"Surrender now you vermin of a Sith, you are outnumbered, it’s only a matter of time before youaaaaargh."
"Ooops, you're dead."- Darth Imperius responding to a threat coming from a Jedi Master.
"Miss? Miss? Can you hear me?"
Confused by the voice calling out to her, Rarity slowly opened her eyes.
"Wha-what happened? "The white unicorn began to stand on the sweet texture of her fainting couch. She looked on her right and saw Fluttershy standing there, looking at her with a worried expression.
"Miss Rarity, do you hear me? "Rarity then looked on her left and saw the grey coated stallion that she and Fluttershy has come visit.
"I remember now. First we came here for Angel, but he must have misunderstood the patient and checked on me instead. Then finally he-
"Ouch! My head, why does it hurt so bad? It’s on the right side, I..." Rarity began to pat the side of her very own skull and felt a sharp pain with each successive tap.
"You shouldn't touch it; after all it has been a pretty rough operation."
"Operation? What operation is he talking abo..." Then it came back to her; he has passed through her skull to grab something that was in her br-brain."
"The tumor..." It was said so softly that it has become a whisper.
"Oh, here it is." Just after that Nox put the plastic cup right before Rarity's eyes.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah-" It became black all over again.
Before the unconscious body of the white mare. Nox said to her friend: "Next time when she wakes up I shouldn't put the tumor that I extracted right before her eyes, no?"
Fluttershy nodded to the wisdom of this decision.
The second time that Equestria's classiest lady finally awoke, Nox didn't show any part of the expelled tumor to her, on the contrary he put it in an empty ointment pot.
The poor mare had been into a total state of shock, for all the rest of her stay she has been fixing empty space while grumbling things like: What happened? I nearly died! Did I survive or am I dead?
Poor Rarity’s mind has been twisted up. Leaving to Fluttershy the care of taking medication for both of the patient.
"Poor Rarity, I hope that she will overcome all of that..." whispered Fluttershy.
"Don't you worry about her, this is a lot to take but she just need some time to overcome this, don’t forget that she has learned that she had a malignant brain tumor inside her head not even one hour ago."
"That tumor... was it dangerous?" Fluttershy already knew the answers but still, she wanted a confirmation.
Nox nodded.
"Of course it was, that tumor was particular big and well developed, for a moment even I didn't think that I could extract it and save your friend."
"H-How much?"
"How much what? "asked Nox, perplexed by the question that the yellow pegasus.
"How much time she would have left if you didn't detect it?"
Nox looked at her with compassion before answering
"I don't know precisely...One week, maybe two...A month tops."
"A month! Rarity would have only had one month left to live! So, it means, that if I had succeeded in healing Angel or if Rarity hadn't heard the rumors, then… She would be dead by the end of the next month. Oh Celestia… How will the others react to that?"
"Miss, are you alright?"
Fluttershy finally succeeded into going out from her reverie representing her friend imaginary funeral.
"Y-yes."
"Very well, now let's take a look at your Bunny."
"Here we are, it’s over." Nox took the bunny from the operation table with his magic and tended it to Fluttershy who grabbed him happily.
"Are-Are you sure?"
"Yes, I did find his problem: a stomach inflammation," Stated proudly the Sith lord.
"Are you sure? I did use the usual treatment on him a few weeks ago and it didn't calm him down at all."
"This one was pretty heavy so it doesn't surprise me that herbs didn't have any effect on it. But don't you worry about it, the problem is solved for good. His tiny stomach is shinier that a bit."
"Thank you very much mister Nox. Without you, I don't think that my little friend would have supported it a day longer. "The pet nodded in agreement to his master affirmation.
"Oh, you’re welcome, let me grab the medication." Nox trotted to a closet and began to synthesize the medication while Fluttershy put Angel on her back and trotted outside of the operation room, but unbeknownst to her, under the glance of the former human.
"A bunny huh? Me, a powerful Sith lord who have killed hundreds of Jedi and ruled a big portion of the known universe, now serve as a nurse for a bunny! Have I really fallen that low."
Shaking his head, Nox resumed his task and followed the yellow pony.
"Rarity are you alright?" Fluttershy passed her hoof before the fashionista’s eyes and only got for answers a sad look.
At least she's still here, but as Mr. Nox said it is really a big thing that happened today, it is not surprising that she is into a shocked state, if not a depressive one. Alone I will never be able to help her, I’ll tell the girls later when we will get home.
