Chapter 12
Awakening
Twilight placed her hands over Luna's chest and concentrated on her healing magic as she tried to awaken Luna again. Sweetie Belle and Blossomforth were sitting nearby watching her. Blossom and Twilight had become close friends after Twilight's meltdown three weeks prior. Blossom made a promise to herself that she would help this poor soul by protecting and aiding her in anything she needed. While Sweetie Belle just wanted to learn more magic from Twilight and being her apprentice since Scootaloo had made it clear that she had to strengthen her magic somehow while Scoots and Apple Bloom were training with Raindrops on the surface.
Twilight groaned opening her eyes and canceling her spell. Blossom crawled over reaching for a rag and handed it to the unicorn. Twilight smiled at her and rubbed the cool rag over her face.
"Anything?" Blossom asked as Sweetie Belle walked over with a canteen of water. Twilight took a sip then sighed shaking her head.
"Every time I get within reaching distance of her psyche, I just run out of power and have to get out before I get hit with feedback from the spell.” She took another heavy swig of water shaking her head. She turned to look at the comatose princess's face filled with peace. "It's like she's half dead. I mean she's alive and her brain matter is working fine but it’s... Gah!" Twilight kicked at the wall wrapping her hands over her head and shaking her head hard. "Why can't this be easier?" Blossom wrapped her arm around Twilight holding her close.
"It's alright, you just need a break." She whispered soothingly.
"A break?!" Twilight yelled out causing Blossom to back away. "A break! I can't afford to have a break! I'm the only one that can wake up Princess Luna!"
Blossom shushed her softly holding her and rocking her. Twilight slowly calmed down as she leaned into Blossom. Blossom smiled stroking the unicorn’s head then turned to see Sweetie Belle standing there looking concerned. Blossom sighed. "Why don't you go and play with your friends for a bit. We'll get you if we need your help."
Sweetie Belle nodded then left the room, leaving the two alone. Blossom continued to stroke Twilight's head for a while longer smiling down at her.
"I'm sorry for blowing up." Twilight whispered enjoying the petting she was getting.
"Nah, no need to apologize. You were just tired and stressed. Everypony is stressed out. So it's no secret you're really freaking out right now."
Twilight sighed still feeling ashamed for blowing up. "Still I should have not gotten so angry."
Blossom smiled seeing Twilight melt under her fingers. She stopped for a second to hear Twilight groan with annoyance that the stoking ended. Blossom looked down and realized how close she was to Twilight's face. Twilight's cute pout turned into a look of surprise and embarrassment as her face glowed into a blush just as Blossom's face went deep pink. Twilight swallowed then looked down.
"Don't stop," She whispered. Blossom lightly raise up her hand and start to stroke Twilight's head again, twirling her fingers into her dark mane getting deeper into Twilight's scalp eliciting an unexpected moan from Twilight. Blossom smiled remembering a unicorn she used to know.
"You know what? I used to have a good friend who was a unicorn back in the war. And she enjoyed it when I do this to her mane too."
"Hmm?" Twilight answered not really listening as she leaned into Blossom again about to fall asleep.
"Yeah... we were close until the rebellion changed everything."
Twilight opened her eyes and looked up into Blossom's blue eyes to see sadness.
"What happened to her?" Twilight asked.
Blossom thought for a moment then sighed. "She was ordered to report at Canterlot Castle for some sort of meeting. I waited for her for weeks until I was ordered to report to the pegasi army base outside of Canterlot. Then I saw her and..." Blossom paused shaking her head. "She was beating up a defenseless earth pony mare and her children. I remember the look on her face, it was as if she was enjoying it." Blossom shook her head squeezing her eyes shut.
"I pushed her away and yelled at her. The look on her face when she saw it was me... it was anger. Until I slapped some sense into her telling her what a bitch she was. Then she seemed to have been snapped out of it. But I was arrested for assaulting her."
Twilight sat up looking at her with worry. "You were arrested? For how long?"
"I was put into prison for three years. Then I met Commander Cloud Kicker and she got me out. In prison I learned about everyponies treachery against the earth ponies, our friends, family, our allies in the war were being turned into shit heaps. So I made it clear to Cloud Kicker that I wouldn't hurt an innocent.
