Chapter Two:
Ambulance Man
The next few hours were a blur of pain and sound. Big Mac drifted in and out of consciousness as ponies around him rushed and shouted. He'd been moved to a bed, and he remembered watching someone making several incisions into his legs, which he could see but not feel. At one time somepony noticed that he was awake, and gave him a bowl of water with something mixed up in it. After drinking it the pain faded, and he drifted off to sleep.
Big Mac awoke in a hospital room. The sun was sinking in the sky outside his window. He was lying on his side, with his hooves slightly elevated. There was white gauze soaked in some liquid covering them, and there were small bandages covering cuts he'd received jumping through the window. Hearing soft breathing, he turned his head and saw Applejack sitting in a nearby chair. Her mane was a mess, and she had dark circles under her eyes.
"Apple…" Big Mac whispered.
Though faint, the sound of his voice made Applejack open her bloodshot eyes and look blearily at Big Mac. She cracked a smile when she saw he was awake.
"Hey Big Mac," she said, her voice almost as soft as his.
"Ya look…" he said weakly.
"What's that?" she asked, leaning in closer.
"Ya look worse then ya did during last applebuck season," he managed to get out, giving a weak laugh.
"Ah look bad? You should see yourself," she joked back. "Ah told ya you was gonna hurt yourself if ya weren't careful."
He gave another laugh, which quickly turned into a coughing fit.
"Hang on, A'll get you some water." She hastily moving to a nearby sink and filling up a bowl of water. "Ya inhaled a lot of smoke, but Twilight did a magic thing and said you prolly didn't have any...Pul-men-ary ede-ma." She struggled with the foreign words. "In other words, ya didn't hurt your lungs too bad. But she said, ya'd need ta drink lots of water." She brought the bowl of water over to Big Mac and set it beside his head.
He leaned over, only able to manage a small sip.
"You uh, also burned yourself pretty bad." Applejack continued, glancing down towards his legs.
"'Don't feel it," he murmured.
He could feel pain higher up his legs, but around his fetlocks he didn't feel anything, though he was sure that was where he'd been burned the worst.
"That's 'cause, uh, when it's real bad you can't feel nothing," Applejack explained.
For a moment it looked like tears started to appear in her eyes, but she managed to compose herself.
"Also, Twilight had Dash go and get Zecora, who had some herbs or something which she said would take away some of the pain." She smiled at him. "Ah also hear it's s'pposed to make ya feel a little loopy."
Something had been nagging Big Mac. He finally realized what it was.
"Sweetie Belle?" he whispered.
'She's alright," Applejack reassured him. "Doing a lot better'n you in fact. They kept her here overnight 'cause of the smoke, but she wasn't burned or nothing."
Big Mac lay back, relieved at the news.
"Ah told Apple Bloom Ah'd come get her once ya woke up. Unless you're too tired, that is," she added quickly.
"'S alright," he replied.
"She was real worried 'bout ya," Applejack told him. "She an Scootaloo ran an' got Twilight like ya told 'em. They didn't even know there was a fire 'till they got back to Rarity's, and right as they got there they saw ya jumpin' out the window like ya did. Twilight was able to catch ya with her magic, but when Apple Bloom saw ya she thought ya hadn't made it."
Applejack paused for a moment.
"Twi' told me it was awfully hard to get her to stop panicking. It was real tough for Apple Bloom, 'specially after Ma and Pa…" she trailed off.
Big Mac gave a slight nod of understanding.
Applejack trotted out of the room and then returned a few minutes later with a small nervous filly trailing behind her. When Apple Bloom saw Big Mac she ran up to give him a hug, but stopped at the last instant, scared to touch him.
"It's alright, Apple Bloom," Applejack reassured her, "just don't touch any part with bandages on 'em."
Apple Bloom tightly hugged around Big Mac's neck, and then burst into tears.
"Ah tried to go get Twilight as fast as Ah could," she told him through her tears. "Ah did'n know 'bout tha fire! Ah'm sorry Ah wasn't faster!"
He gently nuzzled against her mane.
"Ya did good," he told her. "'Cause of you, Twilight was able to catch me 'n Sweetie Belle. Ya saved us."
She looked up at him. Her face was shiny with tears, but smiling.
"Didja ever get any of that apple pie?" Big Mac asked her.
She giggled at the question.
