Viktoria grimaced slightly as light poured into the room, one foreleg moving to try and shield her eyes. Now, were she more awake she might have taken a little bit of solace in how easily she was moving the limb; maybe. But at that particular moment all she could do was try to tug the sheets over her head to hide. Well, the action was attempted at least. Her hooves, despite everything she had seen others do with them thus far, still refused to grip objects.
How do they even do that anyhow? They’re hooves!
Frustration nibbled into Viktoria’s mind as she pawed at the sheets ineffectively, prior to emitting a garbled growl, perfectly reflecting her mood.
“Dat’s it. I guv fup.” Petulantly, she folded forelegs over her chest, eyes squinting under the early morning sun relentlessly leading a forward assault upon her room. Amazingly, despite her faux pas in the night, she was feeling rather good, all things considered. She had learnt to move, albeit at a very slow pace, but it was movement! Even her speech she discovered was almost considered comprehensible… If a little in the loosest sense of the word.
“You shouldn’t give up.”
The voice shocked Viktoria as she jumped a little in bed, her ears flicking in their disorienting way as she zeroed in on the speaker. Tilting her head, she could barely make out the sight of someone, or something on the side of the room. Regardless the voice was familiar as impacting hooves moved closer to her bed, and soon she could barely make out details she was beginning to know well.
“Fla-eeettar?” The question was put forth as Viktoria wriggled to sit up some in bed. Finding that it was deceptively difficult to sit upright with her new anatomy, she instead settled for wriggling some to rest her upper spine against the headrest and pillow. What she saw when the pony approached was indeed who she thought, a warm smile dominating the mare’s face.
“Yes, that’s right. It’s me, Flitter.”
Viktoria stared down at her… Forelegs again, brow furrowing as she turned the hooves upwards to look directly at the hated appendages.
“You don’t know how to grip?” Flitter’s voice was soft as Viktoria blinked and gave a small, slow shake of her head as she exhaled.
“Nu. Doooo-ant nuuu.” Viktoria’s speech was slowly improving, but she still found her tongue and new mouth awkward at the best of times. Flitter, upon listening, gave a small sigh before a playful nudge was given with one of her hooves, startling the transformed-girl.
“Well, it seems you are a fast learner.” Flitter said with a playful tone entering her voice. “I hear that a certain filly managed to walk last night while I was sleeping, and went to the toilet all by herself.”
Yay… A major accomplishment for me. Viktoria tried to keep the bitterness off her face, prior to noticing that Flitter was being completely sincere. A blink followed before, much to her dismay, Viktoria found herself starting to fluster slightly at the praise. Why does it actually feel good to be told that?
The question didn’t require much pondering to come to a conclusion; it was, in fact, a major accomplishment for her, even if she tried to brush it off. Besides, she made a vow she wouldn’t let this new form beat her. She would get back to her old body and return to where she belonged, even if that might be from an entirely different world.
“Daaank you.” Viktoria made sure to stress out the word leading to Flitter offering a smile. The smile quickly grew into a small giggle as a rumbling sound emitted from under the sheets, Viktoria’s body announcing it hungered.
“Well, let’s see if I can’t get you something to eat before the doctor comes in, okay?” Flitter turned to leave after a thankful nod from Viktoria, the girl watching the pegasus devolve into a blur the closer she got to the door before, once more, Viktoria was alone.
She had suffered, she was confused, and she had absolutely no idea how she would return home. But, at that moment, there was one simple thought going through the girl’s mind.
Oooo… I hope she brings back some Bratwurst and Kartoffelsalat.
Having realised she had not eaten for over a day, at least from her perspective, Viktoria felt ravenous hunger pull at her attention. Thankfully for Flitter, she missed seeing the young pegasus with a dazed look upon her face, jaw partially open with a string of drool adhering to the forces of gravity.
~~~~~~
Flitter gave a long sigh of relief as the door closed behind her. Finding out the filly had left while she slumbered had been worrying enough, causing no small amount of panic to overwhelm her when told. Thankfully, her fears were unfounded when it came to light that not only had the filly managed to walk out of her room, but had made her way to the toilet all on her own.
Unable to keep the smile off her face, Flitter trotted down the hallway to meet up with her sister and hopefully get something to sate a certain pony’s hunger.
Well, she ended up in the wrong toilet, but thankfully a doctor found her. Mulling over her thoughts, Flitter unexpectedly found herself colliding with another pony, both falling upon their hindquarters shortly after. “S-Sorry!”
“No, no, it’s alright.” The other mare brushed off her coat with one hoof, the other adjusting her saddlebags as she got upon four legs again. “I should have been looking where I was going.”
With a tightly pinned back, auburn mane, glasses, and quill tucked behind one ear, the earth pony was the very image of professionalism. But before Flitter could introduce herself, or for that matter say anything more, the mare gave a soft tsk.
“Well, no harm done.” With a seemingly strained smile, the earth pony quickly trotted off down another hallway leaving Flitter baffled over what had just happened.
