Emergency Drama
Chapter 20: Emergency Drama
“How are these even staying on my face?” I ask, peering into the mirror.
Fluttershy is looking pleased as pie in the reflection behind me. “Uhm, aren’t there little clips on the back of the frames?” She asks, her head tilting as she raises a hoof.
“Ssso there are...” Dang, I was kinda hoping for a more magical explanation, but then again, this is Fluttershy we’re talking about and not Twilight. Tapping the frames down, I can feel the clamps gently squeeze on either side of my, ugh, muzzle. “I don’t know... it feels like they could still just fall off at any moment...”
“If you’re really feeling anxious about it,” she walks over to the wall that was full of glass frames. “They also have the option of a croakie.”
“A wha-” I see that she’s pointing out several pairs that have chains attached to what would be the ear horns. “... Is that what it’s called?”
“That’s what Fuzzy Hooves, my veterinary teacher called them,” Fluttershy giggles and nods. “Oh!” She points out a pair of green frames that have that ‘belongs-on-a-crazy-old-cat-lady’ style about them. Attached to these frames is a ‘croakie’ of small heart-shaped beads. “How about these?”
Something of Rarity must be rubbing off on me because I can feel myself physically cringe at the thought of those ‘adorning’ my face.
“Uhm, not really my style..” It’s weird having Fluttershy suggesting what sort of glasses to wear, I mean, the day started out with- uhm - talking to her about why I don’t like doctors. Geez, that feels so far away. Must be whatever’s leftover of that cold fucking with my sense of time.
Speaking of which... Here comes a glob of yuck in the back of my throat!
“Yeep! Are you alright?” Fluttershy predictively asks after I push the less-than-savory-textured mass from its resting place.
“Yeah!” Just clear that thing out, H.B. It’ll give some semblance of normalcy after Angel screamed like you were draining away his little rabbit soul. “Just post nel-nasal drip.”
“Oh... Okay.” Fluttershy looks like she is reluctantly accepting of that answer, She is slowly turning back to the frames and their ‘croakies’. “How about this pair?”
Her hoof had settled on a pair of thin round purple glasses with a chain of very light amber spherical beads that have just noticeable enough rainbow iridescence on them.
“Hmm, I’m okay with the frames as long as they also come in black.” I’m only even considering purple because... well.. It’s her favorite colour... “What the fet is up with the rainbowness on the croakie?” Yup. That word still sounds stupid.
“That-” Comes a voice right at my left side! “Would be because they magically turn invisible when you put them on!”
Taking a deep breath through my nose, I turn to glare at the pony whose voice more than irritates me.
“Nurse Goodfilly.” I curtly hiss through my teeth as I attempt to push away the addriline that was just pumped into my system.
“That’s me! Nurse Goodfilly, here for the graveyard shift!” she replies in a nearly saccharinely sweet voice. She then shifts the saddlebags on her back. There’s a book peeking out of one of the pockets. Can’t quite make out the title. ‘More with a-’? I’m more than a little tired, so looking at her is churning up more than a few unpleasant feelings.
“So you made it abundantly clear when we first came in...”
“I did? Oh, right. I did!” she exclaims giggling. Ugh, even her laugh is irritating me. Somewhere between Eris from ‘The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy’ and Q from Star Trek. She gives me a pouting face. “Why so serious? Did I do something wrong?”
Just then, I remember a few more events from last night and the reason for that dull ache near my flank.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Tone down the snark, tone down the snark, tone down the- “Could it be that you snuck up on us, ooor that I’m still sore from when you stabbed me in the flank last night? I don’t know!”
“H.B....” Fluttershy interjects.
“Ho-Oooh,” She chuckles, grinning an impish smile.”You do remember that.”
“What? You don’t?” Seriously, is she playing with me?!
Suddenly, her eyes go wide and that playful, smug, almost flirty expression is traded in for one of shock, surprise, and that fretful gaze that only comes with needing to get away.
“W-what? Of course I dooo!” She coos. “It’s just that I-”
“There you are!!” Bellows an angry mare from the other side of the double doors that lead back to the waiting room.
“Oope! I’m afraid that I have to go!” Nurse Goodfilly sing-songs as she zips out the doors opposite to the ones that a frantic looking Nurse Redheart practically barrels through.
Hooooh, boy...I don't know what hospital shenanigans are happening, but whatever they are Robin Goodfilly mustn't have been a very ‘good filly’ to make the normally calm and gentle looking Redheart look like I do when I just rolled out of bed and realized that I have a job and hurriedly rushed out the door only taken a moment to adjust the bun in my mane and tail.
“Ugh! Where did they go?!” She shouts, stomping her hooves.
“Are you looking for Goodfilly, Nurse Redheart?” I tentatively ask, Fluttershy cowering behind me a little.
“What?!” She exclaims, looking momentarily befuddled while glancing at her hooves for a second. “Oh, right, uhm, yes.” She says, adjusting her bun. “She, uhm, ‘borrowed’ a very important book from me and I’m trying to get it back.”
“Oh no,” Fluttershy gasps. “I didn’t think that Robin would do something like that!”
Redheart snorts and her mane curls a bit, a sure sign of her current frustration. “Oh, she can be quite the prankster when she wants to be... Did either of you two happen to see-”
“Which way she went?” I nod and point a hoof in the direction that the book-nabbing, flank-stabbing assailant pony fled.
“Thank you,” She says, a satisfied smirk on her face.
“Uhm, wait!” Fluttershy calls out nervously.
The nurse sharply turns. “Yes?”
“Nurse Goodfilly isn’t going to be in trouble is she?” She pauses, a great deal of concern on her face. “S-she said that she was going to find H.B. a doctor...”
“Oh! Right! A doctor, yes. Well, if the both of you go back to the waiting room,” Nurse Redheart pauses and turns. “A doctor can be with you, however there is another patient already waiting to be seen last I checked.” She explains walking through the doors.
