Tales of the Forgotten: Eternity

Sometimes dreams can be more than they seem.

June 22nd, 2027 8:16 P.M.

Golden Hooves Hospital, Baltimare, Equestria

I awoke to the sound of my heart beat monitor beeping loud enough to wake the dead from their eternal slumber. Cold sweat took hold of my entire body but my breathing was normal as I slowly sat up in my bed and shook the images from my head of the nightmare I had just endured. I heard the sound of hooves running down the hall before stopping in front of my door and hearing the click of a lock before two unicorns, one male and one female, run into the room.

“Sorry for giving y’all a scare but I’m fine, at least generally speaking. Could I get some aloe vera and some bandages for my new wounds, I had quite the nightmare last night.” I informed them as they looked between each other in confusion. I pulled off the covers to reveal that most of my pant legs had been burnt off and that there were superficial burns all the way up my legs. I also pulled off my shirt to reveal several new cuts and bruises along my back as they flinched away.

“B-but you were here all night!” the male nurse exclaimed. “How in the name of Celestia did you get those injuries!?” he continued as I shrugged my shoulders.

“If I were able to explain I would be more than happy to, but all I can say for sure is that Nightmares effect me both in the dream realm and the real world. It’s where I got this nasty little thing from a few years back.” I stood up on my bed and rolled up my pant leg more to reveal a large scar down the length of my left thigh. “Hospitals just seem to be the bearer of bad dreams as coincidentally it was where I got this scar as well.” I informed them as they reeled back a little.

They looked over me trying to analyze me as if they had thought me crazy, and they very well might have if not for the proof I carried. After a couple minutes of them staring I snapped my fingers and waved my hand in front of their faces to get their attention, “Can I get those bandages and the aloe vera please? My legs kind of feel like they’re burning with the heat of the sun and these cuts aren’t too pleasant either.” the female unicorn was about to suggest something but I cut her off, “No, you can’t use magic I’m sorry for the inconvenience, magic does a lot more harm to humans than it does good.”

They nodded their heads and went about getting me the aloe vera and some bandages, it didn’t take long for me to apply both and I was out of the bed. My pant legs had been burned and my shirt that I had been wearing when I entered the hospital sat in tatters in the corner of my room on a chair. I sighed as I picked them up and tied the tattered shirt around my waist like a belt. I would have to visit a tailor sometime soon to get them restored; for a hefty price of course.

The male nurse from earlier entered the room and saw me looking out the window down at the busy Baltimare streets. He walked up beside me and stood there silently. After a few minutes of silence I finally spoke, “I came here with another person, is he alright?” I asked as he jumped at the sudden noise. He looked down at his hooves, telling me what I didn’t want to hear.

“I’m sorry but…” he shuffled his hooves nervously as he tried to find the right words.

“This must be the first time you have ever had to face someone and tell them their family is dead, isn’t it?” I asked solemnly as he looked at me shocked and shook his head.

“No! No, no he’s not dead!” he instantly reassured me, “But he...he’s…”

“A coma?” I asked calmly as he barely nodded his head in confirmation. “Where is he right now?” I asked as he shook his head.

“You can’t see him ri-” I bent down and gave an emotionless expression.

“Whether I can or can’t isn’t up to any of you, he is my little brother and I will not stand here and let you tell me I can’t see the only of my kin in this entire world when he needs me the most.” his eyes turned to pinpricks as he stood aside.

“R-r-room 762 on f-floor 7.” he said as I nodded and gave him a smile.

“Thank you.” I said as I waved to him and left the room as I heard him plop down on the floor. I limped my way towards the stairwell as several ponies looked at me awkwardly, some even approaching me to see if I was alright. I ignored them as I made my way up the stairs towards floor 7.

I opened the door that led into the main hallway of floor 7 and on the wall was a small map of the floor. “So I need to take a left here and go all the way down and take a right then his room should be on the left, easy enough.”

It didn’t take me long to find the room but what had me miffed was that there was two royal guards standing outside the room. I didn’t flinch as I walked up to them and placed my hand on the door only for them to repel me at the last second. “No one enters this room without the princesses permission, so we must ask you to leave.” One of them stated as they retook their position in front of the door.

“First things first fellas, we’re in a hospital where a weapon lies around every corner and I’m not afraid to hurt you to get to my brother who is lying in that room. Second, I don’t give a damn whether or not I need Celestia’s permission to see him. So either step aside or I do something that we will both regret.” I growled at them as they glared daggers into me. I knew I couldn’t actually fight anymore with my wounds right now but I sure as hell would try, they brought up their spears and pointed them at me as I readied myself.

The door behind them opened as Fluttershy walked out, jumping as she saw the spears floating in front of the door and saw me standing ready to attack. “What’s going on here!?” she exclaimed as I took notice of her and relaxed a little.

“Ma’am get back inside this thing intends to-”

“Robert!” Fluttershy yelled as she leaped at me and hugged me as she cried into my shoulder. I winced at the weight but I held her there as I glared daggers into the guards once again as they looked at us confused. “Michael, he’s-he’s…” I patted the back of her head and hushed her.

“I know Fluttershy, I know.” I hugged her tighter as I gave a weak smile to the guards as I put my head onto hers and walked into the room. Celestia and Luna stood at his bedside alongside Twilight and the rest of her friends. There were four dragons in the corner of which I only noticed one as Spike; the others adopted questioning eyes.