Well, I guess she is in a hurry. Shrugging the event off, Flitter made her way down to the hospital café. Where, upon entering, she spied a certain pegasus finishing off her breakfast.
“Hey sis!” Cloudchaser tipped a bowl of soup back, gulping loudly, much to Flitter’s exasperation. “Ah! That hit the spot!”
“Cloudchaser.” This immediately got her sister on edge; Flitter only resorted to using the mare’s name when she was not entirely pleased, or, in this case, to mess with her. “What do you recommend?”
Trotting over to give a playful nudge with a wing, Cloudchaser hummed and looked over the food being offered. “Well… the hay fries were pretty good, and that tomato soup was delicious…”
Flitter hummed while looking over the menu, but was soon brought out of her thoughts as a male voice called out.
“Ah, Miss Flitter, Miss Cloudchaser.” Both sisters turned their heads at the sound of Doctor Remedial, the stallion smiling as he approached the pair. “I believe you have a rather hungry filly upstairs.”
Flitter flustered a little as Cloudchaser blinked, putting two and two together.
“Ah… so you’re getting food for her? Well, why didn’t you say so, sis?” A smile came to Cloudchaser’s muzzle as Flitter gave a small hoof push to her sister.
“Hey, I’m hungry too, you know.” The two laughed softly while Doctor Remedial watched on. He was relieved to see the sombre talk of yesterday seemed to be put behind them. It appeared that the filly walking on her own last night had relieved the tension hanging in the air. That was especially so with her more open nature today, something he noticed when he had checked in on her before coming to the cafeteria. She was practically drooling at the thought of food, although I have no idea what a 'blaaaarderst' is. And here I thought her speech was beginning to improve.
Flitter, unaware of the doctor trying to decipher just what the filly had been trying to communicate, instead was taking her time looking at the menu. Cloudchaser, however, knew exactly what to get the hungry pegasus waiting for them upstairs. Placing her order, Flitter watched dubiously before ordering a slice of pie for herself.
I can’t imagine tomato soup would taste very well cold… But if sis thinks that is best. Flitter went to fish out some bits, only to realise she had left them in their room. Cloudchaser quickly covered her sister’s bill with a couple of coins as a thankful nod was given.
They really do seem to care about that filly. Doctor Remedial suppressed a smile as he watched the girls both finish acquiring their food, Flitter having obtained some for herself and Cloudchaser having gotten something for the filly. Flitter however remained somewhat dubious about the choice.
“Are you sure tomato soup is a good option?” The question lingered in the air as even Doctor Remedial looked somewhat concerned with the white covered bowl. Cloudchaser, however, was adamant it was so tasty that it had to be that. Plus, she reasoned she also had gotten some bread along with a serving of hay fries.
“Any filly her age loves hay fries, and they say soup is good for a sick body, so…” The mood soured slightly at that while Cloudchaser looked downcast. Hoping to nip it in the bud, the doctor decided to share his good news now instead of later.
“That aside, I may have found a mare that will be willing to assist her with physical rehabilitation, and, after this morning’s progress, her time here might be far shorter than I anticipated.” The two sisters shared a glance at this, small smiles coming to their faces at the information.
“That’s wonderful.” A pause was given before Flitter hesitated, Cloudchaser looking to share her sister’s reservations. “But… Where will she go, and what about her parents?”
The doctor exhaled prior to pausing in the hallway. “This is all just precautionary, and some plans are being put forward behind the scenes, but we do of course hope to still locate her parents.”
Looking at each in turn, Doctor Remedial offered a smile to lighten the mood.
“Nothing is set in stone yet, girls; she still undoubtedly has a long road of recovery to go before we can clear her, but…” A gaze down the hall made him give a small chuckle. “If she continues at the rate she is going, she could be clear to go in a week or two.”
Two relieved smiles met his eyes as they resumed trotting towards room 138. With the doctor opening the door for the pegasi they were met with the expectant look of Viktoria sitting up awkwardly in her bed.
“Hey there! I heard you’re hungry so I-“ A loud growl interrupted Cloudchaser, the mare blinking twice before giggling. “Okay, I just thought that was an expression…”
Flitter merely smiled as she sat herself down to nibble on a slice of orange meringue pie, watching with amusement as the filly could barely hide her enthusiasm for getting food. With a table tray provided the doctor aided in helping the young pegasus sit up, Cloudchaser putting the food before the filly.
“Umm…” Viktoria was undoubtedly thankful for the food, but a problem had now been presented to her. Looking down at her hooves, she found frustration already starting to threaten her good mood. Seeing this, Cloudchaser trotted over and flew up over the bed, then, using her hooves, the pegasus gently pressed the bread between them and raised it to her mouth. Setting it back down, she landed and smiled, Viktoria frowning as she observed her own clumsy hooves.
She makes it look so easy. Biting back the vitriol that bubbled beneath the surface, Viktoria instead reached for the bread. Her first attempt slipped out of her hooves, subconsciously trying to grip with fingers that didn’t exist. The second try, however, brought success as she captured the food and raised it to her mouth. Unfortunately, in her excitement she only managed to bump the bread against her muzzle and dropped it down onto the sheet.
