Fulfillment

by Amaranthine Thought

Chapter 7

Gentle woke a little groggily as sunlight bathed her. She blearily blinked at it, the bright light streaming through gossamer curtains, confused. Then she looked, and saw white walls and white sheets; it took a few moments more for her to realize, and remember:

Rarity had carried her to the hospital, whatever that was; she must have fallen asleep at some point, and she was now inside of it.

Remembering that had her remember the earlier pains she felt, but though she did feel a little achy, the sharp stabbing in her chest and the dull thud in her leg were gone. Her leg was actually all bound up in a cast, though Gentle didn’t know what it was. She carefully reached for it, felt at it, wondering what it was and how it made her leg not feel hurt anymore.

One ear flicked up as she heard voices, and she paused, listening:

“… worst thing we’ve ever seen before.”

“Yeah. But she’s alright?”

“She is stable and recovering, but I cannot over stress just how shocking this is. Her injuries should have been fatal, yet, it hasn’t been for her. It’s miraculous.”

The door to the little room she was in opened, and two ponies came in. One wholly unfamiliar, a red earth pony wearing a white hat and shirt, but the other was a little less so, an orange earth pony with long blond hair, wearing a completely different hat than the first.

“Ah!” the red one said, noticing her stare. “Good, you’re awake!” she chirped, heading over, the orange one following. Gentle didn’t respond, but that didn’t seem to matter as the pony told her, “I’m nurse Redheart,”, kneeling to not be looming over her, “and there’s a few questions I’d like to ask you. Will that be alright?”

“…S, sure.” Gentle said, feeling a touch awkward.

Nurse Redheart nodded, Gentle noting how the other pony moved to stand at the foot of the bed.

“What’s your name?” Redheart asked.

“Gentle Flowers.” Gentle answered, wanting to leave but the thing on her leg seemed made to make sure she couldn’t. She didn’t feel comfortable, less so since Nurse Redheart was behaving rather oddly to her.

“Now, are you in any pain?”

“No.”

“That’s great!” Nurse Redheart chirped. “Now, do you think you can tell me just what happened to your horn?”

“My…?” Gentle slowly asked, a hoof reaching up, the filly suddenly freezing as she realized she didn’t feel mane up there.

“Oh dear.” Redheart said as Gentle suddenly yanked the sheets over herself, the filly clearly a little panicked. What happened to her mane! Why was there a bandage on her head!

“Whoa there, filly.” Applejack said, moving to Redheart’s side. “Yer nice n safe now, tain’t nothin ta be scared of.”

“Applejack is correct, Gentle; you’re safe now.”

“W, what happened to my mane!” she demanded from underneath the blanket.

“It was shortened so we could get to your injury, Gentle.” Redheart said in a calm, explanatory tone. “It will grow back.”

Gentle didn’t care about her mane; she cared that somepony had seen the she was missing her horn. But something was a little strange, she considered after a moment. Neither of them sounded shocked or horrified.

So, cautiously, she peeked back out, and didn’t see any hint of shock, horror, or pity. That helped her calm a little more.

She didn’t know that both, when they first learned about this, had reacted exactly how Gentle thought they might. Near everypony would though:

By all appearances, Gentle’s horn had been torn off of her, not cut, leaving a frankly horrifying wound on her forehead. That Gentle had apparently survived this happening to her was a complete mystery to the doctors at Ponyville, made only stranger when they added in her other injuries.

“…Y, you don’t care?” she tentatively asked them.

Redheart shook her head and Applejack told her, “Course not. We jus care that yer doin better an gettin healthy agin.”

“Which you are.” Redheart supported.

“How, how long have I been here?”

“You’ve been sleeping for a few days now.” Redheart told her. “Now, can you tell me what happened to your horn?”

“…No.” Gentle said, looking away, certain that they would try to force her. A quick thought wondered just how hard the thing on her leg was when she heard whispering, and looked to see Redheart and Applejack quietly whispering to one another. She couldn’t hear much, but they sounded like they were having an argument.

Something about ‘rights’.

After a moment, Applejack tossed her head up to groan at the ceiling, and Redheart placated her with, “It’s outside of my hooves, I’m afraid, Applejack.”, before she turned back to Gentle.

“It’s your right as a patient to not have to tell us or anypony else what happened to you, Gentle.” Redheart told her. “My last question for you is if you are allergic to anything, or feeling, in any way, strange or weird right now?”

“…The thing on my leg, a little.” Gentle told her.

“Your cast?”

“That feels a little weird. Why’s it there?”

“It’s to support your leg so your bone can heal properly.” Redheart told her. “Think of it like a protective cover, making sure nothing hurts your leg.”

