Chapter 6 - Recovery - Redone
Chapter 6 - Recovery - Redone
Her mind fogged with pain, Sunbeam didn’t notice the voices around her, that she was being dragged.
Sunbeam passed out.
* * *
Sunbeam lay there, eyes closed and unmoving, but awake.
‘I can’t feel anything... I can’t move anything... Why am I so relaxed about that? I should be panicking. Ugh, everything feels so numb... Why am I glad I can’t feel anything? Can’t think right now, everything is so fuzzy. Let’s wait here and see if it wears off, not like I have a choice...’
As Sunbeam lay there, she listened. At first, she couldn’t make anything out, but soon she started noticing the little sounds, the little sounds that were normally lost in the background; a gentle bubbling; a crackle of a fire; some distant bird song.
She suddenly felt so tired.
Sunbeam drifted back off to sleep.
***
After several attempts, Sunbeam managed to open her eyes. She slowly blinked them a few times to make sure, but there was no change. Open or shut, there was only darkness.
‘Must be night time. I hope.’
She closed her eyes and went back to sleep.
* * *
Still not quite awake, Sunbeam groggily looked around the room having, with much effort, lifted her head off the pillow. A cauldron sat in the opposite corner to her, a small circular table was next to her bed, an open book on it, and on the walls shelves full of bottles fought wooden masks for dominance. A sense of unease went through her as she looked at the masks.
‘Masks. Where do I know... Zebra tribal masks! I’m in a bucking shaman's hut! Get out! Get out now!’
Sunbeam scrambled to get up.
Gasping in pain, she fell back onto the bed as her forelegs buckled, her shoulder burning in agony at its sudden violent movement.
When the pain had started to dull, and when she could think clearly again, Sunbeam carefully looked round at her body. Mid-barrel to just below her neck was covered in bandages and a small, brown stain was visible where the bandage covered her shoulder.
She glared at her shoulder. ‘Where the hay did -that- timberwolf come from?’ Sunbeam glanced up at the masks. ‘Bucking wonderful. I’m in a shaman’s hut and I can’t move to get out.’
Hesitantly looking up at the masks, her voice was croaky as she tried to speak. “Look I’m not going to do anything, I promise. Let’s just try to ignore each other for now, okay?”
Laying her head down, she watched the masks. The masks did nothing but gaze blankly back.
Sunbeam’s face suddenly scrunched up. ‘Eww… how did I miss that? Have I thrown up recently? Water! Is there anypony around?’
With effort, she lifted her head up again and called out.
“Hello. Anypony there?”
There were sounds of movement from outside the hut and a moment later, the door opened.
Sunbeam smiled at the silhouette in the doorway. “Am I glad that you’re here…” Her voice tapered off as the silhouette walked into the light to reveal a Zebra.
In Sunbeam’s still somewhat muddled conscious, an old memory merged with the present.
Sunbeam cringed back in the bed, eyes wide. “Please! I didn't steal anything! It was the others that did. I-I put the money purse back. As soon as I realized it was a shaman’s hut I put it back! I didn’t take anything. It was the others that stole from you.”
The zebra cocked it’s head at her.
Sunbeam looked away and closed her eyes. “Please, I'll be good. I’ll...”
A memory from a dark place triggered.
“I’ll be your good little filly, Mister...”
Sunbeam’s eyes flew open as her entire body went rigid. Lips curling back, an old fire sprung to life behind her eyes. Staring off into the distance, a trembling hoof twisting an imaginary dagger, a single name was hissed out through clenched teeth.
“Scrolls...”
Zecora took a step back, her puzzled look quickly replaced with one of concern. The look in Sunbeam’s eyes was that of a wounded beast, one ready to lash out at anything that came near.
In a soothing voice as possible, and keeping her distance, Zecora called out to her. “Be calm, Sunbeam, it's only me, Zecora, just as you can see. You've convalesced for three days now, and though I'm glad that you're awake, you need to focus on my words and calm your thought before they break. Peace, calm, my words your balm.”
Sunbeam blinked several times before focusing on Zecora. “Zecora?” She looked around the hut. “Oh, I’m in your hut. I - I remember now.” Still trembling, she took several deep breaths as the rage retreated back into her.
Sunbeam sank back down into the bed. “Zecora... I have a bad taste in my mouth. Can I have some water please!”
A second passed.
