Chapter 9 - Zebra MD (Edited by JBL 01.17.2017)
I had to give the pint sized-princess some credit. My composure was steadily being destroyed as time progressed, and several times I just wanted to curl up into a ball and cry. Other times, I wished to grab something with my bare hands and throttle it. Occasionally, I began to space out and stare at nothing in particular, my mind wandering away from the present. Only when Twilight asked me something, having to repeat herself several times, did I snap back to reality.
However, by simply continuing to talk, she was helping me. It was the ideal distraction to reminisce about my grandfather, my friends and the things we did, along with describing my hometown. I also touched on how American life was like, although I never went into detail. During all this, Twilight continued to steadily scribble notes on her seemingly endless stack of paper that had somehow appeared next to her in a flash of light, scaring the crap out of me. After I had recovered from my mini-heart attack, she apologized profusely and explained that she had teleported the items using her magic. So, yes, teleportation was a thing here.
She seemed particularly interested in how humanity was able to survive and thrive without the use of magic, so I relayed a few things about the different technologies we had invented to make our lives easier. When I mentioned that I had my cell phone with me and what it could do, she practically froze, taking a good five minutes before she came to her senses again. Then she exploded into pleas to see it, but I told her that it was damaged and probably would not work again. The look on her face was akin to that of a child when he discovered that Santa wasn’t real for the first time.
In the midst of her barrage of questions, I only asked one—if there was a way to get back home. Though she said she was unsure, I got the distinct impression that she was being less than truthful about something. Celestia had said the same thing, so I had hoped Twilight would offer a different opinion. She did, however, mention that she was to lead an expedition to the area where I had been found in order to find the anomaly that brought me here. I tried to pressure her for more information, but she clammed up after that.
Another interesting bit I discovered was that it was late summer here, something I found a strange since it was early spring back home. With all the similarities I had learned so far about the two worlds, I had expected the seasons to be the same here as well.
One thing that I tried my best to keep from revealing itself was the fact that I was just as apprehensive about Twilight as I was about Celestia and Luna. While it might seem ridiculous to be wary of something that barely reached my stomach, I no longer doubted that these particular ponies were probably the most powerful creatures on this world. Worse yet, there were four of these alicorns, with one named Cadenza ruling far to the north. It seemed that royalty was reserved for these alicorns, which made sense. After all, kings and queens in the past had led their countries on the basis of a divine right, and here we had ponies who actually displayed godlike powers. Moreover, because Celestia could control the sun and Luna the moon, I assumed that Twilight could do something just as powerful. Still, I felt I was better off not knowing, as it would only add to my increasingly longer list of things to be wary of.
It was getting close to three or four in the afternoon, at least by my estimation, when one of the guards came to inform us that my hospital room was ready. It suited me just fine, as I felt drained by Princess Twilight's continuous parade of questions about anything and everything. We immediately headed for the infirmary, where I was able to recognize some of the hallways. The room we entered was not the one I had regained consciousness in. Contrasting to the sterile, utilitarian nature of that room, this more resembled one to be found in a hotel. There was a bed large enough for me, a nightstand which had fresh flowers in a vase, a low table with both cushions and chairs, and a door that I assumed led to the bathroom.
“This is nice.” I walked around the room, looking at everything. “Why is it decorated like this? Aren’t hospital rooms supposed to be a bit more sterile?”
Twilight exchanged a few words with a passing nurse before she entered the room. “Princess Celestia thought that making your room seem less like a hospital might help you feel better.”
“Oh. That was thoughtful of her.” I got on the bed and made myself comfortable. “So, what now?”
“The guards told me that she will be here soon. She's meeting with the doctor now,” she replied and sat down on a cushion next to the table.
“I’ll just try and get some sleep for a moment or two.” I closed my eyes and relaxed. If I could doze off for just five moments, it would do me a world of good.
“Of course, I’ll wake you when they get here.” I heard the concern in Twilight’s voice, and once again, I wondered why they were being so nice to me. I had initially expected to be dead on a cold steel table with my guts on display by now—I had watched enough movies to assume that was the standard routine. Instead, I had been treated cordially, for the most part. I remembered what Celestia had said about kindness. Maybe ponies were just naturally generous creatures. That would explain why they were doing all of this for me. On the other hand, could it be because Star Swirl had been on good terms with Celestia and Luna? It would make for an even better explanation.
***
Celestia marched back and forth in the private audience room, her golden-shod hooves eliciting a metallic echo. She knew that Magnus was worsening as the day progressed, despite his attempt to appear strong and avoid displaying weakness when he was surrounded by ponies that he believed meant him harm. It was an admirable effort, but anypony could only take so much before they cracked from the pressure, and Magnus was close to his breaking point.
