//------------------------------//
// 39~Held up 
// Story: The Emperor Preserves 
// by Centurion Pike-Wall 
//------------------------------//

"You have visitors, Mr. Aquila", the nurse said, pulling his attention away from his thoughts.

Anton nodded, both relieved and dismayed to be broken away from the chain of thought he had tried to forge. Ever since he had been told of his predicament, he had spent all the time that had been granted to him to think. Within the Imperium, such idleness would be seen as a waste; why merely sit and think when one could offer some benediction unto the Emperor, or serve Him and his Imperium in some other way? Of course, as much as he despised it, he was not in the Imperium, and he had little else to do. 

Applejack was the first to enter the room, followed quickly by the others. Applejack came up next to him, a soft smile on her face. "Howdy, Aquila. Ya doin' alright?"

"Save for my inaction, yes", he said, forcing himself to sit up. He gave a brief wince, waving a hoof to calm the startled looks that temporarily graced their faces. "I'm fine. Sore, if nothing else. Besides, 'Pain is an Illusion of the-'" He stopped himself, wrinkling his nose and looking at each in turn. "Why do you smell like charcoal?"

"Long story", Twilight said, before cocking her head. "What was that you were saying?"

"Right", he said. "'Pain is an Illusion of the Senses, Fear an Illusion of the Mind.'" 

"Pray tell, what does that mean?", Rarity asked. 

"A statement of fact", he said. "If one knows something to be true, it... Lessens its effects in the long-run."

"Huh", Rainbow said. "That's... kinda cool, I guess?"

"It's pretty poetic", Fluttershy said. 

Anton said, "It is Faith."

Before any of them could get an answer out of him as to what that meant, Doctor Stable entered the room. "Well, I got the results of that test back. Seems that Ms. Zecora's potion did the trick. You're internal magic reservoir is replenishing relatively quickly. I would, of course, recommend that you avoid any stunts like you did with the Ursa Minor."

"I don't intend to run into it aga-", Anton once again cut himself off, before turning to the others. "Wait. What happened with the Ursa?"

"Twilight here managed to lull it to sleep", Rainbow said. 

The Pink One popped up next to him, grinning her massive, unnerving grin. "Yeah! She made a bunch of reeds sing, then used a water tower like a bottle, filled it with milk from the Cows Inn, and made it go to bed! She then levitated it all the way back to its cave! It was super impressive."

"Almost as impressive as what you did, Aquila", Twilight said, brushing off her friend's compliments. "Levitation magic of that magnitude, and after already being exhausted by helping Applejack with the harvest? It was nothing short of amazing."

"The Emperor Provides", Anton said, sitting up. "Does that mean I'm free to go, Medicae?"

After the quick blinks that came from those in the room at his use of the term, 'Doctor' Stable said, "Yes, though I would recommend not using magic for at least three more days." He lit his own aura, removing the ring on his horn. As soon as it cleared the length of bone, he felt a bit better, as if a weight had been pulled from his back. "Also, please come in in a week or two; I'd like to get a better look at those scars."

"What scars?", Applejack asked, looking around his back. 

Anton sighed, sliding out of bed and shrugging off the teal shroud that had been placed over him while he was in bed. As if he had flipped a switch, all of the eyes that were watching him bulged, while stunned looks and exclamations graced their faces. "A-aquila? What's all dis?"

"Thorn Scars", he said simply, before turning to the doctor. "Do you have my things?"

"Your clothes are in the bottom drawer of the stand", he said. "We have your... Weapons, down by the front desk; the Receptionist can get them for you. Have a nice day."

Anton reached for that drawer, opening it up and pulling out his clothes. They had been freshly cleaned, likely because of some of the recent marks of Flagellation that had reopened. As he began to slide on his pants and undershirt, Rarity asked, "Darling, what do you mean by thorn scars? Did you fall into a bush or something?"

Anton opened his mouth to reply, before closing it. He had planned on simply saying yes, hoping to push on from the conversation. They simply wouldn't understand the need for repentance that spurred him to inflict Holy Pain upon himself. However, Applejack was quite keen on picking up when someone was lying. Instead, he said, "It is... Complicated. I would rather not say."

"Ah'm just worried", Applejack said. "Ah'm... We're, yer friends. If somethin' is wrong, we could help."

"I'm fine", he said, beginning to slide his Jumpsuit and webbing back on. "At least, as well as I could be."

Twilight added, "Applejack is right, Aquila. I know you and I have had our... differences, but I... I would at least like to consider you a friend."

He almost felt that he could scoff out loud. His old train of thought sparked back to life; one of his place in all of this. The Emperor had designs for everyone, and it was the Corruption of those who opposed his and humanity's Divine Right that men were led astray. And yet, here he was. He was no heretic, no traitor to the Imperium, no... Xeno lover. 

That is what sparked his thoughts. By any and all metric, he was one. He had given aid, both directly and indirectly, to Xenos hundreds, if not thousands of times. Every little polite action, every apple he helped to pick, almost any interaction where he had not simply gunned them down, was him ignoring their sin. The ignoring of these sins condemned him further, placing him further and further closer to damnation. No chance for him to prove himself to the Emperor had presented itself. At this point, there was practically no chance for him to progress, and obtain redemption. 

"Are you alright?", the Pink One said, her voice unusually somber. "You look... Sad."

"I'm fine", he said, adjusting his cap. "I'm fine."