11 - Good Vibes
“There is this little song I wrote. I hope you learn it note for note
Like good little children. Don't worry, be happy
Listen to what I say. In your life expect some trouble
But when you worry, you make it double
Don't worry, be happy...”
—“Don’t Worry Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin
It didn't take me long to come to a decision, but there were other things to take care of first.
The first thing, of course, was to do the chores. I drew a bucket of water from the well and stoked the fire. As it heated, I sat and did my daily task of cleaning out our wounds.
I took care of Yuri first. He actually was looking a lot better than he did a few days ago: his cuts and scratches already were beginning to scab over. There were only a few deeper ones that I put bandages on. I would have been happier if I could have gave him stitches, but lack of fingers shot down that plan.
My own wounds were beginning to close up as well. The three worst areas were still giving me some problems, which was my wing socket, leg, and my ear. My right ear was practically shredded to pieces and refused to move. It took a lot more effort to move my left ear; it seemed to have lost the automatic movement of my uninjured ear. Shame… I thought my ears were pretty darn cute.
I undid my crude splint to examine my broken leg. It still looked horrible, but at least not infected. It has since clotted up and the shattered pieces of chitin were beginning to stick together. I moved it experimentally and immediately regretted it. The feeling of bone moving and rubbing their jagged edges up against each other is not a sensation you forget and I don’t think I ever will. I used two straight pieces of tinder that I had to re-splint it. It would do for a little while.
My wing socket itched like crazy as it healed. I wanted to scratch it but figured it would be a bad idea.
Re-bandaged and pleased to find no immediate infection, I went about cooking breakfast. It was still canned food, though. I was grateful Grandma often canned food herself in big mason jars. It was nice to have good, home grown vegetables and meat instead of that awful freeze dried stuff. At first, it was a bit intimidating to open those big jars, but I found out that if I put my hoof on top of the lids and flexed, it would remain stuck on the lid! It only worked on lids the same size as my hoof and bigger. Turns out the little hairs on my frog act like a vacuum seal almost. I think it’s hella cool.
Took me a little while to figure out how to unstick the lids from my hoof, but it was a nifty surprise regardless. I'd see if I can Spiderman it up on the walls if it weren't for the fact I was minus a working leg. Oh well, maybe when I was better I could try it.
Eating a hot meal with my best friend helped me think. Through bites of potatoes and pork, I weighed my options. Despite having field first aid training, I didn't have the ability to set my own bone. I could… but there were other factors, such as blood vessels and other things. Or perhaps my bone healing wrong and leaving me crippled. How long would a three legged bug monster last if canned food ran out and I had to hunt?
Hallucination or not, I was going to have to take the chance.
I looked over to Yuri, who was sucking down his bowl of meat and veggies like there was no tomorrow. He could probably hunt, but for how long? He was six years old, going on pretty good for a dog. How long would he be able to stay with me until...
On another thought… how long would I live for? I wasn't even human anymore. Could… Yuri outlive me?
I cut that line of thinking off. The last thing I needed was to fall into circular thinking, and end up in a severe depressive episode again. I could not afford that.
It was clear what my course of action should be, but I wanted to enjoy another day here. At home.
So we did just that.
I hobbled around the property, looking at everything. I visited the flowers and hoped that they would continue to grow without someone here to tend to them. I managed to sit in the Cadillac for a little while, pretending for a moment that I was riding shotgun as Grandma drove along during a sunny Sunday. Hell, I even went and sat in Grandma's recliner, just to see if there was any lingering warmth left. I made sure to take my medicine, enjoying the cool crisp water from the well. Yuri ran around the yard, trying to catch flies and eating them. Yuri had some toys lying around as well. It took me a while to figure out how to throw a ball but I got it eventually. Playing fetch seemed to take a little bit of the anxiety away.
It was a pleasant day.
That night, I crept into Grandma's room to look into her jewelry box. Grandma wasn't one to own a lot of jewelry, but she did have some. I selected a simple ring with a piece of amber set into it. It was a ring I got her for Christmas eons ago. I remembered buying the thing at the Renaissance Faire. Grandma always liked dressing up and going there.
I couldn't open any clasps to any of the necklaces, but a thick piece of twine served well enough. I put the ring around my neck. If I never came back home again, at least I could take a little something with me. Everything else was too large or cumbersome to carry even if I had all four legs in working order.
That night, I laid in Grandma's bed. My grief hadn't waned, but I was rational at least. I knew I needed to get a good night's sleep in. It was going to be a very tough walk tomorrow, but it was so hard. Yuri tried to show me how to do it, but he just sprawled out on his back and immediately fell asleep.
I ended up staying awake for a little while, chewing on an aspirin as I thought. It seemed all I have been doing lately is thinking.
