Little Bunny Crescent is critically injured in a freak playground accident. Will she survive?
Bunny Crescent was a young adopted filly living with her father Shimmer Cuddle. They both lived a wonderful and happy life together, and led normal lives, ignoring the fact that Bunny had no mother to help raise her. One day, during a normal recess at school, Bunny has a little accident. Will Shimmer be able to aid his little filly to health, or will the help of something greater cause her to pull through?
*Disclaimer: this has no involvement with any of the actual characters from the MLP show, and is strictly an OC fanfic. If you do not wish to read it, please do not view or down vote it*
Shimmer walks up to the building where Aura has been staying, a grave look holding to his face. He carefully pulls tape and a pre-prepared note out of his saddle bag and places the note onto the door in a way to where it will not fall off or be blown away by wind. Shimmer nods his head and contemplates weather to knock or just leave. His ambition getting the better of him, he decides to go ahead and knock, but waste no time in leaving afterwards, pulling the hood over his head and covering his luscious mane, and galloping away at a hurried pace. The note which he left on the door had been written in neat precise handwriting, meaning Shimmer really took the time to think this note out and write it. There are some remnants of tear drops around the edge, but otherwise the paper perfectly reflects on the stallion’s neat freak personality. But the neat set of the note cannot ever completely hide the grim news that is held within its words. As Shimmer walks home, he reflects on the note itself reads:
"11/7/2014 Dear Aura, Please forgive me for simply walking and not coming in and telling you personally. I cannot be away from home too long, otherwise I would have done so. I have terrible news, and it involves Bunny Crescent. At day care today, while I was at work, Bunny was playing on the monkey bars at the playground during recess. She doesn't fit in well as it is, and her being an orphan, and having a father who is single with no mother to take proper care of her, she does get made fun of. The bullies of this day care had somehow peer pressured her into trying to fly. She is 1-year-old, she cannot possibly fly. The bullies, being a few years older, had helped her onto the monkey bars and told her exactly what to do. But the bullies did not calculate that she cannot carry her own weight on her undeveloped wings. With this, she tumbled...and not for the better. When she landed, she landed on her back, causing her to break one of her wings, as well as snap a vertebrae in her neck. She had a concussion, but is conscious and stable now. I know you are about to leave Aura, and its very selfish of me to ask you of this, but can you come and comfort her when I can't for work? She trust you over all my mare friends as a motherly figure, and she truly loves you Aura. My work schedule is very flexible, and happens to be that I work at the same hospital, but I cannot always be there for her. Again, I know you are about to leave, but I would greatly appreciate if you did this for me Aura. She is not closer to anyone else (With me for an exception).
With great love and care, Your dearest friend, -Shimmer Cuddle"
And with that, Shimmer is gone. Upon the door, hung with tender love and care, the note being the only evidence of his presence, hoping that the inhabitant of the building will soon find its existence.
***
With the rising of the sun the next morning, Aura goes to the hospital as swiftly as possible to find Shimmer, worried about Bunny and her health.
"Shimmer where are you!"
She burst out as she barges through the doors of the facility, not caring to what it is the other patients and workers are doing, only hoping that the filly she loves is safe and in good care. After being confronted by one of the nurses on duty in the waiting room, she is directed to the room where the little filly in distress is kept.
She traverses the halls of the vast hospital, ambitious to find the room that contains Bunny, and hopefully Shimmer as well. She takes turn after turn, only stopping to check she is headed in the right direction. After finding the room, she slowly opens the door and observes the blue stallion hunched over the bedside that may hold his sleeping daughter.
Shimmer hears the door creak silently, and looks up from his designated post.
"Aura, you came!" He cries as he leaves Bunny's bedside, approaching Aura goes to give her a hug thankfully, lightly nuzzling her neck before letting go. "Thank you very much for coming. I cannot thank you enough."
The Alicorn smiles with a slight chuckle "Yeah, of course I came. You mean a lot to me Shimmer.” She responds she hugs him back, smiling from having seeing him again
"My mother wants me to teach weather to the unicorns and pegasi. I have to stay here a bit longer than what was expected, so I was in town"
Shimmer smiles brightly as the news reaches to his ears.
"She does? So that means you’re staying now?"
