Rugia

It was four o’clock when Rugia got back to his house to retrieve his keyboard, however Candace stopped him and said he needed to get to the hospital. She said Victor had called saying he needed to get to there in a hurry. Rugia ran back out the door as quickly as he could. What happened that could have made Victor need him so badly? Did Apple Jack get worse? Was she going to die? Or had she died? Rugia pondered this all the way to the hospital. The more his mind thought about the many possibilities, the faster he ran. Along the way Twilight and the others joined up with him and they all made a frantic dash for the hospital. Victor definitely sent a message to them, he new this because they kept asking what was going on. But Rugia couldn’t answer this because he didn’t know the answer either. The hospital came into view and the group ran towards it with anxiety fueling their every step. They came running through the hospital practically knocking nurses and doctors over as they made their way to the urgent care room Apple Jack was in. Her room came into view, but they stopped dead in their tracks when they heard a familiar laugh. It was Apple Jack’s laugh they were hearing. The group came into the room to find Victor sitting in a chair next to the bed smiling, and Apple Jack sitting up in it laughing hysterically.

“Vait! Vait! It gets better!” Victor said giggling, “Ven ze patient voke up the bones in his arm vere missing a ze doctor was no where to be found!” Victor and Apple Jack burst into laughter simultaneously. Tears were coming out of her eyes as she laughed. When Victor caught his breath he said, “Anyvay, that’s how father lost his medical license, heh, heh.”

“That sure was funny Victor,” Apple Jack said wiping her eyes, “did y’all’s father really do a thing like that?”

“Sadly yes he did,” Victor sighed, “Vat a vonderful man he vas… Before he vent insane.”

“So what part of Earth did y’all come from Victor?” asked Apple Jack.

“Vell Ms. Apple Jack,” Victor said sitting up straight, “I come from a place on Earth called Germany. It’s a nice country, even though I vas feared by others because everyvon thought I would be insane like my father had become. Oh vell.”

“Apple Jack!” Rugia and the others exclaimed with joy. They all rushed over to the bed to see her.

“Howdy everyone.” said Apple Jack with the smile that everyone had been dieing to see for days. “How’ve y’all been?”

“Terrible!” shouted Pinkie Pie on the verge of tears of happiness, “We’ve been worried sick about you! We thought you were going to die! I’m so… so… BWAAAAAAH!” Pinkie burst into tears and hugged Apple Jack as hard as she could, nearly suffocating her.

“Pinkie,” Apple Jack wheezed, “If y’all hug me any tighter my ribs’ll break!”

“Sorry AJ.” Pinkie apologized as she let her go.

“Nice work Victor,” Rugia said proudly, “you really out done yourself.”

Victor stood and replied, “Vas zere any doubt?” He picked up his medical bag and readjusted his glasses.

“Dr. Yunkov,” Twilight asked, “the doctors could barely keep Apple Jack alive, but you got her healed in just six hours. How did you do it?”

Victor set his bag down on the chair he was sitting in and pulled out, what looked like a UFO the size of a base ball. On the dome of the device was a small keypad and a screen. Victor explained that this little thing was how he returned Apple Jack to her peek physical condition. When activated the device would extend four spider legs that would clamp to the chest of the patient. The device would then send out waves of energy that would accelerate the body’s healing process by three hundred percent.

“As much as I vould love to stay and chat,” said Victor, “I really must get my house built so I can begin doing good for zis town.” Victor took his leave and on his way out they heard him say to himself, “I swear zees’ doctors vill kill some poor soul some day.”

They couldn’t help but chuckle at Victor’s dislike of the doctors at the hospital. They asked Apple Jack if he was a complete jerk to her as he was to them, but to their surprise Apple Jack told them he sat and told her jokes and stories ever since she woke up. She talked about how as soon as she woke up, Victor answered her questions and told her how long she had been out. She also told them about how he chased a doctor out of the room with a bone saw for insulting his methods, and how he threatened to throw a nurse off the roof for bringing him the wrong cleaning materials for the bloody mess from her bandages. From the sound of everything else she told them, Victor took good care of her until they arrived.

“Apple Jack…” Rainbow Dash hesitated, “I’m so sorry for talking you into doing something so stupid.”