Seeing Viktoria struggle made the trio uncomfortable, each unsure if they should help further or not. However, Viktoria remembered what Flitter had said in the morning, the words for some reason sticking with her.
You shouldn’t give up. Frowning with determination, the transformed girl moved her hooves, this time pushing the bread together. Slowly, unaware everyone was watching with bated breath, Viktoria raised the food to her muzzle, opening wide pre-emptively. Feeling it pass between her teeth, she bit down, rewarded with the bland but still fulfilling taste upon her tongue. Chewing proved to be an interesting prospect; thrice she almost caught her tongue between teeth, but eventually she got the pattern down.
Swallowing her mouthful, she looked up and noticed Cloudchaser beaming a wide smile at her. Feeling slightly self-conscious at being watched eating, Viktoria took another bite, lowering her head bashfully. Do… Do they have to watch like that?
Noticing the unease, Doctor Remedial also made another discovery as he diverted his attention to the side of the bed, then back at the filly munching upon the small loaf of bread.
“Ah, I see someone got a little impatient last night.”
As Viktoria looked up from her meal to see where the stallion was looking – or at least the blur she identified as the speaker – she peeked over the bed and saw the discarded bandages. Swallowing another mouthful the filly looked down at her lap, unsure if she was going to be in trouble or not.
“D-D… Sa-Sor…” A pause was given as she worked over the sounds in her mouth before putting the bread down. “Sorry…”
A chuckle caught Viktoria off guard as she noted the doctor approach, getting clearer as she could now make out the fact he looked amused. One of his hooves gently reached forward and touched one of her wings, Viktoria squinting a little at the strange sensation before looking at him curiously.
“Sorry? You have no reason to be sorry my dear. It is notoriously difficult to keep a pegasus’s wings bound at the best of times. I am more amazed you kept them on as long as you did.” Another chuckle was given as he stepped back, seemingly satisfied with the state of the feathery appendages. “Truthfully, we only bandaged them so you wouldn’t injure them while you recovered.”
A hesitant nod was given by Viktoria before she was offered a glass of water by Cloudchaser.
“Here you go, drink up… oh.” A look of consideration passed over the pegasus’s face before she blushed. “Uh… Do you want a straw or something, or...?”
The question was ignored as Viktoria reached forward and clasped the glass in her hooves. This proved to be somewhat more difficult than the bread, as the surface was smooth and she couldn’t get much purchase. Frowning intently, she glared as Cloudchaser offered the prior mentioned straw, the mare quickly removing the offending instrument.
“Okay, okay! No straw.”
Focused now, Viktoria was unaware Flitter was silently encouraging her on, the mare watching intently as she almost spilled the cup’s contents. The problem seemed to have her beat… That is, until she caught sight of a wing out of the corner of her eye. Gazing at the appendage thoughtfully, she then concentrated and moved her wings forward, bending them at angles she didn’t think possible. Now all three were silently willing her on, not one of them wishing to disrupt her and content to observe as she came to a solution.
Well… It doesn’t hurt and they move strange, almost like… Viktoria’s eyes went wide as she realised why her wings felt so strange. They almost… Almost acted like hands. Very clumsy and not very durable hands, but the feathers could curl or bend without pain in truly obscure fashions. Figuring this out, she took it to the next logical level; moving the wings down, she used them with her hooves to help support the glass. Then, with delicate movements, she raised the cup to her mouth and tipped it back.
“Ack!”
Swallowing quickly, she discovered there was a flaw in her plan, that flaw being she still wasn’t used to the length of her face and in doing so she had managed to spill water. Thankfully, very little fell onto her… Fur – still not used to considering such a thing hers – and most was swallowed. Placing the glass down awkwardly, Viktoria then exhaled. The trio, upon seeing her accomplishing the task, all gave quiet sighs of relief before talking amongst themselves.
Viktoria picked up talk of something about physical rehab, but at that moment she was more inquisitive about what else was on the tray. A small box confounded her efforts to open it until she managed to paw with her hoof enough to slightly tear the packaging. Inside seemed to be fries, although how to get one from the box and into her mouth was another challenge altogether.
Okay, I’m hungry… I am frustrated and I don’t want to cry again. With that laid out before her, Viktoria decided tact could take a backseat in her quest to fill her stomach. Pawing at the box she tipped it onto its side, almost vindictively spilling the contents out over the tray. Repeating the earlier trick with the bread she managed to trap one fry between her hooves, raising it up shortly after to munch upon. The taste was different but not unappealing as she devoured one, two, and then quickly lost count.
Having finished off the fries, her attention turned to the bowl. She pawed at the lid which – came off surprisingly easily – and was immediately hit with the distinctive smell of tomato. While it was not sausages, she still had a soft spot for the particular dish, yet… the sight of the spoon almost seemed to mock her as she glared at it. How am I going to eat this?
