3 - The Nightmare Begins
Sherbert - 5th of Solar Dusk, 25 AE
Kōmoriakademī, Neighdo - Neighpone
Something lightly shook my shoulder.
“Come on, kid. The first ray’s of the sun are up. It’s time for training,” Rojā said, his voice shaking me from a rather nice dream.
A nice dream which I instantly forgot! Damnit, why does that always happen?
I sleepily blinked until shapes and colors began to appear in my vision, then reached up to the bedpost I’d set my watch on check the time.
“It’s four oh one,” Rojā informed for me. “We will hold you to a four thirty ‘on the floor’ time for training. This will give you three hours of training before school each day. You will have my assistance getting ready today, but never again. Understand?”
“Yeah…” I groaned, sliding out of bed, my hooves clunking on the oddly warm floorboards. “Wah? Toastywarm floor why-how?”
Rojā raised an eyebrow. “Hot water pipes running through sand beneath floor so it’s not cold. We’re not savages,” he informed with a shake of his head. “Are you always like this when you wake up?”
I nodded and strapped my watch onto my rear left leg. Upside down.
“Oh… oops,” I mumbled as I took it off and put it on my right foreleg right side up. “There.”
Rojā winced, one ear drooping. “Okay! We will work on giving you the ability to wake up instantly. Perhaps even get you started on a potion regimen to reduce your need to sleep.”
“You can do that?” I asked, eyes widening slightly. “Can we do that, like now?”
Rojā shook his head. “No. But we could, potentially. It’s an old ninja trick, but the alterations are permanent and can be dangerous. We’d need a doctor’s approval first or the state would have our heads. For now, eat one of these,” Rojā instructed as he reached into a suit pocket, took out a small silver pill box, opened it up, and offered me a small blue capsule.
I raised an eyebrow suspiciously. Rojā sighed.
“It’s just a mixture of caffeine and other herbal stimulants, Sherbert. Perfectly safe. The whole of Neighpone uses these instead of morning coffee to save time,” he soothed. “But, if you don’t want one, that’s fine.”
I may have been tired as hell, but I was awake enough to worry that I was having something really bad pushed on me…
“Uh, I don’t exactly want one no. I’m not exactly the drug fan type,” I informed, doing my best to try and wake up faster.
Rojā rolled his eyes. “I respect your choice, but this is just a coffee substitute. No one has time to make a cup of coffee in the morning. If you would like a warm up run, we could go to any nearby store, even corner shops, and buy you your own pack. If you’re a fan of coffee, you won't get any until the evenings. It's just not brewed in the morning.”
“Don’t really do coffee either,” I yawned, quickly stretching my legs. “Okay, I’m up. What do we do?”
Rojā nodded, seemingly satisfied that I was well enough awake and began to walk out of my room. I blinked the sleep out of my eyes one last time and began to follow him into the dimly lit hallway.
“We will go light today,” he informed.“We walk to the beginner’s training room nobasu mattoundoo kihontekini.”
“Wait, what? I um, I didn’t understand that last part,” I admitted, my ears drooping in embarrassment.”
Rojā smiled for a brief second. “Are you sure you’re awake? You used all of those words yesterday.”
Maybe it was them appearing in that order? I concentrated for a moment, then hesitantly asked, “We’re going to do some kind of workout, using mats, after stretching?”
“Yes. I told you we need to work on your flexibility. I expect we won't begin to be able to do serious martial training for at least two months. But in the meantime, we will have other skills to teach you. But non-combat/non-survival skills come after school. Since you don’t have school today you’ll have the school hours as a rest period. This will be true every time you don’t have school, understand?” Rojā asked as we rounded a corner and exited the dormitory.
I nodded as we entered into the already busy grounds.
The sun was barely poking its top bit above the sea and I could see EVERYONE working out, practicing some kind of weapon or hand to hand technique. There had to be at least forty people of every pony subtype, including a freaking sea pony whose tribe I couldn't’ quite make out at this distance, heck, there was even a pair of Earth Ponies playing tag, vertically, on the wall of the museum building.
“Uh, yeah. I get it,” I said as I looked around, getting a feel for things.
I tried to see if I could spot Master Cho, but nopony in sight was scary-big. I did notice that everypony was in gi of a specific color. Not in a way which suggested rank, but rather personal preference. There were reds, blues, greens, grays, whites, blacks, everything but yellow as far as I could see.
The only exception was Rojā himself. He was still in his suit.
As Rojā led me towards one of the smaller buildings on the east side of the dojo’s compound he paused, turning his head to the left.
“Ah! Hold on Sherbert, this is a good opportunity to introduce you to the other three masters,” he said before waving his right hoof at a pair of ponies where were seated, rear legs crossed, front legs in laps, and were simply watching the others train.
Three? But there were only two of them…
The two ponies noticed Rojā’s wave and stood up, walking over to us in but a few quick steps.
The one on the left was a batpony mare. She had dark purple fur, a brown mane and tail tied into a braid, and the typical pumpkin orange eyes. She was dressed not in a gi, but in a pink kimono, specifically a stallion’s kimono, which had some custom work done to the skirt which probably let her kick more easily. She also had a katana and wakizashi belted onto her waist of all places.
The one on the right was also a batpony, but a stallion. He had fur the color of wet dirt, and a brilliant neon green mane which poofed out around a green headband in a way which reminded me of a metal band member’s outfit. That was all he wore, letting me see his cutiemark, which was in the shape of a kama with a spiked ball attached to the end via a chain.