=========
“Geez, talk about unprofessionalism,” Heartbreak remarked rolling her eyes and clearing her throat a little before pointing to the glasses still stuck to her muzzle. “Mind putting these back, please?”
“Oh, of course not,” Fluttershy replied, tapping on the frames and removing them from Heartbreak’s face. She fiddled with them a little before putting them back on the display rack. “You don’t think that Robyn is going to get in a lot of trouble for that book, do you? After all, she did only borrow it...”
Heartbreak sighed, and once again, rolled her eyes. “I don’t know Flutters. I’d rather not get involved in hospital drama/politics.’ She paused when she saw the pony’s ears droop. “But I suppose that she’ll be alright. I mean, we can hope.”
"I’m sorry,” Fluttershy said.
“It’s fine. After all, it’s a part of who you are, it’s what you do, care about others that is,” Heartbreak replied, slowly walking towards the waiting room doors. “I’m just really tired from today’s events and I’d like to get this done and over with so I can get those cucumbers and-Fet.” She looked at her saddlebags as a face of mild panic was attempting to build itself on her face. “The strawberries! Where-”
“Oh, those are in my saddlebags,” Fluttershy said, quickly dousing the easily recognizable flames of anxiety. “Remember?” She asked, pushing open the door for Heartbreak.
“Ooooh, yeah,” Heartbreak said walking through. “I hope they’re doing alright in there, strawberries aren’t known for their resistance to being jostled about.”
Just then, a familiar voice cleared her throat and the two ponies were treated with a disapproving face attached to an orange pony with a yellow mane.
"A.J...." Heartbreak sheepishly said, a nervous smile creeping over her face. "Long time no see.."
"Oh, hi Applejack," Fluttershy said, sensing an uneasy tension between the two. "What are you doing here?"
"Applebloom an' her friends decided ta test their luck an' ta earn their cutie marks in 'bat wranglin''" Applejack replied, huffing and rolling her eyes, her forelegs crossed over each other. "Only thing she managed ta do was scare a swath of them varmints off an get herself swarmed."
"So that's what happened to the fruit bats..." Fluttershy murmured. "I hope that they're alright."
"Eh, them varmints are fine," Applejack said, a cold indifference in her voice. "Ah'm sure that Applebloom's fine too, but there's no tellin' what them bats could be carryin'. So ah'm havin' the doctor give her a look over."
"That's a good idea." Heartbreak piped, making a point to sit a chair away from the apple pony.
"An just what are ya two doin' here at this hour?"
"There was a little kerfuffle at Fluttershy's cottage," Heartbreak said, holding up a swollen hoof. "And to make a long story short? I got bitten by a cat."
"Oh." Applejack said, her face twisting in a sympathetic pained expression.
"It was an accident," Fluttershy meekly protested. "I'm sure that Mr. Tux-Cat didn't mean to bite you that hard." She said, sitting down between the two ponies. "He was just scared and confused."
Heartbreak waggled her front hooves back and forth. "I'm sure that he didn't... still hurt..." she muttered as she stared ahead of her, lost momentarily in the memory that was still fresh in her mind. Silence fell over the trio as they waited for Applebloom's return.
A silence that was broken by the clicking of Applejack's tongue and a question. "So, what was with all that talk about strawberries when ya two first came in?"
"Haaa-haa," Heartbreak groaned, avoiding Applejack's accusatorial narrow-eyed glares. "Fet-locksss..."
"What?" Applejack asked. "Ya'll thought ya could get that past little ol' A.J.?"
"I was kinda hoping I could..." Heartbreak grumbled under her breath, going to rub the side of her head, only to be reminded midway of the soreness of her hoof. "Tssst! Ffffet!"
"What happened?" Applejack asked gruffly as Fluttershy sat uncomfortably in the middle.
"I told you, a cat bit me an-"
"That's not what Ah was talkin' about!" Applejack said, her irritation starting to grow more present.
"Then," Heartbreak rolled her eyes before letting out a series of short coughs. "What are you talking about, A.J? Cause if you can't tell, sick or not, I'm not a fetting mind reader-"
“What ah mean is-” She began, snorting at the ‘mind reading’ comment. “Why in tarnation did ya go off ta that there market when ya coulda come over ta Sweet Apple Acres?”
“She has been sick...” Fluttershy interjected, an anxious look in her eyes. “And hasn’t had the energy to get out...”
“Ah’m sure she can speak fer herself, Fluttershy,” Applejack huffed. “An that’s even more a reason ta have come over! Ah don’t know if it holds true where yer from, but here we have a sayin’:”
“Please don’t-”
“An apple a day, keeps-”
“-The doctor away,” Heartbreak interrupted, irritation rumbling in her voice.
“So ya have heard it!” Applejack said, her expression softening but still a blending disappointment and confusion. “So... why didn’t ya come over?”
“Uhm...”
“Apples are far better fer ya than any fancy breed of newfangled strawberries. An’ they keep better too!”
Just as Heartbreak was going to make more uncomfortable hooing and humming, the doors to the medical rooms opened and out bounded a cheery looking Applebloom, lollypop tucked in her cheek.
“All done, A.J! Doc ‘Oofer gave a clean bill of health!” she said before suddenly feeling the awkward chill in the air. She looked baffled until she spotted a familiar face in the room. “Oh! Hey-ya there, H.B.! Yer the next patient?”
“Hey, A.B.,” Heartbreak replied sheepishly. “Eeyup,” she said in her best imitation of Big Mac.
“What happened?” She asked, her voice lit with genuine concern for a fellow crusader, albeit an honorary one.
Heartbreak rolled her eyes and waggled her drilled hoof. “Just got bitten by a cat. It’s no biggie.”
“It was an accident...” Fluttershy repeated, now shifting in her seat uneasily.
“Yeah...” Heartbreak awkwardly said.
“Oh,” Applebloom said, tilting her head. “Is that why ya weren’t home earlier?”
“Uhm, sorta?” Heartbreak said with a measure of uncertainty. “It was more like I went to the market because I was low on food-”
“An Ah still think ya oughta have come ta the farm fer that...” Applejack muttered.
