20: Healing Within...
“Chosen! Open the door.” Sasa was at the door to the Royal Wing but the door was locked to her. She looked around her and found that there was no pony nearby. She had left Blue Blood at the chambers with the other ponies. The she-cat stepped back and focused on Oblivion's magic. It rolled over her as the blue flame began going over her fur. She looked to the door and focused on the door itself. She backed up and took off for the door. She was a few feet from it when she vanished and appeared on the other side of it.
“Oh by my claws that was lucky. I haven’t used my blink ability in over a thousand years. Only by pulling from him can I even accomplish it.” Smoke came off her fur and she shook herself to get it off of her.
She turned and started down the corridor. She ran up to Oblivions room and found that it was cracked open. She pushed it open and stopped in her tracks. Oblivion was collapsed on the floor, his breathing shallow. She trotted to him and nudged his cheek. There was no response from the exhausted Alicorn. The cat went to the bed and pulled the blanket off of it and laid it over him, to keep him warm. She laid down beside him and purred.
“I’m here.” She whispered to him as she pushed her paws under his head so he might be more comfortable. She laid her head on the floor to let him keep his ears open and sighed.
Oblivion groaned and shifted. His body complained at the movement and he growled.
“Easy Chosen. You barely made it back here.” Sasa said to him. Even in his mind, her voice was quiet.
“Yeah, I'm aware. Gods that was a bad idea.”
“Which part?”
“Staying there this long.”
“Well, you did what was right. Even if it did backfire on you, it was still right to stay by him.”
He looked down and found that his head was on her paws and a blanket had been laid over his back. “Hells, what time is it?”
“A bit after 7 I think.” She responded.
“Damn. Need to send a note to AJ.”
“Or you can relax and lay quiet for a bit.”
“How long have I been out?”
“Maybe an hour and a half.” She replied. “Not long enough. You exhausted yourself helping Blue Blood. Which was needed, but still. Using everything you have, which is not much, is reckless. Needlessly reckless.”
“Maybe. We can argue later. Someone is coming.”
“Who is it?”
“Blue.”
The door opened the rest of the way and Blue Blood looked in to find Oblivion still on the floor with his head on Sasa’s paws. “By my aunts. Can you get up?”
“Not at the moment, no,” Oblivion replied.
“I shouldn’t have asked you to stay. That was selfish. I’m so sorry.” Blue said as he walked around Oblivion to stand in front of him.
“It’s fine. It was my choice. How did it go after I left?”
“Surprisingly quiet. It seems to have their ability to speak removed sobered them up enough to listen.” Blue chuckled. “Though I think they were scared that you would come back if they got out of line.”
“If it worked then use it,” Oblivion replied.
“Still. I should have made arrangements for a spot for you to lay down. You limped all the way back with them and then stayed standing. Next time, you’re sitting your tail in a sedan chair. Whether you like it or not.” He vowed.
Oblivion raised his head from Sasa’s paws. The side of his head hit the cat square behind her long fangs. She yelped and pulled back. “Dammit!” Oblivion yelped and put his head back down. One of her long teeth had bumped his cheekbone. “That was a horrible idea.” He said as he brought up a hoof to massage his cheek.
Blue was holding back a laugh as his friend grumbled and Sasa shook her head. He smiled and began to laugh at their expense. Soon the Prince was laying on his side laughing. Oblivion rolled onto his belly and looked to the cat who was rubbing her chin on her paws.
“Well, that hurt a bit.” He said aloud. Blue Blood laughed even harder at the comment.
“Hurt you? I’m seeing stars.” Sasa griped.
Oblivion looked to her and chuckled. “Sorry girl. If it helps I think you bruised my face, even if you can’t see it. One of the only spots that isn’t injured.” He commented, earning even more laughter from Blue.
Blue Blood finally calmed and looked at them. “I do have a question. How did she get past the door?”
“Door?” Oblivion asked.
“The door to enter this wing, it has that magic lock on it.”
“Oh. I have no idea. I woke up and she was here. Why?”
“There was a scorch mark on the door. It rubbed off easy enough, but still.”
Oblivion turned to look to the she-cat. “Any explanation?”
She looked at them and tilted her head. “It should have left no mark at all. Though I did use power from you which manifests as that azure flame, so I suppose it could have...”
“Less musing, more explanation, Sasa.” Oblivion deadpanned to her.
“This would be so much better if I could hear her as well. Otherwise, you look like a crazy cat pony.” Blue said to his friend.
