Chapter 11
The Next Morning
Cooper made his way down to the foyer of the castle, finding Twilight already waiting for him with both his guards standing at attention by the front door. Unsurprisingly, the lack of mobility her injury caused her, made traveling difficult for the purple alicorn, and as such, a wheelchair was procured for her the previous evening. She pouted as she sat in her chair, forelegs crossed as much as they could be without causing undue strain or pain on the injured appendage, but she looked adorable all the same.
"You know, Rarity can always just come to the castle to take your measurements. It's not like she's not willing." Twilight protested, the smallest hint of indignation in her voice.
Cooper snorted in amusement while his guards did their best to hide their own amused reactions from the princess before them.
"I know, but being outside is... pretty much exactly where I want to be right now. Plus it gets you outside for a bit too." Cooper reasoned.
Twilight opened her mouth to protest, but slowly and begrudgingly closed it, "Fine... you make a good point."
"Personally, I think resting in the castle is exactly where you should both be today, but that's just my input." Spike muttered, from his position behind Twilight's wheelchair.
Cooper rolled his eyes in mild amusement at the drake's words, but opted to let it be as he turned to the pair of royal guards standing on either side of the door.
"Ready to go, Cooper?" Sky asked.
"Yeah. Let's get going." Cooper nodded, prompting the pegasus stallion to open the door for him.
With that, the group stepped out into the sunlight, Midnight leading in the front, Cooper right after her, Twilight being pushed along by Spike just behind him, and Sky taking up his position at the rear. Midnight used her magic to help Twilight's wheelchair down the stairs, an act which she was very grateful for, before the group proceeded into town.
Much like the previous day, there was a lot of hustle and bustle in town as ponies went about their daily routines. The sight of their princess in a wheelchair did halt many of their activities and redirect their attention to her as she was slowly wheeled past, but the majority of the ponies still stayed at a distance. A few more worried denizens of town approached and voiced their concern for their princesses well-being, but a smile and assurance that she was fine, all but put an end to them. A few of the ponies she knew better did still approach and voice their shock at her condition, but it was hardly as accosting as the previous day.
Soon enough, the quintet found themselves arriving at the front door of Rarity's boutique. The building resembled a carousel from the outside, and held something of a lavish chair that the entire group could appreciate. The white walls bright, vibrant purple accents all over the building certainly made it stand out among the more subdued houses around it.
One thing that immediately stood out to Cooper, however, was the size of the building. While the castle and hospital were noticeably closer to the size of building that he was accustomed to from Earth, the rest of the buildings around were notably short in comparison. Carousel Boutique, while standing at two stories tall, was just barely over what would qualify as a single story as far as he could tell.
Despite his reservations at the smaller size and potentially cramped nature of the building, Cooper bit his tongue while Sky reached the front door and politely knocked. A few moments passed before a muffled 'come in' reached their ears, and the guard opened the door. They all funneled into the structure, Cooper noticeably having to duck to avoid hitting his head on the door frame. Once they were all inside the building, Cooper took notice of the immediate entrance, and just how much higher the ceiling was than expected. There was more than enough room for him to stand upright without crouching, a fact that he was immediately grateful for.
The interior of the building was furnished with a soft carpet that held a swirling texture of white and violet. Red walls that were covered with velvet curtains framed gold stands where poniquines were set up in a miasma of different styles and fashions. Cooper's eyebrows raised at the sight of what passed for pony fashion, his curiosity getting the better of him as he slowly approached the closest outfit.
A bridle and saddle adorned the nearest poniquine, the ladder covered in gold lacing and accented with white frills that hung over the hindquarters of the pony it was supposed to be worn on. Cooper found his mouth opening slightly in confusion, but before he could utter a word, the snow-white unicorn mare who owned the place came strolling around the corner.
"Oh, Twilight! Cooper! It's so good to see you! How are you feeling?" Rarity asked, a chipper tone in her voice as she sipped at a cup of tea held in her magic.
"Doing better every day. Thank you, Rarity." Twilight replied, returning a modest smile.
"I'm makin' sure she gets plenty of bedrest and food." Spike chimed in, popping out from behind the wheelchair and giving a salute.
