Cessily couldn't believe it, it was too good to be true. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she was in no pain. She had been more than a bit skeptical when Steady Hoof claimed there were few, if any, natural diseases that one of the Unicorn specialists in Canterlot General couldn't cure. Cessily had never been so happy to be proven wrong. As she lay on the hospital bed she remembered how naive she thought the Pegasus doctor had been at first. Steady Hoof had opened up a correspondence with one of her colleagues in Canterlot and managed to spark the Unicorn mare's interest. Cessily's fibromyalgia had plagued her with borderline debilitating pain since she was in her teens. On Earth there was no cure and she had resigned herself to the constant pain until the day she died. The Unicorn specialist, one Shimmer Spark, had taken a keen interest in Cessily's condition and had volunteered to come to New Humansville to see the disease for herself.
Upon arrival, Shimmer Spark had gone straight to the New Humansville Hospital and met Cessily and Steady Hoof. The Unicorn mare had wasted no time in starting her scans of Cessily to determine exactly how fibromyalgia worked and once she knew she nearly broke down in tears at the agonizing pain Cessily had learned to live with. She began performing studies and doing research, as much as possible in a town with no functioning library. She also asked for three other Human volunteers to allow her to scan them so as to compare and contrast the results against. Volunteers were not hard to come by. Leo, Kaneesha, and Bobby all volunteered for the clinical testing. Shimmer Spark was a savant at scans and the inner workings of the brain. After two weeks and three days she had a possible cause and thereby a possible solution, but she needed the Arch Magister's permission and help in order to verify her findings.
Catalyst was of course willing to help. The two Unicorns linked their magic under Shimmer Spark's guidance and Cessily finally had her answer for 'why' she had fibromyalgia. According to Shimmer Spark, Cessily's fibromyalgia was caused by a chemical imbalance which made the pain receptors in her brain constantly fire, thus the source of the pain. Shimmer Spark then had to consult with Catalyst and wait for permission from the Arch Magister in order to attempt a brand new procedure which would correct the imbalance and cure Cessily. Catalyst approved and Shimmer Spark began prepping.
Cessily, concerned about what might happen to her, inquired to Catalyst on what Shimmer Spark would be doing exactly. As Catalyst explained, Shimmer Spark was going to use a malleable spell that she could alter as needed when she Delved Cessily's body. According to Catalyst it was a procedure similar to the Delving spell used to read somebody's magerium except it allowed for internal alteration of the body. It was a very tightly controlled spell and for any Unicorn to use it they had to fill out permission reams of paperwork. Catalyst also threw in that, until a week prior, only mares had ever been taught the spell because stallions couldn't be specialists or surgeons.
Shimmer Spark finished the paperwork and Cessily filled out the permission forms. Cessily was placed under anesthesia for five hours while Shimmer Spark worked under the watch of Arch Magister Catalyst. Thus it was that the displaced mother of two awoke with no pain for the first time in her memory.
Cessily blinked groggily and tried to raise her hands to rub her eyes. Her limbs refused to cooperate with her demands.
A gentle hoof pressed against her right arm,
"Rest easy Mrs. Richardson. Do you think you can speak?"
Cessily blinked slowly as her brain processed the question,
"Ye... yes... I can."
Shimmer Spark nodded and removed her hoof,
"I'm very glad to hear that. Now can you feel your body? Can you feel any pain or discomfort?"
Cessily shook her head in small motions,
"No pain yet. Been 'under' before, takes a while to feel right again."
Shimmer Spark smiled down at her,
"I did my very best to fix everything. I hope I succeeded. You have a message waiting when you wake up all the way. It's from the Princesses."
* * *
Twilight, Razor Wit, Oriana, and Artex entered the throne room with nary a knock, they were expected anyway. Celestia, Luna, Shining Armor, and Cadence were already there talking among themselves. There were two other Ponies in the throne room also: a Pegasus and an Earth Pony, both mares. The Pegasus was bright yellow with midnight blue mane and tail and the Earth Pony was eraser pink with a mane and tail of spun gold. Both of the non-royal Ponies were seated behind writing desks waiting patiently for something. Artex guessed they were there to take notes on how to deal with Human child care.