“Applejack,” Fluttershy uncharacteristically piped, her voice sounding so strained that her friend uncrossed her hoofs and leaned forward.
“Somethin’ the matter there, Flutters?” Applejack asked, just realizing that she might be coming off as a touch insensitive.
“No...” Fluttershy, replied tapping her hooves together. “I just remembered that I needed to talk to you about something.”
“It ain’t about mah problems with the market? Cause Ah-”
“Oh no,” Fluttershy paused and momentarily glanced in Heartbreak’s direction. “No, it’s about Winona and-”
“What about Winona?” Applebloom shouted, whimpering as a worried expression jumped to her face at the mention that something could ever be wrong with the beloved family pet.
“Uhm, well-” Fluttershy stammered, only now realizing the trouble that she could get in.
“It’s about time fer her next check up!” Applejack exclaimed, coming to her friend’s rescue. “Right?”
Fluttershy nodded. “Y-yes, that’s right..” She said matter factly.
“Oh really?” Heartbreak asked somewhat incredulously.
“Ya wanna take this ta the other room?” Applejack asked.
“Yes,” Fluttershy replied after a moment's pause. She then turned to Heartbreak. “You’ll be alright on your own if the nurse calls you before I return, won’t you?” She asked.
Heartbreak bit her lip and looked up at Fluttershy’s pleading expression. “Y-yeah.” She replied as blankly as she could. “A.B. here can keep me company while I wait.”
==========
Fet. Locks.
That's the only thing I can really think of as I watch the two of them go into the other room to 'talk'.
"What's up with them?" Applebloom asks near the moment that the door closes and we're alone.
It's really a question that I don't want to answer. Because if my assumptions are right, it would paint this little filly's first in quite the unfavorable light.
"Well," Great, start it off with a weird crack in your voice H.B.! That'll convince her to not make any further inquiries for sure! "It's... complicated..."
"They're talkin' about you..." Damn it. The apple that has yet to bloom is the smartest one on the tree. "Ain't they?"
"Doctors really like to keep you waiting, don't they?" I ask after sighing and giving her what's sure to be an awkward smile. She only raises an eyebrow and gives me a 'don't you dare lie to me, H.B.' glare. "They gotta make themselves feel important, right?" One last feeble attempt to dissuade the filly from asking anymore questions.
Like that ever works.
"What makes you think that?" I ask after the fraction of a second it takes for my resolve to crumble under the weight of overly cute filly eyes.
"Aw, come on, H.B." she says rolling her eyes and crossing her front hooves. Huh, must run in the family. "A.J.'s ma sister! Ah might still need ta earn ma cutie mark, ah'll be a shaved primate before ah know when she's not fibbin'."
"Shaved primate?" What the fuuu-
"Uhm, it's somethin' ah heard ma cousin Crab Apple say," she replies as she scratches the side of her face with her fore hoof.
"Yeeeah... that sounds like something Dib would say..." I remark thinking about what was it, May?
"Dib?"
"Oooh right, you weren't there when he came over to visit..." Gawds, I hate thinking about what could be taking that doctor so long, but I really don't want to go into the events of those few days with Applebloom. Just in case. "It's a nickname I came up with for him. We're sort of pen pals now. I mean, I think we are. I wrote to him, but haven't heard back..."
"We were havin' a sleepover at Scootaloo's house, her aunts made us hotdogs!"
... Scootaloo has aunts?
"Did ya put a... awe shucks, what's it called?" She asked, her large red bow shaking as she taps the side of her head. "Return address!"
"Return address?"
"Yeah! Ya know, the place where ya now live? Ya tell them there away that there post office where abouts you livin', right?"
"I-I know what a 'return address' is," I reply, fighting off that usual urge to snark that comes with somep-someone else pointing out what should be obvious. "It just doesn't occur to me that I needed to go to the post office to get that done... Plus, I've been sick for the past week."
Three cheers for the exposition fairy!
"Oh... that wasn't our fault, was it?" she asks after a moment of silence, her eyes going wide with worry.
"What? No! No..." Well, it sorta is with colts and fillies being germ factories. "It's more my own fault for not getting vaccinated when I first got here."
"That's where they stick ya up with them needles, yeah?"
"Eeeeeeyup," I reply, being reminded of the sharp pain from when the 'good' nurse Goodfilly stabbed my backside. Only to be reminded -if- the painful reason why we're here as my hoof throbs causing me to whimper, wince, and whinny!
Appleboom jumps at the jumble of sounds emanating from my throat, before peering at my hoof and then up at me with eyes that are just the epitome of concern.
Or that's what I think they are, after all some faces are hard to read.
"I'm fine." I assure her waggling my other hoof. "Cat bite, remember?"
"Then it wan't cause of the..." she looks over her shoulder and then leans forward to peer past me. "... Mark?" Fet, I can feel her eyes darting at the offending symbol.
A panicked sensation jumps up on me like some overexcited dog seeing their master.
"No-o-o, nooo, nope," I managed to squeak out. "Like I told you before, I was bitten by a cat while I was at Fluttershy's."
"Oh..." she says, a hint of confusion in her voice. Her eyes then widen. "Whatya doin' there? Ah thought the animals din't like ya..."
"Where did you hear that?" I ask, racking my brain trying to recall if I had divulged this tidbit of information to the three of them.
"Ya told us last week when we parted by her cottage," she looks at me with even more concern. "Remember?"
"Oh yeaaaaah..." there's that memory. "That's when Pinkie and the three of you burst into song..." I sigh irritatedly.
"Huh..." she awkwardly chuckles. Shit. Great bit of snark got out... "Sorry about that..."
"It's fine, A.B." come on H.B., pull yourself together here. "I must have forgotten cause that's the day I got... sick.. up and hit me. Most of what happened in that week it's kind of a blur..."
"But yer better now, right?"