Twilight and Celestia looked back at me and stood aside as I walked to his bedside nearly breaking down as I saw him. His whole body was covered in bandages and his limbs hung limply in harnesses tethered to the ceiling. The only thing visible was the skin around his mouth and his right eye. I set Fluttershy down as I got to my knees next to his bedside, “Michael...” my voice broke as I spoke.

The door behind us opened again as a doctor walked into the room, I turned back to Michael as tears welled up behind my eyes. “Doctor...will Michael be okay?” I heard Fluttershy ask as I looked back at the doctor to see if he would confirm what I had heard earlier or deny it. The doctor sighed before he spoke.

“We don’t know for sure Ms. Fluttershy...he’s stable for the moment but unfortunately he is in a coma.”

“Do you know when he will wake up?” Fluttershy responded as I heard someone sniffle from across the bed.

“We...we don’t know...it could be only a few minutes, in several months...or never again.” he confirmed everything the nurse had said. In that moment I felt nothing but sorrow wash over me as I fell onto his chest sobbing.

“I’m so sorry, brother...I should have been faster than that. All of this is my fault, everything! They came after you because they wanted to get at me.” I sobbed defeatedly.

“It’s not your fault Robert...no one could have-” I cut Celestia off.

“LIKE HELL IT ISN’T! He might never wake up because of me, because of that damned Queen Nephilis!” I howled at her.

“Do not berate thyself over this, Robert. Thou hath done all thy could do.” Luna said trying to sooth me.

I heard the dragons in the corner speaking amongst themselves. “I can’t believe it...we were just talking to him a couple days ago. Why would anyone do this?” the green dragon asked.

“I don’t know Telara, from what I heard it was to get at this other human.” the deep crimson dragon responded.

“That still begs the same question though Valerian.” the blue dragon said.

Twilights friends exited the bedside and took places around the perimeter of the room, talking amongst themselves with concerned tones.

I stood up with tears in my eyes and turned towards the dragons with my eyes pointed in daggers as I approached them. The blue one jumped as she noticed me and the others didn’t look too comfortable with it either. “Who are you three and what connection do you have with my little brother.” I growled as they looked between each other worriedly as I felt a tug on my ponytail but ignored it. It happened again before I turned around and Twilight was glaring at me.

“You don’t have to be so rude to them! They’re Michaels friends as well.” she informed me as I glared back at them then back at Twilight. “Apologize right now.” she ordered as I turned towards them.

“Whether you like me or not is your business, I am sorry for being rude but I don’t know you so even still I will be keeping my eye on you whether or not you are his friends. If you even think about hurting him I will make sure you don’t live to see another day.” I warned them as the color faded from the scales in their faces including Spikes.

“ROBERT!” I turned left to see who called my name as they slapped me, hard, across my left cheek. I recovered quickly and saw the one who smacked me was Faelan who had just arrived. “Why are you threatening them?!” She exclaimed angry with me. I looked down in shame then back up at her.

“Can you really blame me for this Faelan? My little brother is in a coma for christ sakes, your Uncle, your family!” I cried back as she was taken aback as the whole room went silent as well.

“Umm, did you just say uncle?” I heard Rainbow Dash ask, “I thought Faelan was a friend? I also thought he was just your friend?” she prodded as I shook my head.

I was about to tell them but a female nurse entered the room, “I’m sorry everyone, visiting hours are over. The doctor said Fluttershy, and the other human may stay however because of their knowledge of the human anatomy and medical experience in case they are needed.” she informed us.

“But I want to-” Rainbow Dash was about to argue but the nurse cut her off.

“It doesn’t matter what you want Ms. Dash, you must leave.” she was short as everybodys blood went cold with how she responded. Everybody except for me and Fluttershy left right after and closed the door.

I heard Fluttershy gasp from the side of the bed after they had left, “Did you see it! I saw a finger move!” she exclaimed quietly.

I turned around and shook my head, “I didn’t see anything, sorry.”

“I’m sorry Ms. Fluttershy.” I heard the nurse say, “It was likely just a muscle twitch, it doesn’t mean he’s waking up but there is hope that he will. Coma patients are most likely to wake up relatively soon after being put into such a state, but after a certain point it gets increasingly unlikely.” she informed her as I nodded in confirmation.

“Oh...right. I know. I just thought…”

“It’s okay Fluttershy, go home and get some rest. I’ll keep watch over him tonight.” I said solemnly as she nodded.

“Both of you really should go home and rest.” The nurse told us, “It’s unlikely anything will happen and I will be here the rest of the night. I’ll send a nurse for the both of you the very second I think something will happen.”

“Alright...only if you’re sure...I’ll come visit every morning.” Fluttershy responded meekly. She left through the front doors after a long delay.

After a while I simply said “No.”

The nurse glared at me, “You need to. You haven’t eaten since you two were admitted. At this rate we’ll have to prepare another room for you as well, and you won’t be any help to him in that state if he does wake up.” she tried to rationalize with me.

“When…” I growled at her to make it perfectly clear that he would as she was taken aback.

“Sorry, when he wakes up. Either way, he’s safe here as Princess Celestia is leaving a few of her best guards to keep watch. Get some rest and come back in the morning.”

I became very annoyed with her as the conversation between the two of us dragged on until I finally agreed to get something to eat.

“Fine… I will go and get something to eat but I am not and will not leave this hospital or its grounds until he wakes up from this.” I growled at her.

“Security will remove you eventually if you remain after-hours.” She informed me as we stood there at another standstill for a couple minutes.

“Will they now?” I said flatly and without emotion, I saw her visibly pale and shiver.

“S-stay as long as you like.” she said hastily as she ran out of the room.

“Thanks.” I said quietly as she left the room.