Rarity giggled into her hoof, "Oh, I'm so glad to hear that. My little Spikey-wikey is taking care of his big sister." She gushed.
While Spike blushed and twiddled his thumbs at the nickname, Twilight playfully rolled her eyes before nodding toward Cooper.
"Ah, Cooper, dear! Are you here to take me up on my offer? I have a few ideas that I think you'll absolutely love!" Rarity smiled, turning her attention to the man still staring at the poniquine that caught his interest.
Upon noticing just where the human was staring, Rarity's fur slowly took on a tinge of red while she managed to force a smile on her face.
"Uh... what's this-" Cooper began.
"Oh that! Nothing dear, just something left out for a certain customer that left a few minutes before you arrived. Nothing to worry about. Why don't you come over here and I can take your measurements?" Rarity hastily asserted, putting on a very unconvincingly forced smile.
"Uh... yeah, sure." Cooper relented, walking away from the suspicious poniquine and over toward the fitting area Rarity was waiting in.
"Right this way, Cooper. Onto the stand there and I'll get my measuring tapes." Rarity enthusiastically explained, her horn lighting up in a blue hue and bringing the velvet curtains down to cover the poniquine Cooper had been staring at.
Breathing a small sigh of relief, Rarity turned her attention back to Cooper as he stepped up onto the stand, the three mirrors surrounding him to make it appear as if there were four humans in tattered clothing, awaiting her. With practiced ease, she used her magic to open several drawers and gather her measuring tapes, cat-rimmed reading glasses, and a pencil with paper to take down her notes. While Cooper was still fascinated with the sight of such ordinary objects being floated through the air as if they weighed nothing at all, he kept his amazement to himself as Rarity approached.
"Alright, Darling. It's about time we got you out of those rags, don't you think?" Rarity smiled, donning her glasses as reached Cooper's side.
"I.... did have one thing I was hoping you could do for me." Cooper muttered, making Rarity pause.
"Of course. What is it?" Rarity questioned, curiously.
"This cloak... it was a gift from my wife... do you think you can salvage it?" Cooper asked, doffing the ragged cloak with his good hand.
Rarity gingerly took the garment from his hand with her magic and eyed it critically. The overall structure of the cloak was still in tact, but the fabric was torn at the hem in a number of places, as well as littered with burn holes and a few other, smaller holes that she couldn't quite place the cause of. Even after giving it a wash and once over just a couple evenings ago, it was obvious that the clothing was barely able to even be considered clothing anymore. Even so, one glance up at the hopeful look in Cooper's chocolate eyes was all she needed to nod in affirmation.
"Well, it certainly won't be easy, but I can absolutely try to save this. It... may be a tad shorter when I return it to you, but it will be the same original fabric. I have a few tricks up my sleeve that just might work." Rarity offered, with a warm smile.
Cooper smiled ever so slightly in gratitude, "Thank you. You... have no idea how much that would mean to me."
Rarity shook her head as she levitated his cloak over to a table near the kitchen entryway, "Think nothing of it, dear. As I said, you saved one of my best friends. Fixing some of your clothing is the least I can do. Now, speaking of clothing, I must ask that you remove as much as you are comfortable with so I can take accurate measurements. I understand that you don't wish to be 'in the buff', so to speak, but the ensemble I'll make you will fit so much better if you let me get precise measurements." She explained.
Cooper pursed his lips before glancing over to Twilight.
"If you aren't comfortable with that, then it's no trouble, Cooper." Twilight assured him.
"I can bring the curtain down to give you some privacy while I work, if you'd like?" Rarity offered.
"Well... I am pretty underweight right now... I don't want to outgrow them too quickly." Cooper reasoned.
Rarity rubbed her chin in thought, "That's a fair point, Darling. That said, I can make you an ensemble with adjustable sizing. That way, as you grow back into a healthy weight, you can gradually size up the clothing to match?" She offered.
Cooper frowned for a moment, before shrugging, "If you can do all that, then alright." He replied.
Rarity practically beamed, "It would be my privilege, Cooper. Now, let me give us some privacy and I'll get these measurements done in a flash!"
The velvet curtains quickly fell around them from a small flash of Rarity's horn, concealing them both from the rest of the room's view, though their silhouettes were still plainly visible. As soon as they were granted the privacy of the curtains, Cooper removed his shirt and pants. While Rarity was certainly shocked at his battered and emaciated physique, she kept her composure and dutifully set about measuring his body.