“Ladies, might I see you both outside for a second?” The doctor’s question hung in the air as Viktoria continued to poke and prod at the bowl, not paying them any attention in her quest to fill her belly. Unaware of the possible disaster waiting to happen behind them, Cloudchaser and Flitter nodded and followed the stallion outside into the hallway.
~~~~~~
“Was a glass cup really the best idea?” Flitter made sure to keep her voice down as she hissed at her sister once they left the room, Cloudchaser giving a sheepish grin in response while trying to avoid the other pegasus’s gaze.
“It was all I could see at the time. But hey, she didn’t drop it!”
Giving an exasperated expression towards her sister, Flitter instead perked an ear while regarding the doctor. “So, what did you wish to talk to us about?”
“Well, given her ability to walk, I feel it might be a good idea to let her go stretch her legs outside.” A pause was given as Doctor Remedial raised an eyebrow at the sounds coming from inside the room, namely the sound of what could be construed as cursing. “I have already spoken to Miss Viridian, and she is waiting down there for her now.”
The question was met with Cloudchaser showing her interest, the doctor looking amused.
“Miss Viridian, I know I have heard that name before…” Cloudchaser tapped her muzzle in thought while her sister in turn pondered on the name herself. After several seconds, a loud shout escaped the spikey-haired mare, causing all to jump in surprise. “A-Hah I remember! She’s Soarin’s mother, from the Wonderbolts, right?”
“Oh…” Flitter blinked as recognition struck her, “wasn’t there that…?”
An uncomfortable glance passed between the sisters; the knowledge came with a certain amount of unease. Noticing this Doctor Remedial gave a small sigh and nod.
“That is also why I called you both out here. Miss Viridian has aided us here for quite some time. She has, for the last few years at least, volunteered to help out with the colts and fillies every weekend; as such I have requested she assist with our mystery filly in there.” A long sigh escaped the doctor’s muzzle as he gestured vaguely with a hoof. “Now, I am sure you are both aware, or at least have heard of the incident that occurred several years ago?”
Flitter rubbed her foreleg absently before the two sisters nodded.
“That’s where Soarin’s dad and sister were…?” Cloudchaser, lacking a little of Flitter’s tact, bluntly started asking the question they were both thinking. A strong nudge from Flitter made the mare give another sheepish look before lowering her head. “Sorry…”
“No, no… you are very correct.” The doctor sighed as he looked back at room 138 as if able to see the filly within. Turning back to regard the two pegasi, he lowered his voice to a bare whisper. “All I ask is that you be… mindful of such things; the wounds may be old, but they are sadly sometimes the deepest.”
“Careful, doctor, you sound like you’re angling for my job.”
The new voice caused Flitter to blink upon seeing the speaker, her eyes going wide noticing a familiar looking earth pony approach. The mare from earlier still looked the very picture of professionalism, her auburn mane remaining tied into an immaculate bun.
“You flatter me, but mending the body is my forte; mending the mind is yours…” Stepping back, the doctor gestured with his hoof at the new arrival. “This is Doctor Dia Ethyl Ether. She is one of the hospital’s best psychiatrists, and, impressively, also has… I believe three degrees in psychology?”
“Four, and call me Dia. But thank you for the praise all the same.” A nod was given towards Flitter who flustered slightly, Dia offering a narrow smile. “I believe I bumped into one of the girls earlier, if I recall.”
Noticing Doctor Remedial nodding, Doctor Dia smirking, and Flitter appearing bashful, Cloudchaser looked back and forth quickly before issuing a loud groan.
“Will someone please tell me what is going on?” The mare’s frustration was clearly evident as her wings drooped, reflecting her mood. Doctor Remedial gave a sympathetic smile as the female doctor rested a hoof to her own forehead, looking amused. A glance between the two medical professionals resulted in a nod given as the stallion deferred to the mare to explain.
“I have been requested to provide any counselling that the filly may require.” A glance was given by Dia towards Remedial who nodded again, showing his trust for the two girls and prompting the aqua coloured mare to continue. “And, we also wish to find out about her past if possible along with any information we may acquire to help locate family members… Along with… Well, her mental wellbeing.”
A sombre air fell onto the hallway as both sisters looked downcast. Mention of the filly’s possible suicidal tendencies once more returned to the forefront of each pony’s mind; a particular thought that had been momentarily forgotten after the pleasant morning.
It is an unpleasant topic. Doctor Remedial exhaled as he saw the mood had declined from the more upbeat one earlier. Taking matters into his hooves, he trotted forward, Dia looking at him over her glasses curiously. “Well, be that as it may, I for one believe that young filly is making remarkable progress.”
Flitter was the first to look up as she caught Remedial’s gaze, a nod given to her and Cloudchaser. With a gesture of his head, he smiled warmly.
“I believe both of you have something to do with that.”
Cloudchaser looked baffled before rubbing the back of her head while Flitter moved nervously upon her hooves. The spikey-haired pegasus blinked twice while humming thoughtfully, her sister, however, chewed on her lower lip before speaking.
