P.O.N.E.

Day One: The Doc

"Don't call me that."

Lying in front of the mare on the rocky ground I was dumbfounded. She had just saved my life, laughed about me begging her not to hurt me, & told me her name. Just from that I could tell right away that she was a strange pony, but obliviously a good one.

Glancing away from her I didn't know what to say. A thank you would be appropriate, but for some reason I didn't want to rush to anything with her like the pegasus. Putting my focus back on the mare I saw her looking in at me in confusion with her head cocked to the side.

"Something wrong pone?" She asked cockily which was a weird question as I knew she could most likely see my wounds, and to say "pone" like my cutie mark than "pony." and  I think she knew something was wrong, she had just killed another pony in cold blood in front of me without any sign of remorse.

"Yeah I have a problem, you killed a pony!" I blurted out loud to her with my voice echoing in the distance. Raising her right eyebrow she looked at me with confusion on her face.

"And that's a problem because...." she started her sentence before pausing, & glancing at the sky as if she came to an epiphany. Looking back at me she continued her sentence "...you wanted to get raped, or something along that line?"

Shaking my head "No" to everything she said I came to the realization that there was no way for me to get through to her about her killing another pony.

Taking a breath the mare started off in the same direction she originally came from saying "We should get going before it get's dark, and they come out.".

Looking back at the Valley entrance there was no way in hell I was going back there especially with that pegasus still there. Then looking back at the mare who was already several hoof steps in front of me I decided to follow the her to wherever she was going.

* * *

Several minutes passed as I followed the mare in the trench coat without a break. It was funny really as we never really talked during the entire trip like two slugs. We just kept going not even throwing each other a glimpse, or word.

When we approached a small patch of green grass that looked more alive than anything I've seen so far I was quite glad for some reason.

Maybe it was because it was a sign of life in the desolated looking world, or I just wanted to lay down and take a nap there.

In the distance of the path we continued trotting on there was a large wooden sign that was broken & beat up.

Several words were written on it with paint, but some were marked out saying:

"Welcome to Ponyville, Stabletown." , and underneath it " Where magic & dreams come true. Beware of other ponies, traders, artifacts, anomalies, and them!"

Tilting my head to side as we got closer to the sign I didn't understand why in the world would any pony rename the town after it already had a perfectly selected name beforehand. Glancing pass the sign however I could see an open area of land with ruined two floor cottage houses around it along with small camp fires, and just dozens of ponies - unicorns, pegasi, earth ponies standing around them, some dressed in brown & white jackets, others in similar vests like the pegasus in the valley. All of them carrying similar weapons too.

Around them were also ruined buildings mostly two floor wooden built houses that looked like they've been set on fire & barely saved.

"Finally, we are here,"

Hearth said to herself out loud in almost exhausted voice. Turning to me and seeing a smile on her face she said to me in a kind voice

"Welcome to Stabletown..".

Staring at her for a long while I just went "Uh-huh." before she told me to come on and follow her into the town.

Opening my mouth to say "Woah." as we walked past several ponies down the street to enter the town. I was impressed at the vast number of ponies here, and how many of them acted sophisticated despite the landscape drinking out of small brown cups some of them brought near the camp fires.

Laughing a bit I found it kind of funny how I should show some kind of discomfort being around ponies armed to the teeth like in the valley, but I wasn't as if it was kind of natural for me to be around them.

Navigating our way through crowds of ponies who were chatting among themselves about something called "artifacts", and how they should have grabbed it.

Hearth & I then made two turns down two alleyways popped us onto a busy street full of more ponies, and wrecked cottage buildings. The huge difference however on the street we were on to the last one was a large hollowed-out tree that looked refurbished, and well overall, the only good looking thing in the entire town with a few ponies sitting around it outside in small worn- out pitched tents.

Hearth then looked at me and told me to stay where I was and that she would be right back. Nodding my head I watched her trot from my location past several of the camped out ponies, and up to the front door of the tree home. She then knocked on the door before saying something I couldn't hear.

Waiting I then watched her enter the building leaving me outside with all the other ponies staring at the open door. Stomping my right hoof into the ground awhile waiting a large book then came flying out the door hitting the ground before Hearth came back out ducking her head.

Glancing at me she then nudged her head at the door to tell me to come on with all the other ponies outside staring at her.

Wanting to get out of the public eye I dashed to her, and through the door with her closing it behind me. Inside the tree home I was greeted by two raggedy sleeping mattresses on the floor near the door both with their own set of pillows, and blankets covered in what appeared to be blood & probably vomit which was discouraging for me to be next to.

Inside the living room was also a stool, a small table filled with small metallic tools that could be used for examining, and picking along with a clean operating table a pony could lay down on surrounded by tall lamps that were turned to face certain angles.