"Granny brought some down this afternoon, but Ah didn't have any yet."
"Well hows 'bout you go have some? Ya look real hungry," he suggested.
"Ah am quite famished," Apple Bloom agreed.
Big Mac laughed at her adult choice of words. Apple Bloom ran out of the room as Applejack chuckled and turned to Big Mac.
"Ah reckon ya should try an' get some sleep. Ya look bushed."
"Ah reckon," Big Mac agreed, his eyes drifting closed.
It was a couple hours later when he felt himself gently shaken awake by a tiny pair of hooves. He cracked open an eye and looked into the wide-eyed face of Apple Bloom.
"Ah'm sorry to wake ya but everpony was 'bout to go on home but Ah was hoping Ah could sleep here with you tonight an' Ah asked Applejack an she said it's alright with her if it's alright with you so can Ah?" she said all at once.
Big Mac let out a yawn.
"Why don't you go ahead and lay behind me, so's ya don't accidentally bump mah hooves," he replied sleepily.
Apple Bloom excitedly ran out to tell Applejack, then ran back inside and climbed up behind Big Mac. She snuggled up next to him and pulled the blanket over herself.
"Goodnight, Big Macintish," she said. "Ah'm glad you're okay."
"So am Ah, sugarcube. Goodnight," he said, drifting back to sleep.
*****
Rarity awoke for the fourth time that night. She glanced over at Pinkie Pie, whose room she was sharing. She was still fast asleep, snoring gently. For such an active pony, Pinkie was an incredibly deep sleeper.
Probably because of all the sugar she eats, Rarity thought.
After the fire Rarity had rushed over to the hospital with Sweetie Belle and Big Macintosh. There she had paced unceasingly, heedless of her friends' attempts to calm her, while Twilight and the doctors looked after the two injured ponies. Finally, Twilight came out and told her that although they would be keeping Sweetie Belle there overnight for observation, it looked as though she would be fine. After Rarity heard that, all her energy escaped her. She let Pinkie Pie take her to Sugarcube Corner, and once she got into bed, she fell immediately into a deep sleep.
She spent the next day at the hospital with Sweetie Belle, who seemed fine except for a sore throat. Sweetie Belle did, however, keep asking about Big Macintosh. Rarity had been told that he had been badly burned, and had to get something called an "escharotomy," where they would cut into the burnt flesh to prevent it from constricting the tissue underneath. He had been given some sedatives, and was apparently asleep through most of it. Rarity didn't know Big Macintosh that well; of course she had met him several times, but Sweetie Belle probably knew him better from having sleepovers at Sweet Apple Acres.
Even though she felt exhausted by the time she went back to Sugarcube Corner at the end of the day, she could find no relief in sleep. Every time she would begin to fall asleep she would find herself awoken with a start, covered in sweat and heart pounding. As the sun started to glimmer through her window she finally gave up and went downstairs. When she went onto the kitchen she found Mrs. Cake already up and preparing food.
"Oh! You're up early dearie," Mrs. Cake said with some surprise. "Mr. Cake and I are usually the first ones up in town. Bakers need to get up early, after all. Were you having trouble sleeping, because of—"
"Oh not at all, I'm just an early riser," Rarity interrupted with feigned brightness.
"Oh, alright." Mrs. Cake replied with a slightly confused smile. "Well, would you mind putting these muffins in the oven, while I go down and get some more flour from the basement?"
"I'd be happy to," Rarity answered.
As Mrs. Cake left the room Rarity went over to the large masonry oven that the Cake's used for their business, and opened up the door. When she looked into the lit oven, she found herself beginning to tremble, and felt sweat begin to bead on her forehead.
"Get outside!" her mind screamed at her. She turned and galloped outside just as Mrs. Cake started to come back in.
"Oh dearie, are you—?" Mrs. Cake started, but was ignored as Rarity rushed past her and out of Sugarcube Corner.
She didn't stop until she had run to the edge of Ponyville. Once there she stopped and waited behind a building where nopony could see her, until her shivering subsided. She finally managed to compose herself, and she wiped away the tears that were in her eyes. She hadn't even realized she had been crying.
Not crying, she thought, my eyes were just watering.
It was silly for me to get upset, just from seeing the flame in the Cake's oven, she told herself In fact, I'm being absurd. Feeling sorry for myself when I should be looking after Sweetie Belle.
