//------------------------------// // Chapter 49: Accoutrements // Story: Through Crimson Eyes // by Level Dasher //------------------------------// Let go! We’re in space! Space? Space! SPAAAAAAAAA... Ah! Let go! Let go, I’m still con-ee him! I can— “—see him if I want to!” My eyes shot open. “Was that the last cutscene? Did she make it?!” “See? He knew I was coming!” “Huh? What ha—ahh!” I glanced down when I felt a sharp pain in my side. That alone proved that reaching for my head was unnecessary. I was definitely awake. I saw Mom quickly come up to me and rest a hoof gently on my shoulder, pushing me back onto my bed. “Sweetie, don’t worry, it’s okay.” She looked over at my side, right where the pain came from. “That’s where the doctors put in the G-tube. They said it might be painful when you woke up, so what you’re feeling is perfectly normal. Just lay back for now, okay?” I nodded and rested my head on my pillow, then saw Mom turn around. “Tesla, please, relax! You can see him, just give him a minute! He’s just waking up! He hasn’t even seen his new accoutrements yet.” “His what?” I tilted my head up and looked down at myself. Aside from the usual heart monitor stickers, on my lower left side there was a tube sticking out of my gut, part of it stitched to my skin. I followed the tube to the wall, right to the same jar where my NG tube used to lead. Given the choice, I’d say the pain of this new tube felt only slightly better than the one they had rammed up my nose. At least for now… I looked around the room. Mom stood beside me, Tess bounced on her hooves at the door, but I didn’t see Gramma anywhere. I took in a deep breath, wincing at the tug on my side. “The pain should lessen in a little while, honey,” Mom told me. “You came out of surgery a few hours ago; you’ve been sleeping since then. Quite soundly, too. Did you see Princess Luna again?” I took another breath and allowed myself to smile. “Well, yes, but only for a minute. Actually—” I winced again as another jolt of pain flew up my side, then I relaxed my muzzle. “I was playing a game with Dad for a while.” “Oh, sweetie…” Mom started. “That’s wonderful. See? Your father is still watching over you.” She turned to the door. “Okay, Tesla. He seems to be coherent. Come on in, but stay off the bed, okay?” Like Fili-Second, a cloud of dust appeared in the doorway and I found Tess right at my side. “How do you feel? Are you okay?” She glanced over at the tube coming out of my gut. “Blegh, you look like your insides are being sucked out. Oh, wait… I guess they are…” I let out a small chuckle. “Well, somepony’s being pretty blunt.” She looked over to me and answered, “Well, last time I tried to make it sound nice, and you got upset. I figured you’d want a truthful comment this time.” I looked back at her and responded, “Good point. Thanks for remembering.” I put my head back and took a slow breath. The hole in my gut still felt pretty uncomfortable, but Mom was right; it didn’t really hurt as much as when I first woke up. I was right about the surgery’s timing. Tess being there helped keep me distracted from the pain. “Starry wanted to come, too, but his Mom wanted him home; I think his dad is coming back into town tonight and he needs to help clean up the house,” she told me. “S’okay,” I said quietly. I felt a little drained. Not enough to fall back asleep, but enough that I didn’t really want to exert myself. “He’ll have his turn. Thanks for checkin’ in on me.” I held out a hoof toward her, and she clutched it in her fetlock. “Of course! You know I’m always here.” “Yep,” I said. “My own Princess Luna right here in Ponyville.” I smiled as her cheeks flushed, but that smile turned into a grimace as I looked back down at my gut. “Geez, this is gonna be weird.” “You’ll get used to it, sweetie,” Mom said reassuringly. “You’ve gotten used to everything else; this won’t be any different. You’ll jump this hurdle and be back on your hooves in no time.” “Yeah!” Tess added. “Your mom’s right. You’ll be fine.” “Yeah, I guess,” I sighed. “But it’ll still be weird.” “Well that looks fun,” Starry said, staring at the hole in my gut. “Does it feel weird? I can’t imagine it wouldn’t.” “Yeah, it does. It hurt like hay yesterday when I first woke up from surgery, but it’s not as bad now. It doesn’t really hurt as much, but I do get a few jolts of pain occasionally from the stupid stitches,” I answered. “Now it’s just annoying most of the time. It took me a little while, but it felt better this morning after I finally managed to get to sleep last night.” “Did you see Princess Luna again?” Tess asked. “No. I did for a minute while I was in surgery yesterday, but she told me I was strong enough to get through it on my own, and that she couldn’t come see me every time I went to sleep. I understand that— it wouldn’t really be fair.” “Oh hey, Crimson, my parents send their best regards as usual, but especially my dad,” Starry said. “He said he overheard the Princess talking about our meeting. When I told him about it myself and confirmed it, he was practically in shock. We had a nice chat about it, too— he said he was proud of me for acting like a royal guard even though he knows I don’t want to be one. Mom told me he was practically beaming when he went back to Canterlot early this morning.” Tess sighed. “My parents send their best, too, but they still don’t believe that we met Princess Luna. They think the electricity’s going to my brain,” she said, rolling her eyes. I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at that. “It is,” I said, “but electricity is what keeps your brain going in the first place, so that wouldn’t have anything to do with you being a whacko. Which you’re not!” I caught myself before I got into trouble. “Yes she is,” Starry quipped. Right as I was about to glare at him, he added, “We’re all a little whacko, but we’re whackos that are telling the truth!” I smiled at his addition. “Good point,” I said. “Considering some of the crusades we’ve been on, it’d be hard to say we’re not whackos. Besides, who cares what anypony else thinks? We know we met with the Princess and that’s all that matters.” “Right!” Tess exclaimed, her smile bouncing back. As a quick jolt of pain shot up my side, I winced, and she jumped toward me. “Tesla, plea—” “Mom, she is being careful,” I said, cutting her off as Tess simply stood next to me, holding my hoof as the pain eased away. “Take a chill pill, would you? We already went over this yesterday!” I kept a hold of Tess’s hoof and took a breath. “Besides, she’s nowhere near the G-tube.” “Yeah, and I don’t wanna be. Ugh…” “You’re right, I apologize. Maternal reflex,” Mom responded from the window. “I have nothing against you two holding hooves for comfort,” she added with a little smirk. When Tess and I both blushed, Starry asked, “You two wanna be alone? I’ve got some paintings I can work on.” Tess commented first. “What, just ‘cause we’re holding hooves means you can’t be here?” “Yeah, dude, we told you you don’t have to feel weird about it,” I added. “Does it make you uncomfortable or something? It kinda… helps, holding somepony. My mom and gramma did it yesterday when you guys weren’t here.” “Speaking of whom,” I heard from the door, “sorry I took so long. I didn’t want to eat in front of you, sweetheart,” Gramma said. “Thanks, Gram,” I responded. “It does kinda bug me.” “I know. And I was all ready to cook for you before this started, too. As soon as the doctors give us the go-ahead, the menu is yours, okay?” “Sounds good to me,” I answered. That is going to be a sweet, sweet day…