Refined Starlight in a Broken Vessel

by the-pieman

Chapter 42

I swear I’ve been here for days now, but the amount of times I’ve seen the moon rise outside my window let’s me know it’s only been roughly forty-eight hours. Looks like I’m here for the long-haul.

Sure I get visitors like Pinkie but they can’t stay forever. What I really need is something to do that doesn’t require moving, but nothing interests me. I find it rather stupid to try counting tiles, so I just count length and width before multiplying. Takes less time, but also doesn’t get tedious as fast.

I think about going for the bite grip to get someone in here to entertain me, when the door opens. Have I finally developed my telepathic abilities? I immediately turn to a vase beside me and will it to explode... but nothing happens. Damnit.

The nurse at the door, one I haven’t gotten the name of yet, is carrying a package, along with the help of a second unicorn. Whatever it is must be heavy. I’m wondering if it’s more gifts or something. Who else is there left to thank me? Well, I suppose a gift from the princesses wouldn’t be out of the question. Though I’d expect it to be more well-made. This package seems to be a very beat-up box. Speaking of beat-up, it’s absolutely covered in tape all over as if whoever made it obviously didn’t have any idea how to properly package anything.

There’s a hastily-scrawled “To Anthony” written on the box. Big enough for me to see it from here.

I eye the nurses questioningly. They shrug and levitate the box over to me. I decide I’ll open it later. Or rather, call someone in to open it for me... later.

Once the box is by my bedside the nurses smile and leave. I figure I might as well spend some time wondering what’s in there. What could it be? Too big for a toaster oven or a microwave or any home appliance, so... hmmm...

Then it shakes and makes noise.

Holy fuck, what the hell is in there!? Tell me someone didn’t send me, like, a dog or something...

It... doesn’t have air holes. I just realized it lacks air holes. Whatever is in there must be-

A long, drawn-out ‘gasp!’ precedes speech. “Jeez, that’s a long time to stay still!” Scootaloo pops out of the box. The fuck?

“You’re telling me, I think my tail has a crease.” Then Sweetie Belle follows, and Noi crawls out as well.

They look around and spot me. “Anthony!” Scootaloo buzzes her wings and climbs up onto the bed and lays on top of me. “We missed you!”

I... I... “I can tell.” I say. “You... literally mailed yourselves to me?”

“Well, we were thinking about sneaking onto the train, but Noi figured we might be caught so we came up with this!”

I wish I could grasp my temple...

“We are definitely taking the train next time.” Sweetie Belle comments. Wait... hold up.

“Where’s Apple Bloom?” I ask, worried about one being gone.

“Oh, she had to stay in Ponyville to help her family prepare for Fall. Plus we needed somepony who could mail us and not tell anypony.” Sweetie informs me, climbing up onto the bed with help from Scootaloo, the pair of them hoisting Noi up.

I shake my head, about the only motion I can make, and sigh. “You kids are adorable. Crazy, but adorable.”

“I’m not adorable, I’m awesome!” Scootaloo corrects, indignantly.

I smile. “Right, you’re awesome.”

“So, anyways, we were gonna come and see you after you got back from your trip, but then that ooze-thing attacked and that took a few days to calm down from, and then you wandered off and the next thing we know we have to... uh... overhear something about you getting sick or something and-”

I stop Sweetie Belle’s little triade. “I’m gonna be fine. I just need to wait and I’ll be out of here.”

“Well... ponyfeathers.” Noi says, brows furrowed. “I said we should’ve brought board games!” she squeaks, and the other two sigh.

“Yeah, you were right, Noi...” Sweetie admits, “But where would we have put ‘em? It took all our allowance just to afford postage!”

The other two sullenly agree with her, and the whole trio’s mood drops... for all of a half second, before Scootaloo pipes up, “We can get some stuff from here and make a game!” Her wings buzz with excitement at the thought, literally pulling her slightly into the air. I smile and roll my eyes, glad to see that some things haven’t changed since I left.

“What’s that?” Sweetie Belle asks, looking at- Oh right, the drawing on my cast.

“It’s a velociraptor eviscerating an evil space-clown.” I grin, the rather graphic purple-and-red blood splatter being the highlight of the entire drawing.

