//------------------------------// // 5 - Dream//Slow // Story: Misplaced Wings // by FIygon //------------------------------// The whistling sound of something sailing across the sky, followed by the crash. The building around me shook wildly. I glanced at the window for only a second, and about another dozen or so of the same projectile hit the front of the battlefield. Large mortars of rock and fire were raining down on the front. Of course, the enemy must have a couple of artillery mages. Very good ones at that. I winced as I heard shouting outside. I looked down worriedly at one of my patients. His head was wrapped, and he had sustained a head injury. Possibly permanent brain damage. Nevertheless, I had healed him of any wounds and hoped he could get a moment of rest. The commander came into the medical tent suddenly, and right behind him, about a dozen or so soldiers were carried in his gravity magic. With not a single care for their injuries or wellbeing, he dropped the pile of recruits and veterans alike onto the floor. Some groaned or yelled in pain, stuck in this perpetual hell. “Get them sorted out,” he said suddenly. He gazed around at the dozen or so patients who were resting in their beds, “All healed?” I wanted to say no so badly. But if I didn’t, I would be the one in trouble. “Y-Yes sir.” “Excellent.” The commander slammed his hand down on a table nearby, which caused me to jump up as well as every other resting recruit. “All right! Enough lazing around; get back out there! The front line is pushing into their trenches; victory is just on the horizon!” He must have expected this to be good news. Every single injured soldier scrambled to their feet, pulling their boots on. Even the one right next to me, who was quite possibly suffering brain damage, “Commander.” I started quietly. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow, and I withered under his gaze. “If you might, this one is still recovering from head trauma, and-” “Are you saying you aren’t doing your job?” He cut me off angrily. “N-No sir! I’m just-” “Don’t play with me, boy,” he walked over to me, his boots clattering against the floor, “I know he’s healed. And there ain’t a soul I ain’t seen you bring back from the throes of death.” “B-But sir, he might not even be able to lift a weapon. Let alone a-” He lowered himself to my level, staring me directly in the eyes. “You think you can do my job better than me?” I couldn’t even protest; I was so stuck in my fear. He sighed after a moment of glaring at me, pulling back and turning away from me. “Just do your job, and we can all get out of this hell.” Those were his last words before he made for the exit, followed by all my patients. A few loud groans turned my attention back to the awful pile of injured people. At once, I rushed over, enveloping two of them entirely in my magic. I lifted the two up into water bubbles with each hand, and floated them over to the recently vacated beds. Then I proceeded to do the same with the other dozen people. Some were missing body parts, and some had holes through their bodies. Others had their limbs twisted in directions you wouldn’t believe. I did what I always did, and detached myself emotionally. Walking over to the first patients who looked the worst for wear. I kneeled down, outreaching both my hands in either direction. My water wormed out, and began to wrap around their wounds. Not long after, they began to illuminate with energy, and slowly their wounds began to fix themselves. It didn't take me very long. I moved down the line of injured people quite swiftly. Some required my full attention to heal, others required only a bit. The curse of my water magic was that I was essentially immortal as long as I wasn't killed instantly. The worst part of that? I made others virtually immortal as well. As I approached another one of them, I realized he would require my full attention. His entire left half of his body was torn to shreds, and he was missing an arm and both legs. He was conscious, muttering insanities to himself. Suddenly his terrified eyes settled on me, and he screamed.  "Get the hell away from me!" He yelled, thrashing and screaming in his bed. I kneeled next to his bedside even as he tried to back himself into the corner. I held both my hands up and enveloped him in a bubble, and his anger and screaming only got more intense. "Don't do it! I beg you." He said through heavy breaths, "You devil! Stay back!" My water reached out and grabbed the worst parts of his body, and I closed my eyes in concentration. "Go back to the pit you crawled out of!" He told me. My concentration didn't break, even as I felt a fist connect with my face. I looked back at him with no emotion, and he became frightened again. Even as his wounds closed, his organs mended themselves, and his limbs began to regrow. The man seemingly gave up after seeing his punch do nothing, slumping in defeat as he began to weep to himself. The one problem with immortality? It doesn't save their minds.  Having half your body blasted off, then regrown in perfect condition. Only to be sent back out once more.  