The things that remain
The room was large and cold, but not uncomfortably so. The metallic walls were utilitarian, yet carried an air of homeliness and comfort that set Shetland at ease. There were no windows, but that was fine, there was little to see outside. She equally ignored the door. She could stay in this peaceful room forever. A smell stung in her nose, scraping her nostrils with the pungent scent. Covering her nose, she looked around, seeking the source.
Instead, there were faces. Ponies. Two unicorns and a changeling, all covering their noses, as well as a pegasus, in the corner of her eye. They seemed distressed, eyeing the door for some reason. Then she heard a noise, a faraway burst of sound. She approached the door as a feeling took hold in her chest like a leech. Dread. She dreaded what was coming. Her breath quickening, she ripped the door open-
And screamed in fright as fire swept in from the hallway. She jumped away, unable to reach the door as the flames leaked into the room. The panicked shouts of her friends came in unison with her own as they all backed away. Helpless, she looked around for any escape, but there was none. Something banged against the walls, as if trying to break them in. Then, her heart froze as a bone-chilling scream split her ears. The changelings body had erupted into flame and as they all shouted in horror, the red unicorn reached out, trying to pull her away, but the flames caught onto his coat as well. Screaming, they rolled uselessly on the floor. Shetlands last friend bawled their names, yet he too could only watch as their bodies crumpled to ashes.
No. Shetland’s mind raced. She knew what was next. She wanted to reach out her hoof, but was horrified to find that her body would not move. Frozen in terror, she watched as the unicorn screamed in anguish and flung himself at the flames. A loud bang emerged from behind her and she dropped to the ground. She was alone. Except…
Her mind screamed at her not to move, but she could not help but look up. As the flames encircled her and grew ever closer, a new face had emerged, metallic like the room, yet it was filled with lively lights as the robot looked at her encouragingly, holding out a helping hoof.
Yet all it did was make dread clutch her heart, like a spider its prey. But she got up, taking his hoof with a kind smile. Then, her body moving entirely on its own, she suddenly pressed against him, and disbelieving screams came from him as she bucked him into the fire.
His cry of agony mixed with her own, or maybe she just screamed so she wouldn’t hear him. Static noise grew in her ears, picking up in intensity and she tore at her ears and still she faintly heard his screams.
Shetland. Shetland. Shetland Sparke…. Miss Sparkle!
A scream awoke her and she ripped her eyes open. She didn’t know if it came from the startled nurse beside her or herself. “Get Princess Twilight, Aphid.” The voice sounded weirdly high-pitched as it rang in her cranium.
She raised a hoof to swipe over her face. It was moist, a mix of sweat and tears, judging by the way her eyes stung. She tried to sit up, groaning as movement came through her still body. Suddenly, a pair of hooves was there, helping her. “Thank you…” she mumbled, her throat dry as dust.
“Are you okay, Miss Sparkle? Y-you screamed and we couldn’t get close enough to wake you up.” The nurse asked.
“I’m fine…” Shetland mumbled. “It was… just a dream,” she looked down at the small nurse, a batpony called Rose Petal, and her gaze hardened. “There is no reason to call my mother.”
Rose looked up at her, worry written clear in her expression. “You thrashed around like a madmare, Miss Sparkle. I’m afraid none of us would have been strong enough to stop you… and Princess Twilight surely wants to be informed of this incident.”
Shetland grit her teeth, but remained silent. It was already too late, and even as anger mixed into her headache, she saw the logic in her words.
“For all its worth… good morning.” Rose said, her lips sliding into a smile.
Shetland let out a grunt.
“How’s your leg feeling?” she pushed on. “Does it still hurt?”
“No.” Shetland tried to turn away, but Rose tugged at her hoof.
“Physical exam is mandatory.” The nurse said sternly. “Let me see.”
Shetland glared down at the batpony, but Rose had received it too often to back away anymore. So, grumbling, Shetland kicked back the blanket and hissed as the nerves in her leg flared up. It was right after her waist where the brown fur on her right side stopped, replaced by naked skin, warped and knobby like the trunk of an ancient oak. Most of it was pink, but on the outward side was a line of blackened scars. The unused feeling of her mattress rubbing over furless skin made Shetland shudder. And even more so as Roses hoof ran over it in her examination.
“Can you feel my hoof?”