"She told me to keep my mouth shut if I wanted to live. Then when we were in private she told me who she was and where she worked at. True, she might be under the pegasi army, but she’s the leader of a rebel group fighting against the new government to protect all ponies. We don't even call a pony a hybrid because all we see are ponies. And we protect ponies."
Twilight looked at her with a growing smile. "Wow,"
Blossom shrugged shaking her head. "It's not that great. I lost many friends to this change. Even... her." Blossom blushed harshly turning away. She wrapped her arms around her hiked up legs. Twilight frowned with worry she sat closer to Blossom hugging her.
"It sounds like you cared about her."
Blossom turned to Twilight again with glistening eyes. She shrugged scratching her head and biting her lip. She nodded a touch with a sniff. Twilight blinked realization dawned on her face.
"You two were together?"
Blossom bowed her head and nodded. Twilight turned away.
"I'm so sorry," Twilight whispered with sadness. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out, she didn’t know what else to say to her. Blossom smiled with a sigh.
"Well... If I ever do see her again I might have to kill her for her crimes."
"You wouldn't do something like that would you?" Twilight asked with shock.
Blossom shrugged. "She's one of them now... Her fate was sealed the moment I saw her beat up those foals."
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Sweetie Belle ran up to the surface and headed for the training clearing where she could hear the sounds of grunts and clashing metal. As she approached she could see Rainbow Dash backing away with her machete in her hand as Octavia swung her own machete, trying to get past Rainbow's iron defense. Sweetie Belle noticed Applejack sitting on a rock nearby fanning herself with her hat. The air was hot and the humidity made everything worse.
“Oh hey there, Sweetie Belle.” Applejack greeted smiling. “What are you doing up here?” She asked standing up.
“Twilight was getting stressed out and Blossom told me to come up here to see Bloom and Scoots. Are they still here?” She asked. Applejack nodded looking behind her to see Raindrops standing in a combat position having Apple Bloom and Scootaloo copy her stance.
“They’re over there.” Applejack said smiling. Sweetie Belle nodded.
“Thanks Applejack. See you later.” Applejack tipped her hat watching the girl running over to hug onto Scootaloo from her back surprising the pegasus. Applejack smirked as she went to the outskirts of the camp to sit under some desperately needed shade.
Octavia grunted as she swung too hard as Rainbow dodged past her. As Octavia stumbled she felt a boot shoved into her side. She fell hard on her back and her machete slid away from her grip. She groaned rolling into a ball holding her side where she was kicked. She turned squinting through the harsh sunlight as Rainbow’s shadow appeared above her.
"Get up!" Rainbow ordered gruffly. Octavia glared up at her. Rainbow pressed her machete into Octavia's bare leg above her cut trouser leg. "I said get up!" Rainbow warned harshly glaring down at her. Octavia's hand reached into the sand.
"I have been fighting with you for three weeks now and all you do is beat me up and yell at me!" Octavia screamed out.
The Crusaders turned hearing the yell. Raindrops turned as well, seeing that things weren’t improving between the princess and the old guard.
“I think we've had enough training for today.” Raindrops said as she waved for the kids to follow her out of the clearing.
“Can we do anything to help?” Sweetie Belle asked seeing how upset Octavia looked. Raindrops shook her head.
“Sorry Sweetie Belle, this situation is only between Octavia and Rainbow Dash. Now let’s go on and get something to eat.” The crusaders followed the guard and left the clearing.
Rainbow remained unfazed by Octavia’s yelling and just stared at her.
"Well I've had it!" Octavia screamed out throwing the hand full of sand right into Rainbow's eyes causing her to yell out in pain trying to get the sand out of her eyes. Octavia pushed past Rainbow and started running for it. Rainbow spat out the sand that got in her mouth.
"Applejack!" Rainbow screamed out, blind. "Stop her!"
Applejack at up from her seat on a rock hearing the scream. She readied her staff and listened carefully. She smiled hearing Octavia’s huffing as she got closer to her hiding spot. Applejack looked up at the sky as she set the tip of her staff out from her hiding spot. Octavia looked behind her with a grin.
