//------------------------------// // Dramatis Personæ: Prelude, Part 2 // Story: Committed! // by Canvas_Shade //------------------------------// “AAH!! Keep that thing away from me! I want no more reptile mouths on my leg!” Canvas shouted while scooting away from Nyvena before her tongue could touch the twin bite wounds. She slammed a fisted forepaw on the ground in frustration. “It will become infected, you stubborn horned mule! Besides, this is not exactly pleasant for me, either. Your blood is not in any way palatable, especially mixed with venom!” Compared to the searing pain, the risk of infection did not concern the unicorn in the least. He remained adamant in avoiding the dragoness’ reach. “Don’t come any closer! I’ll zap you…!” he bluffed desperately. Nyvena growled and her eyes narrowed with anger. Her words were quiet yet vitriolic, “If I see so much as one spark, you will once again find yourself in the company of that snake! Now stop moving, or I will be forced to knock you unconscious!” She pounced and grabbed the writhing pony. Nyvena held him firmly within both paws, and her prehensile tongue wrapped around the bleeding wounds like a fleshy bandage. At first it felt like the hottest of fires had swallowed up Canvas’ hind limb, but then his muscles relaxed as the pain melted away by degrees. Afterwards, Nyvena set him down crudely. “You are such a yearling!” “You don’t know how painful that was! Have you ever been bitten by a snake?” “No, I—” “Then you can’t truly understand, can you?” Canvas retorted, emphasizing the words she said to him the day before. “And for your sake, I hope you never have to.” “Y—very well, I see where this is going.” She scoffed and proceeded along the cliff edge. Her tail whipped through the air and carefully lifted the colt onto her back. He used the remnant of magic he had left to levitated saddlebags onto Nyvena’s back. It bobbed through the air inside a weak, sputtering aura. “Miss K… I can’t feel my hind leg…” “My saliva can only heal surface wounds, not venom. Is there a healing place in Ponyville?” “A hospital? Yeah, I guess so.” “Then I suppose we will have to make that your first stop.” “But ponies’ll see you for sure!” “They are bound to find out, sooner or later. Besides… your survival is more important.” Canvas’ eyes glimmered sentimentally. “Nopony has ever said that to me. Or even really acted like my well-being was more important than something. Thank you, Miss K—WHOA!” Nyvena broke into a sudden dash, nimbly darting around the low-hanging branches, vines, and mosses. “I suppose you are welcome. Hang on tight because I will be running until we reach the edge of the forest. Then I will employ more… stealthy measures.” “What do you mean?” Canvas asked hesitantly. She grinned craftily, “Remember that I have a bit of magic of my own. You will see quite soon.” *** For the proceeding two hours, Nyvena sprinted across the sprawling woodland. Gorges, gulches, and other obstacles that would delay any pony did no such thing to the single-minded dragoness. She tenaciously cleared all manner of geographic hurdles with her powerful wings. Meanwhile, Canvas did his best to stay awake, fighting the coma-inducing effects of snake venom with willpower alone. The bumping and jarring certainly helped, but he needed more stimulation to keep him awake. Over time the rich greens and browns blurred together in his vision and sounds became increasingly muddled. As if that was not enough, the motions of her running started to make him nauseous. “Miss K., do you think you could stop for a moment…?” he pleaded with quiet, slurred speech. “No stopping! There is no telling when—” “I think I’m gonna be vomit…” The queasy unicorn dry heaved as he spoke. She skidded to a halt, making Canvas’ head collide with the back of her neck. There was no way she would tolerate having to clean such a mess off of her scales. “ALRIGHT, off you go. Just make it quick.” The colt promptly dismounted and hunched over the base of a tree. He retched so loudly that Nyvena backed away in disgust. She decided it was best to go for a short walk, hoping that the forest’s wonders would be an adequate distraction from the terrible sounds. Something was different about that part of the woods, but the dragoness could not quite put her claw on it. The droning sounds of tree-dwelling fauna were more distant, and the trees had less vines, mosses, and lichens, unlike most of the others. The willow trees they stopped under stood as ancient, natural gazebos with thick curtains of suspended leaves. In the immediate area there were odd flowers and grasses of all kinds that even the well-traveled reptile had never seen before, especially one with bright blue petals and a distinctly repugnant odor. Preoccupied with looking up for so long, Nyvena did not realize that she stepped further than intended while walking on her hind legs. Her heel found an ancient log, rolling forward and sending her tumbling backwards with a sharp roar. She landed outside the willow’s leafy drapes and landed with a thud. Nyvena shielded her eyes from the sudden presence of mid-afternoon sunlight. No longer did she smell the stale odor of thousands of years of fallen leaves and dead trees. She smiled widely when her eyes could adjust. “Grass! Hills! By the stars, Canvas—we are near!!” The sunlight shined gloriously throughout the open land before her, unfiltered by the shadows of a leafy canopy. The clock tower and roof of Ponyville City Hall were hazy silhouettes from her view, but stood as symbols of triumph nonetheless. Nyvena went to see what was taking the unicorn so long, but her enthusiasm waned at what she saw. Canvas was in