The first thing Diamond Tiara noticed was the smell. It was harsh, something that would burn the inside of her nose. It was like... something. Something she knew. It was something she had smelled before. Not often, but enough that she should know it.

Next came pain. Her chest -- her lungs -- her stomach, flank, limbs, neck, even her ears and tail. They all hurt. She ached all the way down to the bone. She was expecting even her skeleton to start hurting any second.

She groaned.

"I think she's waking up."

Oh, thank Celestia, Diamond Tiara thought. I'm not dead.

With another groan, she opened her eyes. First she just saw bright white. Next came a pale purple-gray blur that focused into a grinning face of a blond maned, golden eyed, unicorn.

"Oh, crap," Diamond Tiara groaned. "I'm in the hospital, aren't I?"

"Yep," Dinky said, still grinning. "She's awake. I'll get the doctor."

As Dinky Hooves left, Diamond Tiara looked around. There was very little to take notice of: walls, a privacy curtain, and another bed with another pony in it. The other pony was a gray pegasus stallion with his wings and one leg wrapped in bandages.

"You couldn't have stayed unconscious a little longer?" Rumble asked. "I was this close to convincing Dinky to give me a sponge bath."

"Oh," Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. "Sorry that my waking up after saving your sorry plot from a manticore prevented you from getting some pity sex."

With a huff, she laid back down, looking up at the ceiling.

"...Rumble? Why was Dinky the only one here?"

"Visiting hours haven't actually started yet," Rumble replied. "It took some doing, but Dinky was allowed to stay with us since she's a teammate and guard too."

"Has... has anypony..."

"Several ponies have come to check on you. Your dad was very adamant about you getting the absolute best care that the hospital could provide. Pretty sure he had some of them terrified of his financial wrath. Apple Bloom wanted to stay by your side until you woke up, even when visiting hours ended. It took all three of her friends to convince to go home and come back in the morning."

"...thanks..." Diamond Tiara mumbled.

"What?" Rumble asked. "Did you say something?"

"Thank you," Tiara said.

Rumble stared at her a moment before giving his head a shake, rubbing one of his ears.

"Could you repeat that? I think I must have gotten some mud or something in my ears, because it sounded like you said-"

"You heard what I said!" Diamond Tiara snapped, glaring at Rumble.

"Okay, okay," Rumble said. "You're welcome. I'm just teasing."

Diamond Tiara resumed laying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her chest rose as she took a deep breath before slowly letting it out.

"I know," she finally said. "I'm sorry. I do appreciate it though."

The two sat there in their beds, silent for a moment.

"Good morning," a voice called out from the door.

Entering the room as a golden-brown coated stallion. Following behind was a nurse with a pale yellow-green coat, and Dinky.

"How are you feeling?" the doctor asked as he moved closer to Diamond Tiara's bed.

"Like I was stepped on by an Ursa Major," Diamond Tiara replied as the doctor and nurse started checking her over.

"That's understandable, considering." The doctor held up a light, shining it into her eye. "You are quite a fortunate young mare."

Diamond Tiara blinked, trying to get rid of the spot in her eye from the stupid little flashlight.

"Why's that?"

The doctor pulled out his stethoscope and placed the end piece to Diamond Tiara's chest (cold!), and listened to her heartbeat. At the same time, the nurse was taking her blood pressure.

"What's the last thing you remember?" the doctor asked as he pulled the stethoscope away.

"Dragging his --" Diamond Tiara pointed at Rumble "-- sorry flank back toward the path after being stung by a manticore."

"By the way," the doctor said, "the nurse is going to be taking a blood sample."

"It shouldn't hurt," the nurse assured with a gentle smile.

"The manticore's venom," the doctor explained, "is a paralytic. A single dose can immobilize a full grown pony for several hours. Most of the time, the pony is able to recover. However, there is a possibility of it proving fatal. That's with a regular dose from a single sting."

He turned and looked at Diamond Tiara fully.

"As near as we can tell, you had close to three times the normal amount in your body when you were brought in."

Diamond Tiara felt the blood drain from her face. She could have died.

"What would have happened?"

The doctor stopped his exam, considering a moment. One of his ears twitched as she looked toward the wall.

"In theory?" He shifted. "When the venom reached your lungs or heart, it would cause them to become immobile. As a result, your brain would have been unable to get the necessary oxygen. Supposedly, it would be relatively painless."

"Ponies survive that?" Rumble cried out from his bed, eyes wide. He let out a gasp of pain, wincing as his wings tried to flare out with his emotions.

"Diamond. I am so, so sorry. I didn't mean to put you in danger like that."

Dinky's horn glowed as she gripped Rumble gently in her power. She pushed him back gently, being careful of his wing.

"It's not your fault," Diamond Tiara replied. "You were unconscious."

"Which is why I am glad you are conscious," a new voice called out.

Standing at the door was a powder blue mare with a white mane and tail.

Diamond Tiara, Rumble, and Dinky Hooves all tensed, with Dinky standing at attention.

"Commander Serena," Diamond Tiara said, saluting.

"At rest," Serena said as she returned the salute. "Doctor, if you are finished, I would like to speak to Cadet Diamond Tiara in private."

"Well, we're done for the moment," the doctor replied. "I would like to remind you that the patient has been through quite a lot recently and is still recovering. As such she is still quite tired and stressed. I must insist that you do not push or over-exert her at this stage."

Commander Serena smiled, looking toward the doctor.

"Really, Doctor. You make it sound like I'm going to interrogate her. I just want to talk to her."

The doctor stared at the commander a long moment before moving past her and leaving the room, the nurse following behind.

"Come on, Rumble," Dinky said. "We can go to the cafeteria and see if they have pudding."

"Okay," Rumble replied. "Just give me some support here." He climbed out of bed, leaning on Dinky to keep the weight off his bandaged leg.

Dinky turned to Diamond Tiara.

"We'll see you in a few minutes. Want us to bring you anything?"

"Cake," Diamond Tiara answered. "Cherry cheesecake if they have it."

With nod, the two made their way out, leaving Diamond Tiara alone with Commander Serena.

"To start with," Commander Serena stated as she moved forward, "you're not in trouble. Nopony is being held responsible for what happened in the forest."

Diamond Tiara felt herself relax a little at that.

"I have gotten statements of testimony about what happened from the others," the commander continued, "and I would like to hear your version of events as well. Start with when Professor Dusty Tomes arrived with his entourage."

Diamond Tiara nodded and adjusted her position. Once she was in a comfortable position, she began to tell the commander what happened as best she could remember.

Author's Note

Commander Serena is not an oc, or my idea directly. The idea of using her was inspired by which can be found here along with the screenshot that inspired it. The image was not made by me.