//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: All Around Me // Story: Eclipse // by TheNomad //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle was pacing and forth in front of her friends; just out side the E.R. in the waiting room. They all had different looks of worry. Alas Twilight's pacing was only making them worry more. Applejack's hat was covering her face as she she she as slumped in a chair. Fluttershy was sitting down in a chair while Rainbow Dash was trying to reassure her that everything was fine. Pinkie Pie's mane was straight and face looked much like how a puppy's would after someone kicked it. Finally Rarity was trying to calm Twilight. "Twilight, please sit down! Your going to wear through the floor at this rate." Rarity's concerns were met with more pacing. "Twilight please!" She started "You're to scaring Fluttershy." She finished in a tone barely above a whisper. Twilight stopped her pacing to look at her friends. Her eyes scanned over her friends. "I-I'm sorry it's just... It's just she we tried to first lift her. The scr-" Her body shivered "Her Scream... It's just that scream. Rarity do you know how much pain she would have been in for her to be in? That mare... That mare in there is- was in an amount of pain I couldn't even start to imagine!" Tears began to form at the edges of her eyes. "Darling." Rarity walked over to Twilight wrapping a single hoof around her friends back. "She is going to be fine. I can feel it in my heart." she soothed. At that moment Doctor Horse walked through the E.R. doors. His light brown mane was a mess, his dark cyan eyes were sad. As well his cream caramel coat had a few droplets of blood on it. All eyes were on him. Apple Jack spoke up, her hat no longer hiding her face. "Doc, is she alright?" He just adjusted his glasses his sad look not leaving his face."I have some good news and some bad new." "Ah asked if that mare was okay?!" Apple Jack almost yelled. The doctor's face or tone didn't change. "Well Miss Jack that is the good news." "And the bad?" Rainbow Dash cut in. "Well you see Miss Dash it seems our new friend here was on the brink of death..." "Oh my..." Fluttershy whimpered. "She has suffered minor asphyxiation from drowning, as well it seems her wings are also suffering from severe exhaustion." "Ah already know she was drowning! Whats this as-fik-c-ate-shon?" "AJ it means, 'lack of oxygen'." Twilight said. "Oh..." Apple Jack looked back at the stallion "But why are her wings messed up Doc?" "For the same reason your legs get tired. She over worked them." "But Doctor that doesn't make any sense." "Why not Miss Sparkle?" "No, the wings and drowning part both make sense. I mean why do you have blood on your coat!" "Blood?" He ask in confusion as he looked at his coat. "Oh this? Well when we were sedating her she had a strange reaction to my magic and went into a coughing fit. We just had to use a syringe that is all. Nothing to worry about." "So she'll be okay?" Pinkie Pie asked hopefully. "Yes Miss Pie, she will be fine." He said with a bitter sweet smile. Pinkie pit jumped up with a "YIPPEE!" and with that her straight mane went back to it's wild curls with a poof. "So does that mean I can throw her a 'Get Well Soon Party'?" "She has ta be up fer it first, Pinkie." Apple Jack said. Pinkie expression fell at her friends words. "It'll give you more time to plain it though, and I'm sure she'll love it, darling." Rarity reassured her friend. "But the party will have to wait until I have a few words with Miss Sparkle." Doctor Horse stated. "Okay." She responded calmly. "In private." A chorus of "Oh"s and "Ah"s were heard as the Doctor led Twilight out of the waiting room and into a patient's room. The room had to beds like most other rooms, one bed just out of Twilight's view to a privacy curtain. The doctor levitated over to chairs and motioned for her to sit down. Sitting down, Twilight asked "So Doctor what did you want to talk about?" "Miss Sparkle do you know how Salt Water Taffy is made?" "What does this ha-" She was cut off. "Please... Just answer the question." Twilight pinched the bridge of her nose and waved her other hoof saying. "I have an idea." "Well that makes this easier. You would be surprise how many ponies don't know how Salt Water Taffy is made." The Doctor said. "And once again, I must say What does this ha-" She was once again cut off. "Oh sorry, I got off track. Well you know how the Taffy is pulled spun then squished back together. Every once in a while they might add something new, like dyes or extra sugar; rinse and repeat." "Yes, a fairly simple procedure." "Okay, now take that concept and apply it to a pony." "Doctor are you telling me what I think you're telling me?" "Yes indeed it is exactly what I am telling you," He got out of his seat "Somepony took that mare you brought in..." He said walking over to the privacy curtain and opened it. "and made her their science project." The mare that lying there was knocked out, her chest raised and fell under the hospital blanket. Her coat a dull dark blue, and her deep blue mane that had streaks of night sky blue was still soaking wet. Doctor Horse walked over to the sleeping patient and with a tongue depressor opened her mouth. This action revealed two sharp fangs. "Doctor why does she ha-have