The only chapter
The doctors office. A place where patients are examined and helped to become healthy again. That's not what Sound Box thought though.
Sound Box was a sky blue unicorn with a brown mane and blue eyes. He was 6 years old and he would go to school after the summer holiday. Sound Box was not a friend of the doctors. They had these weird instruments touching him and they always looked so evil, like they would eat him. Still, he didn't wanted his parents there, because he wanted to prove that he was a big colt. He sat on the exam table, shivering a bit in fear.
About a minute later, a white-ish mare with a nurses cap on the head walked into the room. "Hello there, little guy. You are Sound Box, right?" she said in a soft, gentle voice.
Sound Box saw the alabaster White Pony with a typical Nurse hat and a gentle smile coming in. She talked softly, but it really didn't do much to stop Sound Boxes shivering. "...Y...Yes..." Sound Box said with a meek voice, not looking at Nurse Redheart. Maybe he should've asked his parents to come with him, because he needed comfort.
Her smile grew a bit. "I see. I am Nurse Redheart and I will do the check up on you today" She walked over to him and put a hoof on his shoulder. That's when she felt that he was shivering. "Are you nervous?"
Sound Box felt a hoof touching his shoulder. He saw that the hoof belonged to the Nurse before him, who calls herself Redheart. His shivering intensified when he felt the hoof. Sound Box feared that the Nurse will do something to him, by using one of her dangerous instruments. He backed up a bit on the exam table, not liking that thought.
".... Sound Box? Are you scared of me?" redheart said, her smile shrinking a little bit. She didn't like it when patients, especially foals like him, were afraid of her.
Sound Box was already showing some Little tears building up in his eyes. He wanted to Show that he was a big colt, but that plan seemed to be a huge failure. All that he wanted now, was the comfort of his moms embrace. Sound Box made a fearful nod, while making a shaking "uh-huh" Sound. He was now sitting in a fetal Position, right on the examination table.
"I see..." redheart then hopped onto the table herself and actually sat down next to him, giving the colt a gentle stroking. "That is good. Fear is a super power after all. Still, there is no reason to be scared right now.Nopony is going to hurt you. I just want to make sure that you are strong and healthy."
Sound Box was a bit surprised that Redheart was jumping onto the table, since no doctor or Nurse ever did this before. Was that actually true? Is fear really a super power? His Little naive mind couldn't quite understand if it was true. The stroking lessened his shivering a bit. "B-but...." Sound Box said nervously, not able to form a whole sentence.
Redheart smiled at him again. "I know a doctors equipment looks quite scary, but none of these instruments are meant to harm or hurt you, Sound Box." her hoof kept stroking the nervous colt softly. The whole situation made her motherly side come to the surface. "I promise you, Sound Box... you have nothing to fear here."
Sound Box was indeed afraid of all the Equipment. In his foal like eyes, they looked like weapons to hurt his Body. For the first time, Sound Box looked up at Redheart. She had a Kind face and nice smile. "P-Promise?..." Sound Box asked nervously.
She smiled and nodded at the nervous colt. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye" she recited the Pinkie Promise. Pretty much everyone in the small town of Ponyville knew that little rhyme and what it meant. "All I really need to do is to take a look at your heart, ears and mouth really. I also have to take a small blood sample from you. That may sting for just a second but I promise it will be over before you even know it. And once we are done, I will give you some candy of your choosing. How does that sound?"
Sound Box actually knew what Redheart said. It was Pinkie Pies special promise. She was Holding his birthday Party a few weeks ago, and she said that no one can break it. The Sound of free candy also sounded very nice for Sound Box, but he was still unsure. Then he told to himself again: 'I am a big colt.' Sound Box wanted to prove to himself and everypony else, that he wasn't a Little foal anymore. He nodded. "O-okay Nurse Redheart....I-i think I can do it."
She nodded. "You're a brave colt, Sound Box." She then hopped off the table again and grabbed something that looked a little like a small spoon with a long handle. "Its a mirror" she explained to him. It helps me see inside your mouth and a little down your throat so I can check if you have a cold or something similar."
Sound Box was making a weird face with his mouth, indicating that he wasn't thrilled about the idea that the Nurse was looking inside of it. "I-I....they Always make me throw up...." Sound Box looked ashamed on the floor. Everytime someone was looking deep into his throat, he would choke up and throw up.