“Bloody hell. Okay, hang on.” Oblivions horn lit and Blue felt a wave of magic go over him. “Try that.”
“What did you do?” Sasa asked.
Blue’s head snapped to look at the cat. “By Equestria, I understood her.”
She looked back to them and gave a toothy grin. “Right sorry. I do have a short-range teleport. It’s called Blink. I can blink through an object if I have the power to do it.”
“So you used my magic to blink through the door?”
“Well you weren’t there to open it and Blue Blood was busy.”
“I would have come with you if you had waited a second.” Blue Blood snapped at her.
“Fine, fine. I was in a hurry, I apologize.” Sasa said, more to placate him. “Anyway, so I used that skill to get past the locked door. I had to get here to check on him. Thankfully I didn’t have to use it again. It would have taken more power to use again so quickly.”
“Well least I was able to crack open the door for you ahead of time,” Oblivion said to them.
“That’s quite the skill. Sounds like it uses a fair amount of magic. Am I right?”
“It does yes. I could use it all the time in my own world once, but now that I am here I can’t. It takes more power than I have on my own.”
Blue Blood looked to the black stallion. “So you took his magic and used it to blink through a magic door that Auntie Celestia made herself for security?” Oblivion looked to the cat who pinned her ears at the error she had just made. “How much magic do you have anyway? According to what I know of that door it can drain a pony that tries to break through it. Won’t hurt them but will leave them tired enough to still be there when the guards get there to apprehend them.”
“Well, I am not a pony. So it can’t drain me.” Sasa supplied.
“That’s true. But his magic is Unicorn magic. So it should have attacked that.” Blue reasoned back to her.
“Maybe, but can it fight an Element of Harmony?” Oblivion replied.
Blue Blood stopped and shook his head. “I doubt it. Not much can fight that. That’s why Auntie Celestia calls them Equestria's best line of defense.”
“Well they do have some power that’s true.” Sasa replied.
“Some?” Blue Blood said to her.
“Sorry, I just meant that their power is mostly to cleanse evil, right?”
Blue looked away and considered the cat’s words. “I am not entirely sure. I haven’t done much reading on them. I have talked to Aunt Luna about it but she wasn’t really sure. She said that the Elements don’t have much power without a source, I think. Not sure what she meant. But she did say that when Aunt Celestia used them last it was the only time she would be able to use them alone. Without the two of them they could not be used again, so they became lifeless to her.”
“So Celestia and Luna wielded the Elements a thousand years ago? And Celestia used them to imprison her sister in the moon? Hence the prophecy that was mentioned.” Oblivion commented.
“Yes. My aunt doesn’t like to talk about it, even now that Aunt Luna has returned.” Blue said his voice solemn.
“I would imagine she wouldn’t. It’s something that she, no doubt, views as a great failure on her part.”Sasa added. “I remember when it happened. I hadn’t been in this world for very long and was not far away when Celestia used the elements. They were dormant for a time I believe until she used them. I was able to find her due to the Elements when I reached her they were inactive, lifeless around her. They had fallen to the ground and appeared dead.”
Oblivion was silent as she finished. “Every pony has a time that they regret an action. None of us is immune to that fact.”Oblivion replied. “Royalty is especially prone to such things. They hold life in their hooves and must decide what to do with it when they must. They can send their subjects to death or give them life. All of that power is their hooves and they must use it correctly or lose the trust of their people.”
Blue Blood nodded. “That’s correct. For a pony that has no respect for monarchs you are quite knowledgeable.”
Oblivion chuckled. “Just because I do not bow and scrape does mean I do not respect them. I simply treat them as I would any pony. I respect what they do but that does not mean they have my loyalty. I will not bend my knee and swear fealty.”
Blue sighed and shook his head. Sasa chuckled at them. “You will never get him to bow, Blue Blood.”
The white pony chuckled and nodded to her. “I know. I think Aunt Luna prefers it to the title anyway. Not sure about Aunt Celestia.”
“Whether she likes it or not is not my concern. I have informed her of my reasons and she accepted them.” Oblivion stated, bluntly.
Blue rolled his eyes but relented. “So are you going to stay here for tonight or head back?”
“I will head back. I wanted to visit with you for a time then return. Unless you have need of me still?”
“No. You have done enough, my friend.” Blue said as he stood up. He held out a hoof and helped pull the other stallion to his hooves. “Till next week then?”
