//------------------------------// // A New Name // Story: Dawn of Darkness // by Lawpony //------------------------------// Cobalt awakened in a bed of soft material. His mind felt clouded, as if he had been bucked in the face. He looked around the room. White bed, grey tiled floor, beige walls. He was in a hospital. The window on the wall to his left had the curtains closed. The door to his right was closed as well. "Why am I in a hospital?", he thought to himself. Just then, a nurse walked in. "Oh, you're awake! Good to see you're doing well." If Cobalt were coherent, he would have noticed the gem before him. In front of him, stood a beautiful, young mare with a ruby mane, and a turquoise coat. Her cutie mark was a star of life. Her physic was rather tone, and she was very thin, obviously a runner. However, Cobalt was too out of it to even notice her physical appearance. "Whyam I inte hossspital?" The nurse walked over to him. "You were injured in battle. Though, you should do fine." His eyes widened in shock. "Did Imake it?! Dontell me I died! PLEEEAAASE! IHAV A WIFE AN-no wait...Idon't hav a wife, whater you talkin' about?" The nurse giggled. "There, there. You're going to be alright," she rubbed his forehead with a hoof. "Promise?" The massive grin on her face only became bigger. "Yes, I promise." Cobalt folded and unfolded his left wing a few times. "Good. Now try to flap it in rapid succession." Cobalt flapped his wing, it faltered a few times, but was usable. "Congratulations kid. You're only slightly handicapped, but if you keep healing like you've been doing so far, you'll be back to usual in no time!", the nurse hugged him. "Thanks! I didn't think I would pull through for a while there! I can't believe I'll be able to fly again!", he hugged back. They ended the embrace, and the nurse walked over to the table of medical supplies. She grabbed a pair of scissors in her magic, walked back over to Cobalt, and snipped the leg band from his right foreleg. "Now that you're all better, the Princesses wanted to see you. They told me to wait until you were all healed up. I told them that you'd be checking out today. They're probably waiting on you now!" "Wow! A meeting with the princesses! I'll see you later Joule!", Cobalt ran out of the rehabilitation wing and would have made it out of the door, but the pony at the front desk stopped him. "Hey! Cobalt! You gotta sign out before ya can go buddy!", the jolly older male physical therapist called from the desk. "Oh, sorry Jim!", Cobalt came running back up to the desk. "I hear you're all better, how awesome is that!" "Yeah, I'm supposed to be heading to see-", he picked up the pen and began signing his name. "-teh puencesses." Jim looked at him, confused. He spit the pen out and repeated himself. "The Princesses." "Oh wow! Such a great honor! I think it may have something to do with a certain somepony's brave actions during battle last month!", Jim lightly punch Cobalt on the shoulder. "You really think so? That'd be awesome!" "I do. Well, all done signin' out. Now go get honored!" "Yes sir!", Cobalt ran back out the hospital. With his wing not being perfectly healed, he had to walk all of the way to the palace. When he finally made it, he made his way to the court room, and found the Royal Sisters on their thrones, and Princess Twilight standing by. "Ah, young Cobalt. I hear your wing is well," Celestia elegantly spoke. "Um, yes. Your highness," he knelt on the floor. "Your humble tool is still functioning." "Why thank you. Such manors. But please, this is a casual meeting," she leaned down towards him and whispered. "Mainly because the press know nothing about it." He chuckled a little. Regaining his serious composure he asked, "What am I here for?" "You, young sir, are here because we deemed it necessary, to honor you for your valiant service in banishing the undead abomination back to the afterlife," Twilight spoke up. "Without your heroic efforts, the Elements of Harmony may not have been able to stop him. You showed that sheer courage was enough to protect our land. You risked your life to save Equestria." He humbly bowed his head. "And for that, we have decided to personally further your studies, and place you in a higher rank as soon as possible. With skill and training, you could be one of our greatest soldiers," Celestia informed him. "You want to...what??" "We are furthering your climb up the chain of success. You will also be given a name, something that tells of your great battle with Necromantus," Luna triumphantly shouted. "You shall be called..." They all spoke in unison. "Pineshield." One week later Cobalt was walking with a spring in his step. He had never been so happy in his life. Not only was he now pretty much destined to become a great war leader, but he also had plans for a certain somepony. He entered the hospital and made his way to the rehab hall. When he arrived, the young nurse that had taken care of him was coming from a patient's room, filling out paperwork. He coughed. "Yes? Oh, Cobalt. Good to see you! How is that wing?" "Good, still a little stiff, but not too bad." "Great. I'll be sure to tell Jim about your progress. He'd like to hear the news," she turned to put the file away. "Uh...I'm uh...man I stink at this!" "What Cobalt? What is it?", she turned her attention back to him. Her bright ruby eyes becoming very serious. "Will you..."-, he took a deep breath. -"...go, outwithme?" He flinched a little. The words sounded extremely dumb coming out of his mouth. "You know what? I'd like to." Cobalt looked up. "You...would?" "Yeah, since your first day here I thought you were kinda cute. Especially when you weren't even coherent," she giggled. That adorable giggle. "And you seemed like a cool guy while in here, well, when you were lucid. Who knows how cool you are when you're not in the hospital?" "So...Friday?" "I work Friday. Saturday?" "Saturday."