"Really?" redheart tilted her head a little, but she still smiled at him. "Even so, I have to take a look into your mouth. And you don't need to worry. If it happens then it happens. No need to feel bad or ashamed about it. I won't get mad at you. Also, we had patients making a far bigger mess in here before. hehe"
Sound Box looked up again, looking back at Redhearts caring smile. She actually seemed to care about Sound Boxes well being. "O-okay...." Sound Box was opening his mouth wide then. "Ahhhhhhhhh."
She chuckled. "I see you know the routine. good." She then leaned in and put the mirror in his mouth, careful not to go too far to keep him from gaging. "hmm... looks good so far... Say Ahh again"
"Ahhhhhh." Sound Box was going strong through this part of the checkup. Redheart actually was very gentle with him, as she didn't touched any of his gag reflexes whatsoever. He didn't knew if it was her, or his will to not throw up this time.
She smiled and retreated away from him. "Your mouth looks good so far. A little dry maybe but you can cure that by simply drinking a little more."
Sound Box was smacking his mouth for a bit. The handle part was tasting Kind of funny to him, but that was everything for him that wasn't his mothers haysticks.
"Now..." Redheart then grabbed something called an otoscope, which had a small lamp with a magnifying glass on the other end. "... we'll have a look into your ears."
Sound Box saw Redheart grab the Otoscope from the table, as he quickly covered his ears, thinking that it was some Kind of laser weapon, that would hurt his ears and eyes.
Redhearts smile still remained on her lips. "Don't worry," she said and turned the instrument on. "Its just a little flashlight I need too see the inside of your ears. See? Totally harmless."
Sound Box never saw this Instrument turned on and off before. He was looking at it Kind of curiously, like it was the greatest Invention in the universe. Maybe Celestia used like a giant Version of this, to light up the sun. Sound Box was actually smiling for the first time today at the sight of it. "Wow....that Looks cool...." Sound Box commented.
"It does, doesn't it?" she chuckled. "And it even has a nice magnifying glass on the other side" she said and turned it around for him to see it. "Really good for seeing very small things."
Sound Box couldn't help but form his mouth into an O. He was Kind of a curious colt and loved to know new things. He wondered if his mother could buy one of those things, since he probably could explore giant Caves with those.
Redheart smiled as she wondered what might be on the little colts mind right now. "You want to hold it for a minute?"
Sound Box looked at Redheart confused. Was she serious? He was never allowed to hold any of These instruments before, because they weren't for him and his old Doctor always thought he would break them. Sound Box made a cautious nod. "Y-Yeah....i Want to hold it...." He said nervously.
"Alright then" Redheart said wit a smile and held it out to him. "They are kind of sensitive though so please be careful not to drop it, okay?"
Sound Box was Holding out his little hoovsies and reached for the otoscope. He Held it with both of his hooves, looking at it from all sides. He had this look in his eyes, like it was some kind of Alien object. He faced the object to his face and turned it on, being flashed by the light. He was a bit blinded by it, but he let out a cute giggle.
Redheart actually chuckled a little too. "Usually you look through it from the other end. Hehe"
After turning the light on and off a few times, he heard what Redheart told him. He saw a Little magnifying glass on the other end. He looked inside of it, with the light turned on and made a whoa Sound. "You look so big..." Sound Box giggled again.
"I told you it is for looking at really small things. That's why I use it to look into your ear. Its very good at magnifying small things." Redheart explained to him.
"Oh...." Sound Box sadly didn't have any small things to examine, he just used it for another few moments to look at his very big hoovsies, as he imagined himself being a giant Pony. He wanted to grow up very fast, so he could become a rock star.
"Well, shall we go on with the check up?" Redheart asked after she let him play with it for a little longer.
Sound Box took a last look at his hoof and then turned the Otoscope off. "Okay Nurse Redheart...." Like a good colt, he handed the Instrument back to Redheart.
"Thanks." She said with that gentle smile of hers. "And please, just call me Redheart."
"Okay....Redheart." Sound Box was blushing a bit. He was always calling grown ups, who aren't his mom or dad with Ms. or Mr.
Redheart then inserted the Otoscope into his right ear, looking into it.
Sound Box the Instrument in his right ear. It felt very strange, as the object touched his inner ear. "It feels....weird." Sound Box commented, holding still the whole time.
"It does feel a bit odd, yes but you wont have to endure it for long. Hmm... noting suspicious in here..." Redheart then went on to his other ear and repeated the procedure. "... or here" she smiled. You really do look like a very lealthy young colt. Only two more quick tests to go."
