Decay

As you slowly became conscious, the first thing you were aware of was the pain. Your midsection felt like it was on fire, and your left arm had a sort of dull numbness to it.

You slowly opened your eyes, fully expecting to see angry wooden canines baring their teeth, ready to deliver a death blow. But instead you saw something entirely different.

You were in a bed.. Inside a room. A clean room.

You looked down at yourself. Bandages were wrapped around your torso and your upper left arm seemed to have a cast. Some kind of IV drip was attached.

"The fuck.. Am i in a hospital?"

Your inquisitive thoughts were cut off by voices from the hallway, coming your way.

Quickly you shut your eyes and slowed your breathing.

"--timber wolves, yes. Severe lacerations, bites, and blunt trauma. It's biological systems are different, but it all seems pretty standard. Heart, liver, kidneys, stomach, intestines.."

"Timber wolves? How many?"

"Entire pack of ten,i'm told. It had managed to take down seven before they overwhelmed it."

"So it must be adept at fighting."

"I would assume so. It used a knife and some other device to take down the wolves. Muscle development and body mass indicate this thing lived a pretty hard life."

"What is it, anyway?"

"We have no name for it yet. It's a biped. Those appendages on it's upper limbs are for grabbing and manipulating things, and they are highly developed. Very acute muscles and sensitive nerves. It's somewhat like an ape, although obviously less hairy."

"What does it eat?"

"I had a look at it's teeth. Sharp in the front, dull and wide in the back. Best guess is that it's an omnivore. It looked like it was trying to fish when the wolves ambushed it."

"Alright. Well, we have more blood work to run. We'll check up on it in an hour."

You heard the sound of the door closing. Fuck. This is what you didn't want. Fucking things had probed you.

You threw back the bed sheet. Your tattered pants were still on. A large, wraparound bandage covered your torso. You looked around the room. Your gear was nowhere to be seen.

With a groan, you heaved yourself up and moved to the window. You moved up the wooden blinds a bit and looked outside. You could see a cobblestone street outside. And walking on the street were creatures that looked just like the ones you had seen in the woods. In all manner of colors. Some flew.

"Shit... That means there's no escape from the window..."

You moved to the door window and peered out. The hallway was brightly lit. It was devoid of any activity. You slowly opened it and crept out. You were careful to keep to the extreme side of the hallway, in the shadows. When you came to a door you ducked under it. Finally you reached the end of the hallway. A set of double doors led to what you guessed was the back of the structure. You opened them and looked outside. There was nothing but strange, ancient looking houses. They were brightly colored,with straw roofs. Fuck. Was there any way out?

You weighed your options. You would normally run for it, but your injuries prohibited this. It would be nearly impossible to sneak in an area this populated. And those things would be back from conducting their tests in an hour.

You had no other option. You would simply walk out.

You stuck your hands in your pockets and kept your head down, fighting the pain from your arm. This was it. The center of activity. A town square, you guessed.

You boldly walked out.

The normally noisy square fell silent as a hundred heads turned to look at you.

"Mornin' fuckers." You said as you continued.

"What is that thing?"

"Is it hostile?"

"Should we call the guard?"

One large creature stepped forward. It clenched a large knife in it's teeth.

As you picked up a paving stone with your good arm and prepared to defend yourself, a familiar voice rang out. "Wait!"

You turned to see the purple creature from the woods running towards the town square.

"What are you doing out of the hospital?"

"Oh god damn it! Why can't you guys just fuck off!"

"You're badly injured! You have to go back."

"Yep, uh.. I don't need shit. But what i would like, now that you mention it, is my stuff back. You guys got it?"

"We have your things, yes."

"Any chance i could have it back? Cause as much as i'd like to be leaving, i won't get far without that stuff."

"You wouldn't get far with the nature of your injuries anyway."