"It is only for a first term to see how many turn up. So where is she?” Aura ask, swiftly changing the subject from her to the filly in pain.
Shimmer reluctantly motions to the bed, where a small hump is formed under the covers, then leads Princess Aura to her.
"She I asleep right now, and she won’t really be able to move for a good while as she heals."
The benevolent stallion describes the condition of the babe as Aura sits, listening respectfully to show she is understanding Shimmer’s situation. Shimmer reaches out again and hugs Aura as they both overlook the peaceful slumber of the filly.
"Thank you very much for coming Aura, I don't know what I would do if someone else wasn't here" His voice falters as emotion fills his mind, which is not hidden at all with the croak of his voice as it leaves his lips.
“I am sure she will be fine Shimmer, as long as you care a lot" Shimmer rolls his shoulders and lets out the reluctant huff of a sigh
"I care more than the world.” He pauses, “But with my job, I have been back and forth between her and other patients." His voice breaks off again as he looks at the sleeping filly. It is apparent from his messy mane and sagging eyes that Shimmer has been up all night, and possibly the night before, stressing over his broken daughter, "I don't quite have the time to be with her sometimes” He stops and takes a moment to let his words sink in as he realizes the reality of the condition for the first time.
Aura realizes the distress of her close friend, and decides that her herself may be able to help him and take some of the weight of this world off of his shoulder.
"Shimmer,” She begins, “I can be by her side if you would like me to. It might help more with a mare by her side than a stressing father who has to decide whether to stress over her or support his patients."
She looks over at the sleeping filly, smiling a little, then looks back to Shimmer. Shimmer nods and leans against Aura unintentionally, feeling comforted to have her warmth touching against him.
"That would help a lot Aura, I don't think you understand" His voice fades again, his sudden burst of energy to welcome the princess having spent the last of his energy he had stored "It helps a lot."
"I will shimmer to help you out.” She smiles and motions to him to go attend to his business, “Go do what you need to do, ok? I’m always here to help" She sits next to the bed, holding her wings over the filly smiling looking compassionately at Shimmer.
Shimmer smiles gently ad gives Aura one last hug, filled with all emotion to his daughter, hoping his friend can help her mend
"You do not mind watching her while I rest?" Shimmer ask, as he looks at his messy complexion in the mirror for the first time, embarrassed to have allowed himself to go this far in personal appearance over his job.
"Sure.” Aura starts, “Go relax and take some alone time to cool down. I will be here by her side watching over her as if she were my own." She lets out a coy set of giggles while looking at the state of her friend, distressed that his situation had allowed him to loose himself in his mind and health. "Trust me, you need it.”
Shimmer observes around the room, familiar as he had worked in many rooms of the building identical in every way to this one, the only difference being it is his filly in the bed other than some reckless daredevil teen or elderly patient. He tries his best to rest and get situated in the generic recliners and tries his best of efforts to get comfortable, a blanket wrapped around to his chest and legs, a pillows supporting his head up.
"Aura" Shimmer says really quickly.
"Yes Shimmer, what is it?" She looks over to him in his perch, smiling lightly.
"You do not understand how much this means to me," He sits up and looks Aura in the eyes to show how serious and sentimental this moment is to him, "How much you mean to me dear." *Holds his eye contact as he awaits for what her response to him will be.
She blinks, and has a pause, then smiles heart warmingly to comfort the distressed stallion wrapped in a blanket. "Tell me when your awake now Shimmer, okay? Now sleep."
Shimmer smiles in return and leans back in the chair to lead himself slowly to sleep "Thank you very much Aura."
He then cuddles and wraps the blanket close to him and closes his eyes, thinking of his thankfulness and appreciation for the beautiful Alicorn watching his young daughter.
"Sleep tight Shimmer." Aura looks at him concerned, covering Bunny with her majestic slate grey wing lightly to keep her safe and protected, as if an invisible danger were wishing to whisk her away, and the mass of feathers were the only thing to protect her.
Shimmer tosses and turns somewhat violently in his sleep, as well as mumbles in-audible coos narrating the dreams and troubles of his slumbers, but soon finds comfort after he starts to cuddle his pillow in his hooves as if he were hugging Bunny herself close to his bosom, keeping his mind sound and causing his sleep to clear.
