Fizzlepop's Past

by milesprower06

Rekindling

Fizzlepop felt the endless expanse of white melt away, and felt sheets underneath her. She blinked her eyes a few times, and saw the ceiling of her hospital room.

"L.C.?" She heard a voice to her left. She rolled her head on the pillow, blinked again, and saw Thunderlane come into focus.

"Thunderlane?" She asked just above a whisper, feeling a dull throbbing from her bandaged shoulder. "How long have I been out?"

"Five days, ma'am. The doctors think you're in the clear as far as necrosis is concerned; there's no timberwolf venom left in your bloodstream. You do, however, have several weeks of recovery ahead of you. I am ready and willing to take command of the Ponyville E.U.P. until you've completed recovery." Thunderlane told her.

"I had a feeling you would be. Where's my mom?"

"Princess Twilight insisted she go back to the castle for some rest last night. She'd been in here with you nearly 24 hours a day. She's been informed that you're being released, and I'm assuming she'll meet you there."

"Thanks, Captain. But I'm assuming I'm not quite done here yet. I can't exactly walk on this." Fizzlepop said, motioning to her bandaged right shoulder. She did note, however, that the IV drip and the other assorted wires had been disconnected.

"As far as I know, Rarity was making something for you." Thunderlane replied.

As if on cue, the Element of Generosity and part-time E.U.P. smith came in with a contraption that included her staff.

"Afternoon, Lieutenant Colonel. I had a feeling that you wouldn't tolerate a traditional wheelchair for your recovery, so I came up with something that allows for a bit more mobility."

What Rarity had crafted was something of a standing two-legged wheeled walker combined with a chest bolster. One of the legs went straight down from the bolster, and the other one went off to the right, with a sling meant to hold and support her injured leg.

"It went through a couple design changes, but it's quite simple, really. You rest your barrel on the padded bolster, which supports the right wheeled leg, taking all of the weight off of your right shoulder and leg, which rests on this sling here. You can pull or push yourself with your good leg, or your staff, whichever is more comfortable for you. Both wheels are hinged in sets of three, so you can more easily navigate curbs and stairs." Rarity explained to her, rolling it up to her bedside.

Using her magic to keep her right leg completely immobile, Fizzlepop rolled over, and sat up on the edge of the bed. With Rarity's gentle help, she got set onto the bolster, and slid her right leg into the sling, putting all her front weight on her barrel and left leg. She took a couple practice steps, and quickly found out that it was going to take a little practice.

The walk back to the castle would be fine. It would also give her the time she needed to sort through her feelings that the past week's worth of memory-exploration had given her.

"Give me a minute, guys. I'll be out in a sec." Fizzlepop told the unicorn and pegasus. The minute their backs were turned, Fizzlepop magically grabbed her saddle bags, and quickly slid the Twilight plush into the right bag, which had the most space.

She had a feeling she had Grubber to thank for that.

Rarity and Thunderlane accompanied her to the lobby, where she was officially checked out of the hospital. She stepped out into the late afternoon, and insisted that Rarity and her captain be on their way.

It wasn't so bad that she wobbled, but it was a very slow walk. As she made her way up to the center of town, her throat tightened as she noticed the ribbons tied around the light posts and fencing. The walk back, especially as she neared the market square, was slow, and brought nearly to a halt as ponies almost constantly came up to her, asking her how she was doing, telling her how glad they were that she was okay, and giving her gentle hugs. By the time she got to the front of the castle, it was time to test out the hinged sets of wheels. Sure enough, just pressing against the first step, and with a little assistance from her horn, the sets of wheels rotated as they climbed the stairs up to the front doors. Magically pushing them open, she found Glitter making her rounds.

"Fizzlepop!" She exclaimed, coming in for a hug, albeit a gentle one, that she was able to return by favoring the two supports and embracing her friend with her good leg. "How are you doing?" The caretaker asked.

"A bit of a recovery ahead, but as long as I get used to this contraption, it shouldn't be too bad. Is that... Chili I smell?" She said, her nose detecting a whiff of spices no doubt coming from the kitchen. Glitter Drops nodded.

"When your mom heard you'd be released today, she's been in the kitchen ever since, trying her best to stay out of Grubber's way for his dinner service. I think she wanted to have something ready for you when you got back here."

"Thanks, Glitter. I'll be around."

"Absolutely. Let me know if you need anything."

With that, Fizzlepop made her way over to the west wing, where the smells only got stronger the closer she got to the kitchen. They were smells that called her back to childhood. Coming up to the kitchen door, she gave a knock with the hoof from her left leg, and waited. Moments later, the door was pulled open, and there stood Soapberry, with an apron on.