“Masters Tamiko, Mitsu, and Yoshi, this is my new disciple Sherbert,” Rojā introduced with a polite bow and the appropriate hoof gestures. “Sherbert, the mare is Master Tamiko our resident kenjitsu expert. On her left is Master Mitsu, he will assist me in your training in a year or so when it’s time for you to learn Ōra-jutsu as he has mastered that art far better than I have.
“And to your left is Master Yoshi, who is possibly the greatest practitioner of jujutsu in the city.”
I looked to my left, not in shock, I was in a ninja school. I expected to be snuck up on. I didn't’ expect to see absolutely nothing… Nothing at all. Just empty air.
“Ummm…” I said slowly, a look of genuine confusion spreading across my race.
“The spell is known as ‘Somepony Else’s Problem’,” a soft-spoken stallion’s voice said from the air in front of me. “I assure you, you can see me. It’s just that your subconscious has been informed that everything about me is somepony else's problem. And has therefore edited me out of your perceptions.
“When you can see me, or even be aware of my presence, it will be time for you to begin advanced training. It was good meeting you, Miss Sherbert. Rojā, I have business to attend to today. Goren needs assistance. Please give my condolences to Cho, I will miss our plans for this evening.”
Rojā nodded, “Of course, Yoshi. Good luck.”
I looked over at Rojā, noting where his eyes were looking and did my best to focus on that spot in the hopes of seeing anything. Nothing. Not one Luna damned thing!
“Please tell me I’ll learn to do that!” I begged as I realized he had to have vanished from sight by now.
“You will, if you can make it through basic training,” Master Tamiko said offering me a friendly though sympathetic smile. “I must apologize in advance. Elder Rojā has trained very few disciples over the years, but only two of those thirteen have finished training under him. The last one was… Perhaps thirty-five years ago?”
Elder eh? Did that mean he was the head teacher or simply in the top tier of teachers? Either way, good news for me.
I returned her smile. “Well, I um… I sort of have my family’s honor riding on this. I may not be very good at anything yet, but I do have plenty of my grandmother's stubbornness. So I’ll stay here until I make it through!”
“Brave words,” Master Mitsu chuckled. “You do understand that you are committing to four years minimum of grueling training, yes?”
“Four? I thought it was five,” I said as I turned to give Rojā a confused look.
Was he going easy on me because I was a foreigner?
Master Tamiko raised an eyebrow. “You think she can get to year five? After a day of watching her?” She asked, her tail lashing in a way I couldn’t read.
“Yes. I do,” Rojā said simply. “If I’m wrong, nothing of it. She makes it through year four and finishes everything she came to get. If I’m right, well-”
“Um, is this something I’m supposed to be hearing?” I asked quickly, taking a half step back. “Cuz um, this sounds like, you know, classified rewards for doing really well.”
He turned to face me and gave me a very serious steely gaze. “Sherbert, I want you to understand one thing with crystal clarity. Anything you overhear before your third year, we meant for you to hear.”
Master Mitsu nodded in agreement. “Fifth year is not a reward. It’s not a level everypony can reach. In four years, we can teach everything you need to know to serve as a ninja, or a shinobi. The fifth year is special. In that first year, we teach you how to find the beginning of your path to mastering one of the many disciplines within this art.
“Not everyone is cut out for that. You will know by your fourth year if you excel in any of the arts. If you do, know that you have a fifth year waiting for you. If you are merely average in all disciplines, then know that your fourth year is your last, for the gates do not open for all.”
“A true master is forged during their training,” Master Tamiko agreed. “If you can’t find your way to the path after walking that far, there is no Master’s Path for you. But fear not! Not everypony needs to be a master to buck a castle door clean off its hinges and slay an evil necromancer using an old shovel, then rescue the damsel and impress Sir Heartstrings at the same time with your daring do.”
My tail shot straight up as I turned a bright red. THAT’S WHAT I HAD BEEN DREAMING ABOUT! I could remember now! Oh, please tell me she didn’t see the sexy parts of-
“You talk in your sleep,” Tamiko teased. “Don’t worry, I have similar fantasies. Though I’d much rather impress Lady Octavia. If only to earn her autograph.”
I tried to reply but only squeaked awkwardly instead.
“What?” She asked with a playful shrug. “Who doesn't love her hit single, ‘I’m Too Sleepy to Name This, Please Go Away’? Such a wonderful song. I’m glad it became popular again!”
As awesome as it was that she’d heard of and also admired some of my personal heroes, I was still a bit freaked out.
“So um, what was the signal to keep people out of my room again?” I asked Rojā with a worried flick of my ears.
“Master Tamiko’s room is next to your own. You may wish to close the air vents,” Rojā chuckled before bowing slightly to his friends. “Tam, Miu, I’ll see you for lunch today.”
… Stupid air vents.
“Good luck with her first day,” Master Tamiko said with a polite nod before she and Misu walked back to their previous positions, which I just noticed had a good view of the majority of the training grounds.
“Come,” Rojā said as he resumed our walk. “We’re nearly there.”
“Quick question. Why did Master Tamiko call you ‘Elder’?” I asked with a curious tilt of my head.
“Hmm? Oh, I’m not the Dojo Elder or anything like that. Though I am the most accomplished of the practicing masters at the Academy. Tamiko and I are from the same Clan, and as my father passed away three years ago I am now the Clan Elder. It’s nothing you need concern yourself with, merely Thestrial Politics.”
