//------------------------------//
// Chapter 7 Talking With Shadows and Masks 
// Story: Wayward Hearts 
// by SilverTopHat 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 7
Talking With Shadows and Masks.

I was numb but not numb. I could feel every bruise on my body but it wasn't nearly as intense as before. My head felt like a rail road spike had been driven into my head, pulsing in the rhythm of my heart. I opened my eyes to a small sterile white room devoid of any color and feeling. The only noise was subdued breathing, it wasn't my own weak raspy joke of breathing but it sounded near. I sat up taking great care of my tender bruises while doing so, and looked around. A white curtain had been drawn around me limiting my view of the room but well within my reach.

I pulled back the curtain to see a pony in a much more miserable condition than I. The story behind how the pony earned its body cast must have been tragic. Wait a second. . .
“Short Stacks?” I asked weakly my throat felt like it was cleaned with sandpaper! The pony looked at me and stared at me. “Erm. . .” I stammered, why did I think it could respond? The creature is in a body cast. “One blink for yes, two blinks for no,” I stated patiently. “are you Short Stacks?” The pony blinked once. A smile crossed my face as I made a mental high five with myself. “I'm friends with Trixie and Sapphire,” I explained. Recognition sparked in his eye then he tried to adjust himself to get a better look at me. “I come with some good news.” I said encouragingly. “Sapphire is fine, Trixie too but that's not the great part. Do you remember Courage's Folly?” When I asked him he seemed to get a little frightened momentarily lost in thought. “Hey, hey. Don't lose me now.” I waved at him trying to get his attention. “Trixie and I went there the other day. We found the fort and we destroyed the things that did this to you.” I said triumphantly. A sigh escaped from Short Stacks then he arched an eyebrow at me and looked me over. “I'm Michael, a human. Summoned by,” I composed myself and tried to mimic Trixie's voice. “The Great and Powerful Trixie.”

I shook my head chiding myself for the sudden outburst. I rubbed my head and felt bandaging around it. A nurse pony stepped into the room with a pushcart of oddly colored cylinders. The pony looked at me and blinked a few times.
“Hello.” I said after a few moments of silence. I pulled the blanket off to check my leg to see it properly bandaged, I prodded it experimentally for pain. 
“Hello,” The nurse pony responded curtly if not surprised and tended to Short Stacks' medical needs. Strangely enough my leg didn't hurt that much so I decided to put some weight on it. I gripped the side of my bed and hauled myself to my feet. Well my leg didn't hurt but the rail road spike exploded in my head threatening to split it wide open. My vision blurred as I crashed back down onto the bed.
“I wouldn't suggest doing that again,” The nurse said condescendingly. “You've suffered a concussion.” I gave a thumbs up while holding my head.
“Hell of a way of finding the hospital. . .” I growled at myself.
“Pardon?” The nurse inquired sharply. While talking for extended periods was the last thing I wanted to do but Short Stacks probably wanted an explanation.
“The reason I came to this town was to visit Short Stacks here. But I got hit by a small orange pony on a scooter and landed as a patient instead of a visitor.” I explained going slowly so my head didn't explode. The nurse clicked her tongue sharply.
“I knew she would wind up hitting somepony with that thing.” She said with a bored sigh while leaving the room finished with her duties.

“A ray of sunshine isn't she?” I asked. The spike shrinking back down to a manageable size. Short Stacks made a sound I wasn't sure if he was coughing for laughing, I sincerely hoped it was laughing at least. 
“Awake at last are we?” A cheery voice announced. I looked up to see a brown unicorn in hospital scrubs trot right in. “Gave ponies in town quite a fright you know.” He chuckled to himself checking a few machines hidden behind Short Stacks curtain. “Good news Mr. Stacks, you're recovering very nicely. We should be able to get you out of that body cast in a few more months. Now for you,” Short Stacks made a happy sort of sound but the unicorn turned his attention to me with a calming smile.
“Is there anyone you know that we can contact for your condition.” he asked simply.
“Sapphire Hoof, I suppose.” I responded.
“Ah yes the budding artist,” He nodded. “We have had some difficulty retrieving your belongings, that large knife? Where did you get it.”
“From Courage's Folly.” When I finished the sentence Short Stacks seemed to panic a little bit sounding a bit like “You took what!?” the unicorn however seemed less than amused.
“What are you.” He asked bluntly.
“Human.” I responded with equal bluntness. The unicorn seemed to chew on this for a while not sure whether to believe me or not.
“Yes, well there is still the matter of medical procedure.” He stated before he drone on. I swear his mouth was moving and I was listening but he kept spitting out the technicalities at me then translating them. So in a nutshell since this guy wasn't going to shut up anytime soon: We'll take care of the paper work since you aren't a pony BUT since you aren't there is a small fee to pay: a hundred-fifty bits.