"Finally!" She yelled out turning too late to realize Applejack's trap. Her boot caught the staff and flew forward landing hard on the ground. She groaned lifting up her face holding her snout. She coughed a couple of times as a pair of boots walk up to her. She turned and looked up to see Applejack smirking at her shaking her head.
"No way girl. You have to finish your training."
Octavia snarled up at her then turned seeing Rainbow running over then stopped short seeing them. Octavia sighed with defeat rolling her eyes.
"You know the drill by know, Hybrid." Rainbow said harshly standing by her. "Get up and give me fifty pushups. Then Applejack and I will think of a punishment for you."
Octavia glared at the two mares then slowly stood up. Rainbow moved to the side as Octavia walked past them back to the clearing.
"Like any of this will help me!" Octavia shouted.
"Keep walking!" Applejack snapped with a cold glare. Octavia growled and started trotting back to the clearing to get her pushups done. Once she disappeared Rainbow and Applejack both let out a sigh of annoyance.
"How much longer can we keep this up?" Applejack asked pulling up her sleeves. "I want to go back in the cool underground and help train Apple Bloom. Raindrops is a great teacher but there are things I want to teach my sister personally." Applejack said a touch fearful. She never wanted Apple Bloom to be a soldier but maybe with Applejack’s teachings and experience, maybe she could teach her baby sister the more valued lessons of defense.
Rainbow sighed. "Not until she understands what's at stake. She has to learn to suck it up like you and I did in training. So far running away and yelling back won't give her any favors."
Applejack nodded pulling off her hat and fanning herself. "Damn it's hot out here."
"I know... the sooner she learns by our rules, the sooner we can get her ready for action. We’ve been here for how long?"
"On the planet? Almost two months. Out here? About three weeks."
Rainbow sighed. "I guess I should have known it'll take at least a month before setting her in line." Applejack sighed looking up at the sky. Suddenly there was a sound of rustling bushes. The two mares turn holding out their weapons towards the source of the brush movement.
"Hold on," A familiar voice called out. The two mares sighed in relief hearing Fluttershy’s voice as the healer walked out of the bushes with a smile on her face. "It's only me."
"Gosh ‘Shy you about gave us a heart attack. We thought you were some monster or something." Applejack said in relief. Fluttershy smiled at Applejack reaching into her satchel and pulled out a canteen of water and handed it to Applejack. The earth pony gasped with relief taking the canteen, taking a drink. She then dumped some water into her hat, and placed her hat on her head before the water seeped through the cloth with a sigh of relief and a shiver.
Fluttershy smiled and turned to Rainbow handing her a second canteen. Rainbow blushed with a small smile taking the canteen unscrewing the lid. That was when Fluttershy discovered her scabby arm. She gasped surprising Rainbow.
"Rainbow, what happened to your arm?!" She exclaimed with shock. Rainbow looked at her banged up arm and shrugged.
"Nothing ‘Shy just some scratches from training, nothing serious." Fluttershy took Rainbow’s arm and examine it. After a moment she shook her head.
"No, no, this won't do at all, do you know how old those machetes are or even if they were cleaned? They are used more than fighting weapons should I remind you!"
Rainbow blushed looking to Applejack to see her staring at the blade hanging on Rainbow's belt with uneasiness. Fluttershy sighed. "Alright I need to check all of you. And put medicine on your wounds before they fester into something worse." Fluttershy started walking to their camp in the clearing as the two mares followed her back to camp.
Octavia was in the middle of pushups when Fluttershy came over surprising her with Rainbow and Applejack behind the healer.
"Get up," Rainbow ordered not as harsh this time. That confused Octavia.
"Why?"
"Doctor's orders." Rainbow stated flatly walking to the fire pit and sat down hard on a log that she found for a seat. Fluttershy sat down by her reaching into her satchel and pulled out vials and plants even a stone bowl and wooden stick to crush fruits or plants.
"Octavia I need to check you as well." Fluttershy ordered softly looking at what she got. Octavia sat up on her knees.
"Why?" She asked.
