Slice
I had to eat the last pony that got in my way.
Do not think me some sort of sadist. I deeply disliked the taste of pony flesh, but eating was necessary. Besides I hadn't needed to swallow very much of it. Meat had more energy in it per pound than grain. And while I loathed the stuff it would take weeks to eat all the jerky I'd packed away. I'd drained the water out magically of course. It hovered above my head as I made my march.
So long as I had enough magic, I would be fine physically. And in this place... This terrible place... My magic was stronger than ever...
I imagined the voices had something to do with that. I was so far away from the nearest soul one would imagine they'd fade, but even at this distance their screams were all I could hear...
The suffering in this place was truly beyond comprehension.
I could not let it claim me. I'd just have to press on. Tirek's cell was still hundreds of miles away. And I couldn't afford to burn all my energy teleporting.
So I kept walking, knowing that if I failed all this suffering would continue.
And my conscience could not allow that.
[center#]Applejack"Look Doc, I don't think you understand what you're getting into here." I cautioned.
I sat down on my couch and raised my mane, showing her a scar on my forehead. "You see this? This is where Queen Chrysalis took a bite out of my skull." I rustled my fur and showed her the ring of scars around my leg. "This is from when a unicorn hyped up on dark magic tried to separate me from my leg with a machete. He nearly pulled it off... Literally."
She eyed the readouts from a surprising array of portable imaging equipment, unimpressed. "I'm well aware of your military record Miss Applejack."
I shook my head. "This ain't about records kid, this is about you not realizing that hanging out with me ain't healthy."
I gestured to the turrets out the window. "This building's a tough nut to crack, sure, but that's because its got a dang target painted on it. Hay, I've got a target painted on me, and if you stick around it won't be long before somepony paints one on you." I shrugged. "Don't think me being ancient says anything about the life expectancy around these parts. I've lost a lot of good people in this job..."
The doctor rolled her eyes. "Miss Applejack, how exactly do you think I paid for medical school?"
I groaned... So she was one of those. "Look," I said, "I get it, anyone with two brain cells can see you did a tour in the guard. Ya probably even saw some shit, but this ain't the same."
She dropped all pretense of looking at her instruments. "I've risked my skin for the sake of Equestria before. How is this not exactly the same?"
Oh these naive little foals... "Kid-"
"I'm Thirty two." She insisted.
I threw up my hooves, "And I just hit two hundred! But that ain't the point. When y'all were working in the guard you could have bit it sure, but here's the thing, when your tour was up, you got to do something magical." I looked out the window, taking in the city skyline... Even after all these years... "You got to go home." I said.
I gestured to the snazzy penthouse surrounding us. "You see this? Seems nice don't it? Well it'll get less nice when you realize you're stuck here. Oh we'll let you quit, but working for me you're going to make enemies, and you're going to get tied up in crap far outside of your job description. Crap nopony should ever have to see."
The doctor's wings were puffed up, but not spread. It was a thing that pegasi did sometimes when they were rustled, but tryin' to keep their cool. "Look Miss Applejack, if you want another doctor I'm sure we can find one, but I'm not sure what I did to provoke such a strong dislike."
I smirked, "You got it all wrong Doc, I like you already."
She blinked. "What?"
I looked her right in the eye. "Y'all ain't backing down from me, and you're not the least bit scared (which is a little foolish mind you, but nopony's perfect). What's more, if Luna picked you I know your record has to have something impressive in it. I like you Lightning Heart. That's why I want you as far away from the likes of me as you can get."
She stared at me for a long moment. I could see the gears turning in her noggin.
"Miss Applejack," She said finally, "are you seeing a therapist?"
Okay, that was not the response I'd expected. "What do you mean?"
She picked up my foreleg for a moment, feeling my pulse. "Miss Applejack... Alright, this is becoming awkward, may I drop the 'Miss'?"
I had enough people in my life who insisted on titles. "Please do."
"Good." She said. "Now, if you're quite done trying to scare me, I have to say you don't sound mentally well."
My jaw dropped. I yanked my hoof back. "What in the hay did you just say?!"
She didn't even flinch. "You've spent most of your life in service to Equestria and obviously in that time you've seen terrible things, but if that has been enough to make you hate your life so much that you wouldn't wish it on anyone... Then you have a serious problem. Equestria has a serious problem." She gave me a level look. "You are an Element of Harmony Applejack, quite frankly if you're screwed up, then the rest us are up a creek." She crossed her forehooves and let her little speech sink in.
...
Now, don't get me wrong, I'd had this conversation before. Usually I'd just tell the damn fool that decided to get in my face to get the hay out of it before I put them in a body cast...
But I kept hearing Twilight's voice... I know you've got some crazy vault inside of you where you keep stuff like that, but there's 200 years of... Old Gods... Military service in there. You need to talk to someone about it...
I bit my lip. She had guts I'll give her that, and I guess someone would have to do her job. Aw to hay with it, what was life without a little risk? "Okay," I said. "Y'all can stick around... I reckon you got a shrink in mind?"
She shook her head. "No, but I can find one."
"You do that..." I let out a breath. "Are y'all done prodding me?"
She nodded. "Up here at least. There's something I'd like to try."
I raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"
#
Applejack
Somehow I hadn't come down here in months.
I hadn't the faintest idea why.
Oh it was louder now. Hay, it was more crowded with little fillies and barking dogs and not so secluded lovers all over the place...
But sweet Celestia my trees...
I leaned up against one, the bark was warm to the touch from the sun pounding down on it. I felt warm, safe... Alive...
Even Lightning taking my pulse wasn't enough to spoil the mood.
She jotted something down in a notebook. I caught a faint smile on her lips. "Your heart rate is down... And your electrical currents have stabilized."
I blinked. "My what now?"
She smirked. "Ah right, somehow you've managed to avoid seeing a pegasus doctor all of these years." She tapped my hoof. "A pony has a variety of electrochemical gradients flowing through them. Lightning has always been the domain of pegasi, so with training we can sense it in other beings."
I raised an eyebrow. "I gotta say, that's a neat trick doc."
She shrugged. "Frankly what your doing is more impressive. Drawing energy from the soil to heal yourself... I don't know how many lives I could have saved with that."
I snorted. "Yeah, it ain't half bad. And the unicorns think they're so high and mighty..."
"That's racist." She said with a smile.
I shrugged. "I am two hundred..."
"That's ageist." she returned.
I rolled my eyes. This was going to be an interesting relationship.