Clan? Cool!
“So like, did your whole clan move here at some point or something?” I pressed, genuinely interested in why a batpony clan would be in Neighpone.
As far as I knew their tribe was only seven thousand years old and had started in Equestria, been chased out of the Kingdom because racists, then settled in modern day Estoneigha. Except for like, one clan which stuck around and became the core of the Lunar Guard.
“Yes, our ancestors left our homeland to settle across the mountains in Prance. As you may or may not know, the Prench colonized Neighpone a very long time ago. My clan descends from some of the Batponies who decided to go even further and joined the colony expedition,” Rojā said as he turned and walked up the stairs into a small building.
A small one room building. Maybe ten by eight meters, with a small closet labeled ‘equipment’ and floored with a big soft vinyl covered mat. A small patch of floor on the far wall from the entrance was elevated by about a decimeter, and not padded.
Rojā trotted inside and took a seat on the elevated section, sitting cross legged like his friends outside had been and gestured to the center of the room with one hoof. “As soon as you sit, we will begin.”
I nodded and walked towards the center of the room, sitting down and doing my best to clear every other thought out of my mind. I needed to focus on every last little thing, and get it PERFECT!
Rojā nodded as I sat, cleared his throat and began to lecture.
“There are many skills you will learn here, but we are both aware of the primary skills. Taijutsu, and Shinobi-iri. These two arts are brothers. Fighting with your hooves and remaining unseen are the two skills you must master before learning any other aspects of ninjitsu, they are the foundation you will build yourself upon.
“Today, we will clear the ground and prepare to lay that foundation.”
Rojā fluidly slid up onto all four of his hooves. The motion was artful, swift, and barely perceptible. If I’d blinked it would have looked like he’d teleported into a standing position.
“Stand up, please,” he ordered.
I stood up, taking about a second to do so. Which felt pretty embarrassing after watching him just well, jumpcut like that.
“Now, extend your leg like this,” Rojā instructed, slowly moving his rear left leg upwards so it pointed to his left.
He literally just pitched his leg upwards, ninety degrees, so it pointed straight left! Not one bend in the knee or ankle. That was purely hip movement.
I stared wide eyed at that feat of contortionism. “I uh, Yeah… I can’t do that,” I said, rubbing the back of my head with one hoof.
“Yes, you can,” Rojā corrected, lowering his leg back down. “All ponies can do that, nothing in our skeletal structure prevents it. Our hind legs are just as flexible and free to move as our forelegs,” Rojā said, extending his left rear leg again, and rotating it at the hip in a full circle, matching the movement with his right foreleg. “The problem is you've never used the muscles and tendons required to move like this.
“It’s not instinctive, only a hooffull of ponies know they can do it. We need to train you to do it, and build up your strength in these muscles until you can stand for as long as you wish on your rear legs.”
I hummed and closed my eyes in concentration. I could feel my leg muscles burn as I tried to mimic his movement, managing to raise my own rear leg up slightly before having to let it drop back down.
Ugh, this was going to suck! At least I could move like that in theory. Definitely would need lots of practice
“But why though?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. “Plenty of martial arts are done on all fours.”
Rojā nodded twice. “Indeed they are, and plenty of maneuvers you will learn use a four hooved stance. But, we also use a two hooved stance in this discipline. Why? Because if you can move on just two legs, you have two free to block, attack, and grapple rather than the usual one. It’s more tactically advantageous.
“However, standing on all four legs also has advantages. You are far more stable, faster, and in many cases, more agile. As such, we switch between both stances as needed. We will begin with some simple exercises to allow you to begin learning to move properly. This should only take a few months.”
I blinked. “Months? Of just stretching and posting?”
Rojā nodded. “Yes. Don’t worry, a perk is as you build up the underused muscles, your flanks will gain a centimeter or two of bulk. Fuller flanks are considered attractive in Equestria, right?”
“Um, well yeah but- Is there any way to get it done faster?” I asked with a hopeful frown. “I sort of… It’s frustrating to know that I can't start real training until I work out a bunch. I’ll do it, but well, I’m eager to get to the training.”
Rojā smirked, his eyes focusing on me for the few seconds he held that smile.
“Yes, there is a faster way since you're young and still able to put on muscle quickly. But it’s very painful,” he warned. “Are you certain you want to do that? We could cut the time in half.”
In half? I tapped a hoof to my chin thoughtfully. “Yeah,” I decided. “I think I can handle a little pain to cut this down to a month.”
“It’s not a little pain, it’s actually quite a bit of pain, and you are likely to dislocate your hips fairly frequently. You may lose your ability to stand for the first few hours after the first week’s training. Are you absolutely certain?” Rojā asked his expression becoming unreadable.
I winced. “Um, well, isn’t learning how to handle pain part of being a ninja?” I asked as my answer.
“Then we will train your muscles using equipment rather than your own body weight,” Rojā said decisively.
Rojā nodded and walked over to the equipment closet, opened it, and begun to look through the shelves and boxes inside. After a moment’s search, he retrieved and odd steel framed device and walked over to me with it.
“Stand up normally,” Rojā instructed, waiting for me to comply before he started to attach the frame to me while talking. “This is a ratcheting bar. Once you move it up a ‘notch’ it can’t go back down. A series of powerful springs make moving the bar upwards increasingly difficult the more notches you raise your legs.
