I continued to lay in the bed with my zebra wife laying on top of me -- her warmth coupled with the cover caused me to start sweating. The heat might have been a welcoming thing for me, but in my weakened state it alarmed one of the nurses who had been freshly assigned to monitor my health.
"Please, ma'am, give him some air," she requested.
"He's my husband -- please let me stay with him! It's been so long since I last got to talk to him!" she begged, tears welling up in her eyes.
"It's all right, nurse -- Brenda, I need a little air, please -- I have so much to talk to you about," I offered weakly. I tried to use magic to get some water, but the effort caused my horn to ache, eliciting a groan as I grimaced in pain. My horn sparked, alarming the nurse.
"Please, sir, you mustn't use your magic yet -- you need to rest more before you can use magic," the nurse advised. Brenda moved back reluctantly and allowed the nurse to pull my cover back so I could cool off. Brenda noticed the jagged white lightning bolt that adorned my right flank as I was laying on my left.
"I thought the lightning bolt scarred your right arm," Brenda mused, a quizzical look on her face. She seemed to stare at my new cutie mark.
"I haven't gotten a good look at myself since that day I was struck by lightning," I stated. "I would like to see what it looks like."
The nurse brought a mirror over and held it such that I could see it.
"Looks like a cutie mark," I noted dryly as I was also shown the scar which ran along my body, but did not extend to the cutie mark.
"What's a cutie mark?" asked Brenda, her puzzlement growing.
"All ponies should have them -- but when we were transformed from human into pony, we didn't have them. We've been here for how long? And you don't know what a cutie mark is? Where've you been?"
"Mike -- Princess Celestia locked me up in a dungeon cell for a long time -- it's been all I can do to keep from going insane -- and I'm really happy you're awake and alive, because I was still being held in a cell," she replied sadly. I growled a little at this.
"I had no idea, Brenda -- I wanna do something to remedy this, but -- I can't do anything right now. I hope she's had a change of heart and will let you stay in the room with me until we're ready to leave."
"Why did she lock you up?" asked the nurse, eliciting dark looks from both of us.
"I don't think it's your business to know," I replied, the words practically croaking out of my mouth.
"I got mad at him over something stupid," Brenda replied softly. "I hit him a few times in the head -- Mike, please forgive me! I am so sorry!"
"Sounds like the Princess broke you, Brenda," I opined softly.
"You -- you -- you don't know what it was like down there!" the zebra wailed as fresh tears trickled from the corners of her eyes. The memories of being held in a tiny cell overwhelmed her as she fell to her hocks and silently sobbed.
"I may have to ask a favor or two from the Princess," I muttered.
Silence fell over the room as Brenda remained sitting on her haunches and the nurse trotted over to comfort her, sitting beside her and wrapping her right fore-leg around the zebra.
"I am so sorry to hear about that," she offered. Brenda's response was a just barely audible, "Thanks."
It took a few days before I was able to talk normally -- I was still on an IV, but attempts were being made to get me on a liquid diet. Upon hearing of my awakening, I was visited by Twilight and the others, though the medical team requested I only meet with them one at a time. Rarity was overjoyed to hear of my recovery and presented me with another jacket, basically identical to the one she made for me earlier. I thanked her for her generosity, though Brenda was somewhat less than happy about it. Rarity assured her that the gift was simply a gesture of kindness, not to be taken as anything more than that.
Brenda was allowed to stay with me during my entire recovery, cheering me on when I was engaged in physical rehabilitation. She expressed her displeasure when I refused attempts to have my scarred fur magically repaired, exasperated that I would choose to keep the scar. I told her that it was a reminder, that I wanted to carry it for the sake of my pride.
Physical training was grueling and painful, but I had to go through with it -- I was determined to do so -- and there were many times when I would fall, causing Brenda to call out in worry when that happened. I would try to dust myself off and keep going, determined to make a full recovery as swiftly as possible.
It had taken three weeks before I was able to eat solid food once again, but even then it was limited to grasses and flowers, with the occasional pancake from time to time. It took longer for my muscle strength to return, but that was the purpose of my training program. I was determined to become stronger than I ever was, so my training included free weights and lifting. I was shocked at just how badly my strength had atrophied and discovered that it would take nearly as long to recover that strength as well.