"Oh Fizzlepop, you're just in time! I was about to ask Glitter what time you were expected back." Her mom said, turning back to the stovetop, turning off the burner and picking up the small covered pot, setting it on the wheeled cart that she had placed right next to the stove.

"I thought I'd whip up a little taste of home for dinner tonight. It's supposed to be gorgeous out this evening, so I thought we could eat out on the balcony if you thought you were up for it. Can you get up stairs okay with that bolster?"

"It's a little on the slow side, but I can manage well enough, yeah."

The pair of ponies walked out of the kitchen, Soapberry pushing the cart with the pot, plates, and utensils on it, with Fizzlepop following close behind. When they got back out to the foyer and the stairs, Fizzlepop magically lifted the cart up to the second floor before turning her magic on her bolster's wheels, and slowly made her way up as well. Together, they walked along the left side foyer balcony, out to the exterior balcony, where the sun was beginning to disappear behind the western hills. There in the middle of the balcony, a small bistro table for two had been set up. Soapberry quietly wheeled the cart around to the other side of the table, put the plates at their respective places before sitting down, lifting the lid off of the pot, revealing one of Fizzlepop's childhood favorites; spicy veggie chili.

Fizzlepop lit up her horn, and carefully lifted her right leg out of the sling, letting it down easy at her side, before she came up to her chair, and removed the padded bolster from her barrel, and sat down, just in time for her mom to ladle a serving of the chili into the bowl in front of her. She remembered the last time she had eaten this, the night she had returned from the hospital after the accident.

"So..." Soapberry began, serving herself a ladle of chili. "That potion... Did you find what you were looking for?"

The emotions bubbling and rising in her chest, Fizzlepop magically took the spoon, took a bite, and barely swallowed before she released the spoon from her magic, lowered her head, and began to weep.

"Fizzlepop?"

The unicorn shuddered in her seat, sniffling as the tears began to fall.

"I'm..." She began, trying to get herself under control. Unable to lift her gaze to look her mom in the eyes, she continued looking down into the bowl of delicious hometown chili. "I'm so sorry... That I ever made myself believe that you didn't want me."

Soapberry saw how her daughter was quivering. She got up, walked around the table and the cart, and came up to the grieving unicorn, and gently wrapped her front legs around her. Fizzlepop was trying to not let her shoulders heave because of her injury.

"I'm so... I'm so sorry..." The unicorn whimpered.

"Fizzlepop..." Soapberry began, softly rubbing her back with her right hoof. "I'm not going to lie, or sugarcoat anything right now. It hurt, it really hurt, when you rebuffed all my attempts to console you, to let you down easy, or to get you to face reality. But you were as stubborn as a mule. And I really think that's why you're here right now. I have no doubt that your bullheaded nature is how you survived out there. You know what I think? I think we've spent too much time and effort looking back. You may think that you lost your way, but maybe you were supposed to. You found yourself in the Storm King's employ, and Grubber told me that you almost immediately regretted what had happened to the hippogriffs at Mount Aris. But because of that, you were able to return, and show them the character, honor, and integrity that Princess Twilight helped instill in you. And you did that, with absolutely no idea how you would be thanked in return. Twenty years is a very long time, sweetheart, but the stormy road you went down led you here, and it brought you to what you were looking for. I have seen firsthand, what you mean to your troops, and what you mean to this town. They have your cutie mark-colored ribbons tied on every fence and light post for you. So you know what? I don't want to worry about what's behind us anymore. All I want now is to look forward to what's coming."

Fizzlepop sniffled and swallowed in her mother's embrace, then took a few deep breaths as she got herself under control.

"Twenty years is a long time, and a steep price. But one thing's for sure... I wouldn't trade this place for anything." The unicorn said, wiping her eyes. "Except maybe home for a few weeks."

"What do you mean?" Soapberry asked.

"It's gonna be a few weeks before I can start physical therapy with this leg. Would it be alright if I went back to Foal's Peak with you for that time? Learn the basics of berry farming? Get some real quality time with you?" Fizzlepop asked as she resumed eating her mom's chili.

Soapberry teared up a bit herself as she softly smiled at her daughter.

"I'd like that, Fizzlepop. I'd like that a lot."

Fizzlepop took another bite of chili, feeling her throat beginning to tingle as the spices began to take effect.

Just the way she remembered it.

Comments

[Anon E Moose]

Ouch, right in the feels

[Level Dasher]

Rarity and Thunderlane accompanied her to the lobby, where she was officially checked out of the hospital.

After five hours of waiting and paperwork.

Yeah, finally time for Fizzle to drop her shield and let out her emotions. Can't keep up that barrier forever.

but the stormy road you went down led you here

I see what you did there.