utter disrepair. He slumped across an arched tree root thick enough to support his weight. It seemed that not only did the venom gradually devastate his insides; it killed his willpower by attrition as well. “You should’ve just… let me get eaten,” he wailed quietly. His voice was reduced to mere slurring groans. The unicorn was also noticeably trembling. Nyvena pointed in the direction of the willow leaves, trying to speak encouragingly, though her words conveyed only dire frustration. “We are so close, Canvas! Ponyville is just beyond these vines!” “You… will be… seen, Miss K.” “To Tartarus with that! I need your help, and that means I need you to be alive and well!” Using her prehensile tail, the dragoness heaved Canvas and his cargo onto her back. Tearing through the valley of hills, her hooked talons gouged the dirt and left a trail of dust and grass. The thought of being spotted by the town’s denizens put an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, but the feeling could not overcome the importance of getting the unicorn to proper care. “I don’t see anypony yet. Hopefully it’s just a… very busy day.” Canvas weakly commented. She whispered, “Nopony is attacking us with magic as of yet, so they are fine by me so far.” Before cresting the valley of hills closest to the buildings, Nyvena slinked behind an apple tree wide enough to hide both of them. A thud sounded behind her that made her heart leap, but it was the weakened colt that slid off when the last of the energy for the adhesive technique dwindled completely. “Sorry. Don’t mind me… I’ll just be here, dying.” Nyvena bit her lower lip with concern for her travel companion as she pressed her back against the trunk. Her muscles remained motionless so she could easily listen for bustle within the town. But the abnormal silence persisted. Not a single hoof step was heard yet, for which the dragoness exhaled a relieved sigh. A deep breath followed as she gathered her focus for the technique she hinted at before. Nyvena clenched her forepaws and closed her eyes. Raw magical power channeled through her curved horns, rippling the atmosphere around them and emitting a quiet subsonic hum. The effect intensified with each passing second, and her body progressively became translucent. The spell progressed from the tips of her horns down until the Nyvena appeared as nothing more than a dragon-shaped distortion. It was not perfect—after all, only the wizened or the prodigies of her kind could pull off invisibility from all of the senses. She silently prayed that being only visually undetectable would suffice. As the two proceeded, Canvas planned his steps carefully in hopes of expediting progress. It oddly felt as if what movement his body was capable of was not entirely under his control. His knees would buckle without warning or make him veer off-course at random. The colt wondered if the toxins were acting upon his brain. The notion frightened him deeply, as he knew that time was dangerously short. Thankfully, Nyvena was there to help him maintain balance, and her presence was vaguely reassuring. The outer row of Ponyville houses was finally behind them, which meant only a quarter mile or so to the main road. Even in his poison-induced delirium, the unicorn was thankful for every moment of unhindered progress. But it only made Nyvena even more on-edge. Her invisible eyes darted warily, and the crunch of leaves alone felt as if years were cut from her lifespan. Suddenly a rush of blood welled up in his throat, and the poison-laced liquid assaulted his trachea. It threw the colt into another violent coughing fit, sending blood splattering onto the cobblestone streets. At the very least, the convulsions were intense enough to keep him awake—or as close to awake as possible, considering the circumstances. “I think the poison’s… dissolving my insides…” “Shh—do not focus on that. Keep your eyes on the destination.” “There it is! Across the main street…” Canvas discreetly pointed out a rustic, three-story building. Ponyville Hospital was more like a rustic three-story cottage, rather than any medical establishment he had ever seen. The building’s design appeared much friendlier than the hospitals made of concrete and steel in Baltimare. On the marquis was a white medical cross with a heart in each corner, signifying a more caring atmosphere than the average clinic. Quaint or not, it may as well have been built with fire rubies to the weary colt. As Nyvena advised, his focus on the hospital was so strong that nothing else seemed to matter. “Finally, I—” He paused his verbal contemplations when sensing a vague lavender hue in his peripheral vision. “No, gotta concentrate… can’t—” “It’s great to see a new face around Ponyville!” a mare’s voice said behind him cheerfully. Canvas heard a faint but heavy rustle to his right. Nyvena slipped away stealthily, causing him to panic silently. “Miss K., I need—Nyv… don’t leave me…! Damn it.” The unbearable stinging returned to his bite wound with a vengeance as the colt tried to balance himself and act as natural as he could manage. He turned around to fully face the unicorn mare with a smile contorted by pain. The mare also seemed unsure as to how she would greet the newcomer. She did not handle awkward situations very well “If you like, I could show you around. You look like you” A unique pink and purple streak ran through navy blue mane from the short edges at the base of her neck to her long, thin bangs. The same streak of purple and pink ran along the length of her longer tail, the end of which had a curl—most likely inspired by a certain fashion designer. A pair of spectacles with a rectangular shape