Twilight would visit quite often to teach me additional magic skills, much to Brenda's consternation. Twilight told her that it was needed, otherwise I would suffer another magic overload and never be able to use magic again. I had found out that my horn needed regular filing to keep the channel free of obstruction -- an overgrown horn inhibited magic use, as I learned the hard way. The librarian seemed to dote over me as my skills continued to improve, and she would teach me more advanced spells as well. She was quite pleased by my curiosity and nearly insatiable desire to learn as much as I could.
The doctor had said it would take six months of rehabilitation to make a full recovery -- his estimate was close, about two weeks shy of how long it actually took. I had regained the full range of motion and had built up a fair amount of muscle mass in the process. My magical strength had improved quite a bit as well, which pleased Twilight.
Finally! We were ready to go back to Ponyville. Brenda and I were all smiles when we were escorted out of the medical wing to the Throne Room to meet with Princess Celestia one more time before leaving for Ponyville aboard the train. I asked about my car and was informed that I would not be able to use it just yet. The alicorn informed me that it would kept waiting for me until she was certain I was ready to reclaim it, as it was an item she had created for me in the first place. We were given saddlebags with various gifts and I was given a harness in which to carry my staff.
A squad of Royal Guardsponies escorted us to the train station to see us off. I noticed the tickets we had been given were for the first class coach, something which impressed me as we boarded. Brenda and I were escorted inside the train by another pony, who showed us to our private chamber. We took our seats, luxuriating in the comfort of the first-class accommodations, and even though the train ride was just two hours long, we were served a five course meal for the ride there.
"Remind me to thank the Princess once again for her generosity," I noted warmly.
"You didn't have to spend six months in her dungeon," my wife commented bitterly. "I don't think it was fair of her to do that to me."
"I'm sorry," I offered softly as I sidled up to her and wrapped my right foreleg around her in an attempt to comfort her. She returned my embrace and we stayed like that pretty much the rest of the way to Ponyville. When the train finally stopped at the station, we were greeted by nearly every pony in town, though Pinkie Pie had erected a Welcome Back banner for us. She bounced up and down in extreme enthusiasm upon seeing us exit the train. We slowly trotted towards them on a red carpet that seemed to appear from nowhere.
"Mikey! Brenda! So glad to see you back! How was Canterlot?" she asked, grinning from ear to ear.
"Really, Pinkie? Did you have to ask that?" I asked in exasperation.
"It was miserable," Brenda replied sullenly.
"Well, you're here now! I'm so glad you both made it back! I've got a super-duper special welcome back party for you two!"
"I can hardly wait," I deadpanned.
"... I don't think I want to go to any more parties," Brenda noted in a dull monotone.
"Aww, come on! You two are the guests of honor! You have to celebrate your return to Ponyville! We can't do it for you!" Pinkie exclaimed, a hint of exasperation in her voice. I noticed her mane and tail deflate ever so slightly as her expression turned to one of worry.
"Pinkie, can we take a rain-check on that party? I don't think right now's such a good time," I offered, smiling faintly. "Brenda's still upset over what she was forced to endure back in Canterlot and we'd like a little time to decompress from all that," I added.
"Okie dokie loki, I'll have that party ready for you two when you are! Or maybe I can surprise you two again..." she mused as a grin crept onto her face before she began bouncing away, presumably back to the bakery. Twilight and the others circled us, smiling warmly at us before embracing us in a large group hug. We trotted from the train station to the bakery as our mood improved. It seemed as though all the townsponies were greeting us cheerfully as we trotted through town, smiles and happiness washing over us like a slow wave of warm water. Even Brenda started smiling the closer we got to the bakery.
"Is that Sugarcube Corner we're coming up on?" I asked.
"Sure is, Mikey!" came Pinkie's voice from somewhere. Even just hearing the chirp in her voice caused me to smile.
"Mike, I thought we weren't going to a party," Brenda opined. Her hoofsteps seemed to slow a little as we got closer.
"Oh, Brenda -- I know now's not a good time -- but -- just for the sake of the ponies, let's try to have a good time, okay?" I asked, giving her an almost pleading look. My thoughts returned to the first party held on our behalf and what had transpired then. I silently resolved to prevent it from happening again.
"All right, Mike -- just -- behave yourself, okay? I -- I don't wanna lose you to one of these ponies you seem to like so much," she noted almost dejectedly.
"You worry too much, Brenda -- I promise I'll be good," I noted, a wry smile on my face. We opened the door to the bakery and trotted in slowly before being blasted in the face with a shower of confetti and our ears assaulted with a loud chorus of "SURPRISE!" from all the ponies inside.