I woke up in the hospital one week ago. I remember it pretty well actually, we were playing football at school and this gigantic muscular jerk named Barbell barreled down on me. I felt him hit me, much harder than he should have, I heard a loud crunch, and suddenly the lights went out. When I woke up here in this sad sterilized little room with its unearthly white glow and the smell of disinfectant assaulting me I immediately felt like something was wrong.
The doctor came in and no matter how much I asked about the bandages on my head he skirted the subject. He asked if I wanted to see my family, if I could move around well, if I had any pain anywhere. Finally I asked my own question. I asked the damning question that told me what went wrong. "Can I see a mirror?"
I shouldn't have asked that. The answer made me feel as though my heart had been ripped in half.
When I was hit, my horn broke in half.
I covered my mouth, feeling a wave of intense nausea pass through me. I tried my best to hold myself together as I felt the tears sting my eyes but instead I let out a deep guttural sob and collapsed holding onto my bed sheets for dear life. The doctor just walked away leaving me to wallow in my despair.
It was absolutely irreparable even with all the magic in Equestria. Horrifyingly ironic since magic was the one thing I did the best. I used it to read books, to eat, to drink, to write stories. My cutie mark is a royal blue heart with a sheet of parchment over it and magical aura surrounding it, the same vibrant blue color as my magical aura, and my eyes. My only real talent was using magic to enhance storytelling, being able to produce lush landscapes and brilliant scenery with nothing but my horn and a page. Magic was the most important thing in my life for years and I never truly realized how useless I was without it until now. After this accident I wouldn’t be able to do anything at Princess Celestia’s magic school so I would be forced to transfer. I was now completely and utterly useless.
Will I be going to an earth pony school? Does this accident make me an earth pony? I looked at my hooves. They’ve been so underused as a unicorn. So neglected. Despite being on the football team I have very little experience with physical labor. With true backbreaking work.
My parents and the doctor spoke quite often apparently. This morning I heard them talking outside my door.
MY door.
I don't like that idea.
It makes me feel like I've gotten attached to this place. That feeling terrifies me. Everything about being here just reminded me of my disappointment and disability.
At least sound like they may have come to some kind of decision now though. The doctor comes in smiling at me. I’ve despised him since I got here. Everything about him seems very...manicured. His brown hair is meticulously neatly combed around his horn and not a single strand is out of place. His glasses rest upon his snout in perfect position, not too high, not too low. His EKG cutie mark makes me smile a bit. I have to wonder how a kid would even get to an EKG machine to know that medicine is his talent but this makes me laugh drawing an annoyed stare from him as he looks over my chart. Finally he uses his magic to rest the chart against my bed as he gives me his best "Thank you for the yacht" smile.
"Open Heart?” Just hearing him say my name makes me a little angry. “How are you feeling today?" he begins. Oh were doing this again? This should be as fun as it is every other day he does this. He seems just as worried about my response, yesterday when he asked me I just spat at him.
"Just fine doc. Fit as a fiddle... a fiddle missing part of its head at least."
He winced a bit at my bluntness, noticeably uncomfortable. I take a little joy ruffling this perfect specimen’s feathers but we both know why he's really here.
"Well" He coughed, recovering from the shock rather quickly. "That's as good as I expected in this point at your recovery. All your tests say your doing much better now, no lasting physical trauma, no other head wounds, no brain damage, and so on. How do you feel about going back to school?"
“I....umm....” Actually I have no idea. “I'm not sure. I don't even know how to hold a pencil well without magic. What would I do?”
“Well we'll be giving you a few weeks of physical therapy to get you used to your new....limitations, and then you'll be going to a new school. Princess Celestia herself sent over a pamphlet for the recommended facility. You were one of her favorite students after all.”
WERE being the key word there, now I'm just a magicless invalid with a lump on my head. Rather than tell the good doctor this I simply nod and do my best to grasp the pamphlet he gives me in my hooves. The cover reads “Diamond Mountain Academy for the Disabled” huh....I guess disabled is the word for what I am now. I peruse it slowly getting used to opening and folding the pages with my hooves. Inside are pictures of ponies with various ailments, some missing major limbs, some blind, some in wheelchairs, all enjoying normal school days like any other colts and fillies. There are shots of gym classes, school dances, science labs, and sporting events. The doctor smiles at me knowingly as I look back up at him.
