Lost Magic And Betrayal

by Politicalunrest2400

Chapter 3: The Shade of Home

Author's Note:

Ignore the previous Authors Note.... the group i posted about was NOT what i thought it was.

Nights-shade was in a dream, or was it a nightmare? He knew it of course but that didn't make it any less frightening. He saw his sister being forced to don armor like a Knight, changed from her happy go lucky and care free self, she was now as hard as stone; no she was harder and that scared him.

Next he saw his mother, weeping over two graves as monsters gathered around her ready to devour her. He couldn't make out the names on the headstones, but they had to be his sisters and fathers graves. He yelled, screamed, he even tried to throw something at his mother to get her to run away from the monstrosity’s that descended on her in what seemed like slow motion; but he could not change the outcome. He watched as the shadowy creature’s ripped her apart even as she cried tears of grief for her lost family.

Nights-shade woke, tears staining his main and face while his heart pounded like a forge hammer. Looking around, he saw only shadowy figures, it was dark and someone had turned down the single lamp that his family had in their small under cave for light down to where it gave off almost none.

He heard whispered voices in the front room that served as the family’s living room, dining room, and kitchen. He listened closely “He is in good health, he is just overly exhausted. He might sleep for several more hours yet.” The voice was soft, and filled with sincere concern for him. “He is also severely dehydrated, so you might want to try and wake him in the next hour or so if he doesn't wake on his own, to get him to drink something.” Her tone started to sound more clinical, a nurse to the caretakers of her patient. “If he won’t take any, force him. If he doesn't wake up, send some pony for me and I will come down with an I.V.”
Another voice snickered, it was his little sister, Holly. “He hates needles, just the thought of one will get the faker to wake up” she giggled again, her voice was teasing but he could tell that her heart wasn't in it.

“He will be ok. He has to be, he is all we have left.” Came a third voice, his mother Daisy. She sounded resolute, but as if she was forcing it, trying to stay strong when every pony knew all she wanted to do was fall apart.

The three kept talking but he stopped paying attention. He stood, his front legs were shaky, but gritting his teeth he forced them steady. Come on, he thought, if you can buck an entire apple field by mid-day, or finish a suit of armor in less time, only to have to walk all the way home, you can do this.

He pushed harder, and only by leaning against the wall, he made it. His vision swayed slightly whoever said I was dehydrated was right… I need some water, he thought as he started to make his way toward the front room.

His hooves clacked hard, as he moved off the area carpet and onto the stone floor of the front room. The voices stopped, and Nights-shade realized that three mares were standing in his way, and staring at him as if he were nightmare moon come again. Throat parched, dry and cracking he said “water…” and walked between them toward the sink. He reached into the small wooden cub-bored that was one of the only things his mother had been able to save from the farm house after it had burned, and retrieved a cup, filled it, and downed its contents in one gulp.

He drained the cup three more times before his thirst abated enough that he came to some kind of sense. He looked down at the sink, and realized that something red was pooling with the water that dripped from his mussel. His eyes went wide as he looked down at his chest and front hooves, they were caked in dried blood! “What in Celestia’s sun…?”

“It’s not yours, well most of it isn't anyway. You weren't hurt too badly, just a couple of cuts and scrapes.” The voice was Hope’s. Hope, the mare Nurse who had helped him home from the examination. Hope, who he had saved from…

His voice was cold as he said “Where is that lilly livered son of a changeling?” he started to growl, anger granting his limbs strength again “Attacking a mare like that out of nowhere then hiding behind her! I will kill him this time!”

“Wow there big fella” said Holly as she stepped between him and the door putting a diminutive hoof on his chest. “From what ol’nurse Hope here has been tellin us, you gave that roughien a good what fore!” Anger quickly fled from his eyes, though he felt ready to fight again, like he wanted to fight the son of a chimera again.

“The blood is his Nights-shade.” Said Hope her voice giving away her concern that he would do something foolish… again.

“Son, you did well. You saved Nurse Hope here from who knows what? But you need rest my little shade tree.” Daisy walked up to him and nuzzled her head against his shoulder. Every pretense of leaving to find the scoundrel dissipated, and Nights-shade felt like sleeping again… for a while.

“What time is it?” was all he asked.

“It’s half way through the afternoon, sunset will be happening soon. Why?” Hope asked before she realized her mistake from the look the other two mares gave her.

“Well, I am going to go lay down for a bit and get something to eat before my shift starts.” Nights-shade turned around, opened the magic powered fridge and started to rummage for something he could eat quickly.