“This process works out your muscles, and stretches your tendons, getting them used to this direction of movement. I am going to lock the bars onto your legs now. Notice the cuffs close around your ankle, lower leg, and thighs. You will not be able to bend your legs with these on. You can only move your hips.
“Now, with the waist lock secured, you can only raise your legs upwards. Sort of like doing the splits, but rotated ninety degrees.”
I felt the cold metal against the skin on my ankles, pressing tightly enough into me for my fur to fail to insulate me. Rojā wasn’t joking either, no matter how hard I squirmed, the only thing I could do was move my legs up at the hip. Nothing else would budge.
It’s a good thing I liked playing around with bondage gear because this would really freak me out otherwise.
“Okay, so I have to raise my legs until they get to the top, because of the ratchets. I guess once they get to the top the system resets so I can do another lift?” I asked curiously, experimentally raising my right leg until I heard the bar click.
I tried to push my leg back down. It wouldn’t move that way. Not even a bit. At least nothing burned or felt painful yet.
“No. By the time you reach the full ninety degrees you’ll be too weak to stand, much less do another set. The effort required to raise your leg by a notch increases exponentially. When you reach the uppermost position in one leg, nothing happens. Reach it with the other and the bar unlocks,” Rojā elaborated, walking up to the raised section of the training room to sit back down.
“Oh, okay,” I said, extending my left leg to move it up one notch too. “This isn’t too bad… You have the keys, right? Just in case something happens?”
Rojā shook his head. “There are no keys. The only way you get out of that is by completing the exercise.”
“E-excuse me!?” I eeped, ears falling back in a mixture of fear and anger. “What if I NEED to get out? I promised Kazumi that I’d stop by to help Narina more today!”
“Then you’d better finish your workout. Don't worry, you only have a week of this, then we will move to a different yet similar device to train you for another direction of rotation,” Rojā said simply. “It normally takes a pony several hours to finish this the first time. I recommend you get started. If you want to do anything else today.”
Kazumi Koi - 5th of Solar Dusk, 25 AE
Kazumi’s Clinic, Neighdo - Neighpone
I hate late lunches. Whenever I had to eat lunch around three in the afternoon it meant I’d been so busy before lunch that I couldn’t stop at the designated lunch time. Which meant I really shouldn’t be eating lunch, because I had post-lunch work to do, and that meant I had to eat on the go.
Good thing Nahrina’s adoptive mother had gone out to beat the shit out of the stallion who put her buggy kid here. She’d probably mop the floor with me for this. But a mare’s gotta eat…
“Could you maybe not eat a sandwich while changing my bandages?” Narina asked with an irritated huff.
I rolled my eyes. “I’m cleaning everything out already,” I retorted. “A few breadcrumbs atop bandages that are about to be removed and burned, over chitin that's going to be washed and sterilized won't hurt you.”
“Okay, sure, but like, why didn’t you eat at lunch time? Why do you have to do that over me?” She pressed, giving me an irritated look.
“Because during lunch time I was sewing a colt’s rectum back into place after the idiot tried to take a sex toy that was too big for him. I know, I had to remove it…” I grumbled, taking another bite of my cucumber sandwich.
“Ow,” Narina flinched.
“Yeah, that’s right. I earned this sandwich and this table. Now hush,” I said as I finished the last bite and began to peel back the hemolymph soaked bandage.
Sheesh, how many times did this mare pull this one seam open? I’d staple it closed if she had skin. This had to be the fourth time she’d lost at least a hundred milliliters of hemolymph via this one crack. It wasn’t even near her hearts.
“Think that Sherbert will show up again today?” Nariana asked as I carefully unwound the dripping bandage.
I sighed and shook my head. In my experience, no. Promises were never kept. Not unless they stood to gain something from it. Which was a shame. Equestrian kindness definitely seemed to be a real thing and not a stereotype. And while a little ditzy, Sherbert had known how to treat an injured changeling, she was smart, just inexperienced. Kind, a budding intellect, nice sexy colors…
It’s a shame that Equestrian kindness had to be an act. No one was really that nice. But at least I wouldn’t have to ensure I didn’t let another pony get close enough to backstab me again.
On the other hoof, it would be bad bedside manner to be honest about my opinions on the matter to the poor mare I was treating.
Especially since they would be relying on one another for protection in the future to prevent this sort of thing. There had to be trust between them.
“Probably not today. It’s well into the afternoon, and her first day of training. Perhaps she’s too busy, or forgot,” I said as gently as I could. “I’ll call them when we’re done here and ask. I’m certain it’s something simple.”
“I hope so… I don’t want to be here till I molt,” she whimpered, giving me a really pathetic look.
“That look might work on your mom, but it won't work on me,” I informed dryly. “I’m doing all I can already.”
Nahrina sighed. “Oh fine… I was hoping you could, I don't know, duct tape me up and let me go over to ask her in person, or something.”
“There’s not a chance in the world of that happening,” I laughed, shaking my head. “I like not being sued, and your mom is scary.”
“Heh, no she’s not. She just blocks her emotions to manage anger issues,” Nahrina giggled. “She’s a big softie really.”
Yeah, maybe for you… Not for anypony else though.
I gently lifted her hind quarters to pull the soiled bandages off, and winced. I’d need to change the bedding too. She’d saturated the sheets under her with more. Why don't changelings clot!? Ugh, it’s like their species is designed to die if their armored skin is breached.
Before I could tell Nahrina I’d need to hoist her up for the third time today, somepony knocked on the door. I flapped my wings, harder, lifting myself further off the ground to easily see the door.
