Medical Atlas was at a loss, and he hated it.
It was one thing having to prepare the medical rooms for the inevitable rush they would be experiencing after the surprise assault, but it was another for the green unicorn to be taken away for a ‘special’ assignment. This confused and angered the unicorn as he was forced to give his patients to the less experienced nurses he had trained the previous month, but Paper Weight held firm and even informed him this came from the Princess and Prince to hammer the importance of this assignment.
There was a huff of displeasure followed by a near prancing stride the whole way at the consideration he might have finally been noticed. This excitement mellowed the moment they reached the stairs and began ascending them to the ninth floor, and having learned what this floor housed, began to conjure possibilities that included battered princesses recovering from their fight.
“Alright colt, keep your eyes open, but your mouth shut for this assignment. We’re here to do a job until the patients recover, and say nothing to nopony about the nature of our work or patient.” Paper Weight began as they finally reached the ninth floor, and made a left away from the Royal Chambers.
Atlas said nothing, but nodded in agreement even if the supervisor couldn’t see him. The act was more for himself anyway as the stallion shifted his attention from theories to fact gathering. Never had he ventured so high before, and to see the stark difference between his living quarters versus the Royal Floor left him feeling awed and annoyed at the extravagant display of wealth. The patient must wield incredible power to have taken residence here, and the nature of this understanding sent the green unicorn’s mind a light with new theories.
“Who is this pony that commands such attentiveness? Certainly not the Royal Family, so maybe a Crystal Noble?” Medical Atlas wondered to no avail for Paper Weight suddenly stopped, forcing himself to maneuver to the right of her else he ran into her.
Before he could even announce his displeasure, there was a sharp clicking that came from a pony flicking their tongues against their teeth to produce high pitched chattering, like those Katydids he used to hate in the summer. It reminded him of that, but less random and more acute to its purpose.
“Let them do their job, Atlas, and don't say anything or move. They’re skittish.” The mature mare whispered as she kept her eyes looking straight ahead.
Atlas watched his mentor and boss become another pony in that moment, but by the time he noticed the clicking was missing, his vision was occupied by the arrival of three bat ponies dressed in full battle armor. They had taken a semi circle in front of Paper Weight with the two on the flanks taking a position on their left and right, leaving the one in the middle to approach the golden mare with her lips pulled back to expose her sharp fangs.
“This area is off limits unless retracted by her Highness. You need to leave.”
“A bat mare?” Atlas thought as he examined the exotic beauty having never seen a bat pony this close before. Old pictures in medical books or the occasional news article were his only exposure to the foreign species, and he reveled this by taking the opportunity to study them.
“By order of the Royal Couple of the Crystal Empire, I’m here with my nurse to treat the patients. Please stand aside and let us administer treatment.”
This act of defiance only angered the bat pony as she snarled and clicked her fangs together which alerted the other two bats and they retreated down the hall and made a right at the end. Atlas stood silent as he watched the two mares size the other up until the bat pony leaned in close enough to almost touch muzzles, but the height difference prevented that.
“You take care of him, you hear? He’s my best friend…” And with that the bat pony took a step back and took flight back up into the roof of the hall. Atlas followed her and watched as she managed to grip the crystal with her hooves to ‘stand’ on her rear hooves, so she may peer down at them.
“Let’s go Medical.”
“Right…” His eyes lingered too long on the strange mare, for she spread her wings and snarled once more, making the green stallion gallop to catch up with his boss.
Princess Luna hated waiting. She did enough of that on the moon, and during her recovery for the first several months after her return, and now found herself waiting in her Niece's and her husband’s private quarters for word on her closest compatriot.
She had not touched the offered tea which had cooled off during their wait, and the night alicorn felt a small bit of comfort seeing her fellow princesses had done the same, even if it was for other reasons than hers. Celestia’s mood hadn’t changed, indicated by the pursed nature her lips decided to take on, and her inability to control her fidgeting wings hide nothing from anypony but the most dense. She was peeved.
Remaining still, her eyes shifted slightly to her niece and husband who both looked worse than one of the guards and maids watching one of the castle’s many vacant rooms. Shining was battered and bruised, but matched her sister’s mood with a near equal fury that made the alicorn wonder if they had planned their reactions in advance. His wife, and her dearest niece was in the early stages of shock as she tried to process what could be called betrayal. Both ponies were hurt by this revelation, but couldn’t act on their feelings since he was under Her protection which was backed by her Thestral escort.