What concerned her was that his overall condition seemed to be declining, as the sweating and trembling of his body wracked his body. She knew that some could fight fiercely against the most devastating physical conditions, but that the toll inflicted upon their minds rendered their struggle a pyrrhic victory.
She bit her lip, worry lashing at her. “Stay strong, Magnus. You will get through the treatment and you will recover, I promise you. Luna and I made a promise to Star Swirl that we will care for you, and I intend to keep it,” she said aloud.
The door opened, and a guard stepped inside. “Your Highness, Doctor Mgangah is here.”
“Wonderful, please send him in,” she responded. The guard left and shortly returned with a zebra stallion. Though his black stripes still maintained a healthy lustre, his white stripes were tinged in grey, signifying his age. His mane was styled in the traditional mohawk of his people, with gold rings braided into it. His cutie mark was a simple depiction of a mortar and pestle. Wearing a lab coat, he calmly walked in, stopped before the princess, and bowed deeply to her.
“Your Majesty.” His voice rumbled deeply as he pressed his forehead to the marble floor. “Ruler of the Sun, Lady of Light, Bringer of Dawn, Illuminating One, I greet you.” His greeting was the same that nearly all zebras used when meeting with her. It was an ancient formal greeting, acknowledging the princess as the bringer of the sustaining light that made all things prosper, a belief rooted in their holding both alicorn sisters as the providences of nature. Celestia had always thought their formal greetings were a bit over the top, but had grown accustomed to them over the years.
“Please rise, my good zebra,” Celestia replied with a respectful nod of her own. The stallion stood up with a pleasant smile on his muzzle. Celestia beckoned the doctor to follow her to the table. “Doctor Mgangah, I have heard of your skill in medicine from my personal physician, and I require your services,” she began as she poured them both cups of tea while also taking the opportunity to observe him. He seemed to be over fifty years of age and was as well-built as all zebras were. The plains of Zebrica were a rough place, after all, making them a particularly hardy species.
“I thank you for your kind words, your Highness. How can I be of service?” he asked politely and sipped his tea.
Celestia had wondered how to tell the doctor that the one who needed his treatment was not of this world. The best way, she concluded, was to simply tell him before they entered the room and then introduce Magnus to him. She doubted that the doctor would react negatively. Zebras were generally known for their patience and understanding. ”My sister and I have a special guest residing at the castle, a guest of great importance. Unfortunately, he has developed an addiction to a certain medicine, and I wish to afford him the best treatment available. That was when my personal physician mentioned you.”
“I understand. As a toxicologist, identifying poisons and administering treatment is my specialty and not a matter taken lightly. May I ask how long your guest has suffered withdrawal symptoms?”
“I believe a day at most.”
“I see.” The zebra brought a hoof to his chin and rubbed it in contemplation for several seconds, his eyes drifting. “Perhaps I can speak with your guest? If he’s been without his medicine for a day, then I believe it will be for the best if we start as soon as possible.”
“Thank you, Doctor.” Celestia smiled as she stood up and led the doctor down the corridors, heading for the infirmary.
During their walk, Celestia informed the doctor that she had prepared a special room for the patient, a room that did little to resemble a hospital room. She hoped to create a more pleasant atmosphere and a safe and stress-free environment, an idea that the doctor agreed with. In his experience, it usually made patients feel more at ease with their ordeal.
Eventually, they came to the room where Magnus was housed. Four royal guards stood outside the room, and when the princess and doctor approached, they saluted. Before opening the door, Celestia felt that the time was right.
“Doctor, before we go inside, there is something I must tell you.”
***
“Magnus, are you awake?”
“—Huh, what?” I opened my eyes and found Princess Twilight standing next to my bed. “How long was I asleep?” I asked as I rubbed my eyes.
“Just over half an hour. I heard Princess Celestia outside just now.”
I sat up on the bed and placed my fee—hooves on the floor with a soft clop. “Half an hour… I do feel a little bit better.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” She actually did seem somewhat relieved.
I stretched my arms out expansively, rolling my shoulders around. I heard two voices just outside the room. One of them was Celestia, easily recognizable because of the way she spoke. The other one was a male who possessed a deep timbre, with what seemed to be accent underlying his voice.
The door swung open and in walked Celestia, radiant as before and with a zebra in tow. Of course, if ponies could talk, then it should be no surprise if zebras could as well. His features were distinctive, especially his hairstyle and the gold adorning it.