“I know it will be a serious... transition.” He sighs trying his best to work up a smile. “One that will take a lot of getting used to. But now with your current condition it is the best place where you can continue your studies in a comfortable atmosphere while we keep a close eye on your condition, just in case.”
“Just in case of what?”
“Well in cases where trauma to the horn causes it to be broken, damaged, or separated there may be cases of magical backlash. This can present itself in several ways such as small amounts of magical discharge from your horn, small bursts of uncontrollable magic, painful headaches caused by magical energy buildup, and most worrisome of all, the possibility that the magical buildup could crack or damage your brain and skull if it becomes too severe. Once a week you will need to have your excess magic drained off by a nurse or it could begin causing problems for you, and this place is one of the few with a nurse on call 24 hours a day in case of emergency.”
“Wow... so my head could literally explode from this....”
“That's a lot to take in, I know. You should take some time to think. It's almost mealtime and you need your strength to begin therapy tomorrow. Try to get some rest.”He gave a quick smile and nod before magically picking up my chart and shuffling quickly out of my door. I was all alone with my now useless wit, a pamphlet for a school for broken ponies, and a combustible brain.
* * * * * *
Physical therapy was grueling. Using my hooves for everything was much more of a challenge than I previously thought it would be. They had me use special forks and spoons at mealtime to make the switch easier but during every other part of the day it was hell. Turns out putting on clothes without unicorn magic is a lot more of a chore than I thought it would be. I understand now why most ponies are always naked unless it's a special occasion. My previous school didn't require a uniform however diamond mountain enforced a strict policy with theirs so I needed to be in a buttoned shirt, a tie, and a pair of plaid uniform slacks every day. I was given summer homework to study before my return to academia and I will admit writing was the harshest of all tasks to do by hoof. Even today as I pack my things at the hospital and prepare to leave I can only manage to sign my release forms with barely legible chicken scratch.
The ride to the academy was long and uneventful. My parents told me how much they would miss me, how I would get used to my new friends and surroundings, how I should remember to take my pills every day to minimize my magical overflow. When the cart turned the first corner along the mountain road and the academy came into view suddenly my attention was grabbed. It was an isolated building among the woods at the top of a tall peak.
It was a large grand building that spanned as far as the eye could see with several towers jutting from the top, a strange amalgamation of a castle and a mansion. It seemed homey yet imposing at the same time with its deep red aged brick and gray tiled roofing bright against the foggy mountains surrounding it. As the cart got closer faint outlines of pegasi came into view flying above the spires in formation. It took several more minutes to reach the grounds of the building, but I spent those moments practically salivating in anticipation, and the moment the cart stopped I bolted towards the large silver gates. I stopped and tripped over my own whooves upon recognizing the figure standing watch.
“P...p...princess?”
“Hello my little pony.” Princess Twilight Sparkle smiled down at me. She was not of a horribly imposing height like Princess Celestia. But she was certainly taller than me and her lean figure and lovely purple and magenta mane were a sight to behold. After a few moments of gawking I came to my senses and jumped to my feet, bowing as low as possible.
“Princess Sparkle, I can't believe you're here, it's amazing to meet you.” I hear a soft giggle and look up to see a flilly with an electric blue coat standing next to the princess. Her big beautiful eyes are a milky white, and though I know from experience with blind ponies that they cant see me, I still feel them focusing on me.
“You don't need to be quite so formal with me sweetie. I'm not gonna banish you and send you to the dungeon in the place I banished you too. I'm just here to meet and greet all the new students like I do every year.”
“Really?”
“Yes, oh and since you are both here and you seem to have taken a shine to her, my pretty friend here is Bright Eyes.”
I try my best to hide the blush creeping up my cheeks and awkwardly hold out a hoof to her. “Hello, Im...”
“Open Heart, I know” she said slightly amused, “I'm here helping everypony sign in and find their dorms. I was told you would be arriving soon. You are prompt. I appreciate that.” A bright white aura of magic unceremoniously shoved a clipboard under my snout.
