Comatose

by Vennyr Pony

Chapter 3: Unfortunate

Comatose

By: Vennyr assisted by: Exsivity

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Chapter Three:

Unfortunate

Part One:

Brink

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“Dead!?” I exclaimed in fear and confusion. The mass of ponies took a step back away from me; the only two who stayed put were the stallion and Phoebe.

“But of course… There’s really no other way that any of us would be able to see you, let alone communicate with you,” he said in a mildly surprised tone as he took a few cautious steps towards me.

“D-does that mean th-that… am I dead?” I whimpered as tears began to pour over my eyelids. The stallion looked at me quizzically.

“Celestia, no… You’re not dead… but you are close,” he said while taking another step towards me. “I wouldn’t really worry about it; we’ve met quite a few ponies like you. Rarely ever do ponies like you actually die when you’re in a coma,” he smiled as if this were to cheer me up.

“Then, why? Why all of this? Why… me?” I sank to my haunches and looked down at the ground sniffing, trying not to break into full on sobs. Phoebe snuggled up against me in an effort to calm me; It had worked, somehow the over affectionate filly’s presence comforted me.

“We all know how you feel…” she spoke in a gentle tone. I found myself wondering what could have happened to such a sweet filly; I wondered why, out of all the ponies in the world, she had to die at such a young age. “We were all in your situation at one time or another…” she nuzzled up against me. By this time I had ceased my moping and found myself nuzzling her in return.

“She’s right. She’s been here longer than any of us… or at least longer than those of us who didn’t decide to cross over…” the stallion remarked as he kneeled next to Phoebe and I.

“What… what do you mean?” I asked in curiosity as I regained my bearings and looked up at him. Not that I’m not an observant pony but my emotional state as of late had been distracting me from noticing very many details. He had a slate grey coat with a jet black (natural black) mane and tail that had a silvery white stripe through them and his cutie mark was that of a grey swirling cloud. His eyes were a deep navy blue that bore similarity (at least in appearance) to Phoebe’s and the other ghost ponies’ eyes. “Why haven’t you ‘crossed over’?”

“Well… the answer varies for each of us… Some of us chose to stay like this and roam the world forever… others are stuck here because…well…” he seemed to have lost his train of thought. Or rather not want to talk about it.

“Well… what?” I asked in a tone of curiosity that had abolished my previous emotional state.

“Or we were too young to pass on…” came an emotionless young voice at my side. I turned my head to see Phoebe staring back at me with a grievous expression. My Jaw dropped… I looked at her and all I could feel was sorrow; yet, not for myself, no, for this young foal who’s soul was damned to roam aimlessly merely because of the age at which she had died.

***

*[Later]*

For hours I had been chatting with Phoebe and Hurricane (of which I had found to be the name of the grey pegasus stallion). I had asked them many questions. None of which were to important past my own curiosity, yet still they answered them; They must have felt lonely, though they did have each other, they must have enjoyed talking to somepony who was outside of their circle. I had learned that only Hurricane and Phoebe stayed at the hospital, while other pony spirits drifted in and out seemingly for no reason at all. They stayed to help those fresh to the world of the dead to make peace with their situation and make their choice when the time came. I had asked what ‘choice’ they were talking about to which Hurricane replied;

“The choice to stay in purgatory or to pass on, and become one with all of nature.”

This answer perplexed me… however; I chose not to pry much further. I changed the subject slightly by asking him why he had chose to stay; to which he replied that he didn’t want to leave Phoebe alone, who, at the time was still new to purgatory; though she had been their longer than him, he hadn’t been very far behind.

“There’s still a question that I have… it’s been bugging me for a while,” I said as we trotted around the room full of ghost ponies.

“What is it?” Phoebe asked in her casual innocent tone.

“When I came here, I burst through some doors while following a pony that was wheeling away my body. The doors slammed behind me and made a loud noise…He looked directly at me, but he didn’t see me… I thought I couldn’t interact with anypony…” I said stopping and spilling out my confusion to my two new acquaintances.

Phoebe smiled at me and replied. “No pony can see or hear you, but you can still get their attention and interact with them in one way or another,” she explained while smiling up at me.

