Arc, Derpy, and Hammer awaken as the first rays of dawn shine through the windows. Hammer sits up quickly and looks around the room. Hammer is the first to speak.
Arc, Derpy, and Hammer awaken as the first rays of dawn shine through the windows. Hammer sits up quickly and looks around the room. Hammer is the first to speak.
“Are we… back?”
Derpy smiles as she sits up. “We never left.”
“I still don’t get that part.”
Arc chuckles. “Our bodies stayed here while our consciousnesses entered the Sanctuary.”
“The words coming out of your mouth don’t make any sense, Arc!”
Derpy giggles as she sits up. “Don’t worry about it too much. I’ve been there before and still don’t understand it.”
Arc stretches. “I’m told it’s something only very powerful magic users can do.”
Hammer sighs as she stands. “While I knew you were really powerful, even I didn’t think you were capable of something like THAT!”
Arc looks out the window as a flash of lightning illuminates the gray sky and a cold rain pelts the glass.
“We can talk about it more if you’d like. After all, it doesn’t look like we’re going out today.”
Derpy nods. “I’ll get breakfast going.”
Arc stands. “Me too.”
“Can I help too? The other day was a lot of fun!”
Derpy grins. “Sure!”
“Thanks. Uh… do you think I could ask for some help afterward, Arc?”
“What do you need?”
Hammer looks to him sheepishly. “Someone to sit with me while I write a letter to my sisters.”
“I can do that, sure.”
There is a knock at the door. Arc calls out.
“Come in!”
Sereb steps inside and looks to them.
“Sorry to interrupt, but I believe something is wrong with Dinky.”
Derpy jumps to her feet. “Oh no! Is she hurt?!”
Sereb shakes his head. “No. But you and Arc should go see her at once.”
Arc nods. “We’ll do that. Come on, Derpy.”
Walking quickly out the door, they come to Arc’s old room. Entering, they find Scootaloo looking over the young girl. She turns to the pair as they enter.
“What’s going on?”
Scootaloo sighs. “Dinky’s sick.”
She rolls off the bed to allow Arc and Derpy to approach. Dinky is shaking but sweating profusely as she opens her eyes.
“M-mom? D-dad? I don’t feel so good. Can I have another blanket please?”
Derpy turns to Arc. “Should we take her to the hospital?!”
Arc shakes his head as he places a hand on Dinky’s forehead. “I don’t think she’s that bad.”
Scootaloo nods. “Dinky probably just has a cold. I saw this same thing a million times in my parent’s shop.”
Derpy turns to Arc. “What do we do?!”
“A bit of rest should have her feeling good as new soon. Let’s take her temperature though.”
Derpy appears confused. “Take her… what?”
“I’ll show you.”
Picking Dinky up, Arc carries her to the bathroom past Sereb and Hammer. Setting her on the toilet lid he turns to Hammer.
“There’s a thermometer in the medicine cabinet.”
“On it!”
She opens the cabinet as Derpy kneels down in front of Dinky and takes her shaking hand.
“She looks really bad!”
Arc puts a hand on Derpy’s shoulder. “We’ll take good care of her.”
“Found it!”
Tossing a digital thermometer to Arc, he turns back to Dinky. She appears suddenly frightened.
“Wha-what’s that thing?!”
“Just a thermometer, sweetheart.
Cherry calls out. “It’ll tell us how bad your fever is.”
Arc nods. “Now I need to lift your shirt a little and put it under your arm. Is that okay?”
Dinky nods nervously. Arc carefully raises her shirt to expose a warm underarm. Sticking the probe under her armpit he lowers it and turns the device on.
“Keep your arm there and we’ll have an answer soon.”
A short time later the device beeps. Arc removes it as Derpy puts the little girl’s shirt down.
“Looks like you’re at one-hundred and one, sweetheart.”
Derpy gasps. “Is that bad?!”
“Not terribly, no. I’ll get her some medicine to lower it. Can you get the shower going for her, Derpy?”