"I'm kinda surprised you can make clothes for a creature like me." Cooper noted, while Rarity measured his arm length.
"And why's that, Darling? Do you doubt my skill?" She teased.
Cooper snorted in amusement, "No, no... I just figured that you wouldn't have any practice making clothes for something that walks on two legs instead of four." He explained.
Rarity giggled into her hoof, "Oh, Cooper. You're hardly the first biped I've met in my life. Why, Spikey-Wikey walks on two legs too and I've made him at least two or three tuxedos by now." She tittered.
Content with her reply, Cooper simply nodded and allowed her to continue her work. She worked swiftly and professionally, managing to take all of his measurements in a matter of minutes while respecting his personal space and boundaries with the utmost care. Soon enough, she was finished, and with a quick flash of her horn, she helped Cooper re-dress himself and lift the curtains up for him to leave the stage.
"Alright, I've got the measurements, and I do believe I have a few ideas brewing in my head that I think you'll absolutely love, Cooper." Rarity beamed, hopping down from the stage to go convene with Twilight.
"Not too stressful?" Twilight asked, giving Cooper a half-smile.
Cooper shrugged, "It's fine. She's a professional."
Rarity held a hoof to her chest as she practically swelled with pride, "Why, thank you. I do try to put on something of a professional performance when taking measurements. Now, if you'll just give me a few days, I can have something astounding whipped up for you." She replied.
"As long as it isn't something too flashy, I'll really appreciate it, Miss Rarity." Cooper humbly responded.
Rarity dismissively waved a hoof, "Oh, please, Darling. Just call me Rarity. You're a friend of Twilight's and that makes you a friend of mine."
A few more goodbyes and words of thanks were shared between the group before Twilight, Cooper, Spike, and their guard escort exited the building. Rarity happily waved them off before closing the door behind them and resuming her work.
Now with their main task for the day finished, the group made their way toward the center of town, small conversation flowing between Twilight and Cooper.
"Sorry if Rarity was a bit overly giving. She's always been that way. It's just how she is." Twilight apologized.
"It's alright. Just wasn't used to it, is all." Cooper replied, glancing down at her.
"Whatdo'ya mean 'overly giving'? Is that even a thing?" Spike chimed in from behind.
"Some creatures aren't too fond of gifts being thrust onto them, especially after not being able to trust anypony for a long time." Sky explained, surprising the group with his sudden contribution.
"So you can talk when we're out here." Twilight noted, rubbing her chin as she squinted at the pegasus guard.
"Of course we can, Princess. It's just that we don't want to disrupt our charge while they're going through their daily routine." Midnight explained.
"Not to mention, Princess Celestia is usually stuck in really stuffy meetings with nobles and government officials from other countries, so in those circumstances... yeah, we tend to keep our mouths shut." Sky shrugged.
"I can see that. They get chattier when there isn't something super important going on." Cooper acknowledged.
"That's a good way of putting it." Midnight smiled, as they reached the fountain in the town square.
"So when you guys are off shift, what do you like to do?" Spike curiously asked, glancing at the guards.
"Depends on the day. Usually I like to go for a nice, relaxing flight through the clouds or maybe do some more dynamic flights through obstacles if I can find them." Sky listed.
"Sounds like you'd get along with Rainbow Dash." Twilight chuckled, prompting a gasp of excitement from the guardstallion.
"You think so!? I've been wanting to meet her ever since the young Flier's competition where she pulled off that sonic rainboom a couple years ago." Sky excitedly responded, surprising even Midnight with his sudden shift in temperament.
"You were there for that?" Spike questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, yeah. Basically half of Cloudsdale was there for that. Even if I wasn't, you didn't have to be at the coliseum to see that beauty. It was visible for miles." Sky explained, at a much more manageable volume.
"I see. Well, I could introduce you two, if you'd like?" Twilight offered, barely suppressing an amused giggle.
"Really?" Sky grinned.
