//------------------------------// // New cloths, New faces // Story: War of Steam: Building Pressure // by Blitz Stratus //------------------------------// Twilight found her bed unbearable as she fitfully squirmed beneath the soft cotton sheets that covered her. She had awoken only a short while ago, but she found that, no matter what she did, she couldn't lay still. But it wasn't all that surprising to her, she had been stuck in the same bed and same room for the pass five days now. But with a huff she to correct herself, though she didn't understand why, she really couldn't count for three of those day's as she was only awake for a few moments of them. There wasn't much that happened but still it did puzzle her. She would begin to awake, her still nameless caregiver always right beside her, as the room came into focus, then the feeling of a sharp prick in her right foreleg and slumber quickly remembrance her. But, for the moment, the source of that pain, or her quick lapse of consciousness, wasn't her biggest concern. With a sluggish shuffle Twilight propped herself up, then as gingerly as she could, raised her left foreleg into the soft light of the over hanging fixtures just above her muzzle. The brown sleeve was snugly secured to her leg by means of a leather strap, with it let out scrunch as she gave it a light tug with her free hoof, black thread shifting lighting under the gentle pull. Then with a slight huff Twilight slowly flexed her leg at first away then back towards herself, the sleeve giving a scrunch at each return as she repeated this motion. She found after several reparations, with her leg back in front of her muzzle, that despite the secureness and construction of the sleeve that her legs movements didn't seemed hindered in any way, but with any lack of feeling it was hard to judge her legs position from her if she wasn't directly looking at it. "I'm probably not going to have any luck holding anything with you am I?" Twilight sighed as she gazed at the glass of water that sat on her bedside table then back to her leg. With a long sigh she lowered her foreleg and a small chill of helplessness bubbled within her as she returned it to her side. Twilight closed her eyes and began to concentrate, digging within the bleakness that filled her mind. "Is something bothering you miss Sparkle?" A voice called suddenly, causing Twilight's eyes to flip open and her whole body to give a sharp jerk as she quickly shifted to sit up. "Oh.. Hi ummmm." The colt shook his head and chuckled as he took his weight off the doorways frame. "My apologies if I startled you miss Sparkle but I believe I would be accurate to say that something is a bother?" ".......I would be lying if I said if I wasn't having some difficulties." Twilight sighed sadly. "Perhaps I can offer some assistance. What seems to be your quarrel miss Sparkle?" The colt asked, as he made his way over to her bedside. "For the past few days I haven't been able to pick up anything with my left hoof and well...." "And you fear if you try to use your horn you won't fair much better." "*sigh* Yes." "Well then miss Sparkle do you feel yourself up for a stroll?" The colt asked as he came to stand beside her bedside. "And get out of this bed?" "Of course, but before we disembark a few thing must be addressed, such as the removal of the hypodermic needle inserted in your upper right quarter." He signed, releasing one of the beds steel rails. "Do you have a phobia of needles miss Sparkle?" The colt asked as slide open a small drawer that lay under the bed. "Because if you do this might be unpleasant." Then with huff, he gave a swift tug to the back of the needle, it withdrawing from Twilight's leg in silent ease. Of course this didn't keep Twilight from jolting sharply in response. "Did you have to do that so abruptly?" Twilight questioned, annoyance heavy in her tone. "In a word yes. Now on to the second issue, you'll be needing a different attire Ms. Sparkle, for as the main hanger is only fifteen degrees Celsius at the moment." He replied as he placed a cloth bandage over the slowly dripping pin hole. "Now if you would hold pressure here for me Ms. Sparkle I shall acquire a change of cloths for you." In a quick spin he turned towards the door and, as Twilight looked up as she held pressure on the patch, she watched as he spun back around an gave the wall next to the door a swift kick. There was a loud ticking noise then a ding as a tile in the ceiling slide away and a brass pipe descended into the room, it coming to a halt just below his snout. Raising his hoof he flipped a small wooden lid off the end of the pipe and gave a rap to the tube before calling into it. "Hello, Petunia, I acquire your assistance." He called into the pipe. There was silence at first from the tube but then the echo of hoof falls resonated faintly through before followed by a huff came a mares voice. "Yes sir?" "Yes Petunia, could you procure some clothes for miss Sparkle and bring them to the infirmary please?" "Anything in specific in mind for miss Twilight?" "Something suitable for a walk around the hanger Petunia." "Of course." Replied Petunia, as a click echoed back. "Well then miss Sparkle has anything developed with regard's to your memory?" The colt asked, as he turned away from pipe, giving the wall a light kick causing the tube to ascend back into the ceiling. "No." Twilight sighed. "Really? No improvement at all?" A feeling of annoyance washed over her but then an idea popped inside her head. "Did you find anything else when you found me?" She asked. "No, other then an air bladder, and your Id tags miss