Aura watches over both the sleeping figures, smiling over the angelic appearance of ponies as they slumber deeply.
"Sleep tight my angels.” She whispers quietly as a gentle breeze to the night, calming the setting of the room and bringing a new atmosphere to the rest of the area.
***
The door opens the next morning, a nurse mare enters with a professional atmosphere surrounding her sleek, white dressed complexion.
"Shimmer, sir, we need you in room S-201" She announces out as if to catch the attention of every sleeping creature within a mile distance around the hospital.
Shimmer himself, still being at a deep rest, does not hear the nurse though, despite the impact it had made over the rest of the hospital.
"Shimmer is still asleep at the moment, he needs his rest" Is the answer given to the medical professional, delivered off the sophisticated tongue of Aura.
The nurse, taken aback at the sudden response, nods, but is urgent with the tone of her next response.
"It is dire ma'am, if you do not mind waking him" Aura sighs, and stands to move across the room to her sleeping friend. She leans over to him and nudges him gently.
“Shimmer, it’s time to wake up" Aura coos in a motherly tone, more to comfort the stallion in a warm environment, giving him something beautiful to wake to in a disease ridden hospital.
Shimmer stirs sluggishly and looks up to the beautiful mare waking him, letting out a goofy smile, not caring that it may embarrass him later. He then remembers that he is in the hospital, and quickly climbs up out of the chair to look at Bunny, swiftly putting his glasses on.
"Has she slept this whole time?" He asked hurriedly with a desperation peaking in his voice.
Aura’s eyes widen at the sudden change in image, but doesn’t miss a breath in her response.
“Yes she has Shimmer. Now go to work, I am by her side. Now go." She playfully commands of him as Shimmer now notices the nurse standing over by the door of the room.
The blue stallion smiles and approaches the mare Alicorn, reaching to hug her in a friendly gesture.
"Thank you for watching her Aura, but I guess I must leave now." He reluctantly releases her and goes to grab his coat hanging in the corner of the room along with his ID badge.
"And you’re okay with staying with her?" He ask once more to ensure that his friend is not agitated at his selfish action of asking her to spend her time on his child with only friendly gestures to pay her.
With the nurse rushing him, he frowns and leaves the room, unable to hear Aura's response. After the door is shut, the room simply lays quiet for a few minutes, until the young filly stirs and wakes.
She is unable to move her neck due to the brace, so she simply moves her eyes to observe the area around the room. Her eyes lastly fall on Aura, and she produces a weak smile and squeaks, "Mommy!"
"Shhhh, just rest little one. I’m here for you." Aura slowly brushes her wings over the little filly to show that she is truly there to comfort her and let her presence become one with her own.
The young pony shivers at her soft, comforting touch, but a smile still found its way onto her cheeks.
"I brought the star" She tries her best to motion to her saddle bag by her bed, containing the present the Alicorn princess had given her as a token of her love just a week before the incident. "It protects me" The filly weakly describes.
She smiles at the thankful gratitude of the filly at the present given to her. “It always protect you little filly. It is a part of me." She simply responds in her most motherly of tones, a loving smile cresting her cheeks at the affectionate eyes of the babe.
The filly stared to the motherly figure, wide-eyed in awe
"It will always?"
"Yes, it will." Producing a soft giggle as she responds to the questioning attitude of the young child.
"Like an Angel?"
The ever persistent being ask with an awe-struck tone. The mare reflects on her own Alicorn status and understands what her magical appearance and atmosphere could confuse a young filly and give off the appearance of an angel.
"Yes, like an angel. Just for you."
Bunny giggles and motions to her presumed mother for a hug.
"You're my angel mommy."
"Yes dear, I’m your angel watching over you" Aura leans over and gives the filly a compassionate hug, pressing her body gently to the babe, allowing for her warmth to transfer from her bosom to the small body within the bed. Bunny nuzzles Aura's neck as best she can, comforted by her warmth and touch, desperately wishing to have more in her own selfish notion for her mother’s love.
"I love you mommy" She simply gives with a cute squeak into Aura’s neck.
"I love you too Bunny.” Aura responds, “Hey, Bunny, don't tell you father, but I have something planned for you" Aura gives a small, childlike giggle as she remembers a spell that she can easily be used to cheer up any child in a distressed situation.
