Bat out of Hell times ten. That would best describe the speed in which I took of with. I had scooped up Sundance into a burp-the-baby position and jumped off the overhang. Yes it was a stupid idea that could have broken both my legs but when you have magic that you instantly cast to make you lower body as durable as steal you tended not to care so much. It only took a moment to remove the spell and cast a speed spell as well as a spell that would keep my legs from tearing apart. In mere seconds I past a confused Gilda. I didn't want to waste time explaining.
Crossing the plain I felt Sundance's hooves wrap around my back of my neck. Her grip tighten yet reminded gentle. I tried to glance over at her but it's kind of hard to do when her head is practically right up against ours.
"D-ddaann, I...I'm sorry." She whispered, her word slurring a bit. She was awake. dazed but awake. That counts for something right?
It was a big relief to see the town after running for who knows how long. I was also running on fumes, which happens when your energy is being drained three times as fast. As I got closer to Appleloosa I decreased my spells. By the time I reached the town's border I was running at my normal speed.
I stopped, where was the hospital. I hadn't bothered to look since I was to focused on asking the townsfolk questions. Ponies and humans began to gather around me. I shouldn't be surprised, it's not every day you see a tired worn out man carrying a bleeding pony. This however, could be helpful.
"WHERE'S THE HOSPITAL, I NEED SOMEONE TO TELL ME WHERE IT IS NOW."
The crowd jumped in union at my sudden screaming. One pony answered before the rest; A familiar mustard colored pony. "Hey, follow me." he took off. I had not other choice but to once again use my burnt out legs to follow him (at least the crowd parted immediately to let me pass unhindered.)
The distance between me and Braeburn gradually increased but I never lost sight of him. At one point he turned right at an intersection. Upon making the turn there he was waiting for us. Seeing me, he took of again down the street avoiding bystanders. Seeing me the bystanders simply moved out of the way. Reaching the end of the block Braeburn made a left turn at the intersection nearly hitting a pony-drawn carriage.
following his route I made it to the intersection. Oh how my heart soared at the sight. Just a little farther down the road on the opposite side was the hospital. The big red cross was a dead giveaway. Braeburn however, was no where to be seen. At the moment it didn't matter, I needed to get Sundance in there pronto.
My 'where did Braeburn go' question was answered after I entered the building. He was next to a human male nurse who had a grungy waiting for us. I quickly placed Sundance on it who was surprisingly still awake. The nurse gave me a nod "We'll take care of her." He was join by two more nurse who helped move the grungy down the hall and out of sight. I sighed heavily in relief. Now I could relax. It was then I noticed Braeburn and a male nurse staring at me.
"yer bleeding mister." Braeburn pointed a hoof at my right arm. I lifted it up in front of me to tike a look. Sure enough, I was. I took my next course of action to deal with the stress, the exhaustion, and the pain.
I fainted.
You know when in movies and books the main character wakes up in a hospital. His or her lover is there beside them. The lover is either asleep in a cute fashion or awake and overjoyed. I didn't get anything of the sort. What I got was a death stare but a ticked off Griffon.
In this situation I could have gone with the expected and frequently used 'hi'. Instead I went with " Are you a 11 out of 10 on the angry scale?"
She nodded slightly, here eyes continued to stare into my soul. "It took three hours in this heat to get back here, you're damn lucky that I brought your stuff with me. Don't ever take off and leave me behind again, If I ever decide to help you again." A aura of anger seemed to become visible surrounding the griffin.
'O-o-ook, I'm sorry and thank you for retrieving my pack." I replied a little scared that she would do something to me if I didn't calm her down. Thankfully she did if only a little.
"HMM, you better be." her voice then became softer which is odd to hear when they normally have a growly voice. "Listen, I get that you were worried about your friend and all that junk but that doesn't mean you can leave without saying anything first."
I would have told her that I agreed with her and that I was sorry but then I remembered Sundance. "SUNDANCE, is she alright?"
Gilda stepped back at my sudden outburst. Any remanding anger disappeared. "Yea she's ok, in fact she is the room opposite of this one." Gilda turned her head toward the door.
That was all I needed to hear so I begun to get up. My exhausted body somehow found the strength to move. In no time at all I was sitting up in my bed. Pain shot through my right hand. I looked down to see that it was bandage up. Rotating my body I was able to put my feet on the floor. For some reason my clothes were still on so I didn't have to be worried about my ass being seen in one of those gowns. Gilda who had remained quite till now spoke up. "You shouldn't be moving around to much. The doc said you collapse from exhausted and overuse of magic."
" I don't see you stopping me." I retorted testing my feet on the ground. Gilda just snorted and rolled her eyes. Putting fate into my feet I stood up...and nearly fall down.
It was only thanks to the bed's railing that I stayed on my feet and not land on my face. Gilda just watched me trying to hide her amusement. Slowly stood up to my full height. My legs shook slightly has they tried to support me. I let go of the railing but grabbed on to it before I started falling again. This repeated several times before I was finally able to stand up with out support. A moment later I began to walk toward the down with Gilda following after me.