"Yeah, I'm-" Gah! Throat tickle! Of course right now is when it chooses to strike! "Hem! Hem!" After clearing my throat a few times- "Better... Mostly..."
"Heart-Break?" Calls out a mare's voice, accompanied with the fast squeaking of the waiting room doors.
"That's me..." I replied, my enthusiasm level turned down to a negative one. "and please, call me H.B."
She raises an eyebrow and looks at me with an incredulous glance before flipping the page up. "But you are the patient, Heartbreak, right?"
"Yesss..." Come on, H.B., she's most likely tired and wanting to go home. "That's-ugh-me!" I push myself up and off my most comfy of chairs.
"Hey, H.B.!" Appleboom calls out as I'm nearly about to pass through the door.
"Yeah?"
"Ya work on gettin' better, ya hear? We've still got a lot of crusadin' yet ta do!"
Damnit, I can't help but let out a bemused chuckle at that bright little face of hers. Or maybe it's the serious time she's taken on paired with that comically oversized bow.
Whatever it is, it's both funny and comforting to know that the girls have yet to give up on me. Not that I needed it right now, but it's-
"Uhm, miss?" The nurse interjects.
"Oh! Right," I hobble forward. "I'm just an honorary member, Applebloom." Ugh, I don't feel like ending the conversation like that. "But, I'll let the three of you know when we can get back to crusadin'." I pause before going through the door. "And if I don't see you when I get back; good morning, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!"
"You too, H.B.!"
"Good grief, Whinnysotains..." the nurse mutters under her breath.
=========
"An' that's everythin' that's happened?" Applejack asked, her eyes wide as Fluttershy nodded. "Well. Ah'm feelin' like the rotten apple... If ah had known she done an' got herself that sick... ah wouldn't have come down so hard on her in the waitin' room there."
"It's not your fault, Applejack," Fluttershy assured her. "It was more like a series of unfortunate events."
Applejack shook her head. "Maybe, still..." she sighed. "Ah guess ah was a bit more riled up over Appleboom an' her friends shenanigans with them there fruit bats. The whole thing reminds me of..."
The orange pony trailed off before becoming quiet. Fluttershy could see the gaze in her friend's green eyes grow distant and teary over a deep seeded inner pain.
Part of Fluttershy wanted to reach out and console her friend, to tell her that things would be alright. But another part held her back, after all, A.J. was a strong pony and this pain wasn't hers to talk about.
Applejack raised a hoof and rubbed her nose while sniffing hard. "Sorry about that there, Fluttershy..." she said, recomposing herself. "It's just gettin' ta be that time of year an' like ah said said, Appleboom an' her friends gettin' outta all sorts of dangerous stunts..."
"I-it's ok..." Fluttershy awkwardly replied.
"So!" Applejack exclaimed before one more sharp inhalation. "Why in the Samhill did Rarity think that introducin' H.B. ta the animals was a good idea again?"
"Oh..." Fluttershy's ears fell in shame. "Well she told me that what kindness meant to her was patience."
"Patience?" Applejack asked incredulously.
"Yes," Fluttershy nodded. "The way she put it, if there were some animals that tolerated H.B.'s presence, then maybe I could help them see her as less of a threat- maybe even find one that would want to be her companion!" She said, her wings fluttering excitedly before once more drooping to her sides. "But, with what happened, I'm not sure that will happen, after all, even if H.B. insists that it was an accident, I can't help but feel that it was my f-"
Applejack held up a hoof. "Now stop right there, sugarcube," she gave her friend a stern, yet sympathetic look. "Nun of this was yer fault."
"B-but I-I took her to my cottage without telling any of my animal friends!" Fluttershy protested. "If I had just waited..."
"Hey now, " Applejack said, lowering her head to meet Fluttershy's eye level. "Ya didn't know that they would react that way, and really, nopony would fault ya fer bein' excited like that."
"I'm just not sure what to do now..." Fluttershy whimpered.
"Are ya askin' fer ma advice here?"
"Y-yes, please?" Fluttershy asked sheepishly. "B-but only if you're ok with giving it!" She added.
Applejack tsked and shook her head grinning somberly back. "Now why in the Sam hill wouldn't ah be?" She took a deep breath tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Alright, ta get the obvious outa the way, yer havin' a time tryin' ta H.B. about yer element."
"Yes..." Fluttershy said.
"Ah can relate to that, " Applejack replied, grimacing and tapping on her chin. "She gave me a bit of a time when Twilight brought her ta me fer learnin'. Granted, Ah gave her the answer ta the lesson ta begin with. It just took her a while ta get to it."
“What was the lesson that she learned?” Fluttershy asked. “Uhm, that is if you don’t mind telling me.”
Applejack chuckled and shook her head. “That ta be honest with others ya gotta be honest with yerself.”
Fluttershy tilted her head. “Was that all?”
“Yeah, pretty much,” Applejack said. “Ah know it seems like a pretty simple lesson- maybe a little too simple fer H.B.’ She scratched the side of her head and frowned a little bit. “Somethin’ that both she an’ Twilight share in common...”
“What do you mean?”
“Well...” Applejack rolled her eyes and sighed. “Ah dun wanna say anythin’ too... critical about Twi’s teachin’ methods, seein’ that we’re all new at this,” she stared at the floor and her eyebrows furrowed a bit more. “But that first month that Twi’ was with H.B.- well, it was the only month she’s been with her if we want ta get down ta brass tacks here, it seemed like her way of teachin’ was ta just ‘fix things with magic’ rather than ta actually get inta the earth and get down and dirty in teachin’ her.”
“Oh,” Fluttershy replied quietly, not sure how to respond to such a critical look at how another friend tackled their lesson.
“Uh, what ah’m saying is that sometimes, Twilight is too smart fer her own good,” Applejack said, attempting to clarify herself while reducing the harsh tone she had taken when airing her gripes. “An’ that ah think holds true fer H.B. sometimes. Ya ever notice that she’ll go inta these long winded stories when ya ask her about somethin’ really simple?”