“Yes?” I called.
“Are you available? There’s a blond mare with broken hips who insists she has to see you and nopony else,” one of the new nurses whose name I hadn’t learned yet asked urgently.
“I’m changing bandages… But broken hips do take priority. Do you mind waiting for a minute while I make sure this new pony gets a room and a nurse?” I asked Narina. “Offense not intended. It’s just basic triage.”
“You keep saying that word, what does it mean?” Narinah asked indignantly, giving me a hurt glare.
“The assignment of degrees of urgency to wounds or illnesses to decide the order of treatment of a large number of patients or casualties,” I answered, giving her the dictionary definition. “You’re stable, despite being badly injured. This mare could have shards of bone cutting up her insides right now which will make healing her harder, and sometimes impossible without expensive magic.
“I’ll finish your bandages, but for some reason she wants me specifically, and well, we need her on a bed and laying still stat. Then I’ll come back, finish your bandages, and then get back to her.”
Narahina signed and nodded, “Okay. But um… I’m a little dizzy so like, maybe when you get back we could do another transfusion?” She asked hopefully.
“Maybe. If we have any of your species ‘blood’ left. There’s not very many of you living in Neighdo you know,” I said as I landed to walk out to the lobby to accept Miss Picky as a patient.
As I landed, a slight scuffle broke out on the other side of the door. I could hear the sound of something dragging, a few surprised yelps and then finally the nurse demanded, “Stay still, miss! The doctor will see you in a minute. Don’t damage your hips further!”
“For the last time they aren't broken, I just can’t move them!” A familiar voice snapped irritably. “Let me in! I’m supposed to help heal Nahrina!”
Sherbert! She kept her promise without prompting! She really is that nice!
PANIC!
No! Don’t panic, bakka! Just don’t let yourself like her. You can do that. Just treat her like anypony else. She’s really dedicated to the Equestrian ideals. That’s all. Under that veneer is somepony who would hurt you. Just like the rest.
Wait, she was having problems with her legs?
I zipped to the door and pulled it open putting on my best angry scowl. The first thing I could see was the pegasi nurse trying to gently pick up Sherbert, who was dragging herself via her forelegs, her hind legs being totally limp. She was currently clinging to the doorframe.
“What do you think you’re doing!? Dragging yourself down the hallway with busted legs just to help somepony else?!” I demanded through clenched teeth. “Don’t hurt yourself more, kasu!”
Sherbert grunted as the nurse continued trying to get her away from the door. “I don’t know what that was. I mean like, that was an insult, right? Is it a good one? Should I remember it?” She asked before turning to the nurse. “ALSO, WILL YOU STOP?! I’m trying to help a dying changebug!”
“How are you even mobile?” I demanded. “You should be in paralyzing pain!”
“Rojā gave me some morphine,” Sherbert answered. “Seriously, just let me help her, I promised!”
“Not until your injuries have been tended to! What even happened to you?” I demanded, looking up at the nurse. “Let her go, I’ll tend to her on the spare bed in this room.”
After all, if she dragged herself down here for the hallway she was serious about helping. I should at least give her that much of a helping hoof.
“Really?” The nurse asked me, a look of surprise crossing her face.
I rolled my eyes. “Yes. Why wouldn’t I help Blondie, help me, help her, help one of my patients?”
She nodded and let go of Sherbert. “W-why did you say it like that?” She and Sherbert asked together.
Because I was flustered, obviously!
“Because that’s what’s happening here,” I said as I walked over to Sherbert’s limp rear half and gently lifted her up by the belly. “Come on, walk over to the bed against the side wall. I’ll help you up into it.”
“Thanks…” She said with an embarrassed sigh as we co-trotted over to the bed.
The moment Sherbert reached the bed, she reached up first with one hoof then the other and started to pull herself up into it. Doing my best to ignore the fact that I was touching her plot, I boosted her up the rest of the way, then snapped my wings open, flapping until I could hover at the right hight to begin checking her hips.
“I told you, there not broken! They just hurt like Tartarus and I can’t move them anymore,” Sherbert protested as I began to feel her flanks.
I mean hips. Because she’s not sexy. She’s just another patient. Also groping somepony on shift is a huge breach of professionalism and I wasn’t going to do that.
“You dragged yourself down the hall to help me even though you broke your hips?” Nahriana asked from her bed, her voice carrying a disbelieving tone. “What the heck did Rojā make you do!?”
“THEY. AREN'T. BROKEN!” Sherbert snapped. “We already checked. I spent the last eleven hours in that stupid leg flexibility bar thing.”
“HA!” Narina laughed. “You asked if there was a faster way, didn’t you?”
“Shut up…” Sherbert grumbled, her ears laying flat in anger.
My probing hooves traced over her tensed, exceptionally worked out muscles. I could feel which ones she’d been working out simply because they were locked up. She’d pushed herself too hard, but luckily not broken or ripped anything.
That was another point in her favor, she had a high pain tolerance. Most ponies I knew would be whimpering and screaming with this sort of ‘injury’, even on the low dose of painkillers you could get without a medical licence. She must have never used these particular muscles before, and given them an exceptionally hard workout. Good thing she was so young. Instead of giving herself permanent damage she’d build them up quickly… Though this had to hurt a lot.
She might be fine by morning without treatment, only incredibly sore. But she was definitely already in a lot of pain, and I imagine she’d like to walk again today… Eh, why not. I had something for this kind of thing.