The purple creature was right. You could barely move your left arm. The bite must have torn muscle, or if you were really unlucky, shattered bone. The burning pain in your torso made breathing and moving hard. You looked down to see patches of red soaking through the white bandages. You didn't have much choice. It was either stay here or go out there with the wolves. And while you were able to take out more than half their number last time, this time you would not be so lucky.

"Alright. I'll tell you what. I will stay in your shitty hospital until i can move my arm again. Then i want my shit back, and i am out of here. Got it?"

"Got it." It said back, with a level face. "You might as well come with me. I'll tell you a little about where you are."

As you followed the purple creature, the crowd, which had been silently observing, slowly dissipated and went back to what they were doing.

You walked alongside the purple one with a slight limp.

"My name is Twilight Sparkle and this town is Ponyville."

"'Ponyville'? You asked dryly.

"Yes. I live and work here."

"What do you do?"

"I am a librarian."

You chuckled. "Cool, man, cool. Can't beat a good library."

"As you probably know, my friends and i met you once before, back in the Everfree forest."

"Yeah. That place is a real shit hole."

The creature, you guessed it was a 'pony', flinched. "Must you swear so heavily?"

"When one's been living by himself for months, one tends to not give a sh-... One tends to not care about proper language anymore."

"I see. But, you must understand, there are small fillies here."

"Yeah, whatever. Now I need to talk to a doctor, and get a recovery time estimate. And then i'm out of here."

"Well, this way to the hospital."

You walked to the hospital. The front of the building bore a red cross. You walked through the front door, noticing the cowering receptionist.

"There it is!"

A cream- white pony ran down the hallway, flanked by two orderlies.

You recognized the voice from the room.

It looked like it was about to start yelling questions at the staff, but you spoke up.

"Are you some kind of doctor?"

It looked at you. Seemingly surprised at your ability to speak.

"I am a nurse, yes."

"Right, whatever. I need a rough diagnosis of the injuries, and estimate of the recovery time, and if you have them, a bottle of antibiotic and two bottles of high- grade painkiller."

Shakily, it replied. "W-well, you have multiple two-centimeter deep lacerations across your torso and a severe bite wound on your left arm. There are inch deep puncture wounds, but there is also shredded muscle and torn ligament. That will take at least a month to..."

"I don't have a damn month!"

"I'm sorry, but there's really nothing i can do!"

"Aren't you a damn doctor? Isn't there muscular repair surgery here?"

"Surgery is nowhere near that advanced!"

"What are you, friggin' stone age?"

"Alright, there's no reason to get upset!" The purple pony cut in. "I hate to say it, but you appear to be stuck here."

You let that sink in. Holy shit. Out of the frying pan, into the fire, then into a volcano, then the fucking sun.

Once again, you were helpless. You were at the mercy of these strange things... These.. Ponies.

The nurse took this opportunity to slip away.

You wanted desperately to be free again. But you couldn't. Damn wolves. Once you healed you would hunt them down and kill them all.

"Alright, well i'm hungry as shit for one thing. Would you guys happen to have food of some sort?"

"Sure! dandelions, hay..."

Oh shit. They were herbivores. This presented a problem.

"Right.. Well.. Would you guys happen to have any.. Uh... Meat?"

"Meat? As in, animal meat?"

"....yeah"

The purple pony looked frightened. "N-no, we don't eat meat..."

It looked at you with an air of caution.

"Chill. I'm omnivorous. I won't eat you. But i do need some kind of crop plant, flowers won't do. Beans, corn, cabbage, apple?"

It's face lit up when you mentioned the last part.

"As a matter of fact, a good friend of mine happens to work an apple farm."

"Fantastic. Do you use money here? Cause i ain't got squat."

"Normally, yes, we use money. But you aren't in a position to work. Don't worry about it for now"

"Right on. One other thing. I can't climb one handed. And i'm pretty sure you have my rope."

"Climb? As in, climb trees?"

"Yeah, that's how i sleep."

"That's horrible! How do you manage?"

"It's uncomfortable as hell, but it's better than the ground."

"Why?" Said the pony, incredulous.