In the back of the room was a small stairway that led up to a second floor, and right across from it another that led downstairs to what might be the basement of the house.

Turning to face Hearth standing to the side of me with a frown on my face I asked her in wavery voice "Where are we?" which made her laugh for some reason despite me being serious.

Putting on a smile she replied "Isn't it obvious? We're at the Docs," as if I knew where we were at.

Thinking about the word "The Docs," I tried to make sense of it, but came out empty as Hearth continued to stare at me. Shaking my head I thought maybe it would be better if I didn't ask her what in the world was a "Doc." Taking in a breath and exhaling it I asked Hearth what she wanted me to do now that we were inside the "Docs" home, as there was just me & her and that somepony that threw the book at her.

Rolling her eyes Hearth then told me in a relaxed voice to go sit down on the operating table while she takes a nap on one of the mattresses.

Looking down at the mattress I kind of thought she was joking with me especially with her luxurious vanilla coat, but she wasn't. After she finished her sentence she gently set her long levitating weapon against the wall, and just fell face first into the mattress with a grunt, her trench coat covering her back.

Raising my hoof to try and say something to her before she could fall asleep I found myself at a loss of words as there was nothing I could say or ask her. Facing the direction of the operation table I started towards it with my hoof touching the warm carpet beneath me

Reaching the operating table I became uneasy and distrustful of it for some reason as it had a certain feeling around it that was extremely dark, & full of despair.

Maybe it was because it was an operating table, or it was just my paranoia of it being an operating table. Taking a gulp I then placed both my hooves on top of its smooth cold surface before pushing myself up on it, first with my right hindleg going up & touching it before my left one got up with my underbelly pressing against it.

When I was finally on top I rolled over onto my back, and waited for something to happen.Minutes soon passed with Hearth on the mattress rolling around on it making large grunt sounds in her sleep. Propping myself up with both my hooves I thought maybe it was about time for me to wake her up, and ask her what I was waiting on before the sound of a pony whistling a jolly tune filled the air.

Turning my head left & right I started to freak a bit with my breaths increasing as I couldn't find out where the whistling was coming from before I heard heavy hoof steps come from wooden steps making me glance between both the upstairs, and downstairs doors. Slowly coming down from the upstairs steps was a very skinny, dark grey coated, blue eyed male pegasus wearing a long white jacket that had several dark brown stains on it. He had only a single wing on his right side with the other one missing, and replaced with white bandages wrapped around the area, and a black mane.

Underneath his right wing he was carrying what appeared to be a worn out raggedy book.

Entering the room he slowly stopped his whistling before glaring at me raising his eyebrow, and looking left & right inside the room. Raising up my right hoof, and waving it the stallion simply let out several confused "Uh's...". Finally putting his eyes on Hearth across from the room his raised eyebrow went down, and he let out a large puff of air in anger for some reason.

Letting out a few coughs he then yelled in a rough, angry, elderly tone of voice "Hearth, get up!" which took me by surprise despite his appearance of being young, and made Hearth raise her head up immediately without any hesitation.

Yawning & rubbing her eyes Hearth simply glared at me before looking at the unknown pegasus. Rolling her eyes at the him she simply asked him in a nonchalant voice "What is it, Doc?". Replying in anger the pegasus she called doc first raised his hoof at me before pointing at her, speaking angrily.

"Hearth I told you I'm running low on supplies ever since we lost connections with Hoofmen, and said that I am not letting in any pony because of that, nor was I going to patch them up. I even threw one of my medical books at you to the get the point across, yet you still brought in a pony."

Sighing Hearth held a face of apathy not completely caring about anything the pegasus just said to her.

Keeping quiet & not wanting to get into their conversation I watched Hearth talk in a calm collected voice to him.

"I do understand that, Doc. But just look at this young innocent mare who is in need of your medical help. Plus judging by the way she was able to follow me all the way back to Stabletown, & survive getting attacked by Temperance. I'm 100% sure her wounds wouldn't even use up like 5% of your remaining supplies as all she needs is to be bandaged."

Taking a loud gulp the pegasus referred to as Doc by Hearth looked at me again with a frown coming across his face and glanced a away from me just for a second.

Then pushing his hoof to his face, and letting out sigh he said in a tired voice "I'll do it," before turning all the way around to go back upstairs.

During his time of turning around I was able to get a look at his cutie mark which was a red medic sign being carried away by a dove. Just seeing it I put on a smile as it was an interesting cutie mark that I felt like I've seen somewhere before, but couldn't put my hoof on.

Then trying to think harder about his cutie mark and where I've seen it before the same jolt of throbbing pain that came to my head  back when I was underground hit me like a thunderbolt.

