The sound of her voice

by Caedrus

Growth

Twilight found the thought of returning to the castle to recuperate from her injuries invigorating. While she understood the need for treatment, she had no great love for the idea of staying at the hospital for who knows how long. At least the castle was familiar, and held plenty of ponies she had grown familiar with during her days of studying there. There would be plenty to do, as well; there were the gardens, the library...

That last thought hit Twilight hard, quickly souring her mood. Reading was her favorite past time! A night spent curled up with a good book was as necessary to her health as air and water. She was thankful for the bandage she could feel around her eyes, surely hiding some of the emotions playing across her face.
What was she to do? While she wasn't as stubborn as Applejack, she nevertheless didn't want to be a burden on somepony. She had to think; surely, if she applied herself to the task, she could come up with some way of getting around and doing things as she always had independently. Still, when faced with the options of staying in a place she barely knew for who knows how long or relocating to the familiar comforts of the palace, the choice was clear.

Twilight was about to voice her thanks to the Princess and accept her offer when a calm and authoritative voice cut in, having previously gone unnoticed amongst her friends.
“Pardon the intrusion ladies,” the voice intoned. “I am Dr. Steadfast. I had come by hoping to discuss Miss Sparkle's condition. Is this a bad time, miss? I can come back later, if you'd rather speak in private.”

Twilight perked up at the doctors words. Maybe... Maybe there was good news, and everything would be back to normal in a week or two?
“Please, doctor,” she began, “let them stay? I know they want to know just as badly as I do, and this way it doesn't have to be explained more than once. Also, I know that they’ll think to ask questions I wouldn't think of right now.” This was true. It was also true that she didn't want to hear this alone, fearing terrible news. She heard the stallion clear his throat.

“Very well then. I'm sure the first thing on your mind is the condition of your eyes. I'll start with the good news first. All the tests we have run indicate that you should, with treatment and time, regain your sight.”

Twilight reached out at the news, feeling her hoof come into contact with a silken, pampered coat.

Rarity.

She clung to her friend’s assenting forelimb, grinning from ear to ear at the welcome news. The doctor continued.

“So, that is good news. However, we cannot begin to forecast how long recovery will take, nor what your sight may be like afterwards. It will almost certainly not be what you were once used to. Our Ophthalmologist is still devising treatment options with the aid of her majesty's medical team, who have graciously offered their assistance.”

“Oh, that's most wonderful news, isn't it Twilight darling?” Rarity returned the pressure Twilight applied to her forearm. Twilight merely nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment. Pinkie bounced around the room exuberantly judging by the hyperactive squeaks. Twilight shared her enthusiasm, even if she didn't show it. She would have her eyes back! Relief coursed through her body, relieving tension she hadn't realized she'd been holding. With relief came determination, to do anything and everything she could to hasten her recovery.

Dr. Steadfast paused for a moment to let the girls calm down.
“Apart from your eyes,” he continued, “your physical condition is wonderful, considering the circumstances. However, your mystic reservoirs took a beating holding back the illusion spell. It would seem you have suffered a case of magical backlash, Miss Sparkle. Your magic will be weakened for at least the next month, and I most strongly advise against using your magic at all for at least that long. Even if you are the strongest mage since Starswirl the Bearded in terms of raw talent, you could still overtax yourself if you are not careful. Listen to your body and take things slow--”

“Don't worry doc,” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “All of us here will make sure she takes it easy. You can count on us!” The rest of those gathered voiced their agreements.

“Excellent, it’s good to see friends and family come together in situations like this. Anyway, those two issues are the most serious ramifications of your injuries. Beyond them, you have experienced a number of minor cuts and bruises, which have been treated and should heal swiftly. Now, do you have any questions or concerns?”

Twilight only shook her head. Elation at the news that her sight would eventually return overrode any other concerns she may have otherwise had.
“How soon might my student be able to be moved to the palace?” asked Princess Celestia.

“Well, your majesty,” answered the doctor, “so long as she remains under the supervision of your medical team for the next two or three days, I see no reason she could not be discharged from our care as soon as it is wished. Your staff merely needs to watch for unexpected after-effects from the backlash.”

The prospect of leaving the hospital brought Twilight back to reality.

“Would you see that they begin the discharge paperwork please, doctor? I think that being someplace familiar will help me recover faster.”