"Because... Well, let's just say there were things down there that i would not want finding me in the night."

"Right.. Well rest assured, there are no threats here in town. I could probably accommodate you. Or one of my friends could."

"Riiight. Is there anywhere.. Like, outside i can go?"

"Why?"

"Habit, i guess. I'm just not used to houses. Or people. Or.. Ponies."

"I understand. We'll find something that works. You should try to meet some ponies! You're going to be here for a little while."

You shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah.. I'm hoping to do the opposite. I really don't want to be around anyone."

The purple pony looked at you sideways. "Why not?"

"Because i just don't! Fuck!"

"Alright, alright, fine. But at the very least you should meet my friends. They are the ponies from the woods."

"Oh hey, that reminds me. My fist and i have been meaning to have a conversation with that rainbow douche-bag."

The pony looked at you, slightly annoyed.

"I already told you i don't support her decision, but i would seriously appreciate it if you didn't go fighting in the middle of town, and especially not with your condition!"

You scoffed. "Probably wouldn't be a long fight anyway.."

"Perhaps. But you can't undergo any physical stress, or you'll rip your muscles worse!"

"Whatever. Now i'm going to wait till dark and everyone goes in, and then i'm gonna find my sleep spot."

"There's really nothing stopping you from sleeping inside, and i'm pretty sure that the doctors don't want you out there."

"I don't give a damn. I don't want to be here anyway."

"Can you be back here tomorrow? You're gonna be here awhile, and there's no sense in not being acquainted."

"Right, yeah.."

You were cut off by a sudden wave of hunger pains.

"Shit... You said your buddy runs a farm?"

"Yes, it's called sweet ap-"

"Right, right. I need some damn food or i am going to die of hunger. I don't think i've had anything substantial in four days."

"Well, follow me. It's on the outskirts of town."

You walked with the pony, once again through the streets. As it was getting later, there was less activity. Good. you hated attention.

As the houses faded and the trees began, you saw a goofy-looking red barn on the hill.

"This entire place is one huge cliche."

"What?"

"Nevermind."

After a few more minutes of walking you found yourselves among orderly rows of apple trees. Hearing a routine thumping, you walked over to investigate.

You found a light orange pony, wearing a motherfucking cowboy hat, kicking a tree. There were baskets set up under the tree. "Pff.. Seriously? That's how you guys go about harvesting? By kicking the damn tree until the fruit falls off?" You thought to yourself.

The pony gave the tree a solid kick, making all the apples fall off and land in the basket.

You whistled. "That's either the weakest fucking tree ever, or you're stronger than you look."

The pony turned to face you.

Speaking in a southern drawl that had you holding back laughter, it said "Well shucks, i do believe i recognize ya'll. Wasn't ya the strange creature we found in the woods?"

You chuckled and answered in an exaggerated accent. "Well, pardner, i'm gonna have ta say that was me."

The pony narrowed it's eyes at your mockery but it simply replied "what happened to ya'll? You ain't looking too good."

"Well, a pack of shitty wolves ambushed me because they were pissed that i shot one earlier."

The pony grimaced. "Timberwolves? Ya'll lucky to be alive!"

You laughed. "Should have seen them. I'm told their little confrontation with me didn't end well for about seven of them. And then there was some blast of light and another one dropped. The others ran off."

The purple pony cleared it's throat and looked at the ground.

You faced it. "You?"

"I.. I wanted to go back to the forest to look for you again..."

"Right... Well... Thanks, I guess."

There was a few moments of silence.

You broke it. "Anyway, I came here because i am hungry as hell and i need some of your apples."

"Well, shucks, i'd be glad to feed a stranger! Take some from the basket there!"

"Yep. Thanks. I got no money."

"Dun worry! It's on the house."

"Fantastic."

You loaded your pockets with a few apples.

You took a bite of one. It was really good. Probably the best apple you had ever had.

"Apples suck, pears are better." You mumbled under your breath.

"What was that?"

"I said, these apples are awesome, thanks!"