Shetland nodded as her jaw clenched. Without fur, touch was strange, blunt. The hoof felt like an uneven slab of granite scraping over her and when she’d have barely noticed that roughness of Rose’s coat, every hair now pricked her like a mosquito bite.
Scraping upwards, Rose’s hoof poked into her flank. “Still no sign of a cutie mark,” she said absent-mindedly, scribbling notes with her mouth. “It’s a good thing you’re an earth pony, Miss Sparkle.”
Shetland shot her a dirty look. “What is that supposed to mean?” she grumbled, her eyes trailing over the batpony’s leathery wings.
“A cutie mark is a cluster in a pony’s magical structure.” she explained. “Losing it has the potential to severely impact one’s magical fluctuations, usually rendering spellcasting or flying much trickier. Luckily for you, earth ponies are rarely affected by this, since your inner magic is much more uhm… raw.”
Shetland let out a relieved sigh. “So I’m fine?”
Rose nodded. “At worst you might feel a little weaker, but I wouldn’t even bet on that…” she hesitated for a moment. “A-although I cannot speak for any amount of alicorn magic, t-there are no studies and I couldn’t hazard-”
“I don’t have any.” she sourly cut the nurse off.
It did not help her mood that Rose’s eyes trailed over Shetland’s alicorn-sized bed with an expression of doubt.
“I had mom check. Many times,” she elaborated. “And I’m pretty sure if I had it, she’d have used it to grow me a horn…”
Rose looked up, her eyes darting to her notepad. “Would you have preferred that?”
“Of course!” Shetland exclaimed. “Who in their right mind would chose to be an earth pony if they could be a pegasus or unicorn?” Under her breath, she added: “Mom would’ve preferred me as a hornhead.”
Rose frowned and Shetland cursed. Damn bat-ears!
“I-if we could continue with your physical-” the nurse suggested and Shetland grunted in agreement.
Regaining her sense of professionalism, Rose pulled something from her mane, which promptly fell out of it's strict hairdo and over her back. “Please stretch your leg out as straight as you can, Miss Sparkle.”
She did so, but just before her leg straightened out, she hit some sort of resistance, keeping it slightly bent. She pushed out, but to no avail, it was like trying to move a stone wall. An angry whinny escaped her throat.
Rose meanwhile looked over her. “Please hold it like that.” she ordered the straining mare. “I will run this needle over your leg now. If you at any point don’t feel it, tell me.”
Shetland closed her eye as the sharp object ran over her warped skin, its pointy and cold prick feeling much too strong on her way too sensitive skin.
“Good, good…” Rose mumbled. “It seems most of your nerve-ends recovered…” The needle was lifted and Shetland let out a relieved sigh.
Rose sucked in air through her teeth and Shetland opened her eyes. It was there. Right over her missing cutie mark the needle still remained, even piercing slightly into a bit of blackened skin. And she couldn’t feel a thing. She took a shaky breath as she met Rose’s worried look.
“What does it mean?” she whispered.
The nurse set to answer, but the sudden clatter of hooves on tiles interrupted her. A second later, Twilight Sparkle burst into the room, startling both mares as she frantically looked around. Her ethereal mane lashed out, as if trying to swat a fly. “Where is she?” she demanded to know.
Rose recovered from her shock first. “She’s okay, your highness.” She bowed her head. “I’m deeply sorry for the false alarm, she simply had a nightmare.”
Shetland shot the nurse a glare. The last thing she needed was her own mother thinking of her as a foal who couldn’t handle her own imagination.
“Did… did it take you back?” Twilight asked, her voice a quiet whisper.
And it was so much worse when it was justified. she nodded and grit her teeth at the pitying looks she received from both Twilight and Rose. “It was just a nightmare, mom.” she insisted.
“Maybe I should ask Luna to protect you-”
“NO!” Shetland shouted indignantly. “One alicorn packing me in foam is more than enough!”
Twilight let out a sigh and turned away. “I’m sorry, Miss Petal, I have completely interrupted your work.”
“N-no offense your highness.” For some reason, her repeated bows were grating on Shetland's nerves, whose look darkened even further. Rose continued, taking out her notepad. “I was just about to tell her of the expected extent of her injuries.”
Twilight’s expression immediately turned to a professional frown. “Please continue.”
Shetland closed her eyes, even as her ears peaked up.