Sparkle we recovered nothing else." "What about my clothes? Did they have anything on them?" "Well that's hard to say, all but your vest didn't suffer being shredded or charred." He said rubbing his chin. "You'll have to take a look at it miss Sparkle." The colt stated, as the patch work door swung open. "I hope I'm not intruding Hayden?" The soft crimson mare asked, as she walked into the room, clothes neatly folded on her back. "Oh far from it Petunia. Miss Sparkle this is Petunia." "Hello Twilight." Petunia smiled, as she trotted over to Twilight's bed. "Um are those clothes going to fit me?" Twilight asked, as Petunia pulled them from her back and place them at Twilight's side. "Miss Sparkle you know that gown your in?" "Yes?" "I stitched that together and it seems to be fitting you pretty well" Petunia smiled but sighed "Of course with that came a small challenge." "Really?" Twilight questioned. "What do you mean?" "Well its easy to make a garment for somepony you've done work for before but I didn't have that luxury with you." Petunia replied, as she turned to Hayden. "Hayden may we get some privacy." "As you wish." He said with a bow, quickly trotting out of the room, the door clicking softly shut as he departed from the room. "Umm Petunia?" "Yes miss Sparkle?" "Could you umm help me with this?" Twilight asked, as she pulled a tan dress shirt from the top of the pile, as Petunia quickly undid the button's that held the yellow gown to her frame. "Oh of course miss Sparkle." Petunia replied, as her horn was enveloped again in the glow of magic, illuminating her silver mane in a pale blue glow. Slowly a light glow covered the shirt, as it lifted form Twilight's hoof, bathing the room in a blue tint. Then in a surge of light the surface of the shirt began to ripple as Petunia's magic surged through the cloth, bending the cotton threads to her will. Then with a quick flick of her horn the shirts sleeve's snapped straight and the collar folded down perfectly in to a crisp edge. "Now miss Sparkle if would you be so kind." Petunia said, as she lowered the now crisp edged shirt down to Twilight, who had quickly slide off her gown and had placed it down beside her. "Just stick my legs out to the side of me?" "Well you could do that miss Sparkle, I was just going to lower it while you held you legs up." "I don't think that's going to work." Twilight sighed and raised her left leg. "Oh I see. Can you put both legs in front of you miss Sparkle?" "Umm hold on." Twilight mumbled, swinging her legs forward and moving to the edge of the bed. "Prefect. Now duck your head." Petunia giggled, as she began to pull the shirt down Twilight's front legs. "Petunia your hurting me." Twilight half shouted, as the tan dress shirt was drawn over her head, forcing her chin into her chest. "Sorry miss Sparkle, but could you move your right leg a little to the left I could ..... oh there we go." Petunia said happily, as Twilight felt the pressure that was holding her head down subside. "Ooow." Twilight mumbled, rubbing her chest. "I think you left a mark." She groaned under her breath. "Sorry miss Sparkle, I guess I over estimated the amount of magic that was required." Petunia said, rubbing the back of her head. "Will you be needing any more assistance?" "No... I think I can get the rest." Twilight replied quickly, as she did up the black buttons of the dress shirt. "Oh, ok just holler if you do." With that the soft crimson mare trotted from the room, the patchwork door lock clicking softly as it slide close in its frame. Twilight let out a short sigh, she hadn't wanted to hurt Petunia's feelings, but it was probably safer for her to attempt trying to put the rest of her new cloths on herself. Twilight reached over and pulled what was the second article of clothing that made up the pile apart from a medium size wooden box. It felt familiar in design as she slipped it on with ease, but most vest are. It's charcoal body laying lightly against her frame. She had little trouble with doing up its three shiny gray buttons. "At least this is one thing I can do with a numb foreleg." Twilight mumbled, as she pushed the vest final button through its adjacent slot that was cut into the black fabric. "Is every thing fitting miss Sparkle?" Twilight heard Petunia shout through the door. "Yes, everything is fitting very nicely Petunia." "Ok and the mirror's on the table next to your bed if you wish to use it miss Sparkle." Petunia stated, as her voice grew distant. "Do I really what to look at myself?" Twilight mumbled to herself, as she looked towards the table that stood next to her bed, staring at the mirror that lay atop it next to her dog tags. Hesitantly Twilight reached toward the table, unsure if she was really ready to see what had frightened her very soul several nights before. With a heavy sigh she took hold of the mirror in her right hoof and slowly brought up towards her muzzle. A small gasp escaped her lips as she gazed at herself. She knew this was the second time of seeing the warm brass plate imbedded in her face but that still didn't make it any less shocking to see it. "If only I could remember." She sighed, as she set down the mirror at her side, it resting lightly on the white sheets of the bed. Then as if on cue, Twilight heard the door, first clicking, then swing open as she raised her muzzle to see who it was. "Sorry to intrude miss Sparkle but I think I may have found a solution to one of your problems." Hayden stated, as he stepped into the infirmary. "Really? That was kind of quick." "Well yes but a solution it is none the less." He smiled, making his way