“A new body would be rather nice as well.”
* * *
Sunbeam put down the empty glass. “So, according to those fillies, after the timberwolf had taken a chunk outta me, I reared up on my hind legs... and then proceeded to reverse body-slam it back into kindling. After which, they dragged me here.”
“That's what the young ones claimed to see while you did fight to set them free.”
Sunbeam snorted. “That's a bunch of Horseapples! I probably just reared up in pain, lost my footing and fell backwards onto it.”
Sunbeam twisted round to prod her barrel. “The fact I shattered it just by falling on it doesn't do wonders for my self-image though.”
Placing a hoof behind her head, she turned slightly, a mock serious expression on her face. “Tell me honestly Zecora, do these bandages make me look fat?” The smile faded and she slumped back down onto the bed. “And with that, I do believe I've used up my entitlement of good fortune for this lifetime... and the next. Ugh, I am not looking forward to the karmic backlash on that one.”
Looking at Zecora, she placed a hoof on her chest and bowed her head. “Thank you for looking after me. Many wouldn’t have.”
‘Many would have fed me to them.’
Zecora nodded back at her.
Sunbeam looked around the hut. “So, how long have I been here?”
“Three sunrises you have missed.”
Sunbeam blinked at her. ‘Three days… Oh buck! That means Night Owl’s Slumber is starting to wear off.’
Playing nervously with her hooves, Sunbeam looked down, not wanting to look at Zecora.
“Err, Zecora, about the potion, Night Owl's Slumber... I’m gonna need to take some, before the end of the day. I don’t care about any possible interactions with the current medications. It won't matter about the medications if I don’t take it.”
Sunbeam closed her eyes. ‘All the medications in the world won’t help me if the Night Princess finds my dreams!’
Zecora nodded with a small smile. “The fact you came alone to see me deep within the Everfree I took to mean that you, indeed, were possessed of an urgent need. I chose to give some as you slept. I hope that your trust I have kept? Nothing I've given you shall be obstacles to recovery.”
Sunbeam felt the wave of relief go through her. “Thanks, you’re a real life saver, more than you know.”
Sunbeam opened an eye and gave Zecora a puzzled look. “Out of interest, did you put any Salme in it?”
Zecora shook her head.
“Hence the vomit taste.” Sunbeam sighed and picked up the empty glass. “Can I have another glass of water?”
* * *
Sunbeam lounged on the bed, wanting to get up and do something, anything in fact, as long as it took her mind off the infernal itch under the bandages.
Zecora had said she needed to keep still for another couple of days yet, to let the wound bind properly. The poultices and the incredibly-nasty-tasting potions were speeding her recovery, but any movement could reopen the wound and set the whole process back. So Sunbeam lay there, trying to keep as still as possible and ignore the itch. Unfortunately, the greatest menace to bed-rest had also started to make itself known.
Sunbeam looked up at the ceiling. “Great! I’ve only been awake for a couple of hours now... and I’m bored! Bored bored bored... Booooored nooooow!”
She looked around the hut again. “Not even a Daring Doo book.” Accidentally, she glanced at one of the masks on the walls and shivered.
Making sure that the door was shut, she turned to look at the biggest mask on the wall.
“Look, I’m not going to steal anything, honest! Anything that 'may or may not' have happened in the past comes under lessons learnt. I’m not going to even attempt to steal anything from a zebra shaman again. I can remember the screams of the others that did....”
Zecora opened the door, a bowl of soup balanced on her back.
Sunbeam clamped her mouth shut.
“Some soup, and herbs to help you heal, to go along with this your meal. Now that you have a conscious mood, I can give you herbs not pre-chewed.”
Sunbeam stared at Zecora, pulling a face as soon as she worked out what she’d meant. “Thanks Zecora. I could have lived not knowing that!”
* * *
The next day, Sunbeam lay on the bed, her horn glowing, as she made two sticks fight like swords in front of her. So engrossed in this was she, that when Rainbow put her head round the door and greeted her, she jumped quite badly.
“Hiya Sunbeam, how ya doing?”
The two sticks flew up into the air, bounced off the ceiling, and landed in pieces the middle of the hut.
Adopting an innocent expression, Sunbeam turned to Rainbow as if nothing had happened. “Hiya Rainbow! C'mon in, keep me company for a while… A long while… Please!”