I just hope I'm making the right decision.
A beam of warm sunlight filtered in through the slightly dusty windows. I didn't remember falling asleep last night. I was awake one moment and greeting the morning with another. Yuri was awake before I was and he was busy trying to dig a hole in the carpet.
Weird dog.
I chased down some more painkillers. I was going to run out soon, but I could raid a gas station along the way.
I set about getting ready. I fished out a very old D.A.R.E. fanny pack I could put my medicine in. They used to hand all sorts of these things out at school when I was still there. It was hideous, being bright neon yellow with eye searingly bright pink letters. Dogs can't see in color, so I only felt a tiny glimmer of guilt when I strapped the atrocity to Yuri. He seemed pleased to be able to carry something, unaware he was carrying one of the lamest things I have hung onto from childhood.
I wrote a letter to Grandma on her hummingbird stationery. I had to hold a pencil in my mouth, but my jaws were feeling better enough to not hurt much anymore.
Dear Grandma,
I'm going east to Gettysburg with Yuri. I don't know if you'll ever be back
to read this letter, but that's where I'm going. I plan to stay there.
I love you Grandma, I miss you.
—Mel
At least this letter was legible.
We ate a quick breakfast of cold potted meat, and, after being sure the fire was completely out in the wood stove, we walked out the door.
I stood there for a little bit on the porch, just looking out and breathing in the air. Taking in the sights and smells one last time, just savoring the atmosphere. With one last look around, I shut the door with a back hoof. I began to walk, Yuri taking his place beside me. I couldn't look back. If I did, I would’ve lost my nerve and gave up. I can't do that.
Inside my mind, I bade my childhood home a fond farewell and took to the trail once again.
At this point, no maps were needed. Gettysburg is a rather popular tourist town and there are a million signs pointing the way. The easiest thing to do is to find U.S. 30 East and follow that. Considering that I had a broken leg, it was the best option. The highway was flat and easy to travel on; the bonus being that the highway was also full of plenty of places to stop and rest if need be. It was an awkward affair. I hobbled my way east, taking it as slow as I dared. I didn't want to travel at dusk again, lest there be some other predator lurking about, especially since my journey will take me through Caledonia State Park. The last time I was there, I noticed a very healthy population of bears.
It was a thirty-five minute drive to Gettysburg, but walking is going to take much longer. It would probably take the entire day if I was lucky. So, as they say, no time like the present. Just one hoof in front of the other or, in my case, one hoof in front of everything.
The day wore on as we walked, slightly climbing in temperature. Thankfully, the heat didn't bother me as much as the brightness did. It was a nice clear sky, no clouds at all in the azure blue. And since I was traveling east, it meant the sun would be in my eyes for the first part of the journey. Thank God for built-in, biological transition lenses. I was very glad when we reached the forest of Caledonia. Last I checked, the road through that particular area was shaded and cool. It gave my poor eyes a respite from the unrelenting sunlight. I stopped to take a short break at the derelict iron furnace, pausing just long enough to get a drink of water from the stream and to stretch my sore legs. We stayed alert as we traveled, listening for bears or coyotes. So far, we heard nothing but typical birdsong and the occasional yelp of a fox.
The brief rest from the sun was short lived. We traveled some more until I couldn't walk anymore due to the pain. We made it at a gas station, where we just helped ourselves to some food, drinks, and, for me, some more painkillers. A lot of the things have long since spoiled, but the more sugar based foods still stayed edible. I knew better to drink soda and risk dehydration, so I helped myself to the more fancy and expensive bottles of water. For food, there’s always Slim Jims and peanuts. We rested until the sun began to pass overhead, heading west. With that annoyance out of the way and the medicine kicking in, we could resume our walk.
Hours and hours we walked. Trees and houses crept up and then trailed behind us. All empty and still, casting a strange and eerie vibe to the whole scene. Yet again, there were many farm animals, sheep, cows, pigs, chickens, and horses milling about, enjoying the day. Again we were looked at warily before being dismissed. At first, I thought I was some scary looking ugly bug monster. But if sheep didn't give a damn about me, perhaps I wasn't so scary after all...
Signs passed us, ticking down the miles until I'd be finished with this crazy journey. Double digits became one digit. One digit became zero. I ignored my growing pain in my leg and body; I had to push through. My head started to hurt at some point, but I tried not to think about it. I had to keep walking. I started to ignore the area around me, my vision tunneling as I kept pushing myself. Then I saw the town itself right in front of me.
Finally. Finally, we were here.
The town of Gettysburg is a strange mix of old and new. Many buildings have stood here since before the Civil War, and particular care was given to them to preserve them. The old stone houses stood out like sore thumbs among the modern brick and concrete houses of today. It's a strange feeling. Thousands of people died as they fought their way through town, bloodying the whole thing.