Saying "Ow." out loud Hearth looked at me & said "Hey don't worry he will be right back to pull out the glass out.".

Going "Uh-huh," I figured out that maybe it was the best for me not to try and think about things.

Clapping my hooves together I waited with Hearth for the Doc to come back downstairs which only took him a few seconds. Under his right wing he had replaced the book that was there with a white roll of paper which was bandages, and inside his mouth he was carrying a short metal bar which I couldn't understand.

Arriving in front of me, the Doc set down all his things on the small table near the operating table before hopping onto the stool. He then told me in a calm voice to lay all the way back on the operating table with my underbelly exposed.

Cringing I didn't know if I could really do that despite what happened hours ago, but looking at Hearth who just gave me a nod I did what he said.

Lying on my back with the Doc above me taking a look at my underbelly was nerve wrecking for me as I didn't know what the real damage to myself was, and his constant "Hmm's..." didn't help.

Biting the bottom portion of my lip I knew what I had to do, and speaking in a very nervous voice I asked the Doc if he had any experience in pulling glass out of a pony.

Laughing a bit he said "No, I don't," which put an expression of dread across my face and made me widen my eyes as I put a pony who had no training in pulling out glass in charge of pulling glass out of me.

Just imaging the things that would happen to me. I imagined him picking one out, and him dropping it & the glass going into a different place in my underbelly.Or him trying picking up a piece of glass and- And before I could finish the thought the pain in the back of my head shot me again.

"Again I think too much,"

I said under my breath to remind myself not to think again.

Exhaling a huff of air the pegasus called the Doc then opened his mouth to telling me to open my mouth which I did.

Slowly he then leaned out of my sight, and came back with the metal bar he had earlier & dropped it into my mouth & told me to bite down on.

When I bit down as hard as possible he started to countdown out loud with Hearth joining in "3...2...1," then in one whole go I felt him reach down pressing his face into my underbelly then with the pain of the glass going through my coat in the first place he yanked a large triangle piece of glass with my blood still on it out of my stomach which made me scream loudly with the steel bar in my mouth.

Feeling a tear drop from my eye I could hear the pegasus called Doc say in a voice of mercy

"That's one out. Now just a few more." Raising my both my hooves to my face I knew I had a long way to go, and then out of nowhere the Doc unexpectedly yanked another one out forcefully making me bite down on the metal bar in pain.

* * *

When we were done pulling out the glass on the operating table, my face was covered in snot & tears because of the grueling long process that felt like an eternity, but was actually a single hour.

Somewhere between the thirty minute mark & my 200th scream of pain Hearth had left, leaving me & The Doc alone stating she would be back by nightfall.

Propping myself up on the table, my coat was ruined with my blood, & I had one last process to go with the Doc and that was bandaging up my underbelly.

Talking to me kindly he simple said "Would you kindly lift up your hooves," which I did without any delay.

Slowly the Doc took the bandages he brought earlier & had placed on the small table, and started going in a circular motion around my underbelly with the white bandages until my whole underbelly was wrapped in them.

Breaking off the remaining bandages he didn't need he soon placed them back on the table. Smiling & having both his eyes closed he then said to me in a mocking voice "There, you're all patched up kid."

Frowning at the thought of him thinking me as a kid I had no right to say anything after him taking out the glass out of me.

Puffing out a small amount of air I said in a clear crystal voice "Thank you, Doc," which made him reply to me in an instant.

"Don't call me that.".

Perking my ears up, and raising my own eyebrow I was confused on why I couldn't call him Doc as Hearth called him it multiple times, and that being what I kept referring him as.

Taking a gulp I asked him "Why?" which probably wasn't the best thing to do.

Sighing Doc simply replied to my comment by saying

"Hearth started that, and everypony else joined in. My real name is Blacklight."

Going "Oh." I should have asked for his name earlier instead of calling him by a nick name that Hearth called him.

Taking back my previous thank you to him I came up with a new one saying "Thank you for pulling out the glass, Blacklight."

in a kind voice which in response he did a simple nod to acknowledge it.

Then sitting in absolute silence with Blacklight I felt weird as I had nothing to talk to him about before he hopped off the stool saying he was going to go fetch the book he brought with him earlier down stairs.

Seconds then passed before he returned, and me being quiet in his house, and him returning to the stool and opening up the book in the middle & started reading it to himself.

Glancing down at the book Blacklight was reading I could tell that it had been reread multiple times as it looked crumbly & old with stains on the very tip of the pages.

Reading the title the book it was called "Descend Alfresco Equestria" which was really weird named book, and something I most likely wouldn't care to read just because of the title, but to each their own.

