Marcus looked around as he lay in the bed. At his side were strange devices that were connected to him by strange tube like things. One involved a sharp point sticking into his arm that was connected to a pouch of clear liquid. Around him were ponies all dressed in white with their mouths covered by white cloths.
A small memory of fear came back, and Marcus found himself breathing heavily as he looked at the ponies as they went about, in the room, checking the strange devices or the tubes. The only thing keeping him from a full panic was the presence of Castus, or Ambassador Castus when in public with the ponies.
Though that comfort was slightly off due that Castus was also dressed in similar clothing, and strapping his legs and good arm to the bed.
"Ease yourself Marcus. I can tell your freaking out."
"I am sorry Fire-Castus," Marcus said, the two of them speaking in Valhru, "But....why must we do this here?"
"The Equestrians have a better medical facility then we do. And by that I mean they have one, and we don't. Yet. But until we can work on getting one set up, we need to use theirs. I wouldn't even agree to performing this type of operation without it." Castus said, securing Marcus' last leg and then walking over and moving a light over to the stump of Marcus other arm.
Coming up beside him, a purple wing and horned pony. An Alicorn, and thus one of the reigning leaders of the pony nation. At least that was how Castus had described it. The purple alicorn spoke with Castus in their tongue. Marcus still did not fully understand the pony language, but he had been learning.
"Marcus, I hope you understand what this will be." Castus said, giving him a critical look.
"I do." Marcus said, remembering their conversations.
"Remember, there is no guarantee that this will succeed. I've never done this operation before myself but I have studied it." Castus said.
Marcus nodded, though he took a deep breath.
"I won't sugar coat it, this operation will be painful. The agony could last for hours, which is why I had to strap you down to keep you from moving, fighting back or even tearing out your own eyes. And I can't give you anything to numb the pain, as I need to know I am touching each nerve in your arm."
Marcus gulped, but nodded again. Though he felt shakey.
No. He would commit to this. He wanted to. If he had to be a leader of all the clans, then he wanted to be whole. Or as whole as he could be. Though Castus always assured him that even with one arm he was still strong and able as a leader, Marcus still felt odd with only one arm.
So when he had learned that there was a way to get it back, or at least a new one, he accepted.
"I trust you Castus." Marcus said, steeling himself for the operation.
"Thank you. Then let us begin." Castus said, and he took a small sharp blade from a tray. A pony put a piece of leather in his mouth, and Marcus bit down on it
Marcus watched as the blade as it descended to the stump of his arm.
When the blade cut the flesh, he bit down harder to muffle the screams.
Castus tightened the last strap on Marcus, ignoring the doctors and nurses as they checked the instruments. He frankly only needed the nurses, but it seems that the Equestrian doctors did not fully trust his skills. They were right.
Castus himself had never even studied medical practice. But Karsus had. Karsus had studied much in the centuries he lived. Though study and actual practice was different, and while with Karsus memories Castus could perform this operation, it would be without any actual or remembered experience.
'Don'tmessup.Don'tmessup.Don'tmessup.' He found himself thinking, and his breathing quickened as he stood beside Marcus.
"So, what is this operation again?"
Castus turned his head and looked at Twilight, who was also dressed in the proper medical attire.
"I am going to operate on Marcus stump on his arm where it was severed an place an attachment that will allow for a fully functional prosthetic that can be operated by impulses from his brain." Castus said.
"Can you really do that?" Twilight asked, one part skeptical and two parts astonished. The look in her eyes spoke volumes of her curiosty and astonishment.
"Yes. I have studied it and witnessed it." Castus said, though he gulped in some air and wove a small weave of relaxation to calm his nerves.
"Yeah, you still have to tell me what you mean by that." Twilight deadpanned.
"I know, I know. Let me focus on this for now, please." Castus said.
"Oh, right. Well I better leave and get into the observation room. This will be so exciting." Twilight gave a small jump in glee as she left.
Castus rolled his eyes. Leave it to Twilight to be excited by witnessing surgery.
Frankly, Castus couldn't even watch the surgical portions in a House show or any other doctor show.
The irony, if it was such, was not lost on him.
Taking a deep breath, Castus looked down at Marcus. He reassured that this is what Marcus wanted. He had worried that revealing that there was a way to get a new arm to replace the one that Marcus had lost might cause the man to jump at the opportunity without thinking. But even after telling the man of the pain he would be in, Marcus stood firm.