It's a town of ghosts, figuratively and literally.
I walked, ignoring the pain. Ignoring the shops capitalizing on the suffering of brothers being forced to kill each other. It always left a bad taste in my mouth. My legs were shaking and my head felt hot.
I made it to the circle: a concrete barrier in the middle of a roundabout. The inside is grassy, planted with fragrant flowers, and shaded with trees. Surrounding it was several shops and businesses, including a hotel. I collapsed with a groan among the flowers. I glanced up to see that the sun was preparing to set, the area growing darker as night was coming. It was still light enough to see well. I laid down for a little bit, breathing and stretching out my legs. I was so sore, and I don't think aspirin was going to do much for me anymore. My broken leg was hot and throbbed painfully. Yuri sat near me and looked down a street. He seemed to become a statue, peering into the encroaching darkness. Suddenly, he barked.
I wanted to just take a nap or something. Just close my eyes and rest a spell, but I looked to where he was facing. My breath caught in my throat.
There, in the darkening street, far far back at the end of the road, was a house with a light on.
I could scarcely believe it. There was a light on! Someone must have set up a generator and turned on the lights! I couldn't help but grin widely! I needed to go there.
I tried to get up, only to find that I was done for the day. My legs refused to hold my weight and my muscles once again decided to lock up on me. Trying to get up only resulted in more pain and made my head feel like it was being squeezed in a vice. I must have pushed myself too hard today. I gave up and just laid there. I looked over to Yuri.
“Go get help.”
He whined and looked at me, giving me a lick on the face. I giggled.
“I know, I know, but go find a person. Bring help.” I gave him a nuzzle on the face.
He paused for a moment, looking me over. Abruptly he sprung up and was off like a bullet, his paw pads making slapping noises as he tore down the street, barking loudly.
Eventually, his barks became fainter and fainter as he ran toward the lights. I took a moment to readjust myself, trying to get comfortable. At least it was pleasant among the flowers and the trees. It seemed like there wasn't any time at all before I heard Yuri's barks draw closer again. This time among the sound of his paws on pavement was a set of hooves clacking loudly.
“Hey! Come back here!” shouted a feminine voice. I pricked my good ear up and lifted my head. What ran into view after my dog was… different.
Before me was a goddamn unicorn out of a Lisa Frank nightmare. She… judging by her voice, was tall and slender. A long spiral horn poked out of her mane. She was covered in light yellow fur, and had a pink mane pulled into a simple ironic pony tail. In them, I could see a stripe of lighter pink and yellow in her mane and tail. The weirdest thing is that she sparkled. She actually sparkled, her body and hair looking like it was cut out of a piece of gem or crystal. Covering her body was a suit of medical scrubs, cut and altered to her form and patterned with little pictures of kittens and puppies. For a moment I was entranced by the beauty of her.
Oh no, I thought. She's hot.
Her pink eyes trailed to me as Yuri ran past, which widened considerably when she saw me. She stopped in her tracks and backed up a step. She felt… confused? Concerned? There was a touch of fear there too, I could feel it. I wanted to question just how I knew how she was feeling, but before I could think too hard on it, she spoke.
“Oh!” She watched as Yuri once again took his spot next to me and began to lick the back of my head. I sighed and put my head back down, sheer relief flooding over me. I found someone! Well, Yuri found them, but still... I wasn't alone anymore. Yuri wagged his tail and barked at the unicorn and then looked down at me again. She carefully walked closer until...
“Oh my god… what happened to you?” she exclaimed when she saw my crude splint and a gaping hole in my back.
“A mountain lion.” I grimaced as I adjusted myself again. It felt… weird talking to someone again. It was weird hearing someone again. It was all just… weird.
She was over me within a blink of an eye, all traces of fear was gone, leaving only determination. Without asking me permission at all, she began to run her hooves over the worst of my wounds. Usually, I would be hyper aware about someone in my personal space, but I was too tired and in pain to care. I let it slide, she was wearing medical scrubs after all. She began muttering to herself. I didn't catch all of it, but I did hear words such as 'lacerations' and 'infection'. When she came to my leg she stopped.
“Did you… did you splint this yourself?” she asked as she gingerly touched it, causing me to wince.
“Yes.”
“How long ago was this?”
“Uhhh… a few days.” I shook my head to try to clear up some of the ache. “I washed everything out real well and changed bandages daily. There wasn't much antibiotic cream left so I used honey.”
She nodded. “We're going to have to get you to the clinic. We have a generator set up, so I can take care of you.”
“I… I can't get up.” I must have sounded pathetic, but her expression softened.