.......
Making out into the hall and toward the room on the opposite side went without a hitch but as I was about to open the door a voice called out. "You shouldn't be moving yet."
The voice belonged to a pony. A plum colored unicorn pony with Turquoise hair. A white doctor's coat covered her cutie mark so no description there. "Um...I'm just going to walk a little bit...besides my friend is in this room and I'm closer to this one then my room. This is Sundance's room right?" I shift my eyes to Gilda. I trust her but she does seem like the type of griffin who would take revenge at anyone who crossed her even by accident. Fortunately that wasn't the case this time.
"Yes Ms. Sundance is residing in the room you are currently leaning against. My I ask who you are and how you know her."
"She's my host for the housing program...can you tell me how she is?" I asked pleadingly.
My request was met by an analyzing stare. "Very well." she sighed. "She suffered from blood loss as well as exhaustion. She is lucky that you found her; given another day she would have died if whatever attacked her didn't get to her first. Now, we have closed the wounds and given her antibiotics to fight any infection she may have picked up."
"Can I see her?"
The doctor let out another sigh. "I really shouldn't let you, both of you need your rest. However she did ask for you a few times so I guess I can allow it."
I was about to thank her but she cut me off. "But if she is asleep I ask that you do not disturb her. Understood." I nodded in compliance. "Very well then I have things I need to do so I will leave you be...just don't overextend herself either alright." She turned around and trotted away before I could respond.
"Never caught her name." I said more to myself then anyone else. Gilda had the answer and was kind enough to tell me.
"Feel Good."
"What...well a little I'm still sor-"
"NO, her name...It's Feel Good. Dr. Feel Good."
"..."
I burst out laughing nearly losing my balance.
When the moment of mirth passed I stood tall once again ready to open the door. Gilda's voice stopped me. "I'm going to head off to the café or something, I rather not be anywhere near the two of you when you have your mushy reunion." I gave her a simple 'ok' and she trotted off saying something along the lines of "I wonder what they saw about hospital food is true."
Even after she left I didn't open the door right away. I needed to make sure there wasn't going to be another interference; I'm sure everyone knows how annoying that gets. There was no interference of any kind thus I opened the door to a dark room. There was one bed and it was occupied by the one and only Sundance. I left the door open to let in more light than the little window in the door allowed.
"Dan?" Well she wasn't asleep, time to get answers even though I shouldn't be asking her things this soon. Making my way closer I noticed that Sundance was on her back and her head was tilted toward me. The dim light from the hallway fall upon her making her face visible.
"Yep" I answered in a less then friendly tone. Sundance responded by trying to sit up. She succeed only to fall back down again. Her failed attempt did result in bed sheet falling away from her upper body reveling the bandages rapped around her torso. Seeing her like that almost dispersed the anger within me. Almost.
"D-Dan are you ok? I heard you collapsed." She spoke in a worried tone.
"yea, I'm ok, a little tired out but okay. You?"
"My sides hurt a bit but I'll live."
"Oh...that's good."
The room dropped into silence. Now I was at the side of the bed ready to speak my mind and Sundance knew it; I could see her body tensing up. Oh by the way fowl language ahead.
"WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING GOING OFF ON YOUR OWN. NOT ONLY THAT BUT MAKING SURE THAT I WOULDN'T BE INFORMED UNTIL YOU WERE FAR ENOUGH AWAY TO KEEP ME FROM STOPPING YOU." Her eyes were watering. It wouldn't be long before the dam broke and I still need to ask her my question. "WHY? WHY DO YOU WANT TO FIND SOME MAGIC SPELL OR WHATEVER TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE INTO A HUMAN...ANSWER ME." It's been awhile since I was this angry. I could practically feel the heat rising off my body.
You know how some things turn out to be obvious only after they are pointed out. Well this I didn't see till now.
Sundance was crying now, tears falling down her furry cheeks. I expected her to continue sobbing all the while giving me an explanation that I had already thought about. I was wrong on all accounts.
With tears streaming down her face she stared boldly into my eyes. Her teeth gridded together as she inhaled deeply to speak. She then spoke words that I never thought I would her say.
"I DID IT BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, GOD DAMN IT." let me stop there for a sec to explain something. She just used the word God...ponies don't do that. They have nothing against the various religious deities of earth but that doesn't mean they use their name to drive home the point they are making which in this case was shocking all on it's own.
"I...wh-you" I spoke my mind.
Sundance took a large breath and dipped her head looking down at the covers. "I...I love you so much Dan and it's not the I love you like a brother type of thing. You made it clear that you would never allow yourself to get into such a relationship with anypony because you can't get over the bestiality thing. I-I have been in love with you for a long time now and it...I just couldn't take it anymore-" she looked up at me again. Tears streaming down her face. "Do you know what's it like to be so close and yet not be able to do anything...I want to cuddle with you like only lovers do. I want to kiss and be kissed. Be able to wake up next to you in the morning. I...I-I even want be able to make love to you but I know as long as one of us is a different species that wouldn't happen. That why I went off to find out a way to change. I was afraid if I told you you would find a way to stop me from going. I know you think it's stupid or impossible but please...please let me do this."