“Its all right Rain-”

“Its not all right AJ. You could have died because of me. It was so stupid of me to go against Rugia, and then bring you into it. What kind of friend am I? You ended up in the hospital because my actions. I don’t see how you can just sit there and forgive me for what happened.” Rainbow Dash was teary eyed and looked like she was going cry, but Apple Jack spoke before she could.

“Rainbow,” she said, “yer my friend, even though y’all are stubborn and bullheaded ah’m always gonna’ forgive ya. Sure what y’all did was foolish and a little stupid, but there aint no reason to dwell on what happened. What’s important is, we’re both alive. Now snap out of it and be that stubborn pony ah’ know.”

A confidant smile made its way onto Rainbow Dash’s face. For several days she had been beating herself up over what happened. She had been distraught with regret and guilt. But since Apple Jack had forgiven her, she found it easier to forgive herself.

“So are you able to leave and go home?” asked Rarity still feeling overjoyed to see Apple Jack back her almost normal self.

“The doc’ says it would be best if ah’ stayed for a spell.” replied Apple Jack snuggling down into the covers and then letting out a yawn. “He says ah’ll be able to go home tomorrow after lunch, just to be safe. (yawn) Anyway it was nice to see y’all toda-…”

Apple Jack was so tired from her recovery she couldn’t finish her sentence. She fell into a deep sleep before she could finish talking to them. At least this time she was sleeping and not in a coma. Apple Jack’s snoring was proof that she was asleep. It was a soft, quiet snore that sounded peaceful. Apple Jack definitely needed a good sleep, especially after the struggle between life and death. For everyone else, they couldn’t believe that just this morning they were told that it would be months before she would recover, but here she was sleeping like a small filly. It was thanks to Victor that she was alive and well. They stood there for several minutes and watched the mare sleep before Rugia motioned for them to leave, his self included. Everyone left the hospital feeling one hundred percent better emotionally and went their separate ways for home. Of course Fluttershy followed Rugia because both their houses were slightly in the same direction.

“Rugia?” asked Fluttershy nervously.

“Yes Fluttershy?”

“I was wondering if you… if you would come and help me with the animals tomorrow?”

“Of course I will. What time?”

“Will eleven be alright. Unless you have something else planned for that time.”

“I will be there at eleven.”

“Thank you Rugia.”

The next morning Rugia got up and was surprised to find letters from his friends waiting for him on the table. The first letter was from Twilight, asking Rugia if he would go bird watching. Apparently Twilight had been reading a book on bird species and wanted to see the ones common to Ponyville in the wild, and wanted Rugia to meet her at nine. Rugia had a feeling that they had got together and organized times to request his assistance. Pinkie Pie wanted him to come to Sugarcube Corner at one and then at three to six o’clock he was going to help out Apple Jack around her farm as well as fix the barn his rouge messenger robot reduced to flaming ruble. Rugia suddenly realized he forgot to tell Apple Jack when he saw her in the hospital yesterday, he had destroyed her barn. Well she didn’t know yesterday, but she would know today. To top off the stack of letters, Rarity was running behind on her productivity of dresses, and requested for Rugia to come into the Carousel Boutique to help her tomorrow. She wanted him to arrive at seven in the morning and help with the dresses for most of the day, at least until twelve in the afternoon. So knowing what he had ahead of him, Rugia grabbed his book bag and began packing it for a day of dates. He packed a few reading books, pencils, a drawing pad, and his lunch. He grabbed his PDA and satellite phone and headed for the door to meet Twilight. As he opened the door, he found Rainbow Dash standing outside the house with her hoof out like she was getting ready to knock on the door.

“Hello there Rainbow,” Rugia said stepping out the door and closing it behind him, “what brings you here?”

“I was wondering if you wanted to hang out today.” she replied with a smile.

“Sorry Rainbow I’m booked today.” Rugia said, “I have to meet Twilight at nine, then head to Fluttershy’s cottage at eleven, then at one I’m meeting Pinkie at Sugarcube Corner, and from three to six I’m working with Apple Jack on her farm. Then tonight I have to go to bed early.”

“So what about tomorrow?” Rainbow asked.

“Well,” Rugia replied scratching his head, “tomorrow I have to be at Rarity’s place at seven in the morning to help restock her shelves.”

“Your busy tomorrow too?!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“Only until twelve.” Rugia snapped his fingers.” Yeah, that’s a good time. I’ll leave a few minutes early to meat you at SCC.”

“SCC?” Rainbow pondered for a moment, “Oh! Sugarcube Corner! Alright we’ll meet tomorrow at twelve. You better not be late.”