Sound Box made another small smile at Redheart. "...T-Thank You." As of right now, she never hurt him and she always treated him respectfully. Maybe she really wasn't that bad after all. He remembered his first nightmare night, when he met Luna. She also looked a bit scary, but she actually seemed Kind of nice.
"Well then..." Redheart put that instrument away and instead picked up another one. A stethoscope.
Sound Box took everything back that he thought about for the last Minute. This Instrument was by far the worst for him. Not only did it look wrong, like it was some kind of tentacle Monster, everytime it touches his flesh it would burn him. "N-No...." Sound Box once again was keeping a distance to Redheart on the Table, back in a fetal Position.
"Huh? What's wrong, Sound Box?" She briefly looked down at the instrument and then at him again. "Does this scare you?"
Sound Box was still in his fetal Position, holding his backhooves tightly against his stomach, so the stethoscope can't reach it. He looked up at Redhearts concerned face and back to the Instrument. "....Monster....It burns my tummy...." Sound Box didn't knew any better, because for him, this Instrument was a Monster.
"A monster?.." She couldn't help but smile a little. The things a foals mind can come up with never ceased to amaze her. "This isn't a monster, Sound Box. It is called a Stethoscope and it is actually one of my favorite instruments to use. Here..." She said and came a very careful step closer to him"... I'll show you how it works."
Sound Box wasn't moving at all, as he kept himself in his Position. Right now, his childish fantasies where going through with him. He wanted to trust Nurse Redheart, but he wasn't really sure. His eyes where watering up as Redheart came closer to him.
"I am not going to hurt you, sound Box..." Redheart said softly and smiled at the young colt. "I promise you that you will be fine. I won't allow anyone or anything to harm you as long as you are here with me."
Sound Box remembered back to what Redheart said in the beginning. She Pinkie promised that he won't get hurt during any of this. He kept looking at the Stethoscope and was still afraid, but his trust for Redheart was stronger then his fear. He stayed in his Position, but he nodded at Redheart. "...Y-Yeah Redheart....O-Okay."
She smiled and once again joined him on the table. "Before I show you how it works, I have a question. Do you like Music?"
"Y-Yes Redheart...I really like Music." Sound Box really liked to listen to music. He knew when he was a big colt, he would become the most famous musician in all of Equestria.
That made Redheart smiled a little more. "Thats good. Music helps young ponies like you to develope strong and focused minds. But thats besides the point for now. "this..." she pointed at the instrument "... 'monster' as you call it actually woeks alot like a pair of headphones"
That made Redheart smile a little more. "That's good. Music helps young ponies like you to developed strong and focused minds. But that's besides the point for now. "this..." She pointed at the instrument "... 'monster' as you call it actually works a lot like a pair of headphones."
Sound Box still flinched a bit, because he was still a bit afraid of it, but he looked at it curiously. He really couldn't make the Connection with a pair of headphones and this....Thing, It just seemed too far out of this world. "....R-Really?" Sound Box was a bit skeptic.
"Yes. Here, let me show you..." She said and put the instrument on his head. "See? Kinda like a pair of in-ear headphones, isn't it?"
Sound Box was panting hard, when Redheart all of a sudden put the earpieces of the Stethoscope into his ears. They where pressing hard against his head and he was afraid that it might suck his Brains out, but after a few seconds of fear, he realized that nothing was Happening. He looked back up at Redheart, confused. "...It Feels t-tight..."
"I'm sorry..." She said and turned a small wheel that was located in the middle of the stethoscope where the two ear pieces met. The pressure he felt subsided as soon as she did that. "There, is that better?"
Sound Box could feel the earpieces loosen a bit, so they wouldn't press so hard against his ears. He then nodded at Redheart. "...Y-Yes it's better..." He was still a bit nervous, because he had no idea what to do with it.
She smiled. "Good. Now, this is why I like this instrument so much..." She then took the other end of it and put it to her chest. Suddenly, Sound Box could hear a rhymic sound in his ears.
*lub-dub..... lub-dub...*
Sound Box flinched once again when he heard a weird Sound in his ear, but he quickly relaxed again and listened carefully to the strange beat.
*lub-dub..... lub-dub...*
"Can you hear that?..." Redheart asked softly. "That is the sound of my heart..."