“It'll be all right, I'm going to help you. My name is Sam, what's your name?” From there, a sensation of warmth was directed at me. Pure compassion was in her face.
“Melissa, but everyone just calls me Mel.” I replied as she seemed to finish giving me a look over. “That's Yuri, my service dog.” Yuri grumbled at the mention of his name.
She gave Yuri a glance, seemingly having missed the large 'SERVICE DOG' patches on his vest. There was a brief flicker of concern across her features. “I see. Well, I'm going to do something to help you get up. Don't be afraid, all right?”
I nodded back to her.
To my surprise, her horn alighted with a pale pink light and a soft hum. Yuri was surprised by this, backing up and growling slightly at the light. She turned and aimed her horn at me, and a thin beam of light rushed toward me.
“Umm...”
The light enveloped my body. It didn't hurt… but it felt odd, almost like there were a million tiny bubbles touching me at once. There was a sense of force behind it, but it was held back. I felt suddenly weightless as I was lifted up from the ground by a yard or so, and then carefully turned right side up. I looked through the pink haze to see the unicorn's face scrunched up in concentration and Yuri's confused face. There was a bit of sweat on her brow as it obviously took a bit of effort to move me. As soon as my three hooves touched the ground, the light cut out, leaving me standing wobbly. Yuri and the unicorn both came by, sandwiching me between both of them. I thought I was short compared to Yuri, but Sam was way taller than I am.
“Come on, we'll walk to the clinic. It's not far from here.” She smiled at me. I took that as my cue to begin to hobble. It was easier now to walk now that I didn't have to worry about falling down.
“Are you a, um… doctor?” I asked In-between steps. It was a bit hard to concentrate on walking and talking at the same time.
“Just for animals, I'm a veterinarian, which I suppose works out now that we're all not human.”
“Are there others?” I pricked up my good ear.
“Oh yes, you'll meet them after we take care of you, all right?”
“Okay.” I focused on my steps, stumbling a few times, but both Sam the Unicorn and Yuri were there to help steady me. I focused on my legs and hooves so hard that I almost didn't notice when Sam stopped. I looked up from the ground to see a vet clinic. It was a newer building, made of gray bricks and decorated with metal cut outs of various animals. ‘GETTYSBURG ANIMAL HOSPITAL’ was printed in large, illuminated letters. To my delight, the doors were automatic and made getting inside so much easier. Sam encouraged me all the way and went slowly until finally we were inside and in a surgical suite. She turned on the lights, causing me to wince all over again. Seeing this, she quickly turned down the lights with an apology.
The suite reminded me of every vet visit I've ever been too. One side of the wall was full of empty cages, where recovering animals would be placed. There were a few scattered tables that were wiped sparkling clean. There was a cabinet humming with what had to be a refrigeration unit. That particular cabinet, was secured with a padlock. The sinks and counter were also spotless, where equally spotless equipment was stored. There were even scalpels and other surgical tools resting there, still in their sterile packages, waiting to be used.
I wanted to just lie on a table, but she had me sit on a scale first. Hrm... seventy pounds. I lost a good bit of weight since becoming a quadruped!
Sam helped me onto a table and once again slipped into doctor mode. She rushed about, gathering medical tools and cursing loudly about not being able to keep hooves sterile. I made myself as comfortable as I could until she came back, carrying a large box-like device in her teeth. She set it down on the table.
“This is a portable x-ray machine, specifically made for larger animals like horses.” She answered my question before I could even ask it. “I'm going to need to x-ray your foreleg, nothing else is broken, right?”
“No, just the leg.”
She nodded and picked up a scalpel in her teeth. With scary precision, she cut the bandages from my leg. She picked up the machine in her teeth and aimed it at my leg. I stayed still as I could while she took the necessary pictures. She didn't have a good look when she saw the developed images.
“Good God, your metacarpal bone is practically splintered down the middle!” She turned the machine around to show me, and I could see the white glow of my internal bone. It was in a pretty bad state. There were large cracks into the bones, and there were two obvious breaks, each in the spot where the mountain lion bit down.
“And you say a mountain lion did this? Where? And how are you still conscious from that?”
“It happened in Shippensburg. And well… lots and lots of painkillers,” I answered honestly.
She looked shocked. “You… did you walk here from there?”
“Yeeeep. But I went to Chambersburg first before coming here.”
“With a broken leg?”
“Uh-huh.”
She touched the pack of her hoof to my forehead, just under the horn.
“With a brewing fever too?”
“I guess so.”
“How many pain killers did you take?”
“A bunch.”
She stared at me with an expression of disbelief and shock. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she managed to speak again.
“Well, you have to be the toughest little...” she trailed off as she looked me over.
“Bug-monster?” I supplied.