Rarity pulled herself together, and decided to go over to the hospital. Sweetie Belle would probably still be asleep, but this way Rarity could be there when she woke up. She started off towards the hospital, and had got about half way there, when she ran into Pinkie Pie.
"Hi Rarity," Pinkie Pie said.
"Hello Pinkie," Rarity replied. "I'd love to chat, but I was just on my way to see Sweetie Belle…"
"I'll go with you," Pinkie said cheerfully.
Rarity would have rather been alone right then, but she couldn't find it in herself to tell Pinkie Pie, so she simply smiled and agreed. The two ponies started off towards the hospital.
Pinkie seemed unusually pensive, as if she couldn't decide what to say. After a moment she looked over at Rarity and started to speak.
"Sooooo, Mrs. Cake told me you were up as early as she was this morning. And she gets up earlier then everyone, so you must have got up pretty early!"
"Oh, yes, well I'm an early riser."
As soon as the words left her mouth Rarity knew they had been a mistake. Such an excuse might work on Mrs. Cake, but Pinkie knew Rarity too well to believe that she could ever naturally be an early riser. But if Pinkie found the explanation suspicious, she didn't mention it.
After a moment Pinkie continued.
"She also said you left in a real hurry."
For an instant, a part of Rarity wanted to tell Pinkie what had happened, about how when she saw the flame of the oven, a wave of terror had overcome her. But she felt afraid to say anything, afraid that Pinkie Pie would simply laugh at Rarity's panic attack, and think it silly. So instead she forced a smile and replied, "Oh, I just wanted to get over to see Sweetie Belle as soon as she woke up."
"Well, it's just that Mrs. Cake said you seemed a little upset, so I thought-"
"Listen darling," Rarity said sharply, "it was very early so she probably remembered wrong. I was simply in a hurry, that's all."
Pinkie Pie looked taken aback by the edge in Rarity's tone, but quickly smiled again.
"Okie dokie lokie!"
They continued walking for little bit, and then Pinkie Pie started to talk again, this time very subdued.
"You know, Rarity, if you want to talk about what happened, with the fire—"
This time Rarity was almost shouting when she cut Pinkie off.
"Well if I ever need to talk about, cupcakes or, or, parties, then I'll be sure to find you Darling! Until then, we adults will handle things ourselves!" And with that angry outburst Rarity galloped away, leaving behind a very worried looking Pinkie Pie.
*****
Rarity felt bad about snapping at Pinkie Pie, but she put it out of her head when she got to the hospital. She brought in breakfast to Sweetie Belle, who had just woken up.
"Good morning, Sweetie Belle," she said, setting the tray down on the table next to the bed. "Would you like to share some breakfast with me?"
"Okay," Sweetie Belle replied.
They ate in silence for a little while. Sweetie Belle looked over at Rarity.
"Do I have to stay here another night?" she asked.
"Well, they just want to keep you here until they're sure you're alright."
"I feel fine, so does that mean I can leave with you?"
Rarity smiled at her little sister. "Twilight said that if you're feeling well then you could leave today."
Sweetie Belle looked happy at the news.
"Good, because the food here sucks."
Rarity frowned at her.
"Uh, I mean, it's not very good," Sweetie Belle hastily corrected.
Rarity started to clean up the dishes.
"Hey, can we visit Big Macintosh?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I want to see if he's okay."
"I think that would be a splendid idea," Rarity agreed. "Let me just check with Applejack first."
Rarity picked up the tray with her magic, and carried it out of the room. As she took it to the kitchen, she suddenly realized something: there was nowhere for her to take Sweetie Belle once they left the hospital. Rarity had been staying with Pinkie Pie, but there wouldn't be enough room for three ponies, there was barely enough room for two.
She set the tray down, the reality of her situation sinking in. For the last two days, she had been so worried about Sweetie Belle that Rarity hadn't had time to even think about anything else. But now, she realized that she had nothing left. Her home, her business, everything she owned, it was all gone. She started to tremble.
The tray, carelessly balanced, slipped off the counter and crashed against the floor.
Rarity jumped at the noise. She looked down at the spilled oatmeal and shattered bowl.
I need to be strong for Sweetie Belle, she decided. I can't think about the boutique. I need to be strong. She drew in a shaky breath, and picked up some nearby paper towels with her magic. She threw away the broken dishes, and carefully set the tray back on the counter. She used a leftover towel to wipe her eyes. I need to forget about the boutique. It's gone. I need to be strong now.
