Belle stepped out of the third hospital she had visited that day, her head hanging low in disappointment at yet another dead end.
Seeing as the Crystal Kingdom was a giant city, there were quite a lot of hospitals around in order to deal with the workload. Belle thought it would be easy for her to acquire a job with her knowledge, but was proven wrong at the first hospital she visited.
After asking for a place to work, she was flat out rejected. Apparently, being a doctor or a nurse was a very honorable occupation to have in the Kingdom, resulting in a surplus of ponies looking for a job in the field. Only the best were accepted, making it close to impossible for Belle to get accepted by them.
She didn’t let one setback deter her though, so she tried again and again, each time ending with the same result. Silver Woods said that there would most likely be no problems in acquiring a job for her. Belle now realized, that she most likely meant it would be easy to find a job working the fields. Not in a hospital.
The sun had continued its journey across the sky, and it was getting close to evening. She still had ample time left before her meeting with her friends, so she wasn’t in a rush. While keeping her head down, she thought about her next course of action.
It was probably best if she just gave up for today, and head out for the fields tomorrow. While she had no problems working a field, she really wanted to help ponies out like she did back at High Rock, as well deepening her knowledge of the curative arts.
Deep in thought, Belle didn’t pay attention to where she was walking, until she bumped into somepony, knocking the old stallion over.
“Oh!” Belle exclaimed in surprise. “Terribly sorry mister, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was walking!” She offered the prone stallion a hoof to help him up.
The old stallions coat was a matte orange, and his mane a pure white. Belle winced for a moment after seeing his coloration, but caught herself quickly. Next to him was a small wicker basket, various fruits scattered around it, apparently it fell over when she bumped into him.
The old stallion accepted her hoof and Belle pulled him back on all fours. “I’m so, so sorry. Let me help you gather your fruits.” She immediately went to put all the produce back into the basket.
“Ohohoho.” A quiet laugh escaped the old stallion's mouth. “Don’t worry young one, although I may look old, I’m still quite sturdy, that was nothing!”
Belle finished gathering the fruit and turned around to face him, with the filled basket hanging from her mouth. Now that she had a better look at him, she noticed that he was an earth pony, making it the first one she had seen since entering the city proper.
Weirdly enough the stallion didn’t seem to face her, and instead opted to just look ahead, into the direction he was going earlier.
“At least let me help you carry your groceries home, it’s the least I could do.” Belle said around the basket’s handle in her mouth.
“Oh, that would be very kind of you.” The stallion replied, still not turning around to face her.
“Are you okay mister?” Belle asked worriedly taking a few steps forward so she could look him in the eye.
“I’m just fine thank you.” Was the response she got. “Although you have to excuse my lack of movement. I’m rather blind, you see?”
Just as the old stallion stated that fact, Belle established eye contact. His eyes were devoid of any life, a milky screen took out most of the color from them.
Belle gasped. “Oh I’m sorry! I hadn’t noticed!” She said in a hurry. “In that case, let me help you find your way.”
“I much appreciate it.” The old stallion said with a smile. “There’s not a lot of love for a blind earth pony around here. Can I assume that you are new in town?”
“Ah, I just arrived today actually.” Belle answered while sidling up to him, so he may use her as a support. She put the basket on her back so she was able to talk freely. “Which way should we go?”
“For now, just head straight, I’ll tell you when to take turns.” He said with confidence.
Not about to question the old stallion who apparently knew his way around despite being blind, Belle started walking.
“Alright, my names Charity Belle by the way. Pleased to meet you.”
“White Mallow, likewise.” The old stallion introduced himself. “Thanks for the help.”
After a while of walking, White Mallow told Belle to take a right, and she led him down an alley.
“How can you tell when to turn?” Belle asked, genuinely curious.
“Ah, a very good question, young one.” White Mallow said. “You see, when you’re blind like me, you start using your other senses more. Like your sense of touch, or hearing. I’ve walked this route many times, and I’m able to tell by the sounds around me where I am.” He explained further. “For example, across the street from where we turned into this alley, there’s a restaurant. The chatter of ponies, the clinking of porcelain cups being set down, a hurried waiters clopping hooves. All those little things tell me where I am.”
“That’s… That’s amazing!” Belle said in wonderment, almost whispering.
