Distant Flutter of Angels

by Zoltrioundz


New Awakenings

Consciousness returned in fire and flame. My entire body spasmed uncontrollably as it was wracked with unimaginable pain. I tried to cry out, but all that escaped my lips was a faint groan and some squeaks. Attempting to move, to find a way to free myself from the agony, I found that I couldn't even shift an inch. Nothing budged, not even my head. I was completely paralyzed, helpless, trapped. My eyes began tearing up as they darted around wildly, lost in pure panic. That only made things worse, as what I could see of my surroundings made my blood run cold.

I had never seen anything like it; walls of wood, but warped, twisted, completely unlike the wooden planks my furniture had been made of. They appeared to be alive, with dangling vines growing along the edges of the room. Ghoulish masks and strangely colored bottles adorned the walls, dimly lit by an assortment of candles. The faces seemed to stare, leering at me, and I swore I could see them moving. Once more, I tried to call out, but as before, all that came out was a slightly louder squeal.

I heard movement out of my sight range, as something shuffled, shifting position. A females voice suddenly spoke, easily rising above the quiet bubbling I could hear in the background. “Good morning, pony. I've heard your squeak. I must recommend that you do not speak. You have injuries that are quite severe. In fact, I know not if you can even hear.” A clopping noise approached me, and a face appeared in my vision. Black and white stripes filled my sight, and I flinched in surprise, having expected to see the yellow pony. Instead, a creature of light and dark filled my view, and I found myself trying to shrink back in fear. After a brief moment, however, my eyes focused onto the smiling face. It did not appear to mean me any harm. I took deeper breaths, trying to relax and not wet myself. This place was crazy!

Seeing my eyes focus on hers, the smile widened. “Ah, I see you have returned to the land of the living. That you would, I must admit, I had some misgiving.” Gently she reached over and brushed some hair from my face. “Beaten, battered, and sorely bruised; the fight for life you did nearly lose. Fate it seems had you in hand, with choosing where you came to land. But that is a story for another day; For now, let me take your pain away.” She looked down and I heard the rattling of hoof on glass. Since she was now all I could see, I looked over her face. She looked like a pony, but more exotic, foreign. While her hair seemed stiff and straight, like the bristles on a brush, her eyes belied a much softer personality. In fact, I realized, they reminded me of the yellow pegasus who had tried to save me, and not just because they both had deep blue eyes. While her eyes were similar in shade, I could see right away that there was some hardness buried there as well. Accentuating the difference was that her eyes were also quite a different shape from any other pony I had ever met. No, the similarity was that, unlike most ponies I had known, she looked upon me with concern, and, dare I hope, caring.

My tears finally overflowed and blurred my vision; the pain was not going away, and every inch of me was feeling it. Once again I strained to move, but it was if I was bound in place. My attempts did not go unnoticed, and she turned back to me, the look on her face further emphasizing her concern as she quickly spoke up. “Please, mysterious pony, move no more; I have a remedy I could not give you before. This potion will quickly reduce your pain: but if you sleep, you may not wake again.” Leaning in, she stared me right in the face. “If you think you can stay awake, here is the medicine; please partake.” Pulling back, she leaned out of sight for a moment, returning with a large black bottle. Gripping it between her hooves, she popped out the cork with her teeth and spit it aside. Carrying the bottle tightly in her teeth, she positioned the opening at my lips and waited.

She didn't have long to wait. I wasted no time; the agony was unbearable, and honestly, I had no desire to lose consciousness again. Not after all I had just gone through. Reaching out with my mouth, I took hold of the bottle and guzzled the contents, drinking it so quickly that I felt it try to bubble back past my lips. I felt the pain start to subside immediately as glorious numbness returned. My limbs stopped involuntarily pulling against whatever seemed to restrain them, but even as they did, I quickly found I was able to feel other problems arising. My stomach roiled and heaved; I felt bile rise in my throat, and, gagging, I let the bottle fall from my lips, hitting the floor with a clatter. Barely keeping the contents of my stomach down, I looked up at her in a panic. To my surprise, she was already ready with another bottle open, filled to the brim with small brown seeds.

“Sick to your stomach? I am ready for that too. I knew it would be needed, for you swallowed some goo. A pink friend of mine has spoken of it you see; she told me that rainbows can be very spicy. A large amount seems to have gone down your throat, as you lay in the pool where I found you afloat. The amount you have swallowed will need to be passed, these seeds will assist, and clear it out fast. A powerful herb, it cannot be beaten, they absorb only the things that should not be eaten. This is important for you, you see, for you need sustenance most drastically.” Taking the bottle from her hooves gently with her teeth, she leaned in again.

I nodded quickly, not really paying attention to the speech she was giving (in rhyme, no less!), as I tried to keep from heaving. I took the new bottle in my mouth like the last and tilted it back, gulping down as many as I could. These seeds were nearly as fast acting as the first potion, as I began feeling my stomach calm almost immediately. Unfortunately for me, once again, resolving one problem lead to another. The nausea faded, only to be replaced by an aching feeling of hunger, gnawing painfully at my sides.