His eyes were affixed to me when he stepped inside the room and approached the bed. He didn’t exactly seem shocked or surprised; perhaps just a bit… intrigued perhaps?
Celestia coughed lightly to gain my attention. “Doctor Mgangah, this is Magnus Powell. Magnus, this is Doctor Mgangah, the specialist I spoke of.”
I stood up to my full height and stepped forward. Leaning down, I held out my hand. “Hello, nice to meet you.”
The zebra took one look at my hand, then my face, before holding out his hoof, allowing me to grab it. “Hello, distant traveller, it is my pleasure,” he responded with a smile.
Our introductions completed, I sat back down on the bed. The doctor took a few moments to observe my movements. I guess he was somewhat curious about me after all. Clearing his throat, he brought out a notepad and sat down on a cushion while holding a pencil in the corner of his mouth. “Princess Celestia has informed me that you have a problem,” he began.
I nodded. “Yeah, actually had it for some time now. I’ve been feeling terrible today; stressed out as well.” I noticed Celestia wince at my comment. It was clear that she felt guilty, rightfully so. Honestly, I would have been less afraid if she had thrown me into a pit with lions and tigers after the stunt she pulled. She had apologized of course, but it had left a lasting impression.
“Naturally, when dealing with withdrawal, one would expect the onset of such symptoms. That is why I am here.” He scribbled something on his notepad. I was amazed to see the fine control he had when writing, holding the notepad still with one foreleg while deftly moving the pencil with his mouth. “Firstly, I need to know what plant or substance you have taken in order to properly treat you.”
“I can’t remember all the stuff that it contained, but the main ingredient is called morphine.”
The doctor’s eyebrows furrowed at that. “More-feen?” he asked, feeling the word out.
“Yeah, it’s made from the opium poppy.”
“Ah, I understand. I have no knowledge of this ‘more-feen’ that you mentioned. Perhaps it is the difference of our languages, but I believe you might mean the sap from the opium poppy. The plant itself is very rare and does not grow in Equestria. In Zebrica, my homeland, it can be found only in the most arid regions and thus is valued for its many medicinal purposes, one of them being pain relief, as I’m sure you are well aware of. It is a prized plant sought after by many potion makers and alchemists.” He made further notations on his pad.
‘And many drug addicts like me…’
“But is there a way to help him with his, erm, problem?” Twilight asked.
The doctor smiled and moved the pencil to the corner of his mouth. “There is the conventional way: decreasing dosage, therapy, and so on. Luckily, with opium sap there is another way; a counter potion that will cleanse his system of any and all traces of the sap while also decreasing his dependence.”
“Wait, wait, wait!” I was not sure if I understood his explanation correctly, but if I did, then this could be quite easy. “A potion to fix me? How?”
“By targeting your internal organs, it will ensure that you won’t suffer withdrawal the same length of time as you would with a traditional treatment plan. Combined with a healthy diet and plenty of water, your journey to recovery will be expedited.”
Was he telling the truth? One potion and I would feel right as rain? It sounded like a classical snake-oil scam. “Sorry for saying this, but I find that hard to believe.” The doctor turned to me, raising an eyebrow. “Just one potion? That’s impossible.”
He nodded. “You are quite right. It’s not one potion, but several. You will be taking them three times daily for as long as I deem it necessary. However, with your unique racial biology, I cannot guarantee it will work.” He paused and jotted down several more notes. “However, considering what Princess Celestia has told me about your unicorn heritage, I firmly believe the potion will have at least some effect on you.”
My shoulders slumped as I sat down, leaning my head on my right hand. I wasn’t one to distrust doctors, especially as they had never personally steered me in the wrong direction. However, I knew nothing of this world’s medical practices and what they had in store for me. Still, I had decided to trust Celestia for the time being. She and the princesses held the key for me getting back home, if it was at all possible.
“What do you think, Magnus?” I looked up at Celestia’s eyes. I could see her silently asking me to go through with the doctor’s plan. Still, I hesitated.
“There is always another option. You could try regular withdrawal therapy,” the doctor interjected smoothly.
Withdrawal therapy—that gave me chills. Meetings with doctors day after day, feeling like shit for who knew how long until I no longer craved morphine. There would be group therapy, support groups, being keenly observed as though I were a thief, all the while running the risk of relapse. However, if the potion worked, I could perhaps avoid all the therapy. It seemed the lesser of two evils, like tearing off a bandage instead of peeling it off.
“I… I'll go for the quickest route.” I took a deep breath, resting my elbows on my knees. “I’ll go for the potion.”