Oblivion looked to the wraith over Blue’s shoulder and found it had withdrawn. It was weaker but still actively feeding off the pony. “Yes. I’ll see you next week.”
“I look forward to it,” Blue said to him with a smile. “I’ll close the door once you’re gone.”
Oblivion nodded, closed his eyes, and focused on pulling magic into his horn. He vanished in a flash of blue flame.
He opened his eyes and found himself in front of the farmhouse. He exhaled and looked around the farm.
“There ya are.” Applejack called out as she looked out the front door to him. “Was beginning ta wonder bout ya.”
“No need. It was a longer visit than I intended.” He explained.
“As long as yer alright it’s fine by me.” She said to him and opened the lower half of the door as he got near her. “Ya look plum tuckered out though.”
“It has been a long day, yes. If you will excuse me I think I will just turn in.” Oblivion said to her as he walked past her.
“That’s fine by me. Here, let me get the medicine the doctor prescribed fer ya.” She closed the door behind him as he waited by the table. The mare set a glass of water and three pills on the table for him. He drank them down and set the glass in the sink for her. “Ya rest up ya hear?”
“I intend to. Thank you, AJ.” He said as he moved to the stairs.
“Chosen?”
Oblivion put his face in his hoof and focused on Sasa. The cat appeared in the kitchen, her eyes narrowed at him. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s all right. I know you’re tired.” She replied to him as she rubbed her head on his hip.
Oblivion looked up the stairs and teleported up them. Sasa bounded up them behind him and caught up with him as he opened the door and walked into his room, closing it behind him. He removed his hair tie and set it on the desk. He stretched as much as he dared and suppressed a yawn. His magic moved the blanket back and Sasa jumped up to lay in her normal spot at the window. Oblivion got into bed slowly and pulled the blanket over his back. His wings relaxed under the blanket and laid softly against the mattress. He sighed and his head fell heavily to the pillow.
“Get some rest chosen. You have had a very rough couple of days. Take it easy for a time.” Sasa said to him as she huddled gently against his back and left side.
“I know. Been a long time since I have been this worn down.”
“I’m sure it has been. Had you decided to kill the dragon then you would have only pulled your side a bit, instead of ripping it open.”She observed to him.
“True enough.” He said to her and sighed once more as he closed his eyes.
“Rest now.” She encouraged, her voice calm and soothing.
“Sounds like a good idea.” Oblivion let his mind start to drift and finally fell into a dreamless sleep.
Sasa sat up as the night began to give way to dawn. She looked to the window and then to Oblivion himself. The black stallion slept peacefully, his breathing shallow, but even. She wanted him to be able to sleep longer and jumped over his body, landing softly on the bedroom floor. She reached out to him and pulled magic away from him. She looked to the door and focused on being on the other side of it. She closed her aqua blue eyes and jumped forward.
Her eyes opened and she gave a pleased noise to find that she was on the other side of the door. Oblivion’s azure flames remained on her as she trotted downstairs and blinked through the door again to go outside. The flames dissipated and vanished from her body as she trotted to the chicken coop. A rooster came outside and Sasa eyed the animal. “Not today.” She said to herself as she growled, loudly at the animal. The rooster stopped and its beady eyes fell on the large saber cat. It cackled and ran back inside the coop.
“Now you will stay in there until I choose to leave this spot.” She stayed by the coop and anytime the small creature started to come outside she would growl and it would run back inside. She cast her eyes to the house and Oblivion's window. She remained in place as the sun rose.
Oblivion opened one eye and looked around him. He closed it and raised his head, opening both eyes. He looked back and found that Sasa was not in her normal place. “Sasa?”
“You’re awake?”
“Yes. Where did you wander off to?”
“I’m outside. I decided to prevent that loud animal from waking you. You needed to rest more so I have been scaring it back into the coop for a bit. It’s a very annoying little creature.”
“I agree it is. How long have you been scaring it?”
“About an hour and a half.”
Oblivion startled and got, slowly, out of his bed. He groaned as his wounds complained, but he ignored it for the moment. “You can stop harassing that bird.”
“I was just starting to enjoy myself.” She replied.
He looked to the door and saw a light scorch mark, like what Blue had described back at the castle. “You blinked through the doors didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did, why?”
“The doors are scorched.”
There was silence from the cat. “Damn.” She cursed. “I forgot about that.”
“Thankfully it’s easy enough to brush off. We need to find a way for you to do that without leaving markings behind.”