I wish I could pull the spike out of my poor head and beat the crud out of the guy who invented tedious paper work.
“There is a small problem with that,” I said after the information puking was done. “I don't have any money to pay you with.” I expected the unicorn to explode and a whole mess of unpleasant things to happen to me but it didn't.
“There's always a time when you're down on your luck. Don't worry, we have payment plans.” He said gently and informed me of the several payment plans I could choose from.

One informational puking later I picked one that boiled down to: get a job within thirty days and send a letter when you think you might have the money. Great! Lost in a magical world full of mystery and wonder, while waist deep in debt! I was led out of the hospital with all of my belongings returned to me. Apparently nothing bad happened when unicorns picked up my sword with their magic. Good, whatever Sombra did to the blade had been undone. And my clothes rips and tears had been somewhat repaired.

I had said my goodbyes to Short Stacks and wished him a swift recovery before taking my leave of the hospital. The doctor gave me some basic instructions before I left: don't do anything strenuous, remember to drink fluids, eat all your greens, fresh air. He also gave me a list of the instructions if I forgot. Tch, too bad I couldn't read it but accepted it anyway. The trio of ponies had been waiting near the door with a rather large, angry red stallion with straw colored mane which had been trimmed short and a yoke around his neck. He easily towered over the rest of the ponies here enough to look me in the eye without craning his neck. This must be Big Mac that made me black out on the ground, the very thought brought back real pain.

The orange pony stepped forward with its head hung low in shame not daring to look me in the eye.
“I'm really sorry I hit you with my scooter. Is there anything we can do to make up for it.” The orange pony said while dragging its hoof drawing a circle in the dirt. 
“Nah, not really. Unless you know of a place that's hiring?” I asked nonchalantly. The trio looked at each other for a moment and huddled together to talk about it. Big Mac rolled his eyes and chewed on a bit of straw I hadn't noticed earlier. The light tan one with the red mane poked her head up from the huddle looking me up and down before diving back into the huddle and agreed on something.
“Ya could always try Appaloosa for work. Heard that they always could use a helping hand.” She said with a hopeful tilt to her voice. It was a start but I'll still need to reconnect with Sapphire and tell her about it.
“Thanks, I think I will.” I said with a smile. I looked at the clock tower in town and almost fell down. I had been out for a whole day! It was 8: 47 now! I better get a move on if I wanted to get back to Sapphires cottage before night! “Sorry I got to go!” I quickly said to the ponies and started to limp toward the edge of town. The sheathe I had made for the sword had been wrecked so I had to carry it in hand now. My stomach grumbled loudly all of a sudden and I haven't even took ten steps from the hospital! Already my day has just been terrible anyway you look at it.

“Not true!” I argued with myself. “We found Short Stacks and told him the good news.” 
“Yeah, we got a cot right next to him! AS A PATIENT!” I grumbled fearsomely back.
“Still found him.” I shot back patiently despite my angry rebuttal. I got to the edge of town leaving some confused ponies behind. “Ohhh, Sapphire is probably wondering what on earth happened to me!” I grumbled at the rolling hills outside of town.
“Check the mountain to see if your going the right way and why do you think you NEED to report back to her?” I asked myself. I briefly looked at the mountain and the castle was angled in the correct direction. Phew, at least I didn't take the wrong ro- wait. I stopped to get a better look at the castle. The bubble was gone, along with the cloud too. 

“Whatever.” I grumbled out loud as I reached the peak of a small hill and looked to the forest the road led into. Already visions of attack crept at the edges of my mind. I took a deep breath steeling myself for the walk.
“You should probably find a place to sleep and continue in the morning.” I tried to reason.
“Shut up.” I spoke softly. “I'll keep going until I can't go any further.” 
“But you don't have anyone to watch your health for you! And the doctor said-”
“I know what he said!” I snapped kicking a rock with my good leg. “I know, I'll take it easy.” I whispered to myself.