Twilight trotted right up to the other three Alicorns without breaking stride. Cadence saw her coming and turned to meet her. Artex watched in puzzlement as the two performed some sort of greeting dance and shook their flanks at the end. His eyebrows could not have been any higher and his lopsided grin could not have eaten any more shit if it tried. Razor and Oriana exchanged a curious look as they followed Artex up to the gathering.
Cadence' face went from joyful to more than a little saddened as she spotted the three members of the Emissary staff,
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice. I'm sorry that the second time we meet isn't under more positive circumstances. Cases like this break my heart."
Artex waved her comment off,
"Don't spare it a second thought. If anything, we should be happy that some little one is going to a home where he or she will be wanted and cared for. Back on Earth there are thousands who are not so fortunate."
Artex regretted his words immediately. Cadence' ears flattened flat back against her skull and her eyes bulged as her lower lip quivered like an earthquake. She looked as if she were about to burst into tears and the sight was physically painful for Artex.
Shining Armor placed a comforting hoof around his wife and pulled her close,
"Let's just focus on the ones we can help now. There's nothing we can do about the others."
Cadence graced her husband with a small smile and a faint nod,
"You're right... for once." she finished almost playfully.
Shining Armor played it well,
"Heh, even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while."
Artex almost choked,
"What!?" he asked loudly, "Say that again!"
Shining Armor shot him a confused look,
"Um, even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while?"
Artex almost had to pick his jaw up off the floor,
"Well I'll be damned."
Razor took a hesitant step toward him,
"What do you mean?"
"I've only ever heard that as a Human saying." Artex said.
Oriana didn't seen to understand,
"And that is relevant because...?"
Razor filled in the blank,
"Because Artex frequently uses phrases and idioms of speech that make no sense to us. Apparently one had found its way across the cultures somehow."
Celestia giggled at the statement but Luna was nonplussed,
"Indeed, let us resume our original purpose here. There is a little life that needs to go to a good home and it falls to us to find that home."
Celestia straightened up,
"Well spoken sister, you are correct, let's get going. Obviously this is something that has happened before and unfortunately will happen again. What makes this case special is that this is the first case where it is an infant being given up for adoption prior to birth. Human babies require a great deal of care, care which is much more intensive than is required for a foal. Also Humans have only recently been revealed to exist and New Humansville is not yet accessible to the general public. Humans have become something of a fad among the Ponies of Canterlot and I am concerned that if we open up the information about the adoption to the general public as normal that the baby may end up in a home environment with Ponies who may not see the baby as a little being but merely a status symbol."
"I agree." Artex said loudly, "That's a good point and I'm glad somebody else sees it too. I have always detested the rich and posh for their socialite mentality and vaunted status. They make me sick and if that child ended up being somepony's status symbol or even worse, pet, that would constitute a failure of the highest caliber! I motion that the baby only be available to be adopted by residents of New Humansville. As a Human being, this baby should be free to know its heritage and culture and not have to grow up as a social pariah because they're different from all the Ponies around them. School age children are vicious and take any and every chance to ostracize and torment their schoolmates at the slightest provocation. Why would we invite that kind of unnecessary heartache onto an innocent child. No school marm would have any idea about the appropriate age at which to begin a Human child's education, nor would the adoptive parents. Now don't get me wrong here, I'm not being racist. I don't much care whether or not it's a Kavim family who adopt the baby, but at least if they live in New Humansville they will have access to those who know what to do and how to do it. Any other place would be inviting and all but planning for a disaster. New Humansville is currently the only locale that is suited for raising a Human child. Any other place is unacceptable."
Razor nodded, 'He began the dispute quickly. Very well Artex. You promote the Human side, I promote the Kavim side, and the Princesses decide.'