“I think so,” Fluttershy said, looking thoughtful. “But I’ve only been with her for a few days...”
“A few days is all it takes,” Applejack laughed a little. “Ah asked her about where she was from an how two whole universes could be side by side an’ not notice anything about each other and she went inta this long explanation about how universes were like apples on the same tree.” She shook her head and waved a hoof. “But none of that has anythin’ ta do with what ya came ta me about, an it’s gettin’ late.”
“It was interesting,” Fluttershy said. “But I suppose you’re right...
"Right, now, ta me, Ah always thought that kindness is more about what ya do fer others rather than how long yer willin' ta do somethin' fer." Applejack said, scratching her head, her words having a vague air to them. "Ya get what Ah mean?"
"I-I think so?" Fluttershy asked, the look on her face becoming more and more lost. "I'm... not sure..."
Applejack sighed a little before her face lit up. "How about this, tamarrow, bright an' early, ya being H.B. ta the farm an' Ah show what ah mean, be like a... what ya call 'em... teacher's aid!"
The ebbs of confusion that had been plaguing Fluttershy's face, neigh her body refused to relinquish its hold, after all-
"That's not against the rules is it?"
Applejack snorted and waved her hoof. "Ah wouldn't think so, after all, ah had Crab- Ah mean Dib, sorta help me an Rarity had Sweetie Belle an' her friends. An' from what Ah heard from Twilight, practically the whole of Ponyville was helpin' out with her lesson."
A flickering of a memory flashed in Fluttershy's mind about the day that H.B. had almost died and instead cried rainbows.
"Hey," Applejack put a hoof on the pegasus' shoulder, causing her to jump slightly. "What ah'm sayin' is that the Princess said that we're the ones who are ta teach her. She didn't say that we had to go it alone."
Fluttershy relaxed and smiled at her friend. "That's actually really good advice..."
Applejack let out a much harder laugh. "Ya think so? Sure as sugar wish Ah had thought about it when Rarity was askin'!"
==========
Yet again, I’m finding myself in an examination room, for a problem that will most likely resolve itself come morning.
Fluttershy is just being cautious. I mutter in my head. And you don’t know if cat bites affect ponies the same way they do with humans. Fet... for all you know, that tux cat is a jellicle cat. They are black and white after all, right?
Trying to get comfortable on the examination table, that stupid crinkling paper that I am sat upon is giving me vague flashes of déjà vu of that first time I was here. Ugh, pushing that memory away only serves to allow a new anxious thought to take its place.
That being what Applebloom and I were just talking about.
The fact that Fluttershy felt the need to excuse herself so that she and Applejack could have a ‘talk’, most likely, fet most definitely, about me, ramps up that anxiety level from one to nine really fast.
But it shouldn’t, should it?
This is Fluttershy we’re talking about here and not like... like...
That one time in high school, when you maintained a ‘C’ average for a semester and the counselor felt the need to call your mom so that the three of you could talk about whether or not you still belonged in special education classes? You remember that, Heartbr-
“Yesss..” Yes, yes, brain, or Goth Bunny, or whatever nagging voice in the back of my head attempting to dig up unpleasant memories in order to tear me down by dissecting each and every one in excruciating detail! I. Remember. That!
And yes, maybe that experience among many others, I’m certain you’ll excavate sometime in the future has a root in explaining my distrust of authority figures ‘going and having a talk’ about me...
But. Like. I. Said. This. Is. Flutter. Shy!
Oh? And what difference does that make, hmmm? Is it because your life's on the line? Is that why it feels like you’ve really fett- fucked up here? Like she might not want to continue helping you? Why does it feel like the walls of this situation that you are in, the meta-narrative of your life, are closing around you? Tightening around you? Tightening around your leg- Arm, arm! Why does it feel like-
Suddenly, the sound of a sharp hiss snaps me out of my self induced trance and I’m greeted with a fresh-baby-faced... colt? I’m still terrible with pony ages, and the fact that there isn’t a ‘teen’ descriptor for the equine ages just doesn’t help me.
“A-are you alright?” The barely light blue colt with a curly orangeish mane asks. He’s wearing a comically oversized Doctor’s coat and has a stethoscope that almost reaches the floor.
“Yeah..” I reply, uncertainty clinging to my voice. Seriously, what the hell? “Why?”
“Well,” He starts in an all too serious tone of voice that only a kid who’s trying to take on an adult role can muster. “Because your blood pressure spiked, while you were, uhm, just sitting there.”
“Oh...” I reply, lightly chuckling at what has to be some sort of sitcom joke in front of me. Taking a deep breath through my nostrils, I prepare to ask the all too obvious question. “Who are you?”
He double blinks before his face droops into an exasperated expression. “I’m the doctor that was assigned to you.”
“Really?” I’m not sure if it’s the way he said that, the, like I said, comically oversized doctor’s gear he has on, or the fact that he has to practically stand on his hind legs in order to even operate whatever they call the thing they use to check your blood pressure. Fetor the fact that it's pretty late and I’m getting pretty tired at this point. But I just want to laugh at that assertion.
“Did Nurse Goodfilly put you up to this? Are you like her nephew or something?” That’s gotta be it. Even in Equestria there’s no way that-
“Nooo..” He says, chuckling while moving a fold on his coat to reveal his name tag. “I’m Doctor Hoofer, Dr. Doogie Hoofer.”
I can feel my face droop as the ever-so-smug expression on this colt’s face appears. Seriously, this universe is just out to prove me wrong or humiliate me at every turn!
“Right.. Of course,” Great, I got nowhere to go with this. This situation is like... a joke without a punchline. Although... ”So why were you taking my blood pressure when I’m here for my hoof?”
“Wait, you are?” That wiped the smug look off his little face, only to replace it with confusion with a touch of panic as he flips through some medical papers on a clipboard. “Oh, so you are.” He chuckles uneasily. “I’m sorry, it’s just usually when I see mares your age, it’s for other health related matters.”
