//------------------------------//
// Waking up. 
// Story: Mission Impossible? 
// by bud467 
//------------------------------//

"Watch out!" I sat up suddenly, startling the nurse causing her to jump and drop the ice pack she was changing out to keep my fever under control.

“Good morning Mr. Tread." she greeted with a cheery attitude and a small giggle kind of cute... “I am Nurse Warm Heart. I will go tell the doctor you are up.“ She turned and began walking out of the room before turning back around.”Anything you would like me to get for you?"

I shook my head and quietly thanked her. I turned on my right side to look out the window only to be halted by a sharp pain on my flank. "Ow!" 

"I see you found your wounds." commented the doctor, a fairly tall Unicorn with a stethoscope for his cutie mark.

"How long was I out?"

"You were unconscious for about a week."

"A WEEK?!" I began panicking. "I nee-" The doctor raised a hoof to stop me.
"The war is over. You’re going home."
"..."
"*sigh* but the Princess wants to see you first."

I thought for a few seconds.” So I am going to Canterlot?" Wow I went from the front lines to the hospital to seeing royalty.
The doctor nodded. You are well enough to leave now. Don't worry Nurse Warmheart will be with you. The doctor smiled turned around and left to start the discharge papers.

"Looks like we will end up getting to know each other" I said trying to break the silence the doctor left us in. Nurse Warmheart blushed and walked out quickly. Nice going Tread, this will be one awkward trip. Rolling out of the bed, I carefully began walking around the room and stretching my tired muscles. 

"Let me remove your bandages so I can check how it is healing."
I turned around to see the doctor levitating a pair of scissors. I obliged happily as he cut the bandages off and threw them in the trash. I trotted over to a mirror, a giddy smile being worn. As I turned and looked, the smile quickly disappeared. "My... my cutie marks. They are gone." I looked at the doctor only to be met with a saddened expression.

“Yes, the shrapnel destroyed both of your cutie marks unfortunately." the doctor confirmed as he began re wrapping the wound with a new bandage. "Will you want your uniform for the trip?"

I stretched a little more then nodded. As the doctor left, I noticed a small pile of letters on the bedside table.  Upon examination, I realized there were from my family. Tearing them open one at a time and reading them. Soon, I came across the most recent one. It was from mom:


Dear Tread,

The entire family is worried about you. When Charcoal came off the train without you, we began to panic until he told us about the incident. But that is also when we found out about Princess Celestia wanting to personally award you and your squad the Iron Horse. The Iron Horse! Sorry for such a short letter, but we have to go visit the grandparents.
Love, Mom 


A soft hoof tapped on my shoulder. "Are you ready?" I swung my head around and was almost nose to nose with Nurse Warmheart.   Both of us blushed and apologies were exchanged. Seeing that my uniform was on the bed I walked to the laid out uniform and attempted to pt it on. After several attempts I sat down frustrated. I guess Nurse Warmheart found that funny as she giggled then fixed my uniform and nudged me with her head for me to get up. 

"We got a long trip ahead of us." she said guiding me out the door.

Authors Note: expect another chapter later tonight. I am on a creative roll.