I stopped at the edge of the forest and had to stop to rest. Sweat ran down my back as my ragged lungs begged for a break. My stomach proved to be the loudest whiner of the bunch growling and snarling like a lion. I found a dead branch tangled in the tree near me that would serve as a walking stick, barely. The walk back was proving to be more difficult than the jog in. The sun was traveling across the sky more quickly than I was walking across these gentle slopes!

Gripping the dead branch I braced myself for a fight to free it from its anchoring. I gave the branch a strong tug and it slid out as if it was slicked with butter! The over estimated tug sent me tumbling backwards onto the road. I used the branch as a crutch and found I was making better time when I was easing weight off of my pained leg. Alas it wasn't very long until I had to stop and rest again but I got farther than last time.

I watched the skies as I tried to reclaim my breath taking time to admire my surroundings. It was getting later in the day. Of course it was getting later in the day! Why would it get earlier in the day! I sighed and tried to clear my head and figure how much further I still had left to go. I looked around and recognized a few of the trees around and guessed around a third of the way or so. I sighed and decided to rest just a bit longer.

BA-BOOM!!! A thundering boom shook the trees causing a strong guest of wind to rip through the trees and the oddest thing I've ever seen in this world occurred making talking horse seem normal: An explosion made up of shimmery bubblegum pink. The explosion made a perfect circle from the castle and cleared any cloud that dared remain in the sky. Small little black dots were flung about like unwanted dirty socks. I grinned and mocked the mental image of Sapphire Hoof wagging my finger in her face.
“See. They were keeping a secret from you! Why else were they making the wedding so selective!” I explained to the image. The image, of course, made no response or argument to prove me wrong. A whistling sound interrupted my non-existent argument, I looked up in time to see a small black body break through several branches above head and deeper into the woods. An agonized scream had accompanied the projectile the whole way and stopped suddenly.

A new sense of urgency and a familiar anxiety found me rushing through the underbrush. My blade whirled in front of me cutting me a new path to the fallen object. The forest gave way to a clearing where the fallen object had landed. A faint pink mist rising off its form and an even fainter whimper came from the same object.

I gripped my sword tighter and approached the down object scanning the brush for the glowing green eyes of the Timber Wolves. The small object displaced a long streak of dirt stretching for several dozen feet. I could see now that the object was in fact a creature very similar to the other ponies I met before. It resembled much like a horse but with both horn and wings! I knelt down to the creature and pressed my fingers into its throat checking for a pulse.

It was faint or perhaps I was checking the wrong place but underneath the resilient carapace I could feel a pulse. The creature's legs looked like Swiss cheese with all the holes in it. Its hair was  mossy green and lanky coming down only to its shoulders but what alarmed me the most was the fangs protruding from its mouth! What manner of creature other than snakes and spiders needed fangs! And the wings! The wings were in horrid condition! The wings, upon further examination, resembled an insects wings despite the shredded and perforated appearance. 

What did they say in first aid to do with an unconscious person? Don't move them and keep their head elevated? Now I wish I had payed a little closer attention to that class! I pulled the strange creature out of the dirt just enough to put my food pack under it's head. The pink mist stung at my eyes making it hard to check if the creature had any wounds I could help with. Frustration burned in my mind as I sat there and felt incapable of helping this creature and if I go to get help it would probably get eaten by the local wildlife!

My stomach growled and I face palmed for my forgetfulness.
“Why didn't I remember that I had food on me?” I grumbled taking out a couple of apples from the sack being careful of the creature resting on it.
“Because you wanted to report to Sapphire so badly?” I responded.
“Shut up.” I grumbled with less energy biting into the small assortment of apples. I would have to protect this creature until it wakes up. Even Trixie would laud me for this act of kindness! The creature was at least breathing steadily.
“For now.” I thought grimly.

To pass the time and to strengthen my leg I practiced with the sword to both test its edge along with my skill. I hacked and slashed at the local trees and underbrush while collecting sticks sturdy enough to form makeshift spears and form a perimeter of sorts. It was slow going but it gave me something to do while I waited. My leg stopped being hurt but moved on to being stiff and achy, small steps to victory right? Clouds raced over head casting temporary shade every now and then. I looked back at my pile of sticks and sat down to make the spears. My arms ached from all the swinging around this sword around which made making the spears extra annoying. The edge was as sharp as ever! But I still needed to put both objects down and rub soreness out of my arms after every five strokes or so.

