//------------------------------// // The Hospital // Story: Mother's Return // by GNGFan21 //------------------------------// Ponies were fixing and building back up the houses and other structures that were destroyed or damaged during the invasion of changelings. Also, there were talks about building a statue in honor of this new princess that had appeared in Canterlot and saved the day. According to the soldiers who managed to catch glimpses of her battling changeling leader who Celestia and Luna were not able to defeat this alicorn did with ease, she even saved both of them from her devastating attack. The battle happened only two weeks ago and the city was well on its way to its former glory thanks to the work ponies were doing. Some of the nobility and royal guards knew who she was and her relations to the princesses, but a large population of Equestria were still guessing who she was and where she came from. Even now working ponies who were taking coffee breaks during the work talked and wondered just who she was some of the nobles were even planning to court her. Canterlot Hospital - Royal Wing Canterlot Hospitals' royal wing held a white alicorn sleeping in a huge bed while wired into different medical equipment that let out pipping sounds now and then. The room was large considering it was designed to held royalty having a balcony in it. Faust started to open her eyes hearing the steady pipping of the machines and looking around the room. Seeing her surroundings she deducted she must be in some sort of hospital. Getting up to a sitting position she sees her daughters sitting on a couch clearly sleeping while leaning at each other. Celestia seemed okay hopefully she's healed up that wound on her stomach looked really bad. Faust heard knocking from her door and soon a white earth pony entered inside wearing a nurse outfit. Seeing that Faust was awake she had a warm smile on her face. "Miss Faust you're awake. That's good, my name is Redheart and I'm your nurse. I'm here to take readings so nothing special." Nurse said and walked around the room and wrote down different numbers from the equipment around the room. Once she was done she walked next to Faust's bed and took. "Are you in any pain? Any weird feelings?" Nurse asked. "Nothing miss Redheart. My body feels a little sore. Feels like I have been sleeping for days." Faust answered and tried to stretch her hands, but was stopped by Redheart. "I wouldn't do that miss. You've been sleeping for almost two weeks. You should just stay still and wait for a while. If that soreness won't go away we might need to look more closely at it." Redheart said and took some pills from her pocket and placed them down on the table next to Faust's bed while writing something again. Faust looked towards her daughters feeling guilty about how she might have made them feel while she was sleeping. "Are my daughters okay?" Faust asked while looking at Celestia and Luna's sleeping forms. "They are okay. Princess Celestia had a deep stab wound on her stomach, but thanks to Luna's first aid we managed to save her. She should be fine, but nothing highly stressful for the whole month for her." Redheart said and finished writing her notes. Faust let out a sigh of relief. "That's good, thank you miss Redheart." Faust said and laid back down "I left some pills for you on the table. Take two of those if you feel intense pain and rest. You also have some visitors. You want to see them?" Redheart asked. Faust gives a nod to her and Redheart leaves the room. A short moment after the nurse left the room Faust heard another knock from the door. Getting back up into a sitting position she cleared her mouth before speaking. "Come in." Faust said and the door opened Cadance entered followed by her husband Shining Armor who was carrying a box and a big kettle with black liquid in it most likely coffee. Cadance gave a bow followed by a silly-looking one from the stallion carrying so much made it hard for him to do it. "Cadance, you don't need to do something like that. We are friends after all also I'm not royalty." Faust said laughing a little. "That's not true. You're aunties mom so in my books you are royalty isn't that right dear?" Cadance asked from her husband who just gave a nod and placed items he was carrying to a nearby table. "Your highness may I ask for a favor?" Shining asks. Faust rolls her eyes. "You may, but drop the highness it's just Faust." She answers. "Alright Miss Faust, I heard how you dealt with the duel against that noble. How did you manage to block a fire spell with paper? I know you can enhance material durability with magic, but that paper should have light up, on contact with fire." Shining finished his question and Faust gave a knowing smile to him. "You aren't thinking enough with your imagination. Magic can be used in many different ways. Including wrapping a vacuum around the paper which in turn takes away the oxygen fire needs to survive thus leaving my paper undamaged. I could show you how it's done." Faust explained while Cadance walked to Celestia. "Auntie, wake up." Cadance said while shaking Celestia trying to wake her up. "Wha... Cadance?" Celestia answers looking at her adopted niece with tired eyes. "She's awake auntie." Cadance says giving a warm smile to her adoptive aunt. Celestia takes a quick and worried look towards her mother seeing her talking to Captain Armor she starts to in turn shake Luna. "Lulu, wake up." Celestia says playfully shaking her little sister trying to wake her up and she starts to groan sounding annoyed. "Five more minutes Tia." Luna says trying to return to her slumber. "Mom's awake come on sleepy head." Celestia says and it has an immediate effect on the blue alicorn, her eyes shot open. "She is? Why didn't you say so to begin with?" Luna said and got up followed by her sister both walking to each side of their mother's bed while Cadance and Shining took a seat on the couch letting three alicorns have their moment. "So... how are you feeling mom?" Celestia asked while having a sad look on her face like Luna. Faust let out a little laugh hearing this question. "Apart from my sore body I think I'm fine Tia." Luna took hold of her mother's hand and Faust turned to face her. "I don't know what I would have done if we lost you again mother. I almost... almost