Gentle nodded, staying silent, despite that she had more questions. But she didn’t want to tell either Redheart or Applejack much of anything about herself.

She’d only gone to Rarity because it had been Sweetie’s last wish.

Thinking about that, she asked, “W, where’s Rarity?”

She noticed the frown that flitted over Applejack’s face as Redheart answered, “I can only presume her home. Why do you ask?”

“…I wanted to know.” Gentle answered.

"Well, it is interesting, because Rarity has left a letter for you.” Redheart told her. She reached over to a small table, got the letter resting there, and passed it to Gentle. Gentle unfolded it, and read:

Gentle, when you read this, I will not be there. I won’t come to visit you either.

I don’t believe that ‘I’m sorry’ has any meaning for you anymore. I feel I know why, and feel that you are right to think that way. So I won’t tell you that. But, if I have come to understand you, understand your fears, perhaps there is something I can say that will have meaning to you:

You’re free.

You’re free of your past, you’re free of me, you’re truly free. I’ve even guaranteed it:

Nopony is going to be able to force you anymore. You’ll get to make your own decisions, control your own life, go your own way.

This isn’t a gift though. You’re going to be solely responsible for yourself. In good, in health, in bad, in pain, you’re going to be free, and unless you want it, nopony is going to be able to help or harm you. Your life is your own; in all its pain, in all its good.

It’s up to you to decide what to do with it now.

Thank you for coming. You changed my life, and I feel happier and calmer now, thanks to you.

And thank you for everything you did for her.

May your life be good, and the sun always shine down on you.

Rarity.

Gentle finished the note, and noticed the little frown on Redheart as she read, and the deeper one on Applejack, the mare looking away.

But she felt… happy, focusing on the note again.

Centuries she’d been dragged after Emptiness. Centuries of pain and fear and fake love and blood and insanity. Never allowed to escape, never allowed to have peace, never allowed to defy the horn hunter. Never, not even once, really in control of her own life.

But Rarity had just given her control. Despite all her emotions, she gave Gentle freedom, made sure it stuck, and then walked away without looking back. Gentle was fully on her own, fully in charge of herself.

It was the greatest gift Rarity could have given her.

“It’s alright, Gentle.” She heard Redheart say, and she flinched as the mare wiped at her face. She was crying a little, Gentle realized as Redheart told her, “Things are very complicated right now, but we can fix them.”

“…Fix them?” Gentle quietly asked, looking at her, and Redheart nodded.

“It’s a big, complicated thing, but Applejack is very willing to help you through it, and get you the help you need.” Redheart told her, Applejack giving her a small smile.

Gentle glanced at the note. Then, slowly, looking back at Redheart, she asked, “…What, what if I don’t want it?” and both mares hesitated. “What if I don’t want any help?”

“Listen, Gentle, yer gonna need it.” Applejack told her, blinking in some surprise. “Yer jus a filly, ya can’t be on yer own.”

“Applejack’s correct, Gentle.” Redheart added. “I assure you, she has the best of intentions and wants nothing more than to help you.”

“…You can’t make me accept it, can you?” Gentle asked, starting to smile.

“…Gentle, you’re going to need help in this big world.” Redheart told her, ignoring that question. “We’ll be here to help you understand and make sure you make the right choices.”

“I don’t want your help.”

“Gentle, please, listen to rea,”

“No.” Gentle interrupted, smiling more as she was Redheart and Applejack both looked dismayed. “No, no, no.” she repeated, giggling, to freeze.

She hadn’t laughed since before Emptiness took her.

That thought, along with the angry look Applejack gave Redheart, saw her start to laugh. And laugh, and laugh, and laugh, while two mares argued over her, totally unable to do anything to her if she didn’t agree to it.

Sweetie had freed Gentle from Emptiness; finishing what had seemed an eternal nightmare, brought an end to centuries of fear and pain and horror.

Rarity had terrified and hurt her, but now, now she had destroyed Emptiness’ shadow, and in place of chains, she’d given Gentle wings.

It was like a long, long night was finally over, and at long, long last, she knew the warmth of sunlight again.

Her laughter ebbed as Applejack left, mad, and Redheart lingered, frustrated. “…Miss Nurse?” Gentle asked, still chuckling a little.

Redheart startled a little, and shook off her apparent frustration before looking at Gentle. “Yes Gentle?”

“When can I leave?”

“…The cast comes off in a few days, Gentle.” Redheart sighed. “Are you sure you don’t want,”

“I’m sure.” Gentle said, and Redheart gave a heavy sigh. Gentle ignored her after, smiling at the brilliant skies outside the window.

A few days. She could wait. It was pretty nice there. Besides:

It was her choice now.