The darkness crept around me like a cat slinks up on its prey before it pounces. And I still didn't have the perimeter set up! And no way to make fire!! To top things off I still had a large pile of sticks that aren't spears yet!!! I dragged my piles of sticks closer to the creature and continued my work in the rapidly fading light. Paranoia and anxiety began to add to my tension making me super jumpy. Every rustle of the trees sent images of wolves, each shadow a slavering Fear Beast waiting to attack, each twig cracking or any sharp noise sent me to my feet waiting for an attack that, hopefully, won't come.

I dug around in the pack until my hand closed around what felt like a sandwich and bit into it trying to calm my nerves. Petals coated my mouth and stems poked out of the corners! I spat out the bite and strained my eyes in the fading light. Daisies. Sapphire made a sandwich with daisies in it. Why did she think I would like this? Whatever, the bread was sweet and soft filled with smaller grains to which I ate with indifference.

Trying to put the sticks in the ground was proving to be harder than I thought. Every time I put one in the dirt it would fall over! It would help if night hadn't already fallen. I got all the sticks sharp but trying to dig in the dark without any form of shovel was just plain miserable. I stepped back and viewed my handiwork, it is exactly as it looked like: garbage. The moon peeked out from behind the clouds to illuminate the small meadow with its dim glow. I shivered in the cool night air and wished I had a blanket or something. I looked over to the creature and put a hand on it, sure enough the creature's carapace was cold and shivering. A survival tip I had read in an outdoor survival guide for cold temperature was to group together to deal with a colder climate. I crawled into the mini-crater and maneuvered myself so I could share heat with it. A sinister thought slithered into the forefront of my mind.

“Fangs are found on carnivores fool! If it wakes up before you it will eat you.” I placed the blade near me so I could reach it easily and tried to fall asleep. Worry began to crowd my mind while thoughts of being eaten alive by the creature I was trying to save making sleep VERY difficult to grasp. I fell into a half-sleep half-awake state some would call a trance like how a cat is “asleep” but alert. 





The creature began to stretch and tense causing me to wake up and look straight into the wide mint green eyes of the creature. What interested me was that it had no pupil, its eye just varied from shades of green. The most intense green was in the center to which it faded in brilliance the further you went from the center. The creature opened up its mouth just enough to show the rest of its teeth which turned out to be flat. The creature hissed weakly at me and tried to push itself away from me.
“S-stay away from me!” A voice which seemed to be echoing but keeping up with the first sound even then the voice sounded female hissed at me. Then it sprung forward to try and bite me! My hand shot out and grabbed her by the throat while my other hand held down her hooves. The lower legs flailed uselessly trying to kick me but didn't have the strength to. 
“Stop! I'm trying to help you!” I forcefully said while trying restrain but not hurt the squirming creature. Her eyes held not fear but defiance as she spat in my face and said.
“Nopony helps a changeling! Not after today.” Baring her teeth at me and hissing.
“Listen, I don't know what a “changeling” is but you've been knocked out for a whole day. Let's calm down now.” I explained while she still hissed at me at me. “I'm going to let go and take a few steps back, OK?” Her lips still curled into a snarl but stopped hissing at me at least. I  loosed my grasp on her throat and retreated back to my blade picking it up.

When I turned around the creature was struggling to her hooves and tried buzzing her wings. She howled out in pain collapsing as some of her wings disintegrate making it half the size it used to be. A soft stifled whimpering escaped the injured creature then it steeled itself and stared at me with loathing.
“Go on. Finish it.” She snarled accepting defeat.
“Why? I see a changeling which needs medical aid. That's what I see.” I said confused with the whole deal.
“What are you!?” The changeling sneered at me.
“OK, OK lets start with introductions. My name is Michael, a human. Who are you?” I responded calmly sitting down across from her.
“Why should I tell you who I am!” Her eerie voice erupted at me. “For all I know you're an illusion to disguise yourself to lull me into lowering my defense! Humans are a myth.” She added with contempt.
“Good points all around except for one.” I chuckled enjoying the odd sound of her voice. The changeling sat up confused and somewhat irate. I lifted one finger to emphasize my one point. “If I was going to kill you, why didn't I just do it while you were unconscious?” The changeling just glared at me and mulled it over for a bit.
“Then what are you going to do?” The changeling asked a little more calm now.
“First I know this wonderful pony which is-”
“No,” She interrupted looking cross.
“-a wonderful healer which-” I continued regardless.
“No.” She repeated more firmly.
“-can help you regrow your wings I think.”
“NO!” She shouted at me.
“Why.” I demanded. “Why shouldn't I take you to somepony who can help!”

