Preparations
“Sweetie Belle, it’s time to wake up, darling.” Rarity’s lilting voice called from the threshold of her sister’s bedroom, but all her wake up call did was prompt her sister to put her head under her pillow.
Rarity sighed and walked in, sitting by her sister. “You need to get up, your appointment is in an hour.”
She looked out from under her pillow at her older sister. “But I don’t want to go, Rarity. My teeth feel fine!”
Rarity sighed and put a hoof to her forehead. “We’ve been over this, Sweetie Belle. They’re growing in crooked and while they may not be hurting now if they don’t come out they’ll most certainly cause you problems later.”
“Then why do they have to come out now? Why not wait?” Her tone was impatient and annoyed, but it was understandable. They had to be at the hospital by 6:30 and despite getting Sweetie Belle to bed earlier it was still a struggle to get up at this hour.
On the other hoof, Rarity had had to resist the initial overwhelming urge to silence her alarm clock at the first ring it made, but she jolted herself awake by literally rolling out of bed. She’d let her sister sleep while she did her mane and makeup but now it was time to go. “How about this, if you get up now I’ll let you have a sleepover with your friends, and let them stay all day after, too. After you’ve healed, I mean.”
“Really?” Sweetie Belle peeked out from under her pillow. She was still groggy, but the promise of a sleepover plus getting to hang out with her friends all day the next day was enticing to say the least.
“Of course, darling.” While her sister was distracted Rarity used her magic to pull her covers away. “But only if you get up right now.” Internally a part of her hoped Sweetie Belle actually did resist so she wouldn’t have to hold up her end of the bargain. Sweetie Belle was a hoofful on her own, but all three together? She might need to ask Fluttershy for help and put away anything breakable.
To both her glee and instant regret, Sweetie Belle swung her hooves over the mattress and got out of bed. “Are you sure I can’t eat anything before this?”
“I’m afraid not, Colgate said no food or water for at least twelve hours before the procedure. Let’s get going.” She looked Sweetie Belle over and considered her presentable. Rarity was always jealous of how her sister looked perfectly fine right after she got out of bed, not a hair seeming to be out of place.
“Now then, let us be off.” Rarity said before leading her down the stairs and out the front door.
Getting checked in was easy enough, they just gave their names and the receptionist put a little wristband around Sweetie Belle’s foreleg. It had her name, date of birth, height, weight, and who she was seeing. “So what do we do now, Rarity?”
Rarity was about to answer when Nurse Redheart approached them. “Sweetie Belle, right?” When the foal nodded she gave her a smile. “Well come on then, let’s get you ready. Colgate is waiting for you.”
They were led behind a locked door to a series of rooms sectioned off by curtains, and Redheart led them into one of the rooms. “Just make yourself comfortable, I’ll be right back.”
Sweetie Belle saw two chairs and a gurney. She’d seen the latter object before. Scootaloo had botched one of her scooter tricks and hurt herself so bad they had to come get her in an ambulance, loading her onto the same object before taking her to the hospital to set her injuries. Coincidentally that was also the same day the Crusaders patented their trademark that looked painful expression.
“Am I supposed to get on that?” She asked, and when her sister nodded had a questioning look. “Why can’t I just sit in one of the chairs?”
“The gurney is so Nurse Redheart can more easily get you ready, and when the time comes they’ll wheel you into the operating room on it.” Rarity used her magic to levitate her sister and gently laid her down on the table.
This elicited a blush from her. “Hey, I could’ve done it myself.” She whined.
“Sorry Sweetie Belle, I just wanted to give you a hoof was all.”
“Well I’m not helpless.” She said with an indignant bluster.
Before she could say anything else, Nurse Redheart returned with an IV pole. “Alrightie, let’s get this going. Which foreleg would you prefer it in?”
The foal’s expression fell and she shook her head. “I hate needles!”
Redheart’s response was to offer a sympathetic smile. “The only ponies I know of who enjoy medical needles are drug addicts. Would it be easier for you if your sister held your hoof?”
Rarity opened her mouth to protest, but closed it. Redheart had said medical needles, not sewing needles after all.
Sweetie Belle nodded, giving Rarity a pleading look.
Taking her cue, Rarity got off her chair and walked over to her sister, taking her hoof in her own.
Redheart tied a tourniquet around Sweetie Belle’s other foreleg. “Alright, tense several times for me.”
As she did Redheart looked at the bend in her leg and sighed. “You don’t have any good veins in the bend of your leg for me to use, sweetheart. I’m going to have to put it in your hoof.” She smiled apologetically as she sterilized her hoof and Sweetie Belle looked away. “Okay, one, two-” She didn’t even go to three as she just put it in, making the filly yelp and squeeze Rarity’s hoof tightly.