“Yes, of course!”
Dinky begins to cry as her father leaves the room. “Mom, I’m scared!”
Hammer steps forward. “You stay with her. I’ll get the tub going.”
“Thank you.”
Derpy takes Dinky’s hands as Hammer sets the water temperature.
“It’s going to be okay, Dinky. Your father’s going to see to it that you get better soon.”
Scootaloo nods from the doorway. “Yeah, Dinky. Like I said before, my mom treated a lot of ponies with symptoms just like yours.”
Hammer looks over. “We should probably get her in the tub now. That’ll bring the fever down in no time.”
Derpy quickly undresses Dinky and tosses her sweaty nightclothes in the hamper. Hammer turns and picks the little girl up as Scootaloo pulls back the shower curtain. Setting her down on the floor of the tub they allow the warm water to wash over her. Dinky sighs contentedly as Scootaloo looks her over.
“Warm enough, Dinky?”
“That does feel nice.”
“Is there anything else you need, sweetie?”
Dinky shakes her head. “No, mom. I just kinda want to lie here for a bit.”
There is a small knock at the door. Arc opens it a crack as Hammer walks over.
“I brought some medicine. Can you give it to her?”
“Sure.”
She takes the small medicine cup and hands it off to Scootaloo. Turning back to Arc she smiles.
“Thanks.”
“How is she?”
“Much better now that she’s in the tub. I think the warm water will do her a world of good.”
Scootaloo comes to the door. “Should we get breakfast going, Big Brother?”
“If Derpy doesn’t need help, yes.”
Derpy sighs. “I’ll stay with her, Arc.”
Hammer puts a hand on Scootaloo’s shoulder. “Come on. Let’s give your little friend some privacy.”
Nodding, Scootaloo follows Hammer out of the bathroom. Derpy sits on the floor next to the tub and carefully puts the medicine to Dinky’s lips.
“Drink this, sweetheart.”
“What… is it?”
“I don’t actually know. But your father said it was some kind of medicine.”
Allowing the medicine to be poured in her mouth, her eyes fly open and she begins gagging.
“What… what IS this stuff?!”
“Don’t spit it out, sweetie! Swallow it!”
Doing as she is told, Dinky chokes the medicine down. Derpy pats her head lovingly.
“Good. I’m sorry it tasted bad. But your father wouldn’t have given you something if it was going to hurt you.”
Dinky nods and lays back. Sometime later the smells of breakfast waft into the room. Derpy looks to her daughter.
“Are you hungry?”
Dinky shakes her head. “No, mom. My stomach feels kinda funny right now.”
Her face contorts as her hands fly to her belly.
“Something… something’s happening!”
“What do you…?”
Derpy is cut off as Dinky retches violently and vomits all over herself. She looks to her mother for help as fresh tears flow.
“Mom! What’s wrong with me?!”
“You just threw up, sweetie. Let me clean you up.”
Standing, Derpy picks up the shower nozzle and brings it down close to Dinky’s body. Washing off the bile and whatnot she carefully sprays it toward the drain.
“Where did that stuff come from?!”
“Your stomach, sweetie. You must have a belly sickness.”
“What’s that?!”
“I was told as a filly that sometimes you can get a bug in your stomach. It can make you feel bad and do things like throw up and get warm while feeling cold.”
“What do we do?!”
“Rest mostly. That’s what I did. But I think your father may be able to help. He and Scootaloo are pretty smart, after all. We can ask him when he calls us to breakfast.”
Dinky grimaces and closes her eyes. “I don’t think I even want to LOOK at food right now, mom.”
A good while later Arc comes upstairs. Knocking lightly he opens the door a few inches before speaking.
“Everything alright in here?”
“Dinky threw up a little while ago.”
“Uh oh. How much?”
Dinky calls out from the tub. “A lot!”
Derpy sighs. “Everything that was in her empty tummy, that is.”
Arc grimaces. “Including that medicine.”
“Sorry dad.”
