A/N: This chapter does have the unusual shoeing scene in it. I believe it reads more like a painful surgery than gore, so I stand by the Teen rating. But if you disagree, let me know. And if you're not comfortable with content of this nature, then you should probably either skip this chapter or skip down to the other three dashes and read from there.
---
Celestia flashed in Caramel's mind again. She was even more radiant than before, smiling so brightly that the skies burst into flame. Bright, white-hot flames eating the sky voraciously...Eating them for all they were worth, every single brushstroke of blue.
Every. Single. One.
“And that's the third one!”
“Mmmmfgh!”
Caramel stopped biting down on the tough fabric. It was horribly dented and slick from the two dozen times he almost swallowed it. But mostly he was just bearing the last wave of shock rushing through his core, searing the left side of his muzzle down to his hips. He was told he wouldn't pass out with how they were doing it, but he did welcome the possibility.
Even though it didn't matter, he appreciated how the door outside was soundproofed. If he ever caved and said something ugly, who knew whether his friends would hear it from the lobby without the spell? He didn't want to worry them.
Dr. Cardio cast a blue glow over his newly shod hoof, the spell humming so ignorantly.
“The nails set perfectly. I...I know it's a horrible thing to say, but I am glad we got you to decide against the painkiller. You'll be out of here in a few minutes, I promise.”
“Please...don't tell me when it'll be over,” objected Caramel as the strap on his new shoe was removed. “I am not going to start counting seconds.”
The assistant took Caramel's hoof just like the others, carefully cutting nail by nail by the top of the horseshoe. The masterfully made secateurs glided through the offending metal like it was butter. He expected no less, but it was by far his favorite part of the process...it was like getting a pat on the back. That was until the doctor cast another spell to weld the tips of the piercing nails to the shoes themselves. As quickly as it was done, it still made him feel like he was being held over a furnace. The white-hot sun blazed merrily near his leg!
“B-but yeah...I just had a moment of weakness, that's all.”
The assistant dunked his hoof in a bucket of water. It was probably just room temperature water from some reservoir, but it felt like a dip in the springs of Paradise. He felt very sweaty.
“When you said 'absolutely sure', I thought of all those ponies I helped to make sure of their lives...if that made sense, it probably didn't, whatever. And I thought...you know? I should take my own advice. I should make sure of my own life, take it seriously. I can't just take a chance and hope it works out, I've done that too often. Is it hot in here?”
“Yes,” responded the other two.
“Okay, it's not just me, then.”
Caramel felt a sweaty, bare hoof laid delicately on his withers. He supposed the doctor was trying to comfort him, but it just felt weird. Oh, well.
“Do you want to take a break?”
The sweaty pony furiously debated himself. He wanted out of these damn restraints, and yet he wanted to be able to remember his name by the end of it. It seemed like he was going to be completely worn out no matter how he went about it.
So...
“Oh, let's just do the last one and get me out of here.”
The assistant sighed. Caramel felt the thick cloth strap squeeze his leg and hug the egg bar shoe to his final hoof. The metal was so cold...that wasn't going to last.
“You ready?”, asked Dr. Cardio.
Caramel took a deep breath. So did the assistant.
“Fillies and gentlecolts, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Caramel and the welcome mat,” he said as he bit down on his bride. The doctor tilted his head.
“Shock can be very disorienting. Do you really want to keep going right now?”
Caramel released the cloth and looked the doctor straight in the eyes.
“Ah do.”
“Caramel...,” growled the assistant.
“I'm ready,” he responded, biting down again.
No, I'm not. But I want this to end. I'll just...distract myself. Yeah.
The first nail went toward the top of his left hind hoof, pricking his callous and delicately making its way forward.
This part's not so bad. It's just the damn hammering. Hammer...hummer, hungry, hundred, humdinger, humiliation, him, hymn, hinderance, hickory, dickory, dock!
Tock.
NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Okay, something more substantial...um...well, Doc said how this was an unusual way to shoe a pony. Or a horse, I guess. I suppose they would drive the nails in the wall...or nail, whatever, and then have them poke out on another side of it.
Tock.