over to her bed. "So then shall we be going miss Sparkle?" Twilight gave a quick shim and a shuffle along with some help from Hayden but soon her hindhooves where resting on the warm hard wood floor, the oak boards sending a pleasant sensation through her legs. Then with tentative movements Twilight brought, first her right, then her left forehoof down to the warm oak flooring. "Has your balance suffered any ill effects miss Sparkle?" The Hayden asked, as Twilight shifted her weight from hoof to hoof. "No it doesn't appear like it." Twilight replied. "Good now off we miss Sparkle." He chuckled, as they trotted out of the room. Twilight shivered a little as they meandered down the corridor that lead from the infirmary, Its granite walls offering little warmth. "Sorry miss Sparkle, its quite difficult to heat a mountain of rock, even with the new the boilers." Hayden sighed. "Boilers?" "Yes miss Sparkle, we use them to do a multiple of things." "And heating one of those things?" Twilight asked, as they arrived at a battered door. "Yes miss Sparkle along with power all this." Hayden smiled, as he pushed the door open and a rush of light an heat washed over Twilight's body. "Welcome to the hanger." Twilight's eye's widen at the sight before her. She felt that she'd been in a hanger before but noting on a scale like this. Copper pipes lined the walls, each line a different size with different labels on each. Some soared and penetrated into the black stone of the ceiling, which towered far over her head. Others seemed to sink into roughly hued slot's that were craved into the stone and, to her only guess, ran under the very floor they stood upon. Catwalks crisscrossed what was left of the space over head apart from spaces where lights hung from long black cables with what looked like green tuba horns directing the light to the floor. Then there was the noise and not to mention the smell. It wasn't a harsh smell but Twilight could defiantly tell, even if she didn't know how, the odor of lubricating oil and grease. Along with the tinge of somepony melting metal. But her eye's where drawn away from the expanse of the hanger and its furnishings by a high whistle. "This way miss Sparkle." Hayden state, rapping his hoof upon the railing of a brass flight of stairs. "What is all this Hayden?" "This is Elixir miss Sparkle, my workshop slash research lab under about two point five six miles of granite." "Two point what?" "A mountain miss Sparkle two odd miles under a mountain." Hayden chuckled, as he reached the landing of the metal stair case, giving another high whistle as he did. "Umm why?" "Because we like our privacy ma'am." A unfamiliar voice rasped behind her, as a figure strode out of the shadow of the stairs. His arms where the first thing to come into the light, there veins clearly visible against his rippling muscles that lay slightly hidden under his dark gray fur. But it was his towering mass that stood out the most, his mountain of a body seemed strained under the deep emerald green of his vest. "And we're really not fond of surprise guest." He growled, his eyes seeming to burn into her as their yellow glow glinted off his lower fangs. "But you ma'am are different." He chuckled, losing some of his menacing aura, as he left the shadow of the stairs. "Miss Sparkle meet Gravel claw, the Diamond dog of many talents." Hayden chuckled. "Pleasure to meet you miss Sparkle." Gravel smiled, extending one of his massive paws toward her. "Gravel don't be rude." A new voice chimed in, this one much higher and more childish, as a slight shudder plused through Twilight's frame. "Sorry miss but my brother can be forgetful." The new voice added, as its owner stepped from the darkness as well. His body was much smaller then Gravel's almost to the point of being frail and that the weight of just gazing at him would fracture or shatter it. The color of his fur was a caramel tone which blended and complemented his soft crimson vest, its pockets overflowing with wrench's and small shining gears. "Soft Fang at your service ma'am." He bowed, his deep blue eyes sparkling lightly as he did. "And I do apologize for my brothers blunt rudeness." "How am I being rude brother? I simply offered my paw to greet miss Sparkle." Gravel rebutted. "But Gravel you have forgotten that a injury has befallen upon her leg." Soft Fang countered. "I did not. I simply thought that she's up and about so by that it's no longer ailing her." Twilight was confused at the sight before her. She open her muzzle to poss a question but another high whistle made her stop as a loud ringing filled her ears. "Ehem, Fang, Gravel, would you to please cease this argument." Hayden calmly demanded, a tinge of menacing firmness coating his tone. The brothers eye's locked for a second. "Sigh...... yes sir." The brothers groaned in unison, embarrassment bathing both of their faces. "Thank you, now do either of you know where Titan is?" Hayden asked firmly. "I believe he's working on the Skif sir." Fang replied, crimson still bathing his caramel muzzle. "Do you know his reasoning?" "No sir just that he mentioned something leaking pressure sir." Gravel stated, a bead of sweat sliding down from his forehead. "At ease then Gravel and back to task." Hayden huffed. "Yes sir!" Gravel shouted, quickly turning around to head back to his work "As of you Fang I have a task for you." "Yes sir?" "Make haste an fetch Titan for me, I will be needing his assistance." "On it sir!" Fang saluted, as he dug his claws into the stone of the floor, then in flash was off. "Ehem now that's out of the way miss Sparkle shall we on are way?"