“It’s okay, sweetheart. How do you feel right now?”
“Not so hot anymore.”
“Can I take her out now, Arc?”
Arc calls out. “What do you think, Dinky?”
“I really want to, yes.”
“Alright. Derpy, can you get her dried off? I’ll go fetch her some clean clothes.”
“Okay.”
Turning off the water, Derpy helps her daughter out of the tub. Sitting her down on the toilet lid she pats her skin dry. Arc knocks lightly before opening the door part way and tossing a t-shirt and shorts in along with fresh undergarments with socks. Derpy carefully dresses Dinky and opens the door.
“She’s ready.”
Arc steps into the bathroom and picks Dinky up.
“Let’s get you downstairs, sweetheart.”
“I don’t think I can eat anything, dad.”
“That’s okay. We’ll lay you on the couch. Sereb, get a pillow and light blanket for her, would you please?”
“Very well.”
Heading downstairs, Arc lays Dinky on the couch. Sereb hurries toward them with the requested items. Arc takes the pillow and puts it under Dinky’s head as Derpy covers her with the blanket. Scootaloo walks over with a large mixing bowl and hands it to Arc. Derpy shakes her head.
“I don’t think she can eat anything yet.”
“It’s empty.”
“Oh?”
Arc kneels down and hands Dinky the bowl. “You just hold onto this, sweetheart. If you feel like you’re going to throw up again do it in here.”
“Okay.”
Hammer walks out of the kitchen with a spatula. “The foods getting cold everyone.”
Arc looks to her. “I’ll sit here with Dinky. The rest of you eat.”
Sereb raises an eyebrow. “What about you, Arc?”
“I can bring you a plate, Big Brother.”
“No thanks. I’ll just wait for all of you to be done. Save me some, okay?”
They nod and head for the kitchen as Arc sits down at Dinky’s feet. Picking up the remote, he turns on the television and pulls up some cartoons. Dinky smiles weakly as the show starts.
“This one’s my favorite, dad.”
Arc chuckles. “Sam and Max?”
Dinky appears surprised. “You’ve heard of it?”
Arc grins. “I used to watch it when I was a kid. Where’d you hear about this show?”
“From Mia’s little brother, Alex. He loves watching it with his dad.”
“Which one’s your favorite character?”
“Sam.”
“Oh? Why’s that?”
“He’s the voice of reason. Kinda like you, dad.”
Arc chuckles. “Thanks. But what about Max?”
“I still like him. After all, we wouldn’t have much of a show with only Sam.”
“They work well together, that’s for sure. Max is the crazy, random one while Sam keeps him in check.”
“Like you and Miss Ember?”
“Kinda. Um… please don’t tell her that.”
Dinky grimaces. “I won’t.”
A short time later Derpy walks over to the couch with Hammer.
“Feeling better, kid?”
Dinky shakes her head. “I’m just kinda tired and achy right now.”
Derpy smiles at her. “We’ll stay with you while your father eats.”
Hammer nods. “Yeah. Scootaloo is warming your food up on the stove.”
Arc stands. “Thanks. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Derpy takes Arc’s place on the couch at her daughter’s feet. Patting them gently, she smiles.
“You’ll feel better soon, sweetie.”
Dinky sighs. “I sure hope so.”
“That bug just has to work its way through your system.”
Dinky gasps. “You mean crawl through it?!”
Derpy shakes her head. “It should be digested soon enough.”
Hammer raises an eyebrow. “Digested?”
“The bug that’s making Dinky sick.”
“You mean germs?”
Derpy appears confused. “What are those?”
“Microscopic creatures that make you sick.”
“Small bugs though, right?”
Hammer sighs. “Not exactly.”
Dinky grimaces. “Can you tell us more, Miss Hammer?”
“Not really. I just know the basics, which is pretty much what I just told you.”
“Aw…”
“We can ask your father when he’s done eating. I’m sure he could point us in the right direction.”