Applejack sighed sitting down. "Fluttershy made a point of checking our training wounds for infection. She'll have to check you too. I remember you got a couple cuts last week."
Octavia pulled up her sleeve to see her cuts and she can tell they looked to be red hot scabs and not healed properly yet. She gulped turning to see Fluttershy checking Rainbow’s arm.
Applejack stood up. "Well I didn't really get hit or anything so,"
"Oh no you don't, I'm checking all three of you." Fluttershy interrupted shaking her head pulling out her knife and poke Rainbow's wounds causing the pegasus to yell out a curse.
"Geez, you don't need to poke that hard!"
"I didn't poke you hard, only a touch."
"Yeah, but it still fucking hurt!" Fluttershy gave Rainbow a hard look that made Rainbow blush. "I mean that really hurt." Rainbow corrected. Fluttershy made a ghost of a smile.
"Looks like this cut is infected, it's a deep one by the size of it." She handed her knife Rainbow. "Try and cut off the scab." She ordered.
"What? Why?"
"So that I can put healing salves into your cuts. You don't want to get sick do you?"
Rainbow shook her head. "No, not really."
"Then do it." Fluttershy stood up and checked Applejack to see only bruises and red marks, no cuts. Then Fluttershy moved to Octavia as Rainbow finished cutting off her scabs with some tears in her eyes from the pain. Fluttershy was shocked by the red marks.
"Oh my, many of your cuts are infected." She lightly pressed on the largest cut. Octavia winced, pulling her arm away from her. "Oh dear, alright," Fluttershy stood up pointing to Rainbow.
"Training will have to be put to a stop for the moment."
"Why?" Rainbow asked surprised.
"Octavia needs medical attention, so do you. You both have infections in your cuts. Octavia has infections on both arms and needs to be attended before she gets sick. So pack up your things and let’s go back underground where it's safe and cool." Fluttershy helped Octavia up on her feet as she grabbed for her satchel.
"Let’s go," She ordered walking away with Octavia close behind her. Applejack turned to Rainbow to see her with a look of worry.
"You alright?" Applejack asked.
Rainbow sighed rubbing her face. "So much for being her guardian. I didn't think about-"
"We both weren't thinking. Now come on, we got to follow the doc's orders after all. We'll continue training when she's better."
Rainbow nodded. "Yeah," Man, I messed up big time. She thought to herself as Rainbow found her satchel and followed Applejack back to the village.
Once back underground in the medical hall, Rainbow sat with Fluttershy as she cleaned up Octavia's wounds and placed clean bandages around her arms. Rainbow continued to stare at her feet thinking. Octavia sighed rubbing her new bandages lightly. Fluttershy smiled kindly at her.
“I suggest you take a couple days of rest then we'll change your bandages again. I'll get you when that time comes." Octavia nodded then turned to Rainbow Dash with a slight angry look. Rainbow didn't seem fazed by the look and just glared back.
"Alright, now let’s get you fixed up, too." Fluttershy said turning to Rainbow. The pegasus rolled her eyes as Fluttershy took her arm feeling around for any injuries. Rainbow blushed remembering back in the day when Fluttershy would check her wounds like this in the war. Octavia noticed the blush.
"Why so flustered?" Octavia asked coyly grinning. Rainbow glared back at her.
"I'm not-"
"Hush," Fluttershy snapped causing Rainbow to shut her mouth surprising Octavia greatly. Fluttershy smiled seeing Rainbow's red face. "Well I don't see anything of worry other than those other scratches, I think you'll do fine after a few days yourself."
Rainbow pulled her arm back smiling. "Yeah, thanks 'Shy."
Suddenly there was a commotion outside the room and one of the zebras, Zen came running into Fluttershy’s room panting hard. "Shaman... Flutter... shy… there is… trouble." Fluttershy stood up with alarm.
"What's wrong, Zen?" She ordered.
"She moved!"
Fluttershy blinked with confusion for a moment.
"She never moved shaman! She did and I heard her moan!" Zen exclaimed pointing behind her. Fluttershy turned to Rainbow and Octavia with a frightened look on her face. Octavia got confused while Rainbow looked spooked.