He never heard this Kind of Sound before. It sounded like Phil Coltins did one of his Drum Solos, but this was different. This sounded....nice. "....Y-Your Heartbeat?...." Sound Box said very quietly and listened further, enjoying the soothing Sound of Redhearts heart.
"Mhm..." Redheart answered while her heart kept beating.
*lub-dub.....lub-dub...*
"That is why I like this instrument so much... It lets me listen to my patients heartbeats... And I do like the sound of it. It has something... warm to it"
Sound Box begun to blush a little, continuing to listen to the wonderful Sound. It was really soothing and it actually made him Kind of sleepy. He really felt safe when he heard that Sound. "....It sounds....nice...." Sound Box blushed a bit more. "...Do i also have one?" Sound Box asked curiously.
"A heartbeat?" Redheart smiled warmly at him. "Of course you do. everypony has a heartbeat. here, let me show you..." She then placed the other end on his own chest and thats when he heard it.
*lub-dub. lub-dub.*
Sound Box flinched a bit when the other end touched his chest, since it was very cold metal. He was a bit shocked by the fact that the beat of his heart was a bit faster then Redhearts, but he still felt very safe listening to it. "It's so fast..." Sound Box curious eyes didn't disappear.
"Probablly because you are kind of nervous right now. When you relax it should be slow down to the same rate as mine" she smiled again. "How does it sound?"
Sound Box tried a bit to relax himself, but the Sound of the beat made it go up a bit more. This new discovery made him excited "It sounds....nice." Sound Box giggled at Redheart.
She giggled right back. "Could you let me listen to it now? We still have a checkup to finish"
Sound Box was a bit disappointed. He would've liked to listen a bit more, but he didn't want to disobey Redheart though and nodded with his head. "Yes Redheart..." His voice was mixed with disappointment and understanding.
"Thank you" she said as she took it from him. She put the earpieces and put the end on Sound Boxes chest. "Hmm...." She listened to the young colts heartbeat a little while, enjoying it for a moment before going back into work mode. "Sounds strong and steady to me. You seem to be in prime condition, Sound Box."
Sound Box Held still, while Redheart was checking his Heartbeat. He didn't want to say something, because he thought that Redheart might miss a beat or something. While Redheart was putting the end on different spots off his chest, he couldn't help but let out a few giggles, because it Kind of tickled him. "Hehe....Hehe." Sound Box Held back as good as possible.
His reaction actually made Redheart giggle a little again as well. "A little ticklish, are we? hehe"
When Redheart found out, Sound Box couldn't hold it back. He was giggling like the Little colt that he was. "Hahaha...please stop...Hahaha....that tickles." It wasn't a loud laugh, but a very cute one.
Even though she knew she shouldn't do that, Redheart couldn't resist and actually tickled him a little on purpose. "Got you now, Sound Box! Take that" she said with a bright laugh of her own.
Sound Box was continuing to laugh. Redheart was now using her own hoofs to tickle him on his chest. "Hahahaha....P-please Redheart....I Can't breath.....Hahahaha" Sound Box didn't knew that you could have so much fun at the Doctors.
"Never!" She replied. Eventually though he stopped tickling him. She had a very happy smile on her face. "That was fun..." She said after recovering from her laughing fit.
Sound Box was panting heavy after his giant laughing fit, but he really needed that after all the fear and anxiety he had to go through "....Yeah.....it was...." Sound Box said, between pants.
"Hehe." She smiled at him. "Well, we are almost done. One thing still remains. I have to get a small blood sample from you"
Sound Box knew that he still had to go through this. He was a bit afraid, but not as much as before, where he would almost cry and go into a fetal Position. Still, he didn't liked needles. "...W-will it hurt?..." He had full trust towards Redheart.
"I am not gonna lie to you..." She said as she got the syringe ready. "It will sting a bit at first. Do not worry though. It will be over before you know it, and I promise I'll be as gentle as I possibly can"
Sound Box trusted Redheart with those words. She said it would sting a bit, so technically, she wasn't breaking her Pinkie promise. He wanted to be brave and just take it, but he had one last request. "....C-Can You...." Sound Box was a bit nervous about what he wanted to say. "....H-Hold Me...." Sound Box became red again.
"Hold you?" That honestly came as a surprise for her. "Well... it'd be very difficult for me to actually get the sample if I was holding you... but you can lean against me if that helps. and after I got the sample I'll hold you. Deal?"