Her horn glowed green weakly and she took a few steps toward me cooing a bit.
“I don't want to go into any town, into any house but I do want you to sit here until I come back.” She said gently. My head began to feel a little fogy and just a little numb, was she using magic on me?
“When do you think you'll come back? Or are you just trying to ditch me?” I argued trying to wake myself up. “There are animals out there and maybe other ponies out there looking for that “Shooting Star” that landed in the woods.” I continued. The changeling's face changed from confidant to angry as her horn glowed brighter.
“I'm going to leave and you will NOT follow.” She commanded intensely. The fog came on thicker making me want to obey her without question.
“So why are you called a changeling?” I said struggling not to succumb to the magic. “Because you mind control everyone so that,” I staggered to my feet. “everyone does exactly what you say but in the end: you're the only one alone!” I snarled the last bit. The fog lifted suddenly and I was myself again standing before the changeling with tears in her eyes.
“What would you know about anything!” The changeling screeched at me and lunged suddenly kicking and thrusting her horn at me. “I have to feed off of love you idiot! I have to pretend I'm somepony else just to live in a house! I have to lie to somepony that I love them just to have a full belly!” She ranted at me pushing me back until I tripped over the lip of the mini-crater to which she pounced on me. The agony in her eyes was almost unbearable to look at and the horn sailing down at me looked just as painful.

I grabbed her head leaving the horn scant inches away from me. The changelings legs wobbled dangerously and yet she fought on kicking and bucking me.
“And now I don't even have a home! Nor a queen to follow! Or anypony!” Her attacks were weakening with every blow until she just merely collapsed into a crying mess. “That's why,” She wept. “You have to kill me. Because I will be hunted by everypony out there. And the punishment is exile,” She wept some more and recovered her breath. “To which I will starve to death! So please,” She sobbed laying her head down in defeat. “just make it quick.”

“To hell with that plan.” I snarled sliding her off my bruised body. 
“Now don't do anything strenuous for a few weeks.” The doctors voice chimed in. “I won't kill you. If anything I'll defend you! You're hurt and in need of help, well I'll help!” A kernel of anger burned within me. “I've lost people too! I've lost my entire family because I got summoned by a desperate wizard in a desperate attempt at fame and glory! I don't even know where I am!” I fumed at the small tired creature. “And if we want to get picky about diets! I love eating the flesh of animals!” I snapped loving the feel of getting this out and in the open. “Those who purposely seek death are weak and should be pitied! Suicide is the greatest insult to me! Prove to me you're stronger than that and continue to live!!” I knelt down so I could look her in the eye. “I'm a stranger to this world and you're an outcast.” I spoke gently. “Why would you want to walk this world alone? Now I'll ask again: what's your name?”

The changeling looked at me with wide eyes and seemed to gauge if I was telling the truth.
“Glitterlamp.” She spoke clearly but softly after a while.
“Glitterlamp,” I said as if confirming her name. “can you really change into somepony else? Because we are going into a town to get help.” I stated firmly. Glitterlamp squeezed her eyes shut and a bright green fire wrapped around her body starting from her middle spreading outward. Where ever the fire touched it had changed the appearance until a dull orange mare without wings or horn with wild yellow curls surrounding her head sat before me.
“I can tell you right now,” The eerie tinge to her voice was gone but was replaced by a mellow purr. “The “town” better not be very far because I feel like threshed wheat.”

“No idea,” I admitted but crouched down with my back to her. “But I'll carry if you can't walk anymore.” Glitterlamp snorted and sneered at me.
“I'm not broken.” Even without her eerie voice she still could sound just as mean.
“Whatever you say.” I responded retrieving my walking stick.
“Why are all these sticks here like this?” Glitterlamp asked eying the thrown together perimeter with curiosity. Only a few of the spears had stayed up the rest had fallen over. I grimaced at this sight and felt embarrassed at even thinking it would hold up for long.
“A failed safety measure. Nothing more.” I answered offhandedly. “C'mon the road is back this way.” I called to Glitterlamp.