"Stay in here!" Fluttershy ordered running after Zen. A few seconds later Octavia turned to Rainbow.
"Wasn't Zen assigned to watch Vinyl?" She asked stiffening. Rainbow gulped biting her lip unsure what to tell her. Octavia didn't wait for a response. She stood up and left the room.
"Hey, wait a sec!" Rainbow called out as Octavia rush through the hall past Luna's room where Twilight and Blossomforth were poking out of.
"Octavia?" Twilight called out. The two mares looked at one another then ran after her leaving Luna alone, unaware that Luna's hand slowly clenched into a fist.
Octavia found Vinyl's room and gasped to see Fluttershy checking Vinyl’s vitals and her breathing. Zen was rushing around the room grabbing herbs and mixtures to make medicine. Octavia stared at Vinyl to see her uncovered again, Fluttershy was listening to Vinyl’s heart with a look of bewilderment. That was when she turned seeing Octavia staring at her. Octavia stiffened staring back at her. Fluttershy sighed waving her hand for Octavia to come into the room. Octavia walked in and sat down by the wall by Vinyl's side.
"What's going on?" Octavia asked worriedly. Fluttershy didn't speak as she turned and snapped her fingers at Zen who handed her a rag.
"Here," She said handing Octavia the wet cool rag. "Place the cool rag on the back of her neck. She's overheating at a fast rate. We need to keep the blood to her brain cool." Octavia nodded slowly holding up Vinyl to place the cool compress at the back of Vinyl's neck and immediately felt the heat against her palm as she held Vinyl up in a sitting position.
"Is this good or bad?" Octavia asked out loud as Fluttershy got another wet rag and placed it over Vinyl's chest to cool down her skin and into her heart, hopefully. Octavia gulped.
"Fluttershy, please!" She begged. Fluttershy turned to look at her. "Will she be alright?" Fluttershy bit her bottom lip.
"I don't know Octavia." She said honestly as Blossom and Twilight stood outside the room watching. "There are mixed signals going through her body and I can't tell you what's happening. Her heart is pumping oddly and she's gaining temperature spikes and..." Fluttershy sighed. "I don't know if she can keep living by how much the infection has taken out of her."
Daring was walking around in the medical hall when she noticed Twilight with Blossom looking into Vinyl's room. Daring sighed through her nose with worry, she hadn't seen Twilight in a long while wanting to give her space. Applejack told her that she was busy helping Luna so she didn't want to disturb her. But now seeing her worried made her worried.
"Hello Twilight, Blossomforth," She said casually. Blossom nodded in return turning back into the room.
"What is going on?" The professor asked.
"Something's wrong," Twilight answered with fear in her voice. "Fluttershy isn't sure what's going on but I don’t think this is good for Vinyl."
Daring blinked peeking into the room seeing Octavia wiping Vinyl's brow.
"Yeesh, poor girl." She whispered with sadness.
Twilight sighed turning away, walking back down the hall to Luna's room. Blossom turned to Daring. Daring looked at her with worry.
"How is she?" Daring asked looking to where Twilight disappeared to.
Blossom shrugged. "A little better. I tried to be there for her."
Daring blushed with shame and nodded. "I thank you for doing what you are doing. I'm just not in the situation to where I can aid her in hers."
Blossom nodded. "I know."
Daring sighed again clearly at ease. "Good, perhaps I should go talk to her now."
Blossom nodded. "Yeah, you should before something else happens." She said turning back into the room to see Octavia hugging Vinyl close. Daring nodded and left Blossom behind as she walked into Luna's room to see her friend. Blossom sighed with a small smile as she turned into the room to watch what happens next.
Octavia looked up at Fluttershy as she was busy making medicine. Octavia turned to the left to see Zen looking into a small box of roots. Octavia sighed looking down at Vinyl's sunken face biting her lip feeling tears in her eyes. She pressed her forehead against hers feeling tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Please, Vinyl," She whispered grabbing Vinyl's hand and squeezed. "Don't die please, I should be the one dying, not you." She sniffed squeezing a little tighter. Through her frazzled mind she thought she could feel a squeeze in return, but it was too faint for her to click out of. She blinked feeling a tighter squeeze still weak but tight. Octavia gasped looking down to see Vinyl's hand wrapped around hers.