“I’m able to hear a lot of things, young one.” White Mallow said. “Even emotions can’t be hidden away from me. Tell me, what happened to make you feel so down?”
Belle flinched when he called her out. His sense of hearing must be really advanced if he was able to recognize a pony’s mood just by listening to them talk. Deciding that she could trust the old stallion she decided to tell him.
“You see, I was looking for work just before I met you.” Belle started to explain.
“I assume it didn’t go well?” White Mallow asked. “Turn left here, please.”
Belle guided him into another alley while continuing her story.
“Worse than just not well.” Belle lamented. “Every hospital I tried just flat out refused to work with an inexperienced Earth Pony.” She let out a sigh. “I guess I’ll just have to settle for a job on a farm.”
“Hospital? Were you a doctor before coming here?” White Mallow asked.
“Oh no, nothing so fancy.” Belle denied. “I got my Cutie Mark when patching up one of my friends, and I have been learning everything I could about healing practices ever since then. I was hoping to finally receive a real place to study after moving here.”
Belle saw no harm in telling the old stallion about her, so she just told him what she needed to get off her chest, glad to have somebody who listened to her. Sure, Crimson and Atlas would definitely listen, and try to help her afterwards too, but she didn’t want to inconvenience them.
White Mallow hummed in thought. “Interesting… Turn right here, my home is just around the corner.”
They turned into a small road, several small shops lining the sides of it. Only a few ponies could be seen, a stark contrast towards the main road they came from.
“Which one is yours?” Belle asked, checking out the storefronts as they passed.
“There should be a sign hanging out front, bearing a red cross.” White Mallow replied.
Belle let her gaze wander along the different signs, until she spotted the right one. Red crosses were usually used by hospitals or small clinics.
“Does your family own a clinic here?” Belle asked him.
“Oh no, I live alone here.” White Mallow said as they arrived at the front door.
He pushed it open and entered, his steps becoming a lot more secure, now that he was in familiar environment. He probably knew every nook and cranny of the house. Belle stepped in after him, confused about how a blind pony would be able to lead a medical establishment.
The setup inside was rather simple. A few chairs were to her right in case somepony had to wait. Going in further there were four beds, all of which currently empty. Curtains hung from the ceiling, allowing for some privacy when needed. The right wall was mostly dominated by three large cabinets containing medicine and ointments, as well as a table set before them. Next to them a staircase went upstairs, leading to what she assumed to be White Mallow’s living quarters.
Said pony was standing at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for Belle. “Please, follow me up here, my kitchen is on the upper floor.”
“Sure.” Belle replied, and went after the ascending stallion.
Just as she assumed, they arrived in what appeared to be a living room. There wasn’t much in way of decorations, the aesthetic sense being lost on the occupant, leading to a very spartan furnishing.
As the house was rather small, the kitchen was integrated into the living room. Two doors led away to different rooms. Both of them were left open, for White Mallow’s convenience. The room closer to her was obviously a bathroom, while through the other doorway she was able to spot a bed, which must have been his room. A small table was placed in the center of the room, two chairs accompanying it. While on the far wall, next to a window sat a rather comfy chair.
“Just set it down on the kitchen counter please, next to the sink.” White Mallow said, while sitting down at one of the chairs at the table.
Belle did as she was told and turned around to face the old stallion, a question burning on her tongue.
“So are you some kind of doctor? Do you lead this clinic all on your own? How do you manage while being blind?” One question became many, and Belle couldn’t stop herself from asking all of them.
White Mallow laughed at her curiosity. “Such a thirst for knowledge!” He exclaimed. “Please, come have a seat first.”
Belle practically teleported on the chair, eager to hear White Mallow’s tale.
“You ask very good questions young one.” He started. “But for you to understand, we must first discuss something else entirely.” He stated vaguely. “Tell me, what gift was bestowed upon the earth ponies by the supreme beings?”
The story of creation was well known to everypony. It was taught to children by their parents as soon as they were old enough to understand after all.
At the beginning of time, six heavenly beings happened upon the planet Equus. After seeing the potential of the planet, they decided to gift it with life. Using all of their talents, they bestowed life to the various races inhabiting the planet today. Gifting each of them with a part of their power.
They lived amongst the newly formed species for a while before leaving, continuing their never ending journey across the vastness of space. Life on Equus prospered, using their gifts to live in harmony with each other.