“You’re doing very well, Sweetie Belle, now just hold still so she can get it set in place.” Rarity said in her best calming voice.
“Indeed, Colgate is waiting. She’s just here to see you before she heads back to her office for the day.” She secured the IV line to Sweetie Belle’s hoof with two pieces of medical grade tape and a plastic dressing. After that was put on the tourniquet was removed. Redheart undid the locks on the gurney’s wheels and prepared to take her away.
“Wait!” The filly looked to her sister with open forelegs.
“Of course, darling.” Rarity hugged her sister close and planted a kiss on her forehead. “You’re very brave, and this will all be over soon, just you wait.”
Sweetie Belle squeezed her and gave a little nod before lying down, seeing Redheart put up the railing on the side.
“Alright, here we go.” As she began to wheel her out of the room, Sweetie Belle kept Rarity in her sight for as long as she could. Her sister just kept giving her the same reassuring smile until she was out of sight.
As soon as she was, Sweetie Belle felt uneasy. When she entered the operating room, that unease only got worse. The smell of disinfectant was clearly present in the air. There was a really big light pointed over an empty space she knew she’d soon be wheeled to. Next to it there was a tray with very scary looking instruments, and machines that she didn’t know the purpose of. Additionally, Colgate and another pony were waiting for her.
Colgate approached, a surgical mask over her face and her mane covered by a cap. “Hello Sweetie Belle, we’re ready to begin. Thank you Nurse Redheart, please get yourself ready to assist with the procedure.”
Nurse Redheart nodded and stepped out of the room without a word.
“I’m scared.” Sweetie Belle admitted, sitting up on the gurney. “And why couldn’t I just walk here?”
Colgate pulled her mask down to reveal her mouth, offering a sympathetic smile. “It’s understandable, you’re not the first and certainly won’t be the last pony to be fearful of this. So I’ll walk you through the steps as we make the final preparations. First thing’s first-” she levitated a silver band in her magic. “This is a nullifier ring. It goes over your horn to prevent any magic fluctuations while you’re unconscious, and ensures you won’t use any when you first wake up because you’re very likely to be out of it. I’m going to put it on you now, okay?” She asked with a gentle tone.
Sweetie Belle nodded, so Colgate slipped the ring over her horn, firmly pushing it into place. Her horn immediately felt fuzzy and tingly, much like her back hooves did when she sat for too long, before the tingling went away. “It feels weird.”
“That’s a common complaint, and you couldn’t have walked here because it was more sanitary for you to just be wheeled here rather than walking across the floor. Cleanliness is next to alicornhood here, after all.” Colgate pulled her mask back up over her face and levitated Sweetie Belle from the gurney to the operating table, gently laying her down.
“H-Hey!” She squeaked in protest, having been unexpectedly levitated for the second time that hour.
Sweetie Belle huffed indignantly and closed her eyes, but she heard the sounds of hoofsteps approaching her.
“Welcome back, Nurse Redheart.” Colgate greeted. “Please attach the EKG to Sweetie Belle.” She turned her attention to the filly. “An EKG is what will monitor your heart during the surgery. Just hold still while she attaches them.”
Giving a nod, Nurse Redheart began to gently attach them to her chest. After they were attached she backed away, the unknown third pony and Colgate approaching.
“Sweetie Belle, this is Drowsy Mist. He’s an anesthesiologist, and the pony who will be putting you to sleep. I’ll let him take things from here.”
Sweetie Belle looked at him. His face was covered by a surgical mask and his mane was covered, but he still gave off a calming presence. “Hey there kiddo, I’m gonna make sure you’re sound asleep for the operation. You won’t feel a thing, okay?”
“Okay.” She sounded unsure, lying back and resting her head against the padded table. “I’m scared.”
“Hey, it’s okay to be scared, but there’s nothing to be scared of. I’ve been doing this since before you were born. Don’t worry, this will go just fine.”
“Alright.” She sighed, knowing this was going to happen sooner or later.
Drowsy picked up a mask and held it by his hoof. “I’m gonna put this over your face, then you’ll fall asleep. Okay?”
“Okay. I’m still nervous about this, though.” She felt uneasy, but she reminded herself that after she healed she’d get to have Apple Bloom and Scootaloo over.
“Better than scared.” Drowsy gently set the mask over her face. “Just breathe normally and this will all be over before you know it.”
Sweetie Belle followed his instructions. The mask smelled heavily of rubber, even more intense than putting her nose up against a beach ball. Before she knew it though, she’d fallen asleep.