//------------------------------// // Starbloom in Ponyville // Story: The Return of Mare Do Well // by L_Wolf //------------------------------// Chapter 27 Starbloom woke up slowly in her bed back in Twilight's library, her arrival back in Ponyville had been a blur of tearful greetings. But the trip itself and the stress of the last week had been to much for her and she went to bed only a few minutes after getting off the train. News of both her arrest and release had reached Ponyville on roughly the same day, it took a lot of convicing to keep both Twilight and Sweetie from leaving that day from going to Manehattan. Luckily they had managed to keep the two in Ponyville since Starbloom arrived the next day. Starbloom rolled over in the bed and felt her hoof smack somepony on the head blinking abit looking over she saw Sweetie grumbling at her with her cheeks puffed up. "Well, that's a fine good morning." Sweetie said before relaxing and smiling at her. "I've missed you so much," Sweetie said standing up and leaning over hugging Starbloom tight causing her to yelps when her shoulder was squeezed to tight. "Oops, sorry." Starbloom gritted her teeth abit and relaxed as Sweetie loosed up her hug smiling at Sweetie, "It's fine Sweetie, I've missed you as well." She said slipping off the bed moving to her hooves taking a deep breath. Both started down the stairs to the main hall of the lobby, Starbloom moving careful with her hurt shoulder. "How's life in Ponyville been treating you?" Starbloom asked Sweetie looking around, the library hadn't changed to much since she had moved out. "It's quieter here, but I've enjoyed it.... have more time to focus on my music with out my producer breathing down my neck to do publicity and promotional stuff." Sweetie said looking over at Starbloom noticing her limp was worse. "What... what happen to your shoulder, it looks worse then before." Sweetie asked looking concerned. Starbloom shook her head a bit sighing softly. "Don't worry about that, I just haven't had my medicine in a few days." She said softly looking away frowning softly. It was partly true but she didn't want to talk about what happen with Nightshade either. Sweetie frowned but decided to let it drop for now. "Alright... if you say so," she said walking with her to the kitchen letting Starbloom take a seat at the table. "Your mom is in Canterlot with Spike talking with Princess Celestia about what happen in Manehattan. She left the library to use for a few days," she said getting Starbloom a cup of tea, toast and sliced apple. "Are we going back... to Manehattan?" Starbloom took a drink of her tea and looked into the cup quietly as she considered the question. "I don't know Sweetie...." she said softly, she honestly wasn't sure if she did know the answer. When she became Mare Do Well she had so many good intentions but after everything that happen. She wasn't sure if she wanted to become Mare Do Well again. "Do you want to go back?" She asked looking over at Sweetie. Sweetie sat across from her with her own cup of tea sipping it as she considered her question. "Right now, my concern is you. You health, your wellbeing, your happiness. I'll be happy here in Ponyville, but I would also be happy in Manehattan with you." She said honestly smiling at Starbloom, lifting a piece of toast stuffing in Starbloom's mouth. "Eat, you look like you haven't since I left." Starbloom rolled her eyes at the toast stuffed her in mouth, Sweetie knew her to well. She chewed on the toast quiet before swallowing it. "I'll think about it... I don't know what I want to do anymore Sweetie." She said smiling at her before eating some more. After breakfast was finished and the dishes cleaned, Sweetie and Starbloom headed to Ponyville General to get Starbloom a refill on her pain pills. She had left pretty much everything in the Manehattan apartment, which was paid up for the rest of the month, giving them about two weeks to decided what to do. Sweetie took a seat in the waiting area while Starbloom went up to the counter looking around, she saw Nurse Redheart behind the counter working on some files. Starbloom used her magic she to ring the bell to get her attention. "Oh, Starbloom I haven't seen you in years. What brings you in today?" Nurse Redheart asked coming over smiling at her. 'Hello, Nurse Redheart. I have a prescription from Manehattan I would like to get filled here, if that isn't a problem." She said thankful Sweetie had enough forethought to get a copy of the prescription from Dr. Westluck. She gave the paper to Nurse Redheart. Nurse Redheart looked the paper over and tilted her head a bit. "This is a pretty strong pain reliever Starbloom, I'll have to get Dr. Goodhealth to look it over first, he'll most likely want to check you over." She said and Starbloom sighed softly before nodding. "I understand Nurse Redheart, I'll wait." She said making her way over to sit next to Sweetie to wait while Nurse Redheart went to talk to the doctor about her prescription. It didn't take long before she was called back. Starbloom got to her hooves and headed back to the exam room where Dr. Goodhealth was waiting for her, he was a middle aged unicorn, with a blue and white mane and tail, tan coat and purple eyes. "So, Ms. Sparkle your here to get a refill on some pain medicine a Dr. Westluck in Manehattan has been giving you?" Dr. Goodhealth asked closing the door, and Starbloom nodded at him. "Why would a young mare such as yourself need something this strong?" He asked looking her over, most of her bruises and injuries had healed on the surface so there was no visible need for them. "Mostly for my shoulder Dr. Goodhealth. A few weeks ago I was stabbed in the shoulder," she pointed to the shoulder with her good hoof. "Dr. Westluck said that do to the stress it had been kept under it will never properly heal and always hurt." "Stabbed? I must say I have never head to deal with such a thing here in Ponyville." Dr. Goodhealth said going to check on her shoulder using his hoof to move the fur, he could see the scarring under the fur of her coat. "Oh my word, that does look pretty bad." He said giving a soft push causing her to jerk back and clench her teeth. "Very well, I can see the need for your medicine now." He said writing her a new prescription for the same medicine giving her the new prescription. "Here you are, just come and see me if you need a refill here in Ponyville." He said opening the door so she could leave. She nodded softly moving to her hooves and made her way out of the room and passes the prescription to Nurse Redheart so she could fill it. She went over to sit next to Sweetie again waiting quietly. She looked over at Sweetie who was flipping through a magazine quietly trying to avoid being bored. "Starbloom, your prescription is ready." She heard the nurse call and Starbloom got up going to the counter picking up the bag putting it in a saddle bag. "Thank you Nurse Redheart." "Your welcome, now turn around." Nurse Redheart said and Starbloom blinked abit turning around, once she did she felt a needle stab her in the flank causing her to squeal then relax a bit blinking. "Dr. Goodhealth said to give you a little something to ease the pain before you left." Starbloom grumbled softly as Sweetie giggled at the look on Starbloom's face when she got poked. "Thanks for the warning...." She grumbled softly working her shoulder lightly, it did feel better so she couldn't complain to much. Sweetie came over and smiling at her, before both turned to face Nurse Redheart. "That'll be 250 bits." She said and Starbloom gave Sweetie a sheepish smile. Sweetie just rolled her eyes at Starbloom paying Nurse Redheart. "How is it, your mom is an princess and your always broke?" Sweetie asked Starbloom as they started to head back home to the library. Starbloom blushed at her a bit, "You know how mom is, all the money from taxes, that doesn't go to Celestia, goes straight back into the community. We live off what we make at the library.... but I'll try to find work here in town." She said looking at the ground as they walked. Sweetie paused using her magic to grab Starbloom's tail when she kept walking causing her to stop and look back at Sweetie. "We're... staying here in Ponyville..?" Starbloom looked away for a moment then looked back at Sweetie smiling. "Yea... I think so. I'm tired, of the stress, the worry, the pain, and of putting everyone I care about in danger... and most of all. I'm just tired of never seeing you."