A hoof sound coming from behind alerted her that their guest, Nox was coming to her.
"Miss, here please, "He said while presenting her two paper bags. Each of them had a number written on them: 1 and 2.
"Miss, the first bag is for your friend. There is an ointment that she will have to put on her right temple where I performed the operation along with a bottle of medicine. It’ll make stop her headache.” He gave the first one to Fluttershy. “The other is for your bunny there is a syrup, he must take it at least twice a day every day for three weeks." He finally gave the second bag to Fluttershy who gladly accepted it.
"Thank you very much mister! You just don't know how much you helped us. How much do we owe you? "
"Really, for all he has done today, it must be worth at least one million of bits." But the timid pegasus hopped that he didn't ask that much because she would never be able to gather that much or money. Luckily for her, Nox didn't need it.
"No, I would never take money from desperate pony, it’s free you can go now. " The male Unicorn dismissed her with a hoof.
"What-what? Really, you really mean it?it’s free? Don’t you want at least some gems? "She took some of the precious rock from Rarity’s own saddle bag and showed it to him.
"Tempting, but no, If I do accept it, ponies will began to talk about my wealth and this can attract unwanted attention and my cover could be in danger. "
"No, please. I'm not doing it for money. Keep all of it. "
Flutttershy smiled to this and put the gems back into the bag.
"Rarity was right after all, he is a kind pony."
"Goodbye, and take care of yourself!"
"We will, and thank you again, Mr. Nox." shouted Fluttershy.
Nox watched the two pony walking out of his sight in the direction of the edge of the town. today has been a good day after all.
"Well, now that's over I will prepare my tools for my meal of tonight."
Nox entered back in his house.
Ponyville
Two hours later.
In the marketplace of Ponyville. Two friend were actually there and talking about their respective day.
"Spike, did we finally receive that box of scrolls that Celestia said she would sent us last week?"
"Yeah we did Twilight apparently the post office got through some problems during the transport, but they got it this morning and is waiting for you back at the castle."
"Oh thank you very much about that Spike, I will cross it out from the check list right now." while that Twilight sorted the said check list from her saddle bag under the annoyed glance of her precious assistant, a shout attired their attention.
"Heya Twilight, Spike!"
As they turned over they could see Applejack waving at them behind her empty stand of apple.
"Hey Applejack!" The duo trotted toward their friend.
"Howdy Twilight, Spike. "She addressed the later with a sign of her head.
"Hi Applejack, how are you? Did you some good sales today?"Asked Spike.
"Pretty fine by me. And you two, how has been your day?"
"Very well, Celestia just send us some ancient scrolls containing some healing method..."
"Healing thing? Is that for the pet of Fluttershy, Angel?"
"Yes it is, last time I saw her, he seemed to get a little better, but still."
"Speaking of her, I haven’t saw her at all for at least a week."
"Saw her three days ago." A new voice made her sudden apparition above them all.
"Rainbow Dash! stop surprising us that way!" Twilight scolded with a hoof on her beating chest.
"And miss your face guys? Never!"
"Me too." Told a high pitched voice perched above Rainbow dash.
"Aaaaah Pinkie!"Said the surprised pegasus.
"Gotcha." The pink earth pony jumped from Rainbow's back and joined her terrestrial friend.
"Are you talking about Fluttershy?"
"Yes we are Pinkie. We are quite worried because of the events of the last weeks."
"I wonder how things are going today."
"I don't know but she isn’t home today."
"What!" Exclaimed her friends with surprise and worry in their voices.
"Yeah, that morning, after getting the pastry ready for the day, I thought about Fluttershy and Angel and I remembered how sad they looked, so I thought that some good cupcake could cheer them up, but when I got to her house I saw no pony or bunny in there."
"Oh, that’s not like Fluttershy to disappear."
"Yeah, you're darn right. Did something happen to her?"
"I think that maybe Rarity is with her."
"What!? How that Spike?"
"Well this morning after putting the scroll into the castle I told myself why don’t I go help Rarity with her dress orders. So I got to Carousel Boutique but it was closed. No one in there."
"What about Sweetie Belle?"
"From what I know she is currently with her parents until tomorrow, Rarity is actually living alone."
"Okay, don’t you find it strange?"
"Strange? How that?"