“Earth Ponies were gifted with the ability to grow every kind of plant or tree faster, making them experts in the fields of farming and providing food for the other races.” Belle said with a smile.
“Very good!” White Mallow said. “But also very wrong.” He added, confusing Belle.
“Wrong? What do you mean?” She asked, furrowing her brows.
“What many ponies don’t realize is that growing plants faster isn’t exactly as straightforward a gift, as all the other races received.” White Mallow stated, raising Belle’s curiosity. “In fact, it’s just one aspect of our gift.”
At this point Belle was on the edge of her seat. White Mallow was telling her that the very story of creation had a fault in it.
“The gift we earth ponies received, was the gift of life.”
“The gift of life?” Belle repeated, not able to wrap her head around it.
“Yes. We were given the ability to affect the very lives of other beings positively, or negatively mind you.” White Mallow explained further. “Plants are alive, so with our gift, we are able to accelerate their growth.”
“Ohhh… Now I understand.” Belle said. “But what has that to do with you being a doctor?”
“As you probably already know, ponies are very much alive as well.” Understanding dawned on Belle’s face after hearing those words. “Plants are pretty simple organisms, and are easy to manipulate. But if an earth pony trains their gift a lot, eventually it becomes able to influence other beings too.”
“Does that mean… that you are able to accelerate the healing of a pony?” Belle asked astounded by this revelation.
“Exactly! You catch on fast!” White Mallow praised Belle. “Not only that, but with the help of massages and ointments, I’m able to help the body recover from exhaustion and restore deteriorated tissues. As well as many other things.”
“Amazing…” Belle whispered, at a loss for words.
“That being said, we earth ponies as a species have grown content working the fields everyday. There’s nothing wrong with that of course, but we could do so much more.” White Mallow sighed. “Fellow earth ponies have gone so far as calling me crazy when I told them this story, It’s sad really.”
“Even though I’ve been alive for so long, treating ponies, I’m still alone in my practice.” White Mallow continued. “As such, I’d like to make a proposition to you, Charity Belle.”
Belle’s ears perked up, by now she was hanging on every word the old stallion spoke.
“I’m growing old, and my search for a successor has been fruitless to say the least.” He said. “Even though we only just met, I can feel your passion about the healing arts and your eagerness to learn more. So what do you say? Would you like to become my apprentice?” White Mallow asked hopefully.
Belle didn’t even have to think about it for a second, a loud “YES!” escaping her lips.
*Squee*
Binged all of the current chapters. Please update soon!
That was a cute ending there.
7366919 always nice to know someone likes the story enough to binge it :D Also, I literally just updated :P Story updates every saturday btw, sometimes wednesday, if I've written enough.
Aye, the earth tribe is the motive force of life made manifest. A mountain may move under their steady hooves, and a golem crafted by their kind knows the fire of life's passion more deeply than any sorcerous creation.
7367094 funny fact about reading on a phone, you can't see the date when things were posted . Sorry, but this story is amazing. Looking forward to next saturday!
7367297 oh yeah, i know, it annoys me sometimes... also your timing is amazing then, cause your comment came in about an hour after i posted the last chapter xD
7367317 the correct term here would be ancestors, because this story plays in the past(for now). Otherwise I'm neither going to confirm or deny anything that was said in your comment.
7367316 I had just finished reading, posted my comment, then went to look at my feed and guess what I saw posted? The 27th chapter of divine entertainment.
Ok so White Mallow has emotion sensing and echo location.
That means he's a changeling.
Drat, Now I am sad that I finished my speed read of this.
I do hope for more of this wonderful little adventure! (Though "Little" may be a bit to ironic by this point...)
7367217 ok, thanks for the clarification
7367664 don't listen to him, none of that is canon. Also I think he might be a bit crazy :P
HeyA! Thanks for a New, quick, chapter!
"I have an idea." I said, turning around on my chair, while petting a cat that's sitting on my lap.
"Since you made that prologue chapter people got angry and wanted to delete that chapter, they probably still want that. My idea consider helping to, ehm, relieve the pressure. What I'm telling is that you should make another chapter that is set in the future, and let Atlas talk about his past or something like that"
I know that my writing is total shit, so you don't need to remind me that.