“I agree. For now, we will wait to discuss it. Are you all right to move?”
“I can manage.” He replied as he brushed out his mane and tail, replaced his cloak and hair tie and opened the door.
The black unicorn teleported down the stairs and found a glass of water and pills on the counter with a note that read for him to take them when he woke up. He swallowed them and walked outside to the porch. He could see AJ’s light out in one of the fields and Big Mac was in town, so far as he could tell. Sasa neared him and stopped to nuzzle him affectionately.
“Applejack seemed surprised to see me out here until she saw that the rooster was inside the coop. She found it quite entertaining.” Sasa said as she stayed in front of him.
“I bet she did. A large cat keeping a rooster trapped in a coop.” He replied to her.
The cat chuckled as he limped past her toward Applejack's spirit. “Try teleporting, Chosen. Would be faster.”
“Except, I haven’t been over there so if it’s a crop field I could end up standing on their food.” He reasoned to the sabercat.
“Ahh. Good point.” She agreed and walked with him.
Oblivion looked up as he neared the edge of the field. He recognized the plants like carrots and waited for her to look up from the water system, she was tinkering with. The farm mare looked up and waved to him. He remained in place and waited for her to reach him.
“How are ya feeling this mornin’?” She asked him.
“Could be worse, I suppose.” He told her.
“Well, least yer up and moving. Did ya send that there kitten Ah yers ta scare the roosted this morning?”
“No. She did that on her own. Though I must admit I don’t mind that she did.”
“Ah bet. It’s easier ta sleep in if that fowl don’t crow in the morning.” She agreed. “But ya probably needed the extra rest.”
“It was nice to sleep a bit longer I agree.”
“Apple Bloom wanted ta wake ya up but we all told her ya needed yer rest.”
“I’ll see her this evening.” He commented.
“Also, did ya burn the door?”
Oblivion cast a glance to Sasa, who looked to the ground. “I did not no. Sasa has an ability that allows her to do a type of teleport over short distances. She uses magic from me to accomplish it. We will work on a way for it not to leave a mark next time. It can be brushed off easily enough. It’s not a full burn.”
“Ahh, Ah see. Well, so long as it’s not dangerous it’s all right.”
“It isn’t.” Sasa added.
“I can assure you it's fine,” Oblivion added.
“All right. That’s all Ah needed ta hear. Ya just go back to the house and rest up some more. Ya may be able to hide the bandages under yer cloak but Ah know they are there. Now ya head on back.”
“I can help, you know. I don’t need to be coddled.” Oblivion argued.
“Ah’m not. Ya did enough. Ya fought a dragon, Oblivion. Ya said yerself Witcher's avoid them. And ya threw yerself into the fight ta protect all Ah us.” She said to him. Her voice pleading as she explained. “Ah’m not pitying ya. Ah just want ya ta relax and let yerself heal for a bit. If Ah am near the house or that tree ya like Ah’ll ask ya ta move something with magic. But fer now ya should rest more.”
Oblivion listened to her and sighed. “Dammit to the Hells.” He said as he nodded to her. “Very well.” His horn lit as the mare smiled.
Sasa met up with him under the tree he was lying under, in the front and snuggled against him as much as she dared. The black pony kept his head up and looked around him. “What is it Chosen?”
“I don’t know. Just this feeling.”
“Oh? Can you describe it?”
“Just restless, I suppose. I keep feeling like I need to move.”
“Has this happened before?”
“A few times. It usually meant something was out there and I should be watchful. But here I can’t sense anything beyond the normal. It’s disconcerting.”
“I imagine it would be. I can walk around for you and see what I can find if it will ease your mind at all.”
Oblivion was silent as his eyes scanned the area. “Yes, thank you.” He said to her.
Sasa got up and trotted away from him. Oblivion laid his head down and waited for her to report in. After several minutes the cat checked in with him. “Chosen?”
“Yes?”
“You need to come to me. You must see this.”
Oblivion brought his head up and pulled himself to his hooves. His horn flared and he teleported to the cat's side. On the ground in front of her was a mutilated human corpse. “What in the God's name?” He muttered as he lowered his head to look at it. There were deep gashes through the chest and abdomen.
“What could do this, Chosen? And how did this human get here?”
“I do not know. Give me a moment.” Sasa backed up as Oblivion moved the corpses head and found that it had nearly been removed. Sasa put a paw over her nose as the smell hit her.
“By my fangs. What is that?”