“You don't seem to be a monster, but yes, you seem to be a tough, little, insectoid equine.”
“Thanks?” It seemed to be a compliment to me.
“All right… I'm sorry to say but I'm going to have to anesthetize you in order to fix this leg.” She looked over the x-rays again. “I also want to perform a deep clean on you, give you some antibiotics. I am... honestly surprised you are not dead from infection by now. Especially since you say it's a mountain lion that bit you.”
At first glance, I really didn't want to be put under where I couldn't react, or escape, if I had to. I looked to Yuri, who was wandering around the room, looking and smelling at the various things.
“Okay, but Yuri stays all right?”
She looked like she was going to deny my request, but she looked again at the large letters on Yuri's service vest.
She finally nodded. “He's well trained, right?”
“Yep! Just tell him to sit and he won't move. And… and, um… could you please look at Yuri too? He got hurt as well.”
She nodded. “Of course.” She took a hoof and tenderly patted my shoulder. If I still had skin I would have probably blushed at that. She left to prepare herself, gathering tools and bottles of medicine with both her mouth and the glowing light from her horn. She stopped in the middle.
“Oh, random question. What's your favorite color?”
“Oh um...” I had to think about it for a second. “Green.”
She smiled and went about her business as I laid on the cold table. She was bringing several items: bandages, gauze, tools, and other things that she laid on a rolling table. She took one look at my chitin and, instead of stitches, grabbed a tube of medical glue. I closed my eyes to take a little rest, my good ear twitching in time as she moved about on the polished concrete floors. I opened my eyes again when I heard the snap of rubber.
She was there again. She had awkwardly pulled on rubber gloves and a face mask. It looked terribly silly, but, like she said, an infection would be bad right about now. She looked at my little muzzle for a little bit, before retrieving a small, clear plastic mask with a tube attached.
“I am going to administer some gas to you,” she explained. She used the light from her horn to turn a knob on a tank of gas. “This will keep you numb and asleep while I set your leg.”
Despite myself, I backed my ears nervously. It was something she immediately caught.
“Don't worry,” she said soothingly. “I promise that nothing bad will happen. You won't be asleep for long, and… Yuri, right? He'll be watching me as I work.”
I took another glance at Yuri, he seemed to be at ease. He gave me a big grin and wagged his tail when he saw me looking at him. I turned back, giving it my best brave face. She smiled and, then, using a combination of hooves and magic (she's a goddamn unicorn, it has to be magic), attached the mask to my face.
“Breathe in and count with me. From ten to zero, okay?”
I breathed in. The gas had a strange but familiar taste to it. I know this, I've had this before on my last hospital visit. But it wasn't so subtle anymore, I could pick out a lot more out of it than what my human nose could have done before.
“Ten...”
My head felt numb and cold. It instantly felt harder to keep my head up.
“Nine...”
My vision was getting spotty. I was dimly aware of someone helping my head to the table, but my ability to feel was rapidly being sapped away. I was aware of a far away voice giving me some encouragement, echoing my numbers.
“E-eight...”
I was slipping. I was...
“Se—”
'Let's put a happy little cloud up here.'
I felt my good ear twitch. I heard a soft, soothing male voice though the faint buzz of a television. Everything was dark and I felt numb, but oddly warm.
'Now lets just clean our two inch brush. We're using odorless paint thinner here. Just clean it out and then just beat the devil out of it! Now let's come up here and fluff out these clouds.'
I tried to move, but everything felt sluggish and slow. The strange numbness made moving a bigger effort than it was worth, so I just laid there. Instead, I opened my eyes, and then regretted it instantly as a bright light nearly blinded me.
“Nggh.”
'Now let's come up here and add a big strong mountain. Make him big and strong! Let's give him a friend, everyone needs friends.'
I opened my eyes again, this time the lights were dim. Everything was blurry and I had to blink a few times to clear my vision.
I looked down. I was on a soft, foam mattress on the floor of some house. My head was put on a plush pillow, allowing me to comfortably look out into what appeared to be a living room. The room I was in was clean with bright cheerful blue walls nearly covered in decorations. The walls were full of shelves and glass bookcases, full of glass pipes and other handmade works of art out of wood and stone. Black-light posters of 60's psychedelic bands and weed culture were pinned to the walls, broken up once in awhile by rainbow motifs and tattoo flash. The floors were carpeted in green, making it look like there was grass growing in the house.
'Now get a little roll of paint on our knife. Just pull it and cut it. It's that easy.'