and rounded edges sat cutely upon her muzzle. Her eyes in particular held Canvas’ attention. The dark purple eyes had a sincerity to them that set her apart from the more hard-edged ponies in Baltimare and Dodge City. The mare’s friendly smile reduced to a nervous chuckle as she waited for her fellow unicorn to respond. Canvas Shade was not the most social of ponies, by any means. But pain or no pain, it did not feel right to just ignore the only pony nice enough to greet him. Canvas was at a loss for responses and only stared at her numbly, but flinched when a horrified gasp replaced the mare’s polite smile. She saw the terrible wound on Canvas’ hind leg and she rushed forward to help the colt stay upright. “I am so sorry. I didn’t realize I was keeping you from getting to the hospital. Thank goodness you’re already very close to it! Doctor Stable is one of the best doctors for miles around…” The talkative unicorn tried her best to think of topics that could avert their focus from the disconcerting bite wound on his hind leg. “So… where do you hail from?” “Baltimare… or Las Pegasus, I think…? Long term memory’s not too good at all right now,” Canvas replied numbly. “Oh? How is it this time of year?” “It’s good I gue—oh, WHOA…!” Canvas shook his head in absolute disbelief, and pure astonishment pushed aside his lethargy. The mare flinched. “What? What is it?” She looked all around her, and then she saw where the colt gawked, letting out an amused giggle. “Y-y-y-your cutie mark—Element of…” She giggled and shook her head, “Twilight Sparkle is just fine.” Canvas staggered backwards and sat upon his haunches, his lower jaw halfway to the ground. “The Element of Magic—THE Element of Magic is helping me to the hospital!!” he said to himself in giddy disbelief. “I’ve very flattered, but I—” A distant whistle interrupted her, and both unicorns looked into the sky. They heard a faint whoosh as a distant winged figure zoomed overhead. Twilight smiled with pride to introduce her fellow Element of Harmony, “Heh, that’s Rainbow Dash, of course, always obsessed with Wonderbolts. For the other competitor, it’ll be just a competition for second in their recruitment this year!” She continued their slow advance to Ponyville Hospital, but the unicorn beside her was too mesmerized by the air show above. “Element of Loyalty! It’s definitely an hon—wait, why is she suddenly swerving like that?” Indeed, Rainbow Dash’s flight pattern was thrown off, forcing her to circle around. Her velocity was out of the Pegasus’ control, the sight of which made Canvas’ ears lay flat with concern. “Will she be okay?” “Hehe… as skilled of a flyer as she is, she… uhm—” Twilight had utmost confidence in her friend’s skills, but in the rare event that things go awry, she knew it was more than likely that a pony or structure would end up as a casualty. Both unicorns tried to quicken their pace so that he could reach the hospital without incident, but the colt’s broken body refused to move any faster. A very audible shout came from the plummeting Pegasus, “CLEAR OUT! MOVE YER FLANK!” The land-bound ponies could now see her sky blue coat and unmistakable rainbow mane very clearly. In any other situation it would have been a pleasure to see the future Wonderbolt up close, but at her current speed, it was quite frightening. Canvas knew that evading the blue Pegasus would be impossible if he was to be in her path. It was down to the critical seconds before her inevitable crash landing, and all three knew that Rainbow would inevitably crash into either Twilight or Canvas. Rainbow’s forelegs reflexively covered her face and clenched her eyes together. Twilight could not react fast enough to intervene magically or physically. All that came to mind was to gasp and turn her head away from the impending catastrophe. Canvas did not even brace for impact. He could only ask himself why, out of all other times and places Rainbow Dash would lose control of her flight, it would be in that exact time, and in the exact spot where he sat. He looked at the ground, calmly conceding to his fate. It’s not so much that I’m about to die, it’s just that I really thought I’d have more to say when it happ-- TKKKKCRUNCH—THWOK!!! *** “In all my career, I’ve never seen somepony this… damaged! It’s a wonder how that colt’s still alive, much less moving! Venom toxins, fractured front leg, deep cuts, shattered collarbone, four broken ribs!” Doctor Stable ranted to Twilight Sparkle as they trotted to the intensive care room side-by-side. “I suppose it takes a case like this to remind a pony how long they haven’t used their ICU.” The doctor let out a stressed sigh, beads of sweat trickling down the side of his head. Keeping Canvas alive was definitely a test of the staff’s medical expertise and physical endurance. Stable performed surgery for hours while his team of four nurses rushed throughout the facility, filling out paperwork and retrieving supplies, tools, and fluids. “Will he survive…?” Twilight asked anxiously. “I can’t even say at this point. We got him to stop bleeding at the mouth only half an hour ago.” “What about Rainbow?” “Oh… well, she’ll be on her way quite soon. She came in with only a few scratches and a slightly sprained wing. Sweet Luna, the resilience of that Pegasus never ceases to astound me.” The brown earth pony shook his head slowly in reflective amazement. The bookish mare double took, not quite comprehending what was just said, “You mean, even with that impact, Rainbow got away with only minor injuries?!” “It is uncanny, indeed.” “Can… I see how he’s doing?” “You can, but I don’t think he’s awake yet.” The two stopped at the door at the end of