“Coo~ool...” Scootaloo says, looking at the dinosaur.

“Pre~etty...” Sweetie says simultaneously, looking at the colors.

“Why’ve you got casts on?” Noi asks, off-topic, but still adorable as always.

I shrug as best I can. “I blew up a tree while I was killing a demon.”

“Another one?” Noi gasps, stepping closer with a twinkling look of hero-worship in her eye.

“I knew it! Rarity said the forest fire was natural, but Whitetail was too green for that. I knew something important happened. Man, grown-ups never tell us anything.” Sweetie complains.

“Ah, I knew it wasn’t natural.” Scootaloo boasts, “Rainbow Dash was complaining about ‘firestarters’ and ‘upsetting windflow calculations’ for a whole day afterwards.”

“It’s to keep you safe so you don’t end up like me. Anyway, yeah, I won, but I blew up the forest and got messed up pretty bad.” I say. “And, don’t forget. Technically you aren’t supposed to be here.”

“We thought of that!” Noi says. “If somepony comes, we just hide.”

“Where will you hide?” I ask, honestly wondering.

“In the box!” they say, as one side comes off it and flops open. “Er... under the bed?” The open frame underneath would, in my opinion, be less than effective at hiding them.

I shake my head. “I missed you guys. C’mere you.”

The three cluster in and hug me, Scootaloo rubbing the top of her head against the underside of my chin. Goddamn it, of all the times I want to hug them back, I can’t. Granted, usually I don’t want to hug them because they’re covered in tree sap, but still...

It’s nice to be adored.

“So, let’s figure out what we’re gonna do!” Scootaloo says, taking charge. She seems to be a natural.

---

Well, we managed to make up a game that we could all play. I still had that pouch of coal so even though I couldn’t feel, I could make hands to do stuff with. Eventually, I let myself lose, letting one of the girls win instead. Noi, being happy and excited, jumps up and is about to fall off the bed when she manages to get a grip on something and pulls herself up. But... wait.

“Uh, Noi, what did you grab?” The crusaders step aside and I see Noi, call-bite-button in her mouth.

“Uh... whoops.” Scootaloo mumbles as, seconds later, Perfect Stitches walks in and takes a look at the scene.

We are so busted...

Though to my surprise, the mare smiles warmly, giving a wink and a quiet “I saw nothing.” before leaving the room. Looks like we’re in the clear for now.

We all laugh at how close we were to having the crusaders kicked out of the hospital and likely forbidden from re-entry.

“So.” I finally get around to asking. “What’s been happening around Ponyville since I’ve been gone?”

“Well... there was this big monster that came out of the Everfree, and it was all ‘Rar! Raaargh!” Scootaloo pantomimes the stomping monster across the bed, gnashing her teeth. “And it was tearing up roofs all over town. In the end, Fluttershy came up to it and scared it back into the forest!”

Fluttershy? Cowing a monster into submission? I think I’ll need confirmation of that. “Okay, oh, have any of you met Myrna yet?”

Sweetie Belle shivers, nodding slowly, but Noi nods more quickly. “She’s super-nice!” the pale-orange filly says, hopping in place enthusiastically, “Her snakes are super-cuddly, and her scales are really shiny, and she swims super-good!”

“So you got to spend time with her? I hope you made sure she felt welcome. She’s been having a rough time since she showed up from what I heard.” I’m sure the kids did fine but I’d still like to make sure. This is something I can trust their word on, right?

“Of course I did! I got to ride in her hoodie for an hour, but then she started slapping her hair-snakes when they kept cuddling me, idunno why.”

I chuckle. “So, have you two met her?” I ask Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. “Whatcha think, is she nice?”

Scootaloo hops up and down, “Snakes are cool, and Myrna is too! She put in a new floor under the sandbox so the sand would stop sinking in, and it even has little drains so the ‘box drains out, and now it’s bigger than it was and it’s so cool!” she says, barely breathing in at all.

“She’s really nice, but I’m not a fan of snakes...” Sweetie mumbles, looking bashful.

“That’s alright. Hey, if you get back to Ponyville before I do, tell her I wanna see her.”