“But… We have barely done anything… We’ve only known her a few days.” A hoof gesture was given as Flitter directed a forelimb back towards the door. “And even then, she has been asleep for most of that.”
A smile further confused the pegasus as the stallion levitated his clipboard, quickly jotting down several notes before clicking his tongue. “That may be so, but I believe the progress shown in the night is due to you and your sister aiding her in ways you may not realise. Besides, you saw how happy and relaxed she was when you brought her the soup along with the other food, did you not? You two may very well be the first ponies to ever show her kindness.”
A small nod was given before Doctor Dia cleared her throat bringing attention onto herself.
“Well this is all lovely, warm fuzzies and all that, but I have one question as to what you just mentioned, especially given what I have been told about this filly so far.” Seeing three pairs of eyes upon herself, the psychiatrist raised one brow before inclining her head back behind her. “You said soup… I am hoping it was served cold?”
“Of course it was, it’s why I questioned if giving her cold soup was a good idea. It would be silly to-” A look at her sister cut Flitter off mid-sentence, her eyelids half lowering while Cloudchaser gave a nervous grin. “Cloudchaser… please tell me you requested cold soup?”
“Why? Everypony knows tomato soup is best served hot. What are you…” The mare’s eyes went wide as Cloudchaser realised the implications of what she had done, of the waiting catastrophe she had possibly left sitting on the filly’s tray. “O-Oh… Oh no!”
~~~~~~
Left alone and mildly curious about where the others had gone, the filly in question was having issues of her own. Or more specifically, Viktoria was still trying to deduce how best to get the tasty smelling soup into her belly. She perked one of her ears, half listening in as they conversed outside in the hallway, finally starting to get the hang of how her altered anatomy worked. It was a very strange feeling having them pivot and move upon her head, but she was – much to her distaste – starting to actually appreciate how much easier it was to hear things.
Spoon, I hate you.
Following the spoon’s refusal to somehow magically bind itself to her hoof for the umpteenth time, the cutlery was jettisoned onto the covers with an annoyed flick of her wrist. Exhaling afterwards, she moved her hooves absently over the tray, hating how they felt, how they looked. But… But most of all, she hated how helpless they made her feel. Every ounce of her being just wished to move her hand forward and grasp the bowl, to grab the spoon. A look at her forelimbs was all it took to remind Viktoria that she didn’t have such a luxury.
And I’m still hungry!
Distracting herself from the self-loathing, she turned her attention towards the bowl, her ears pivoting again to pick up sounds from outside.
Miss who? Half listening in on the muffled voices, Viktoria glared daggers down at the soup. She petulantly bumped her hoof to the side, sending ripples along the liquid’s surface. How do I drink you?
Stubbornly, the soup held tightly to its secrets as she continued glaring down towards it. Another hoof nudge was added – somewhat spitefully, if she were to admit it – as she exhaled. The bowl provided a conundrum, one that she knew was with real risks involved. She had been burnt by coffee once when she was much younger and had learnt her lesson around hot liquids then. Yet…
“Dupid doop.” Huffing softly, she frowned. Her hunger hadn’t been sated by the other foods provided, and since she had the soup it was perfectly reasonable that she wanted it. Unable to help herself any longer, she glanced about to make sure she was alone. Satisfied there was no-one to watch, she leaned forward prior to sticking her tongue ever so slowly into the liquid. Thankfully, it had cooled enough that there was no injuries obtained, but now she had tasted it, and it tasted delicious.
This isn’t fair!
Resisting the urge to slam her arms… No, forelegs down onto the tray in frustration, she instead got an idea. It was degrading, but there was no-one around to see, well not that she could make out at least; the odd blob to the side of the room might be giving her the eye, but it was hard to tell. Nonetheless, Viktoria had now made up her mind. Resting hooves against both sides, she slowly moved her wings, repeating the trick she learned with the glass cup.
Slowly…
With deliberate movements, the transformed girl gently lifted the bowl up, mindful of the hot liquid within. Once it was high enough, she again made sure no-one had entered the room before lowering her head, pushing her muzzle hesitantly into the bowl before slurping loudly. It was at this point that she heard sounds escalating outside. Then, seconds later, the door opened as Flitter barged in, followed closely by Cloudchaser and the two doctors.
“Stop! Wa-…” Cloudchaser blinked as she was met with Viktoria peering over the rim of the bowl, her eyes wide in shock and containing more than a little confusion. “I… uh… well.”
Viktoria lowered the soup and continued to look baffled, and by no means a little hesitant. Afraid she might have done something wrong, she moved the half-filled bowl down towards the tray. Yet, in her haste, she lost the tenuous grasp she had upon the smooth surface. Scrambling with her hooves, she watched as the very thing the others wished to stop started to play out before her.
Flitter moved fast, Cloudchaser moved even faster, each trying but knowing they wouldn’t reach the bowl in time. Closing her eyes tightly at the expected impact, Viktoria was instead met with silence before a small relieved sigh sounded out. Peeking open an eye she saw the bowl suspended with an emerald glow, the liquid within sloshing just up to the lip before settling back down.