“As you wish, Miss Sparkle, I will see to it. If there is nothing else, then I will bid you ladies and your majesty good day.” The door shut softly as Dr. Steadfast left, leaving the girls on their own once again. Immediately, Twilight was engulfed in a crushing group hug, which she tried to return just as fiercely.

“This is wonderful news, Twilight,” said the Princess. “I am very happy to hear the good news, and I promise you that my medical specialists will do everything they can for your treatment. Now, if you girls will excuse me, I will head back to the palace and send a chariot to bring you all along.”
There was a round of assent from everypony else in the room, followed by the soft hum and pop of a teleportation spell. A knock was then heard, followed by the click of the door opening as Nurse Willow Tree entered the room.

“Dr. Steadfast informed me that you were to be discharged, Miss Sparkle.”
The nurse gently began to disconnect Twilight from the myriad of machines she had been hooked up while she was unconscious. It was the work of a few moments to unhook the monitors, which left Twilight feeling somewhat more comfortable.

“Now then,” the nurse continued, “lets get you on your way. We have a wheelchair ready for you.” Nurse Willow Tree gingerly helped Twilight out of the bed and into the waiting wheelchair. She then wheeled Twilight down the hall and into an elevator, her friends all in tow. The group paused once they had reached the ground level.

“Now then, Miss Sparkle, if you would just sign these few forms you will be free to go,” the nurse informed her. What felt like a clipboard and quill were gently placed in her lap.

Twilight instinctively reached for her magic, before a sharp pain in her horn and skull reminded her that magic was a bad idea at the moment. She fumbled about for the feather pen with her hoof, seeking to ascertain its position before she could take it into her lips to write with. Her penmanship without use of her horn must have been illegible at best, though given her state she supposed the hospital would forgive her for it.
“Would you like me to help you?” asked Rarity. Twilight nodded, and with the forms soon finished her wheelchair rolled out into the waiting world.

Twilight stretched in the wheelchair as she felt the light of the sun on her face. The living breeze was a pleasant change after the sanitized air of the hospital. The weather wasn't exactly warm, being winter as it was, but it was a pleasant change nonetheless. Unwilling to wait any longer, Twilight carefully stepped out of the wheelchair and onto her own four hooves.
‘There, I’m not a complete invalid.’ A light nudge of the wheelchair behind and away from her signaled Twilight’s refusal to be a burden. She was a little weak on her hooves, but stayed standing and steady.

“Now,” she said with a smile, “to the palace!” A smooth and supple coat pressed lightly against her side, wordlessly guiding her along. Twilight was grateful for the assistance; she loved all of her friends, but Rarity had an air of grace and tact that helped Twilight feel less awkward with her new condition. Moments later, there was a soft hitch as the chariot took to the air, winding its way through the Canterlot skies towards the Palace.

-*-*-

Twilight breathed in deeply as she left the chariot, the soft scents in the air reassuring her that she was in a well loved, familiar place. Her years of education at the palace made it as familiar to her as her childhood home with her parents or her library in Ponyville. Trusting to her mental map of the castle, she tried to navigate on her own. She paused when she bumped into the stone of a decorative planter, and felt leaves tickling her nose. Embarrassment blossomed in her mind.
‘Hopefully nopony noticed that,’ she thought to herself. ‘I may be blind for now, but surely I can do better than this!’

“Why yes, darling, these do smell lovely,” said Rarity aloud, “almost as lovely as the bouquet Fluttershy got you. I can well understand why you would choose to stay here in the palace to get better rather than some dreary old hospital. Why, I imagine you feel better already, don't you Twilight dear?” Laying a gentle hoof on Twilight's shoulder, she dropped her voice to a low whisper. “I'll stay close and guide you, you can lean on me.”

Twilight felt relieved hearing and feeling Rarity close by, helping her save face.
“Thank you,” she whispered back. Twilight then spoke up, so the rest could hear her clearly.

“I really do feel better just being here,” she started, though further words failed her. Her stomach saved her from having to say more by embarrassing her with a loud growl. “Maybe dinner would be better right now though?” she said, as a soft blush warmed her cheeks.

‘Ugh,’ thought Twilight. ‘When did I become such a klutz?’ A dark cloud descended upon the back of her mind as the six friends went in for dinner.

