Linger

by Kronos Frostwind

Chapter 1:Hospitality

~Linger~

Hospitality

Wet... that was the first thing I noticed. I felt wet. I could hear the steady patter of rain on the pavement and sirens in the distance. I slowly opened my eyes, only to be greeted by darkness. I could see faded lights in the distance. I felt my head throbbing, I tried to bring my hand to my head only to find myself incapable of it. I turned to stare at my right arm, the sleeve of my coat was stained red, a few streams of blood freely flowed off my hand, my entire arm was caught in the broken car door. I felt panic begin to set in, I managed to calm myself before further assessing the situation. I turned to my left to see my brother hunched over the steering wheel of his car, blood streaming from a gash across his forehead I looked down at my left arm to see it unrestrained. I began to bring my hand to my forehead, I was blindsided by the intense light-headed feeling that struck me. My hand felt wet, I pulled it away from my head to see blood smeared on my palm. The edge of my vision began to grow black, the darkness slowly creeping towards the center.

Is this it? Am I going to die here...?

I remained silent, waiting for someone... or something to answer me. It was okay that an answer didn’t come, it was a rhetorical question anyways.

I sighed briefly, “Fuckin’ hell...”

With those awe inspiring last words, the world fell into darkness. The darkness seemed to envelop everything, blocking out the world around me. For a while I merely remained in the darkness, numb and unfeeling. A small pinprick of light began to pierce the darkness, it slowly began to grow, clearing away the emptiness that once filled the world. I closed my eyes in an attempt to stave off the piercing light. The light continued filtering through my eyelids unheeded. Feeling began to return to my body, everything was sore though the pain remained dull and numb. I put my arm in front of my face, still trying to keep the light at bay. I felt a cool breeze brush across my face as well as a light rustling all around me. The light began to diminish, once it was bearable I opened my eyes expecting to see the pristine white of a hospital room... I was greeted by no such vision. My sleeve was stained red with dry blood and ripped open, revealing a jet black furred hoof, hovering in front of my face, poorly covering the open sky. I pulled back my sleeve and turned my arm inspecting my new appendage, scars littered the hoof, slightly concealed by its fur. I looked down at myself for a moment. Scratch that, new body.

Breathe... Remain calm and think...

After a minute of lying there I looked back down at myself, I was wearing a pair of black track pants with my plain white tee shirt, mostly covered by my black chef coat. My clothes all appeared to be ten sizes too big. The only thing that still fit was my dulled silver Griever necklace which thankfully wasn’t covered in blood. My body was small with black fur covering my skin, my legs appeared to be reverse jointed. I rolled onto my stomach and stood shakily on all fours, my pants, being far too big for me, immediately fell to the ground. I leaned my head down with a sigh, causing my jacket and shirt to fall over my head. I glared down at my clothes before grabbing my jacket with my teeth and draping it over my shoulders.

I don’t care how bloody or beat up you are, you’re coming.

I saw a small hill not too far from me, I began to walk towards it. After a few steps I tripped over myself and fell to the ground. I grunted in irritation before picking myself back up and attempting to walk again, carefully placing one hoof in front of the other. When I crested the hill I saw a small, rustic town. It seemed very familiar, I couldn’t quite think of what it was though.

“I definitely remember dying... odd... this doesn’t look like hell...”

I shrugged before walking down towards the town, occasionally stumbling along the way. Occasionally a creature would fly over the town, I say creature because they were far larger than any birds I’d ever seen, shaped differently and quite a bit more colorful too, I was still a too far away to make much of it though... Now most bronies would have drawn the, at least semi logical conclusion and known where they were, but I was a bit skeptic. Maybe it was the fact that I had just died, maybe it was the belief that the universe hates me, or maybe it was the thought that shit like this isn’t physically possible!

When I eventually made it to the town, all I could do was gape at the ponies milling about. Occasionally one of them would notice me and walk away nervously.

Cartoony world, new body, hooves and ponies...

The largest smile began to work its way onto my face as realization hit.

Today’s going to be a good day! Huh, I just died and I’m thinking it’s a good day... Maybe it’s the blood loss.

I was shaken from my thoughts by a worried voice.

“Oh my gosh, are you okay?”

I turned towards the distressed mare, still smiling. She was a golden, creamy yellow, with a long pink mane. “Better then ever, maybe a tad light-headed, but great none the less.”

The mare began pushing me down the road, “Come on, you’re going to the hospital right now!”

“But I’m fine! Really!” I stumbled slightly, feeling momentarily weak.

She began to stare at me. I immediately closed my eyes in fear. No, not the stare! Why Fluttershy!? WHY!?

“Fine, I’ll go!”

She nodded and led me towards a hospital, occasionally turning back to check on me or righting me when I’d stumble. Ponies gawked openly at me, I think I even heard one of them screaming, “The horror! The horror!” It was only a few minutes before we reached the hospital.

As we walked through the door, a nurse at the desk began to look up towards us, “Hello, how may I help...”

I cocked a brow, “Am I REALLY that messed up?”

The nurse nodded slowly for a second before calling for a doctor.

A tan stallion with a brown mane walked into the room, “Yes Nurse Redheart?"

He turned his head towards me, eyes wide with intense interest, “How are you able to stand? Nurse!”

Immediately a nurse thrust me into a wheelchair and rushed me into a room before removing my jacket and setting me into a bed. It all happened too fast for me to comprehend.

The doctor walked in shortly after and walked over to my bed and began inspecting me curiously. He began poking and prodding a few areas, occasionally finding sore spots.

I sighed, “What’s the big deal? I feel fine. Well, aside from the dizzy spells, that’s new.”

He stared at me like I was insane, “Have you seen yourself recently? I’m amazed you’re conscious.”

He began checking my blood pressure, still appearing confused and awestruck.

“Vaguely, didn’t see many problems.”

Again with that stare...

“You’re right forehoof is nearly shredded, there’s a rather large cut raking across your face, you seem to have taken quite the knock to the head, you may even have a concussion. You’re blood pressure is dangerously low and that’s just external, Celestia forbid you have internal damage to top it off.”

...And here I am defying the laws of physics, and probably nature by shrugging it off.

I groaned, “Fantastic, so tell me doc, how long am I stuck here?”

“Depends, we need to do a few tests.”

I hate tests...

[So much...]

I quirked a brow, “You say something doc?”

“Just that we need to do a few tests, we’re going to have a unicorn induce sleep to make the tests easier.”

Now I’m hearing things, great.

I shrugged and closed my eyes, “Kay, sleeping sounds great, ready when you are doc.”

I heard the door open and someone walk in, “He’s ready nurse.”

There was a strange sound, hard to pick out, sparkley? Tingley? Then, I faded out of consciousness.