//------------------------------// // Part 1: Chapter 8 // Story: Broken then Healed 2 // by Tohshi //------------------------------// Princess Cadence left carrying Nympha’s dull form with her. Her face looked peaceful like she was sleeping. Her breathing had slowed but not stopped. I couldn’t help but worry about her. “Would it make you feel better if Dr. Remedies explained what is happening to Nympha to you?” Twilight asked. She knew the answer but so often prefered a second source to tell me. “We can ask him next time you see him.” The excitement had left me drained and I soon dozed off. I came to a few times during the day but I couldn’t stay awake till much later in the day. THe light from the windows had been replaced with naught but an amber glow and a bright spot on the ceiling provided most of the light in the room. A nurse stood by my side. She smiled gently at me as I stirred from my sleep. The dull ache which had suffused my whole body was lessened substantially. She had pink hair and a light purple fur similar to my own. THe nurse asked, “How are you doing?” “Mmmh, better,” I yawned out. The nurse’s eyes seemed to be melting from something, her smile intensified slightly. “That’s good, honey,” the nurse said in a sing-song voice. I was too tired to care about how cute I must have been. “I am going to go get the doctor. He wanted to check up on you if you woke.” She hurried out the door and returned shortly followed by Dr. Remedies. He seemed tired in his deliberate yet slow walk. He did smile in my direction upon reaching my side, on the other side from the nurse. He flipped through a clipboard before speaking. “You are doing marvelously for a filly who was on death’s bed just yesterday,” Dr Remedies stated. “You’ll be free to go tomorrow morning.” “Where are my moms?” I asked quietly. The nurse made a squishy face again. “They retired to their suite. They are still in the castle and aren’t far from here. They’ll be back tomorrow,” The doctor explained. “Oh, thanks,” I stated. “Um…” “What is it, Lilac?” Dr Remedies asked. “What is happening to Nympha?” I asked quietly. “Is she alright?” “Oh she is fine. She is just a couple of rooms down from you,” The doctor explained. “But what is wrong with her?” I asked. “Nothing. Though I can see why you might think that. Changelings’ growth is tied to how much food they get much more so than ponies. When Princess Cadence poured love magic into Nympha it forced her into a molt state while she grows from the over abundance of food,” Dr Remedies explained. “Does that ease your fears?” I nodded. I asked, “How long will she be um molting?” “Oh I don’t expect more than a day or so,” Dr Remedies stated. “So you two should be able to play together tomorrow afternoon. But for now try to get some sleep, okay?” “Kk,” I whispered. His instruction had been unnecessary for but moments later I was out again. I didn’t even hear them leave the room. I was walking down the hallway in the morning. The skylight illuminated the strangely dark hallway. The pictures had been switched out for distorted portraits. The eyes of each one seemed to follow me as I walked past. I came up to an open door. A flickering light cast shadows around the room at odd angles. On the bed sat the full form of Nympha which glowed pink from the inside. I approached the bed as cracks spread from Nympha’s horn and down her face. In but a moment her shell split open revealing a sickly green pool of slime which oozed down of the bed and beneath me hooves. I could feel a presence behind me and I turned to see a large black head with a twisted horn and glowing green eyes. It stared for a moment with hunger in its eyes before devouring me whole. I got stuck part way down the head’s throat, not that the monster seemed to notice. It strode away on an unknown form of locomotion. Twilight appeared happily around the corner before she screamed passing past me down the monster’s gullet. Soon Lyra and Bon Bon followed her screaming in horror. The monster made it’s way to Annabelle’s room. It reached out with a long spindly arm and moved Annabelle’s small form towards its mouth. I woke in a cold sweat screaming. A nurse came rushing into my room as she flipped a switch activating the magical lamp located in the ceiling, which looked like the glowing moon. Her warm arms scooped me up into a tight hug as tears streamed down my cheeks. It took sometime before I had control over myself again. Exhausted I slipped into sleep again. With a morning ray flashing across my eyes as the door opened, Lyra and Bon Bon woke me when they entered my room. They both looked well rested. Envy edged it’s way to the front. I shook the last vestiges of sleep from my head. “How did you sleep?” Lyra asked. “You look pretty horrid this morning.” “I had another nightmare,” I said quietly. My stomach simmered. I couldn’t help but worry about them eventually leaving me, no longer able to deal with my frailties. I tried to push those thoughts back down to little avail. “It’s alright, honey,” Bon Bon said. She pulled me into a tight hug. “We’re here for you. No need to worry.” “Why don’t we go get breakfast with, Twilight?” Lyra asked. “The nurse said you were fine to go.” I nodded my answer and slowly extracted myself from my bed. After a quick stretch, we