“Well…” Doctor Remedial cleared his throat before lowering the bowl gently upon the tray. The look of fear upon the filly’s face was not lost on him as he trotted closer. “Crisis averted, but I think for now we will avoid any hot liquids.”
“She could have been hurt.” Flitter couldn’t contain her anger, hissing the words to her sister who lowered her head, suitably chastised. “What were you thinking Cloudchaser?”
“I…” The mare shook her head before pawing at the ground, peeking up to quickly notice that the filly in question was looking at her with confusion upon her features. “I’m sorry; I just thought it would help cheer her up! I…I forgot she probably couldn’t use a spoon.”
Doctor Remedial looked about ready to intervene while Doctor Dia watched on curiously, that was, until another voice spoke up.
“Eee…Et… I-It waz gud.”
Suddenly, Viktoria found all eyes upon her. Well, she assumed as such, as she could only really see the pegasus sisters; the other two she was led to assume given the silence that once more fell over the room. Hesitantly, she moved her hooves towards the bowl, her hunger not yet sated. When no-one jumped to stop her, she moved her wings, now with more practiced motions to help support her prize.
The four other ponies could only watch, Flitter’s anger evaporating as she gave her sister an apologetic smile. Cloudchaser, in turn, exhaled softly and smiled back. She knew she had done something stupid, not that she had intended for the filly to risk injury, but she was thankful that something good was coming out of it. Flitter, for her part, was just delighted that the damaged filly from just a day ago was suddenly showing a new zest for life.
Doctor Remedial himself was amazed by the progress shown even as he kept his magic ready, just as a precaution in case of another accident. From his initial interaction with the filly he would have assumed that she would be hesitant, slow to learn even. What he had seen so far surpassed his wildest expectations. Lastly, Doctor Dia appeared curious about the whole thing, but she was mostly focused on how Viktoria would squint often when looking their way. Removing her notebook and pencil from the saddlebags she wore, she promptly went about scribbling down notes, peeking every so often as she did so.
Viktoria, meanwhile, simply wanted to finish drinking the soup before it got any colder. Seeing no-one was stopping her while also noting the smiles on the faces she could see, the transformed-girl slowly tipped the bowl back and moved her muzzle to the edge. Gulping down the liquid loudly, she couldn’t help but slurp, not that she really cared either way; in her mind it was the only way to drink soup.
As focused as she was to finish her meal, Viktoria failed to notice Flitter cringing at the sound while Cloudchaser’s grin spread slowly along her face.
Flitter gazed out the corner of her eye to see her sister’s wide grin, her own lids starting to lower as she exhaled. She loved her sister, she really did. Even when Cloudchaser didn’t think things through properly, that never changed. But as she looked towards the filly drinking the soup contentedly, she couldn’t help but roll her eyes, now having to endure the horror of two soup slurpers.
Still, the smile on the filly’s face afterwards did make it all worthwhile to the mare and, ultimately, that was really the only thing that mattered.
~~~~~~
Viktoria, through whatever reason, now found herself outside in a beautiful, picturesque, and inviting grassy area. Well, those are some of the words the others used to describe it, yet all she could see were blobs and blurs outside of her effective vision. Still, the sun did feel nice and she could hear leaves rustling to indicate there were indeed trees. Truthfully though, it was refreshing to get out of her room, outside of biological needs that is.
The journey to get outside, however, had been relatively slow. Reduced to her speed of walking – if it could even be called that – the group had moved at a glacial pace, although, whenever she peeked to see their expressions, she was a little embarrassed to see admiration on their faces. Well, all except for the new mare that is, but Viktoria was unsure on who exactly that was. They said she was a doctor, but all she did was stare at her constantly and look to be debating on some issue.
Regardless, Viktoria had only stumbled twice as she slowly grew accustomed to her altered limbs. Without request, Flitter had used one of her wings on both occasions to help steady her, then, just as suddenly, had removed the appendage and smiled encouragingly. Eventually though, they had made it outside through what could have been the front entrance, which ultimately led to her current situation that involved standing around and trying to figure out what exactly was going on.
“Doesn’t it feel better to be outside and feel the sun on your wings?” Cloudchaser inquired of the filly, a smile on her face as Viktoria blinked seeing the mare approach. “I bet you really want to stretch them and go for a fly, right?”
Cloudchaser was not expecting the younger pegasus to blink incredulously and turn her head to regard her own wings. Seconds passed as Viktoria inspected her feathers before turning her head to look at the older mare curiously.
Cloudchaser, you are such an idiot sometimes, you know that? Suppressing the self-directed groan that fought to be released, Cloudchaser instead smiled, trying to cover her most recent faux pas. “You… Don’t know how to fly, do you?”
“Nu.” A small headshake accompanied Viktoria’s words, and to her it was all rather confusing. They seemed to know of her plight, yet they were asking these strange questions. Doubt began to eat into the transformed-girl’s mind about if they really did understand what had happened to her. However, any further musing on the matter was abruptly put to a standstill as a loud gasp sounded out.