She went to look for Applejack. Rarity found her just as she was entering the hospital.
"'Morning, Rarity," Applejack said. "How's Sweetie Belle doing?"
"She's doing well. She should be able to leave today."
"That's good ta hear," Applejack replied. "An how are you holdin' up?"
"Oh, I'm fine," Rarity answered. She hesitated for a moment. "Actually, I could use some help. You, see, Sweetie Belle and I have nowhere to go. I've been staying at Sugarcube corner, but—"
"Say no more," Applejack interrupted. "Y'all can stay with us at Sweet Apple Acres. We got more 'en enough room."
"Oh thank you, darling," Rarity said, the relief apparent in her voice.
She gave her friend a quick hug.
"Now," she said, "Sweetie Belle was hoping she could see Big Macintosh today."
"Oh sure," Applejack replied, "I'll just go make sure he's up."
As Applejack moved to the door, a bleary eyed Apple Bloom opened the door and trotted out. She looked up at Applejack and yawned.
"I gotta pee," she announced.
"Apple Bloom!" Applejack said sternly. "Don't talk vulgar front of Miss Rarity!"
Applejack glanced over at Rarity, who raised an eyebrow.
"…Or, uh, anywhere else." Applejack continued.
"S'rry," Apple Bloom mumbled, moving off towards the bathroom.
Applejack grinned apologetically at Rarity.
"Ah'll uh, just go see if Big Mac's up, while ya fetch Sweetie Belle."
Applejack disappeared into Big Mac's room while Rarity went to get Sweetie Belle. Rarity and Sweetie Belle joined Applejack in the Big Mac's room. The large workhorse was blinked the sleep out of his eyes.
"'Morning Miss Rarity, Sweetie Belle," he said softly.
His voice was getting better, although it still hurt to speak.
Sweetie Belle ran up to him and gave him a hug.
"Big Mac!" she said excitedly. "Are you feeling okay? Do your hooves hurt? I saw Apple Bloom in the bathroom, did you have a sleepover?"
Big Mac tried to figure out which question he should answer, but was having a tough time, both from just having woken up, as well as the herbal painkillers he had to take every few hours. He finally settled on a fail-safe.
"Eeyup."
"Sweetie Belle," Rarity said, "try not to overwhelm him."
"Sorry," Sweetie Belle said. She looked back over at Big Mac. "Thanks for saving me." She gave him another hug. "I was really scared," she whispered to him.
He bent his head, returning the hug as best he could in his condition. Applejack smiled at the scene, and then her expression became serious.
"Ah ain't heard hide nor hair of Apple Bloom for ten minutes. That usually means she's causing trouble." She quickly trotted out the door.
"Why don't you help Applejack," Rarity suggested to Sweetie Belle. "Then you can play with Apple Bloom until Twilight gets here."
"Okay." Sweetie Belle replied, following Applejack out the door.
Rarity turned to Big Mac.
"I need to thank you as well," she said warmly. "I owe you a debt I can never repay."
"Shucks, ma'am. You don't owe me. I couldn't just stand around and do nothing'."
"Big Macintosh," she said smiling, "I think you've earned the right to call me Rarity."
He smiled back at her. "Everyone jus' calls me Big Mac."
They were silent for a moment.
"Can I get you anything? Something to drink, perhaps?"
"Some water'd be nice," Big Mac replied.
Rarity picked up the bowl with her magic and filled it up at the sink. She brought it back over to him, and set it by his head.
"Thank you kindly, Miss Rarity," he said, and took a drink. "Ah kinda hate havin' to be waited on," he admitted.
"I know the feeling," she replied. "I can't stand being useless."
She paused, and looked away.
"Like I was the other night," she said quietly. "If you hadn't come along…"
She turned back towards Big Mac.
"I had gone out to look for Opalescence." She saw his confused expression. "My cat. She goes wandering sometimes. I finally decided to take a break, because I had to get Sweetie Belle ready for her sleepover, and when I returned…"
Rarity closed her eyes at the memory.
"I just felt—"
She was suddenly interrupted by a loud crash from in the hallway. A moment later, Twilight walked into the room covered in what looked like vanilla pudding. She was followed by an apologetic Applejack, and a sheepish looking Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.