“Never a day in my life.” Rugia replied.

Rugia then waved as he strode of in the direction that Twilight wanted to meet at. As Rugia made his way to the forest leading to Canterlot, he came across Spike who was carring a large stack of books that he seemed to be struggling with. Rugia walked over to him to assist him.

“Need a hand getting those to Twilight, Spike?” Rugia offered with his friendly smile.

“Oh man do ever, thanks!” Spike said trying not to drop the heavy stack. Rugia picked up the top half of the books and rested them under his left arm, like carrying a football.

“Is that better?” Rugia asked.

“Definitely.” Spike replied as he resituated the books in his care into a more comordable position. “Twilight’s right, you do know everything. You knew where I was going and I hadn’t even said anything to you.”

Rugia shook his head as they headed for Twilight, “I don’t know everything spike.”

“Of course you do Rugia, you’re the smartest thing in Equestria!” Spike braged.

Rugia looked at the small dragon and replied, “That may be true, but don’t know everything. I just have a distinct ability to figure things out be observing details. For example, Twilight told you about when she met me for the first time right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well I figured out her name by just observing her details. Having an IQ like I do has its benefits, I’ve solved crimes, tracked animals that had came through an area weeks before, and even built technology years ahead of its time.”

“Like the little sentry thing that runs around Ponyville sometimes.”

“Yeah.”

The trip to Twilight was a continued discussion on all the things Rugia has done with his “powerful mind”. Spike took in every word as if he was listening to a conversation on gems. Rugia enjoyed the fact Spike took interest in what he was saying, it was a good way for Rugia to make an impression on him. They talked the whole way to Twilight’s location. Twilight found it hard to get their attention. They were deep in a talk about the consiquences for splitting an atom. When they realized Twilights frusteration was a wits end they handed over the books so the bird watching could comince. So many birds were in the area Twilight was beside herself with all the species that were present. Rugia sat against a tree and pulled out his drawing pad and a pencil. He sat there and drew image after image of the different birds that were flying around the area. Spike watched a couple robins chase each other through the trees. Twilight was looking back and forth between the book she was glancing through and the blue jays sitting on a log watching them. It was good to see Twilight so happy since Apple Jack’s recovery, she would gasp with excitement every time a specimen would come flying by. Rugia couldn’t help but chuckle from time to time.

10:15 rolled around and Rugia finished a drawing he had been working on for the past fifteen minutes, considering the others he drew only took two minutes a piece to finish. Rugia gazed at his masterpiece for a couple moments. He then removed it from the pad and placed it in a picture frame.

“This is the highlight of the moment.” he said handing the image to Twilight, “Place it somewhere nice in your home.”

Twilight watched a cardinal land on Rugia’s drawing pad and Rugia proceeded to draw it while Spike came up and watched quietly. She turned and looked at the image Rugia called their highlight. The image Rugia drew had her sitting next to a stack of books smiling while watching the birds on the log. Twilight smiled at the image and carefully placed it in the safety of her bags. Rugia finished his scetch and the cardinal hopped down onto his hand to have a look for itself. Rugia asked the cardinal if the drawing was good and the cardinal responded with its natural whistle. Rugia took that as a yes and the cardinal took flight into a tree. Rugia checked his PDA for the time and made for Flutterfhy’s cottage. As Rugia walked through town, he waved at Pinkie Pie who saw him from her bedroom window. Rugia continued his strole through town, as he did he came across Rarity who was dashing down the dirt road to get to her house with the materials she was carrying. If Rarity was running like she was, she was definitely behind on her stock. Rugia kept walking till he reached Fluttershy’s property. But when her house came into view, he saw three baby rabits come running his way and Fluttershy following behind them trying to catch them.

“Oh please stop little bunnies!” she cried running completely pass Rugia. Rugia stood and watched her run back up the yard and under the bridge. He shrugged and walked to the house not paying any attention to the pegasus’ pleas for the rabbits to stop running from her. Rugia pulled out a long black tube, he pushed a button on it and it unfolded into a lawn chair and he sat in it. He sat with one leg over the other and watched Fluttershy continue to persue the rabbits. They ran under the bridge again and Fluttershy followed. She followed them all over the place, she even ran pass Rugia again and still didn’t notice him. Rugia wondered if he should interviene, but he was already recording every moment of the pegasus’ expense with his PDA. The rabbits darted under the house and Fluttershy would have smached her head on the wall if she hadn’t stopped in time. She pleaded for rabbits to come out but they stayed where they were. Rugia stopped the recording and continued to watch her try to persuade the animals under her home. After five minutes she gave up and sat in the ground with a sigh.