the hallway, and Doctor Stable turned to open the door for Twilight. “There is much paperwork to be done, and I must check on other patients with Nurse Redheart. Just press the button near the bed if you need us.” She bowed gratefully, “Much appreciated.” Twilight quietly entered the room, easing the door closed. Her brows arched worriedly when she got a good look at the heavily bandaged unicorn. His entire torso and left hind leg was wrapped, and his foreleg was held straight by a blue cast. Band-Aids and gauze pads of all sizes were all over his body. To her surprise, Canvas was awake, but did not seem conscious. His half-closed eyes stared at the opposite wall, only hopelessness and constant pain in them. Seldom did he even blink. Even the brown burlap saddlebags the colt had with him seemed to drape glumly from the wooden bedpost. Seeing her fellow unicorn in such a pitiful condition forced Twilight to fight back tears. How could I possibly console him when he’s like THIS? I’ve never been in his position before. He might not even listen to me… what if he thinks it’s my fault and considers me to be bad luck? The purple mare gloomily hung her head. She had not known the colt for five minutes, and he ended up nearly getting killed. What else was he to think? I at least have to try… “Um, hi there,” she said meekly. Canvas blinked several times, his head turning in Twilight’s direction when her gentle voice reached his ears. “Ah, I have a visitor!” Twilight looked to the side nervously, scratching the back of her head with a fore hoof. “I… I had to make sure you were okay.” He scoffed to himself, “Well, I’m alive… but it’s not enough. Somepony depended on me, and I can’t ever seem to do anything but get hurt. What made me think that I would make a difference to ANYPONY? I’m a bucking liability!!” Canvas slammed his uninjured hoof on the bedframe, causing Twilight to flinch and shrink back. Seeing somepony like Twilight be so docile caught the self-loathing colt off guard, and he relaxed his clenched jaws and took on a gentler tone. “I’m sorry, Miss Sparkle… I just… when I have nothing to do, my mind drifts into some pretty dark places.” “I can’t help but feel responsible. If I hadn’t been involved, I’m sure that what happened somehow wouldn’t have, and…” Canvas chuckled. “Sounds like your mind goes off on tangents like mine does. Don’t worry about it. I’ve usually had luck like this. It just hadn’t put me in critical condition before. Besides, getting to meet you made my day. And it could’ve been my last day alive.” Relieved that none of the scenarios that played in her mind actually happened, Twilight smiled once more and sat at his bedside. She touched a hoof to her cheek to hide a slight blush. Nopony ever said anything like that to her under such circumstances. “I’m always happy to help, Mister—” “Canvas Shade. Sorry, I usually introduce myself early on.” “Oh, not at all, Canvas. That’s a nice name, by the way.” “Hehe, I’ve heard better, to be honest.” Little did the unicorns know that Rainbow Dash sat just outside the double doors, biting her lower lip nervously. Guilt turned into hesitation the closer she was to Canvas’ room; after all, she had never hurt anypony like badly, even on accident. The normally bold Pegasus could not bring herself to approach Canvas and apologize. Come on, Dashie… you can at least try. You’re a future Wonderbolt, darn it! Come on, move those hooves!After a moment of harsh self-motivation the blue Pegasus took a deep breath and stepped through the door. She had no idea what to expect, and for the first time in years, the unknown made her quite uneasy. “YOU!!” Canvas bellowed when seeing Rainbow again, his left front hoof accusingly pointed at her. She flinched and paused mid-step, letting out a shrill ‘eep.’ The unicorn colt’s face contorted in pure rage. Never before had he looked upon another pony—or anything for that matter—with such fervent ire. The fluorescent lights flickered as Canvas’ horn produced an energy field, which formed into a golden sphere of concentrated electricity. The drywall cracked and chipped away, and the corners of his bed sheet burned away. Rainbow’s eyes widened as she backed away, becoming increasingly paralyzed with awe and fear of the ball of rampant magic before her. Twilight gallantly darted from the bedside and stood between Canvas and Rainbow in a crouching defensive stance. Her horn shone with a brilliant magenta aura, and her eyes were suddenly filled with white light. Her voice echoed above the sound of the thrumming energy that filled the room. “Canvas Shade, find it in yourself to forgive, and STOP this!” The echoing in his mind clashed with the magic that flooded every part of his being. The physical wounds could not compare to being so overwhelmed by two clashing energies. It felt as if his very existent would burn out. “I CAN’T CONTROL IT, TWILIGHT!!” he cried out, throwing his head back, letting out a cry of agony. The light fixture above Rainbow grew dangerously bright and shattered under the deluge of electricity. She shrieked and shielded the back of her neck with her front hooves and wings. Fortunately, the shards were caught in Twilight’s aura before they could fall on her. The magenta telekinetic aura pushed Rainbow into the corridor before sealing the door shut. Heavy thrums violently shook the room as Twilight’s magic bridled the destructive electricity. With sustained, consistent effort she gained the upper hoof within seconds. The immense yet precision use of her energies subdued Canvas’, and her pink light filled the room while the gold-tinted lightning was reduced to mere sparks. The colt slumped back with