//------------------------------// // Part 2 - An Inspirational Recovery // Story: Healing is Magic // by Yosh-E-O //------------------------------// Spike found himself growing less restless knowing that Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were going to be coming over and keeping him company everyday. Knowing how he would help them with their homework while listening to them share all the goings on at their school and around Ponyville made him very happy. Over the weekend, the fillies surprised Spike by coming in with comic books from the local comic shop. They recalled all the ones he liked and made sure to pick up copies for him to enjoy. However, since his right claw was hard to use due to the cast, the three youngsters took turns reading and showing Spike the pictures inside the comic. What made it even more fun was how Sweetie Belle figured out how to levitate the comic so Spike himself could eventually read them aloud to the three fillies. He would then explain anything the girls didn’t understand. All of them seemed very interested, too. Particularly Scootaloo who said she was going to get herself a subscription to Power Ponies after hearing about how Spike’s purchase of a particular issue at a Canterlot comic shop caused her hero, Rainbow Dash, to become Zap. After the wonderful week and weekend with the fillies, Spike felt his confidence returning. He also realized that he hadn’t thought much on how he wasn’t able to do chores around the castle for twilight. He then realized that Twilight, not even once, had mentioned to him any sort of disappointment over how he wasn’t able to do his daily duties. She just made sure to check on him, give him his medicine, and share a few words whenever time allowed her to. Spike even realized how he could still send letters to Princess Celestia for Twilight. The Sun Princess wouldn’t send any back through Spike, as she knew he was healing, but she did make sure to send him a get well card along with a gift basket of gem lollipops to ‘…Enjoy slowly as the sweet taste takes your mind off of all the pain and frustration during your recovery...’ *** Over the next few weeks, the young dragon found himself adapting to his limitations. He became quite good writing with his left claw while also performing lite tasks, such as setting the table for guests. He even came up with a plan to help ensure twilight was ready for each day’s activities by fetching books and piling them where the Princess of Friendship could access them the following day. If there were books that were out of his reach, he’d write notes so Twilight knew where they were and could easily use her magic to pull them down. Spike didn’t stop at finding adaptive ways to help Twilight. He went on to inform Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie that he’d be available to help them with minor tasks if they didn’t mind helping him use his wheelchair to get to-and-from their respective workplaces. He would’ve asked Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, but both had jobs that wouldn’t have worked out well for his recovery if he got too involved. However, he did assist in watering Fluttershy’s garden on occasion. There was no pony Spike enjoyed helping more than rarity. She was very kind when he’d come over and always had a few gems for him to eat as he assisted in gathering supplies to aid her on whatever project she was working on at the time. He even helped inspire her to make a line of clothing that would benefit ponies, and dragons, who were injured and needed casts so they didn’t have to look so obvious that they had hurt themselves. Spike particularly liked the super-soft leg and arm cuffs she made for him that made it seem more like his real arm and leg than a hard, white, plaster cast had taken over his limbs. *** “Well, Spike,” said Twilight as she wheeled her Number One Assistant to the hospital. “Today’s the day you get the casts off. How do you feel?” “Fantastic!” cheered Spike. “It doesn’t even feel like it has been two months since I fell off that ladder.” “That’s because you’ve kept yourself so busy,” chuckled Twilight. “Yeah,” grinned Spike. “I never realized how much I could do even without half my body.” “More importantly,” added Twilight. “Is you followed the doctor’s orders. So you should find that you are feeling as good as new after they take those heavy casts off.” “But,” noted Spike. “I have to make sure I don’t start trying to use my right leg and arm too much. There’s still a bit more healing to do and some adjustment time to using them again.” Twilight smiled. “Wow, Spike,” she commented. “You’ve been doing some research on this, haven’t you?” “Yup!” he proudly replied. Spike felt a huge weight being removed after the casts were taken off. He then got to enjoy a good laugh over how Twilight gagged at the smell of his unwashed arm and leg. “I’m normally against you taking those seven hour bubble baths of yours,” she choked. “However, I think I’ll make an exception in this case.” Spike smiled as he took in his scent. “I don’t know, Twi,” he teased. “I think it is a very distinct odor.” “Phew,” gasped twilight as she covered her nose. “It’s distinct in how it stinks.” *** After his mandated bath, Spike found himself still instinctively doing things as if he still had his casts on. This was helpful as he gradually began to realize he could use his right arm and leg again. Over time, he even found some of the skills he developed while recovering were actually quite useful in his day-to-day activities. He also made it a point to inform Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo that he would very much like them to keep coming over to discuss comics and work on their school work. Eventually, this lead him to be invited to The Crusader Clubhouse on certain days to take part in crusader activities by acting as official Scribe and Advisor. When Spike was informed by the doctor that he was able to safely resume normall activities, Pinkie Pie threw him a celebratory party. The most exciting part of it was how every pony in attendance kept telling him how inspiring he was and how they could only hope that, if put in the same situation, they could be so positive. “Well,” Spike would reply. “Friendship is magic and I couldn’t have done what I did without my friends supporting and believing in me.”