I looked down at myself to see that I was covered in a warm, thick quilted blanket, obviously home made. I couldn't see my actual body through it, but I felt very warm and comfortable. Beside me on the mattress too was Yuri, wagging his tail when he saw I was awake. It was hard to see detail, but I could see that a few of his deeper wounds were stitched up and he had some fresh bandages on his face. The rest I couldn't see under his service vest, but some bumps under the fabric told me he was taken care of there too. His fanny pack was gone, though.
I looked over to find out where the noise was coming from. In the center of the room was a large, brown couch that had obviously seen better days. In front was a wooden coffee table and a flat screen TV, which was playing a Bob Ross episode in super HD. The coffee table had several pieces of glassware on it, along with a burning candle and a small box. The medicine I brought with me was there, safe in their bottles, resting near the end of the table. The fanny pack was nowhere to be found.
The most interesting thing was the thing sitting on the couch. There, naked and resting comfortably, was another horse creature. He was a lot bigger than I was for sure, and was covered with muted green fur. The dude totally looks like Slash, with a long cascade of curly dark greenish gray hair for a mane and tail. I couldn't see his eyes due to the hair and a rainbow beanie cap planted firmly on his head. The beanie was pinning down his large, tufted ears. What made him different from Sam was that he didn't have a horn at all. Instead, two leathery bat wings were folded at his sides and little fangs poked out of his top lip. He was decorated with several glass beaded necklaces and bracelets. He seemed to just positively radiate with goodwill and compassion.
He didn't seem to know I was awake. I watched him take a large glass item from the coffee table, carefully as if holding a precious stone. It had water in it and he began packing something green into the a pipe sticking out of it.
Oh.
OH!
He lit the bowl with the candle and took a pull from the bong. Once the bowl was sufficiently ignited and glowing, he leaned back, placing the bong carefully on his 'lap'. He then proceeded to take another a hit of it, the smoke making a gurgling sound as the smoke traveled through the water and into his muzzle. The dude was getting high, to Bob Ross no less!
He coughed after inhaling, wiping his muzzle with a free hoof. At this point, sensation began to return to me, including to my injured leg. I moved it and winced with the sudden pain, not being able to stop a little groan from escaping my muzzle.
The bat horse looked over to me, and then smiled, putting down his still lit bong carefully on the counter.
“Heyyyy, man!” he greeted. I could almost feel the waves of cheerfulness as he directed a big smile at me. He awkwardly shuffled off the couch to land on all fours again, using a hoof to press MUTE on the TV remote. It was then I could see, of all things, a picture of a pot leaf suspended in a glass ball, on either side of his thighs.
Wow, okay.
I laid there and watched as he drew closer, his big green hooves muffled on the carpet. I looked back to Yuri to see he was completely relaxed, wagging his tail lazily as the stoner got closer. Eventually, he reached me.
“Yo, man, Sam told me you might wake up soon. How ya feeling, dude?” He spoke in the most stereotypical hippy voice ever: slow and completely passive.
I squeaked a few times before I could actually speak. “I… Okay... Leg hurts a bit...”
“Oh yeah, man, Sam said she had to do some totally wicked stuff to it, ‘cause it was all broken weird. Be back a sec.”
With that, he turned and marched off somewhere. My good ear twitched when I heard his hoof steps change to become sharper. He was obviously walking on hard floors now. Bob Ross continued to soothingly paint landscapes, albeit silently, on the television.
I looked at Yuri. “What do you think?”
Yuri grumbled and gave me a big doggy grin.
“All right.” I trusted Yuri. He's a good judge of character.
I tried moving around a bit, and managed to poke my broken leg out from under the quit. It was in a stiff cast and the whole area felt heavy.
And, of course, the cast is colored green. That made me smile.
Eventually, the green bat horse returned, a glass of water with a straw held with one wing, and a bottle of pills held in his mouth. He deposited both in front of me without spilling a single drop of water.
“Here, Sam said that if you, like, wake up and are in pain, to take two of these, ya dig?” He used his teeth to open up the bottle of pills, depositing two capsules on the mattress in front of me.
I gave them a sniff before swallowing them and taking a good long sip of water.
“How long?” I finally asked once the glass was half empty.
“That you were out? Only a few hours. I was here watching you!”
I gave him a look.
“Naw man, not like that! Emma and Sam had to get some stuff! We couldn't leave ya alone so I stayed.” He took a moment to adjust his hat with a hoof. I still couldn't see his eyes. “But well, I'm York, what can I call ya?”
“Melissa.” I answered. “Just call me Mel. That's Yuri.” I nodded my head at my dog. Yuri gave out a low quiet bark at the mention of his name.
“Cool beans.” He smiled, and then looked back to his bong. He face-hoofed. “Aww man, how rude of me! Do you want a hit, bro?”
“A bong hit?”
“Yeah man. I mean, you're gonna be staying here, in my house, for a bit, right? I can't just smoke and not offer any up!”
