Humani Victoria

Chapter 21- Back Again

"To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering."

                                                                                                                 ~Friedrich Nietzsche

Ponyville, Chaos Capitol of the World, Equestria, Thursday, 2nd of October, 10:26am, 2205 AC

The sensation was rather like being bathed in sunlight, and almost as bright. All the colours of the rainbows swirled around Jason in and endless light-show of beauty and majesty, the pain seemed to melt away. The wounds were still there and Jason was scarcely aware of that fact but the pin had melted away, replaced by pleasant feeling all throughout. Memories began to surface, not the painful ones, but the happy ones, Uncle Haydn taking him through the park near his house, reading with Twilight, his mother tucking him into bed....

It didn't last long.

Jason felt the grip around him loosen, gravity took it's chance and pulled the Human towards the earth. The last thing Jason saw was the Elements striking Discord and the fear-strike look on his face before Jason lost his sense of reality.

No pain came, it remained away. Instead, the darkness was penetrated by a soft light, sunlight, streaming through cream-coloured curtains. The chair was hard, made out of wood, it was tall enough that his feet couldn't reach the floor. Delicious smells wafted close by, accompanied by beautiful singing in a language that Jason could never quite decipher.

A hand placed a large plate of steaming pancakes in front of Jason, it disappeared for a moment and returned with a glass jug full of genuine natural maple syrup. Generous amounts of the nectar was poured of the stack, the jug was placed down and the hand ruffled Jason's semi-long hair, he looked up and smiled.

His mother, her warm smile filling him with comfort. With hazel eyes, chocolate-brown hair, and satin skin, Maria Damian looked nothing like her son.

"What's wrong?" She asked, her voice smooth, free from the unattractive accent of Nova Scotia.

"This isn't real," Jason said sadly "your not really here."

Maria laughed "I am here, in a sense, but it is time for you to wake up, your friends are worried."

"Friends?" Jason's head was foggy, he wasn't thinking clearly "all the kids don't like me, I don't have any friends..."

Maria giggled and leaned forward "wake up," she said, closing Jason 's eyelids for him.

When they opened again, they were met with a familiar sight. The brightly lit hospital room that he once before occupied, at the foot of Jason's bed, was Band Aid who was flipping through papers on a clipboard. The pain returned, Jason's entire body ached, his right arm was in a sling and he could feel several bandaged wrapped around him middle. Jason groaned a bit as he struggled to sit up.

Band Aid didn't look up from his clipboard "Jason, do you remember what I told you last Tim you were here?"

When Jason didn't answer Band Aid kept talking "I told you never to try anything that dangerous again didn't I? And that was in reference to you falling out of the sky, this time, you took on the all-powerful Spirit-God of Chaos and Disharmony... With a sword and a knife."

Band Aid finally looked at Jason, his eyes brung with anger, Jason grinned sheepishly.

"And that is why..." Band Aid said "You will be on bed rest for three weeks this time."

Jason's jaw dropped "Three weeks! But-" he stopped at the look on Band Aid's face.

"I'm a Doctor," Band Aid said, glaring "I know what's best."

Jason leaned back from the possibly psychotic doctor, nodding rapidly "Yep, gotcha, Crystal clear."

Band Aid nodded, satisfied "Good, now, naturally you have guests... Who seem to be more concerned with visually confirming your well-being than actually letting the healing process take it's course." With a shake of his head, Band Aid took his leave through the door.

Almost immediately after, Celestia entered, looking less radiant than usual, they stared at each other for several minutes before Jason broke the silence.

"We need to stop meeting like this," he said, that got Celestia's attention, she rushed forward and scooped up Jason in a warm hug. Jason grimaced, pain shooting through his ribs but he forced a smile onto his lips and patted Celestia's ethereal mane.

"It's fine, I'm fine, we're all fine," Jason reassured her, the Princess pulled back, still holding Jason.

"What were you thinking?" She asked.

Jason bit his lip "well... After Discord took me, I thought the best chance I had was to stall him as long as possible."

"And you did that... By openly fighting against him?" Celestia asked incredulously.

Jason grinned sheepishly "It seemed like a good idea at the time.."

Celestia sighed "you shouldn't charge in so brashly... Especially against a powerful Alicorn like him."

Jason nodded "yeah... But it worked out in the end didn't it?"

"With you in bandages."

"I'm fine, few weeks rest and I'll be back on my feet."

Celestia shook her head "You keep piling up how much I owe you, and every time I only offer a thank you in return."

Jason smiled "you gave me a place to be when you had no obligation to, by all accounts, you should've destroyed me on the spot, banished me, made me pay for the deeds of my kin and yet you didn't. You let me in, gave me a home, friends, comfort when a lesser being would've hated me for simply for being Human."

"That's why I don't hate you, why I owe you just as much as you do me, and why you need to let this go."

Celestia smiled softly "your right... And wise beyond your years."

Jason grinned "I'm older than you, by several trillion years."

Celestia giggled, a light uplifting sound "whatever you say, old man."