“Her leg is healing remarkably well, considering the extent of her injuries. If she did not deny it, I would swear there is some alicorn magic at work. In most cases like this, the leg would have to be amputated-”
“GET TO THE POINT!” Shetland screamed, causing both mares to snap around to her. She grit her teeth. It was hard enough to know something bad was coming, but to have it at noses length, just to be pulled away, like a kid who couldn’t handle bad news- “Just. Say it!”
Rose swallowed. “I’m afraid her cutie mark will never return.”
Shetland loudly breathed out. She had suspected it, but it still stung. “Will I… always look like this?” she asked, cursing her voice for breaking.
“C-cosmetic surgery is an option, but I’m afraid Horizons supplies don’t permit that quite yet. You will have to return to Equis for that.”
Twilight ‘s head turned to where Shetland’s flank was once again hidden under the covers. “It might take a few years until we can allow the use of medicine on such things. I’m afraid I can’t make an exception.” she said apologetically.
“What else?” Shetland asked gruffly.
“Your leg, uhm… your skin grew back much less stretchy than before, then consequence is a certain… loss of locomotion.”
Shetland groaned. “SPECIFIC, PLEASE!” she roared, causing her to shriek back.
“Shetland.” Twilight interjected calmly, gently placing a hoof on her shoulder and pushed her back. “How severe is this loss?”
“She’ll be able to walk, certainly, though… with a noticeable limp, I’m afraid. Corrective surgery can happen in time, but first we need to see how bad exactly the damage will be once it's fully healed.”
“Isn’t there anything we can do?” Twilight asked.
Rose nodded. “We’ve been doing some stretches with her, but what she really needs is more extended movement. We’re requisitioning a treadmill for that reason. Although any physical activity should happen with oversight… too much and she could cause more damage. I'd advise her to stay in the hospital for maybe another week.”
Shetland fell silent, though her hooves were shaking. Just one more week, she told herself. One more week of being treated like a cripple. It didn’t help much.
“May I at least take her to the waiting room? I’m sure she must be terribly sick of this room.” Twilight asked.
“Of course.” Rose said and lowered her head in an infuriating fourth or fifth bow. “We can also have food delivered to you both-”
“Just a tea.” Twilight quickly blocked. “I ate before.”
Shetland grunted. She would not get a choice.
The waiting room was otherwise empty, yet the walls were still too close for Shetlands comfort. She laid on the only couch, her backside and legs reaching over the side and still her head rested on the outermost edge. But she didn’t bring out more than a sigh, because Twilight’s situation was even worse. Demanding that Shetland take the couch, she was left with a small seat she simply could not fit inside, instead he flank was propped ontop of the hoofrests. Shetland let out a chuckle at the sight of the mighty alicorn attempting to squeeze her butt inside the buckling chair. Twilight met her smile wistfully. “It’s good to see you smile.”
Suddenly aware of it, Shetland’s mouth felt unnaturally stiff. “There’s not much to smile at here.”
Twilight sighed, looking to her hooves. “Is there any way I can help you? Maybe bring you a book?”
“That’d work for you, wouldn’t it?” she asked, rolling her eyes. “Throw some books at the problem?”
“Yes… it would.” Twilight admitted sheepishly. Her eyes darted up to Shetland’s, but the earth pony rolled her eyes, causing Twilight to let out another sigh
“It doesn’t have to be a book, Shetty. Maybe a…” she bit her lips. There weren’t exactly a lot of things she could do. “A… board game?”
A resounding smack came from Shetland’s hoof as it impacted on her forehead. It almost drowned out the sound of a knock on the door. Rose Petal came in, a tablet on her back, which she balanced with her wings. “I’ll leave you alone.” she said hastily, but shot a look at Twilight. “Please watch out that she eats her nutrients, she’s been trying to slip them away.” Then she swiftly fled the room, before Shetland’s glare could burn her to cinders.
“You, not eating something that’s on your plate? I thought I’d never hear that!” Twilight said in acted cheerfulness.
But Shetland merely stared at the tablet, her expression a mix of anger and unwillingness as she scanned the “food”. A bowl of soup, celery if she could hazard a guess, an old-looking carrot and a bottle of water, all okay. But to the side of the bowl laid two thin, white sticks. Nutrient chalk. The healthiest and most disgusting version of nourishment ponykind has come up with. Basically just compressed nutrients and vitamins, one was enough to nurture a pony for a day. And to Shetland’s pure spite, the doctor had apparently decided she needed two!
“Shetty?” Twilight whispered, noting her dark look.