“Sign this. The boys dormitory is to the left of the main gate past the main building, there is a gold and mahogany statue of a diamond dog in front of it that you can't miss.”
“How can-”
“If you ask me how I know the statue is there and what it looks like, the next thing I'll be asking you is how this clipboard tastes.” She sneered whacking me on the nose with it.
“Uhh...hehe” Princess Twilight pushed me over to the side, whispering urgently. “Listen Bright eyes is a little.....antisocial. I believed having her on greeting duty would teach her a bit about the magic of friendship but unfortunately she's about as friendly as a crocodile with a toothache. Could you please just talk to her and try to make nice?”
“...umm....”
“Theres 10 bits in it for ya.”
“Done.”
“Good colt.” She turned back toward Bright Eyes smiling suspiciously. “Well I must be off to see other students, you two have fun!” She winked at me knowingly as she trotted away to greet a small pink flilly who just got out of her cart.
“So Bright what do you-” She glared at me and shoved the clipboard in my face again.
“You sign. You leave. My time as a greeter must be efficient and orderly.”
“Hey...umm...do you want me to...walk you to class?”
“Hmm. Well I suppose the walk to class isn't dangerous enough to warrant a chaperone but I wouldn't object to your presence...”
“Is that a-”
“Yes. Now hurry, class begins in 11 minutes and I will not be tardy.” I turned to my parents to let them know where I was headed but they were already leaving my sparse number of bags with the guards and waving me away. Looks like the decision was made for me.
* * * * *
The classrooms in the castle were similar to the ones in Celestia's academy with high ornate ceilings and more than enough room. There were about 25 seats in the class and almost all of them were filled with bleary eyed bored ponies waiting for the class to begin. Our teacher a pretty gray mare with one long french braid in her silver mane busied herself writing on the chalkboard as I maneuvered through the isles to my seat. Despite my best efforts to the contrary bright eyes sat up front abandoning me in the midst of all the other students and despite not being able to see me she gave me a hearty glare when I asked her to come to the back. I end up sitting between a cute redheaded earth pony and a breathtaking seafoam green pegasus who is idly putting on makeup and playing with her hair.
The bell rang and everyone including the teacher, were suddenly at attention.
“Hello everypony my name is Ms. Silverspoon. I'm very glad to see you all in my class. Biology is where you will learn all the more intricate workings of living organisms, both equine and non equine alike. You will learn how they function, grow, evolve, everything you need to know about living things in Equesatria.”
“OOOH OOH!!!” A pink tinged griffon in the corner piped up, flapping her wings excitedly “When do we learn about reproduction? I'm super super DUPER excited to get to that part!”
“Ahem.” Ms. Silverspoon coughed. “Well Zelda dear we will get to that in time though I doubt you fill find it as... stimulating as you think you will.”Bright Eyes giggled as Zelda slumped in her chair in disappointment. “For today we will be focusing on the different classifications of ponies and what makes us each unique. Earth pony, Pegasi, Unicorns, and Alicorns.”
Everypony in class opened their biology 101 books and began flipping them open to the page where the lesson began. After struggling to get mine out of my bag and awkwardly letting it flop onto the table the cute sandy red earth pony next to me opened it to the right page with a smile.
“Thank you...umm...”
“Apple Tart.” She whispered in a slight southern accent.
“Thanks Apple Tart.” She waved away my thanks and I noticed one of her forelegs was made of some kind of polished bronze metal.
“Now who can tell me the purpose of a horn?” Ms. Spoon asked feverishly looking around the room. “Aah yes Ziara.”
A small black and white pony towards the front of the class responded lowering her hoof. She looks like a zebra, but she clearly has a unicorn horn.“Well a horn is a special appendage meant for unicorns to channel their magic through. Everypony has their own kind of magic with earth ponies channeling it through their limbs, and pegasi channeling it through their wings, but unicorns need a special outlet for theirs because their magic needs to focus on outside objects.”
“Very good Ziara! Although everypony has magic only unicorns and alicorns use it to move objects and perform complicated magical spells.”