“That is a combination of smells. It’s mostly rot, but it also has venom in it.”
“From what?”
“Could be a number of monsters. Arachas, Griffin, etc. This man was torn into by a drowner, though.”
“How can you tell? The body is half mangled.”
Oblivion looked to her and gave a grim look. “Not my first time looking at a corpse.”
Sasa shook her head and backed up a step. “By all that is unholy. What do we do with it?”
“Well we can’t bury it here. Some pony will find it. The smell alone will be noticed. ”Oblivion brought his head up and looked around them. “It’s far enough away from the populated area that I can get rid of it. It’s not a proper burial since there is no family to return him to. But this will have to do.”
Oblivions horn lit as he backed up a few strides. His horn flared and azure flame flowed over the body. It began to disintegrate and turned to ashes. The smell got worse and Sasa gagged beside him. Oblivion glanced to her but did not stop. A few minutes passed and the corpse was nothing but ash. A small hole appeared in the ground and Oblivion laid the ashes inside of it and covered it with fresh dirt.
“That will have to do for a grave.” He said to the cat beside him. “I don’t know who he was or where he was from so I cannot give any final rites to him. Hopefully, this will be enough to allow his soul to pass on.” Oblivion said aloud. He used his magic to stomp down the dirt and then tossed a few sticks and leaves over the tiny grave.
“It is the best you can do for him. But that doesn’t explain how he got here.” Sasa pointed out.
“I know. Is it possible that portals are opening from my world to this one?”
Sasa sat down and tilted her head as she considered his question. “I wouldn’t think so. But you know more about such things than I do.”
“Possibly. But that doesn’t help us now. If this world is being threatened by my presence then I must find a way to rectify it.”
“I don’t think you are the cause, Chosen. Perhaps when you were brought here something hung on but I don’t think you are the direct cause. If anything it would be Equestria that holds the blame for it.”
Oblivion sighed and turned back to the farm. “Come on. We can think of such things later.”
“Agreed. You need to rest more. How is that feeling of yours?”
“Gone now.”
“So it is a kind of fore telling.”
He looked to her as they walked. “Come again?”
“It’s not that you see the future so much as being guided a bit by it. I think it’s due to the extra mutations you went through that have given you the ability to feel that something is around you.”
“Interesting. It’s not all the time just every now and then.” He replied as they walked through the front gate.
Oblivion got to the tree as Big Mac came out of the house. “There ya are.” His eyes landed on the black pony. “Applejack said ya should be here but when I came ta check on ya but ya weren’t here.”
“I needed to check on something. I didn’t go far.” Oblivion assured him.
“All right. So long as yer okay.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Good ta hear it. Was surprising ta hear that ya were in the hospital. Applejack said what happened and Ah gotta admit that was frightening ta hear. Ya took on a full-grown dragon?”
Oblivion chuckled. “Not my favorite thing to do, but yes.”
Mac chuckled and nodded. “Yeah. Ah’ll get ya a blanket and pillow so ya can nap out here.”
Oblivion didn’t bother arguing. He laid down in place and waited. Mac came outside a minute later and laid a quilt over his back and set the pillow on the ground for him to use. He went back to his own chores and left the black unicorn alone to sleep it off. Oblivion laid his head down and closed his eyes. “I was just asleep.” He commented to Sasa as she huddled against him.
“I know. But try to rest more anyway.” Sasa said to him.
Oblivion growled but kept his eyes closed. Under the bandages, his skin trembled and he shifted to lay more on his left side.
“Can’t get comfortable?” Sasa asked him as she moved out of the way of his hooves.
“It’s not that. I’m not comfortable to begin with.”
“Well, maybe being inside is better? The couch, perhaps?”
Oblivion was silent as he considered. He opened his eyes and laid silent. The unicorn moved his legs and pulled them close to his body. He rolled onto his legs and used magic to fold the blanket and stand up.
“Going inside?”
“Yes. This is just frustrating.” He replied to her.
“Right behind you.”
Oblivion limped inside and walked into the living room and let himself collapse onto the couch. Sasa set the pillow on the armrest and Oblivion laid his head back on it. The blanket was tossed over him and the sabercat laid down on the floor in front of the couch.
“Better?”
“Yes, actually.”
“I’m glad. You weren’t comfortable outside.”
“Normally I’m fine, but not today it seems.”
The cat was silent as Oblivion sighed and pressed his back against the couch. His eyes closed and he tried to relax. His lungs were still bruised and it hurt to breathe but it was nothing that he could not move past. He let his body compensate for the injuries and tried to sleep.