Finally after nearly thirty minutes of waiting for the physician's word, Celestia broke the silence with a question she’d expected, and the restrained tone further told Luna this would be a delicate affair.
“We’ve known months after the wedding of our niece. It was a shock to…” She began to remember how she’d confirmed Idol’s identity and shifted in her seat uncomfortably “... but managed to confirm his identity and truth.”
Luna watched as her sister’s face remained fixated with displeasure and slight anger before blinking and looking away real quick before looking back at her. She might have asked another question if Cadence had interjected.
“Why didn’t you tell us!?” She nearly jumped onto the table, but kept only her forehooves on the nice table. “What about Topaz? Does she know about Idol or Faust above she's like us…”
‘Even now she worries for others.’ Luna noted as she studied her niece who in turn was trying not to break from the needless waiting. Raising a hoof to show her readiness, Luna began by addressing the mare’s biggest concern first.
“Lady Topaz is aware of Idol’s unique history, for she was the one that found him and brought him to Canterlot.”
“Topaz knew, and still brought him to Canterlot!”
“Yes Prince Shining Armor, and I would advise you to wait until WE are finished.” Luna didn’t like being rude to family, but this matter was important and only proper protocols would keep it from breaking down into a family feud.
She was thankful the upset Prince backed down even if the anger was still present as it showed hope for the future of this matter, and future of this nation if their ruler was wise enough to listen. For his actions, the night princess gave the former captain a nod she hoped would be perceived well.
“Oh no, what of Redshock!” Cadence suddenly shouted, and Luna felt her heart beat a bit faster as she turned to Celestia who was looking at their niece with interest. Shining was looking up at her with a renewed sense of anger, and an emotion she couldn’t properly describe etched into his muzzle.
“Who is Redshock, dear niece? Are they a friend of Miss Topaz, and the Colonel?”
The way Celestia used Idol’s rank instead of his name wasn’t to keep tempers from flaring, but her own foalish anger trying to butt horns in an already delicate matter- Luna did her best to hide the bristling fur of her back. Sister and herself will have words later.
“ No she’s…”
“..their nymph. Changeling nymph I should clarify.”
“WHAT!?” was the room’s response, but before they could raise further protest Luna felt the need to take control again and did so.
“WE DEMAND SILENCE!” The Royal voice spared none in the room except for the guards station outside the room, and that was because of the two layered silencing spell She and Celestia had casted earlier.
“We are aware of thy interest in the matter, but allow us the silence to explain and WE will answer such questions.” She looked to the shocked expressions of her fellow Royals, and after a brief staredown with Celestia was offered a stiff nod signaling she may proceed.
“Good. We found out about the nymph during our own interrogation of Idol, and we will make it clear the nymph is merely adopted. Idol and mare Topaz did not sire the nymph, but took on the responsibility of raising the orphaned nymph. Questions?”
“Where did she come from?” Cadence was the first to ask, and her worry for them was more telling than Luna could have hoped for. It meant there was hope.
“To address your concern, niece Cadence, we saw enough to verify the nymph was delivered to Idol under the understanding a terrible fate would befall the young nymph. He took her in without question, and has done his best to raise a fine filly if the letters and monthly updates are to suggest.”
“So that’s why you privately meet with him..you’re following up on him.” Luna shot Celestia a glare for being called out, but answered anyway.
“That was the notion at first, but having been under his care, I’d grown to trust he meant no harm. They quickly became visits between friends and helped with his mental recovery.”
“No…” Celestia had risen so fast she nearly flipped the table over, but what startled the Royal Couple the most was how angry she looked. Her eyes had lost that motherly warmth for the cold steel of a pony used to hardship, and ready for more. Cadence even believed she felt a bit of her magic before the sensation disappeared.
Luna of course knew what was going to be said, and why Celestia was furious.
“I did. I read his mind.”
“LUNA!” Celestia stomped so hard she physically shattered the crystal floor, making Cadence and Shining back up toward the door.
“I was angry at the betrayal, and wanted answers..I didn’t think.”
“Of course you didn’t! Ever since he taught you Luna, you never were sound of mind.”
“BACK OFF CELESTIA!” That statement held true, but her sister would dare tread into a place she might regret, just like she always did growing up.
The outburst was enough, and no pony dared talk, not as Luna stared down Celestia to make it very clear that comment wasn’t appreciated. After a few seconds, Luna had enough and stood up to leave.
“Where are you going Luna?” Celestia was unable to take the hint she had reopened an old wound that needed time to close again. Thankfully the Royal Couple understood and wisely chose to not say anything.