It was disgusting, vile. Everything I did was awful, I was making people feel suffering and pain the likes of which no other human should ever have to go through. Everything would be better if I just stopped existing. Memories of others screaming for me to stop healing them, begging me to let them continue in their suffering. Who would blame them? I was healing them, and sending them back out to be slaughtered. If they weren’t instantly brain dead this time around, they might be after their tenth time out on the front lines. I was nearing the end of my patients; only one of them was left. I walked over to her bed and looked at them. It was a woman with long black hair. When she looked up at me, I was surprised; she seemed almost cheerful. "Where are you injured?" I asked dully, looking at her limbs to see if she had any injuries. She hummed, “I’m not.” I gazed at her and felt myself feeling awful. "I’m sorry, you must just be trying to get some time from the front. I understand." I reached out with my water, wrapping it around one of her limbs, "If they ask, just say you had a broken leg." “You are quite the powerful mage,” she commented. I scoffed, “I’m not a mage.” “But you are,” she argued, “I’ve never seen such potent water magic. Especially not healing magic.” “Yeah,” I began with mild disdain, “well, I wish I didn’t have it.” “Well,” she began with a sigh, “I think your magic is impressive.” I don’t know why, but it made me smile idly. It didn’t last long, and I didn’t quite feel happy regardless of the gesture.  Suddenly my surroundings disappeared, the tent was gone, the ground was gone, and so were all my patients. Instead, I was in a forest. Except the entire forest was on fire-- blue flames again. I panicked, but there was nowhere to go. The flames were closing in, inching closer and closer to me. My hand was flickering between human and the abomination of being nirik. I heard a faint voice, looking up and all around me to find the source, I thought I caught sight of a figure beyond the flames. A blue pony with a mane of stars. But the fire got to me before she could. I jerked back awake in my hospital bed. Quickly looking down at my hooves, I saw a wisp of flame building up on them both as they blackened.  I began to take long, calming breaths, I never wanted to turn into that again. I kept feeling the flames building up, slowly crawling up my hooves like a snake. And I kept fighting it back with deep breaths, until finally I snuffed it out. It was still dark when I laid my head back down against my pillow. If I could be put in nirik form from just a nightmare, then how was I ever supposed to sleep? The thought wracked my brain all night. Every time my eyes drooped, I saw that forest again.  “Good morning, Mellow!” My eyes shot open at the sound of the cheery voice entering my room. I sat up in bed confused. ‘Who is Mello- Oh yeah, that’s me now.’ Lovelight was here with a tray for my breakfast. She deposited it in front of me, and I nodded appreciatively. As I began to eat, I noticed her studying me. And she placed her hoof on my back, “Are you okay?” I nodded without much else thinking as I consumed my breakfast. She kept analyzing me, squinting her large eyes in scrutiny, then she glanced down. The sheets were a bit blackened from my repeated off-and-on battles with my nirik form. She sighed, "Mellow, did you go nirik again?" I flinched, and shook my head rapidly, “N-No! What makes you think that?” I laughed awkwardly, “No fire ponies here, nope.” I felt my head drooping from tiredness, and I quickly corrected it. She pulled me into a new hug, and I sighed. I despised how good she was at analyzing things; it was nearly impossible to keep anything from her. "I won’t be angry dear. Did you stay awake all night?" I shook my head, “I got sleep; I’m fine! Really.” “You could always tell me anything. I’m not against staying in here with you, if you’re still sleepy.” “I’m okay, really.” I insisted, looking at her with a nod. She grimaced, but decided she couldn’t argue anymore. “Okay, if you say so.” As I ate my food, she began to unwrap my back leg to change the bandage. Once she unwrapped it, though, she gasped. I looked at her curiously, and she looked back at me in wonder: “It’s completely healed! That’s amazing, Mellow.” “I-I didn’t do it!” I defended myself, “I don’t know how.” “Well, your body sure does,” she said as she inspected it closely. That was definitely curious. Yesterday, when I went completely nirik, it healed my hooves, which had just gotten cut up. And now, after battling all night with my nirik form, suddenly my back leg was healed too? Or maybe I’m just assuming things and there is no correlation between the events. After a thorough inspection, Lovelight let go of my hoof. I brought it back towards myself and examined it as well; the stitches were still in my leg, but it was all right. I flexed my leg a few times and didn’t feel an ounce of pain doing so.  I had finished my breakfast, pushing the tray away. I slowly stood to my hooves. I carefully jumped to the ground and started walking around. I laughed quietly as I looked up at Lovelight, "I guess that means I’m getting out of here." A look of worry seemed to cross her face, and she covered her muzzle with one of her hooves. Her eyes darted between me and the ground, “Soon, maybe. But for now you’re still to remain with us.” I didn’t attempt to argue; I hadn’t even met with the doctor yet. How crazy was that? He’d enter my room and wonder what I was even doing in the hospital, I was completely fine in all regards. Suddenly a thought occurred, and I looked up at Lovelight, “Lovelight? What is going to happen to me?” She looked at me sympathetically, and walked over as she placed her flank on the ground. “I don’t know, dear. That’ll be up to Princess Celestia." "But I want to stay with you Lovelight," I said quietly. "You're my only friend." She got quiet for a little while, and then she sighed sadly and leaned down to nuzzle me. "I'd love that Mellow, I really would. And you're such a sweet little colt. But unfortunately I'm just a regular old earth pony." She looked at her hooves in thought for a moment, "You are an alicorn after all.” “Does,” my head tilted in curiosity, “that make me important?” She huffed a small laugh, "Yes, it does, Mellow. We only know of five other alicorns in existence. Each of them is also royalty." She paused for a moment, "Well, one of them is still a baby. But you get the idea." Oh wow, that would explain a lot! I didn’t understand why everyone was treating me so special here in this new world; it’s because these ponies thought I was royalty or something.  