Celestia walked down the quiet hall, taking a final look around before heading home. She then heard a small murmur, just as she came close to room 201. She stopped for another few moments, making sure the words were coherent today, before reaching into her coat pocket. Her fingers wrapped around a small recording device, one of almost half a dozen that her and the other nurses used for this patient.
For others, it would simply look like any patient’s room. Different machinery filled the room, showing the young woman’s vitals, her heartbeat, and anything else that someone may need to know. After working here as long as she had Celestia found herself accustomed to the rhythmic beeps and whirs along with other assorted sounds they produced, especially here. She briefly glanced out of the room, before pulling a chair over to the side of the bed and sitting down. She gazed at the bed’s occupant, a young woman with dark blue hair, cut in a strict line across her bangs, though a single strand had come to rest on her cheek. Celestia chuckled as she brushed it away. “Oh Twilight look at what you’ve managed to do.”
“Princess, I don’t understand. What did I do,” The sleeping woman murmured out as Celestia smiled down at her.
“In the five years that you’ve been here Twilight you’ve come so much farther than any doctor even thought was possible. Survived so much longer than anyone else thought you might. But you have never given up, just like I knew you wouldn’t.” Celestia gently stroked Twilight’s hair. Just like everything else, it had not changed. It warmed her heart if she were honest, every time the girl’s mother would come, just to make sure her hair was how Twilight liked it when she woke up. Just like Celestia, that woman could never give up hope that she would see her daughter awake again.
Twilight’s brow furrowed, and her breaths began to come in much shallower. “Pr-princess, what if I can’t succeed? I’ve done so little.”
Celestia gently hushed the girl, her mind working on how she may calm the poor woman. And then, she began to hum. “You’ve come such a long long way, and I’ve watched you from that very first day. To see how you might dream, to see what you will do, to fix what you’ve been through, and all the ways you’ve made me sad for you…” Celestia quickly brought a hand to her eyes, taking in a deep breath as she tried to steel herself for the last of the lullaby. For her plea. “It’s time now for a new change to come. To go where you will go, to see what you will see, To find what you will be, it’s time to embrace, reality.”
A tear came down Twilight’s face, and Celestia wrapped a hand around Twilight’s. For the next while, she simply listened. Listened to her patient recount her world. Speaking of a pink pony who swung to simulate flight, all while yelling something about alicorns. It hurt, as it always did, but it would not deter Celestia’s dream, and so she would continue to listen.
“Celestia? What are you doing here so late? You were off over an hour ago.”
Celestia turned her head to look at the man in the doorway, who wore a white lab coat. “I’m sorry, Doctor Armor. I just wanted to check on Twilight before I went home.”
Doctor Shining Armor walked into the room, a tablet in his hands “I heard you singing to her, and it was quite beautiful.” He bit into his lip as he quietly stepped over to the girl. “Do you sing to her often?”
“No not too often Doctor. Luna is more likely to be here this time of night, but she had to get re-certified for X-rays, so I needed to cover her shift. However, I know you’re usually busy with other patients, so what brings you here tonight?” Celestia got up and out of her chair, before putting it back against the wall.
“Well, there was an alert at the nurse’s desk that Twilight’s vitals had suddenly suddenly gone up. They wanted me to check as to why.” He handed her a clipboard with a record of the spike. “Has she said anything special to you tonight?”
Celestia shook her head “Other than calling me Princess again, nothing to note.”
Shining Armor rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I just don’t understand how you keep it up. I know we’ve seen her rally sometimes, and you were the first get her to begin speaking, but to keep trying with such dedication for five years…” He shook his head and stood straight again. “You aren’t planning on going anywhere, right?”
“No Doctor I know it’s against policy, but I’ve grown to care for Twilight. She seems to connect me to a mentor type figure from what I can gather from our conversations. Someone she can confide into, and trusts If I can help her I intend to, for I will not disappoint my dear patient. Just as always.”
Shining Armor took a step back as Celestia knelt by the bed. “And for that, I will always be in your debt. Just… make sure not to stay too late. I can only get you so much overtime for her.” He then stepped out of the room, to leave the ‘princess’ and her ‘student’ alone.
“Since you’ve come to this ward Twilight, you have demonstrated time and time again how little we know about what really happens in a coma. I can only hope that you enjoy the dreams I have been recording for you all this time.”
Twilight’s vitals sped up a bit as her hand gripped Celestia’s, causing the nurse’s eyes to widen.“Does this mean I won’t be your student anymore?”
Celestia squeezed the hand back, placing her other hand on the side of Twilight’s face.. “I will be here to help and guide you, but you have always been more than simply a student of mine, and once you wake up, you will be an inspiration to everyone who meets you Twilight.”
Twilight’s vitals leveled off and a smile slowly spread across her lips.
Shining Armor rushed back in, breathing hard, one hand holding his pager. “I just got told her vitals spiked again. What are you doing in here?”
Celestia kept her eyes focused on Twilight, a hand stroking her neat bangs “I don’t know, but I have a feeling that this is a good sign. You see doctor since I met Twilight she has always called me Princess; Luna and Cadance as well. If I am inferring correctly, her declaring herself to be a princess as well may mean that she is reaching out. Trying to connect more with us.” Celestia bit her lip, her eyes closing “Or…”
Shining Armor walked up behind Celestia, placing one hand on her shoulder, but being unable to meet her eyes, suspecting the news.. “Or?”
“Or she’s letting herself sink further into her dream by giving herself a larger, more important role. One more required in her world”
Shining Armor nodded “About what I thought. Listen it’s late, and she is quieting to simply murmurs. You need some real sleep though, lest you want to be useless to her tomorrow. Alright?”
Celestia hesitated before pulling her hand back and turning off her recorder “Yes, Doctor, and please, have a good night.” She got up and left the room, leaving Shining Armor to look down at his patient, before he reached down and gripped her hand.
“Are you crying?”
Shining Armor stopped, and noticed a single tear running down his cheek. He took in a deep breath, remembering the lie his father always told him when he didn’t want to admit to bad news. “Liquid pride, Twilight. Liquid pride.”