“Nights-shade Tree Down, I don’t think you are going anywhere young man.” His mother said in as forceful a voice as she could muster. “You need a shower, to get something to eat, and then it’s strait to bed with you until tomorrow, understood mister?” she tried to muster her own stubbornness, but she knew just as well as he did that if he didn't work, there would be a day sometime next week that they all wouldn't eat because their ration cards would run out.

“Ma, I need to work. You know that. Besides I will only work my shift, I won’t work the extra today.” He said as he finished making himself a sandwich with extra carrots and tomatoes and bit into it, nearly melting to the ground at the wonderful taste.

“Nonsense! This is doctors, or rather nurse’s orders. You are staying home tonight and sleeping.” She stretched her neck out and sniffed him. “After you take a shower…” Nurse Hope scrunched her nose at his smell.

Nights-shade shook his head, pushing lightly past her and back toward the shared bedroom munching down on his sandwich. “Oh for the sake of Celestia” Joy said under her breath. “If you are worried about ration cards, I can order you a whole new set tomorrow, as long as you sleep tonight. But if this is a manly pride thing, trying to be the ‘big stallion’ so help me I will go straight to your supervisor and…” her words were lost on him as he teetered from side to side.

She and the other two mares, where at his side immediately, supporting him and guiding him back to the bed he had dragged himself out of.

After he was settled and snoring quite loudly, Nurse Hope walked back into the kitchen area trailed by his family. She turned and said “Ok, so that was odd.” And smiled at them. They both smiled back as if they knew something she didn’t. “What? Am I missing something?”

“Nothing at all darling” Daisy said, a small smirk still shining bright on her face. “It’s just I have never seen him so worked up over something as normal as a robbery after the fact. Oh he has a temper that’s sure, but it almost never goes further than right then. The only time I have seen him so angry after the hullabaloo was over and done with was when a bully kept picking on Holly when we first moved here.”

“How about when that one Colt stole your saddle bag? He ripped that guy a new…” she was interrupted by her mother’s angry glare. “What? … He did.” She said sulking.

“We do not use bad language in this house hold little filly. Do you understand me?” The sternness in her voice made Hope realize what Nights-shade had been talking about. When she wanted to, she had a will of iron.

“But Nights-shade said …” holly started argue before being cut off.

“I don’t care what Nights-shade said, he is sick and needs love and sleep. You are just trying to get away with behaving poorly young filly, and so help me I will paddle your bottom if you do it again. Do you understand me?” Daisy’s face was iron and Holly’s eyes started to water.

“Yes ma.” Was all she squeaked out before small tear started to form and fall from her eyes.

“Oh little one” Daisy said, pulling Holly close “Don’t be so sensitive. It’s just the rules, you know them so why the tears huh?” her voice was tender, all sense of Iron was gone. But Hope could tell it would be right back if the little filly tried anything.

“It’s not that ma” holly said as she buried her face in her mother’s coat. “Its Nights-shade…” and then the sobbing started in earnest.

Shushing the young filly, Daisy nuzzled her head as she softly said “It’s alright little one, he is just fine, he is just really tired is all, but thanks to Nurse Hope here he will get the rest he needs.” Daisy pulled Holly away from her slightly looking her in the eyes and said “why don’t you run along and watch over Nights-shade? Make sure he stays asleep will you?” Hope suddenly felt very uncomfortable, as if she was watching something privet and intimate. Suddenly she realized, she was and turned to pointedly look at the hard cave stone walls as if inspecting them for cracks.

Holly whipped her eyes with a hoof, then said voice cracking slightly “Yes Ma.” The little filly then stood, swaying slightly as if tired herself, and walked into the other room. Hooves clacking as she moved from the hard stone floor of the front room, to the area carpet in the other where her hoof steps were muffled.

Daisy waited for Holly to be fully in the next room before she rounded on Hope taking the mare slightly by surprise. “Can you do what you just promised?” The iron was back in her voice and stare, though it seemed tempered by hope that Hopes words were true. Hope nodded her head.

As she spoke her voice was filled with unease under that iron stare “It would be easy. I have requisition forms” Hope grew more confident as she continued. “All doctors and nurses do when dealing with a sick patient by decree of Luna herself.” Hope mimicked Daisy’s for everything she was worth, but she knew it was nowhere near as intimidating as the older mares. “It should be common practice particularly with how dangerous the work at the forges can be down here. Who is the doctor for this warren of under caves?”

Daisy laughed bitterly “Dr. Rag-pin but that old goat will only see patients if they have Bits. Says he ‘deserves to be paid like everyone else’, and most of the workers down here can barely keep food on their tables let alone afford a doctor’s visit, particularly at the prices he ‘offers’. Almost no one has bits down here anymore, we all live off of the ration system, but that’s all he will take.” Daisy’s face grew tired and bitter, as if she had seen one to many horrible things in life. Hope then realized she probably had and was holding on only for her daughter and son.