"Ah'm real sorry Twi,'" Applejack was saying. "I don't know where those two even got the pot up there."
Twilight picked up a towel with her magic and wiped the pudding off her face.
"It's okay, Applejack. I'm used to it after the 'Cutie Mark Crusaders Pastry-Deliverers.'"
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom giggled at the memory, but quickly silenced themselves when Applejack glared at them. Twilight set the towel down.
"Anyway," she started, "I've been working with Nurse Redheart, and we've come up with a course of action for Big Mac."
Everyone listened in as Twilight went into her teacher mode.
"Big Mac has burns up much of his legs, but the most severe burns are on his fetlocks. There he has third-degree burns, meaning the skin was burned all the way through. Above it the tissue is mostly second-degree burns, which can heal on its own." She turned to Big Mac. "You might have noticed that that's the part which hurts the most."
He nodded. He could feel it throbbing, even through the painkillers. Apple Bloom nuzzled him sympathetically.
Twilight continued. "We're going to have to remove all the dead tissue. A specialist from Canterlot University is coming in to help. When he gets here, we're going to try a new procedure where we'll use a combination of magic and herbal medicine, to take some healthy skin, and graft it onto the wounds."
She held up a hoof to stop any questions.
"The recovery period isn't going to be easy, or quick I'm afraid. It's going to take a lot of time and pain. He's going to need a lot of physical therapy to stop muscle contractures."
She looked at the blank faces surrounding her.
"It means that the muscles and joints get really tight. Someone will need to work with him to keep his joints loose."
Everyone was silent for a moment while they digested the information. Apple Bloom raised her hoof, automatically going into student mode after Twilight's teacher-like presentation.
"Yes Apple Bloom?" Twilight asked.
"Ah was jus' wondering where you're gonna get the skin?" she asked.
"Yeah," Sweetie Belle continued, "from one of Fluttershy's animals?"
"Actually girls," Twilight answered, "we'll take the skin from a healthy part of Big Mac."
"Where?" asked Sweetie Belle. "His face?"
"Um, we'll take it from the place that has the thickest layer, so probably around the area of the uh, gluteus maximus."
"Where's that?" Apple Bloom asked.
"It's uh, the posterior dorsum," Twilight said, starting to blush.
"Where?" Sweetie Belle asked confused.
"The uh, the rump area," Twilight answered.
"Oh!" Apple Bloom said. "She means the butt!"
She and Sweetie Belle then started to snigger, while Twilight turned beet red. Rarity rolled her eyes at the giggling fillies.
"I think it's time we gave Big Mac some privacy," she said firmly.
"Let's go tell Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom whispered to Sweetie Belle, who nodded her agreement.
The two fillies ran off, openly laughing. Rarity, Twilight, and Applejack said their goodbyes to Big Mac, and followed the two young fillies out of the room.
"How's Sweetie Belle doing?" Twilight asked.
"She's doing well. She seems to be taking this whole ordeal better than I am in fact.," Rarity admitted.
"Little colts an' fillies are funny that way," Applejack threw in. "They get hurt easier, but they heal quicker too."
Rarity nodded her agreement.
"That's certainly true. I've lost track of how many times Sweetie Belle has come galloping into the house crying about some scrape or bruise she got from playing, only to forget about it five minutes later and run out to play some more."
The three mares walked out the hospital doors.
"The specialist I mentioned is due to arrive soon," Twilight informed them. "Why don't you girls come with me to meet him?"
Rarity and Applejack agreed, and the two followed Twilight to the town square.
"He's being flown in by pegasi," Twilight explained.
After a few minutes a chariot, similar to the one that first brought Twilight to Ponyville, appeared in the sky. Twilight trotted up to it as it landed. A brown unicorn stepped out of it, carrying a bag with his magic. He thanked the pegasi guards, who nodded and took off for Canterlot. He was a brown pony, with a neatly combed gray mane and thin glasses. He was also clearly a young stallion, much younger than either Rarity or Applejack expected.
"Thank you for coming here on such short notice Professor Trotten," Twilight said.
"Please, Twilight, no need to stand on formality, the 'professor' isn't needed," he said.
Twilight turned to her friends. "Applejack, Rarity, this is Trotten, an old professor of mine."
"Charmed," Rarity said.