“I’m going to visit my friend and his mate for a bit. Don’t wait up.” Luna growled that last statement to further stress they weren’t welcomed, and without looking left the room.
Topaz Showers felt like Tartarus and then some as she laid on her stomach. Her body ached and stung so badly she couldn't feel her wings, and while that worried Topaz somewhat she knew the strain she had put them through during her search for Cersus. By Celestia’s grace, she knew it could have been worse than some minor frostbite, and was thankful for whoever found her.
She had woken up maybe twenty minutes ago by her estimate when the Head Physician Paper Weight, and one of her assistants changed her wing badges. He was odd for a unicorn as she recalled the dark green coat…
“Atlas.” She said the name as the hazy memory of him bandaging her wings returned to her, as the older mare had observed the process.
With the energy to do anything but lay there missing, Topaz had made the effort to examine the room and noted with relief she was indeed in the familiarity of their own room. The recognition removed the fog around her mind and soon drove her muzzle into the sheets eagerly to reclaim the scent that wasn’t hers, but the only pony she would ever consider sharing a bed with, and this comfort left her forgetting the numbness of her back.
“Where is he?” Topaz wondered as her sagging eyelids continually fought her for the right to return the darkness of sleep, but that question motivated the injured pegasus to find that answer.
With a burst of energy derived from the need to find this pony, the pegasus tried to lift herself from the comfort of their princess size bed, but after two unsuccessful attempts did the next best thing and crawled over to the other side of the bed. Here, the scent was more potent and suddenly her worries seemed like yesterday’s problem, and this time her sagging eyelids got the last laugh, and with no warning Topaz manifested the dream she kept returning to.
It had been over a year since Topaz had visited this dream, but many positives in her life made the mental manifestation redundant- until tonight. She was a mare hurting and wanted the comfort of a certain stallion and nymph as she hiked through the unnamed forest looking for additions to her insect collection.
She flapped her wings, and looked that them a sense of something was off, but a voice called to her somewhere...
"I'm over here Idol!" She called back, and the wings were forgotten as she made her way through the forest in search of her dearest friend.
Princess Luna hated waiting. Especially if it was retaining to the news of her oldest friend found half dead and frozen.
They had separated the pair in the minute chance Idol began passively feeding off the mare known as Topaz, which given their prior entanglements might allow the feeding to happen at the expense of her own health. Princess Luna hated this, but found the logic sound and felt the precaution acceptable for the foreseeable future until the mare was strong enough to allow a feeding. Until then, they would remain separated to allow a more controlled healing on the recommendation of the Empire’s Court Physician and her assistant.
So, Luna found herself sitting on the opposite side of the room watching the exposed changeling laying on his stomach weakly drawing breath. It had been recommended to keep the changeling lightly strapped down to minimize risk, but the princess questioned if the precaution was really for the patient than to quell their own fears. She knew the answer of course, but reluctantly went with the suggestion to get the pair out of the room, and leave her to the visit.
Her guards will make sure nopony will interrupt this critical visit between the princess and her friend.
“Do Changelings dream of love? If so, what do you dream about, Idol?” Luna asked the exposed changeling laying on the spacious bed, the straps keeping him from rolling over onto his fragile exoskeleton.
It looked terrible, and his shallow breathing allowed Luna to guess he had used most of his love to fight off the cold before succumbing to their effects. She dared not apply magic to the flaking chitin in the chance it did more harm than good, and to her great reluctance left the wound alone so it could heal properly. This made Luna turn to the table at the end of the bed, and frowned when she saw a single crystal on its surface.
“Fools. A lone crystal isn’t enough to feed a healing changeling.” Anger and mistrust looked over Luna’s shoulders as she went back to studying her friend and arguably her best friend followed by the Element bearers.
Luna watched her friend take another shallow breath and had enough. Raising from her seat, she stood directly over the struggling changeling and began digging up memories she had buried centuries ago to ease the pain of his loss, and yet, knew no other way to help Idol out.
As she hovered over Idol, Luna fought back the memories trying to escape the ends of her eyes as she recalled a time without her sister. Celestia had up and left her on a whim during those first decades of Equestria, leaving her by herself to run the newly minted nation. And the first two decades were so dreadful until he appeared before her…
A faint wisp of red and pink began forming in front of Princess Luna while she lost herself in a time she had almost completely forgotten, and failed to notice this strange smoke being drawn to the changeling below.