fangs?" Twilight asked shakily. "Well you are the one that gave her C.P.R. I was hoping you could tell me." "Actually that was Fluttershy..." "Oh okay, but do not worry she is not a vampire." He let out a dry laugh. "The fangs seemed to be made out of metal, more than likely steel. Think of it like when you give a hunting dog steel canines." "Why would ANY pony get steel fangs!?" "She didn't." "What do you mean?" She asked even though she feared she might be right. "I was hoping that maybe I was wrong, but if you look around her 'fangs' you can see a large about of damage, cuts, bruises, and swelling." He lifted her upper lip. "So either she put these in her self or they were put in against her will." "Doctor, who... who would do that?" The doctor turned to Twilight his face and voice taking an unsettling dark tone. "That Miss Sparkle, is exactly what I wish to find out." His face softened as he looked back at the mare. "But back with the Taffy, her body seems to have taken a large amount of abuse and has traces of necro magic. It seems somepony took her apart then put her back together; Chopped off a few things here and there, and added new ones! Here come look at this." He led the other unicorn to the side of the bed, he then lifted the blanket. He grabbed a wing and slowly opened it. "If you look at the base of her wing you can see a large amount of scaring." "Those aren't her own wings?" "Indeed, sadly we will not be able to know if she had wings before or if these are new to her until she wakes up. There is also simpler scaring around things like the ears and her right hind leg." He slowly slid the wing back under the sleeping mare as he talked. "Why can't you just do a spell 'D-" "Miss Sparkle we can not use spells; they might kill her." "What! How?" "You are not a doctor, so I would not expect you to know. You see some times when a patient is in critical condition their body will lash-out at any foreign magic. It just seems her body decided it was better to go with the 'you will not take me alive' rout though." "Her own body was killing her because of your magic." Twilight sat down. "Yes" The Doctors face fell. "If only she was awake." The doctor said opening one of her bright teal eyes. "Then we might just learn how broken she is." "Yeah. I- just- I'm just glad I have and idea why she was in so much pain." "Yes... we should probably let her sleep for now. She has had it far worse than Humpty Dumpty ever did sadly..." And with that he shut her eye, closed the curtain and began walking out the door. "Humpty Dumpty? What does an old foals tale have to do with this?" Twilight asked. "You know the story, 'Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king's knights and all the king's friends, Couldn't put Humpty together again.'" "Yes I know the story." "It is just at least Humpty was put out of his misery, that mare in there will have to suffer through it." "oh... But why does everypony keep calling her that mare? Didn't you find any medical records?" "Yes indeed, We are look for medical records as we speak. But I could not find her on any of our records so far. I fear we may not either, I am also afraid to put out any missing posters." "Why?" "Because what if the monsters that did this knew her?" He said through clenched teeth. "I didn't think of that." "That is why I am going to have nurse Red Heart and a guard on her at all times." "Really? Isn't that a bit much?" "I do not believe it is. Who ever did those things to her put too much time in to their 'project' and will comeback and I will be ready." "Why are you telling me this Doctor?" "Because I know you will do the right thing if anything happens to that mare, you can contact the princess." "I really don't lik-" "Do not worry. I only want you to contact her in the event of an emergency!" And with that the two ponies past through the E.R. doors and back out into the group of five mares. "Twi, I'm no expert but ah'm more than sure that was a tad bit more than a 'few words'." The doctors serous look diapered and was replaced with a 'happy-go-luck' look. "Ah! I am so sorry Miss Jack I just got a little bit carried away." He smiled brightly. "It was just medical talk." "Can we see her?!" Pinkie Pie jumped on, as in she jumped on Doctor Horse hugging him while giving him the biggest puppy dog eyes she could. "We still have some test to run, Miss Pie." "Please?" Pinkie begged "No." The Doctor deadpanned "Pretty Please?" "No." "Pretty pretty Please?" "No." "Pretty pretty pretty Please with a stethoscope on top?" "When she is alright you will be the first to know." "Fine." She grumbled as she hopped of the Doctor. "Will she be alright?" Fluttershy asked "She will be alright, some time and rest is all she needs" Doctor Horse reassured her "and some painkillers" But he said that last part to himself. "Thank you for answering my question.I know you didn't have to so it's really appreciated... With you being busy and all." Fluttershy squeaked. "Now I am positive Miss Pie will tell you the moment I tell her you girls can see your new friend." The Doctor gave a small smile. "Now off with you." On that note the girls made their way out but not before Doctor Horse whispering to Twilight. "Don't forget our deal." And with that he walked back into the hospital, and out of Twilight's view.