a splitting migraine while Twilight staggered exhaustedly. Rainbow snapped out of her stupor when things were calm again and bolted away from the hospital as fast as her legs would go. Amazingly, Twilight was able to regain her composure almost instantly. Only the charred hairs around her horn were out of place. The only thing on her that was damaged was a cracked lens on her glasses. But it was nothing that could not be handled with a quick repair spell. “What happened, Twilight…?” “Something I’m quite familiar with, more than you might think.” The unicorn’s unblinking eyes remained wide, and his body quaked severely. “Please… cover your ears and get the doctor…” Canvas said quietly. He and Twilight both knew that it would not be long before the long-term inundation of pain caught up with him. She quickly complied. She was not halfway down the hall when a booming shout echoed through the hallways. “SON OF A BIIIIIIIIIII—” *** Inside Golden Oaks Library: Twilight Sparkle slammed the door behind her after letting Rainbow Dash enter first. The hinges nearly broke free of the doorframe, and almost all of the shelved books in the main room shifted forward. “Explanation, NOW,” barked Twilight in an authoritarian tone. Rainbow kept her head low, not able to bear looking at her friend’s outraged countenance. Instead, she took a deep breath before retelling what happened. “I-I don’t know what went wrong! I would’ve just kept flying, but-but then one of my wings suddenly wouldn’t flap! There was a flash—l-like a camera—and then I couldn’t control my body, and then I went into a dive, and then–and—” Her speech was almost too frantic to comprehend. Twilight’s reproving glare reduced to concern and desire to understand what exactly happened to her friend. “So, this isn’t like those other times when you’d lose control?” Rainbow lunged forward and grabbed Twilight at the shoulders with both hooves. “This wasn’t like any of those times! It was as if Applejack lassoed the wing to my side! I was flying FORWARD, for Luna’s sake. ANY flier can manage that! But the wing just. Wouldn’t. Flap!” Her breathing was heavy and frantic, her eye twitched with desperate hope that Twilight, of all ponies, would understand her predicament. Rainbow’s frenzied behavior frightened Twilight. She had not seen the great, headstrong Rainbow Dash in such a panic since the Young Fliers competition three years prior. “Besides, what was with that stallion back there?! It looked like he was gonna blast a hole in the wall… through ME!!” “I’ve had surges of magic like that before, remember? Fortunately, Princess Celestia was there to suppress it and reverse the effects. What’s more is that over the years she personally taught me to do the same.” Twilight’s eyes darted around the assortment of books while tapping a fore hoof to her chin. She trotted around while magically retrieving several texts on magical medicine. In the meantime, her magic gradually sealed the crack on her glasses lens, readying them for an intense reading session. “Just as stressful situations caused my surges, anger seems to cause his—just a theory.” “Never thought I’d have that kind of effect on a guy.” “His name is Canvas Shade,” Twilight informed dryly. “Nice to know the name of the pony who almost KILLED me…” “He already knows about the pony who almost killed him. Might as well even out the playing field.” Rainbow slouched and hung her head with guilt and dejection. “Below the belt, Twi…” “Sorry… anyway, my plan is to heal Canvas with magic. He had a look about him that I can’t explain… like he desperate to be somewhere.” All of the books simultaneously opened and turned to specific pages. “I’ll need to review quite a bit, though. In the meantime, you work on your apology. Canvas might be a lot more receptive if he’s feeling better.” “Makes sense, I guess.” The blue Pegasus trudged to the other side of the room. She laid upon her back under an open side window, staring at the ceiling of the hollowed out tree. How do I even approach him, especially a second time? Could I even explain in time before he tries to zap me, or something? “What’s with all the noise? It’s the weekend, for Luna’s sake.” A bipedal purple dragon with green crests descended the stairs, grumpily wiping his eyes. On one shoulder stood a majestic young phoenix, and on his tail perched Twilight’s pet owl. Twilight turned her head to the young dragon with a pleasant smile. “Oh, good morning, Spike! Sorry for all the noise. There’s a new arrival here in Ponyville, and he’s in a bit of a predicament. Okay, a huge predicament.” Words like ‘new arrival’ and ‘predicament,’ combined with fervent studying spelled out a sizeable amount of assisting—too much for a dragon who just woke up. “Oh, that’s… nice,” he replied with false interest. “I’m gonna… feed Peewee and Owlowiscious. Call me if you need me!” Spike darted into the kitchen before Twilight could find something for him to do before he could get breakfast. “He’s a lot more… elusive since his growth spurt, Twi. You should keep a closer eye on him.” “That may be, but he’s not as impulsive and opinionated as he once was. Thankfully.” She and Rainbow chuckled lightly. Spike’s journey into adolescence never failed to evoke a lighthearted laugh. *** After roughly three hours of nonstop studying, Twilight's books shut in unison. In the meantime, Spike lazed around the Library bored out of his mind. Twilight did have the occasional task for him, but it did not come close to livening up his Saturday. Even his precious radio (with which he spent many hours easing away the boredom of living inside a library) did not seem to lift his mood this time, so he spent