I let that thought sink in for another minute. And it made me a lot more sad than I expected it to. Would they have treated me the same if I wasn’t an alicorn? Would Lovelight still have given me a name, hugged me, or- I was crying again; I could feel the tears hitting my hooves, splashing on the floor. Lovelight laid down in front of me, “Mellow, what’s wrong, honey?” I looked up at her; she was still so kind. Was it fake? Was she expecting something from me? "Is that why you c-care?" I dared ask. After her confused expression, I continued with my shaky voice, "Because I’m supposed to be royalty or important. Is that… Is that why?" Her eyes widened in horror, and she breathed in deeply. Instantly, I could see tears forming in her own eyes as she pulled me towards her barrel. She enveloped me in a deep hug, her velvety soft red fur soaking up my tears. "Mellow, I promise with all my heart that I’m not faking anything. You could be an earth pony, a pegasus, a unicorn-- Hay, you could be a gryphon. And you know what?” She goaded me with a hoof to look up at her, and she nuzzled me, “We’d still be friends, and I’d still care. Okay?” "Okay." I said quietly, nestling myself further into her fur. The embrace was so soft and caring that I didn’t want her to let go of me. "You’re a good friend, Lovelight."  She giggled, “You are too, dear.” “And listen,” she asked of me, “you don’t have to be anything you don’t want to be. If you don’t want to be royalty, that’s okay. Just because every alicorn up until now has been royalty doesn’t mean you can’t be different. You are your own pony, got it? Don’t let anybody take that from you.” I nodded, rubbing my head against her chest fur again. Slowly the mare rose to her feet, bringing me up with her on her front hooves. She placed me gently on the bed again and petted the top of my mane with her hoof. Afterwards, she got to my tray, "The doctor will be in here in a little while. Will you be alright?" I nodded, giving her the best smile I could, as she exited with my breakfast tray. After she left, I let out a large sigh, and my body became untensed, then my head drooped. It was so hard to keep my head up and my eyes open, but I had to. I couldn’t close my eyes, but even if I did end up closing them, all I could think about was fire. Then my breathing would escalate, and I’d have to keep my nirik form at bay.  And what was I supposed to do? I knew I couldn’t not sleep forever. Or maybe my new body could? I just had to force myself to go for as long as possible.  For a moment, I thought about running. My legs were healed; if I could sneak my way out and hide in a cave and rot away for all eternity, everything would be fine. Something told me not to. That I needed to stay and wait. That maybe things will get better. I knew all too well that my situation was temporary. It was only a matter of time before this ‘Princess Celestia’ finally came back. Then she would exile me, or even worse. They know how dangerous I am. Or maybe that Twilight pony would come back; she was a princess as well. Or some kind of royalty. Maybe you could offer yourself as some sort of servant, instead of being banished? And maybe they could get rid of this nirik form thing. Everyone had the potential to betray me, except Lovelight. I couldn’t just relax entirely. I felt my heart rate increase and quickly lowered it with a few short breaths. ‘Get a hold of yourself,’ I glared at my reflection in the metal lining my bed. ‘You look and sound pathetic.’ The tired glare that met me only served to make me angrier. Redheart pinched the bridge of her nose and huffed angrily, "You cannot be serious." Lovelight similarly had an exasperated face, as she glared at one of the two ponies in front of her. “Miss Foster, with all due respect, I think this is a terrible idea.” Foster was a brown unicorn with blonde hair in a bun. She had green eyes, and a pair of rectangular glasses on. She had a cutiemark of a document with a pen and a green heart. On her back was a set of saddlebags, and she looked rather ragged and tired as she pulled a document out of them. She was looking between all the others with exhaustion.  