"Hey! I'm still in my prime!" Jason exclaimed, getting Celestia to openly laugh.

"I should be going now, there are repairs to be made from Discord's rampage and you have other anxious guests."

"As always," Jason said "until next we meet, Celestia."

The Princess smiled and drifted away, leaving the door open when she left. Jason was given very little time before the next worried female entered the room. Roseluck looked unharmed but tired, she immediately trotted over and took Jason's head in her hooves, she pulled him down to her level and planted a kiss on top of Jason's head.

"Never do anything like that again," she commanded into Jason's hair.

Not wanting to crack a joke this time Jason nodded as much as he could "okay," he said, wrapping his arms around the mare. They sat there silently for several minutes, sharing the comfort, reluctantly Jason broke the silence.

"Is everyone else okay?" Jason asked.

"Yes, there all fine," Roseluck said back, not surfacing from Jason's hair "most of them are helping with the clean up around Ponyville."

"Most of them?" Jason inquired.

"Twilight," Rose explained "she's outside waiting her turn."

Jason grinned slightly "and is she going to get it?"

"Eventually," Rose said, squeezing Jason slightly.

"Rose..."

The mare hummed "fine..." And released Jason, she looked him dead in the eye "but I want a day with you sometime this week, okay?"

Jason nodded "I promise, now go let Twilight in before she tears her hair out."

Rose giggled a bit "okay," she planted a kiss on Jason's cheek and promptly left and in record time was replaced by Twilight who sported several strands of hair sticking up from her head.

Before Jason could crack a joke, Twilight opened the flood gates.

"I'm sorry!" She cried "sorry, sorry, sorry, super duper sorry, so sorry, sorry sorry...!"

"Twilight..." Jason said.

"I didn't know he would pull you in front of him! It was so fast! I couldn't stop the Elements! They were already in motion! I'm sorry! So, so, so, so, sorry!"

"Twilight..."

"I mean it was the only way we could stop him! I didn't realize you would fall! And your head! Just think of the damage it did to your brain! Oooh! I'm so sor-"

"Twilight!" Jason said "it's fine, I understand."

Twilight seemed not to process that "wait, what?"

"I understand that you had to stop Discord, really, it's cool."

"B-but your hurt! Your head..."

Jason chuckled "most of this is from me being a thick head and just charging in, it ain't your fault."

"Oh... Right... Well...um... How are you feeling?" Twilight asked.

"Sore, tired, but I'm fine, hopefully I can convince Band Aid to let me move, I think my legs are asleep."

Twilight's eyes lit up "asleep? What do you mean?"

Jason blinked "you know, when the blood stops pumping to your limbs and you loose feeling around there?"

Twilight was captivated "Ponies don't do that, can you explain in greater detail?" She asked excitedly.

Jason sighed and tried to scrounge up what little information he had on the subject "when Human's have long periods of inactivity our limps, particularly our legs and feet since they tend to move the least when we sit or lie down, start to loose feeling. I don't know if the blood actually stood flowing or just slows but I do know it has to do with another bodily function."

"Which one?" Twilight asked.

"Well... Say... That I had lost my leg," Jason said, and grinned when Twilight widened her eyes in small bit of fear "hypothetically." He added quickly.

"When that happens, the Human body directs blood away from the lost limp, and the blood begins to harden around the wound to stop the bleeding," Jason explained.

"That's amazing!" Twilight exclaimed "from what you've told me, Human's possess an amazing ability to heal!"

Jason shrugged "I guess so," he said "why, do Ponies not have similar functions?"

Twilight shook her head "when a Pony is injured, instead of our bodies themselves repairing the damage, our inherent magical energy closes and wound and a healing spell can take care of the rest."

Jason blinked "wouldn't that result in high rates of bleed-outs?"

Twilight shook her head "no, at least I don't think so, bleed-outs aren't common, the magic healing is fast-acting, an average of thirty-six minutes for the magical healing to begin."

"Weird..." Jason said "but cool, so, we good?"

Twilight smiled "we're cool, try to see if you can't get out today, alright?"

Jason smiled "okay."

Twilight kept her smile and came over to Jason, she wrapped him in a warm hug.

"I'm glad your okay," she said.

"So am I," Jason said back, Twilight slipped away and exited the room. Jason laid back against the back of his bed.

Nap first, getting out later

                                                                       ~~*~~

It took some convincing, a lot of convincing, but Jason eventually managed to convince Band Aid that fresh air and a comfortable environment were better for his health. Band Aid relented but not without several reminders that he was, in fact, a doctor and that made it so he knew what was best. Jason was off the hook but left the hospital with Band Aid grumbling behind him about 'darn country-types and their cure-all fresh air nonsense.'

Jason strode from the hospital, his brown coat slung over his better shoulder. The townsfolk trotted to and fro, energized by their universal quest to repair the damage done by the chaotic tornado that had passed through. Rubble was gathered up, weather was being reined in, and general repairs were being made. Jason could spot several platoons of Royal Guard's moved with the townsfolk helping where they could, he couldn't spot the Princess or any of his friends.