Shetland picked up one of them, glaring at it as she fought her revulsion. Here goes nothing, she thought and placed it in her mouth. She coughed. It was impossibly dry. A taste of filth-riddled cardboard spread in her mouth and worst of all, it foamed. Panicking as her mouth filled with disgustingness, she reached for the water bottle, ripping the lid off to pour it in her mouth, almost chocking at the excess of water. She swallowed a painfully large amount and broke down, breathing heavily. The aftertaste infested her mouth and her stomach fought to push it out where it came from.
It would lose. The chalk always wins.
Shetland looked up to see her mothers pitying look and her tablet, which only Twilight’s magic had saved from being knocked over in her outburst. Shetland grit her teeth, forcing down queasyness. “I’m… fine.” she mumbled. Her hoof shot out, tugging at the tablet. “Give it back!”
Twilight gave in, levitating it back into Shetlands hooves. “Shetty, I-”
Shetland yanked the tablet away. “I’m fine!” she repeated, grabbing the other piece of chalk. Yet her stubbornness quickly ceased and she glared at the piece with every ounce of hatred she possessed.
Suddenly, a movement caught her attention. Twilight, unable to stand seeing her like this, had stood up and fixated her with a stern look. “Shetty, we’re going out.” she announced.
Confused, Shetland stared at her for a few second until her brain caught up. “We- out?” she stuttered.
Twilight nodded grimly. “Outside in the colony. Make yourself ready, I’ll just notify your doctor.”
“But-” Shetland looked back at her side. “My leg-”
“Is good enough to walk, as Ms. Petal said.” Twilight determined. Her gaze softened and she levitated the nutrient chalk out of Shetland's hoof. “You’ve been in here too long, Shetty,” she whispered. “Three weeks. Tiny rooms, no sights, bad food, this place must be like prison to you.” she pushed a strain of mane out of Shetland’s face and smiled. “You’ve always wanted to see Horizon anyway, right?”
“Y-yes.. but” Shetland stammered, yet for some reason, she felt anxious.
“Don’t worry, I’ll clear it with your doctor.” Twilight said and went out to search for him.
Back in the room, Shetland was staring down at her hooves. Her mind raced, reasons to leave, reasons to stay, but Twilight was right, She hated this place, it truly was a prison. But then why, Shetland thought, clenching her teeth to the point where they hurt. Why does it feel so wrong to leave?
There was a tradition on Horizon: To draw a breath of the planets air without a mask on. The air was fresh as it poured in her nostrils, tickling them with a faint scent of… salty, tangy-
“D-does this planet smell like Soy Sauce?” Shetland burst out, staring at Twilight with open mouth.
The alicorn let out a chuckle from underneath her plastic airmask. “Interesting, isn’t it? But put your mask on, please.”
Shetland pondered to ignore her. But as nice as the fresh air was after her long stay in the hospital, where newly recycled air passed as fresh, her lungs already tingled. The outside air, while safe to breathe, unfortunately wouldn’t sustain her. She slammed the mask on her muzzle, breathing in deeply and her lungs stopped cramping as the “Equestrian” air filled them. The corners of her lips twitched upwards in a motion so recently unpractised that it felt weird.
The sun- A sun, Shetland quickly corrected herself, shone down upon her back as she stepped out of the building's shadow. Her eyes, so used at indoor lighting, hurt and she had to shield them from the warm, yet bright light that engulfed the settlement. But even as she had to blink frequently, she still tried to take everything in. The needle-like mountain range on the horizon, the sandy ground with the occasional patch of yellow-dried grass, reminiscent of tiny wooden pickets and the strange orange shade on… everything. She looked to Twilight, who simply smiled. The hospital, a white dome which, as Shetland now saw, was connected to a bunch of haphhazardly spread out metal buildings, seemingly assembled from rectangular building blocks.The connecting tunnels were made of glass over a metallic frame. Completely airtight. She could see ponies hushing through them, a duo of unicorns in labcoats, floating pieces of nutrient chalk beside them as they busily chatted. Shetlands stomach gave a lurch as they vanished in another solid dome.
The other side was in such a stark contrast that she had to do a double-take. There were only five buildings, yet they looked older, rustic even. They seemed to be made of wood, though she could see hints of the usual metal prefab underneath. Still, they had each managed to personalize it. Some had outside stairs or balconies and wooden porches emerge over the dusty ground. If not for the utter lack of windows, they’d easily belong in Appleloosa. Twilight pointed a wing, focusing her attention, although it was barely necessary, the three-storied house was easily the most eye-catching, even without the large sign ontop, proclaiming:
Horse Horizon
A grey, bearded earth pony stood on the wooden porch, occasionally taking off his airmask to puff a pipe and then blow smoke-rings.