“You can interact with any inanimate object, and use that object to interact with somepony. You just can’t interact with anypony directly. Sometimes though it tends to frighten the pony that you’re trying to contact…” Hurricane almost laughed at the last part. I gave him a strange look, but it didn’t last too long before we began to chat again.

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Chapter Three:

Unfortunate

Part Two:

Captivity

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*[Earlier That Day]*

“What are we going to do now?” Octavia asked Scratch while she embraced their friend Bonbon.

“I’ve got nothing…” Vinyl Scratch replied in an unenthusiastic tone. “We should probably head home though…” she remarked in a tone of voice that would normally be considered out of character for her.

Octavia nodded in reply and began to lead Bonbon off down the street with Vinyl following closely behind.

***

“Are you sure that you’ll be okay?” Octavia asked; concerned for her friend’s well being. Bonbon merely nodded and stepped inside of her door. “We’ll come and pick you up at noon tomorrow, okay?” she explained.

“Oh, okay… thank you.” Bonbon whispered in a hushed and emotionally spent tone as she disappeared into the confines of her home.

Bonbon closed the door behind her and started to make her way into the kitchen; which would provide the most direct route to her bedroom. It was mid day but all she could think about was sleep. As soon as she set hoof in the kitchen her mother gave her a worried expression.

“What’s wrong dear?” Bonbon’s mother questioned in a soft motherly tone which was accompanied by a kind, caring stare in her daughter’s direction.

“W-one of my friends is in the hospital…” she whimpered in reply to her mother as she slouched to her haunches and began to sob.

“Which one of your little friends was it?” her mother asked in a very compassionate and caring tone.

“It…it’s Lyra…” Bonbon hesitated then continued to sob. “…Octavia and Vinyl were going to pick me up tomorrow… so that we could visit her…”

At the mere utterance of the name, Bonbon’s mother’s expression changed from tender and loving to hard and cold. “You are not going with them,” she commanded in a stern tone of voice.

The sudden change in tone and attitude from her mother startled Bonbon; she looked at her mother with eyes wide in surprise. “B-but why?” she asked in an innocent way.

“Because I told you so!” her mother yelled, her face beginning to turn red. “Now go to your room and stay there!”

Bonbon stared at her mother in disbelief and despair at her mother’s sudden cruel unfairness. Her sobs turned to tears and then to full blown crying as she galloped in the direction of her room.

***

*[The Next Day]*

There was a knock at the front door. Bonbon’s mother sighed and got to her hooves then began to make her way towards the door. When she opened it a white unicorn mare along with another mare that was a gray earth pony stood in front of her, the two looked content with the world around them.

“Is Bonbon here?” Octavia questioned in a casual tone. “We came to pick her up so we can visit or friend,” she explained.

“I’m so sorry girls, but my daughter is sick. She won’t be able to go with you two today…” Bonbon’s mother replied in a faux motherly tone.

Octavia and Vinyl exchanged confused glances with each other then turned to say something, however they were cut off by a door slamming in their faces.

Bonbon’s mother stood by the door a moment longer. She could hear their muffled remarks about her behavior being out of the ordinary. She sighed as soon as she heard their hoofsteps move away from the door.

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Chapter Three:

Unfortunate

Part Three:

Visitation

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*[Later]*

“Well… it seems that we’ve arrived.” Octavia said in formal tone.

“Why the sudden formality ‘Tavi?” Scratch asked glancing under her shades at her friend.

“We are in Canterlot, Vinyl. Quite a few ponies know me here,” Octavia remarked in minor annoyance towards the white unicorn.

“Putting on a show for your friends… got it.” Vinyl reworded in an attempt to vex her companion.

Instead of snapping at Vinyl, Octavia just grunted in annoyance as she made her way through the double doors of Canterlot General Hospital. The waiting room was enormous, at least with the surprising lack of ponies that is. The couches and chairs that lined the walls looked comfortable enough to sleep on. There was a small palm tree growing from a circular soil-filled depression in the center of room. Behind the tree sat a bored looking mare at the reception booth which was supported by the stereotypical marble columns of Canterlot.

The two visiting mares approached the one behind the reception desk. She wasn’t doing anything of much importance; she was merely reading a magazine that lacked anything of interest to either of the two.