After a pleasant meal together, the girls mutually agreed to turn in for the night, their pact unspoken. Rarity once again provided a sure guide for Twilight through the palace halls, quickly making their way to Twilight's suite. Warm air greeted them upon entering, the smell of sweet incense wafting through the open doorway.
‘Someone must have lit the hearth,” thought Twilight. It was a humbling reminder that she probably couldn't have done it on her own, as she would have normally insisted upon. ‘All I need is time. I'll get used to this quickly enough, I'll get treatment, and before you know it things will be back to normal. Buck up, Twilight, you can do this! You helped beat Discord, didn't you?’

“Lady Sparkle.”

The voice was unfamiliar, though it held the crisp tone of a palace staff member. Twilight had forgotten the intensity of her distaste for formality involving herself.

“Everything has been prepared for you this evening,” the handmaiden lilted. “Do you desire a bath before turning in for the night?”

Twilight fidgeted for a moment as she thought the offer over. It wasn't all that late, nor was she all that tired...
“Yes, please,” she decided. “A bath would be lovely.”

‘Yes,’ Twilight thought to herself. ‘A nice warm bath would help me relax. Hospital beds clearly aren’t made for comfort.”

Twilight was shaken from her thoughts by Rarity's voice from the other room.

“You know, darling,” she began, “I know Princess Celestia is a wonderful pony who appreciates all that we have done as the bearers of the elements of harmony, and there is very little she wouldn't do for us if we asked; but really, I feel that she may be playing favorites, if only slightly. Calling this a bath is like calling a pitcher a tea cup. Your 'bath' is very nearly a swimming pool, it has to be at least twice the size of mine. I'm very nearly jealous!”

Her teasing tone betrayed the playful nature of her banter, bringing a smile to Twilight’s face. Rarity was clearly exaggerating, as she often did; Twilight had seen her bathing chamber before the accident, and while it was rather large, it wasn’t that big...

Twilight heard Rarity's steps as she returned to the main bedroom.
“Do you wish me to stay,” her tone still teasing, “or shall I leave you at the mercy of the palace staff, Lady Sparkle?” Twilight could almost hear the smirk. Rarity had quickly learned, as had all of her friends, that Twilight had a distinct distaste for being referred to by title. Twilight’s grin, however, did not fade.

“You can stay if you like,” Twilight said, “but only if you want to. Clearly that mare is new, or she'd have known not to call me that; but I can put up with it for a little while. But if you stay and you continue to call me that, be prepared to be splashed!” She laughed and threw her hoof around Rarity's neck, pulling her into a hug which was warmly returned.

‘She always seems to know how to make a pony feel better,’ thought Twilight. ‘Here I was, wanting to be alone and stubborn and do things on my own, and before I know it she's got me laughing and forgetting what I was upset about. I'm lucky she's around like this. Besides... It would be nice to have some help, I guess. The tub might be a bit too large for me to find things easily once I'm in the water.”

Soon Twilight was sitting up to her neck in the steaming water, sighing contentedly. Warmth soaked into her bones and eased her sore muscles. Rarity, having elected to stay, was currently sitting just outside the tub, playing at being her bath attendant. Twilight was still grateful for Rarity's presence; her genteel grace set Twilight at ease. She wasn't sure she'd have let any of her other friends stay to help her like this, even if they'd asked to.

“I wish you'd let me do something with your mane,” said Rarity, as she helped Twilight wash her hair. “It's beautiful as it is, don't get me wrong, but there are so many things I could do with a mane like yours.” Rarity’s hooves would not tarry amidst the strands, occupied with keeping up the act of being an attendant for her friends needs. She drew upon her memories of Ponyville's spa and what its twin attendants Aloe and Lotus did, attempting to mimic them to the best of her ability.

“I just never bother to take the time to do anything with it,” countered Twilight. “I like it practical, I'm a practical pony.”

“I know, dear,” Rarity stated, “but while your normal style is lovely on you, it wouldn't hurt to beautify it on occasion. After all, you never know when the mare of your dreams may come along!”

Twilight relaxed further into the water. She wasn't sure how she'd been talked into letting herself be pampered like this, but here she was. It was odd, but comforting; and Rarity was just as good as, if not slightly better than, the twin attendants back at Ponyville's spa. Twilight hadn't frequented the spa very often, but to her it certainly felt just as good. Perhaps Rarity was right, a little pampering now and then was a good thing.
Rarity paused for the briefest of moments, as if unsure about something, before resuming her treatment of Twilight’s mane once again.