made our way out of the hospital wing of the Canterlot Castle. When we had made it to the cafeteria there was a large number of other ponies seeking their morning meal as well. The noise was suffocating. I felt my face collide with poor mr Floor. Bon Bon picked me up with a slight oomph as she did so. We retreated from the cafeteria. Lyra took me from Bon Bon and started to walk away down a hallway. My vision was hazy and swirling. I could hear some soft voice whispering to me as I held on tightly to Lyra’s warmth. I felt Lyra release her grip on me but I clung all the more, so she just sat there with me on something black. I slowly faded to sleep. “She was fine till we got to the cafeteria,” Lyra said in a soft whisper. “She said she had had a nightmare last night. I thought we were over these by now.” “Look she’s waking up,” Twilight whispered. I heard her hoofsteps come closer. “How you feeling?” “Shaky,” I said. I blinked a few times to get the fuzziness from my eyes. “Sorry.” “There isn’t anything to be sorry for,” Twilight explained softly. “Just a little hiccup is all.” “We all understand,” Bon Bon said. “We should have taken you here instead of the cafeteria.” “Where are we?” I asked. I sat on a black couch that was pushed up against a wall. A elaborate coffee table sat near pushed away from the couch by Twilight. Two armchairs mirrored the couch on the opposite wall, both were black as well. The walls were adorned with landscapes of what looked like the equestrian countryside. A large stainglass window occupied the far wall that depicted the Solar and Lunar Diarch and a representation of each type of pony. On the wall of that was a small kitchenette that appeared well stocked. A small hallway lead in both directions out from the room. “This is the Black Suite,” Twilight explained. “It is one of the suites for foreign dignitaries or other guests of the Royal Sisters. Your home for a bit.” “Yeah till someone lights it on fire,” Lyra joked. I giggled at Lyra’s joke. “Lyra!” Bon Bon chided. “Let’s not jinx this place. Also be a better influence for Lilac.” “I know she was joking,” I assured. Bon Bon gave us a look of “you know what I mean”. She brought over a bowl of oatmeal for me and set it down on the coffee table. I grabbed the oatmeal in my magic and ate my meager but delicious breakfast. With a little pop and poof, a scroll appeared next to Twilight in the air. She grabbed and and scanned it quickly. She said, “Princess Celestia has invited Lilac and I to a lunch time tea in an hour or so. Want to go Lilac?” “I wouldn’t want to disappoint a princess,” I said. “Oh, Princess Celestia would understand if you aren't feeling up to it,” Twilight assured me. “Do you want to go? This is up to you not how important the pony doing the inviting is. After all I am a princess too and would be disappointed and worried if you forced yourself to go to this.” “Will it be in the cafeteria?” I asked. “Nope, Princess Celestia has a tea room near the throne room,” Explained Twilight. “Should be nice and quiet.” “Well, tea sounds nice,” I said. “I want to go.-” I looked towards Bon Bon “-If it is alright with you?” “Of course it is,” Bon Bon said. “Why don’t you go get a bath before hand. Your room is that way. There is a full bathroom in there for you.” I followed her hoof down the nearest hallway. I meander that way. My room consisted of two full beds with a long nightstand between them. There was a large closet as well as a door towards the bath. More paintings of Equestria filled the rooms, though with a nocturnal theme to them. The beds had several layers of blankets varying from fairly thick to just thicker than a sheet. My bathroom had a overly large tub that was much too deep for me, but had stairs in and out. I didn’t know what sort of creature may have needed such a bath but maybe minotaurs. I clambered into it and turned the red knob. Blasts of water started filling the tub from all of the walls. The temperature much too hot, I spun both handles till I found a perfect steaming bath. A bench was inlaid on one side of the tub. I pressed the small button next to it and a few smaller jets started to pulsate beneath my form on the bench giving a gentle massage. This was the perfect tube. Maybe a bit too large, I was pretty certain I could swim in here. At convenient distance shampoo and conditioner of apple scent sat waiting. After bathing myself and spending some amount of time to enjoy the warmth of the water, I returned to the main room. I combed my hair with a brush I had found on the countertop. Lyra and bon Bon were snuggled up on the couch and Twilight sat in one of the armchairs. She was reading a book in some language I didn’t recognize. “Um, Twilight, Is Princess Celestia going to cast the same language spell on Annabelle that she cast on me?” I asked. The language of the book having sparked my memory. “Oh, yes,” Twilight said. “We should double check with her at tea though. I wouldn’t mind trying my hand out at that spell. But we should get going. Don’t want to be late.” I nodded. Bon Bon slipped from the couch and gave me a quick hug. She said, “Have fun. We’ll be here when you get back. Maybe we can go check in on Annabelle and Nympha after that. Okay?” “Yes, please,” I said Twilight lead our way out of the suite and