Taking in a breath of air I then looked at the entrance staring at it as if Hearth was going to bust in at any moment. Waiting, and waiting, and waiting, Hearth still didn't come in.

In my mind for some reason I had the weirdest thought that Hearth was never coming back, and she had ditched me with Blacklight after saving me today, but that was probably just because of me being paranoid a bit.

Looking back over to Blacklight who was deeply involved in the book I interrupted his reading by asking "So do you know where Hearth wandered off to?"

Not taking his eyes off the book he replied to me in a laid back voice

"I really don't know. I don't usually keep up with her, so I can't tell you. She's either outside chatting among the pone's, or waiting for messengers in Diligence to call her back to Manehattan."

Saying "Okay." a thought then hit my mind as he used the words "Diligence", and "pone" like Hearth. Staring down at my cutie mark I really had no idea what it meant, and thinking back to that dick pegasus earlier who pinned me had no idea what it meant either, but Hearth & Blackight knew.

Inhaling some air I spoke to Blacklight in a nervous voice saying "Um...can I ask you two questions?" which made him look away from his book and up at me.

"Sure. What is it?" He asked putting on a smile with me not expecting him to answer me like.

Speaking clearly to him I said "Um... the question is you & Hearth keep calling ponies outside including me, "pones" like you’re purposely trying to mis-say the word. What's up with that?".

Listening to the question a smirk came across his face with a little chuckle, and him talking in a stern voice

"It's an acronym. It stands for Pursuer, Opportunist, Newcomer, and Explorer. I mean you have it implanted on you over whatever was your original cutie mark so you should have known what it meant.

To put it simply it's a label for every pony in Equestria including ones in factions. Not many ponies however accept being called that, and some don't even know about it because they don't care."

Hearing him say "Not many ponies however accept being called that, and some don't even know about it," my mind drifted to that pegasus who questioned me about it wondering what it meant.

Biting the bottom of my lip & thinking more about that pegasus I could feel a little bit of anger gather inside my chest as I thought it was my fault for approaching in the first place.

Then breaking my chain of thought Blacklight said

"So what's your second question?"

Responding quickly I asked him

"What is Diligence & Temperance? as I heard Hearth mentioning she was a Captain in Diligence, and before I arrived in Stabletown this other Pegasus I ran into being Temperance."

Letting out a long sigh Blacklight spoke in a very weary voice saying

"That's a long question. I'll just give you a short answer to both. Diligence & Temperance are two factions made of a large groups of pone's after the blast years ago at the CMPP. They've been around for a very long time, and fought in the faction wars a few years back."

Pausing then raising up his right hoof underneath his chin to think about his next words he soon lowered it before saying

"Both factions have the common goal of gaining control over Equestria, and rebuilding it for the greater good. The only difference is how they want to do it."

Nodding my head I was so far keeping up with everything he was saying, but wasn't most likely going to remember every little detail. Going on with his explanation Blacklight said.

"Diligence is made up of ex-Royal Equestrian Army members, and pone's born here in Equestria.  They are under the control of one Commander for the entire faction, one General for the Diligence forces on the west side of Equestria, and one Colonel for the Diligences on the east side of Equestria where we are at. The one in charge of the Diligence forces on the east side of Equestria goes by the name of Colonel Blue Crow who is currently in Manehattan fighting Temperance for the control of Trottingham Station. Diligence’s main goal in Equestria is to eradicate everything in Equestria infected with radiated magic from the CMPP Disaster, and then rebuild it to its former glory."

Breathing in and out Blacklight tried to catch his breath before going on even further saying

"Now on to Temperance. Temperance is made up of well... anypony that just wants to join them. Thrill seekers, smugglers, innocent pone's born in Equestria. They are under the control of their Visionary, & Cardinal who only truly takes charge in emergencies as they don't like to lead that much making many of their own members lead themselves in the field. Temperance unlike Diligence doesn't want to eradicate the radiated magic from the CMPP Disaster in Equestria, and simply live peacefully with the damage done."

Nodding my head & saying "Oh..okay." I knew I wasn't going to keep up with all that information he gave me.

Pausing & looking a little bit discouraged Blacklight opened his mouth to me saying  "Sorry. That probably wasn't a good short version," before he went back to reading his book.

Focusing my attention back on the door I started to wait again for Hearth to return with hours passing & the darkness outside setting in which Hearth said she would be back before it returned.

Trying not to worry I started to yawn, and started to drift in & out of sleep as my body started to feel heavy.

Staring at the door just for second I then found myself laying completely down on Blacklight’s table with him not moving one inch in his stool deeply involved in his book, and within a matter of seconds I fell asleep drifting back into the darkness I awoke from today.

End of Day One