Cloudchaser was sure she herself hadn’t made the sound upon hearing the filly’s confession, but she was more surprised to see it was her sister who had. Flitter immediately looked bashful as she noticed them both looking at her; even Doctor Remedial looked bemused. Strangely enough, at least to Cloudchaser, Doctor Dia had seemed to vanish somewhere upon getting outside.
“Sorry, but… Well…” Flitter looked at a loss on what to say until Doctor Remedial cleared his throat, stepping closer to capture Viktoria’s attention.
“Why Miss Flitter and Miss Cloudchaser seem a little bit… Stunned by your admission is that, well, for a pegasus of your age to not be able to fly is most unusual.” The doctor smiled warmly as Viktoria blinked twice and looked at her wings curiously again. “Not that there is anything to be ashamed of, you have been through a very trying experience after all.”
So… they do know about what happened? But it still doesn’t make sense. Viktoria felt a mixture of relief and continued suspicion as she nodded. She was not expecting the three to grimace slightly before the smiles appeared on their faces. Even with her poor eyesight she could tell they were forced.
“Yes, well… be that as it may, may I take a moment of her time?”
The voice heralded the approach of Doctor Dia, the mare offering a small nod towards Viktoria. Trotting closer, the doctor inclined with her head back towards where she had come from, specifically to a laid out rug positioned under a tree.
“I simply wish to ask a few questions while we wait for Viridian, if that’s alright, of course?”
Doctor Remedial nodded at Doctor Dia’s request, moving to smile encouragingly at Viktoria, who, by that point, was looking absolutely lost in the conversation. Seeing her bafflement, Remedial turned his gaze over towards the two sisters, hoping for assistance.
“It’s okay, we’ll be nearby. She just wants to ask you a few things.” Flitter smiled reassuringly while Cloudchaser added her own voice into the mix.
“Yeah, we’ll be right over here.”
With shaky steps, Viktoria slowly moved forward, earning a satisfied smile from the professional looking mare. Doctor Dia turned and led the filly over to the tree, seating herself and gesturing for Viktoria to do the same. Several attempts were made until, frustrated, Viktoria sat herself down like she had previously done so after becoming tangled within the nefarious linen.
I feel like a dog sitting like this. The annoyed expression that flickered over her face as she glared down at her body did not go unnoticed by the other mare. Taking a pencil into her mouth, the doctor scribbled something down into a notebook before her eyes peered through lashes at Viktoria. Pausing, Doctor Dia placed the pencil down and cleared her throat.
“Right, well, nothing to be afraid of, and from what Remedial Oath was telling me, you have improved significantly upon arriving.” Before Viktoria could reply, however, the mare continued. “That’s good to hear, but for now I just wish to ask a few questions and I thought outside would be a good change of pace to do so. Let’s start with something easy; what is your name?”
“Vah… doreeea.” Frustration immediately fell over Viktoria’s features. Then, even before Dia could comment, she tried again, this time stressing the sounds out. “Ve…Veee… Viiiik-tour-e-a.”
The doctor raised an eyebrow at this before adjusting glasses upon her muzzle. Not that she would ever admit it, but Dia was rather impressed by how the filly seemed to surpass expectations. First with the soup that she witnessed earlier, using her wings in a rather unorthodox manner, and then here showing determination.
Still, that is… A very strange name. Noticing that the filly was observing her with a hopeful expression, Doctor Dia realised she was being expected to show comprehension. Ignoring the breeze that threatened to flip the pages, she offered a small head tilt to the one opposite her.
“Ah, so your name is… Viktoria… Is that correct?”
A firm nod given almost made her crack a wider smile, almost. Restraining herself, Dia instead nodded and scribbled down onto her notes, underlining the name. Names were important, after all; they provided identity and links to find out more information. Still, Dia couldn’t help but note how very strange the name itself was. Nonetheless, she had opened a gate and taken the first hoof step into learning more about this mystery filly. As such, she pressed on, hoping to keep up the momentum just gained.
“Now tell me, do you know where your parents are?”
~~~~~~
Flitter watched Doctor Dia and the filly talk under the tree. Strangely, for some unknown reason, Flitter was unable to stand still. Her wings for one were constantly fidgeting and she was alternating shifting weight from one hoof to another without pause. Perhaps she was nervous, perhaps she was merely anxious, or perhaps she was a little more invested in the filly than she thought she was. Nonetheless, she hoped that some answers would come out of the questions and hopefully… Hopefully it would be good news to finding her parents and a happy ending.
“Uh… Sis.”
Flitter flicked an ear at the sound of Cloudchaser, turning to regard the other pegasus before noticing her sister was gazing off into the distance. Looking in the same direction, she first narrowed her eyes, and then blinked, then… just to be sure, she blinked again.
Wait… is that...? Another blink followed as Flitter shared a glance with Cloudchaser, both mares coming to the same conclusion. Why is he here?