BUT THEN IF THEY DID THAT...if they did that for me, it would just...wait, why aren't they doing that? It would certainly hold the nails in. I think it would, anyway. They're made for piercing, not shoeing, so...hmm. They...he said the nails are setting perfectly, so I guess--
Tock.
IT WORKS OUT ANYWAY OH FUCK IT HURTS. There's that psychic bathwater again, wheee. Getting nice and clean, pain washing my sins awaaaaaaaaay...oh. Oooooooh, maybe they aren't driving them out to there because--
Tock.
AAAAAAAAAAAUGH...because...because...oh crud, I forgot. Something about bathing. Th-this isn't working, I need something different.
Tock.
Heeeere cooomes the briiiiiiide. Sheeeee's faaaaat and wiiiiiide. Noooooopony knooooooooows how the giiiiiiiiirl got insiiiiiiiiiiiiiide...
Tock.
OH THANK CELESTIA THAT'S THE LAST DRIVE. Phew...just seven more to go...hahahahaha...
How did my life get to this? I don't deserve this. I may not be the nicest pony, but I don't deserve this. But I need it...oh, hello, Mr. Nail. You're friendly, aren't you? I have a boyfriend like you, he's an apple.
Tock.
YOU'RE THE WORST FRIEND EVER.
Six nails later...
...and it's just so damn inconsiderate of me! I don't know if he wants foals or not, I don't know if he wants to get married, I don't even know if he wants me living with him! He just invited me to his home – probably out of pity – and I started taking advantage of him!
Tock.
CELESTIA, QUIT BOTHERING ME! I'm in a lot of pain right now! Ooooh, hells below, I want to move. But if I move, I'll throw up. Anyway, I promised myself I would make it up to him. Once this is done, I'll make it up to him.
Tock.
Wait, I helped renovate Sweet Apple Acres. I have made it up to him! It's so...wait. That was for the hospitality all four of them gave me. I still dragged Mac through the dirt because I was so worthless. I should have just asked him out on a date and not thrown myself at him, sheesh.
Tock.
Oooooh, but then I would be all anxious because “what if he doesn't like me baaaaaaaack?! What if the whole town freaks out because gay things are weeeeeeird?!” Shove it, Caramel! Sometimes you just have to swallow your fear and go for it! That's it! When this is done, I'll ask him out on a date!
Tock.
This is ridiculous. I'm going crazy without even trying.
Tock.
Daddy, it hurts.
Tock.
“Alright, you're in the home stretch!”, exclaimed Dr. Cardio. “Just the last one and that sweet painkiller is yours!”
Caramel weakly let go of the biting cloth to speak.
“...C-Can I get some water first?”
“O-Oh, absolutely,” blustered the doctor. He quickly poured some water from a jug into a small blue cup and levitated it to the punctured pony. Caramel greedily drank every ounce it had.
“Don't just leave the boy hanging like that,” the assistant chided.
Huh...come to think of it, the assistant looks like Big Macintosh. Small world!
Vaguely, Caramel heard the doctor mumble something about free services.
I'm so hungry...
“...Ow.”
The doctor looked like he was about to hug him.
“You've been a champ for all this, Caramel. If there were a prize for best patient, you would have about five of them.”
“...N-No...th-the nails...”
Caramel bit down on the cloth again. He bit for all he was worth. All he noticed was the blazing inferno the fourth set of nails were leaving behind them as they started to defect.
“Oh Celestia, they're being rejected,” the doctor panicked. “This isn't good, this isn't...q-quick, we need that last nail in there!”
“WHAT?!”, bellowed the assistant.
“JUST DO IT! YOU HAVE NO REASON TO DOUBT ME!”
Princess Celestia...was that you in my dream? Were you shouting at me about Paradise? Because you're very loud...so very loud. Painkiller, painkiller, good...
I can't do this I can't it hurts I'm hopeless WHY IS THIS HAPPENING GODS OF PARADISE SAVE MY SOUL I COMMIT MYSELF IN YOUR CARE JUST PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!
TOCK.
“Listen here, boy.”
TOCK.
“I think I get it. You're rejecting them yourself.”