"Pleased to meet you," Applejack said. "'Though if ya don't mind me sayin,' ya seem awful young to be a 'old professor.'"
He smiled. "You think that's impressive? I'm also the princesses' personal physician."
"Well, uh, I didn't mean any offense," Applejack stammered, embarrassed to discover she had spoken so casually to someone so important.
He laughed in response. "No offense taken. Between you and me, the post is purely honorary. To my knowledge neither of the princesses have ever been sick."
He turned to Twilight. "Let's go see the patient, shall we?"
The group walked back to the hospital, while Trotten talked to Twilight. They entered Big Mac's room, the large stallion craning his neck to look at the visitors.
"This here is professor Trotten," Applejack announced. "He just flew in from Canterlot."
"And boy are my hooves tired," Trotten said, moving to examine Big Mac.
Rarity gave a snort at the lame joke. Trotten grinned unapologetically.
"Ya seem pretty young to be a professor," Big Mac noted.
Trotten laughed.
"I've been getting that a lot lately," he said.
"He ain't jus' a professor," Applejack said. "He's the personal doc for the princesses."
"What's somepony like you doing here helpin' someone like me?" Big Mac asked.
"Well," Trotten explained, looking closely at Big Mac's fetlocks, "when Princess Celestia tells you to go help a 'heroically injured pony' you tend to jump to it."
Big Mac's eyes grew wide at his words.
"Princess Celestia heard 'bout what happened?" he asked, astonished.
"Big Mac," Rarity said, "what you did was incredibly heroic!"
"You're a regular town hero!" Applejack said excitedly. "The mayor was talkin' 'bout havin' a big celebration in yer honor!"
"Ah don't want one," Big Mac replied hurriedly.
He was shocked. After all, he'd just done the decent thing, hadn't he? The most he'd expected was that Pinkie Pie would throw him a "get well soon" party, and that was just because she threw parties for everything. Now he was being told that Princess Celestia had called him "heroic" and sent her personal physician! He chewed on the thought for a moment while Trotten continued to examine him.
"Have you been drinking plenty of liquids?" the doctor asked.
"Eeyup." Every so often Nurse Redheart would come in and practically force water down his throat.
The doctor picked up a towel from by the sink and placed it by Big Mac's face.
"Bite on this," Trotten instructed.
Big Mac did so, a bit confused. Trotten concentrated, and a glow spread from his horn to around Big Mac's knee.
"This might sting a little," the doctor said. "Try to think happy thoughts."
The glow increased, as he magically straightened out Big Mac's leg. Big Mac's jaw clamped down on the towel as he let out a grunt of pain. The three mares winced in sympathy, Twilight looking away. Trotten gently released Big Mac's leg. He turned to Twilight.
"I want to get splints on his legs as soon as we finish the grafting. He'll need someone to stretch out the joints several times a day, as well as apply a moisturizer. Scar tissue, on burn wounds especially, will really mess a pony up if not properly cared for."
He looked at Applejack.
"Taking care of him is going to be big commitment," he said bluntly.
"Ah'll look after him, doc," Applejack said.
"An' how are ya gonna do that?" Big Mac cut in.
He spoke forcefully, trembling slightly from the pain.
"Ya gotta look after Apple Bloom an' the farm. Ya can't be wasting time lookin' after me."
"Well Ah'll just have to," Applejack replied heatedly. "Ah'm not gonna abandon mah own brother."
"Excuse me, Applejack, but Big Mac is right," Rarity interrupted. "You simply won't be able to both run Sweet Apple Acres and look after Big Mac."
She held up her hoof to stop Applejack's protests.
"You will look after the farm, I will help Big Macintosh."
Applejack looked at her, surprised.
"Well, uh, Ah don't think—"
Rarity cut her off.
"Please, Applejack. You already offered to take Sweetie Belle and me in, it only makes sense that I would help. Besides," she said with a smile, "between the two of us I think I know more about applying moisturizers than you."
Applejack thought over Rarity's argument.
"Well what do you think?" she asked Big Mac.
He shrugged.
"Makes sense to me," he replied.
"Well alright then," Applejack conceded. "Ah guess that's what we'll do."
"Well, now that that's all taken care of," Trotten said, rubbing his hooves together, "let's do some surgery!"
Author's Notes:
The title of this chapter, "Ambulance Man," is taken from a Felice Brothers song.