Rainbow gave her a knowing smile. “Yeah, bed rest drives me up the wall as well. How’s the…?” She gestured at the bandages.
“You missed Zecora changing the bandages about twenty minutes ago.” Sunbeam pulled a face at the memory of the mess underneath. “Zecora’s shaved the fur away and there’s quite a bit of stitching there now. She says it looks a lot better than it did though. Any scarring should be hidden under the fur, once it grows back anyway.”
Rainbow nodded.
Sunbeam shrugged, wincing slightly at the movement. “The shoulder itself feels 'tight’, but that’s about it. Whatever the painkiller is that Zecora has me on, it’s very effective. It makes me feel so good I kinda suspect the legality of it.” Sunbeam winked at Rainbow. “I’ve been trying to get the recipe off her.”
Smiling, Rainbow nodded again before looking around. “Where is Zecora anyway?”
“After she’d finished with me, she left. Certain herbs need to be collected at certain times of the day.”
“She left you here all alone? What if something gets in? This is the Everfree you know.”
“She said I’d be safe. Apparently everything knows better that to try and get in here.” Sunbeam looked squarely at the biggest mask on the wall. “Something I can totally believe.”
Rainbow followed her gaze to the mask and shuddered. “Creepy lookin’ thing.”
Sunbeam nodded before rubbing her face. “So, how are the little ones? I do hope they’re not getting yelled at too much.” She tried to suppress the grin. ‘Oh dear, it appears the new me isn't above some schadenfreude. Oh well.’
Rainbow scowled. “They'll all be married by the time they're allowed out again. Going into the Everfree? Getting somepony hurt because of that?” Rainbow shook her head. “Sap in fur, a few little-wrecked things? We can sigh and just carry on, but when ponies start getting hurt because of them…” Rainbow rubbed her eyes. “They have to be made aware they crossed the line this time. And what if you hadn’t been there?”
Sunbeam looked up. “Hey, they didn't make me take on five timberwolves”.
Rainbow rolled her eyes. “They got themselves into a dangerous situation, again, where they needed rescuing, again. And this time, the pony going to their rescue got hurt. They’ve got to learn...” Rainbow gave her a puzzled look. “Five? I thought there were six timberwolves?”
“There were six. And I took on five, very successfully thank-you-very-much. Remember your victories Rainbow. Even if they do need some very careful editing.”
Rainbow snorted. “You're alright Sunbeam.”
Playfully, she slapped Sunbeam's shoulder.
“...Oops.”
* * *
Once the pain had died down, Sunbeam went through the thank you letters brought by the ‘suddenly very bashful’ Rainbow Dash.
Reading the top one, she looked up at Rainbow. “Applejack is inviting me to stay, even despite the clan reunion. She says she’d kick out some, quote 'no-good clan member’ if needs be.”
Rainbow rubbed her chin. “I wonder who’s been causing trouble this year?”
Placing the letter on the table, she looked at the next. “Who’s Rarity?”
“Sweetie Belle's sister.”
Sunbeam nodded. “Ah, well she’s inviting to visit her boutique, for a free fitting and dress or something like that. The letter itself is quite gushing. Very gushing.”
‘Embarrassingly gushing in fact. You trying to make me blush here Miss Rarity?’
Seeing her finish with Rarity’s letter, Rainbow handed her a hoof-drawn card.
“The crusaders all worked on it. They asked me to give it to you.”
Sunbeam stared at the hoof-drawn card. It was a green unicorn, with a white back, fighting timberwolves. A timberwolf stood on the back of the unicorn as three fillies clung to a tree. Looking inside, all three had written their thanks for saving them. Carefully, Sunbeam put the card to one side, making sure it wouldn’t get creased.
Rainbow looked around to make sure the coast was clear. Leaning in, and with great care, she hugged Sunbeam with forelegs and wings.
“Thanks for looking out for Scoots and the others.”
Rainbow let go. “Of course ‘The Dash’ doesn't go in for the mushy stuff, so that didn't happen.” The raised eyebrow indicated that Rainbow wasn’t going to be giving any ground on the subject.
Sunbeam fought to keep a suitably serious face. “Of course.”
“Oh, and one more thing Sunbeam.” Rainbow offered a small piece of paper to her. “It’s a party invite to a ‘Crusader Saviour Party', scheduled for when you get back into Ponyville.”
Sunbeam took the invitation off Rainbow.