Sound Box was a bit disappointed. But he thought to himself: 'Don't cry now. You're a brave colt.' He surpressed the thought of crying and nodded to Redheart. "Yeah....Okay." Sound Box leaned very Close to Redhearts Body and just waited for the inevitable. "I am ready." Sound Box said very quickly, just wanting this to be over as soon as possible.
"Okay..." She took a deep breath to calm herself too. She placed the syringe on his right front leg and... Then quickly pushed it into his vein.
Sound Box was letting out a short gasp as Redheart pushed the needle inside of his front hoof, but he didn't want to scream or start crying, he was a big colt. He Held still the whole time, while Redheart was drawing the blood from him.
The small glass on the end of it quickly filled with his blood and Redheart quickly took the syringe out of his leg again. "there" she said after putting a bandaid on his leg before she pulled him close towards her. "All done now."
Redheart was holding him, as she has promised. It really wasn't that bad, but he threw his hooves around her, because he wanted to feel a bit safe.
Redheart closed her arms around him too, hugging the little colt close to her body. "You really are a brave colt, Sound Box. You did very well."
This kind of approval made Sound Box proud. He wanted to prove that he was a brave and big colt and now Redheart was confirming it to him. He looked at Redheart, his hooves still wrapped around her. "D-Do you mean that?"
"Of course I do" she said with a warm smile. "You really are a big colt already. Most colts your age wont even let me come near them with a needle, but you didn't even flinch. That was very brave of you."
Sound Box showed a cute smile and was red on his face. He never got so much praise from anyone like this before, but he really believed that Redhearts comment was genuine. "T-Thank you...." Sound Box said very shyly.
"You're welcome" she said and pulled him close into the hug again. 'He is so adorable!' she thought to herself.
Sound Box took the Invitation and hugged Nurse Redheart tight. His fears of doctors and medical tools has been gone for good and if it was him, Redheart could give him a checkup everyday. He then remembered what Redheart said at the beginning. "Can I get some candy, please?" Sound Box of course said please, because he had manners.
"Hehe, of course. What do you prefer, hard candy or something softy and fruity?" Redheart asked Sound Box.
Sound Box wasn't really picky when it Comes to candy, since he liked almost everything. It always depended on what he wanted right now and he knew what he wanted. "Something more softy, please." Sound Box said with a smile.
"Softy huh? Alright." Redheart opened a small box she got out of a drawer. He couldnt see what was inside but if her smile was any indication it was something nice. "Any particular flavor you'd like?"
"Do you have Lemon flavored candy?" Sound Box looked at Redheart with a cute smile. Sound Box loved Lemon flavored candy.
"Lemon? ... Hehe. You really are something special, Sound Box. Not many patients I have ask for lemon flavor. Lets see..." She looked through the box for a good twenty seconds before she produced a nice, big mug of gummy candy. "Here you go, Sound Box. I hope you will like them."
Sound Box looked up to Redheart with a big smile. He took the Gummy candy from Redheart. "Thank you Redheart. I will." He took the candy in his mouth and took some big chews from it, having a happy smile on his face.
Seeing him smile like hat made her smile as well. She loved to see patients happy, especially young ones like him. "Well, you're good to go now. It will be a day or two before the results from the blood tests come in, but I am certain they will be just as good as all the other tests." she chuckled a little. "I wish you a great day, Sound Box."
Sound Box was a bit sad that the check up was over. He had a lot of fun and learned a lot of things, like the various instruments and about the heart, but the most important Thing he had learned, was that there is no Need to be afraid of going to a doctor. He Jumped off from the exam table and walked towards Redheart, as his Little Body hugged her foreleg. "You're the best Nurse/Doctor ever." Sound Box complimented.
His words made her eyes tears up a little. She lowered herself to be on eye-level with him and hugged the colt close. "Thank you, Sound Box..."
Sound Box hugged tightly against Redheart. He didn't realize that she was tearing up a Little and just enjoyed the Little Moment that he had with Redheart.
Redheart gave him one last squeeze before she let go of him. "You should get going now. I am sure your parents will want to know how your check-up went"
Sound Box gave Redheart a last smile. He has to tell his parents of everything that happend. "Yes, i will. Thank you Redheart." He gave Redheart one last wave with his hoof and trotted out of the doctors Office, going to his parents that waited for him.
Redheart waved back with a soft if not a little sad smile on her face. Somehow, this little colt has really caught her heart and she too felt a little sad when they had to part. "What a sweet little guy..." She smiled a little to herself before she went to take care of the paperwork.