A short time later Arc and Scootaloo return to the couch. Arc gives Dinky a tall glass of water as Derpy moves over to give him back his spot. Scootaloo looks Dinky over.
“You’re still pretty warm. How do you feel?”
“Kinda icky.”
Arc chuckles. “It’ll pass, sweetheart. You just need to rest. That and drink this.”
Dinky appears nervous. “What is it?”
“Just water. You see, when your sick you need to stay hydrated so your body can expel the infection. More so now that you threw up.”
Derpy turns to him. “About that, Arc. Can you tell us what germs are?”
“Bacteria or viruses that make us sick mostly.”
Dinky gasps. “Bacteria? Viruses?”
“Little organisms that infect your body’s cells, use their resources to make more of themselves, and eventually destroy the cell from within.”
Derpy turns to Arc frantically. “Oh my! Will Dinky be okay?!”
“She’ll be fine. Her antibodies will take care of the sickness.”
Scootaloo nods. “That they will. Maybe with a little help from some medicine though.”
Derpy frowns. “Immune system?”
Hammer grins. “Derpy thought that it was literal bugs that made someone sick.”
Derpy sighs. “I’ve never heard of these new terms before.”
Dinky pulls the blanket up to her chin. “Me either.”
Derpy appears hopeful. “Can you tell us more?”
Arc thinks for a moment. “Well… when your body detects an infection, it increases production of what are known as ‘white blood cells’. They fight off the infection by killing the invading germs.”
Dinky looks down at her belly. “So there’s a battle going on inside me right now?!”
“You could say that.”
Derpy gasps. “But what if those cells can’t stop the germs?!”
“Then her symptoms would get progressively worse. That would be a sign that she needs professional medical attention.”
Hammer nods. “We’d take her to the hospital to get some more powerful medicine.”
Scootaloo looks to Dinky. “My mom had a regimen she would follow for certain sicknesses. They got more and more powerful the further down the list you went.”
Dinky frowns. “Why not just start with the most powerful treatments then?”
“Because they had a lot of nasty side effects. That and if she wasn’t careful it could even kill the patient.”
Derpy appears hopeful. “The first treatments were the safest?”
Scootaloo nods. “Yes. But they were also the most generalized.”
“Sounds like what we do here on Earth too.”
Hammer appears surprised. “We do?”
“Sure. Let’s say you went to the doctor with a stomach ache. They’d probably tell you to get some rest and drink plenty of fluids.”
Derpy frowns. “No medicine?”
“Probably just some over the counter ones. But what if the problem didn’t go away?”
Hammer clenches a fist. “I’d go back to the doctor and tell them to fix it now, or else!”
Arc nods. “Right. Then they’d probably look at it more in depth. Maybe some tests would be ordered along with a change in diet.”
Dinky gasps. “What if that didn’t work?”
“The doctor could perform a procedure called an endoscopy that involves putting a camera down your throat to try and find anything unusual in your stomach.”
Scootaloo frowns. “That doesn’t sound like much fun.”
Arc sighs. “It isn’t. I went with Shelly to an appointment to have such a procedure done. She looked really uncomfortable the entire time.”
Derpy shudders. “What if that doesn’t work?”
“They can do another procedure called a ‘lower endoscopy’. It involves inserting a camera up your… other end.”
Scootaloo grits her teeth. “You mean…?”
Arc nods. “Yup. Up the flank.”
Dinky grimaces. “That sounds terrible!”
“Shelly thought the same thing. But she said it didn’t actually feel that bad. They numbed her up before starting though.”
Hammer puts a hand to her chin thoughtfully. “I’m seeing the pattern here. Like you said before, each time you go to the doctor for the same problem it results in a less desirable test.”
Arc shrugs. “Not always. But it was the best example I could think of.”
Derpy appears hopeful. “Did they figure anything out from it?”
Arc shakes his head. “Sadly, no. The best they could do for her was try and control the symptoms.”
Dinky shrinks back nervously. “Is that going to happen to me?!”
“I don’t think so, sweetheart. Tell me, how do you feel?”