Twilight nodded, "Really. In fact, I think she'd be very happy to meet a fan like-"
The water in the fountain suddenly exploded out, sending a geyser of liquid straight into the sky and raining down all over them. Immediately after, streamers and confetti rained down on all of them, and the rest of the ponies in the square suddenly stopped what they were doing, turning all of their attention to the spectacle that was happening before them.
"SURPRISE!!!" Pinkie suddenly shouted, popping out of the fountain with her party cannon still half submerged.
The soaking wet pink party pony beamed as her party favors fell all around the ponies and human, although, that didn't last for long.
While the rest of them saw streamers and confetti, Cooper saw snow. Bleak, whiteness encapsulated his entire world, surrounding him with a bitter chill that threatened to freeze him solid, should he let it. The sound of gunfire echoed in his head, and suddenly, he was back on Earth, bullets whizzing by. He was too stunned to move, let alone speak. Even through the chaos and frigid cold, he could hear a voice, calling out to him.
"Daddy!"
That was all it took, and without so much as a word, Cooper bolted in the direction of the voice. He rushed past houses and wrecked cars, leaving a trail in his wake. He heard voices calling out to him, but they were so muddled and faint that he paid them no mind, his mind completely focused on the danger his daughter was clearly in.
Bullets whizzed past him, the frigid air stung at his skin like needles, poking ever square inch of his body, and the raw, primal hunger he felt in his stomach could only be matched by the urgent need to save his family.
"Cooper!"
Mia's voice cried out for him; a bloodcurdling shriek that made his pupils shrink to pinpricks. With all the strength and power he could muster, he pushed himself even faster, rushing past the houses and past the charred remnants of the town until he reached the frozen tundra ahead. He didn't hesitate or slow down at all, instead simply rushing through the frozen greenery and into the forest that had to be the source of his family's cries.
On and on he ran, his legs carrying him like pistons in a motor running at maximum speed. Blood pumped through his body as he moved, snow stinging at his eyes while sweat poured from his body. He kept running and running until he finally couldn't keep running anymore, and with his chest heaving in exhaustion, Cooper slowly came to a stop beside a tree. He panted for breath, his hands on his knees as the taste of iron filled his mouth and his lungs burned in his chest.
Eventually, he looked up, only to find that he wasn't in a tundra at all. All he could see was green. Even worse, he had no idea where he was.
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Cooper used ptsd!
it was super effective.
Damn it, Pinky! I'd say read the room, but it's outdoors.
I wonder if other humans from Cooper's world will arrive?
Well, it was only a matter of time. Being a herd species living a relatively peaceful place, it wouldn't surprise me if the ponies barely have any concept of PTSD or other psychiatric disorders.
11848733
Unless Twilight and/or the other Princesses purposefully open the portal again to do some sort of rescue/humanitarian mission, it's unlikely. That door can only be opened from one side.
Looks like Pinkie triggered Coopers PTSD.
Damn. A full-blown flashback. Those can get nasty. Can't wait to see what's next.
11848686
I'd say Pinkie used SURPRISE which triggered Cooper's PTSD
Did you mean "flair" here?
Hate to see it. W cliffhanger
Damnit pinkie. I love when pinkie is portrayed as smart enough regarding loud sounds to the MC in stories and usually not a fan of her being none considerate however it was an alright pinkie surprise for this story so I shall eagerly await the next chapter.
DAMN STRAIGHT SHE'S HIS BIG SISTER! THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THAT!
11848733
Pretty sure Twilight shut down the portal after Gabe came through
Sir you are an absolute legend, and a big inspiration to me personally. I look forward to reading the next chapter
11848836
I did. My b lol
11849023
Aww, thank you! I really appreciate that ❤️
I try to do my best and tell the best story possible. It really means a lot to me to hear that so thank you
BAD PINKY BAD!!!! NO CUPCAKES, COOKIES, CAKE, MILKSHAKES, OR DESSERT FOR A YEAR!!!!
Pinkie, you dumb sack of shit 🤦♂️
Another great chapter. The way that you’ve portrayed Cooper’s PTSD so far has been really well done in my eyes. Look forward to seeing where this cliffhanger leads.
11851077
Thank you! I'm so glad to hear that. Trying to do it justice but it's definitely tough. Can't wait for you all to see the next chapter. Very exciting things coming then.
DEFINETLY loving this story so far! Can't wait for the next chapter!