Rainbow continued as Sunbeam read it. “There are too many ponies moving into Ponyville these days for Pinky to throw a party for every single one. So she does a 'Welcome to Ponyville' party once a week for newcomers. You missed yours, but she decided it was in a good cause.”
“Oh... Good?”
“So she's throwing an extra party just for you.”
“Timberwolves couldn't keep me away.”
* * *
Walking along the path with Zecora, Sunbeam’s shoulder had started aching with every step a while ago. Also annoying her was the padded gauze that covered the wound as it had caught some fur when it had been applied and was tugging on that very fur every time she put her hoof down.
‘At least those foreleg exercises Zecora made me do for the last week had some effect. Made it over halfway before my shoulder started aching. Pity I want to gnaw off my own leg right about now. And I still say it’s a bucking stupid limp.’
Zecora smiled and stopped to let Sunbeam catch up. Reaching her, Sunbeam lifted her foreleg just off the ground as she caught her breath. “So, you said that the room at The Pony's Leg is still mine, right?”
Zecora nodded. “It seems the efforts didn't clash, of Rarity and Rainbow Dash. With threats kept vague and offers made to pay twice for the room in trade, the keeper thought it best to keep a room where you might come to sleep.”
Sunbeam adjusted her saddlebags, causing the bottles of medicine in there to clink.
Zecora pointed at her. “Now don't forget your medicine, to grow and heal your fur and skin. And don't worry about the strain, with work and time your limp will wane. And take the bandage off tonight to let it breathe until the light. Should it not weep, then let it be.”
Sunbeam nodded. “Gotcha.”
She noticed Zecora’s look.
“I mean it. Following the doctor’s orders is the quickest way to heal properly and I want to be healthy. Not being healthy slows you down.”
‘And slow makes you dead.’
Smiling, Zecora pointed a hoof up the path. “We’re nearly past the Everfree.”
After a couple of steps forward, Sunbeam could see the fields through the trees. ‘Huh, and not one Everfree monster ever came near us.’ She cast a glance at Zecora. ‘I suspect the presence of Zecora had something to do with that. Scratch that, it had -everything- to do with that. Takes one to know...’
Zecora turned, catching Sunbeam looking at her.
Sunbeam smiled. “Well I think I can make it from here, just this damn stupid limp slowing me down now.” Sunbeam took a deep breath. “Thank you for everything, if there’s anything I can do for you…”
Zecora held up a hoof.
“In thanks, I ask you not pursue a search for those who've wounded you. In mind, body and soul.” Zecora looked away. “When you were brought to me I stole an inspection of you, to see, had you no other injury. It was a prudent course, I thought. What I found...”
Sunbeam cut her off, her tone tired. “Yeah, I figured you might. Main reason I hate going to the doctors is all the unnecessary questions. And you don’t have to worry about me going looking for them, kinda defeats the whole reason why I’m here. Besides, the pony they're looking for died in the woods just over the Tall Mountain pass. My aim is to just quietly fade away.”
‘And maybe even be mistaken for a normal pony once in a while. I wonder how many cats I’m gonna end up with?’
Zecora looked back at her. “I shall tell none the scars you hide, nor that Night Owl's Slumber you need. Just remember, the memories inside will surface when you least take heed.” Zecora was silent for a second. “All then that will all come back to bite you on the flank!”
Sunbeam started in surprise and turned to look at Zecora, who was no longer there.
“I hate it when they do that!”
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Gah! I wish every chapter could have its own individual like button for me to press, because I would have pressed it five more times!
That being said, well done. I can't wait to see how this pans out.
I'm liking the story and the rotten luck of Sunbeam but a minor grammatical error that's driving me crazy. It's 1 hoof, 2 or more hooves. 1 wolf, 2 or more wolves. You seem to have a minor issue with the plural version of words that change to ves.
Everyone does.
I take Zebra shamans are kind of dangerous?
Okay, now I'm really curious about Zebra's shamans!
The rhyming by Greynoise is some of the best fanfic Zecora dialogue I've ever seen.
6474905
Most gracious thanks, kind sir.
6441550
I'd imagine they're witch doctor sort of things. Masks? Maybe they're silent alarms of some sort. I dunno. Maybe they're traps of some sort.
7370126 Demons/Evil Spirits or guardian spirits. Could also be ancestors protecting their kin.