“We’ll eat here.” Twilight said. She met Shetland’s sceptical look. “I promise they have real food in there.”
“G-Good food?” Shetland whispered, even as she tried to suppress the weakness in her voice. And the flood of saliva in her mouth. And the roar of her stomach.
“I promise.” Twilight grinned, casting a knowing grin on her.
A Saloon. That was the only word Shetland could think of to describe the densely packed room. Ponies sat around tables, playing cards and licking salt blocks. In the middle of the room several tables had been shoved to the side to make place for a tug of war contest, three earth ponies on either side. Shetland smirked, she could probably win by herself as judging from their scrawny builds, they were clearly not physical workers. Twilight, after checking the airtight door, discreetly pointed a wing at the staircase to the side. Everypony was too busy cheering on the match to notice the alicorn princess in their midst. Shetland groaned quietly as Twilight rushed her up the stairs, her hindleg was oddly stiff and every step emitted a loud, groaning creak from. Suddenly, the stairs were whisked away from her hooves by a magenta aura. She glared back at Twilight, who returned an apologetic smile. Shetland grumbled, especially as she uncomfortably bumped on the ceiling before Twilight carried her through the opening.
“Sorry.” The alicorn said sheepishly. “I just didn’t want to alert them, or let you put a strain on your leg.”
“Why even avoid them?” Shetland murmured, rubbing her back
Twilight raised a hoof- then put it back down. “I… guess I just don’t get to be sneaky that often.” she offered weakly, but it was enough to make Shetland crack a smile. Neither did she, usually.
“So, what is this place?” Shetland wondered. “Why is it so… Appleloosian?” She looked over the second floor. It was quieter, with only a few scattered ponies across the room. Given, they were all unashamedly staring at them, but Shetland didn’t stare back- her attention was drawn to their plates as her stomach let out a wistful purr.
Twilight chuckled, choosing a table and levitated a menu to her salivating daughter. “It’s a watering hole, Shetty. And also a restaurant, we try to cram several things into these buildings, since we need an air generator for each one. Of course it has… drawbacks.” She flinched as bellowing cheer came from the room below. It seemed like the game was over. “As for the style,” Twilight grinned. “We thought it’d be a good idea to provide places of relaxation different from ponie’s workplaces. Do you want to spend your free time somewhere that looks exactly like your office?”
“Mhm.” Shetland barely listened. Her stomach had taken over her brain and commanded all her attention to the menu.
“Thought so!” Twilight grinned obliviously. “That’s why we used the style of Appleloosa, as not only is it quick to build and appropriate for the planet’s temperature, but also Luna really enjoys the old-time flair and-” She probably could have rambled on like that forever, but Shetland raised a hoof, adopting a pitiful look.
“Mom,” she whined. “I’m starving.”
“O-oh…” Twilight chuckled awkwardly, trying to bridge the moment. “I-I’ll just go and speak with the owner.”
“Do that.” Shetland mumbled absently. Her attention was fully spent on the nearest unicorns plate, as if her eyes could suck in the sandwich by just staring hard enough. She barely noticed when Twilight left the room.
Fresh apple fritters. Shetlands mouth watered and she had to force her mouth closed for none to spill out. The warm scent of cinnamon filled her nose, and her stomach yearned, yet her cold brain stopped her, even as she licked her lip, she looked up to her mother.
Twilight sat across from her, levitating a spoon in her applesoup as she observed her daughter uncomfortably. “Is something up?” She asked quietly.
Shetland shook her head, not knowing the answer herself.
“Well, dig in then.” Twilight said awkwardly, yet it cracked through her mental barrier.
After weeks of hospital food, the taste of her first bite brought tears on Shetland’s face. As well as the heat, but even as it hurt her tongue, she could not slow down as she stuffed fritter after fritter down her ravenous maw, moaning every now and then as warm satisfaction spread through her. She took another portion, and another before she finally felt full and well, letting out a satisfied grunt as she finally shoved the plate away from herself. Twilight had remained silent all the time, only raising an eyebrow mildly at the excessive eating, her soup bowl long empty. “Feeling better now?”