I finished examining her hips, and nodded in satisfaction. “Yep, they aren’t broken. But you’ve pulled almost every muscle in your hips, Blondie. No wonder you can’t stand. Let me get you something for that.”
I turned around and flew over to one of the room’s potion cabinets and began to look for wherever the heck Doctor Li put the Soothing Draught. He NEVER put things back where they were supposed to go. Even though the shelves were labeled…
Finally locating the pink bottle, I picked it up and flew back over to Sherbert, holding it out to her. “Take one small sip. More than that and you’ll relax so much that I’ll have to change the sheets,” I warned.
Sherbert took the bottle with a forehoof and winced. “Ew… Uh, how small is a ‘small sip’?” She asked urgently.
“A few milliliters,” I said before pausing, taking the bottle back from her, fetching an oral syringe, and extracting an exact dosage for her. “Here.”
“Thanks!” Sherbert said, squirting the syringe into her mouth. “Okay, so while this kicks in can we get Rina some more noms? I’m feeling fine except for the billion needles in my legs.”
“Please tell me Rojā drove you down here,” Nahrina asked with a sympathetic hiss of pain.
“He has a car? Why?” Sherbert asked with a confused frown.
I rolled my eyes. “Because this city is too big to get around on hoof and sometimes public transport doesn't go where-”
I paused, turned around to look Sherbert in the eyes, and asked. “Did you drag yourself three kilometers to this Clinic just now?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I had to. That jerk didn’t offer a ride and I promised I’d help her out.”
AAAAAAAAAAA! IT’S NOT AN ACT! THE HOT MARE IS ACTUALLY THAT NAIVELY NICE! PANIC!
No, don’t panic. Do something! You’re not going to have a third pony stab your heart with an icepick after a few months after the last one did! NEVER AGAIN!
My ears flicked back and forth for a minute while I tried to process a response. “BAKKA! You should have seen the bus stops between here and there! There’s one just outside the clinic.”
Sherbert’s ears fall sadly. “I um, I thought, you know… That I’d have to pay for a ticket.”
“No! It’s free,” I corrected, doing my best to keep looking angry despite how deeply my words cut into the poor mare.
I’m sorry I just can’t let anypony get close again…
Sherbert's eyes seemed to get bigger as she gave me the same look as a puppy post-kick.
…
Ponyfeathers. I had to apologize for that. Her eyes… How did one pony even start to look super sad like that?
I sighed and flew a bit closer to her bed. “Sorry, just… I don’t like ponies hurting themselves. I have enough work thanks to accidents. I don’t need ponies out there intentionally getting hurt to add to my work day, you know?”
Sherbert nodded. “I understand… It’s alright. Everypony gets angry sometimes,” she said with a forgiving smile.
Poop… Now I had to push her away again.
“Um, let’s get Nahrina fed!” I said, turning around and zipping over to my stethoscope, quickly putting it on. “Are you ready for lunch?”
Nahrina hummed for a moment, looking up at me with a snarky grin. “Only if you hang out under the bed while I eat. Fair’s fair,” she joked.
I rolled my eyes and wheeled Sherbert’s bed over to Nahrina’s so she could get into range. “Stop being grump. I’ll clean you up in just a minute.”
“But what if I regenerate a crack and crumbs get stuck inside it?” Nahrina asked worriedly.
I froze, almost dropping out of the air before I remembered to flap. “Good point, bugbutt,” I agreed with a nod. “Let’s clean you up. Blondie, just lay here and hope I remembered what the safe dosage for somepony your size is.”
I had, but watching her fearfully clench up was more than a little amusing.
Heh heh heh. Muscle relaxants.
It only took a few minutes to get Nahrina cleaned up and rebandaged. During which time, Sherbert happily sank into the bed as the Soothing Draught kicked in. After that it was a simple matter of putting my stethoscope to her barrel and finding her slowed, but still healthy heartbeat.
“Okay, Nahrina. Go for it,” I said as soon as everything was ready.
She nodded, and inhaled, draining all the energy she could get her emotovoreick magic on.
The relaxant proved to be of more practical use than simply restoring the use of her legs. The calming effect the potion had bought Nahrina an extra ten seconds of feeding, which I could actually see matter. Last time, she had barely regenerated anything at all. This time, I could see that problematic extra leaky crack seal up, and based on her ECG monitor, her popped heart started working again.
Excellent! Less work for this bat. Less pain for the poor buggie.
“STOP!” I ordered as Sherbert’s heart rate began to exceed one-sixty-five beats per minute. “She’s at the safety threshold.”
“What even is that?” Sherbert asked wearily.
“It’s one-sixty-seven beats per minute,” I answered, turning around to Nahrina’s bed to start a physical and track her recovery.
“That’s it? I get up to around three-ten during a good run and I’m just fine,” Sherbert said sounding more than a little confused.
Three-ten!? That should be forty-five to fifty-six for a mare her age at rest, and one-sixty-three at the most when doing strenuous work! Sure, one-sixty-seven wasn’t a guaranteed heart attack, but it was the lower boundary of the danger zone. One-eighty was when she should start to have a good chance of a heart attack, and over two-hundred should lead to cardiac arrest!
Although, come to think of it, her resting rate had been around one-thirty, to begin with… While on a relaxant. I honestly didn’t think about checking this yesterday. I should have, that’s a major anomaly.
“What’s your resting heart rate normally?” I asked suspiciously.