“He gets a stipend from Luna’s treasury like every other medical worker! He should be able to live off of that, and the ration system more comfortably then he deserves, the rat!” Hope’s voice started to raise as she spoke, getting more and more worked up as she went.

Daisy grimaced and motioned for her to lower her voice, nodding to the other room where her two children were asleep. Holly’s snoring was much worse the nights-shades, and that was loud. Hope mouthed an apology but continued, this time in a near whisper. “Why would he do something like that?”

Daisy looked at her as if she had grown another head before answering “You are almost as naive as my Nights-shade, child, he also was shocked when he learned the hard lessons, but learn them he did. And so I am sad to say, will you.” She chuckled slightly to herself. She walked over to a small rocking chair and sat down before continuing. “The answer to your question is Greed child. Plain and simple greed, as old as the world and as powerful as any magic in all the lands.” Daisy’s black and yellow spotted coat bristled before continuing. “It’s an ailment as old as time, and there ain’t no cure for it.”

Daisy was right about her being shocked, Hope shook her head trying to wrap her head around it all. How could a pony sworn to uphold a stricked medical code of ethics turn it on its head because of simple greed? Particularly when he was already living a nearly lavish life style by comparison to those he was supposed to be serving.

“Well it’s not going to continue, that’s for sure. I am going right to Luna with this mess, she will do something to change it, I promise.” Hope emphasized her words by stomping a hoof, creating a loud *Clack* that echoed through the house. She grimaced slightly thinking of the sleeping ponies in the other room. She realized that the image she was trying to convey of confidence, had broken slightly.

Daisy smiled “I think you will at that, though I don’t know if it will help. Luna might not have any one to replace him which means she’d need to keep him right where he is.” She looked tired to Hope, tired and worried as any good mother would be for her children. Daisy rocked slightly back and forth, the tension in her muscles eased visibly at the all too familiar motion. “A greedy doctor is better than no doctor at all I suppose.”

Hope shook her head, having trouble comprehending the troubling issues that had just been laid before her that were daily life for the ponies in the under-caves. “Do you want to know the reason why my boy works as many Dayshifts as he can nurse hope?” Hope shook her head worried about what the reason might be.

“A few months ago I started getting tired. I couldn’t work a full shift at the factory anymore, I would get so tired. I was fired you see, for being lazy. Luckily a doctor was down that day for safety inspections and he ordered tests.” Daisy’s voice turned heavy, and somehow she seemed even more exhausted then she had been. “I have stage three cancer.” Daisy’s eyes started glisten with unshed tears “he has been working the extra shift, so that he could sell the extra rations to pay for my treatments. I was told though, that the treatments will help slow its progress but without surgery I will be dead by the end of the year.”

Hope felt an anger well up inside her. This women, this sweet, carrying mother of two who had raised them on her own, and who was now staring death square in the face was being extorted, and denied treatment because of the greed of one doctor. She wanted to scream! She wanted to find this pony and beret him, or at the very least beat him with an iron rod.

“The second this ‘doctor’ of yours knew about the need for surgery you should have been admitted to the central hospital. This is ridiculous!” Daisy nodded, satisfied.

Smiling sternly Daisy said “Now, I believe something will actually be done. Oh I never doubted you would try and do something about it. But now I know you’re angry enough to actually get other ponies on board.” Daisy stood, walked over to Hope and whispered in her ear “thank you” and picked the mare up in an embrace, iron tight.

Hope gasped as Daisy released her. They both stood there and blushed. “Well ugh… I should go then. Is there someone who could guide me out of these tunnels?” Hope asked, the red in her cheeks fleeing at the change of topic, and influx of oxygen.

“Oh, of course!” Daisy said as if remembering something she had forgotten. “Wait here a minute and I will go get Dawn-strider. I don’t think he got in trouble today, so he should be able to take you at least up to the main cavern.” With that she was out her door before Hope could respond.

Hope waited for a few minutes, listening to the two ponies in the other room snore. She decided to take a seat, and moved toward the rocking chair. The motion, back and forth, was familiar to her only as it would be to a mother. Hope shook her head, casting the memories aside; now was not the time, now was not the place to be remembering such painful things.

As time ticked by though the memories, the pleasant ones, returned. These she did not fight, she would not dare fight. She remembered the feeling of a small filly cooing in her arms. Of a young colt who had become her husband. She remembered a time long before tragedy had struck, and striped her of everything. The memories were good, and they eventually turned into dreams as she rocked back and forth.