Jason considered heading to Twilight's library and taking a rest, but after a very satisfying nap in the hospital Jason was full of renewed energy.

And he had a bone to pick with certain smithy.

Makers Fire's hammer could be heard echoing from almost a kilometre away, the smith was given plenty of work repairing wheel axles, making nails and whatnot. As Jason approached he could make out the crease in Maker's forehead, it wasn't one of concentration but rather one of annoyance.

He did brighten up when Jason approached, as much as Makers Fire's grumpy face could brighten at least.

"Jason," he grunted, throwing a red hot metal beam into the Collins water with a blast of steam "always a pleasure."

Jason didn't say anything, merely tapped his foot on the dirt.

"Royal Smith, huh?"

Maker blinked "uh... Yeah? Formerly at least, I told you that didn't I?"

"You did," Jason confirmed "so, tell me, why is it that the sword you made, you bring a Royal Smith and all, why did the sword snap in half?"

Maker's jaw dropped "It didn't!"

"It did," Jason said.

"Impossible! I mean it's not like I used prime folded steel or anything but I shouldn't just snap!" Maker looked did stressed "I knew it! This town is making me soft! I'm losing my edge!"

The smith stopped when he heard Jason chuckling.

"Calm down, Maker," Jason laughed "I don't expect you to make an unbreakable blade."

Makers Fire seemed to think about that "but what if I could?" He said a bit dreamily.

"Eh?" Jason said, startled by this turn.

"I would need materials, Etheruim Steel... Meteorite Alloy if I could get my hooves on it..."

"Eh?"

"I'll need a few months, even a year, if I could just get the time..."

"Okay," Jason said slowly "I'm going to walk away now, but I want you to promise me not to go nuts trying to make the ultimate weapon."

Makers Fire grinned "no promises."

Jason sighed and shook his head "never change, Maker," he said, before walking away.

Jason got several looks as he travelled through the town, but these stares were less fearful curiosity and more admiration, like one who peek at a local celebrity. It felt good, Jason found himself straightening his back a bit as the confidence filled him, maybe everyone was starting to accept him? Treating him like one of their own, it felt good, like he had a home.

When Jason got to the library, he was in the best mood he had been in for several weeks now. He walked through the library door with a slight grin on his face, Twilight was in a familiar spot, she laid on the floor reading through a familiar-looking old book.

The moment Jason entered the room she swiftly closed the book and flipped it upside down, hiding the title.

"Glad to see you out of the hospital, Jason," Twilight said, with a smile that seemed forced "although I hope you aren't thinking of doing anything for the next couple of weeks, we don't want your injuries opening up again."

Jason raised an eyebrow "What are you hiding, Twilight?"

"Hiding?" She said quickly "I have no no idea what your talking about." Twilight's eyes were wide and her ears were twitching.

"Twilight..." Jason said, as if to a child "your a horrible liar."

Twilight gave an awkward laugh and darted her eyes to the sides, as if looking for an exit.

"Every time I see you with that book there, you hide it away," Jason said "why?"

Twilight sighed heavily "I can't tell you," she said sadly, and at Jason's eyebrow she explained hastily.

"I really want to, but, I can't, at least not now," Twilight said.

"...Alright," Jason said "but I'll want an explanation eventually."

"...Okay," Twilight said "I'm glad you understand."

"I don't," Jason said "but I will hold my tongue for now," he turned to the stairs, feeling really tired all of a sudden "I'm glad to be back."

"So am I," Twilight said back, before Jason disappeared up the stairs.

He entered his small little room in the library, Jason tossed his coat onto the floor. Carefully, he lay down on his bed, trying not to bump any of his injuries. Slowly he unlaced his boots with his one good hand and then stared at the ceiling, thinking.

Discord is apparently taken care of... I'll have to ask about that later on, Twilight is keeping things from me... I don't like that, not one bit, but it seems harmless... For now...

Jason sighed "I'm ready for a few days rest." He said out loud.

                                                                         ~~*~~

The setting sun emblazoned the yellowish marble with a fiery orange, vines and other plant life grew out of several cracks and holes in the marble, giving the place an ancient look. In the shadow of one structure- several pillars set into two lines -is where they met, even in this lost world they feared being overheard.

"This place," one said quietly "it is amazing, I was hoping to find some rubble, maybe a statue, but this... This is huge! Amazing! It is almost twice the size of Talonguard!"

"Hush!" The other one hissed "you never know whom might be listening."

"Who? The First? They've been dead since before ancient times" his companion laughed.

"Nothing is set in stone," the other one said "besides, Equestrian architects have been looking for this place for decades."

"And the High King found it first."

"We found it first."

"His Majesty funds us, he allows our search despite it being unholy, you dare defy his right to this land?"

"Stop being naive," the other one said "he is using us, the moment we stop being useful he throws us into the Neverending Ocean, I plan to search this place for Lost Artifacts before that happens."

"Lost Artifacts? What makes you think there are any here?"

"Educated guess," the other one said, caressing the marble structure next to him "reveal to be your secrets, Eternal City of Rome."