I blinked a couple times. “No thanks.” I’ve never smoked weed before. “Maybe… maybe later?” I added as an afterthought.
“Alright lil' bro.” He patted my shoulder, still beaming with such peace and love that my mouth felt like it was being shoved full of sugary treats. I took another sip of water to wash that weird feeling down. At least… I felt better. It felt great to be around the guy, and I couldn't help but smile back.
“That's right, man! Just let the good vibes flow!” He seemed very pleased to see me smile. “It heals, man, the good vibes. You can't just rely on the medical stuff, ya know?”
I nodded and thought back to the time I was hospitalized. I think I honestly would have recovered a lot better if there was an insanely happy dude around. It was almost unreal. It was like the dude was made of sunshine and rainbows.
It was weird, but I suddenly felt as though I ate a huge meal, like thanksgiving dinner. It was at the part where you feel just so comfortable and good that you just wanna take a nice long sleep. It was probably the drugs making me feel sleepy. I laid my head back down.
“You all right, buggy bro?” He leaned in, concerned.
“Just… tired. But good? I feel a lot better”
“Yeah man. You oughta catch some more Z's. You have to rest up to meet my beautiful wife in the morning!” His good cheer seemed to light up the room as he moved to tuck me in. I noticed despite my fatigue, just how skilled he was with his hooves, not even using his mouth to move the covers. He adjusted my pillow and tucked me in, giving Yuri and I a pat on the head before stepping back.
“Now don't ya worry, I'll be up watching out for you guys.”
I believed him. I watched from my comfortable position as he took his place at the couch again. He turned on the sound again.
And, there, with the ultimate soothing sounds of a happy man with a happy afro painting happy little trees, I embraced sleep.
.
.
.
.
.
“I am proud of you, little one”
“Sleep well.”
.
.
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"Don't worry, be happy" is by Bobby McFerrin, not Bob Marley.
6639923 aaaa thanks! I was listening to the bob marley version lol.
York is awesome. That is all
Okay, not quite all. Nice to see she's finally getting proper help. And yes, we all knew she was one awesome bughorse. I hope her ears recover though.
So much happy in this chapter. See! There is a light at the end of the tunnel and it's not just a runaway train.
And how much more empathic feeding will Melissa have to do before she figures out the other major half of her dietary needs? Hmm, well, if she ever figures it out. Might need Luna to explain it one of these days since the TV show MLP:FiM doesn't exist on this Earth.
Kinda wondering what Changeling lore is active in this story too. Things like molting or regeneration to replace missing wings. The production of 'goo' and it's own properties. The kind of magic available (now that Mel's gotten a Happy Meal, ha!) such as normal spells versus the strange stuff like Fire Portals and Mind Influence spells/effects. And of course the hallmark magic of shapeshifting, being physical and/or illusionary.
You don't know how happy it makes me to find someone else still saying hella cool
6640012 Me, I'm just wondering why she hasn't got any holes.
A bit sad to hear the ride's going to end, but still a good chapter. I got a good laugh as soon as I saw the first Bob Ross line.
Glad I wasn't drinking anything, or the mental image you just conjured up of a stoned bat pony watching Bob Ross would have made me choke.
"stopped"
"To"
"in-between
"The sinks and counter were also spotless, where equally spotless equipment was stored."
6640597 It made me laugh too XD I'm glad people like York so much! And thank you so much for all the grammar spotting :D Fixed!
6640105 She doesn't have holes because the spell that changed everyone into ponies glitched on her. So she's not a completely 'full' changeling but is more changeling than pony.
6640068 I say HELLA on a daily basis. Its all hella good :D
6640012 Thanks! Things will be happy in the end! And lore is explained a little later when she feels better and actually can explore what she can do without being in pain. She can't regenerate though so she's stuck missing a wing.
6639936 Her ear will get somewhat better!
6639933 I was curious about whether there was one when I noticed what you had said so I went and looked it up. The ones on youtube are just labeled as Marley but they are actually the McFerrin version. I couldn't find one that was actually Marley. I was kinda disappointed, I'd have loved to listened to a version by Marley.
6640105 I believe Luna said something about her being not quite a pony and not quite a changeling. Could be because she is possibly some hybrid thing.
Being someone who actually smokes somewhat recreationally, I approve of this pothead
Though I myself am far from like that when I'm baked. Personally, just get real scatterbrained and
6640896 Heehee it isn't that he's high he's a hippy :)
6641048
Hippies aren't my friends though >~<
I come from a family of potheads but darn hippies and their laziness
6641152 Well York certainly isn't a lazy guy lol
6640105
Luna said something like she was part pony part changeling which is why she is a drone and not a queen but still has free will and does not have holes
4 chapters?