The seafoam green pegasus on the other side of me raised her hoof shyly, hiding her compact in her book.
'Yes Grace?”
“But isn't it also true that Zebras do magic on their own without horns?” Her voice was seductive and breathy.
“Why yes that is true. Zebra, do not need horns to do magic because most of their magic is focused on herbs, plants, and other natural objects similar to earth ponies. They have a much more powerful derivative of earth pony magic. Although...” She smiled with a less than subtle glance at Ziara “It is true that when pony and zebra breed sometimes zebrasi and zebracorn are created and because of this they must learn to control two very different forms of magic much like an alicorn.”
“OOOH OOH OH!!” Zelda flailed her claws around for attention. “That's kinda like me! I'm a Gryphony! A Poniffon! A MAGIC PONY GRIFFON AWESOMEKAGIGGER!!!”
“Yes you are dear. And so so much like your mother. Any more comments actually related to the lesson?”
I raise my hoof.
“Yes Open Heart?”
“So umm...if a pony who was a unicorn loses their horn, what does that make them?”
“It makes them a unicorn with no horn. Just because the most obvious channel for their magic to pass through is gone does not mean it's impossible for them to do magic, they just cannot do the same magic they were previously accustomed to. Unicorn magic is done by focusing on the horn and expelling magic through it. The same thing can be done by any unicorn with any object. Though without the horn magic should be done more often to release excess energy. Pegasi missing their wings haveto do more physical activity to release all the kinetic magical energy their wings would otherwise expel and earth pony have no choice but to work with their hooves to release their energy. Everypony MUST practice some sort of magic. If they do not, they-”
At that moment the bell rang.
“Oh umm..” Ms. Spoon adjusted her blue framed glasses and stared at the clock. “Well it looks like I talked a bit too much today. For next class read chapters 1,2, and 3. Have a great day everypony.” As she gathered her things an older Pink mare with a white and violet swirled mane urged her to hurry up for the next class.
She's a nice teacher even if she is a bit absentminded. I open my saddlebag with my mouth and I'm trying desperately to slide my book inside when I feel it lift out of my grasp and slam into my bag, smacking me on the nose on the way in. Naturally Bright Eyes is standing over me looking irritated.
“Hey thanks Bright-”
“No thanks nessesary. Walk me to my class. I will not be tardy waiting around for lollygaggers.”
“Now hold on there Bright.” Apple Tart smiled putting a hoof over my bag. “Maybe he wants to walk me to class. This here looks like a colt with a mind of his own. We didn't get a great introduction earlier, I'm Apple Tart, you can call me AT. I'm from Appaloosa, first year student just like yerself.”
“Oooh APPLE! Are you hitting on the new meat again?” The griffon..er...griffony from earlier giggled and flapped over to my desk. “Hi there. Its super duper UBER GLOOBER nice to meet you. I love meeting new ponies, its one of my favorite things about school besides learning and pie, oh my GOD the cafeteria has PIE! Can you believe it? Its the best thing ever! OMGweshouldgogetpierightnowIcantevenwaittillunch-”
Bright shoved her hoof into Zelda's beak to cut off the torrent of words. “I apologize for my roommate. She is very loud and bothersome. Though she is prompt, fiscally responsible, and she cleans bathrooms. I like that.” Despite the conversation Zelda had still been going on despite being muffled this entire time.
“Umm...excuse me...” A breahty voice behind me whispered. I turned to find myself face to face with Grace. “I would like a walk to class as well. Especially from a handsome colt like yourself. You are extremely sexy.”She smiled batting her eyes at me. “ I like your bone structure.”
“Wow umm thanks??” I blush horribly. Bright pulled her hoof out of Zelda's beak and turned towards the door. “So I said, flux capacitor? I barely KNOW HER!... Hey shouldn't we be going to class?” Zelda smiled, completely unaware of her own strangeness.
“Why yes we should sugarcube. So who's it gonna be hot stuff?”
She's right, who is it gonna be? Do I want to walk with a cute hyperactive griffon, a sexy but vain pegasus, a unicorn who doesn't understand friendship, or a down to earth farmpony. Do I want to go with any of them? What should I do?