A loud bang woke him with a jolt. Sasa growled as she was awoken as well. Oblivion sat up swiftly and released a harsh gasp as his lungs burned at the sudden inhalation. He put a hoof against his chest and tried to breathe normally. His chest tightened and he gave another low gasp. Apple Bloom came running to him. Her eyes were large and worried.
“Oblivion! Yer home.”
He nodded and tried not to gasp again as he tried to pull air into his body. He turned and gave a low cough as Sasa stood up and pressed her head against his chest. “Easy, Chosen.” She encouraged him. Applejack had been with Apple Bloom and she trotted in after the filly.
“Apple Bloom! Ah told ya ta...be...careful.” She paused when she heard the ragged breathing coming from the stallion. “Oh no.”
Sasa pressed against him. “Stay with me, Chosen. Mimic my breathing.”
He gasped once more and groaned. “Gods, that hurts.” He said to her through their connection.
Oblivion focused on her and had to work at slowing his breathing. It was ragged and pain tore at him. He didn’t see Apple Bloom try to reach for him. His head and neck fell to Sasa’s back and stayed there as he listened to her breathe. Applejack pulled the filly back and held onto her. It took a few minutes but his breathing finally calmed and he sat back, taking his weight off of Sasa. “Good girl.” He whispered to her.
“It’s all right. I’m here.” She replied and sat down.
Apple Bloom was still held back by her elder sister. He cast a glance at the orange mare and sighed slowly. She pushed the foal back and stood up, watching him.
“Are ya gonna be okay?” She whispered to him, leaving the filly behind her.
“I’ll be fine.” He said to her. Even to his own ears, his voice was strained and held an edge to it. He leaned heavily into the couch and tried to calm his now frayed nerves.
“Ya don’t sound fine.” Applejack said as she put a hoof on his shoulder for a moment.
“I know. That startled me and I inhaled. It was a deep breath and that hurt.”
“I can see that.” Applejack looked at him.
“I wasn’t ready for it. And it stretched my lungs when they aren’t ready.” He explained and put his hoof down away from his chest.
“I’m surprised ya moved inside. Yer usually outside.”
“Couldn’t get comfortable. I am sore as hell and it was difficult to try to relax on the ground. Sasa suggested we move inside.”
“Smart girl.” Applejack commented and stroked the cat’s fur. “Ah’m sorry, big bro. Ah didn’t know ya had moved. Ah didn’t go by ya when I went ta pick her up so Ah didn’t know ya had moved. But that doesn’t mean ya can slam doors, Apple Bloom. Ya know better.” She said and turned to look at the filly.
Apple Bloom looked to the stallion, who laid back onto the pillow and was breathing quietly. The yellow filly walked up to the couch and Oblivion moved his head to lay on the edge of the couch and looked back to her.
“Ah didn’t mean ta hurt ya.”
“I know that, little one. But still, you did and you have to be careful.”
“Ya can’t be slamming doors.” Granny Smith’s voice rang out.
Oblivion looked to her as she approached him. The old mare reached out and laid a hoof on his cheek. “Ya are a right mess this time.” She said to him. Oblivion gave a low noise but said nothing. She pulled her hoof back and looked to the foal. “Ya knew he was hurt and ya still ran around like a crazy filly. We told ya ta be careful. Yer sister told ya that his breathing was bad.” Apple Bloom drooped and hung her head.
Oblivion started to open his mouth when a hiss stopped him. Sasa shook her head. “Not this time, Chosen. They are right. Even you could face further injury to your lungs if they do not heal on their own. They will heal but it would be delayed by further damage. Do not bail her out this time around.”
Oblivion closed his mouth and gave a slight nod. As much as he wanted to tell Apple Bloom he would be fine, he knew they were right. Even his body could only take so much punishment. His lungs still burned and he tried to keep his breathing quiet and even. It hurt more with each breath as his body continued to adjust to compensate once more.
“Ya can’t run around and slam doors in this house no more.” Granny declared. “Ya walk like yer supposed ta do and look out fer yer family. Especially when they are hurt and need ta be takin’ it easy. Fightin’ a dragon is dangerous and it could’a been worse.”
Apple Bloom looked to the ground and nodded. Applejack looked back as Big Mac came inside as well.