“Um, I don’t normally track that. I only keep an eye on things while working out. Maybe one-sixty?” Sherbert answered with a shrug. “Why? Is that bad?”
“Interesting,” I mused. “That’s very abnormal, but not in a dangerous way. You might have a beneficial mutation relating to endurance. If you’re telling the truth at least. Because most ponies would have a heart attack if they reached one-eighty. That’s why one-sixty-seven is the cut off rate for stress.”
Sherbert hummed, clearly interested. “If I did, that would help a LOT with training. Oh! I could find a clear signal and download my health tracking data from SkyNet to my watch and show you tomorrow,” She offered.
I nodded eagerly. “I’d appreciate that. If you can handle more cardiac stress than the average pony then Nahrina can feed a bit more each time and heal up even faster. I’m sure you’d appreciate that, right Nahrina?”
She nodded. The first large scale movement of her head I’d seen her make in three days. “I’d love that. Thanks so much Sherbert. You have no idea how bad it hurt this morning,” she thanked, giving Sherbert an appreciative look.
NO! BAD BUG! MINE!
Wait, what am I saying? Good bug! Claim her so I can’t. Thank you!
Sherbert returned her look with a smile. “Hey, no problem! If you can help somepony you should.”
“Awww, you guys call us ponies?” Nahrina asked with a huge grin. “That’s so sweet! In the Bloodstone dialect of changelish, we don't have a word for ‘non-changeling’. We call you guys non-morphing changebugs. You know, because of culture and acceptance.”
Sherbert shook her head and slowly stood up, her hind legs slightly wobbly. “Well, no. We just use somepony more than anything else… Sorry, slip of the tongue. We do like changelings though! Certain specific ones excluded, naturally,” she said as she slipped out of bed to wobble some more. “Ooookay… I think I can walk like this. I should get going. I’ve got… history lessons.”
The way Sherbert sighed after saying ‘history lessons’ hit me right in the sympathy center. I hated that subject too. A lot. For obvious reasons.
“One sec,” I said, flying back up to the potions cabinet to retrieve the bottle of Soothing Draught and a fresh oral syringe.
I quickly put them into a brown paper bag and handed it to Sherbert. “Here. Take four milliliters if you lock up like that again. Don’t take more than six unless you are constipated or need to totally ruin an enemy's bed. More than ten will knock you out with a small chance you stop breathing. More than fifteen will kill you. Painlessly.”
Sherbert froze and stared at me in horror. “And you were going to have me just chug this down!?”
I bit my lip in embarrassment. “I… I take some myself because of joint pain. Daily. Because of my size. I have it down to an art, I forget that most people can't detect the right dosage by tongue. I’m sorry,” I said as sincerely as I could.
Stupid growth hormone deficiency… I wouldn’t care so much if not for the mild joint pain all the time. At least my talent was in potions.
Sherbert frowned. “That must suck! I’m sorry. Thank you… Um, do you have a pen so I can write the dosage on the bag?”
“It’s on the bottle label,” I said politely before intentionally switching to a more aggressive tone and expression. “Now don’t think I’m giving that to you just to be nice! It’s so you don't hurt yourself while walking down here over the next few days. I want the bottle back once our buggy friend is all better. Understood, Blondie?”
Sherbert nodded. “Yeah. I do. Thanks,” she said looking to Nahrina, and then me. “Bye, girls! See you tomorrow.”
Then she trotted out the door, just a little wobbly, and politely closed the door behind her.
“We’re still not even for the sandwich thing,” Nahrina said the moment the door closed.
I raised an eyebrow and turned to face her. “So?”
“Soooo,” Nahrina drew out teasingly. “Haha! You’ve got a crush on the gaijin!”
CRAP! OF COURSE SHE COULD TOTALLY JUST SEE THAT I DID!
Quick, do something to correct her accurate assessment!
“NO I DON’T!” I snapped, instantly, shooting daggers at Nahrina.
“Pfff, lying about love to a changeling. Come on, you’re a doctor!” Nahrina giggled playfully.
“I don’t have a crush on her!” I insisted, stamping one hoof.
“Yeah you do, you’re just afraid of it. Seriously, whoever stabbed you in the back before… Give her a chance. Sherbert’s different. Guarantee it,” Nahrina said as soothingly as she could.
“I SAID I DON’T LIKE HER!” I snapped again. “Don’t make me eat another sandwich!”
Nahrina snickered. “Okay, well if you really don’t I guess I’ll flirt with her a bit tomorr-”
“DON'T YOU DARE!” I exclaimed, zipping up to perch on her bedside-
I covered my mouth with my forehooves. “Eep!”
Nahrina snickered, then laughed, then winced and grabbed her side. “AHAHAHA- OW! OW! Oh bucking… OW!” She whimpered. “Worth it! Made you admit it. Heh heh.”
CRAP!
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. “Nahrina, I’m not ready for a relationship again. Maybe I won't be ever again. Don’t tell her. I’m going to keep trying to push her away. She’s better off with someone else anyways.”
Nahrina snorted. “That won’t work, she’s an Equestrian. They see people who are hostile as ‘challenges to befriend’,” she said with a smile.
“Yeah well, I have to try. Just… Just don't tell her and I’ll make sure you get better food while you stay here,” I offered.
“Changeling,” Nahrina reminded with an amused wink.
I facehooved. “I meant I’d get a couple to come make out near you. Or do whatever your preferred flavor of love is.”