If I had been any other mare- Individual! In-di-vid-ual! Individual, I’d be offended by that remark and assumption of my age. With that said, I can’t help but feel a pang of anger hit me and an awkward chuckle clammer out of my throat as I stare intently at this so-called ‘doctor’. Again, seriously? Do all the medical staff here have the bedside manner of a soiled sponge bath sponge?
“Ha. My age. Ha. I hope I’m not coming down with a case of regretting to sign that paperwork that says I won't physically harm the medical staff here...”
Ho-Oh! Good jorb, H.B! That will totally show this most likely inexperienced M.D. that you are tooootally not bothered by his age comment. Gah! The only real regret you should be having is not having Fluttershy go with you to keep you in check!
“”Oh...” He says, his eyes going wide in worry as he checks his clipboard once more. “O-oh! You’re that Heartbreak..” He stammers, his eyes darting back and forth between me and the board.
“Yeah, that’s me. The one that kicked a doctor in the face and sent him flying into a hospital bed.” Fetting crimmany, how many times do I have to tell myself to tone it down some? It sounds like you want to murder him. “But like I said, I signed some paperwork so I won’t be physically harming any of the staff.”
“Right!” He squeaks out, his voice cracking as the clipboard he’s holding begins to tremble.”So! You’re here about your hoof!” He says clearing his throat and quickly putting the board down. “I would assume it's the one with the gaping hole in it?” He asks, reaching towards said perforated appendage.
“No,” Whoa! Rien that snarl back in! Do I have to start thinking in Fluttershy’s voice just to keep you calm!? “It’s this one.” I lift my left front hoof and it pulses achingly.
“Oh dear..” He looks it over and tenses up, sympathy pangs making his face twitch. “Ooof, yeah, that looks ... bad, but I’ve seen worse. There’s four small punctures near the fetlocks. Uhm...”
Great, the pony whom I’m assuming is a ‘prodigy’ wants me to fill in the blanks for him.
“Cat bite...”
“Right! I was just going to say that!” he exclaims, his eyes darting back to my right front hoof. “I’m sorry, but I have to know. How in the wide world of Equestria did you manage to do that to your other hoof?”
“I had it drilled in April while high on magic tea,” Really getting tired of explaining this to the multi-coloured talking magical equines. Have I promised myself that I’m going to talk to Pepper Pocket so that he can make that plug yet?
“Back in April? So you’ve been walking around with this perforation for almost four months?! I’m surprised you haven’t cracked or chipped it yet...”
“Yes...” Kay, irritation is growing again. “But what about my left hoof, Doc? Fluttershy wanted to make sure that there wasn’t any nerve damage.”
“Oh, Right!” He clears his throat and goes to look at the hoof with the actual problem. “May I take a closer inspection?”
“Yeah, sure,” I reply, just wanting to get this the fffuck over with.
=========
Fluttershy waved Applejack and her sister off as the two ponies started back on their way home.
I would have liked to talk more about what kind of ideas she had so that I could be better prepared... She thought as she held a hoof at her chin pensively. But I suppose that they have to get up earlier in the morning.
She bit her lip and sighed.
“And you should really get back home too, Fluttershy! After all, Angel and your animal friends must be worried sick about me and-” Just then, an uncomfortable clunking sound interrupted her dialog causing her wings to reflexively startle.
Turning to the source of the new, yet oddly familiar sound, she saw Heartbreak, her left front hoof bound in a pony crutch.
“Oh dear!” She gasped, her near parental instincts kicking in the moment she saw the broken hearted pony struggling to work out how to walk. Again. “Are you alright?, You’re not hurt too badly are you?”
Heartbreak’s face tensed as she sharply breathed through her nostrils before exhaling out slowly. “I’m fine, Fluttershy,” she said, making her way down the steps. “Just. Fine.” She grunted with a final step down to the ground. “Whew! That’s going to get some getting used to.”
“What did the doctor say?” Fluttershy asked after she was sure that her charge had gained her bearings.
“He said that I was lucky that there wasn’t any nerve damage that he could detect.” She said between hobbling steps forward. “But I should keep weight off of it as much as I can.”
“That’s good,” Fluttershy said, her head low but her voice relieved. “Who was your doctor? Doctor Hoofer?” She asked, trotting to catch up with Heartbreak.
“That’s right,” Heartbreak replied, sounding as if she had something in her mouth.
After a bit of silence and watching to make sure that Heartbreak was adapting to the crutch, Fluttershy cleared her throat to ask a question.
“So... how did your experience with him go?”
“I told you, it went fine,” Heartbreak replied, a crackling sound coming from her mouth. “I mean, he didn’t end up in a hospital bed, if that’s what’s you’re asking.’
“Does that mean you-” Fluttershy swallowed, pausing as he adjusted the saddlebags on her back. “-liked him?”
“Uuuuhm, uhh,” came the reply. “I didn’t not dislike him?” She openly asked.”Like I said, he didn’t end up in a bed, so he’s better than Dr. Marshmallow. So there’s that. Why do you ask?”
“Oh, because,” Fluttershy began. “If you ever need to go to the hospital again, it’s a good idea to have a doctor to go to that you can trust...”
Heartbreak took a deep breath and sighed. “Well, if that’s the case, then Doctor Hoofer is a hard pass. Not because he isn’t any good at his job, but because he’s super inexperienced. Plus, I feel really weird taking medical advice from a colt who looks like they could be a grade above Scootaloo...”
“He’s really that young?” Fluttershy asked, bewildered.
“Uh, yeah. And truth be told, I think I was the one scaring him.” Heartbreak said as they approached the road that would soon lead them back to Old Miller Dr. “Oh, he did say that there was one thing wrong with me.”
Fluttershy squeaked worriedly. “O-oh? What was that?”
“That I was shaky, to which I told him that it was most likely due to me just getting over an illness...” She adjusted a small white stick that was between her lips. “And that I haven't eaten much all day. Samples from various venders at the market hardly count as a meal. Hence the lollipop. It’s sour apple, one of my favorites.”