“What are you looking for in a pony anyway, dear?”

“I'm not sure,” Twilight answered, her voice languid. “I've never really thought about it. I guess I’ve treated love like I did friendship before I met you girls: something I don't or didn't really need. Maybe I should put some thought into it, but not tonight. Whatever you're doing there feels amazing and is about to put me to sleep.”

A short time thereafter, Rarity and Twilight left the oversized bathing room. Twilight was feeling better about herself in general, and was very relaxed. Even though she had hardly stood on her own four hooves today, she was now feeling oddly tired. She failed to fight back a yawn.
“Thank you, Rarity, for everything today... And everything ever. Thank you. You're the best friend a mare could have.” Twilight fought and failed against another yawn. “I'm going to go to bed now. So, I guess this is goodnight?” she asked.

There was a pause.
“Yes, I suppose this is good night. Unless, of course, you want me to stay over with you? I could fend off the staff who want to call you ‘Lady Sparkle’ and bring you everything you ask for! Besides, your bed is big enough for three,” teased Rarity.

Twilight smiled softly. She thought about Rarity's offer for a moment, and found herself wanting to accept. She knew she had a tendency to overanalyze things, especially when left alone with her thoughts. The prospect of solitude within her own private darkness frightened her a little, even if it was at night. She knew she'd told herself she didn't want to be a burden on anypony earlier, but she found herself leaning on Rarity anyway.
There was something in the way she worded things, in the grace and tact with which she approached others, that made her so easy to just be around. Besides, Rarity had asked if she could stay, right? She was the bearer of the Element of Generosity! She wouldn't have asked if she had minded, now would she?

“I don’t mind if you want to, Rarity, though you have to promise not to be a cover-hog. I've seen you during sleepovers, all cocooned up in your covers. So, you can sleep over only if you promise I won't wake up cold and shivering,” Twilight said, teasing back a little as payback for all the earlier jesting.

“Why, I never!” said Rarity. Her voice carried an indignant tinge, though Twilight could hear the smile in Rarity’s voice letting her know she was playing along. “A cover hog? Of all the things you could accuse a lady like me of being! Well.... you are injured, so I suppose that my vengeance will have to be delayed until later, though mark my words I am keeping a tally.”
Twilight tittered and climbed into her bed, Rarity guiding her to it. A moment later, she felt Rarity shimmying her way under the covers in her characteristic fashion.

Twilight let her mind start to drift off to sleep. In fact, she had almost fully drifted off into the currents of sleep when a sudden thought moored her firmly on the banks of wakefulness yet again. Her eyes would have gone wide were they not bandaged shut. “Did Rarity ask me about the mare of my dreams?”

Comments

[Harwick]

While I enjoy a touch of tragedy now and then, it's nice to hear the positive prognosis for Twilight, allowing for a more upbeat focus on the interaction between Twilight and Rarity. I'm enjoying Rarity's efforts to help Twilight adjust, and also allow herself a little time doting on her friend in the process. It's a very sweet story so far, and I'm looking forward to more.

[Dan50]

So Twi blew dinner off wow haha.

[Brony2893]

Nice save with that last line.
I was going to comment "How does Rarity know Twilight's a fillyfooler?"

[Caedrus]

sorry i will be going back and editing thru this. google docs hasn't been wanting to play nice with fimfic.net so yeah i'm having to do a bit more manual reediting in of certain things like spacing than i care to. i will fix it when i have a bit more time.
also no, Twi didn't blow off dinner. i simply skipped over it. i tried to write that dinner scene a hundred times. it didn't work. it got axed. i like the way the story flows better now with it it.
I'm glad i seemed to hit a spark with the ending of the chapter.
and i always meant for this to be a happier story, drama is fun but i'd been writing a lot of heavier more serious things when this idea struck me. so i'm glad everyone is enjoying it so far. thank you all!

[Techfur]

As i see it the pain at the beginning sets the mood of all sorts of upbeat moments between Twi and Rare, the bedroom scene at the end has my mind raceing faster then RD going for a sonic rainboom, bravo!

[Caedrus]

There i have broken down my great wall of text. sorry i took so long to get to it. Work was very demanding of my time recently. Chapter 4 is in the works though it is slow going.