7367427
That's a pretty big assumption.
He wasn't feeling her emotions like a changeling, he was hearing the subtle hints in the tone that Belle was using to speak to tell of her mood. Emotions are displayed externally via the body and voice. Facial expressions, voice tone, volume, body stance and movement, etc. one can, with time, learn the differences between the moods from these external displays. Some psychologists use them, I believe.
He wasn't using echolocation; he was using his other senses. Touch, smell, hearing, tasting, etc. to discern his location and he memorised the path to be able to travel with confidence. Even if he was using echolocation, that does not necessarily mean he's a changeling. Do changelings use echolocation? In this story's canon, maybe yes, maybe no. But anyone can use echolocation; some people in our modern world use it, why can't ponies? It just requires practice.
Hahahah...nice theory.
It reminded me of another -possibly dead- story where ponies or creatures of a species that use magic outside of their norm are called witch. And the main protagonist is a female pegasus witch named Tham'ra. Anymore and it would be spoiler territory.
Are you eventually going to continue the prologue? I kinda want to know what happens next
7368968 he'll eventually get there. He explained about having to do that due to fimfictions rules about having to have pony in the first chapter
7368936 the Magic World, where tham'ra goes back in time (not on purpose mind you) and with her meddling, she paves the way for modern equestria. Also being a witch has some part to do with her personality. There are no spoilers in this everything in this is explains in the first couple chapters or by the stories description itself.
7368456 you just don't get it, do you? It's simple to explain anyway so it doesn't matter. Ok here it is, changelings=Emotions. Though sometimes its changelings>Emotions, or changelings<3Emotions.
7368968
7369111 What zemez said. I also considered doing "future" chapters in between arc changes, like an intermission. But I'd rather just tell the whole story once we get to that point, instead of telling it in bits and pieces.
7369717 ah ok, that's understandable.
Eventhough you just updated, I am eagerly anticipating the next chapter the story is really interesting and the second story that I'm acctually tracking.
7369694
Can't tell if serious, or joking.
7370177 why so serious?
7370466
Seriously, can't tell if you're trying to be an asshole or if you're just screwing around.
7368384 ok then, why does a the name appear?
7370608 maybe I'm a asshole screwing around.
yes I'm just 'screwing around' but why spoil the fun? Onward and downward, I got a boat I plan on rocking.
7370640 Not to break immersion, but I seriously had a lazy streak right then and couldn't be arsed to come up with a good original name. Cloud Chaser was the first to come to mind Names are hard, ok?
7370811
I actually forgot what even started this and had to look through the reply tree to see.
7371392 Yep. Spam in only three comments, a new record for me.
But it might annoy someone trying to go down on the comment tree.
7371235 alright, sorry.
7371452 I deleted it, so it should be fine ^^ also stop spamming useless shit
The last two chapters where short but interesting. for a moment there I thought that the old stallion was the assassin there. I am surprised that that the unicorn kingdom show itself to be so open with the other tribes, especially how they seemed to hadn't lift a hoof to help in some way Atlas in the Earth Pony, and that they now show them selves to so good to others contrary to most fics where the unicorns are normally are presented as the most snobs out of the three race in the pre-Equestrian era. It is good to see that things are going so well for Atlas friends, but I love it when with don't go well for the main protagonist. I am looking forward to the next chapter.
7372266 sure. There was no real way to continue from there anyway.
I both love and hate plot convenience, and because I love and hate it so I can't not like it.
7375942 you've read every damn story on this site, haven't you?
7627607 I think he just about has. I see him everywhere.
7375942 ...convenient
Corrections offered without malice.
stallion's
name's
Enjoying the story so far.
7375942
Its also equestria, so the fact that there totally are gods messing with fates for convenience makes more sense than say stories in nonmagical setting
78.media.tumblr.com/9fd655274a9b8f6561788d9aae5c2929/tumblr_o06ql6Un7h1tjjuglo2_250.gif
8855761
en.meming.world/images/en/thumb/6/67/Is_It_Possible_to_Learn_This_Power.jpg/300px-Is_It_Possible_to_Learn_This_Power.jpg
A chiropractor then........;)
10259847
Magical one though. Note, this curously matches the fact that in canon most medical or service sector ponies we see are Earth with a dash of pegasi.