Fluttershy nodded and shifted the saddlebags on her back once more.
“You want me to take my saddlebags, Flutters?” Heartbreak asked before starting to crunch on the sour candy.
“Oh no,” Fluttershy said, shifting a little. “It’s fine, you have to keep weight off your hoof, remember?” She paused for a moment. “H.B.?”
“Yeah?”
“I was wondering if you‘re ok with it, and if you’re feeling well enough, if maybe you’d like to go to Sweet Apple Acres tomorrow?”
Heartbreak paused and glanced at Fluttershy, a gleam of confusion in her eye. “Why for?” she asked, the lollipop stick banishing into her mouth.
“Oh, well,” Fluttershy looked away and pushed her forelock out of her face. “It’s just that when I was talking with Applejack, I might have mentioned part of the reason that you went to the market was because you were running low on food...”
Heartbreak coughed a little and continued walking. “I thought that I told her that when she was scolding me for going in the first place. But frankly, I’m getting too tired to try and think about it. So, continue...”
“Well, we thought that you would like to see what her farm has to offer.” Fluttershy said, partly relieved by her students’ lack of questions.
Heartbreak looked thoughtful for a moment. “With the way that A.J. was chewing me out, I was thinking that she was going to hold a grudge against me forever.” she chuckled as she chewed on the paper that was once a lollipop stick. “Think I could get her to forgive me?” she asked half jokingly.
“I believe that you could,” Fluttershy replied. “After all, you didn’t mean to upset her.”
“That wasn’t a serious question there, Flutters,” Heartbreak said as the two ponies turned onto Old Miller Dr. “But ok, yeah, if I’m feeling up to it and this-” she waggled her crutched hoof. “Is less swollen, which I’m sure it will be. Then I’ll be up for a trip to the farm. Might even convince A.J. to give me a discount on apples, right?”
“It wouldn’t hurt to ask...” Fluttershy said, surprised by how little resistance H.B. put up towards the idea.
“What time in the morning are we talking?” Heartbreak asked, trying her best to avoid the long grass and rocks on the unpaved road. “Cause I still want to do that eye exam we talked about tomorrow.”
“Well, she said bright and earl-” Just then, Fluttershy eeped in shock as her hoof made a wet squelching sound the moment she stepped into Heartbreak’s front yard. “O-oh my goodness!”
“What- Oh.” Heartbreak said, groaning and looking at the newly created swamp that was her lawn. “Right, I left Fighty and Bitey in charge of their own watering.” she sighed and started hobbling down the mostly dry stone path that led to her front door. “Last time I make that mistake, right Flutters?”
“I-I suppose so...” Fluttershy said in tow.
Arriving at the steps, Heartbreak looked over and saw that her snapdragons appeared more than a little water drunk.
“Humph, hope you two learned a lesson,” She muttered before making her way up the stairs. “And I expect that you’ll be using all this water before I water you again...”
The woozy plants burbled and whimpered at the light chastising.
“She’s not really upset with you,” Fluttershy whispered, cooing at the flora. “She’s just had a really, really, really, really long day...”
Heartbreak rolled her eyes before stopping as she noticed a basket whose contents were hidden under a striped tea-towel.
“Oh, what’s this?” She leaned forward and took a sniff. “Smells like... muffins?”
“Oh, there’s a note with it...” Fluttershy said picking up and opening the letter.
“Who’s it from?” Heartbreak asked after spitting out a paperwad and almost reluctantly picking up the basket handle with her teeth. “You mind getting the door?”
“Not at all,” Fluttershy said opening the doors and allowing Heartbreak by.
“Fankz,” Heartbreak said, hobbling her way into her home.
“The letter is from Cream Puff,” Fluttershy said, slipping off the saddlebags when she entered the kitchen.
“Yeah, that’s what I was guessing..” Heartbreak said, setting her muffin basket on the living room table.
“She says that she was going to visit you today as she had leftover muffins, but apparently she didn’t know that you’d be going out.” Fluttershy said removing the groceries from the saddlebags. Thankfully, both strawberries and cucumbers had weathered the trauma of the day. The bread, however, had gotten some squishing..
“To be fair, neither did I,” Heartbreak said before flopping on her couch. She leaned over to wrestle a muffin from its not so secret hiding spot.
“She says that she’s going to leave the muffins and that Pinkie Pie is taking her back to the orphanage.” Fluttershy said walking into the living room once she had put everything away.
“That’s good to know,” Heartbreak replied, eyeing her muffin. “Hey Fluttershy?”
“Yes?”
“I don’t know if I’ve said this enough,” Heartbreak began, a small crack in her voice. “But thanks. For ya know, everything.’
“You're welcome,” Fluttershy replied, her voice happy, if not sounding a touch confused. “So... Uhm, do you need anything else?”
“Not that I can think of right now,” Heartbreak said, sizing up her tasty treat. She took a sniff of its sugar crusted top. “Ooo, smells like blueberries. My fave.” She trilled opening her mouth and taking a bite.
Fluttershy smiled and yawned tiredly. Just as she was about to turn and see herself out the door, Heartbreak coughed and looked as if she might be- “Choking!? You’re not-”
Heartbreak raised a hoof and cleared her throat a few times. “I’m fine, I’m fine...” She wheezed before clearing her throat a few more times. “I guess that there is one thing that you could get me before you go...”
“What’s that?” Fluttershy asked nervously.
“A glass of water?” Heartbreak asked, chewing before clearing her throat once more. “If you’d be so kind that is... Methinks these muffins are a bit dry...”
Fluttershy sighed a little before smiling. “Of course I wouldn’t mind...”
==========
Once she left Heartreak’s house, and felt the cool air pass through her feathers, heard the melodious, if not distant croaks and chirps of frogs and crickets, and tasted the moisture in the July night air.
Only then did Fluttershy allow herself the luxury of relaxing.
This moment of tranquility was, however, short lived as she suddenly heard a snapping of a branch and the rustling of leaves in the tree behind the old vine riddled house.