down the twisting and maze like hallways of the Canterlot Castle. Before too long we made our way to a discrete set of doors which looked no more special than the number we passed before. Twilight knocked twice then opened the door. Inside Princess Celestia sat at a round table with a few stacks of paper scattered around her. A teapot adorned the middle of the table, steam already raising out of its spout. A tray of finger sandwiches sat next to the tea pot followed by a bowl of spring salad, filled with daisies and a variety of colourful leafs. Finally a bowl of fresh apples sat on the far side of the teapot. Princess Celestia smiled as she looked up at our entry. She said, “Perfect timing Twilight. You saved me from this tediousness.” “Thank you for the invite,” Twilight said. She took up a semi warn cushion near Princess Celestia. I took up the much newer looking cushion next to Twilight. “It has been too long since we took lunch in this room together.” “It has,” Princess Celestia said. “Now Lilac, seeing as this is your first time having lunch with me, there are some rules we have to go over first.” I gulped. Twilight never used her princesshood to hold anything over anyone else but Princess Celestia was something else. Getting tossed into the dungeon, exile to the moon or worse back to Earth all ran in my head as potential punishments for my impending transgressions. “Rule one. In this room there aren’t any protocols to be followed just be relaxed and be yourself. Rule two. If you have a question, feel no hesitation in asking. And rule three, the most important one. There shall be cake,” Princess Celestia explained. “Can you do these for me, Lilac?” “Of course, Princess,” I said. “Wait does that mean I am supposed to not call you Princess?” “Yep,” Twilight stated. “But don’t worry Celestia will go easy on you for that one. It took me almost four years before I felt comfortable enough to drop that here.” “So with that out of the way, please help yourselves to lunch,” Princess Celestia said. She grabbed a stack of plates from a nearby cabinet and passed them out with her magic. Twilight grabbed tea cups for us all. “I heard about your little spill this morning. Are you feeling better now?” “Much better,” I said. I grabbed two of the sandwiches with my magic as well as a small scoop of salad. “Sorry if I caused any inconvenience this morning.” “None were made,” Princess Celestia said. “And no need to apologize for something you can’t control. We all know how hard some things can be for others and I try my best to be understanding and helpful to those who need it. So no more self-deprecation. Okay?” “Okay,” I said quietly. “Really, Lilac, it wasn’t a problem,” Twilight said. “You didn’t do anything wrong honey.” Princess Celestia poured us each up of the tea. She asked, “So how are your studies going, Lilac?” “Um, good, I think,” I stammered. To save myself from further embarrassment I shoved a sandwich into my mouth. “You're doing fine, Lilac,” Twilight stated. “I’m very proud of her. She has been keeping up well with magic lessons as well as history, even if she isn’t quite as fascinated by that as I am. And she just got her cutie mark.” “Oh really, that is a very important thing,” Princess Celestia stated. I knew she had noticed but feigned ignorance. “What is your cutie mark off?” “I think it is about bring things to life, um with my imagination and magic,” I stammered again. “Nothing impressive.” “Every cutie mark is impressive,” Princess Celestia stated. “Your’s especially so. Magic related cutie marks are rare.” “That they are,” Twilight stated. “Lilac created a golem for her cutie mark event. She saved her friends from danger by doing so. Whence she is a bit more rested I am going to start working on enhancements with her. I figure that may be a good place to start with golem making. I’m not well versed in that field.” “I have a few books I can loan you Twilight that should help with that,” Princess Celestia said. “There hasn’t been a golem maker in Equestria for a long time, nearly four centuries now.” “See, very special,” Twilight stated. I blushed and hid my face by scratching my forehead. A triple knock came from the door before a Stallion entered the room. He wore a guard uniform but more fancy. His coat was not the traditional white, instead it was a dark blue. His cutie mark was visible and it was a set of swords crossed over a heart. “Sorry to interrupt, Princess,” the stallion said. “Queen Chrysalis is seeking an audience with you, as we suspected. She only has an honor guard with her though.” “Hmm,” Princess Celestia stated. “Sorry to cut our time short but I must go meet with my guest.” “Queen Chrysalis asked for Princess Twilight Sparkle as well, if she were available,” The stallion stated. “Well i guess lunch shall be postponed for a bit,” Princess Celestia stated. “Thank you Captain Piercing Heart. Why don’t we all go? Captain Piercing Heart can look over Lilac while we are in the throne room.” “I guess that would work,” Twilight said bitterly. “I still don’t trust Chrysalis. But I think I would rather be able to see Lilac than assume this isn’t a diversion.” “I understand, but I don’t think we have to worry about that,” stated Princess Celestia. “I think she came to us in honest faith.” “I guess we