“Idunno if she’d fit in this room...” Scootaloo comments. “Well, maybe, just probably not through the door. She’s humongous!”

“Yeah... she’s pretty big...” Sweetie mumbles again.

I think it over. “Well, then just tell her I’ll see her when I get out.” Now, onto other matters. “One question. What sort of family stuff is Apple Bloom tied up with?”

“Oh, Sweet Apple Acres is getting ready to harvest apples and do their yearly Cider Sale! Last year, a couple of jerks came and tried to take over the place, but Rainbow Dash showed them up with her lightning-fast skills!” Scoots says, puffing out her chest. “Applejack’s other friends helped out, too.”

“And mommy buys a ton of their apples this time of year and makes the Sweet Apple Acres Six-Month Ale, while Applebloom’s family starts making next-year’s cider!” Noi adds in. “Applebloom says that she’s getting to join in on making the cider this year, so she was super-excited.”

“And Rarity always pre-orders a case of their Cellar Sweet Cider, but she never lets me have any.” Sweetie Belle says. “She keeps telling me it’s a big-pony drink, but I think she just wants the special stuff for herself.”

Hmmm... I wonder why Rarity would- unless it’s alcoholic, okay yeah, I wouldn’t want to see the CMC pissed and puking their guts out. “So I’m guessing this is really good stuff then, if it sounds like everyone wants some.”

“Oh, yeah, half of Ponyville camps out overnight for, like, three days before the sale starts! Of course, they only sell... uh...” Sweetie thinks through the mental math, before arriving at, “One barrel in three? Applebloom says the rest are sold all over Equestria!”

“Hey, I’d say a third of the produce going to the hometown alone is a good deal. Maybe I’ll try some.” I think for a bit. “And maybe I’ll see if I can’t get some of that special stuff Rarity has so you can try it. Just a little.” Yeah, I’d be a bad parent. But an awesome uncle.

Sweetie’s eyes go huge, and she springs forward to glomp me, singing my praises. Literally singing them, and she has an amazing voice. Why isn’t she already sporting a ‘singing’ cutie-mark?

Scootaloo’s would likely be for athleticism. Can’t fly, but she has some nice scooter tricks. Apple Bloom is good at building stuff, maybe a hammer? And Noi... hmmm... Noi’s a tough one. Well, she’s super snuggly and adorable and soft... maybe her Mark will be something like that.

“Anyways, sure, I’ll see what I can do. So has anything else happened?”

Sweetie Belle thinks. “Well, there was that one pony who came to town; he was kinda crazy, though, talking about a bunch of mining stuff. A bunch of mares hit him on the face a lot. He eventually left town, but everypony was super protective of me and the other foals for a while, even Rarity! And she never saw him. What was it he said? Some about ore... something... chasms?”

I chuckle, even if it’s mostly the dark, perverted side of myself smiling at the innocence towards sexual intercourse. Ore chasm, heh. Still, perverts gotta be taken seriously. I return to the original topic. “So what else has happened? Anything else exciting?”

“Not... really. It’s... Kinda quiet without you around.” Noi says.

“And Twilight. Things didn’t really start happening in Ponyville until she came for the Summer Sun Celebration.” Scoots points out.

“Guess we’re just the trouble magnets that keep things interesting.” I grin. “Well it’s good to know I have a purpose in town.”

“Yeah, keeps everything from getting dull.” Noi adds.

“That’s me.” I say. “Always looking for a way to liven things up.”

“Alright, I gave you an hour.” Perfect Stitches comes in. “And now it’s time for your little friends to go home and rest.” I look out the window and the sun is setting.

I give my best ‘pleading puppy’ look, “But... they came all the way from Ponyville. You wouldn’t make three little fillies ride the train back home all alone at this hour... Would you? I can keep them for the night, can’t I?”

The Crusaders all match my look as well, quintupling the power of the puppy-eyes.

Stitches rolls her eyes, sighing. “Oh, alright. But I’m sending a message to their guardians... and I expect all three of you to cooperate, or I’ll have to get the Guard involved instead. I’m sure you’ll be in a lot of trouble, but not as much if there’s official action taken.” she says, and the three fillies nod enthusiastically.