“H-hello? Is anypony there?” She asked peering around the corner to the backyard.
Then, an unexpected utterance of the pegasi’s name caused her to eep and nearly tumble into a puddle!
“Fluttershy...” The strangely familiar voice repeated.
“Who’s there?!” She nearly shreaked.
“The window, Fluttershy,” Came the answer.
“The window, who?!” She asked, starting to panic.
The voice chuckled. “I guess I was asking for that response. Fluttershy, look in the window next to you. It’s me, H.B.”
“What?” Fluttershy asked looking to her right. In the open screened window, Heartbreak waggled a hoof. “O-oh...” She said sheepishly.
“Fluttershy, go home.” Heartbreak said, not even mentioning how silly this whole incident made the pony outside her window look.
“I-I will, but I thought I heard something in the trees and-”
“Go home, Fluttershy,” Heartbreak sighed.
“But I-”
“Fluttershy,” Heartbreak began cutting her off. “I know that you were just making sure that there wasn’t any danger back there. But I’m sure that it was just the wind... Nothing out there is brave enough to want to approach me. Except maybe the spiders... but they’re all in here, so ya know...”
“I-I’m sorry,” Fluttershy replied.
:”It’s... fine, Fluttershy,” Heartbreak said. “It’s just that we both need to get some rest. After all it’s been a long day- for both of us- and if there’s one of us who’s more deserving of a good night’s sleep, it’s you, I’ll be fine, OK?”
“Uhm... OK...” Fluttershy said meekly before turning around to walk towards the dirt road.
“Goodnight, Fluttershy.” Heartbreak called out.
“You- you too!” Uhm, I mean, goodnight!” Fluttershy awkwardly replied.
As she walked down the Old Miller road and back to her cozy little cottage, a passing thought about the seemingly innocuous exchange took place in her mind.
Maybe H.B. knows a little more about kindness than she’s letting on. After all, she was thinking about my wellbeing too...
Looking up at the clear night sky, an indigo shooting star streaked by, in its wake, a glittering trail of rainbow-y sparkles.
Seeing the odd occurrence gave Fluttershy a strange feeling of hope.
Maybe with Applejack’s help tomorrow, H.B. will figure out what lesson in kindness she’s meant to learn.
Long chapter is long, but I just kinda started writing and couldn't find myself wanting to stop or find a good place to stop. Seriously, 8k words... eeeeesh, maybe a shorter chapter next time but gotta give ya alls something ta read during quarantine, right?
I'd like to thank my editors the psychopath and Zeprto678 For sticking with me and stuff.
All of you out there, stay safe and please don't die.
Afterall, you still all have to finish my story, right? 
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Still love how the plants are fine with her.. Fitey and Bitey are best plants!!
Suspicious...
Something new!
10191134
They can technically be her pets
10191135
Oh?
:3
Haha, no. Pretty hilarious really, that she thinks she taught HB anything. Or that they can be considered friends at all. Applejack hated HB from the beginning because she didn't tell AJ what she wanted to hear. HB hid her origins, and so AJ decided to punish her by making her do hard labor because HB refused to tell anyone th8ngs about herself and when forced she came up with something that seemed fitting. And since she isn't in good shape right now I don't think going woukd be smart, as it would lead to more "lessons" ( hard labor).
Really though, why would she ever go buy wholesale from Sweet Apple Acres? AJ never did her job and wasn't friendly, so unless Dib is visiting there's no reason. And besides, AJ is practically trying to dictate someone else's diet and purchasing habit which is just bizzare. If she wanted apples she could just buy them at the market.
10194918
Just wait till you find out what's got her all choked up and messed up right now... However, you're right in that AJ and HB have yet to reconcile what happened on the farm...
Nice to see you back
I can understand writing long chapters. Sometimes, you just don't have enough time to write a short chapter and a long one comes out instead.
10198575
Tearing through your stories like the bag of wine gum candies beside me.
Now that the bag is temporarily empty, any suggestions of other stories for my consumption?
10199045
A new home by The Psychopath
Caneighdians too. I've had to rescue people from conversations because the other person wouldn't let them go.
What is that in the background of the picture?
10201813
A shooting star? A big blue spider? Something in the trees?
10201945
Not Luna is it?
10201955
I don't think Celestia would approve of that.
10202829
I have a theory! It is actually [data redacted] and [data redacted] then [data redacted] but that's just a theory. A fimfiction theory thanks for reading
10236227
You're hilarious.
10195502
When you say "her" do you mean HB or Applejack?
10195502
Applejack
Damn it... went and got myself caught up. Onto tracking with another one, then
camo.fimfiction.net/icVM02WOoXWCX4lz-JKLha9a50XdeXhR_Xs87GxYY60?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com%2Ff%2F11083494-792c-41f6-979e-30a3863a8fc4%2Fddvacr2-f9ba1391-2f53-4435-983c-e80e962a54a2.jpg%3Ftoken%3DeyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzExMDgzNDk0LTc5MmMtNDFmNi05NzllLTMwYTM4NjNhOGZjNFwvZGR2YWNyMi1mOWJhMTM5MS0yZjUzLTQ0MzUtOTgzYy1lODBlOTYyYTU0YTIuanBnIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.zVQYI7eGKipx0HAz617E_nq_yz6lDQJgwMMeIc9jhCE
Is that Redheart in the background?
Edit: yes it is.
It just occurred to me at this point. Does the hospital know Heartbreak is a sucker for foals? And is the colt a dwarf pony?
That’s also Minnesota’s state muffin. Are you gonna show us Minnieghsota? I picture it with a lot of dairy farms with our state tree growing there maybe even a house in it.
11068468
It hadn't occurred to me that Dr Hoofer could be a dwarf pony, but he's based on Doogie Howser...
As far as the "Will we ever see Minneighsota?" Question... I'm going to answer the same way that N. Gail-Mane answers every time he's asked about "Good Omens Season 2".
"Wait and See."