will see when Nympha wakes up,” Twilight stated. “And with what Chrysalis wants today.” We quickly made our way around to the throne room. Which had been cleared save for ten guards who lined the wall. We entered from a side door hidden behind a curtain. Captain Piercing Heart and I stayed back near the shadows while Princess Celestia took the throne with Twilight standing to her left. The throne room was lined by awe inspiring stained glass windows, many of them depicting Twilight and her friends saving equestria from a number of threats. A green aura engulfed the far doors and pushed them slowly and deliberately open. A large black pony with dark green mane and piercing eyes entered the room. Her horn was jagged and curved with large pockmarks in it. Large holes were scattered down her limbs. Her voice was both melodic and shrill at the same time. “Thank you for your audience,” Queen Chrysalis said. With a mock bow she completed her entrance. “I came bearing gifts and news of how successful our treaty has been.” “We are always open to welcome guest,” Princess Celestia stated warmly. “Though some warning next time would be appreciated. I would prepared a better welcome for you.” “Ah, yes,” Queen Chrysalis said. A slight air of sarcasm flew through her voice. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She levitated a chest to in front of her from the back of one of her personal guards. She opened the lid and removed a book. “To Twilight Sparkle I present this tome, the only tome of Changeling lore written by changelines. It was scribed during my great grandmother’s reign some centuries before,” explained Queen Chrysalis. She levitated an ancient and decrepit tome over to Twilight’s hooves. Twilight’s horn glowed with an intensity abnormal for just picking things up as she lifted the book to her face. The text seemed garbled from where I stood. “This is writing in ancient runes,” Twilight stated. “There are only a few tomes written as such left in existence. Thank you for this gift. I will treasure it.” “For princess Luna I bring a blade forged from my grandmother’s horn, as is the tradition for Queens who pass of old age. The horn is nearly indestructable and takes to magic easily for excellent use in telekinesis,” Queen Chrysalis stated. She laid the bladed on a cloth at the hooves of Celestia. “I hope Princess Luna enjoys this as much as Princess Twilight enjoys her own gift.” Twilight had already begun to read the dusty tome cradled in her grip. Hearing her name she mumbled, “Hmm Hum” Queen Chrysalis said, “A jar of pure love collected just collected for Princess Cadence. For who better to have it than the ‘princess’ of love. Proof of the success of the Treaty between us.” Queen Chrysalis placed a sphere filled with glowing pink energy at the feet of Celestia. The pink swirled and pulsated. Queen Chrysalis brought out an amulet of pure what appeared to be crystallized fire. In each one a small bead of green light floated in them. She held the amulet aloft for Celestia. “An amulet made of motes of fire, enchanted to ward off bad luck and to protect those around the wearer,” Queen Chrysalis Stated. Her voice was different when she spoke of this gift. It had more revenance. “For you Princess Celestia. May your people always have fortune smile upon them.” “Thank you for these wonderful gifts. Surely there was other things you wanted to do than shower us with gifts?” Princess Celestia asked. Her voice was coated in suspension. “Well there are the final details of how to integrate the changelings so as to make sure no changeling goes unfed,” Crysalis stated. “I would love to work on that with you.” “Very well. We can talk about this now instead of next week as previously arranged,” Princess Celestia stated. “Sorry to have to call our meeting short, Twilight, but I must deal with our guest for the foreseeable future.” Shaking from her book based stupor Twilight looked at celestia and then back at the book. She stated, “It is no problem, Princess. Lilac and I shall go and have a quiet afternoon by ourselves.” With a loud pop the throne room vanished and the quiet suite replaced it. Lyra and Bon Bon sat cuddled up on the couch dozing with the remnants of lunch strewn across the coffee table. Bon Bon looked sleepily up at us. “You’re back early,” Bon Bon whispered. She stifled a yawn. “Yeah we had an unexpected guest that called for a short lunch,” Twilight whispered. She leaned over to me. “Are you still hungry? I can go get us something from the cafeteria.” “Um, would they have mac and cheese?” I asked in a whisper. “Probably, I’ll go check,” Twilight said. Another pop and she had disappeared. I scrambled up into one of the armchairs and waited. My thoughts wandered towards thoughts of Annabelle and Nympha. Of my own frailty when both of them seemed to have such greater need right now. After what couldn’t have been more than five minutes another pop herald the return of Twilight. Floating in her aura there was two paper bowls steaming. She handed me one of the bowls and took a seat. We quietly ate our lunch. Bon Bon had fallen back to sleep. “Want to go practice your magic?” Twilight whispered in my ear. “There is a practice room not far from here.” I nodded and we snuck out of the room. Practicing magic would be fun.