My Little Fortress: Dawnpick

by Paaaad

95

Oil Macepony shifted uncomfortably in the hospital bed. She'd certainly expected the languages to be a problem, but it was much more insurmountable than she had thought. She'd been taken care of well enough anyway... But the reason she had come to this particular fort is because he was here... what... what was his name in midpony? ...Let's see... She turned to the caretaker. "Powder... Miner Knothole? ... I know Powder... want see Powder... midpony very difficult, urgh." It was obvious that she was pained by having to use a language she knew very few words of, and she began muttering something in another language. Indeed, some had heard Powder Miner speaking that language before.

Panacea turns to face her newest patient, feeling a bit reassured that she was at least speaking now. "Powder Miner?" The mare's injuries were more than just a few bruises, but she should be alright to be left alone for a few minutes. "Oh... okay, let me see if I can find him." She arranges for Wool to keep his eye on her and sets off to see if she could locate him.

Panacea finds him hauling a boulder to a stock pile, chanting a work-tune.

She flags him down with a wave of her hoof. "Powder!" she calls to him, trotting closer. "There's somepony who was asking for you. In... the hospital."

"Huh." Powder parks the boulder in an out-of-the-way spot before moving toward the hospital. "Who?"

"Well, she knows you... maybe you know her." She leads him back to the hospital. "She wandered into town yesterday, and was a bit injured. I don't know that anypony has gotten her name out of her yet... she has some difficulties speaking our language."
She opens the door and moves inside with him, then up to the injured mare's bedside. "Um, I brought him here. Is this the pony you were looking for?" she asks.

Powder Miner's eyes widen and he practically sprints over to Oil Macepony. "Z.L?! Rweh zalen jun too?!"*1 he says to her.
She replies hesitantly. "...Zleh sal..." *2\

Panacea watches as the two converse in a language she didn't recognize, much less understand. The new pony would be fine, and she seemed to have somepony to talk to now at least, so she excuses herself and makes off to busy herself taking stock of her supplies again. Getting a bit low on soap...

"Zleh sal? Zeu yekjal je zleh sal?!"*3 Powder Miner was getting a bit frantic. He understood this to mean that something had happened to the ancestral clan city where Oil Macepony and earlier he had lived.
"...Zleh Diomedians."*4 Oil Macepony drooped a bit.
"DIOMEDIANS?" Powder Miner couldn't believe it. They'd done it. The Diomedians had attacked the clan city. He turned to Panacea because he may have startled her with that. "I meant my old home, the clanland city... ... ... the Diomedians attacked it, is what she's saying... she's... she's my lover, from the clan city... I... I need to think."

Panacea had certainly renewed her interest after hearing the word diomedians. She turns to face the two and gives him a concerned look. "I... I'm sorry to hear that. Do you want some alone time?" She glances to Oil Macepony. "She's going to be fine, her injuries weren't too serious."

"...Y-y-yes. We would."

Author's Note:

*1 ((O.M?! What happened to you?!))
*2 ((The city...))
*3 ((The city? What happened to the city?!))
*4 ((...The Diomedians.))