"Well why would Rarity accompany Fluttershy with a sick bunny?"
"Put like that it's true that it does sounds a bit odd."
"Oh, oh ,I got an idea!” exclaimed Pinkie, raising her hoof up waiting to be questioned.
"Okayyyy, and what is your idea Pinkie."
"Well maybe that seeing that Angel was dying, Rarity took him to take his fur for one of her dresses."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Pinkie I don't think that-"
"Or maybe she is foalnapping Fluttershy and she took Angel as a hostage."
"...Okay Pinkie , I don't know why, but -"
"Or maybe th-"But the party pony didn’t get to finish her new suggestion as her rainbow maned friend cut her of.
"They're here." Rainbow Dash pointed to the ponies of the conversation.
"What?" all of her friends looked at her.
"Over there, on the earthy road at the entrance of the town. They’re there." She pointed the direction with her hoof, and the rest of the ponies and dragon at her side look to where she’d been pointing.
"Yeah you're right, it is them." confirmed Applejack
"Hey doesn't Rarity look… sad?" remarked Spike as the two travelling ponies got closer to them.
"Maybe that while she tied up Fluttershy and Angel before throwing them to the sharks she remarked her errors and freed them while asking for forgiveness that Fluttershy granted her ,now i think that we all should do a PARTY to celebrate that!"
"Hmm Pinkie, please calm down."
"Okie dokie lokie."
"Howdy girls! Where have you been all day? "Applejack simply asked them with a smile on her face, but the reaction she got wasn't what they expected.
Rarity stopped walking, took a good look at her friend, then ran away, crying all the way to her home.
"Waaaaaaaaaah." When she reached the door, she quickly opened it then entered fast into her house before violently closing the door. The lock could be heard be put, then a few second later all windows and shutters were closed as well the light. The only sound coming from that new fortress was the one of the crying unicorn.
The group just stood there in awe, shocked by the reaction of their longtime friend.
"Just, what happened?" Simply asked Rainbow Dash.
"Is it something I said?" Applejack, a little worried that her words,have somehow made her friends cry.
"Oh no, I knew it! I just knew it!"Pinkie looked very scared right now.
"What Pinkie Pie?" Asked Twilight.
"Rarity has kidnapped Fluttershy and freed her but now she is fearing that we are angry against her and locked herself into her boutique to protect herself. -"She let out an enormous gasp-"Quick, we need to throw her a party to show her that we aren't angry and forgave her. First we will need some-."
"Hu, Pinkie, it is not that,”Intervened Fluttershy.
"Oh, okay."Pinkie said while throwing away a battering ram. "So what happened?"
"Yes Flutter, where have you been alone with Rarity all-...Is that Angel in your saddle bag? "The cyan Pegasus pointed the sleeping rodent inside of Fluttershy bag.
"Yes, it is. " Fluttershy put Rarity own saddlebag on the ground, she has been holding it all the way back to town along with her own and its weight began to have an effect on her.
"And, he looks...Happy." Remarked Twilight.
"Of course that he is happy, it’s the first time since three weeks that he can sleep without suffering." Fluttershy began to caress the little belly of her small sleeping friend.
"Hum, Fluttershy, not that I’m not happy with Angel being finally cured, but what happened with Rarity, did something happened? "The little dragon was really worried about the possibility that his long time love suffering over something.
"And where were you? We’ve been pretty worried about ya two."
"And how was Angel healed?” Twilight asked curiously. “I tried every healing spell that I knew and with no success." Fluttershy hadn’t missed the jealousy in Twilight’s voice which had done little to set her mind at ease under all the stare of her friends, but knew that they deserved to know what happened.
"Well, you see...Rarity had come in my house yesterday afternoon, and and told me about some rumors that began to spread in town."
Each of her interlocutors looked at each other with a lost expression. Unlike Rarity none of them really took part into gossiping and so have never heard of those rumors.
"So," added Fluttershy, "are there some of you who have ever been to Summerville?"
Nox 's house in Summerville.
Nox was on his hoofchair, reading a novel with a glass of wine beside him. While savoring the drink and the reading, he remembered the events of the day.
"Well, I helped those two mare, I have managed to do a little of the cleaning, I am reading a pretty good book while drinking a good wine, and tonight I will have a good chicken. Well, that was a good day, and by helping those pony fast and clean I secured up my cover. Good work Kallig, good work."
If only he knew what would happen.