I kept swallowing the seeds insatiably, only stopping when I saw the smirk on her face. Pausing, I let go of the container. This time, she was ready, and deftly caught it in her hooves, placing it on some nearby surface out of my view. I tried to speak, but I could still only croak, so instead I gave her a quizzical look.

Her grin did not falter as she spoke with a chuckle: “Hungry pony, those seeds should not really have been eaten. As herbal medicine though, they cannot be beaten. They will pass through quickly, you will see, but when they do, you will want some privacy.”

I still didn't follow and raised an eyebrow. Laughing musically, she took a moment to collect herself before replying. “It is a future that I can easily foretell, in which you will soon feel the need to expel.”

My eyes widened and I coughed up a few seeds, finally catching on to what she meant. As I motioned with my eyes towards my lower half, she began laughing so hard that she had to wipe away tears. Once she recovered, she cleared her throat and spoke bluntly: “Oh yes, indeed, quite forcefully. But trust when I say it would be worse naturally.” Blushing, I nodded, accepting her reasoning; I was already feeling better, but was now slightly concerned, and very aware that I had eaten far more seeds than I probably needed.

Still smiling, she walked out of sight, and I heard strange sounds, as if items were being dropped into a liquid. Not being able to see what was going on, I relied on my other senses, able to focus on them now that my immediate issues seemed to have subsided... aside from the now-constant growling in my stomach. Idly, I wondered if the noise was more from the potion and seeds mixing, or just ordinary hunger. Pungent aromas assaulted my nostrils as I took the time to sniff the air, and as the scents registered in my brain, they rekindled memories that had faded upon waking.

I suddenly recalled the fragrant odor which had filled my senses as the obsidian dome crumbled around me. Had that really been just a dream? Alarmed, I listened to my surroundings, and found that the bubbling noise I had heard was here as well. That gave me pause, and a new need to process all this, to figure it out. Being unable to move gave me time to think on where, or what, I had just awoken from.

Details of my escape from the obsidian prison had started to fade, but as I took the time to remember, the details re-affixed themselves in my mind. Now able to focus, I began to see my experiences there in a new light. Thinking back on it, I very quickly realized that that it could not have been a dream, at least not in any normal sense. Going over what this strange pony had told me in her own weird way, and merging that with my experiences there, I began to scare myself. All that running, and climbing... and that insane version of myself which had laughed at me from inside my own head... I shuddered briefly. If that’s what the inside of my mind was like, I must have some serious issues!

My mouth went dry as I drew another conclusion: If that was all inside my head, then escaping via the orb must mean that I’d brought myself back from the brink of death, or perhaps a vegetative state. I began to tremble lightly: If I had given up at any point, from not bothering to reform myself from the void, to giving in to numbness and fading out, or even just because I didn’t make that final jump, I would be dead! Or at least close enough that it wouldn’t matter! Straining against my bindings again, I tried unsuccessfully to examine myself. Again, I was still unable to move, though I was sure my limbs were trying to. I frowned: How badly injured was I that I had to be restrained like this?

Just then, my thoughts were interrupted by the return of the exotically colored pony, holding a wooden bowl in her mouth. She placed it on a nearby surface that I still could not see, and then began speaking as she turned to face me. “When I found you, you were in such a state, not only injured but you had lost much weight. Dehydrated and starving, and falling from the sky, so many questions to ask, but primarily: Why?” Pausing for a moment, her smile faded. “Answer me now, I know you cannot, so gather your strength, and eat, while it's hot.” With this, she picked up a ladle. Dipping it into the bowl, she then held it to my lips. It smelled delicious, and I found myself salivating. Sighing, I tried to relax again, forcing a smile. There was no use worrying, I was here now, and I would have to take whatever fate had doled out, as usual. I opened wide, and the concoction spilled into my mouth.

As it slid over my tongue, I savored the rich broth and its strange flavors. It had a hint of spices, though there was nothing I could identify. I had only ever cooked basic meals, not being much of a chef, and the restaurants in Cloudsdale did not have that much variety, at least, nothing I would dare try. My taste-buds came alive as I swirled it in my mouth. I almost didn't want to swallow, but my aching stomach and the fact that she was already holding another spoonful at the ready convinced me otherwise. Gulping it down, I licked my lips and immediately opened my mouth for more. I saw her eyes light up at my obvious enjoyment, and she smiled before tipping in another mouthful.

I lost track of time as I ate my fill, but the end came far too soon. Long before I felt full, she got up and took the bowl away. Since I still could not speak, when she returned I gave her my most pitiful look, begging for more with my eyes. Apparently she found this funny as well, as she let out a chuckle. “Yes, pony, there is more broth to be had, but too much too soon would be very bad. For now I think the obvious choice is for me to help you mend your voice.”

As soon as I heard that, I wanted to jump for joy, but of course, I was still unable to move. Instead, I tried to nod repeatedly, excited. As I did, I pulled up against a restraint. Now I was sure I could move, but was being held down. This again brought my earlier fears back to the forefront of my mind. I could understood the need for the restraints at first, before she gave me the potion which numbed my entire body, but what reason could she have to keep me like this now?