“Excuse me, miss?” Octavia spoke up in an attempt to gain the mare’s attention. The mare however paid no attention to her. “Miss-“

“Hey lady!” Scratch yelled loudly in complete disregard of any patience that she may have been previously demonstrating.

The mare jumped at the unexpected outburst then turned, glaring daggers at the two. “May I help you?” she asked in a very snobbish manner.

Octavia opened her mouth to say something but was swiftly cut off by Scratch. “Yes you may. See, my friend and I here came to visit a friend of ours who was admitted here recently. Would you mind telling us which room she’s in before I…” she was quickly silenced by Octavia who covered her mouth with a hoof.

“Her name is Lyra Heartstrings; could you please tell us what room she’s in?” She asked before taking her hoof off of Vinyl’s mouth.

The mare rolled her eyes then went to a filing cabinet and removed a file folder with the name Heartstrings, Lyra embroidered on a small tab at the top of it. She opened flipped open the folder. She looked over the contents for a few moments before looking back up at the two other mares.

“She’s in room 111 on the second floor.” she stated before replacing the file and returning to her magazine.

***

“She’s in here,” stated a different nurse as she escorted both Vinyl Scratch and Octavia into the hospital room.

The two stared at Lyra in disbelief for a few moments before setting ‘Get Well’ cards as well as flowers at the small desk beside her bed.

“Wh-what happened to her?” Octavia asked the nurse (who was still standing in the doorway supervising).

“We aren’t entirely sure. Her parents brought her here, when she arrived she was badly injured, hence all of the bandages…” the nurse replied compassionately.

“How bad is…” Octavia started but was cut off by the sound of a glass vase shattering.

The three ponies turned to see the vase broken on the floor. At first Octavia expected that Scratch had been careless but looking to her side she found that Scratch couldn’t have caused the vase to fall unless she purposely smashed it with her magic; something she wouldn’t do in a situation such as this.

“I… must have put it to close to the edge…” she dismissed the event before turning back to the nurse. “How bad is her condition?” she asked in concern.

“Unfortunately… she’s on the threshold of going into critical condition. It’s actually a surprise to me that you two were clear to come in and visit her…” The nurse said in a compassionate way.

“Oh, okay… Come on Vinyl… it’s getting late, we had better get going…”

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Chapter Three:

Unfortunate

Part Four:

Curiosity

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*[Earlier]*

“What do you mean?” I asked in confusion at an earlier remark made by Hurricane.

“He was explaining that we won’t be able to communicate with you, after the sun comes up that is…” Phoebe answered in his stead. She was looking up at me with her stereotypical innocent expression.

“Why won’t you be able to?” I asked, my confusion still had not been laid to rest.

“When daylight comes, we’ll disappear from even your vision. We’ll still be here but we won’t be able to talk to you. Actually none of us will be able to interact with each other; we’ll be completely on our own until night fall…” she replied that adult tone that, as before, didn’t fit her appearance, or personality for that matter.

“Why? Why won’t we be able to see each other?” I asked; the explanation for my previous question only raised others. My only problem was that I couldn’t figure out a wording for any of them; so I went with the simplest one that I could come up with that remained on topic.

“I… we… never really understood it ourselves…” Phoebe answered with a slightly saddened and confused glance up towards hurricane.

“Oh… okay.” I spoke softly, my feelings had mixed somewhere between embarrassment for asking in the first place and sorrowfulness for the two ponies.

The two suddenly began to fade before my eyes… sunrise must have been closer than I had thought. I tried to stop them from going… but… they disappeared before I could reach them. None of this made any sense to me… I still didn’t understand why. I sank to my haunches in front of where they stood previously, I wasn’t ready and… I didn’t want to be alone… not again…

***

I returned to my room. I didn’t know where else to go, I mean I couldn’t stay I that room, not alone… When I entered the room itself I couldn’t help myself. I stood over and stared at my immobile body. I was connected to several machines; a heart monitor, an IV, (which is what I had heard a doctor pony call this needle sticking into my veins, the thing was connected by a small tube to a plastic bag full of some liquid) as well as a few other things of which I couldn’t describe. My wounds were bandaged and stitched up, my broken bones were in braces, and my head was wrapped with (now blood stained) gauze around the area where my horn once protruded.

