Interviews With Equestrians

by Jmaster49

Subject 194: The Worth Of Friendship

“Ow…” The next time I woke up, I felt...odd. As if my sense of balance had returned to my body. Wait, did I have my wings again? No way...I could feel something. Something that I was able to flap. “...Huh? What’s going on?”

Terramar was at the side of my hospital bed to check up on me. “You’re awake. That’s good to see. Everypony else was worried about you.”

I tried to get a better look at myself, and came to find that I now had wings that were made of beautiful pearlescent chrome. Almost like silver. “...What? Who--how? Okay, I have so many questions right now.”

He chuckled, and started to explain himself with a relaxed smile on his face. It was actually pretty comforting to witness. “Heh...well now, let’s calm down and start from the beginning, shall we?”

Okay, so from there, Terramar would go on to explain what happened since I lost consciousness. In a nutshell, we were all given hospital treatment once we got through with that battle. Quick Draw had recovered and was currently in the lobby. His older sister Silverstream didn’t suffer any major injuries. But me? Well, I had lost both of my mechanical augments. So what was the explanation for these new ones that I had been given in my sleep?

Well…

“...those are new prototypes that were donated,” he spelled it out with a bit of hesitation, “The world of prosthetic enhancements have been a tricky one. My fellow Hippogriff kin have been working on it alongside the ponies....” he turned his head away. As if he didn’t wanna explain the rest.

I leaned over a bit closer with a pleading glare in my eyes. I was utterly desperate to know more info about this. I’d tug on him if I wasn’t so bed-ridden. “Wait what? Which ponies have you been working with exactly? Who...who provided these wings, Terramar?”

He let out a sigh. “Listen...at the request of the provider, I am obligated to keep silent on the subject. All I can say is that those new wings were provided by someone that knows and loves you dearly.” The look on his face was pained to say the least. The way his eyes darted ever so slightly was indicative of his nerves getting the better of him. Terramar was locked in a ‘don’t shoot the messenger’ situation. Of which he felt genuinely horrified to be a part of.

...At least, that’s something along the lines of what Pale would normally think like. Gah, being around him had done things to me.

At any rate, I didn’t want to see him stumble and stutter over something that ultimately had nothing to do with him. This wasn’t Terramar’s condition, it was mine. I was the one who had to shoulder the weight of the experience. Because of such, I shook my head, and responded.

“...Bud, don’t trip. I understand completely.”

He looked up at me with a slightly more hopeful, yet worried expression. “...You do?”

I gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Of course. This isn’t something meant for you to discuss with me. I understand. I’m just grateful that I’m not buried six yards underwater or something.”

The white hippogriff took a sigh of relief, and smiled at me. “Alright then. If that is indeed the case, and you are satisfied with this outcome, then I am as well.” He stood up, and walked towards the door. “With that being said, the doctor suggested some rest before you get back up and out once more. Does that make sense to you?”

As much as I didn’t like it, there was no choice. I had to cool off for a while. “Understood. Thanks.” I lied back down, and started to reflect on all that had happened. Between that nasty serpent and now having these new wings that were apparently from someone that knew me well but desired not to be identified...could it be?

---

Once everyone had been properly rested and treated…

I walked out of my hospital room, and hoo-boy. Things were already looking up. Quick Draw waited for me in the lobby and she looked as healthy as ever.

“What’s up?” she said with a nod. There were a few bandages wrapped around her head, but she looked to be mostly okay. “That was a pretty messy operation...but it’s completed.”

Understatement of the century, Quick. “Haha...yeah. Really, though--we couldn’t have done it without Silverstream and Terramar. Speaking of which, where is she?”

“She had to return to her palace so she could start on her report of the situation,” Quick gave me the rundown with a roll of her eyes, “Really wish I could’ve talked with her a bit more, but a leader has to do her job.”

“Ah, makes sense. And Terramar?” I asked.

“Also gone back to Seaquestria to make a note of what happened--and to check on his folks of course.” Quick let out a rare shudder of fear. “Brrgh...I sincerely hope that their home hasn’t been damage from the battle with that thing.”

Sucks that I wasn’t able to thank him again, but to be fair, we also needed to head back home and give our own reports. This war was still far from over. “Alrighty then. I’m glad we could get some sorta finality here.” Then I realized something else. “Hey wait a sec--where’s Vinyl?”

The white unicorn mare had waited for us outside. “Over here, gals. I got somethin’ important.”

Quick and I both stepped outside. We were in the middle of the Hippogriff’s largest city, so there was a bit of a crowd that stopped to stare at us for a little bit. Guess we were so darn cool that we earned a bit of fame, eh?

“What’s the sitrep?” Quick asked.

With her magic, Vinyl levitated one of the leviathan’s scales out to us. It was the size of a dinner plate at least! “...This thing--this ancient monster from another era. It was fabricated from some kinda unnatural magic that isn’t native to Equestria.”

Quick rubbed her hoof against her chin. “Hrm...that doesn’t exactly narrow it down.”

But then I put two and two together. The friend that I worked with for Luna knows how long. The only logical place that could conjure up evil spirits from the beyond to haunt us and cause more trouble.

I stepped forward. “...Hey. I think I know just where that came from. And I have a friend that can find out for us.”

Vinyl raised her glasses with a wide-eyed gaze. “Oh? Who are you talking about, kid?”

Quick looked at me, and fell silent. She knew just as well as I did.

“...a certain zebracorn.”

Comments

[Neo4K]

It's nice for Guts to have newer prosthetics again. Though it irks me that the donor is anonymous.

I stepped forward. “...Hey. I think I know just where that came from. And I have a friend that can find out for us.”

Vinyl raised her glasses with a wide-eyed gaze. “Oh? Who are you talking about, kid?”

Quick looked at me, and fell silent. She knew just as well as I did.

“...a certain zebracorn.”

Uh...is she talking about Flash Drive or Zecora?

[GamePlayer64]

With her magic, Vinyl levitated one of the leviathan’s scales out to us. It was the size of a dinner plate at least! “...This thing--this ancient monster from another era. It was fabricated from some kinda unnatural magic that isn’t native to Equestria.”

I got one that's not native; The Magic of Friendship. Come on everyone, you have to admit; it was unnatural to begin with along, with the Tree of Harmony.

“...a certain zebracorn.”

Don't you mean Zebra Shaman?

[Jmaster49]

10695021
That's something that she has to find out on her own later.

I think the answer is obvious. XD

[Jmaster49]

10695073
That's true. But this magic is even more unknown...