Razor cleared her throat as all eyes turned toward her,
"I disagree." she began quickly, "How can we expect Humans and Kavim to merge in any sort of cohesive society if we segregate them? New Humansville is only a single town, yet all of Equestria has now heard of Humans. Why have they not seen any yet? Because the Humans aren't ready yet? No. Because the Princesses are trying to keep them as a secret weapon? No. Because the Humans don't want to be around Ponies? Yes, at least in the mindset of society. What the populace is going to see is only another way to keep Humans and Ponies separated and distant. It is going to create a gap between our two peoples, larger than there already is. You say New Humansville is the only good place to have the baby raised. I say it is the only bad place to do so. This is an opportunity to spread around the new culture, to have Ponies see the similarities instead of the differences. So far the only things they know about Humans are what Artex and the Princesses have said. Coming from a mare who has gotten to know a Human personally I can safely say that what they 'know' is nothing when compared to the reality. This is a chance, it's a chance for Ponies to know and learn and to see that our two peoples can coexist peacefully. This is the basis and fundamental ideology behind The Unity Pact and I believe we would be doing a disservice to all those who have worked and died for us to coexist."
Artex squared his shoulders,
"Why then should we deny the opportunity of adoption from those who have already made strides in that direction? The truth of the matter is that this is simply too fast. Not a single Pony out beyond the borders of New Humansville has the capacity to care for this child. I for one do not wish to take the risk that some well-meaning parent will accidentally give the child the mushed up petals of a flower that is normal baby food for foals only to end up poisoning the Human baby to death. We aren't simply talking about a social experiment or spreading knowledge, we are talking about a living, breathing, thinking being. This is a child." he turned toward Oriana, "Would you want your foal given to Diamond Dogs who end up accidentally feeding him or her ground up meat?"
Oriana turned pale and seemed ready to throw up, Artex used the silence,
"This is the basis for my argument: it is an unhealthy, dangerous, and irresponsible gamble to entrust a child to any parent who has no idea how to care for it. Newborn babies need milk, is Kavim milk toxic to Human infants? Who knows? There are too many variables here, it is just too risky."
Razor began to pace,
"We have a woman who has raised two Human boys from infancy. She is coming here to explain what is and is not healthy for Human babies. It seems to me that our Human mother should have no difficulty explaining how to care for a Human baby. If the adoptive family can follow simple instructions, I see no reason why the child cannot be adopted by a family outside of New Humansville."
"How about broken bones and death." Artex said quickly, "We all know that Ponies are magnitudes stronger than Humans. What if the child is misbehaving and one of the parents goes to 'lightly' smack it on the back of the hand and ends up accidentally shattering every bone in the hand. On the playground, kids rough house and push and shove. A simple playful shove from an Earth Pony foal would send the child rolling like a rag-doll in a tornado. What if there is a bully in the child's school who decides, in adolescent ignorance, to punch the child in the head and ends up killing him or her? What about necessary doctor visits? I don't think most, if any, Kavim doctors are fit or prepared to medically care for a Human child and all the check-ups they require. In New Humansville these same issues wouldn't BE issues. There is already an established awareness and medical facilities suited to the care of Humans. These are serious issues and in closing, I believe the matters of health of the child obviously take precedence over any social benefits that could be exacted from placing the child in any home outside of New Humansville."
"Artex brings up valid concerns. I would like to close and counter that if not now, then when? Yes, hospitals and their staff generally don't know about how to care for Humans. This is the perfect time to broaden their horizons. Eventually Humans will be free and likely want to live in other towns and cities than New Humansville. They will need the kinds of knowledge and support that, as Artex has pointed out, is lacking. We need to spread awareness and knowledge beyond the pamphlets Twilight, Artex, and I are working on. We need to take the initiative and prepare for the eventuality of cohabitation within cities. This is our responsibility and we have an obligation to both Ponies and Humans to do this. What I'm suggesting will benefit everybody. We cannot be held back by fear of the unknown, we make no progress. We must move forward and this is the best opportunity we could hope for."
With their positions argued out, Artex and Razor waited while the Princesses began their quiet discussion. The sides had been presented, now it was up to the Alicorns.