“You have no idea…” Shetland said, running her hoof over her tummy, feeling warm and bloated.
Twilight nodded, but her smile soon vanished, and her eyes darted around. The silence soon stretched out and Shetlands cursed the lack of windows. If there were any, she at least wouldn’t be staring at her own plate like a sad poodle.
“Where else would you like to go?” Twilight finally suggested, breaking the awkward silence.
Again Shetland cursed the missing windows- because now she wanted to see the streets. They could visit the acting Voidmarine or even Princess Luna. Although she’d heard that she was currently in a different settlement- But that just brought a bigger smile on her face.
“I wanna go see Luna.”
Her smile instantly faded as she saw her mother’s sharp inhale.
“I… don’t think we can do that.” The alicorn shook her head. With a raised hoof, she blocked Shetland’s protest before she brought out a single word. “You’re clear to leave the hospital, but you should always stay near, in case of- of complications.”
Great. Just great. Shetland saw down at her cursed, scarred leg, letting out a sigh. Even worse, she could see a newly arrived unicorn strain his neck to get a look at it. She shot back a burning glare and was rewarded when he instantly averted his gaze. Only then did it cross her mind that he may have stared because large ponies. Also, Alicorn Princess.
“What about the- uhm-” For a moment, Twilight’s eyes darted to the upper staircase. “The-” she stammered, as her brows furrowed.
“The what?” Shetland raised an eyebrow, trying to relax. At least her mother was trying-
“The greenhouses, wouldn’t it be interesting to learn how we grow food here?”
Something in Shetland snapped. Not because of the suggestion, it would have been fine, interesting certainly and under any other circumstances she would have easily agreed. But as Twilight said that, her eyes were squarely on Shetland’s barren forehead, and it made her blood boil.
“No, I don’t think so.” she pressed through her teeth.
Twilight seemed to deflate a little. “And what about-”
“What’s up there?” Shetland interrupted her, pointing to the staircase. “You keep glancing over there.”
“Oh, it’s nothing.” Twilight brushed off nervously.
“No, it’s not, tell me.” Shetland insisted and resisted the urge to slam her hoof on the table, but if she avoided the question any longer-
“It’s a reading lounge.” Twilight blurted out.
“A…. reading lounge?” Shetland repeated, her anger suspended by disbelief. “Don’t tell me that’s actually a thing.” Although it made sense why Twilight wouldn’t want to mention it. Since Shetland had never displayed a thirst for books like her, after all.
“It is.” Twilight said, avoiding to look at Shetland in favor of the ceiling. Her tone was wistful. “It was the first business of relaxation here, actually, a bath, a massage and then a nice book for an hour or two.”
Shetland blinked. “W-wait, are you saying this is some kind of spa?”
“Mhm.” Twilight nodded. “I didn’t want to mention it, I know you don’t like that kind of stuff.”
“It sounds great, actually.” Shetland said,making Twilight’s head shoot up, her horn almost piercing the ceiling. “Not the reading part, scratch that, but a spa visit would be awesome…” she whispered, inwardly hoping the masseuse was a stallion. It made it better. Objectively.
Her imagination was crushed by a sad shake of her mother’s head. “I’m afraid we can’t do that, Shetty.”
“WHAT? Why not?” This time, she really slammed her hoof down and noted with satisfaction that every head in the room has turned.
“Because the humidity is bad for you.” Twilight insisted, her tone unbearingly reasonable. “Your leg still hasn’t fully recovered and burn wounds should generally be kept in relatively dry air.”
Sending her chair tumbling, Shetland abruptly stood up, groaning as he leg buckled a little at the sudden stress. “I’m going.” she grumbled.
“W-where?” Twilight asked, taken by surprise.
“Fresh air. Alone.” she hissed through her teeth.
“Y-Your air mask-”
“I’M NOT STUPID, MOM, I KNOW ABOUT THE BUCKING MASKS!” she finally shouted, leaving her alone as she came down the stairs. It was calmer now, but only because everypony had apparently been listening in on them. Of course. She simply stormed past them, grabbing her air mask on the way.