The room was silent once more. It kind of surprised me that no one came in during the whole thing, I'm sure we were loud enough to draw attention. That however is totally off topic. Sundance just told me she was in love with me. Out the entire population she fell in love with someone who was from another world.
"I need time, time to absorb all of this. I-I'll be back later." I said calmly.
"ok, you know where to find me." She said with a ghost of a smile trying to break the sadness in her voice. I turned an left the room.
I didn't realize that I was in my room until my head hit the pillow. I stared up to the ceiling submerging myself within my thoughts. It's odd, if we were to have witness this happening to someone else and not ourselves we would probably desensitized to it. I however, am completely bewildered by Sundance's confession. She loves me, a pony says she loves me. Heck she practically said she wouldn't mind bumbling uglies with me. She's also trying to find a spell to turn herself human to remove the specie barrier between us. That devotion to her quest alone tells me that she really loves me. I mean how many people would go off on a journey to find the means to be with the one they love. That being said there is another factor to look at. My feelings.
I could just say that I don't and will never like her like that and be done with it. The thing is...I can't. If she was human I would have probably have asked her out already. She has a great sense of humor, she's even quick to understand the jokes that are earth origin. She's smart and well educated which, to me is very important. Looking pass the pony body is a very wonderful woman and, well no need to repeat what she is trying to do again. I think I have already made my decision.
........
This time I closed the door after me when I entered Sundance's room. I would have thought she had fallen asleep had she not spoken. "Dan...have you finished thinking things through?" She questioned. A hint of hopefulness laced her voice.
"Yea" I answered making my way to the bed (Not as easy when there is barely any light.). Sundance waited quietly for me to speak again. I reached out my hand trying to find her shoulder which I eventual did thankfully. She gulped nervously and shifted a bit. It was time to tell her.
"This little journey to find a way to turn human, it's only going to continue under the condition that I come with you. Understood?"
She hugged me.... I guess she understood, that and the "thank you, thank you, thank you." repeated for a time. Freeing myself from the hug I looked down at her then the door. The noise of shuffling brought my attention back to the bed. While I couldn't really see I could tell that Sundance had scooted to one side of the bed leaving enough space for me. She farther motion me to settle next to her by tapping a hoof on the empty space she provided. I accepted and gently got onto the bed. I ended up laying on my side with the arm on the bottom stretched out. Sundance shifted again laying her head on my arm. Though she was on my arm which wasn't as heavy I thought it would be we remain at a distance from each other. We're close but not close enough to go into snuggle mood.
"Hey Dan...."
"Hmmm?"
"Do you love me?"
It was a reasonable question even though it was an unusual time to ask. Never-the-less I answered it. "At the moment I can't say I'm in love with you, but I do like you...a lot so I'm willing to get it a try...give us a try."
I think she smiled. "I couldn't ask for anything more." She nuzzled my arm.
I had my on question to ask and now as a good time as any and I better do it before she falls asleep. "When did you realize that you were in love with me?"
It took a moment before she answered. "Do you remember two years ago during my Estrus cycle?"
"um...wait you mean the one where I ended up coddling you almost every free moment we had?"
Yep that's the one...remember how I was crying about being alone."
I nodded. From what I heard about her life she had never dated onepony. There were offers but she never took them. I don't know what triggered it but not long after going into heat she became depressed. It wasn't until she jumped me and started crying into my chest that she told me that she felt so alone. She hadn't shared any of those lovely moments couples have nor just having somepony close to rely on. She didn't blame me though some could for various reasons. I can't say I really know why she broke down that time but I guess the mix of the normal feeling of ageing, Estrus and loneness just piled up enough to cause her to break down. As I mention before for the rest of her cycle I ended up just hugging for long periods of time when ever I could.
"Yea, and I remember how sacred I was when you jumped me. I thought what you told me about a mare's Estrus cycle was wrong." (there is a difference between the Estrus cycles of the human world and this world.)
"really? hmm...well that's something to keep in mind." I couldn't see but I think she was giving me a mischievous. "it was after a few days of our coddling that I realized that you had always been there for me. We had shared so many pleasant memories already that while they weren't romantic they felt just as good. I guess I also kind of found your figure appealing to me, at least as time went on."
"it's the hands isn't it. All you hoof limbed creatures want the hands and the magical powers they possess" I commented.
Sundance laughed and shook her head. "You wish, we can handle things just fine without them. Also what magical powers are you talking about. Your skinny hands and even skinner fingers hold no power." She said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"we'll see. Anyway was there something more." I replied.
"Not much really. I just began looking at you in a new light though I made sure you didn't catch on that I had a thing for you. I guess since we've ended up in this mess it worked." she yawned.
After that we stopped talking and slowly she fall asleep. I followed soon after.