“Ah heard a door slam when Ah was coming back in.” He said as he approached. He stopped and saw that Apple Bloom was clearly on the receiving end of a scolding, and he could hear Oblivion breathing. “What happened?”
Applejack stepped forward. “Apple Bloom came running inside and the door slammed loud enough fer ya ta hear it. It startled Oblivion and he breathed in too deeply. His lungs can’t handle that yet, so he’s having trouble gettin’ it under control again.”
Mac looked to the black pony who gave a barely perceived nod. Mac walked over and listened. Oblivion’s breathing tore through him as he breathed slowly. His breathing was shallow and ragged, but still breathing easily.
“Ya’ll hurtin’?” He asked the pony.
Oblivion looked away from him and to the others. “Yes.” He answered.
Granny Smith looked to the black unicorn and a worried look went over her features. “Ya’ll needs ta relax and we will tend ta this. Applejack, ya stay here with ‘im.”
Applejack nodded and sat down by the end of the couch by the stallions head while Mac and Apple Bloom followed Granny into the kitchen.
“What will she do?” He asked her, his voice low.
“Not sure. When Ah told em all about what had happened Granny went pale and Mac stared out the window. Apple Bloom kept asking if ya were gonna live, which of course you are. Ah told her that ya were home and she started running fer the house. Ah didn’t think ya were inside till Ah didn’t see ya outside. Ah gotta admit though she knows better than ta slam the doors like that. Looks like it scared poor Sasa as well.”
“Yes, it did. I nearly jumped out of my fur.” The cat complained. “But hearing your breathing was the worst part. Seeing how much pain you were in only made that worse.”
Oblivion said nothing as he continued to let himself adjust. “Was a bit of a surprise, I will admit.”
“More than that. The doctor said that ya can’t breathe as deeply as ya should and pushing it could make the damage last.” She said to him. “Yer breathing would always be bad like this. This is as serious as it gets, Ah think.”
Sasa pushed her head against him once more and he ran his claws through the fur under her chin. He said nothing. Sasa purred as he pet her fur.
“Are you doing better, Chosen?”
“Yes thank you. The pain is lessening and it seems to be loosening up. The muscles in my chest are not as tight.” He replied to her.
“Good.” She said and sat back on her haunches. “That was frightening enough for all of us.”
“Agreed.” The black unicorn nodded to her and looked to Applejack. “I’m all right now. Took a bit, but it’s calmed.”
“Good ta hear. Ah’ll let Granny know yer okay.” She said and turned to the kitchen.
Oblivion laid his head down on the pillow and let his eyes close. His body called for more rest due to the sudden strain. His ears caught Applejack letting them know he would be all right. He cracked open one eye and saw them look back at him. The unicorn opened both eyes and looked back. They looked nervous for a moment as he shifted on the couch. Applejack held up her hooves to stop him as he started to get up. He halted and laid back.
“What in the name of all that is unholy?” He whispered to Sasa who was watching them as well.
“You weren’t listening to them, were you?”
“I try not to eavesdrop.”
Sasa grunted then looked to him. “Their worried about you.” Oblivion gave a low noise. “You fought a dragon, Chosen. Your body shows the cost of that fight. It will take time for it to heal and they are worried about how you are going to heal.”
“I will heal just fine.” He argued quietly.
“I know that. But they are frightened. Your trouble breathing scared them. You are family and a member of their family is suffering in front of them.”
Oblivion started and looked away from the cat. “Dammit.” He muttered under his breath.
“I know you will be fine. But as I said, they do not.”
“There is no way to convince them is there?”
“Not really. There is no way to prove to them that you are not just healing but are in fact immortal. The damage would have been there for a longer time but healed slowly over time. Unless you wish to explain immortality to them.”
“Not really, no.” He admitted.
Applejack peeled away from them and came back into the front room. She stopped by him and gave a smile. “Yer gonna be okay though, right? Despite the little mishap now? Ah dropped yer cloak off with Rarity. Ah’ll pick it up in the next couple of days.”
“Yes. I will heal just fine. It might take a bit longer but nothing is permanent if that is your concern. Thank you for tending to that for me.”
“That was mah big question yes. So you’ll be okay now?”
“Yes.” He answered her, his voice held his usual strength and seemed to put her at ease. “I’ll be fine, in time.”
The orange mare looked relieved and looked back to the other ponies with a smile. “Ah’m helping the town git ready fer a big storm tomorrow so Ah won’t be home till late. The Pegasus ponies fergot a shower earlier in the week. So now we have ta makeup fer it. Ah figured Ah would mention it so that ya know ta stay inside if ya can. That way ya don’t get rained on. Apple Bloom is gonna be home tomorrow. Is why she was at school on a Sunday instead of tomorrow.”