Suddenly, I grew cautious; this much generosity for nothing? There had to be a catch. I had no bits to my name, but she must know this as she had brought me here. Was she planning something? My eyes hardened with suspicion, but I tried to stay calm; maybe I was worrying for nothing. Once I could speak, though, I knew I would find out for sure.

She didn't appear to notice my inner conflict, as she brought another bowl over, this one bubbling and letting off a cloud of steam. She placed it near my head; I could feel the heat coming off it, causing the side of my face to begin sweating. She leaned over me, and I felt her teeth grip whatever was holding my head down. As it came away, I watched her remove a tightly wound towel and shake it loose. She placed the towel over the bowl. “Gently, please do go ahead, and to the bowl now tilt your head. Of this steam, now slowly inhale: This housemare's remedy never fails.”

Gingerly, unwilling to risk further injury, I let my head slip to the side. She picked the towel back up, and as my mouth came into contact with the steam, she draped it over both my muzzle and the bowl. I began breathing in deeply, trying to fill my lungs with the stuff. As I did, I became aware of a tightness in my chest. Still grateful for the numbing effect of the earlier brew, I let the steam bathe my throat in moisture. It tasted of mint and medicine, but it was very soothing. And also effective, as I soon found, the tightness in my throat rapidly loosening.

Suddenly I coughed roughly, as something came loose in my esophagus. Hacking, I managed to clear the blockage, feeling several chunks of whatever it was coming to rest on my tongue... and light it on fire! I felt my face contort wildly as my taste-buds burned in agony, as if they were covered in liquid flame. The sensations were indescribable, as one moment it was the most sour thing I had ever tasted, and the next instant it was the sweetest, before then shifting to spicy. I managed to spit it out before it overcame me. It bounced out from under the towel and came to rest on the floor.

It was instantly recognizable – solidified rainbow. As the sensations faded, I breathed a sigh of relief: It ended on the hottest sensation I had ever felt; so hot that the only description could be that it was unbelievably SPICY! Without about ten exclamation marks! The sweat faded from my brow as I looked up at this unusual pony, thinking over what she had said again. Hadn’t she said that she had found me afloat, and that I had swallowed rainbow goo? That was strange. How would I have come across that in the middle of the Everfree? Most rainbows are made in the Cloudsdale weather factory. I concentrated, thinking back. It was hard to remember the last moments of my fall, as it seemed shrouded in darkness and insufferable agony, but I did recall trees around me transforming into strange things.

Then it came to me, picturing the beautiful image of ice crystals merging with liquid rainbow in the last rays of the setting sun. Had I somehow done that? I chuckled internally. Nah, it couldn't have been me. I knew of no such spell. I had long since stopped pursuing any form of magic back when I started working in accounting. The only thing my stupid magic was good for was getting around town. In the back of my mind though, I began to have doubt. Sure, all the math and studying had helped me in my job... but I couldn't help but wonder what might have been. What if did have some kind of crazy magical ability? I snorted. No, my cutie mark was to do with weather, that I have magic is just a mistake. I was meant to be a pegasus after all, just like my parents. My being born a unicorn was just an unfortunate accident.

Now that the obstruction in my throat was clear, the steam really seemed to be doing its job: my voice no longer felt quite so raw. I decided to give it another try, since all the questions piling up in my head were beginning to drive me nuts. Clearing my throat, I took a deep breath and asked the first question that popped into my head

How... *squeak* ...survive...

Most of the query did not make it past my lips as more than a squeal, but she seemed to understand. She shifted position, and as she did, now that my head was sideways, I got a glimpse of the room past her on the far side of the main area. For just a split second, I saw an alcove in the wall outlined by vines. In this other room, I saw a bed with a leopard print blanket. There seemed to be a form in the bed, and just as she shifted back, I swore I saw something pink. I suddenly had another question I urgently needed to ask, but it was just then that she answered me.

“I saw you land; this much is true. And I have no qualms in telling you. But I would request that we delay, other ponies are coming today. They will also want to hear, as the other pony is one they hold dear.”

My eyes widened, and I hurriedly cleared my throat again. “*croak* ...yellow pony OK?” More of my sentence made it through this time, and I awaited her response with baited breath. My heart skipped a beat as her smile faded with a sigh.

Her eyes closed as she spoke. “She insisted on helping carry you here; though exhausted herself, she did persevere. She then helped me tend to your injuries. Truthfully, I did not know she had such abilities. Once we had done all we could do, she collapsed; it was up to you. I carried her then into my bed, then I sat down and rested my head. Of severe injuries, she had none; bruised and sore, her strength outdone. She needed rest, I let her sleep: The sun was rising, I had herbs to steep. For early this morning a comrade came for tea, she saw her friend there and to town she did flee. I have no doubt she is gathering her friends...” She suddenly looked up, behind me, as if noticing sudden movement. “Apologies, for now, this is where my tale ends.”

SLAM

The front door swung open with such force that it nearly flew off its hinges. Bottles rattled all over the room from the impact with the wall. The towel fell from my face as I turned my head to see five multicolored mares glaring at me.

I swallowed heavily, another lump in my throat; this did not bode well at all.