The young pony looks up to the majestic figure, releasing her small hug. “You do?"
Aura nods, then looks up as her horn glows. Silver light produces from her horn, and slowly swallows her body in spiraled tendrils around her body as she turns herself to a size of a small child’s toy for the filly. She now opens her eyes and takes flight, landing on the bed where the child now sits, smiling up to her in success of her new spell.
"What do you think Bunny? Do you like it? " She spreads her wings and stretches to bring comfort in her new form, making herself seem larger, but still only appearing to be the size of a medium figurine young colts play with in the sandbox at school.
Bunny giggles at the small pony that now sits in front of her, but looks at Aura curiously and somewhat amazed by her new composure. She had never seen something like this before, and was transfixed.
"You so tiny!" Bunny giggles more in her childish stupor, and picks up the dwarfed mare gently.
Aura balances gently in her hooves at the sudden gesture, but swells her chest and smiles.
"Just for you Bunny, but don’t tell your daddy. I’m your toy to make you happy"
Aura flaps he little wings to escape the grasp of her child, just floating above her now so she may talk to her normally and without a towering figure to distract.
Bunny simply watches Aura in awe. "Why not tell Daddy?" Bunny ask to fulfill the curiosity broiling within her young mind as she grasp at reasons the mare would wish her not to tell her father.
"Your father will get worried.” Aura nods as she flies around the room, letting her own childish temptations take the best of her as she lets out small giggles of satisfaction.
"Why would he?" Bunny asks the acrobatic pony in flight over her head, paying more attention now to the maneuvers and turns, more than the words leaving her mouth and entering her ears.
"It is because I’m so small, I might get squished" She now lands on Bunny’s nose, giving a victorious beam at her safe landing.
Adjusting her eyes, she looks at the mare tickling her nose. "That is scary" she says in realization of the dangers her mother’s size may possess if she were to stay far too long.
Aura laughs and jokingly adds to her justification, "I could get squashed!” she gives a confident smirk, knowing this would not happen to her, though she still does wish to be ever careful.
"I no want that," The filly looks at Aura again somewhat scared and babbles out, "Please don't."
"If I am with my big strong filly, I am sure I will be safe"
Bunny’s lips crease into a smile, realizing what Aura has said to her. "Am I that filly?"
The Alicorn slowly bows her head into a nod. "Yes you are that little filly"
The young filly bends down to lick Aura’s check "I will protect you, and you protect me"
"No. you will be strong to help you recover faster, my little filly"
"I have been trying…" she sighs, letting out her agitation. Sitting in a hospital bed all day has really taken a toll on the young filly. "But I am hungry"
"What would you like to eat little one” The young princess inquires, noticing the shift in attitude of the foal
"They only have jelly here" She motions to an old cup with hospital Jell-O remnants within it.
"What would you really like then?"
"Just Hay" She smiles innocently. As a young filly that is all she could be is innocent. A hoof is then raised as she motions towards Shimmer's saddle bag "I think Daddy brought me some for when I feel better"
Aura stoops her head, her horn growing a spark of dark majestic blue, dissipating into a bright white at the end of the sparks, making herself her normal size. She then sits on the bed by the little filly, stooping a bit to grab the saddle bag which the foal had motioned to. Within it are a few papers and books, and a small bag of hay, not fresh but certainly more appetizing than any of the gel within the hospital. She removes the sac, unwrapping it to expose the contents within. She tosses away the sack, hearing it crackle as plastic does, and holds her hoof out to the filly.
Bunny reaches for some of the hay, smiling at the golden light shining on it. It really is her favorite food at such a young age, and she could not help but lick her lips at the site of it. Placing it in her mouth, her inner walls instantly begin to salivate. She winces as she chews and swallow being that she is still in pain, but is happy to have something solid in her stomach within her stomach that would actually stay and digest much rather than flow right through her.
"Thank you mommy" She smiles up to her Alicorn, showing her gratitude for the notion, but then looks to Aura deep in thought, being somewhat revived by the new food in her system
"Mommy, do you like Daddy?" She looks to Aura, trying to read her face for change in posture
"Yes sweetie i like your daddy a lot, and he means a lot to me " she smiles looking at the door just in case Shimmer might have walked in, hearing their little conversation.
The door is closed and their little secret is safe.