WHAT?! JUST SHOE ME IF YOU'RE GOING TO SHOE ME, STOP TALKING STOP IT STOP IT PLEASE STOP IT IT'S WRONG IT FEELS SO WRONG JUST QUIT IT!
TOCK.
“You need to believe in this! Everything will be fine, you need to believe me!”
TOCK.
“I-I CAN'T DO IT, JUST STOP PLEASE!”
“IT'S TOO LATE! DON'T YOU DARE GIVE UP, YOU'RE SO CLOSE! NOW JUST HOLD ON A LITTLE LONGER, I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!”
Tock, Tock, Tock, Tock, Tock, Tock, Tock.
He's right I'm so close BUT IT HURTS BUT I'M ALMOST THERE OH CELESTIA I CAN'T...I can't...wait a minute. It's fading...yes, it's fading. It's not hurting anymore. The nails are still now after what he said, that must be it, this is something I have to believe in. This is so much better, it feels strong, it's...it's just like...
TOCK.
Oh great skies above. This is...this is meant to be.
This is who I am.
TOCK.
The operating room fell silent. Caramel's eyes were swimming. The only activity left was the assistant cutting the nails as steadily as he could, then the welding, then the cooling. It was done.
I did it. I'm a horse. I...I'm free, free for the rest of my life!
If it weren't for these restraints, I would dance.
“My sides are all tingly...hehehehehe...”
Dr. Cardio turned his head from the counter and froze. He looked like Princess Celestia had just told all of Equestria that cake was a breed of dog.
“Oh, this is going to keep me up for weeks.”
---
“...So it jus' doesn't make sense t'me, sis! Ah mean, look at me: do Ah look like a mare?”
“...Wait, whut? Whut would that matter?”
Big Macintosh suppressed a groan. It was so humiliating and confusing to explain, even to his own sister...who seemed remarkably flippant.
“Mah point is that Ah'm not built fer this kinda thing! An'...well, Ah don' suppose a colt could be built for it! An' why would one be, when all ponies are meant fer makin' families in that way? Ah...that didn't make sense, whatever. Whut Ah'm tryin' t'say--”
“Big Mac, be quiet.”
Instantly, he felt his throat refusing to obey him.
“Ah think Ah git whut yer sayin' here.”
He snorted.
At least one of us does.
“Ah think yer sayin' yer scared 'bout bein' in love with Caramel, 'cuz that could mean you wouldn't have a family t'care for when th' time's right. Now before you say anythin' else, Ah also think yer sayin' yer frustrated how yer in a nonconventional relationship not havin' a strong say in things like this doctor's visit.”
His throat obeyed him, but he had no words.
“An' whut Ah hafta say 'bout that is Ah don' see any reason why th' two o' you cain't see eye t'eye on issues. Whut yer doin' is different an' new, that's true. But from whut Ah've seen in all kinds o' couples, th' most important thing is trust. Jus' trust Caramel, he'll trust you, an' both o' you can iron out th' details together.”
Mac blinked. Applejack seemed to attain a certain glow about her. She might as well have been his older sibling.
“...You got all that from me blatherin' 'bout how big Ah am?”
AJ just started laughing. The lobby was filled with her peals of mirth, bouncing off the walls...like he was awash in a warm sea.
“W-well, haha, you blathered 'bout much more than that, you big goofball. But no, Ah got all that from bein' yer sister all mah life.”
He was cast in a great sea of warmth, drinking from its tideless waters. He felt...he felt more complete. That smile of hers just made him want for nothing.
Like Caramel's smile did...
“Granted, you don' talk much,” she added, “but Ah picked up a few things here an' there. Ah should say this though.”
The sea became a little harsher.
Tick. Tock.
“If'n you've been hidin' stuff like this from me fer such a long time, Ah reckon Ah won't put up with it! You hid stuff from me an' Ah found it before...an' you were better for it. So Ah need you t'trust me, y'hear?”
“E-Eeyup.”
“Ah wouldn't mind you keepin' t'yerself if'n it were somethin' mundane.”
“Eeyup.”
“...But this jus' ain't th' same thing.”
“Eeyup, Ah got it.”
Applejack kept her gaze on him...but he was finally released.
“Ah'll hold you to that, Macintosh.”
Tick. Tock.