the last moments of her study session foraging through the pantry. Rainbow Dash had fallen asleep after the first thirty minutes and awoke with a start at the loud thump of the book covers. In her drowsy haze she saw Twilight’s study material line up neatly in her pristine white saddlebags. “Alright, I’m ready. Wish me luck, Dash!” She headed for the exit, grinning optimistically. Rainbow replied in a deep voice while yawning and stretching, “You? You don’t need luck. It’s ME who needs the luck here.” Twilight smiled and rolled her eyes in response, shutting the door behind her. “And how in Equestria did she finish those so fast?” Rainbow asked herself. “It’d take me MONTHS to finish books that long!” Spike heard her inquiry as backed out of the kitchen carrying a sterling silver platter covered with a delicious pile of coal. “You didn’t know Twilight could speed-read?” The Pegasus rolled her eyes. “No, duh! I don’t watch her read, and she’s never told me.” She rolled onto her hooves and shook off the bandage from her sprained wing as she too started for the exit. Having suffered countless injuries of the sort, her body seemed to be used to it. A minor injury like that could not stop the great Rainbow Dash from doing what she loved. “If Twilight asks, I’ll be at home. Catch you later, Spike.” Spike walked up the stairs and curled up in his bed, switching on his radio set and tossing lumps of coal into his mouth like popcorn. “If you say so. Don’t crash into anypony else on your way there!” he snickered. Rainbow turned around to snarl at him before departing. *** Twilight Sparkle galloped to the hospital at full speed, even though her saddlebags were heavy with books. She burst through the front entrance and skidded to a halt on the tiles. “Nurse Redheart! I’m here to see patient Canvas Shade again. What’s his condition?” The white earth pony turned toward the unicorn sharply, fatigue noticeable on her face and mane. “You’ll have to ask Doctor Stable. He just finished with him, so he should be on his way now. You can have a seat over there.” The lavender unicorn could not sit still for more than a minute. She stood up once again and paced the length of the waiting room and hoped with all her being that she could convince the Doctor to go with her plans. Indeed, it was not long before the overworked stallion entered the room. “I’ve got my work cut out for me with that one, Nurse Redheart,” Doctor Stable slouched onto one of the waiting room chairs to rest his aching legs. “Uhm, Doctor? Are you okay…?” Twilight’s voice made the brown earth pony spring to his hooves. “Ah! Oh, hello Miss Sparkle! How can I help—” “I have something to ask of you, and it’s very…” Twilight perked up with an idea. What an opportune time for Doctor Stable to be near the end of his rope! If I play my cards right, everypony here can get what they want! “Well, I see how stressed you are with treating Mr. Shade, so I was hoping that I could help out a bit. I’ve had some experience with medical magic, and…” Twilight needn’t say any more. The weary physician stood on his hind legs to hug her. “Thank the Princesses for you! I have never been in such need of a break!” “Great! In fact, I could take him off of your hooves altogether!” “I am in no position to argue! Thank you, thank you, Miss Sparkle! For what it’s worth, I wish the best for him. He sure did a good job of hanging on for dear life. We had to move him to the room across the way. Good thing you were there, or we would have an entirely missing room!” She smiled humbly, “Much appreciated, once again. And it’s no problem, Doctor. He’ll be good as new sooner than you think!” “Good, good. Just don’t let him use any more magic here. I don’t think our building can take any more,” he said before disappearing beyond the double doors “Duly noted, hehe,” she giggled awkwardly, and turned to Nurse Redheart. “I can cover that, by the way…” “No worries, it’s been more than covered. He gave us some jewels as repayment that would make any dragon jealous! Knowing that such exquisite pieces would benefit our little hospital made my day, all things considered. Oh, and he was moved to the room across the hallway. Seems that the intensive care room needs intensive care of its own!” Hearing about the jewels piqued Twilight’s curiosity. The unicorn’s pace slowed to a stop while processing an influx of questions that she did not yet consider asking. But that could definitely wait. Twilight shook her head to re-focus before trotting into the hallway. A few minutes later the unicorn mare’s head peeked through Canvas’ room door. “Canvas? You awake?” The only response was a groan as he partially opened his eyes. Numerous monitors crowded either side of him, so Twilight sat at the foot of the bed. The original bandages were replaced entirely, except for the cast on his foreleg. It remained partially charred, but there was no damage past the rock-solid plaster surface. She also noticed that the art pony’s horn was now covered in gauze padding, apparently having suffered severe burns. Canvas slowly turned his head to Twilight as he yawned. “Here to read me a bedtime story, Miss Sparkle?” The unicorn mare raised a hoof to her chest and spoke in a declarative manner, “Canvas Shade, I hereby take on the responsibility of healing you fully, as well as teaching you how to control your magic!” Canvas nearly sat up in shock. Twilight’s noble words had his full attention, and he could not help but stammer, “Y-you’d… really do that? I mean… I don’t want to diminish the moment—I mean, I-I’m sure there are much better ways to spend your time, a-and I don’t want to be a bother—I guess what I’m trying to say