“Alright, slumber party!” I say, stirring the children up even further.

They all give excited cheers, but are hushed gently by Stitches. “We do have other patients in the next room over. You can stay, but you must be respectful and let them sleep.”

I nod. “Alright, we’ll be quiet. We can be quiet, right girls?”

The CMC agree, mouths shut and heads bobbing in agreement. Perfect Stitches smiles and leaves the room again.

“That was really cool Anthony, we didn’t even have to hide or nothing!” Scootaloo said happily. “I mean, when she said she’d get the guards on us... I thought we were done for.”

The guards? Those bucket-headed meatshields? “What would they do?”

“Well, they’d tell my mommy and daddy, and probably fine them...” Noi says.

“...And I probably wouldn’t get to stay with Rarity for a few weeks...” Sweetie continues.

“..And there’s no way I’d be let out to play with them or try flying with Rainbow Dash for months if I get dragged back by the guards.” Scootaloo says, before mumbling something else under her breath.

“Okay, fair enough. Well, it won’t be an issue. We’ll be quiet, we’ll be civil, and we’ll all get home without any problems. Though next time, send a bit of warning.”

“And put in airholes.” Scootaloo says.

I sigh and chuckle. “That too. By the way... you sent me that potato-powered cloud-thing. How’d you make that anyways?”

“Well...” Scootaloo starts, before starting in on a long-winded explanation which, honestly, goes completely over my head. More than half of it sounds like it came directly from the instruction manual used to put it together.

When she finishes, I smile all the same. “Well I liked it. Just... don’t leave it running while you pack it up. It kept making clouds and they flew out of the box making the room all foggy. It was... really impressive. No cutie marks from it I assume?”

“No...” came the trio of replies.

“But you liked it... and that’s what was important.” Sweetie Belle adds.

Awwww, they really do like me. And I really do like them. “Alright, sleep time. Everybody snuggle up, this bed is hardly big enough for me as it is.”

The girls end up in a big cuddle-puddle and are pretty soon fast asleep on top of me and each other. It is absolutely adorable. Wish I had a camera. I can imagine Scootaloo denying the fact that she drools a little. Either way, I’m... wracked by a huge yawn, and soon find my eyes drooping. I nuzzle the pile of fillies with my chin and soon after, fall asleep.

Comments

[Booster Spice]

“I’m not adorable, I’m awesome!” Scootaloo corrects, indignantly.

Right A-word kid.

[Shaded Jade]

Awwwww, super cute

[jaxman147]

Grab those snuggles while you can Anthony, sounds like things are only going to get more interesting once you get out of the hospital.

Good to read more of this story again, as always.

[the-pieman]

8499653
Assuming that the universe itself does exactly the same thing. The world doesn't revolve around Anthony and as such, things outside of him could change. Like rolling a die. If it has to be rerolled, it could easily have an entirely different result, and couple that with the butterfly effect (as he mentioned he took into account) it's fully possible for just one change even if it's not one he himself made, aware or not, to radically alter the story. And it does.

[the-pieman]

8726823
And I get to use this spelling and still be correct!
Ahem... "And I like you Alot!"

[the-pieman]

8735019
Oh, there aren't any. Not anymore. I regret to inform you that Aperture Science Laboratories has been shut down and closed with all its projects stopped.

There are no more scientists. There is no more company. There is, however, the remains of past projects and a rogue AI with total control... and an "itch".

[the-pieman]

8737058
Yep!
By the way, I don't know if you noticed but if you're interested in asking questions about the story (and the spinoffs) there's a Discord channel open to the public for chatting with my editor and I.

There's also a tumblr for a sort of "Ask Anthony" where you can contact and get in-character responses from him. Try asking the same question, you may not get the exact same answer from both sources.

[Alot Master]

9104682
Is more of this story coming any time soon?

[the-pieman]

9104720
I wish. Sadly, life has kicked up quite the hurricane. I feel bad about not posting anything in months but... I feel it would be worse if I posted two or three chapters and then just vanish again.

Replying on Discord/Tumblr for short blurbs is easier, and would potentially be a way to get "more" in the meantime. That's all I can really do right now.