“Still kinda icky and achy.”
Derpy gasps. “Is it getting worse?!”
Dinky shakes her head. “No. But I do feel really tired.”
Arc feels her forehead. “That’s your body’s way of telling you to rest so it can fight off the infection.”
Scootaloo turns to Arc. “Should we take her up to bed?”
“I’d rather stay here with everyone else.”
Hammer raises an eyebrow. “Uh… couldn’t she infect all of us?”
Arc nods. “Yes. But we’ve been around her this long.”
Derpy nods soberly. “I won’t leave her.”
Arc pats Dinky’s head. “Me either.”
“We’re immune, Big Brother. Crimson’s don’t get sick for some reason.”
Cherry calls out. “That’s a relief!”
Sereb nods. “Indeed.”
Arc smiles. “So… I guess we’re staying in today then.”
Dinky looks out the window. “If not for me being sick, we’d probably still do that.”
Hammer frowns. “Yeah. It’s pretty nasty out there.”
Scootaloo grins. “I kinda like it.”
Arc turns to her. “Do you now?”
“Yeah. Part of me wants to spread my wings and fly through it!”
Hammer raises an eyebrow. “Wings?”
Arc looks to Hammer. “She’s a Pegasus.”
“Oh, right!”
Arc sighs. “I know this might sound crazy, but I know how you feel, Scootaloo.”
Sereb raises an eyebrow. “You do not have wings though, Arc.”
Cherry calls out to them. “Well, there were those two times…”
Hammer gasps. “Say what now?!”
“It’s… complicated.”
“You have wings too, Arc?!”
“Kinda. I mean, they’ve only ever come out when I was extremely… emotional would be the word, I suppose.”
Cherry sighs. “When your life is in grave danger you mean, Arc.”
“I guess. My magic spikes and I can do pretty much anything for a short time.”
Sereb nods. “But afterwards you’re weakened.”
Arc shrugs. “Nothing’s perfect.”
His earring chirps. Hammer looks to it.
“Sounds like someone wants to talk.”
“Go ahead, Big Brother. Dinky’s going to be fine.”
"Yeah, dad. It might be important."
“Alright. You just rest, sweetheart.”
Standing, Arc heads upstairs to his parent’s room. Closing the door behind himself, he touches his earring and flops down on the bed.
“This is Arc.”
There is no reply.
“Hello? Is someone there?”
“H-hi?”
“Fluttershy? Is that you?”
“Yes. I, um…”
“You okay?”
“Kinda. I… just wanted to talk to you about something.”
“Sure. What is it?”
“Can we keep it between us, please?”
Arc nods. “If that’s what you want, sure.”
“Thank you.”
Fluttershy fidgets for a few moments before speaking again.
“Well… as you know I take care of a great number of woodland creatures in my cottage.”
“That I’ve heard, yes.”
“I’m fully capable of the day to day needs and basic medical care as well as a few… other things.”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “Okay. Did something happen over there?”
“This morning I helped two of my animals… copulate.”
“In the fall?”
“It is a bit rare, yes. However when nature says it’s time, it’s time. It’s pretty easy to know… due to the smell. From there it’s just a matter of looking around to see whom it’s coming from.”
“I’ve read that some breeders here on Earth have to help with that particular procedure as well.”
“It’s really not all that hard. Sometimes I just have to… um…”
She pauses before continuing.
“…assist them in… lining it up.”
“Well, it can’t be easy without hands. For them, I mean.”
Fluttershy sounds particularly nervous. “Are you… mad?”
“About what?”
“Me touching my animals’ genitals when they’re in heat.”
“Not at all.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Why would I be mad?”
Fluttershy sighs. “I’ve never thought much of it. But now that I’m in a position to form a herd, I… I just…”
Taking a deep breath, she forces herself to speak.
“…I felt like I was cheating on you.”
“Cheating?”
“Once in a while I have to help the male… prepare for mating.”
“How so?”