Big Mac slumped to the ground. Again.
“...Applebloom wuz so cute when she wuz a foal. Ah wanted one jus' like her.”
His sister giggled.
“...Heck, Ah still do. Though she's become a right troublemaker.”
Applejack sighed.
Tick. Ba-dum. Tock.
“Oh, o' course she did, big brother. We're a family o' troublemakers, even further than Granny!”
Mac felt his hair stand on end as she cupped his muzzle in her bare hoof.
“Yer jus' a late bloomer.”
He had to snicker. There was nothing late about his development...or so he thought.
Suddenly, the door flew open, and Caramel began staggering out from it.
“THERE YOU ARE...you two. My friendssssssssss. It's good to see you!”
Applejack quickly jerked her hoof away from him.
Tick. Tock.
“Ohhhh-ho-ho-ho-ho. I get it. It's the staring contest, yeah, yeah! I thought it was last week! Just you wait; I've got a secret strategy.”
The dizzy pony's voice lowered to a whisper: “It involves throwing things...!”
Dr. Cardio came behind Caramel, looking more disheveled than before. Just what was happening?
“Caramel, please be careful. It's true you can walk, but you just had--”
“WHY IS HE GOIN' 'ROUND LIKE THAT?!”, roared Macintosh. “WHUT TH' HELLS DID YOU DO?!”
“AN' WHUT IN TARNATION HAPPENED T'HIS CUTIE MARK?!”, roared Applejack.
“WHUT NOW?!”
Big Mac stood up with his sister immediately looked to Caramel's flanks. His cutie mark...had a fourth shoe. It was a completely rounded shoe encircling the other three, which were pointed in different directions than before. It was one straight up, one down-left, one down-right.
The fourth shoe was red.
“...Jus' whut kinda joke is this? Huh? Is this a joke, Doc? 'CUZ T'AIN'T FUNNY!”
“Just calm down.”
“AH'LL CALM DOWN WHEN...”
Big Macintosh calmed down.
“Hehehehe...,” drolled the newly-marked pony. “Shouting is fun. It's like singing, except someone wins. Wait, singing is like that sometimes, too. OOOOH I JUST GOT THE GREATEST IDEA! SHOUT-SINGING! I'll make the prototype!”
“You will do no such thing,” interrupted the doctor.
Caramel stopped in mid-pose, pouted, and dramatically flopped to the ground.
“...He reacted more strongly to the painkiller than I expected. He's fine, and I'm pleased to say the operation was successful, but he'll be out of it for a while. As for the cutie mark...your guess is as good as mine for now.”
Big Mac was suddenly overwhelmed by the sight of Caramel. There he was, safe and sound...his hooves shining in the flourescent lights. It took all his strength not to tackle him onto the floor and do something not appropriate for a doctor's office.
...Wait.
“...Explain t'me how he's able t'walk so soon after that. An' don' tell me it's th' painkiller, or Ah will sue you so fast--”
“Th-there's no need for that!”, the doctor countered nervously. “You see, once the nails were set, his body had fully accepted the shoes. I checked it several times, but both his body and the nails developed a relationship of malleability with each other.”
Tick. Tock.
“...Whut?”, asked the Apples.
“The metal part of him is compromising with the nonmetal part of him. To put it simply, the shoes and nails really are part of his hooves now. He can move and bend, and the metal will bend with him as one unit.”
Tick. Tock.
“...Whut?”, asked the Apples again.
“...Just look at him,” answered Dr. Cardio. “He would only be able to do that by what I said.”
Caramel was wiggling his front legs like wet noodles. The only reason Macintosh knew that was because of the wet noodles placed in front of him that one time. And now, if he ever saw wet noodles again, he would have to vomit a little in his mouth. He hadn't even considered how shoeing bare hooves might restrict movement, but that...
“...That's just horrifyin'”
“HEY!”, shouted Caramel far too loudly. “WATCH YOUR MOUTH, YOUNG COLT! There are ladies present, in case you haven't noticed...?”
“...Whut?”
...Oh.
“Don' be a child, Mel.”
“Oh, but a child is an adult without burden, so you want me to not be an adult by proxy, THEREFORE, you don't want me to BE at ALL! How about YOU stop being a child, Mac? See how that works for you!”