Pounding the ground under her hooves was immensely satisfying. At least, with her three healthy hooves. The other kept annoying her however, oddly resistant to her attempts to move it. I am limping, she realized, but it didn’t throw new firewood into her sizzling anger, that had died down to glimmering Embers somewhere deep in her stomach. She lied down in the dirt, a few hundred hooves away from the saloon, lying on her healthy side, the scars pointing upwards. She examined them and if she was crying, she couldn’t have said whether her tears would come from sadness or anger. Sure, she’d known what it looked like, even that… the scars might stay forever, but somehow, she’d always fooled herself that it’d be okay. That, other than looking ugly (and as she’d told herself sometimes when she’d felt down, impressive) there would be no change. Or maybe just that it wouldn’t be a meaningful one. She looked away from her scars, as she searched, somewhere in the distance something to take her mind off-
It stood like a needle in the land, pointing upward, the spaceport. On the Horizon, three hours by hoof away at best. She swallowed, and her throat was cold as she stared forlornly at the mark, wishing she could tear her eyes away from the landing field, where a single ship stood, only a tiny point on the horizon, where her inner eye conjured images of fire-
A hoof startled her out of her stupor. She jumped up, groaning in pain as her scarred leg once again buckled, though this time it was even worse.
“Shetland?!” Twilight’s loud, worried voice all but shouted. “Are you okay?”
“Y-yes…” she mumbled, noticing the soreness of her eyes. She touched her face, feeling the dampness on her hoof.
Before she could react, something warm closed around her back. Twilight had encompassed her in her large wings, using both them and her hooves to hug her like a mother her little foal. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered “We should go away.”
“Yes…” Shetland stuttered, too stunned to disagree. “Go back to the-”
“Not the hospital.” Twilight decided, a hint of authority reinforcing her voice. “You’ve been there long enough, you’ll be in my quarters, the doctor can come to you!”
“But you-”
“I’ll… I’ll go.” she swallowed. “I will just take care of a few thing and then… give you your privacy.”
Shetland simply nodded, yet even the news that she wouldn’t have to go back failed to excite her. Suddenly, she felt something lift her chin, forcing her eyes to meet Twilights face instead of the ground. She was shocked to see the tears welling out of the alicorn's eyes, but despite that, Twilight managed to smile.
“It’ll get better.” she assured her. “In fact, Queen Twinkle has sent us a very special package. I’m not sure what it is, but a surprise just makes it better, right?” Her smile faltered as she received no answer, but nonetheless she pushed Shetland to turn back towards the settlement, her wings covering her from the world. “Let’s get you home, Shetty.”
Her dreams went wild that night, dominated by barely coherent noises and flashing impressions storming into her mind. However, one image flashed up again and again. She sat on the outside, before her the space station doused in flame. She’d been prepared for it, but her hooves were shaking and despite how much she breathed, her lungs felt empty. Suddenly, her ears peaked up, a voice calling from the fire. She froze, it was her name. The voice echoed, the pronunciation off, yet undoubtedly… metallic.
Something cold poked her shoulder from behind.
“Shetland!”
Her eyes snapped open and she let out an ear-splitting scream. A figure stood right beside her bed, she couldn’t made out details because of the morning sun, but she’d seen the gleaming metal chassis and his glowing eyes behind a glass plate-
He took a step back. “S-Shetland, are you okay?”
It’s a mare’s voice, Shetland realized as she recovered from her shock. “S-sorry-” she blinked, her eyes slowly getting used to the light as she got a first good look at her mechanical visitor. Then her jaw dropped and she asked incredulously:
“T-Toasty?”
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Well... That was surprising...
Well, Obsi, if you want some notice from your senpai... you have it. This is actually a pretty great start!
I've considered writing a story about a wounded warrior dealing with physical and mental scars. The subject of PTSD is a pretty interesting one, and has a lot of potential. I think you could build on this and turn it into a very interesting story.
A few minor points of criticism:
Anyway, nice start!
8709172
thank you very much. Now, I just want to say: I knew the dream sequence would be a little overdramatic, but it was by far the quickest way to show what the story was about and, in a way, do a little rehash of the first story (there were like 7 months inbetween this and the last chapter of that).
Thats why its so short.
I actually intended Shetland to only lose one of her cutie marks, I'll look to clear that up.
By the way, Toastys return is solely because of your comment on the first story, saying that you liked her. Because I'd forgotten that she existed at that point and I was like "huh. yeah, shes actually perfect for the sequel"
this is good and need moar!!!!
8721724
thats always great (and ecouraging!) to hear. Next chapter will be next week, im currently updating every 3 weeks while trying to write ahead of that shedule. When im done on my end, I'll then post a chapter every week.
Right now im doing chapter 4