“By… um… lubricating their genitals before helping slip it into the female. It’s not uncommon for them to need my help in that regard.”
“That’s understandable.”
“Well, this time was different. You see, when I smelled the odor I was in the middle of thinking about you. To tell you the truth, I… I originally thought it was coming from me.”
“Okay. That’s natural, I think.”
Fluttershy blushes. “It wasn’t! I mean… the smell wasn’t from me! My bear recently found a mate and she was the one whom was ready!”
“So you did what needed to be done.”
“Not exactly. You see, I’ve always been a bit squeamish when I have to get up close and personal with genitals. But since I’m the only one who can do it safely, I just get it done and that’s the end of it.”
“But it didn’t go that way?”
“No. I… wanted to try a new technique I read about in a book. It suggested that while the caregiver prepares the male for mating, they can help calm their own mind by thinking of something more pleasant.”
“Sounds like good advice. Did it work?”
Fluttershy sighs. “Yes.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
“You’d think so. But what I was thinking about was not exactly what I would call… appropriate.”
“What was it?”
“When I was working up the male, I was thinking about… you, Arc.”
“Me?”
“More along the lines of… fantasizing, I suppose.”
“Fantasizing about you and I having sex?”
“Yes. But I went too far with it.”
“Uh oh. What happened?”
“I… literally went too far. Before I could stop myself, I… I was covered in bear semen.”
“Ouch! Are you okay?!”
“Yes. I immediately ran to the bathroom to clean myself up, of course. But… but as soon as I saw myself in the mirror, I saw that it was everywhere. In my mane, on my face, in my feathers, and even inside my ears. Without realizing it, I just started dreaming about… about you doing that to me yet again.”
Arc blushes. “Me… covering you in… that?”
Fluttershy’s voice cracks with a mix of embarrassment and shame. “You must think I’m a perverted little mare now. If you want to exclude me from the herd I won’t think any less of you, Arc.”
Arc shakes his head. “No, Fluttershy. You were just a little… pent up.”
Fluttershy sighs. “Some mornings, more than a little.”
“It’s natural to want to be close to the one you love though.”
“That I do! I want to be held, and petted, and nuzzled, and… and…!”
She sighs again, realizing that her breathing has increased.
“I just… worked myself up again.”
“It’s okay. And if you want to break off being part of the herd to be with someone else, I totally understand.”
“No, no! You’re the only one for me, Arc!”
“Are you sure?”
“More than words can say! I don’t mind telling you this, but… you’re the first stallion to ever make me… moist.”
“Thank you? I think.”
Fluttershy giggles nervously. “It was meant to be a compliment, yes.”
“Then I’ll take it as such.”
“It does feel good to confess what I did to you.”
“And I’m glad you feel as though you can trust me with such things too, Fluttershy.”
“I’ll try to keep it in check though. After all, I don’t want the townsponies to think you’re taking a sick mare for a wife.”
“They won’t think that. Everyone in town thinks the world of you.”
“Thank you, Arc. You have my word that I’ll do my very best to make myself worthy of that.”
“You already are in my book.”
“Arc?”
“Yes?”
“That… means a lot coming from you. It’s made we weak in the knees.”
“Would some rest help settle your butterflies?”
“I think it might.”
“Then why don’t I let you go for now so you can rest?”
Fluttershy nods. “Yes, I’ll do that.”
“Good. Take care, Fluttershy.”
“You too.”
He touches his earring, severing the connection. Staring up at the ceiling, Arc muses to himself for a few minutes.
“Fluttershy. I hope we can be together soon. All of us.”
Cherry calls out to him. “She really wants that.”
“So do I.”
“Sex with her?”
Arc sighs. “Kinda. But it’s more along the lines of making them happy than carnal pleasures.”
“I never thought Fluttershy to be pent up sexually.”
“Me either. But that just makes me think.”
“What about?”
“That I know so little about all of them.”
Cherry giggles. “And what is the solution to that?”
“Get to know them. All of them.”