“Oh!” Nahrina said, her ears perking happily. “In that case, get me a nerd stallion who likes fantasy novels, and have him geek out over his favorite setting for me and we have a deal.”
I blinked in honest surprise. “Your favorite ‘dish’ is non-sexual?” I asked curiously.
“Yep! There's lots of kinds of love,” she explained. “So, we have a deal?”
I nodded. “We have a deal,” I said, grabbing her still paralyzed forehoof and shaking it slightly.
Thank the Kami I knew a few mega geeks in the school book club! She must never know...
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That bar reminds me of a sit down machine I used when I did martial arts though it had a safety release. Went to far and couldn't walk for two days as the muscle healed.
Loveing the character interaction in this one!
8285882 I'm doing my best to use RL history of Martial Arts in this thing :D
Oh hey, a tsundere midget batpony god of medicine.
The fuck is my life. . .
Fun chapter guessing ]Kazumi had a very bad experience in the past.
Heh old school torture tools... i mean training tools!
SHIP! SHIP! SHIP! SHIP! SHIP!
, and overall awesome!
Can we make this a herd? Please [insert Sherbert puppy dog eyes], after all we know Sherbert like it both ways
I'm liking this dojo set up, also that line of "We're not savages" reminded me of the Dr. Strange movie, well done. Also now we know where Trixie learned that "not my problem" spell, I'm looking forward to much more referencing, plot
8286121 YOu have no idea how much it means to me that somone remembered that little line and made the connection that Trixie went here. Thank you.
8285938 She's not a god. She just has a similar appearance and profession of a famous historical person...
8286131
Also, I just realized something Lilly was supposed to tell Sherbert something but decided not to so as not to distract her,
Sherbert has above average BMP, her dad is a biomancer, I'm going to bet that Sherbert is the product of some biomancy shinanigans but that's just my theory
Ah, every bit as good as I knew it'd be. Hmm... I also smell a possible source for Trixie learning her little not my problem spell. If she really trained here (or at least in a school somewhere in this locale, as I'm not sure if only Bats offers some sort of training for that spell), it would make sense that she'd learn it. If Trixie did actually train at Bats (and not whatever the first school Sherbert had tried to go to was, can't recall the name and too lazy to look!) I wonder if she actually made it to the 5th year. Considering the fact that she's a tank grown super soldier I can see her making it.
Also, just gonna toss out my +1 for the herd idea.
I feel like Sherbert's higher BPM could be tied into the fact that her father is a biomancer. Its entirely possible that he did some sort of upgrades on her as a foal. Food for thought I suppose.
I also really want Kazumi to learn that yes, the vast majority of Equestrians are indeed that nice. Its not a myth, its a very real and tangible thing.
Finally,
Every time you mention this song I laugh. I can totally see Octavia actually naming a song that and it becoming a hit single.
8286874 Well one of them is a changebug, "No, I don't want seconds..." That's not something one would say XD Sherb did want multiple partners so... There's a possibility.
8286573 A Nova theory! Thanks for comenting...
Oh, is worse. She's not only equestrian, she's ponyvillian. And the Grandchild of Harmony. She might have grown alone, but making friends is more ingrained into her than DNA. She only haven't realised her potential yet
Chibi bat doctor has crush on naive foreigner main character. Has traumatic past. Obviously she deserves no second chances and must suffer alone for her entire life!!
Bloody young'ns, everything is huge to them
Trying to hide it from a changeling is even worse!
Edit: pressed post by accident, continuing:
I wonder how Sherbet will react when she finally finds out she's not normal. I mean, her father is a biomancer, her mother a Goddess with Alicorn infused magic, her grandmother a demi-goddess and whatever else is in that crazy lineage. She should be genre savvy enough to realise she can't be normal!
Then again, Ponyville. The extraordinary is, to her, the mundane.
Ouch, poor Colt. Or poor chibi bat doctor? Because eww.
It doesn't justify bread crumbs though
Ah yes, Ninja school with Ninja shenanigans. That's bound to create awesomely funny moments in the future.
Moaning your dreams in your sleep won't help, Sherbet
Woooooww...so that's a thing now, I guess.
I gotta say, this equipment plan for the training sounds like a terrible idea.
Yeah, this is got to be the historical Kazumi. Gonna be a fun reaction from Dusk when she finds out who her goddaughter is dating (assuming this ship sails as seems likely).
Hah!
8290706
Are you sure about that?
8293478
It's my theory for the moment at least.
8293782 What you really gotta ask yourself is: Is Meep making it clear she isn't the orginal Kazumi cause she knows the readers will think that and assume she really is, or because she knows readers will know she knows that the readers know she is doing that, and she is making it clear that she isn't the original Kazumi because she wants the readers to think she is because she wrote she isnt, but actally she really isn't?
8293923 Get off Sky's computer, Pinkie.
8293971 "I thought that was pretty good."
How exactly are those two things related?
8477626 If changelings take more emotional energy than is safe for them too toake from you, it causes your heartrate to speed up as your body tries to respond to the attack. If a changeling wanted to, they could kill someone through feeding, not by taking love directly, that cant hurt you, but by inducing a heart attack via causing your heart rate to skyrocket by taking too much energy from you at one time.
Therefore, people with tougher hearts can safely give more energy to a changeling, if they don't mind their heart racing for a while.
I guess that makes her a bad bed bug. :P
8970460 10/10 XD
Kazumi's love life is very relatable.
9806829 You have my sympathy :c