killed my sister because I thought you were gone. I was blinded by rage hearing what Chrysalis had done to you." Luna said showing much regret on her face while looking away from her mother. Faust placed her hand on Luna's cheek and turned her back to look at her. "I know Lulu. But it isn't your fault. I'm the one to blame for this situation. I wasn't there to teach you about this. But I will do so after I'm out of this bed." Faust said doing her best to comfort her youngest. "What do you mean mother? Teach us what?" Celestia asked. "Cadance should attend too. It's about our magic Tia. Alicorns magic is highly linked to our emotions and you could say it's a living being. But now is not a place for magic lectures." Faust said. It wasn't long before there was a knock on the door. "Come in." Faust said and soon the elements entered into the room followed by three younger foals. Faust recognized Twilight the one in front of them. She could feel a link between them one that she hadn't felt in a long long time. "Twilight. It's good to see you. I take these are your friends and wielders of elements of harmony." Faust said and Twilight gave a smile to her. "Yes, they are my friends, and yes we wield the elements of harmony." Twilight answered. While all of them gathered around Faust's bed. "So may I ask your names? I already know Twilight and the pink one I've met once, but can't recall her name." Faust asked. In a split, the second Pinkie was next to Faust. "Oh... I'm Pinkie Pie we already met remember?" Pinkie asked and felt magic lifting her off the bed. "Forgive my friend your highness she's just a little... hyperactive. I'm called Rarity." Rarity said and gave a bow to Faust. "I'm called Applejack. A pleasure to meet you, princess Faust." Applejack said and took her hat off and gave a bow. "I'm called Rainbow Dash the fastest flier in all of Equestria and soon the captain of Wonderbolts." Rainbow said cockily while floating in the air. "I... I'm called Fluttershy princess Faust." Fluttershy answered with a shy voice while avoiding eye contact. "Pleasure to meet all of you. Now, who are these three?" Faust said pointing towards the three fillies in the room who were still searching for their special talent. "I'm Sweetie Belle princess." the white filly unicorn answered. "I'm called Apple Bloom princess Faust." the yellow earth pony filly said. "I'm Scootaloo." the orange pegasus filly said. Looking closely at this one Faust could see her wings seemed wrong they looked way too small for a filly of her age. "And together we are the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" all three said placing their hands over each other and cheering while raising their hands into the air. Faust gave a hearty laugh hearing three little fillies cheering. "That's a lovely club name. It's wonderful to meet all of you. But I would want you to drop the princess part just Faust is enough. So do you need something from me?" Faust finished while taking a more comfortable seat on her bed. "We wanted to see the fabled mother of Princesses. I myself had heard stories and theories during my life about you miss Faust." Rarity said. "And I wanted to see the badass that managed to kick the butt of changeling queen with ease and helped our egghead to cast spells to repel the changelings from Canterlot." Rainbow said with a voice full of adoration. "I myself had some doubts of you being the mother of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. I'm ashamed to say this but I had a three-day-long research session after first meeting you as if to prove beyond doubt you weren't who you said you were. I found some ancient text pointing out you were telling the truth. I'm sorry I ever doubted you miss Faust." Twilight said apologizing for her act of research and not believing Faust's words. "There is nothing to forgive Twilight. All you did was search for answers. I would have probably done the same in your shoes. Besides I have lots of stories about Celestia and Luna as foals and most of them are pretty embarrassing." Faust said having a playful smile on her face while Celestia's and Luna's faces turned pale white hearing about this. "Please Faust. I would like to hear more." Cadance said showing lots of interest in this subject. "I think I'll spare my daughters from this for now." Faust said giving teasing smile to her daughters who in turn sighed in relief. "But I can talk about something else if you want to ask any questions. I'll try to answer them if I can. I can already see you have some questions Twilight." Faust said and faced Twilight. Twilight pulled out a small notepad with multiple papers attached to it. "Well I do have some questions. So let's begin with history. What was..." Twilight began her long list of questions of history while others listened to her questions and Faust gave her answers. It wasn't long until Nurse Redheart returned to inform the visitor hours were over and they should leave soon. "Well come to visit again tomorrow mother. Try to have some sleep." Celestia said and gave a kiss to her cheek leaving with her sister. "Come on girls let's head back home." Twilight said and all of them started to leave the room all except Scootaloo who looked extremely sad. "What's wrong Scootaloo? A filly your age shouldn't look this sad." Faust asked. Hearing this Scootaloo's face stiffened, but the sadness in her eyes didn't leave. "It's nothing, miss Faust. Just tired." Scootaloo answered and left in a hurry from the room. Faust has seen many different faces, but the look Scootaloo gave was something she hasn't yet seen in all her years of living. Focusing her magic Faust tried to summon an ethereal copy of herself she did remember the spell but wasn't sure if she was recovered enough to do this. Her horn glowed deep blue color and after what seemed like hours Faust was sweating and cast the spell. In front of the bed stood a blue-colored ethereal copy of herself. "Follow Scootaloo and see that everything is okay and don't be seen by anyone." Faust said to her copy who gave a silent nod and disappeared leaving Faust alone on the bed where she started slowly to drift into the realms of dreams. Not really knowing why but she felt the familiar pain that little filly held in her heart and it was a pain no filly should feel or go through alone.