The birds were out in force this morning singing their little hearts out. Not in just random chippings but they seem to be in, a chorus? The song was pleasant and cheery but when I looked over to Glitterlamp she hung her head and sneered a little bit. She caught my eye and growled.
“This is their wedding song. The song of our downfall.” She explained angrily. I tried to look upset by the song now but it was simply way too cheery to actually keep sneering at. The walk was rather slow going between the two of us. Even so, Glitterlamp had to wait for me to catch up more times than I had to wait for her. 
“So where did you get that thing? I've never seen anything quite like it.” Glitterlamp asked gesturing to the sword.
“Supposedly it's King Sombra's sword. He used it to strike fear into the hearts of his subjects. And predictably a rebellion happened and he fell in power, or so a journal said.” I explained brandishing the sword for Glitterlamp to see.
“Sombra? He's a myth used to keep little changelings from staying up late.” Glitterlamp said with curiosity. “So he is real.”
“Real but not important. He's no longer in power and perhaps not even alive anymore.” I stated.
“I would hope not!” Glitterlamp laughed at me. “He would have to be over a thousand years old!”
“Truly?” I asked arching an eyebrow. Glitterlamp only nodded her head in response.

We only just arrived at the roadside and while Glitterlamp showed fortitude and health some thirty yards back  she now could barely stand and demanded a break.
“Already? We just got started,” I stated. “Are you sure you're OK?” I asked skeptic of her condition. At first she couldn't respond just trying to breathe took most of her concentration.
“I'll be fine,” Glitterlamp wheezed. “That crash wasn't that bad.” She insisted out of breath.
“She's limping pretty badly and breathing hard.” I noted to myself.
“I know.” I responded.
“You know, what?” Glitterlamp asked looking up to me with an arched eyebrow. I blushed a little bit and stammered.
“D-did I say that out loud?” I asked and Glitterlamp nodded patiently. “I talk myself sometimes. I was just noticing you're more injured than what you show.” Glitterlamp like she couldn't decide if she should be angry or confused.
“You,” Glitterlamp said slowly. “Talk to yourself?” she looked at me as if I told her water was actually dry.
“Or argue.” I added without meaning to. I mentally kicked myself so hard my leg started to hurt again.
“So,” she was trying to conceal a laugh in her voice but her eyes gave it away. “You're crazy?”
“No, just different.” I retorted bitterly. “I've been called that enough by my own kind. I don't need it from you too.” A silence hung between us now like a thick wool curtain. I dug around in my food pack and to my growing displeasure was empty.
“Ready to go yet?” I asked tense now.
“Not yet. I'm still catching my breath.” Glitterlamp responded curtly then curiously. “So how often do you talk to yourself. What do you your friends think of it?” she asked.
“Friends?” I scoffed. “I didn't have many human friends to begin with and the ones I did have, they were only people I saw everyday at school. Even then I found the best company was with myself.” I said bitterly. Why was she asking about this! Didn't she see that I didn't want to talk about it! And yet, I felt compelled to tell her about my problems like to prove to her I was just as strong as she was.
“I have Trixie and Sapphire Hoof, the healer I mentioned, as friends. Although Trixie sees me as her servant and Sapphire is scared of what she sees in my eyes,” I chuckled pessimally and rubbed my eyes as if to wipe them clean. “You probably don't see me any differently. But that's fine, it doesn't make any difference.”
“Your homeland doesn't sound very cheerful to me.” Glitterlamp commented while getting up.
“Hey! This place is far from perfect too!” I said defensively. The forests silence only added to the curtain as we made our way down the road stopping frequently to catch our breath. The wind whispering gently through the trees was the only sound to be heard. The trees grew more predictably dense and I figured we were probably half way there. At least my leg is starting to feel better enough to stop using this stick but something was off; and it wasn't the sour mood that hung around me like fog.

“Yes it is, listen!” I demanded. 
“OK, maybe Glitterlamp is right.” I thought worriedly.
The silence crashed against me like a wave would crash upon the rocky shore, when did all the birds stop signing! My heart was pounding fiercely but I thought that was my body recovering from the hospital. I was tense that much I was certain but the only time I felt this tense was. . .
“Glitterlamp.”  I started with my eyes widening from what I saw, Why couldn't I have shut up sooner!
“Finally jumping off the rocker are we? Seriously now.” She answered annoyed.
“You can't run, can you?” I asked standing a bit straighter curling my lips into a snarl.
“No, I still feel like threshed wheat- hey whats wrong with you?” she responded.
“You know how to fight?” I asked urgency evident in my voice. Glitterlamp eyed me worriedly as I drew the sword up to fight.
“Only enough to disable and run.” She informed me with a threatening edge. “And I will bring you down-”
“NO!” I snapped. “It's just,” I explained while not breaking eye contact. “There's just a bunch of glowing green eyes.”