she felt was immeasurable. The only thing stopping her from outright yelling at the top of her lungs was the thought of Fluttershy laying near to her.
Fluttershy was on the verge of breaking, seeing her usually happy friend be reduced to a whimpering pony broke her heart the more she saw it. Pinkie’s grip got tighter and tighter, and it hurt Fluttershy, but she wouldn’t let go, not if she was the only source of comfort for her dear friend.
After a few agonizing minutes, the pain started to rapidly subside, letting Pinkie pant to catch her breath. Staring up at the shivering Fluttershy, Pinkie forced out a smile.
“See! Ain’t-ugh-Ain’t nothing to it!” Pinkie tried her best to ignore the pain, though less, still a lot more than she was used to.
“Well, I suggest you all get some sleep. Stay up anymore and your health will only deteriorate. Sleep for as long as you need. From what I’ve seen, you’ve all earned it.” Milov moved towards the various lamps in the room, pinching them all off, leaving the only lamp that was lit, the one near the doorway.
“Thanks again, Doctor Milov,” Twilight was sincerely grateful.
“It’s of no trouble. I will update all of you on the condition of your friend. Now if you excuse me, I need to make sure the operation is going as best as it can go.” Trotting towards the doorway, he leaned closer to the lamp.
“Get some well earned rest, all of you. Sweet Dreams.” With that, he bit off the latern, drenching the room in pitch black darkness.
Twilight laid back on the pillow. Even though her heart was still heavy, it felt good to know that they had finally reached their destination, and that their mission may now finally begin.