“What will do now?” she asked herself aloud.

“Maybe ask me for some help.” Rugia suggested.

Fluttershy jumped to her hooves, “Oh goodness! Rugia, when did you get here?”

“I got here at eleven,” he breathed, “just like you wanted me to.”

“You were just sitting there watching me chase those bunnies?” she asked him, “Why didn’t you offer to help before they went under the house?”

“Pff, I wasn’t going to help you scare those little guys anymore than you already were.” he said getting up and walking over to the spot the rabbits run under. He knelt down to the hole and said in a soft voice, “Come on out, you have nothing to fear.” For a few seconds nothing happened, but then the rabbits came out and climbed into Rugia’s arms.

“You guys are cute.” he snuggled them, “Shame on you Fluttershy for scaring these poor, defenseless, baby bunnies.”

“I didn’t mean to scare them.” she whimpered with tears in her eyes. She hung her head and began scrapping the ground sadly with her hoof.

“Take it easy Fluttershy I’m kidding.” he chuckled.

“That wasn’t nice Rugia.” she eyed him from behind her mane.

“Your right Fluttershy,” he said, “I’m sorry for getting you upset. So how did these little guys get spooked anyway?”

“I accidentally knocked a bucket over.” Fluttershy said now looking at the rabbits snuggled in Rugia’s arms.

Rugia chuckled and said, “So that’s it. These little guys are easier to scare than you are Fluttershy.”

Both Fluttershy and Rugia sat there for a moment in silence, then they burst into laughter. When the laughing was over, Rugia walked with Fluttershy to the back of the house to put the rabbits back in their pin. Futtershy wasn’t kidding when she said she needed help with the animals. A few animals had mild injuries and quite a lot of them were sick. Typically Fluttershy would handle it, but in this case the matter was probably a little to much for her to handle on her own. Rugia didn’t ask questions, he got straight to work. Rugia and Fluttershy were able to get the animals all patched up in an hour and a half. If they discussed anything, it was on how the animals were to medicated. Rugia would have stayed longer for tea, but he had fifteen minutes to get to Sugarcube Corner to meet Pikie Pie. So Rugia gave Fluttershy a sketch of there highlight together, he then waved good bye to Fluttershy and Angel and went on his marry way. As Rugia walked back to town he noticed Rainbow Dash flying over head, doing loops as she went. Rugia continued to watch the rainbow pegasus till she disappeared over the horizon, then he reached into his bag over his shoulder and pulled out a book on unicon magic and read it as he continued to walk.

Later Rugia reached Sugarcube Corner, as he walked through the door he had finished reading the intire book and put it back in his bag. He then reached in his poket and pulled out his PDA and started checking the status of his equipment at home. To his satisfaction, all of the equipment was still functioning as it should. He put away his PDA and put his bag behind the counter and waited for Pinkie to show. Several minutes later she came into the room wareing a party hat.

“There you are Pinkie Pie,” Rugia said, “what’s with the hat? Is there a party or something?”

Pinkie giggled at the question, “No, I’m just feeling festive today.”

“Sounds like a good reason to ware a party hat.” Rugia shrugged as he walked to the kitchen with Pinkie Pie.

After an hour had passed, they had produced a wide veriety of deserts thanks to Rugia modifying the oven to cook deserts faster. They produced enough cake and caupcakes to fill a market. It had been a while since Rugia backed anything, but he still had the skills to make a good desert. They were on the verge of doing another batch when Rugia halted the production before it started.

“Wait a moment Pinkie,” Rugia said, “I have an idea.”

“Lets hear it!” she beamed.

“I was thinking of sharing an old Nelson family recipe with you.” he suggested.

“Is Nelson your last name?” Pinkie asked.

Rugia nodded, “My full name is Rugia R. Nelson, so would like to try the recipe?”

“Yes please!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“Alright then,” Rugia pulled out the family recipe book marked: Nelson Secret Recipes, “This book contains all of my family’s famous recipes for any kinds of deserts. But I think the one that I will share with you Pinkie is a very special cake that made my family famous. But, you have to promise to not breath a word of this recipe to anyone.”