"Hey Sweet Cheeks." Vinyl whispered faintly causing Octavia to gasp and turn to look down into Vinyl's feverish eyes. Octavia's mouth was open in shock staring at her. Blossom smiled seeing Vinyl conscious.
"Fluttershy!" Blossom yelled out causing the two shamans to jump from their work and turn then gasped to see Octavia staring. Fluttershy ran over in front of Vinyl to see the unicorn's eyes half lidded looking weak and tired.
"I don't believe this." Fluttershy said out loud with shock grabbing her satchel and pull out a tiny scroll of leather and let it roll out revealing old medical instruments used in the war. She found a small flashlight in the roll of instruments. She crawled forward to Vinyl turning her face towards her. With her thumb, Fluttershy opened one of Vinyl’s eyes and shown the light into her eyes. Vinyl squeezed both her eyes shut trying to move away but Fluttershy did her second eye seeing everything was fine.
Octavia was still in shock as she held Vinyl for Fluttershy to examine. Once her examination was complete Fluttershy shook her head with shock of her own.
"This... impossible but..." Fluttershy stuttered in shock.
"It's a miracle!" Octavia whispered hugging Vinyl to her. Vinyl rested her chin on Octavia’s shoulder and closed her eyes smiling. Blossom was heard down the hall screaming for anypony they knew about Vinyl. Octavia sniffed rubbing Vinyl's back.
"I was afraid of losing you," She whispered. Vinyl smiled.
"I thought I was lost too." She whispered back. Suddenly Vinyl felt something coming up and pulled away from Octavia. Fluttershy, who recognized the look, was quick and found a bucket for Vinyl to vomit in.
"Of course," Fluttershy said with a kind smile. "The infection will take everything out of you." Vinyl held on to the bucket until she was done, closing her eyes moaning and rubbing one of her skinny arms up to her face feeling the intense heat.
"What happened to me?" She asked groggily falling back. Octavia caught her before she crashed and then gently with Fluttershy's help lay Vinyl back on her back. Octavia was crying while Fluttershy was smiling.
"It seems that the gods want to keep you around. Get some rest Vinyl Scratch, you'll need it." Vinyl's vision slowly blackened into restful sleep.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Twilight looked up in time to see Daring walk into the room. Twilight turned away. Daring sighed and took a seat on the floor next to Twilight.
"Twilight... I wanted to apologize for my screw up weeks ago. It was wrong of me to bring up something like that for you."
Twilight shrugged. "It's alright... you never knew."
"I know but I'm still sorry all the same. Applejack told me what occurred and I just wanted to say I'm sorry for your loss though it was years past."
Twilight closed her eyes. "Thank you." Daring smiled.
"So," Daring started to be interrupted when Twilight rushed over to hug her tightly. Daring smiled and hugged her back. "I'm glad I still have you as a friend Twilight."
"Friend?" Twilight asked with a smile.
"Well of course, not only are you my assistant but I think we're good friends."
Twilight nodded with a smile. "Yeah,"
The two sat there together staring at the sleeping form of Princess Luna. Daring sighed with awe.
"To think we are sitting by a living breathing piece of history." Twilight smiled.
"Well she's harder to wake mind you." The two chuckled then the two sat in silence until they heard a sound that caused both of them to turn towards each other.
"Did you hear that?" They both asked at once.
"Hey Everypony!" The two turn hearing Blossom running past the room. "Captain Scratch is alive! She's awake!"
"Awake?" The two mares yelped out getting up to run over until Daring turned by chance to look at Twilight but gasped stopping in her tracks. Twilight slammed into the professor causing them to fall over in a heap in the hall.
"Daring? Why did you-?" Twilight sat up rubbing her face looking towards the room and gasped with both fear and awe. Daring shook her head turning and she too gasped.
Princess Luna slowly sat up and with one hand started rubbing her head groaning. Her large eyes open to reveal her blue eyes staring straight at them.
"Twilight?"
"Yes professor?"
"Go get Octavia."