That prompted big cheery smiles all around. “I’m glad you came to this decision,” Celestia said as she stepped forward and draped her wing over my shoulders. I reached up and patted her wing, an action that felt weird, and I could see it on Celestia's face that she hadn’t expected it at all.
“We’ll see,” I added with a sceptical frown, wondering what could go wrong. In my mind, everything.
***
The sun had set and the moon was rising when Twilight approached Ponyville in a carriage drawn by two royal guards. She had things to pack and friends to speak to concerning her expedition. Celestia had also asked Twilight to bring Spike along so that they could communicate on the expedition's progress.
She had also spoken with Magnus before she left Canterlot. Celestia had confirmed what she had told him about the expedition, how they were aiming to find traces of the portal that had sent him to Equestria, and to investigate it. Though Magnus had pleaded her to find a way to send him home, Twilight could not promise something she knew she had little chance of delivering. She knew the complexity of portal magic, and she knew that if these unknown portals acted like normal portal magic, then there was little to no chance to open a portal to his world.
It didn’t mean that she was unmoved by his troubles. To be in an unknown world, separated from his friends, a place so strange to him that even the most mundane things, such as Celestia raising the sun or Luna raising the moon, caused him significant anxiety. However, a small ray of hope came from Doctor Mgangah. He had told Twilight that certain individuals could, during withdrawal, develop irrational thoughts. He had cited several cases, such as a minotaur who had become deathly afraid of kittens, a griffin that had developed a fear of heights, and a unicorn that had grown to fear his own magic. He had been certain that Magnus was now being inflicted by the same thing.
From her elevated position, Twilight saw that the Ponyville’s streetlamps were lit, with most windows of houses having a warm glow from within. The streets only had a few ponies inhabiting them, mostly due to the local weather team moving rain clouds into position. The last few weeks had been rather sunny, so several showers had been planned on alternating nights to act as a counterbalance.
The carriage slowed before gently landing outside Twilight's castle. Jumping off, Twilight thanked the guards and headed for the doors. They would be back in the morning to pick her up, and by then she would have packed the things she needed.
Before she could open the doors, she heard the flapping of wings in the air behind her. “Hey, Twilight.” Turning around, she found Rainbow Dash coming in for a landing, her wings raising dust from the ground that was quickly carried away by the evening breeze.
“Hello, Rainbow. Keeping busy?” She eyed the local weather ponies stacking the clouds like a jigsaw puzzle.
“Yeah, we’ve been planning these showers for weeks. Luckily, the next few days won’t be so hard,” Rainbow replied and ruffled her feathers. “Rain clouds are really heavy, y’know. Cloudsdale's been working overtime to get enough water to turn into clouds. But enough about the weather. What sort of princess-y business kept you in Canterlot?”
Opening the large doors with her magic, Twilight cantered into the first hall of the crystalline castle. It had grown on her as the months passed, feeling much more like home after the girls had done their thing. The roots of Golden Oaks library were her definite favourite, displaying the precious memories gathered over the course of a year. With how hectic Ponyville had proven to be, it had certainly felt like more time had passed.
“Oh, um, it was just a big misunderstanding. Somepony mistook some foreigner for something else, eheh,” Twilight replied, shrinking slightly.
“A foreigner? What do you mean?” Rainbow asked as she walked behind her, oblivious to Twilight’s lie.
“Uh, well, it was some creature from a faraway land. It’s some kind of… um, exotic diamond dog,” Twilight replied after some hesitation, though she mentally facehoofed afterwards. Magnus didn’t even look like one! She had promised Princess Celestia not to mention Magnus at all. Should the knowledge of him be spread prematurely, it would surely cause a ruckus. Twilight still wasn’t sure how the princesses planned for him to be revealed to Equestria.
“Diamond dog? Oh, those… things!” Rainbow grumbled to herself. No doubt their encounter with Rarity was running through her mind.
“Easy, Rainbow. This, um, diamond dog seems nice. He’s just far away from home.” Very far away.
“Yeah, yeah, I know.” Rainbow followed Twilight into her bedroom and plopped down onto a pillow while Twilight brought out a few bags which she began stuffing with books and assorted necessities.
“Are you going somewhere?” Rainbow asked, eyeing Twilight’s activities lazily.
Twilight filled a suitcase with all forty volumes of Magical Mysteries: Solved and Unsolved. “Yes, Princess Celestia asked me to lead an expedition that’s leaving tomorrow morning.” Squeezing her suitcase shut with her magic, she searched around and found another suitcase to stuff with books. “We’re going to sea, off the coast of Fillydelphia. There’s some kind of magical anomaly there that might threaten ships in the area, and the princesses asked me to find it and shut it down.”