Their confusion was directed at one of the two ponies approaching from down the long, tree-lined path. His dark-grey coat, white and silver mane, and amber eyes were distinctive enough, but his appearance created a problem. The reason being – at least to Cloudchaser – that Thunderlane should be back in Ponyville and not in Los Pegasus. Her attention diverted to the one accompanying him, an earth pony mare, who looked to be in conversation with him.
The mare’s coat was a pale blue while piercing green eyes peeked past lashes, closing as she laughed at whatever Thunderlane spoke of. The breeze teased at her blonde mane and tail, the ribbon tied to hold the former out of her eyes vainly trying to accomplish its goal. Oddly enough, when they both got closer, the mare offered a wave towards Doctor Remedial upon spotting him. However, when she noticed the filly, her eyes went wide before she hastily trotted over, inadvertently interrupting the therapy session.
Or… Cloudchaser presumed that was what was going on. At that moment, she had other things on her mind.
“Thunder, what are you doing here?”
The challenge was spoken before Cloudchaser could consider her words. Thus, almost immediately, she regretted the blunt way she put the question across. Nonetheless, the question was one that she felt needed to be asked; given that both herself and her sister were here, the weather team in Ponyville was already two down.
“I travel half way across Equestria to see you both, and this is how I’m greeted?” Thunderlane raised a leg to his forehead, his voice taking on a sorrowful tone. “Cloudy… You wound me with your words!”
As Cloudchaser rolled her eyes, Flitter interceded by trotting over to the new arrival, one eye half lowered.
“She raises a good question Thunderlane; why are you here?” At Flitter’s enquiry, the stallion grinned sheepishly, settling back onto all fours while gazing between the sisters. Almost as if collecting his thoughts, Thunderlane’s eyebrows lowered before giving a long drawn out sigh.
“Jeeze… I was worried about you both, but fine, if you want to be jerks about your dear childhood friend becoming a little bit concerned when you both don’t return...” Both sisters shared a glance, a small amount of guilt falling over their features as Thunderlane continued, slowly pacing back and forth. “And… And, after we got a letter explaining the situation about a mysterious filly, all while Rumble wonders where his two best foalsitters have gotten off to... So, I came over to help support my friends and… And…Whoa, who is that pegasus cutie over there?”
A pause followed as Cloudchaser noticed Thunderlane looking off into the distance; not an uncommon scene when he saw a pony he found attractive. Flitter, upon noticing this as well, followed his gaze to see a particular filly under a tree looking undoubtedly lost as Doctor Dia and the mare had a conversation. Cloudchaser could only exhale as she lowered her lids, an expression of utmost annoyance given in the direction of the stallion. Flitter, however, was a little more forthcoming as she trotted forward to prod him in the chest making Thunderlane backpedal a few steps.
“That ‘cutie’ is the filly most likely mentioned in the letter.” Seeing he might have accidentally stepped into a verbal minefield, Thunderlane tried to speak, only for Flitter to cut him off as she continued with another prod. “And… For Celestia’s sake, Thunder, she doesn’t even have a cutie mark yet!”
“Hey! Whoa! Calm down just a second, girls!” Taking another step back to hopefully put more distance between him and the two annoyed sisters, Thunderlane frowned while he cleared his throat.
“First off, just because I say she is cute doesn’t mean I want to do anything. When did it come to a point when a stallion says anything nice, or… Celestia forbid… Compliments a girl that it is automatically assumed he wants to date her or something?” His head slowly shook as he tsked, trotting back and forth once more as the sisters shared another glance, their heads lowering as they felt the guilt return.
“Really, this is just an example of how stallions are treated like third class citizens sometimes. If a mare compliments a stallion it’s considered acceptable, but if a stallion does the same he gets accused of hitting on her!”
“I… I guess that is kind of true.” Cloudchaser conceded as she lowered her head further.
“Exactly! So in the interest of equal rights, I should be able to call that filly cute and gaze at her all I want.”
A silence fell over the area as both girls looked incredulously towards Thunderlane; even Doctor Remedial winced slightly as he shook his head.
“Hmm… Pushed my luck with that last bit a little?” Thunderlane grinned slightly as he took a nervous step back, both sisters advancing on him with promised violence in their eyes.
“I would say, most likely.” Doctor Remedial couldn’t help but comment as the other stallion gave him a sorrowful look, one that almost pleaded for his intervention. A shake of the head was given with a small laugh as Thunderlane cleared his throat, realising he had one chance to defuse the situation.
“Would it help if I said you were both cute too?”
Of course, Thunderlane being Thunderlane chose instead to only make matters worse. It was with a growing chuckle that Doctor Remedial trotted over to where the filly and the two other mares were situated, primarily to avoid being pulled into the mess the male pegasus had gotten himself into. The sounds of angry females behind the doctor were accompanied with amused laughter and small yelps of pain.
It definitely seemed things were about to get a lot more interesting, but Doctor Remedial could only hope it would be a positive influence on the filly’s recovery.