'He has balls. But even balls won't be enough to get him through this.' Castus thought as he picked up the scalpel and made the first incision. He drew on the power of the Wind and as he cut, he began to weave and slowly touch the nerves of Marcus arm.
If he did not need to hear the screams to register the increase or decrease in volume due to pain levels, he would have deafened his ears temporarily during the whole operation. Instead all he could do was steel himself, and try not to throw up.
The operation was long and extensive. IV and other medical supplies were carried in and out of the room as Castus worked. At one point the nurses had to add their weight to keep Marcus still, while others had to leave the room; the sound of retching following them.
Castus ignored it all as he worked, finding as he drowned himself in old memories and the power of the Wind that he became less sensitive to the screams, other then their pitch.
The operation he was performing was involved the application of specially created, wind woven connector to the stump of a limb to act as a base and holder for a prosthetic limb; that would also be specially crafted. The connector would be connected to the nerves of the patient, and would thus allow the prosthetic to respond to the impulses of the brain and thus be moved by the brain. It would be like having a normal arm. But instead of flesh, it would be metal.
In short it was almost like Auto-Mail from that Full Metal Alchemist manga back on earth. The Wind would aid in the merging of flesh and metal, so as to prevent excessive pain and agony. The final procedure would give Marcus a new arm, but in order to get this miraculous fully functional new limb he would have to endure pain equivalent to hell itself.
Castus had to use the Wind to not only work and connect the nerves, he also had to use it to keep Marcus from passing out. In short, as he worked and cut, Marcus was being kept conscious to experience every second. The doctors of old Valhrua had once called the procedure a miracle for any who had lost a limb or mobility. But a miracle paved across a path of pain. Both for the patient and the doctor.
It was only when the last bit of the connector was finished, that Marcus finally was allowed to pass out, and Castus released the Wind. He became aware that it was just him and Marcus in the room.
Castus looked down and examined his work.
Where once had been a stump, now was an arm ending in a metallic connector for a prosthetic. Joint and nerve connection points waiting for the new limb to move.
"Finished." Castus said, before turning and hurling the contents of his stomach onto the floor.
When Marcus awoke, he no longer felt pain. But his head felt a little dizzy, and things seemed a bit hazy.
"Awake?"
Marcus turned and saw Castus, sitting by his bed. Castus had a smile, though it hid a deep sadness and pain behind relief. There were deep bags under his eyes as if he had not slept for days.
"Yes." Marcus said simply, though he smiled in return, "How long was I out?"
"I'm glad. Sorry if things feel a little fuzzy. The doctors worried that you might be in pain after the surgery, despite my saying you would not, and gave you some pain killers. And you have been asleep for three days." Castus said, yawning.
"Oh," Marcus said, rubbing his face with his hand, "Did....did it work?"
"Look for yourself." Castus said, looking down.
Marcus followed the look, and gasped as he saw his arm now.
At the stump was a strange metal like point that seemed almost fused to his skin. But going down that was an arm. A strange metal like arm that ended in five fingers. Marcus stared at the metal appendage, and sucked in a breath as he lifted his new arm up over to his face. He felt his eyes tear up, as he moved the fingers and used them to cover his face.
"Thank you. Thank you." Marcus sniffled.
"Don't thank me," Castus said, his voice grave, "I had to put one of my best friends through pain unimaginable. I know it was for a good reason, but I still will feel guilty for it."
Marcus frowned and gave Castus the look he knew that Castus often felt pressured by, "Do not think you are alone to blame. I accepted the pain. What is pain for a time, when I can have the mobility of two arms once more for the rest of my days?"
Castus frowned still, but nodded, "Thanks. Though, don't think this is the end yet. You will remain in that bed for a week so I can be sure everything is in order. Plus the doctors demand it and keep telling me to shut up since I don't have a diploma in medical. But after that, the real test will begin. You will need at least three years of physical therapy and recovery."
Marcus nodded, "I understand." He then offered his metal arm out to Castus.
"Thank you. My friend." Marcus said, smiling.
Castus smiled and took Marcus hand in his and shook it gently, the metal feeling slightly cold, "Thank you. My friend."