“Whoa!” Rainbow gasped, perking up. “Is this an Elements of Harmony type of situation? Because if so, I’m ready!” she exclaimed and shot off the pillow with a flap of her wings.
“No, I don’t think so,” Twilight replied. “And I’m not going alone—there’s an entire team going with me.
“Scientist stuff?”
“Scientist stuff.”
“Boring.” Rainbow landed on the pillow again, disappointed.
“I think there might be much to learn." Twilight replied, smiling knowingly. "Anyway, have you seen Spike today?” Twilight looked around the room, searching for the little dragon who was nowhere in sight.
“I think he was with the Crusaders earlier today. They were playing around Sweet Apple Acres, trying to build something.”
“Okay, I hope he gets back soon since we have to leave early in the morning.” Just as Twilight finished her sentence, the door swung open and Spike walked in with Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie in tow. Spike was covered in minor scratches, though he seemed generally unharmed. Next to him was Rarity, cleaning his face with a damp cloth.
“Seriously, Spike, you must be careful. Catapults are not for youngsters such as you and the girls. Even though a mud bath is good for your complexion, you should leave that to Aloe and Lotus,” she gently scolded him. In his defence, Spike merely shrugged.
“Eh, it wasn’t that dangerous. I mean, I landed in the lake.”
“The shallow part of the lake,” Applejack responded, scowling at Spike. “You have any idea how much you scared Granny Smith when she saw you sailing over the barn?”
“And you hurt yourself,” Fluttershy chimed in. She walked behind the group, carrying a first aid kit under her wing. “Now sit down so I can take a look at you.”
Spike huffed but complied, sitting down. Pinkie suddenly appeared right behind him with a box marked with Sugarcube Corner’s logo on it, dumping the entire box in his lap.
“When you have an owie, the best way to cheer up is with cupcakes!” Pinkie excitedly exclaimed in her usual fashion. “Cupcakes are one hundred percent guaranteed to cure owies, oopsies, and ouchies! Not sold at pharmacies.”
Spike opened the box, revealing said treats with an assortment of frosting and sprinkles on them. Taking a chocolate one, he popped it into his mouth and chewed loudly. It was at this moment that he noticed Twilight staring at him.
“Twilight, you’re back!” Spike exclaimed, his face brightening.
“Darling, welcome back. How was Canterlot?” Rarity perked up as well and approached Twilight, eager to hear what royal adventures she had experienced in Canterlot.
“Oh, hello, Twilight.” Fluttershy’s voice was low but still audible, still carrying warmth in her voice at seeing her friend again.
“Welcome back, Sugarcube.” Applejack grinned at Twilight. “Ah swear, disasters happen less when Spike’s around to look after the girls.” Her smile became strained. “Course, all them disasters seem to happen to him at those times.”
Twilight didn’t smile, instead continuing to stare at Spike, then to the girls, and then back to Spike again. Her left eye twitched once.
“CATAPULTS?!”
Another chapter. Not much to tell really. Magnus had his first interaction with Twilight and survived to tell the tale. I decided to keep it short and just have a short segment for the two, but in the future there will be more of Magnus and Twilight discussing Earth and humanity. Upcoming chapters will detail Twilights expedition and Magnus dealing with his treatment and further interaction with the princesses.
Twilights return to Ponyville was supposed to be much longer and involve an expedition party thrown by 
. I decided to cut it because it would only be filler material.
And the catapult idea I got from the comics. The CMC experimenting with catapults sounded like something they would try, this time with a dragon helping them. Please donate a mustache to Spike for his manly bravery. Someday Rarity will notice his manly mustache collection and ask him out on a date. 
Edit 01.17.2017.: JBL continues to amaze me.
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Okay, we all know this won't end well
Whew! Could've been worse. Remember that scarecrow tower they built?
6283513 Now I want Michelle Creber, Madeleine Peters and Claire Corlett to say these lines as the characters they voice.
Really?
I mean, it's not like you spend your time working, or hanging out with your friends...
You should probably rephrase that, bruh.
Does anyone else think the guard had a stroke?
Spike, RUN!
Magnus' spaghetti!
Sorry...
Not sorry.
I really wish this story took place in like season 7,
I like having starlight around.
9627328
Well, his knees are weak, and his palms are sweaty. I don't think he wore his sweater so its probably still clean.
He's very nervous, but on the surface he's calm spaghetti.
Pretty good chapter. I'm kind'a glad that you had the rest of the mane 6 actually care about spike at this point in the timeline, gives them a reason to actually be with him at the end there.