I felt tears begin to swell in my eyes. I didn’t want to cry… but I couldn’t help it. I hated feeling sorrow for myself, I never enjoyed wallowing in my own self pity… but there was nothing I could do. I trotted sluggishly to a corner and laid down, I didn’t feel tired; somehow I doubt ghost ponies need any form of physical rest such as sleep, however I closed my eyes, then went out like a light.

When my eyes opened again I saw Octavia and her friend Vinyl Scratch setting things at the side of my bed. It took a moment for my eyes to register that they were ‘get well’ gifts… My tears returned for a few moments before I got to my hooves and made my way over to where they had set the gifts. As I did this I could hear Octavia speaking with my nurse, I couldn’t make out the words, but the nature and tone of Octavia’s voice suggested that they were talking about me…

I stopped next a small desk at my bedside (of which they had placed things such as cards and a vase full of flowers). Tears once again began slowly trickled down my cheeks… but these tears were not of sadness, but of joy… Though not much brought joy to me as of late… I took some comfort in the small things that my friends had brought me.

I looked over at Octavia and looked down at the vase on the desk. I didn’t want to do what my thoughts said… but… if there was any hope to make contact with somepony; now would be the right time. I set my hoof on the desk and gently pushed over the vase. It fell off the desk’s edge and shattered on the hard floor. The noise that ensued caught the attention of everypony inside the small room. They all looked surprised and confused, Octavia muttered something but I didn’t hear it. She turned back to the nurse and continued their conversation before signaling Vinyl and leaving.

After they left, the nurse lingered in the doorway, staring at where the vase had fallen. She gave a confused and mildly scared look yet shook it off and walked down the hall towards where-ever she had been off to.

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Chapter Three:

Unfortunate

Part Five:

Distaste Revealed

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“What are we going to do? Our daughter’s little unicorn friend is in the hospital!” Bonbon’s mother almost shouted in an angry tone as she stared at her husband. “If she heals there’s no telling what could happen to us!”

“Calm down dear, there isn’t much else we can do…” Her husband replied trotting over to their bedroom’s closet door and swiftly opening it.

Bonbon’s mother gazed inside then grinned maliciously. “Dear, have I told you how much I love you?”

***

There was a knock at the front door. Bonbon’s mother galloped from deep within the confines of the house to answer the door. Her usually up-kept mane lay in disorganized strands about her head as well as in her face; some strands that lie about her head were dyed black and clashed with the usual colors of her mane.

She opened the door to find the same to young mares that had visited earlier, though now they stood against a sunset bathed background rather than the mid-day one from several hours previous.

“What can I do for you girls?” she asked in her now casual faux motherly tone.

Octavia nodded her head then reached into one of her saddle bags and pulled out a box of chocolates. “Could you give these to Bonbon as a get-well gift?” she asked while holding out the box in her front two hooves (barely managing to balance on her hind ones).

“Oh… uh, sure.” Bonbon’s mother replied while she took the box of candy from Octavia.

“Thanks. I hope she starts to feel better soon,” she said before signaling her companion Vinyl and taking their leave.

Bonbon’s mother watched them as they trotted away off to where-ever their destination lied. She slowly retreated inside of her home. Once inside she made her way to the bathroom (after placing the box of candy on the kitchen table). She peered into the mirror before her, the sight that embraced her vision was that of her own self yet it wasn’t her; beneath her half dyed matted hair her cyan, pupil constricted, eyes were full of pure hatred and malevolent intentions.

***

Emotionally spent; Bonbon had been within the confines of her room for the length of the day. She had remained awake throughout the previous night in an emotional spike that drove her to destroy every hint of order within her room. The place had been wrecked by her own hooves. After her emotional tirade had subsided, she found herself passed out in the center of it all.

When she came too, Celestia’s sun was setting to make way for Luna’s night. She gazed out the window and sighed before turning to the mess that she had made. Slowly she started to rearrange everything, collecting all of the unbroken items and returning them to their original positions and places. Her room began to look noticeably cleaner when she heard her mother’s voice call out to her from the front of the house.