is… why?” “Because,” Twilight tilted her head upwards while taking on a didactic tone, “That surge of magic back there showed me that we’re a lot alike. There’s a vast amount of energy inside you that’s waiting to get out. It’s not unlike what I experienced when I was a filly. Princess Celestia herself taught me how to harness it properly and stay in control, even during stressful situations. I hope for the chance to help you in the same way.” The mare was quite cheerful. After all, it had been quite a few months since she had a chance to help somepony in a significant way, and the she was determined to make the most of it. However, she was still unsure of how he would react. “If I help you heal, you could be in Ponyville for only six days, rather than six months,” she persuasively continued. “Ah—wow, ‘it’s an honor’ doesn’t come close to doing this justice!” Canvas paused and replied slowly while mulling over the eager mare’s proposal, “if I could do all this before six months they gave me, that sounds like a great deal!” Twilight’s expression grew somber before continuing once again, “There is only one thing that I ask of you in return.” “Anything, Miss Sparkle!” he replied enthusiastically. “Could you please… please find it in yourself to forgive Rainbow Dash for what happened? I promise, she did not mean to fly into you. If you let her explain for herself, there might still be a chance for friendship between you two!” Canvas withdrew in shock and hesitation. The sudden movement hurt the internal wounds that were repaired twice over. “But… but…” So many conflicting emotions clashed throughout his mind. How could she possibly expect me to forgive that Pegasus for nearly finishing off what was left of me?! Then again, how could I refuse the Element of Magic herself, especially when she offered to teach me? Maybe it wasn’t her fault, entirely—damn it, I just don’t know!! “She explained to me what caused her to lose control up there, and it doesn’t sound like an accident. I saw the look on her face while she spoke, and I’ve honestly never seen her like that. Dash is one of the bravest ponies I know, and she was trembling. Trembling! Her eyes were wide and her face drenched in sweat! I didn’t know what to think, but I know one thing: if you saw her as I did, this decision would not be as hard for you.” Canvas started to regret his strong feelings toward the Pegasus, especially since he did not know the whole story. “Very well. I’ll hear what she has to say, at least.” “To begin with, Rainbow told me that something prevented one of her wings from flapping—” “Like... a binding spell?” he blurted out. His question caused wheels to spin in Twilight’s mind. “I-yes, that sounds about right. It’s been used in combat for centuries, but is a very outdated spell.” “That’s exactly the kind of thing I’m looking into! I know somedr—pony who’s experienced that kind of magic. And there are ponies who’re using arcane magic for less-than-desirable purposes…” Canvas looked to either side, then looked at Twilight again. “Is there someplace else where we can get started? I can’t stand looking at these walls anymore.” Twilight hummed in thought for a few seconds and then perked up when an idea came to her. “I can teleport us to the library, if you’re comfortable with that!” Canvas was hesitant while he pondered the ramifications of teleporting with serious injuries. However, it would be done by somepony how has an intact horn, at least. And it would be a better alternative that being pushed in a wheelchair. How bad could it be? “I guess I’m fine with it as long as it doesn’t hurt too much, and if you can transport my stuff, too…” He interrupted himself, reminding himself who he was talking to, “Wait, what am I saying? You’re skills border on legendary!” “I certainly do try.” Twilight shrugged shyly with a flattered smile as she magically removed the EKG electrodes from his chest, “I certainly do try.” The mare closed her eyes as well while shifting her legs back for stability. She pointed her horn in the Canvas’ general direction as a high-pitched hum filled their ears. It was not loud and piercing like the wild dynamism of Ingot’s powers, much to his relief. Twilight’s technique was more refined and much less frightening. Her aura suavely surrounded Canvas and his belongings, and the separate energy fields connected like three conjoining bubbles. Through Twilight’s magic the colt sensed the labor of love that went into perfecting the technique over the course of two years. There was a sudden flash, and the unicorns were surrounded by streaks of light, Despite transporting only half a mile to the Library, to Canvas it looked as if they traveled at faster-than-light speeds through a galaxy full of stars while frozen in the same positions. He now knew what defying the space-time continuum looked like, and it was a wondrous sight that Canvas knew he would never forget. The magic of the moment dulled his pain, allowing the colt to fully enjoy the wonders of transcending the laws of physics. The ethereal visual display ended with a pink-tinged flash. Canvas found himself in the guest bedroom on the first floor directly underneath her own room. He could tell that it was annexed recently, as its structure was made of a different type of wood. Little light filtered into the room, but just enough for the unicorn to observe his surroundings. Sawdust lay in the corners, and the smell of new construction materials hung in the air. Everything was neatly arranged, no doubt by the meticulous efforts of Twilight Sparkle herself. He relaxed upon the plush bed with a short deep exhale. The effects of her magic slowly wore away and the