Sweet Celestia, give me strength. Ah love this pony, Ah shouldn't wanta clobber him.
“H-How long does the painkiller last?”, asked Applejack.
“Oh, about an hour,” replied the doctor. “It's not good for chronic pains, but it works wonders for surgeries. Usually...”
“...An' when did he take it?”
The doctor blanched. Not that it was hard for him to do.
“...I'd say five minutes ago.”
“I...”, began Caramel, “feel powerful. I feel like everything that was wrong about the world was just SMASHED when these babies jumped on my hooves! I'm strong!”
Without prompt, the shod pony reared up on his hind legs and slammed his front legs on the tiled floor. He managed to split the offended tiles in halves and quarters, but those surrounding it remained whole.
"...Did I just do that?"
Applejack and the doctor nodded nervously.
"Eeyup."
"That's okay," Caramel offered. "I have a pile of gold candy at home, that should pay for it. It's kind of stale, though, I hope that's okay."
That does it. Ah am never takin' him out drinkin'. Ever.
That was when Caramel flopped to the floor. That was when Big Macintosh felt his heart fall with him.
“...I'm alive. I just tortured my body, and I came out better than before. I was right. I WAS RIGHT, BABE! I WAS SO SCARED I WAS WRONG, BUT I WAS RIGHT!”
...Oh, screw it.
Mac pulled Mel to him, pressing his lips against those he had missed far more than he thought. The sweet, powerful warmth made him shut his eyes completely, every inch of his middle reveling in the gift given to himself. Mel returned the decadent pressure like he did so many times before...
...And then pulled away to lightly bop Mac on the muzzle. The metal bruised him a little.
“You're such a big pony. Awfully big for a McIntosh, certainly. I wonder if you were smaller, would you be Little Macintosh? Or maybe Standard Macintosh? You're just so Macintosh-y!”
Ah guess Ah cain't have nice things.
“U-Um, big brother, we need t'go an' git Caramel home,” interrupted Applejack. “Ah think we can git th' answers we need by mail...?”
The doctor nodded ecstatically.
“O-Oh wait,” Dr. Cardio added. “I can actually make that easier for you, if you're in a hurry...” He glanced to the right.
The other three, oddly enough, all looked straight at him for a response.
“I can actually teleport you to just outside Ponyville. But you'll need to all stand together, and look straight at me. It's a demanding spell.”
“...I wonder which house I should buy...?”
Big Macintosh took Caramel's head and made it face the doctor.
“Okay. Here goes...!”
The doctor's horn blazed in a blue flame, which sprouted forward to envelop the three hapless ponies. Mac's vision filled with the harsh light...then he felt lighter...and then he was gone.
The doctor sighed and flopped to the floor.
“Thanks for your help, Miss Sparkle.”
The fern in the corner had been replaced with a purple unicorn with a smile meant to comfort others. The blinding spell had kept that hidden well enough, thank goodness.
“Not at all,” Twilight answered. “I'm glad you decided to send them home this way, actually. It'll make for--”
“--Less public reactions, yes. Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.”
“...Anyway. It's time for you to fulfill your royal duty.”
Cardio frowned. It seemed so invasive...but he had no choice.
“Follow me...my results are still in that operating room. I'll just make some copies.”
Keen to put the matter behind him, he stuffed the stack of papers into an envelope. Twilight then transported it, presumably to her own place of study.
“Thank you, sir. And I promise this is the last you will hear from me,” she offered.
With a flash, the troublesome pony vanished.
“...Is she gone?”
Cardio spied his temporary assistant from behind the doctor's table. It was impressive the big lug managed to hide back there.
“You're fine, Mac.”
Mac stood up and yawned.
“Good. I didn't want to have to deal with her.”
“Oh, please,” Cardio chided. “You did a great thing here today. I have to thank you again, I couldn't have done this without your help.”
Mac shrugged.
“I'm a professional.”
Tick. Tock.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
“Well, I should get going,” said Mac as he exited the operating room.
Cardio didn't hear the door close, too engrossed in the original data sheets.
“It was nice to see you again...I guess.”