“Bonbon! Your father and I are going out! Dinner is on the table as well as a gift that your friends brought for you!” her voice was followed by the sound of the front door slamming.

Slowly, Bonbon made her way out of her bedroom and down the hall into the kitchen where she found a daffodil and berry sandwich as well as what appeared to be a box of chocolates waiting for her at the table. Calmly she took the seat nearest to her food. Gingerly, she took a bite of the sandwich; she chewed and swallowed what was in her mouth before proceeding to spontaneously toss the sandwich across the room as well as the chair the she had previously been sitting on. After her sudden out of character outburst she angrily ripped a scarf off of the coat rack and stomped her way out of the house before slamming the door shut behind her.

***

It took about fifteen minutes for her to reach her destination, Canterlot General Hospital. She trotted calmly through the double doors of the visitor center but almost got thrown over by two ponies that were clad in black and making a hasty exit. She turned and watched as they slipped into the darkness of the now night shrouded city.

“That was strange…” she remarked with a quizzical look in the direction that the two disappeared. Shaking it from her mind she trotted up to the help desk in high hopes that visiting hours were not yet over. “Excuse me miss?” she asked the mare who was managing the desk.

“Yes ma’am?” The nurse replied in a kind tone as she turned to face Bonbon.

“Are visiting hours still open?” Bonbon asked in curiosity and hopefulness as she stared anxiously at the clock.

“Actually they are; however, there’s only about twenty minutes left until they’re closed so you will have to make it quick.” The nurse replied neutrally as she trotted over to a filing cabinet. “Who do you intend on visiting?” she asked.

“Her name is Lyra Heartstrings…” Bonbon faltered slightly.

“Heartstrings, Heartstrings…” The nurse muttered as she checked each file individually. “Ah, here we go; Heartstrings, Lyra. It says here that she is in room 111, second floor. Hmm… she’s had quite a few visits today. I’m glad to hear that there are ponies who care for her,” she smiled as Bonbon took her leave.

***

It took a couple of minutes to find the room, yet Bonbon managed to navigate the many hallways of the hospital. As soon as she had approached the door she drew in a deep breath then proceeded to open the door.

The vision that swam across her sight shocked her. There she was, Lyra, except all of the machines that had been connected to her were either unplugged or disconnected from her. She was bleeding profusely; the ruby-red liquid pouring from her mouth and leaking out of fresh wounds that littered her body.

Bonbon’s eyes grew wide, she couldn’t believe the sight that befell her eyes; yet, it was there, as plain as day itself. What happened next was brought about by her subconscious. A shrill, mortified, shriek pierced the serene atmosphere of the hospital followed by the loud thud of Bonbon’s unconscious body making contact with the tile flooring.

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End Chapter Three

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I do not own the rights to either Hasbro or My Little Pony Friendship is Magic

Thanks to all of the readers who patiently waited for this update ^w^

Comments

[CityFlyer502]

This has gotta be one of the most interesting story ideas I've ever seen. What happened to Lyra may be a tad on the violent side, but it's sure been keeping me at the edge of my seat. Really enjoyed what I've read so far; can't wait for what's next.

[Hilltopper]

Ayiyiyiyi!

I'm taking it Bon-bon's folks don't take their daughter being a fillyfooler all that well...

TINFOIL HATS~!

Or perhaps they're part of the Combine keeping the rest of Equestria from knowing about the humans... always watching... always smiling....

[jwolfe]

I was shocked to find out that Bonbon's parents did it.
Well, that's what I can predict. But, whatever. Lyra died. BBs parents talking about it and if she heals. Two ponies CLAD IN BLACK leaving
the hospital. Bonbon finding Lyra disconnected from the IV. :|

Hmm, Mr. and Mrs? Could you come with us? We need to talk.

Edit: Oops! Lyra DIDN'T die. And THEN she died.

[kjaslwod]

Good to see this here! This makes tracking WAAAAAAAAY easier

[DJ Cobalt]

just epic

[Vennyr Pony]

546477
I've finished the next chapter, i need to get it edited as well as finish the last one so that the story will be completed on the next update
Exams are almost over with at school so i'll be able to get back to it then.

[Nikkori]

Decided to eat an apple while reading this. Nearly choked and died.