“Cross my heart, hope to cry, stick a cupcake in my eye.” Pinkie rehursed.

“Alright then, lets begin.” Rugia declaired.

With that, they star-… Oh sorry, Rugia doesn’t want the contents of his recipe to be written in the story so we are just going to skip ahead.

Ding!

The cake was finished, Rugia didn’t waste any time taking the cake out. He sat it on the counter and began cutting slices into it. Rugia had sent Pinkie Pie to get Twilight and the others while the cake had been backeing in the oven. As they were sitting there, Rugia came out of the kitchen with Pinkie on his heels. He began dishing cake as fast as he could.

“Heavans darling why the rush?” Rarity asked.

“To answer your question Rarity,” Rugia dipped under the counter for napkins and then came back up with a stack which he placed on the counter, “this cake is different from the ordinary pastery. After backing a cake like this it has to be eaten right away, otherwise if it cools down to room temperature it looses its flavor and goes bad. I also only have a short time before Apple Jack and I have to get going.”

“How about we jus’ reschedual for three-thirty?” Apple Jack suggested to the rushing human behind the counter.

“Sounds good,” Rugia said quickly as he scooped up Rarity and set her in front of the counter and went back behind it. “Ok Rarity here you go. Take a bit and tell me your opinion.”

Rarity levitated a fork to her and took a piece out of the slice of cake she was given. She took a moment to look the piece over. She placed the piece of cake in her mouth and began chewing it. Suddenly the fork dropped to the plate and Rarity froze for a few seconds. Everyone looked at her in a state of worry.

“Rarity, y’all ok?” Apple Jack asked walking over to her.

“This…” Rarity paused, “Is simply the most delicious cake I have ever tasted!” Rarity resumed eating her piece of cake. The others came to the counter and collected their slices as well. Rugia took a seat and started on his own piece.

“So this is your family’s special recipe?” asked Rainbow Dash after finishing off her slice.

“Yeah,” Rugia wiped his mouth, “My great, great, Grandmother, Rosetta Nelson made this recipe. It didn’t get its name until it became famous for winning every year in the county fair. So she gave it the name, Nelson’s Famous Chocolate Cake. So every year the family cake would be entered in the fair and would win first place; which is how my family ended up with a lot of money. Before I cut the cake up for eating earlier, it was completely circular. With a chocolate inside, and a dark chocolate iceing covering it; from what you saw. The white flowers on the slices circled the outside and center of the cake. Origanally the cake was only made once a year so it would be special. Unfortunatly, after I graduated from high school I had it one last time. It hadn’t been made since, until now.”

“It was very good,” Fluttershy complemented after finishing her slice.

“I hope we get to enjoy it more than once a year.” said Spike with chocolate iceing still on his face.

“How about this,” Rugia stood up, “on everyone’s birthdays, I’ll bake this cake?”

Everyone in the room agreed, that was a good idea to only back the cake for their birthdays. Rugia made a schedule for the line of birthdays coming up on his PDA. After he finished, he and Apple Jack left for Sweet Apple Acres. On their way there, Rugia stopped by the house to get his keyboard to fix AJ’s barn, or rebuild it so to say.

Apon arriving, Rugia unfolded his keyboard and began rebuilding the barn. He had it finished in ten minutes, after looking it over he put his keyboard away and set out to help Apple Jack with the apple harvest. She was still stiff from her recovery in the hospital, so it wasn’t easy for her to knock apples out of the tree like she normally did. Rugia decided it would be a good idea to call his house and have R-17 come out and help with the harvest. Inturn the sentry came running up the dirt road after three minutes and started blasting apples out of the tree into baskets. Apple Jack gave it some thought and requested that R-17 could help her for a few days, Big Macintosh was sick in bed so it was just her out there. Rugia agreed and said it would be fine as long as she kept a good eye on R-17. The sentry had a neck for sometimes getting the urge to use inanimate objects for target practice.

In no time at all six o’clock came around and Rugia left for home with R-17 on his heels. The little robot talked non-stop the whole way home about how excited he was about helping the Apple family for a few days. Rugia just smiled to himself and listened to R-17’s chatter as they neared the house. Rugia came into the house and R-17 darted to the couch and started up again talling Candace about what he will be doing for the next few days. Rugia chuckled and set of into the back bedroom to prepare for another long day ahead of him.