"Twilight, what are we even doing here?" Church grunted as Twilight lead him into Ponyville's hospital, keeping him upright with her magic.
"You're sick." Twilight said simply, relaxing as the cool temperature of the hospital hit her. She sat him down on one of the benches near the door, then walked up to the counter and took a number, taking a seat next to Church with it. "Spike's fire did something to you that it shouldn't have and we're going to have the doctor figure out exactly what it did."
"Maybe it sent part of my brain to Celestia." Church chuckled weakly, then coughed violently for few seconds. "Gotta admit, it's a hell of a lot more original than the fiery bag of dog shit I intended on leaving her."
"Church, now isn't the time for jokes."
"Why not?" Church retorted. "What if the doctor can't find anything wrong? I doubt a unicorn getting hit in the face by a hot ball of magical dragon fire isn't a common illness around here."
"Even so, he may know someway to ease your pain." Twilight sighed.
"I guess not many ponies are willing to do a field test of that." Church smirked sarcastically, then clenched his eyes and grunted when the migraine came back worse than ever.
"Maybe I should-"
"No." Church said irritably. "Remember what happened last time you tried that?"
"I know, but-"
"The answer is no, Twilight." Church said adamantly. "I doubt I'd even let Tucker take some of this shit. We don't know how strong it is. It could be strong enough to kill anybody for all we know. Actually, now that I think about it, I'm pretty damn sure getting hit in the face by a ball of magical fire would kill most others." Church then frowned and added. "Ironically enough."
"Probably." Twilight said reluctantly, not liking when Church began thinking that way.
"Number three, Doctor Stable is ready to see you." The receptionist called out from her desk.
Twilight nodded at her from across the room and helped Church out of his chair, using her magic to straighten his legs. Once he was standing straight, Twilight slowly escorted him up to the front desk where she saw a cream colored unicorn with a cutie mark of a heart monitor.
"Ah, hello Twilight." Doctor Stable chuckled lightheartedly. "Bring me another angel from the sky?"
"What does he mean by that?" Church asked curiously.
"When Caboose first, um, fell from the sky." Twilight coughed.
"Right." Church sighed, looking at light brown physician.
"So what problem are you having Mr... what was your name again?" Doctor Stable raised his brow.
"Church." Twilight answered for him, and Church cringed. "He's been having headaches for the past few days and I was wondering if there was anything you could do to help him in even the slightest."
"I can try. Follow me this way." Doctor Stable nodded and began walking down one of the hospital's many halls. "Now, I'd like to just fill in some of the blanks on our way there if that is alright with you."
"Suits me fine." Church said, trying to keep up with the doctor.
"Lovely. Now, where have you been staying for the past while?"
"At Twilight's. The library in the tree."
"I see. Any allergies to anything common?"
"Does stupidity count?" Church asked and Doctor Stable laughed. "Guess not then."
"Now, what do you think may have caused the migraines? When did they begin? How often do they last?"
"They started when Twilight's friend Spike hit me in the face with some green fire." Church said quickly. "And they pretty much last for a few-"
"What?" Doctor Stable's jaw dropped. "But, how? A dragon's fire is supposed to be infinitely worse than regular fire."
"Guess I'm just lucky." Church shrugged, looking away.
"If it's luck, it's the luck of the devil." Doctor Stable laughed, then coughed. "How are you with needles?"
"Fine, I guess."
"Good. Here's our room." Doctor Stable said as he reached for the door. "I'd like to run a few tests on you and-"
Church's horn flared into action and Doctor Stable flung up into the air a few feet. He crashed onto his hooves and fell to the floor, looking around worryingly.
"Fuck, sorry." Church said quickly, helping Doctor Stable up even though his head was in intense pain. "I just don't like the idea of being tested on very much."
"Quite alright." Doctor Stable assured him with a weak smile. "I've dealt with unicorns that have done much worse."
"Good to know." Church laughed.
The doctor lead Church into the small room and checked the basics; heartbeat, blood test, reflex test, making sure he got every detail down, somehow hoping Church had survived due to something natural, believing he could study it to make a breakthrough in the medicine world. To Doctor Stables disappointment, as well as gratefulness, Church had a clean bill of health with no irregularities in his system. As far as he was concerned, Church was just extremely stressed and could only recommend to eat healthy and rest up.
"I was almost certain you must have skin of steel for getting right back up after what happened..." Doctor Stable said quietly as he escorted Church and Twilight to the door.
"I wouldn't say being bedridden is the definition of getting right back up." Church grunted.
"You understand what I mean." Doctor Stable laughed. "I don't suppose you will come back within the next week?"
"I might if this keeps up. Why?"
"Well I could have a few other doctors look at you. Particularly those that study cognitive functions and the like. Maybe they would be able to locate the problem."
"I'll see what I can do." Church promised as he walked out the door.
Twilight brought Church back to the library as quickly as she could. Once inside her home, she told him to get some rest so she could triple check her books on dragons to make sure she didn't over look any minor detail that could help her. Piling the books in front of her so she could make references between each of them, making sure they weren't just fluff. As she cracked open the fourth book, the sound of knocking came from the front door, diverting her attention away from her studies.
"Come in." Twilight said, putting a book mark in the page she was on.
"I apologize that I am late." Delta said, pushing the door open.
Twilight squinted at him, instantly noticing his eyes were slightly bloodshot.
"Do not worry, I am perfectly fine." Delta said as he opened his bag.
"That's good to know." Twilight smirked as Delta propped the Necronomicon up the table. Him being able to accurately predict what she was going to say sure saved time. "Did you do whatever it is you set out to do?"
"You mean besides using me as a piece of meat..." The Necronomicon muttered.
"It would be easier to show you." Delta insisted as he turned to the door. "Come inside."
Twilight looked over at the door, waiting for the two remaining fragments to walk inside. Instead, only one stallion came into the library. Or at least what used to be a stallion now that it was a colt. The colt was orange and had no mane, but had a short scrappy tail with no cutie mark present on his flank. His eyes flickering about like fire as he gazed around largely at the room, smirking to himself.
"Is that..." Twilight trailed off.
"Hello, Twilight. It is nice to see you." The colt said, and it sounded as if there was a second, more malicious voice that echoed after his own.
"Sigma?" Twilight blinked.
"Theta, come inside. It is safer in here." Delta said loudly.
As soon as he said that a small purple blur ran inside and ran behind Delta. Twilight leaned to the side to get a better look at Theta. He was smaller than most colts, but slightly smaller than a filly. He had short messy hair and a tail to match. The color of his pelt, mane and tail was purple with red and blue specs scattered about. His eyes colors shifted between red and blue constantly, meshing around the edges to make purple barriers around the primary splotches. Theta saw that Twilight was staring at him and retreated behind Delta. Twilight looked away, not wanting to make Theta feel uncomfortable.
"Do not feel bad, Twilight. Theta only ever interacted with Zecora and the other fragments while he was in the catacombs." Delta said quietly, looking at Theta who glanced nervously out the window. "Out here he is exposed, and feels naturally threatened by others since he knows nothing of them."
"It also doesn't help that they're bigger than me." Theta added quietly.
"You don't have to worry about anything out here. They may be bigger than you, but I can assure you everypony living here is just as friendly as the next." Twilight smiled, but Theta couldn't see it due to hiding his face.
"Sure they are." Theta grunted.
"Now that the introductions have been made, I require your assistance for something rather important." Delta said, staring directly at Twilight.
"Sure, anything." Twilight nodded politely. "What do you need?"
"I want you to help me register them at Ponyville Elementary."