pain increased once again, but it did not matter to him as much now. After all, Canvas knew that he would be in good hooves. *** Later that evening: For two hours Peewee and Owlowiscious squawked and fluttered on their perches with each cry of pain that followed the crackle of rearranging, re-ossifying bones. It was loud enough to penetrate through the solid wood of the guest room door. After an hour or so, the sounds of painful recovery reduced to only groaning and labored breaths. Spike removed his paws from his earfins before retrieving the cleaning supplies Twilight requested soon after returning with Canvas. The dragon slowly entered to see their guest for the first time, doubled over and in tears. “Isn’t there… a gentler way to do this?!” “I wish there was, but quick healing comes at the price of minimum tenderness. This isn’t easy for me either,” Twilight answered gently, her breaths still rigid and labored. “Let’s take a break before we move on to sealing up those cuts.” she said while flexing her limbs to get the blood flowing properly. Afterward, the exhausted mare fed Canvas an herbal sedative she received as a gift from Zecora on her last birthday. To his surprise, the medicine did not taste as horrible as he expected. However, it had a very potent spice and tang to its flavor. It took only seconds for him to be able to lay still and relax, at last. Meanwhile, Spike was hard at work removing blood spots from the polished wood floor. He could not help but frown slightly since Twilight arrived with Canvas. There had not been a stallion inside their home very often, unless it was to check out or return books. The protective dragon silently disagreed with having Canvas around his lifelong companion, especially for several days. “So, what brings you to Ponyville… Canvas?” asked Spike with a hint of cynicism. Canvas started diffidently, “Actually, that’s… what I wanted to tell Twilight about. But since you’re her assistant, I guess it’d be okay if you knew as well.” He sat up best he could and glared at Spike and Twilight with utmost seriousness. “But you can’t tell anypony about this, other than the other Elements of Harmony. Do you both promise?” “We not only promise, we Pinkie Swear!” Twilight answered and placed a forelimb upon her left eye. She nudged Spike with her foreleg, and he grudgingly did the same with his paw. “Ugh, Pinkie Swear…” “What’s a Pinkie Sw—? Never mind!” The nervous colt exhaled sharply and closed his eyes. “I’m helping a dragon find her stolen eggs. I’ve been… traveling across the country with her to gather information in her stead.” Canvas’ ears pointed downward. Part of him felt relieved, but the feeling went away instantly when he saw their faces. Twilight and Spike stared at each other with their jaws agape. “You mean there’s a dragon running loose around Ponyville?!” the mare asked with a terrified gasp. Spike folded his arms and raised an eye ridge at her. “Oh, you know what I mean.” “No, I—I can’t tell you her location. But I promise, she won’t harm anypony here. As you can imagine, we’ve had to keep a low profile from everypony else, but our secret is not as important as getting your help. I’ve come to really care about this dragon and her children. Especially her children. Knowing that they’re helpless and with Celestia-knows-who… it’s a hard thing to deal with. I can’t imagine what it must be like for her.” “I knew there was something about that scent on you!” Spike said smugly with crossed arms. Twilight admonishingly shook her head at the dragon. He slumped and exited the guest room, his self-satisfaction deflated by the stare he used to get all the time. “A group of ponies ambushed her home in the mountains and stole her eggs. The magic they used was powerful enough to render her defenseless while it all happened. The binding spell that they used bound her up like a chain. Before getting here, I stopped in Dodge City and spoke with a pony who knows about the ones responsible—the ones called, ‘The Triumvirate.’” Twilight Sparkle flinched with a sharp gasp. “I admire your willingness to help, but they’re quite a mysterious group. You won’t know what to expect if you go against them, which makes them even more dangerous!” “You’re right, but I’m in this all the way. I may have volunteered without considering all of this, but I couldn’t find it in me to back out now. If things go well, we may end up helping out Equestria as a whole!” “Fine… so far I know what most everypony generally knows about them. There’ve been whispers and news articles about several robberies with the help of unusual magic and weapons, in which it’s been determined that they follow The Triumvirate’s modus operandi. Other than that, I only have a vague knowledge of their history. I can do as much research as I can, but our first priority is to get you back on your hooves. We have a lot of training ahead of us if you’re to survive against them.” “That’s what I was afraid of. You think six days will be enough?” “If we keep to a strict schedule, it will be.” A piece of parchment and a quill floated to her side. In keeping with the aforementioned schedule, Twilight Sparkle did not waste any time. “But for now, let’s get those cuts closed up. Ready?” Canvas sighed and nodded with a frown while mentally preparing himself to continue the tormenting process. Twilight tore off the plethora bandages from his coat. He was shocked to see that his coat was shaved around each cut. “Think you could get my hair to grow back on these spots when we’re done? Even without the cuts, I couldn’t possibly go out there with my coat like this.” The mare could not hold in the urge to giggle. “Sure thing, Canvas.”