“I appreciate that. I think I will follow that advice then. I wondered why she was going to school on a weekend. To prevent having to take her and pick her up tomorrow.”
“Eeyup. Gonna just stay inside and relax?”
“That is the new plan, yes.”
“Glad ta hear it. If ya need anything tomorrow let us know, ya hear?”
Oblivion looked over her shoulder and saw the rest of the Apples waiting. He gave a quiet sigh. “These ponies, I swear it.” Sasa chuckled at his thoughts. “Very well. I have no desire to wander around. My shoulder is sore enough on its own, I don’t need to tempt it.”
“Glad ta hear it. Ya need ta take it easy.”
The orange mare went back to the kitchen and explained to the others, who smiled as well. Apple Bloom walked slowly into the front room and jumped onto the couch in front of him. “Ah’m so sorry. Ah knew ya were hurt but Ah didn’t want it to be true, so Ah thought if I got to ya fast enough then I would be right about it.”
Oblivion looked at her and listened. “Apple Bloom, just because something sounds bad does not mean you can make it untrue.” He used a hoof to lift her chin to look at him. “I was hurt in a fight with a dragon. The details that your sister gave you are correct. Wishing for something does not mean it will be the way you want it. As much as I would rather not be hurt, that is the reality. It is not pleasant, but it is the truth.”
Her eyes held tears as he spoke to her. He looked over and he could see that Sasa was still upset about the situation and was watching quietly. “Ah just don’t want ya to hurt.” She hiccuped.
“I know that. But it is the truth. I cannot change that and neither can you. Hoping for it to be untrue will not change the reality of it.” His magic lifted the blanket away from his sides. The bandages still showed a bright white against his black fur. Her eyes widened and she hiccuped again. “I do not wish you to be afraid of being near me Apple Bloom, but this is the truth.”
She leaned forward and held his hoof in her tiny ones and cried. Sasa softened and leaned forward to press her nose against the fillies back. Her cries were quiet and she held his hoof. Normally, she would have huddled against his chest but she didn’t want to hurt him further by huddling against him. Granny Smith and the others came out into the room and they watched the filly as she held onto his hoof and cried. Her cries quieted and finally stopped. She looked at him and he watched her. His hoof went to her face and he wiped away her tears.
“I will heal, Apple Bloom.” He said to her as he reached over and gave her a gentle nuzzle, in an attempt to console her.
“Ah know. Ah just...”
“It’s all right. As I have told you before. Learn from your mistakes.” He told her and leaned back.
“He’s right,” Granny said to them.
“All right, move little one. I’m tired of laying here.” Oblivion finally spoke up.
Apple Bloom jumped off the couch as Oblivion shifted to stand. He pulled himself to his hooves and looked to them. They backed up to give him room and waited as he shook himself off carefully and used his magic to fold the blanket and set the pillow on top of it. Granny Smith reached up to him and gave his cheek a gentle touch before walking away from them. Mac reached over and patted his good shoulder before leaving for the kitchen. Apple Bloom hugged his leg and followed her other brother. Oblivion stood in silence as they vanished from sight. He sagged for a moment before straightening and walking forward. Sasa bumped his hip gently to alert him to her location.
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If the main OCs in this story were voiced, what would they sound like?
8676170
I’m honestly not sure. That’s a fun question though. I can imagine Oblivion sounding a little bit like Gladio from Final Fantasy 15 but not as gruff. Sasa is nearly a dead ringer for Lunafreya from the same game. Age the voice a bit and you would have her. She has been voiced by a friend of mine and Oblivion has always been voiced by me. It depends though. Kinda fun to listen to people and try to think of it.
Tears man that part gave me tears.
9254976
I'm glad you read it. Thank you for commenting. I wanted him to have some interaction from them as a family so I hope I portrayed that well. :)
Missing blue marking for Sasa words
I think it was Sasa who said that in mind not oblivion so it should be marked in blue instead of green
But hey I might be wrong so off to the next chapter I go
9344210
Fixed!
I see him of having a wise voice kind of like Morgan Freeman but less deep
10188257
Yeah, you can never go wrong with a morgan Freeman voice
Oh brother if only you didn’t send him to hospital every chapter this story would be pretty much my favourite haha