Seriously?
In expecting 10,000 words each then!
Spider Mel, Spider Mel, does whatever a Spider Mel does.
Bruh, have you ever been high and watched Bob Ross? It's fucking hypnotic.
The fun part is owning everyone in TF2 then watch the chat box erupt with rage at them being dominated by a stoned brony.
So worth the wait! Wonderful chapter.
Oh... oh my, Sam's beautiful. And a vet ;)
Yuri probably just had one of the funniest experiences in his life: his owner on the operating table in a animal hospital and him looking on.
No words... this is just... beautiful.
God I love this story.
6641756
No get stoned and watch the cutie map
My god, I was tripping balls by the end
6641625 Yep next chapters will definitely be longer. Plus there's an Ask blog and a sequel coming out after this!
6642909 Yuri was very amused by it all! And Sam is pretty :D York is also nice, there's still another person to meet!
Can't believe I am only just finding this, I LOVE IT! Am so excited for the next chapters. I love your artwork on these, it is just so cute and adorable!
6644725
York is hilarious! We need more ponies like him in stories like this..
6643099 what exactly does "tripping balls" mean?
Bob Ross rules all!
I like this. This is a good story.
Bonus ducks for all these fantastic pictures, they are wonderful. I especially like how the dream images are slightly "corrupt".
Please continue at your earliest convenience.
6640068 I also thought i was the only person who still said cool bean. York is amazing
So glad Mel finally found others.
*bweep! Bweep!* HIPPIE ALERT! HIPPIE ALERT!
Me: *looks over the corner* Oh my Discord, it's true. Save me a seat bro, I gotta check this out!
6649626 It basically means "high-as-shit."
Or, "so high-as-shit that you are hallucinating things."
6656706 Where was the watership down quote?
I don't get the "I'm proud" bit. Why care now? She didn't appear to care about what he thought or felt before, so why start now?
Well, this is refreshingly pleasant. York is good medicine for a changeling.
Finally, some friends~
*Broken chitin flesh,
return from it triumphant,
being filled with love*
Breathe,
for now that you have been found,
you will be no longer lost among darkness.
See,
for now your path is lit.
Though you have lost you can again
find peace in this new world,
a new chance to change.
Rise from despair and from grief,
to live again,
so that this life given will not be in vain,
so this battered soul will mend through the pleasant dream
of a city founded, plentiful and near the heart,
in this re-imagined, magic world of salvation.
Awaiting further releases.
This gave me the weirdest image of a future hippy changeling colony.
7125383 yoda you are not
I kind of miss this story...
Is it going to be updated soon?
As there are railroad tracks built east, north, and west of Gettysburg; it would be interesting to see an experienced, human diesel locomotive mechanic, turned into an adolescent and bipedal dragon, similar to Princess Ember, bring to Gettysburg tanker trains of diesel fuel as well as trains full of general cargo, such as canned food, farm machines, and construction vehicles.
Also, having characters driving a road-rail truck on the railroad tracks, while collecting needed food and equipment, would be fun to read about.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road-rail_vehicle
This was a nice ride, hoping the author finished this.
So much untapped potential.
Darkwhip joins the waiting line
He's not wrong, that is literally the best way to heal a changeling. Just sit them down and give good vibes.
Stoners are some of the best people in the world.
Is anyone else looking forward to finding out more information about cannon changelings in the episode, “The Times They Are a Changeling”?
When are you gonna update? IM GETTING WUTHDRAWLS!!!
Yay, Bob Ross.
Also, when's Mel gonna learn magic?
I'll just leave this motivational picture here for you :)
scontent-frt3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14199541_10154296909294845_238496185762234970_n.png?oh=129a93d6278d147ab39931a0222ca8b4&oe=5848C3A9
Source: Planetary Society
I was wondering if you would use any ideas from the episode “The Times They Are A Changeling”? Imagine Princess Luna sending Thorax to assist Mel adjust to life as a changeling.
In the “Buckball Season” episode, Rainbow Dash was shown to be flying on one wing.
vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/3/38/Rainbow_Dash_flying_with_one_wing_S6E18.png/revision/latest?cb=20160904085846
Is it possible that Mel will someday learn to fly, or at least hover, using her one good wing?
It had water in it and he began packing something green into a pipe sticking out of it.
York is best character
Great Story, this is really something different. The most people who have humans in their storys make them all powerfull or they have our technology(Weapons) or know the series and everything. In this story a real conection to the characters is build. We see the sturggles and relationships which is in my opinion very importand for a good story to develope. I hope you will someday finish it. But take your time, to just force something is not good at least most of the time.
Oh and really great paintings nearly forgot to mention that.
Please, sir: May I have some more?