To her right was the doctor, Snow Clean. A white unicorn stallion with short teal hair. His cutiemark was a blue cardiogram. Snow was looking between the three mares with his eyebrows raised, and a sigh escaped him. "Does it have to be like this, really?" Foster looked between the two mares with an apologetic gaze, “I’m sorry, but Princess Celestia’s orders were very direct. I spent all last night just to get here in the morning.” Redheart rolled her eyes, “There are a few foal protective service workers in Ponyville. Why in discord’s name would she call in a fancy Canterlot worker?” “Princess Celestia said-” “Forget what she said for just a second,” Lovelight said irritably, “do you even have a clue what kind of case this is?” “Ladies,” Snow cleared his throat, “could we possibly calm down a little bit?” His mistake at interfering on business involving a foal around multiple mares was his first mistake, as they all fixed him with a short glare. He took a few steps back. Foster huffed, “I’ve read his case file, Zero, isn’t it?” “See, that’s just the thing,” Lovelight began, stepping uncomfortably close to the service mare. “His file updates constantly; we don’t even call him Zero, as we found out it’s an insult his abusers used against him.” Foster pushed her glasses farther up as she took a step back. “Well, that’s awful to hear, and I feel sorry for the poor dear. However, orders are orders. Especially when it’s Celestia.” Redheart held her friend slightly back and breathed out slowly to calm herself. "Then explain why, of all ponies, he is being housed with Twilight Sparkle? That mare can’t go a single day without trouble trailing right behind." “It’s simple,” Foster smiled, “alicorns are more easily understood by other alicorns.” “But an abused colt?!” Lovelight exclaimed, “We saw Twilight’s first interaction with him and it was a disaster!” Foster shook her head, looking at a file in her hand, “I dropped by her castle this morning. She seemed rather capable of housing a foal until a more permanent solution can be found. Why, when I first got there, she was in the midst of moving furniture so he’d have a room.” Redheart deadpanned, “You know that castle had like twenty guest rooms before she filled them all with books and other things, right?” She sighed and rubbed her hoof down her face, “I won’t be surprised if she buries the colt alive under a new pile of garbage.” “Look,” Foster started, fixing them with a serious face for the first time, “it has already been decided; I can’t help you with these concerns any further.” She opened up her book, and flipped to a certain page she was searching for, “The only thing I can do is write one of your names down, and maybe you could end up adopting him. But I wouldn’t get your hopes up, what with him being an alicorn and a kirin.”  Redheart smirked and put a forearm around Lovelight’s neck, “Well, what would you say if I told you Lovey here’s husband is a kirin! In the flesh.” “Redheart! What are you-” Lovelight began but quickly got silenced by Redheart’s hoof. Lovelight was fixed with a curious look by Foster, and after a few moments Foster cleared her throat. “That certainly would help. Sadly, his placement with Twilight is unchangeable, but I may be able to make a case for you.” Foster looked back up with a serious gaze and a raised brow, “That is, of course, if you actually are interested in helping the colt?” Lovelight’s mind stopped as she knew the mare was waiting for an answer. Her heart ached as she thought about Mellow and wondered how he’d do with a new home. She would be happy as long as the colt was happy, but who could he possibly be with that would make him better?  A lump formed in her throat as she felt all three sets of eyes on her. “It’s… worth a shot?” She suddenly said with a nervous giggle. Why had she said that? She wondered. She didn’t even let herself think of the implications or possibilities in that sentence before the words escaped her. But she felt it would be wrong to outright deny any potential for it. Also, she was a nurse; there was no possible way she’d have enough time to care for him. Especially not a colt as traumatized and unsocialized as Mellow. She was about to open her mouth again, or reach her hoof out and say nevermind to it all. But she didn’t do it. Foster quickly scribbled her name down in the book, and that was the end of that. “Which room is the colt in?” Redheart came back from behind the counter, holding a new file. “Here’s the updated file; he’s in room forty-two B.” “Please don’t scare him or talk too quickly.” Lovelight asked nicely. Foster gave a slight nod, and a reassuring smile to the two mares before walking down the hall. Snow trailed behind, just happy that the three mares could work it out on their own. “Really? It’s worth a shot?” Redheart asked, repeating her words from before. Lovelight turned around with an unreadable expression, “I didn’t need you to tell them that…” Redheart rolled her eyes and huffed, “You weren't going to. I had to at least let somebody know that your husband is a kirin. Not to mention you actually want to look after him!” Lovelight’s face heated up, and she begrudgingly met her friend’s eyes; however, she wasn’t mocking her. The look Redheart gave her was much more encouraging, "Come on, give yourself a bit more credit, Lovey. I think you’d be a great mother." Lovelight blushed more, but her red fur hid the brunt of it. "Maybe. For an alicorn though? Probably not." Redheart shrugged, “I think the kirin benefits outweigh the alicorn negatives.” Lovelight hid her face in her hooves, “I just… he’s so cute too, and I know how to help kirin to calm down and…” She grunted confusedly. Redheart laughed, “Sounds to me like you know exactly what you want!” Lovelight sighed sadly, “I… I certainly wouldn’t mind fostering him or… more. I just don’t know if it’s the right time.” Redheart shrugged. “You always say to follow your heart. I think this time your heart was ahead of your brain.” Lovelight didn’t know whether to feel insulted or not, but she did a short eye roll and nudged her friend. “Get back to work, lazy.” Redheart laughed and did just that.