Chapters 00- Life Left Behind (prolog)
General disclaimer: I do not own MLP, characters or otherwise, it belongs to Hasbro and such. Aside from the occasional original character I own nothing but the love of the show and its fanbase.
The Dragon Law
00. Life Left Behind [Prolog]
Woo Hoo its twelve-thirty Monday morning, I know what that means! Ha Ha! Time for Ponies! Just a short walk in the dark and I’ll be home in bed catching up on the weekend of updates I missed because of... Work... bleh. I don’t hate work by any means it’s just that I didn’t study Culinary Arts for two years to be washing dishes for a franchise whose mascot is a dopey looking giant boy carrying a even more giant hamburger. Aw well in this economy you take what you can get, am I right? Actually it’s pretty good, I only work three days a week, yet still make enough to pay bills and still have some spending money left over.Clocking out and bidding the night manager a farewell I started the short trek home. The first few times where a bit worrisome, walking home in the middle of the night, I don’t really have any reason to worry I live in a safe part of town and the chances of getting mugged/kidnapped again are very low.
Ten minutes this time, I’m getting faster. After using my super ninja skills to get from the front door to my room, I may or may not have woken everyone in the apartment up in the process. I changed from work clothes to nightwear and got into bed, booted up my laptop and immersed myself into the world of Love and Tolerance until about eight in the morning at which point I all but passed out from kindness overload, or exhaustion from working thirty five hours in three days, whichever.
--Decidet ad Ponticum--
Around four forty five, I was up, showered, and groomed. All and all ready for the day. I went for a walk, something I started doing more recently, not only because it's healthy but mostly because I don’t have a car, or my license for that matter. Seriously! I am almost twenty-two and I still don’t have my driver’s license, when people ask I say it’s because I have horrendous eyesight even with these thick glasses, or because there are already too many idiots on the road already why add one more.
But those are more excuses than anything. I haven’t gotten my license for two reasons: I’m terrified of driving and I’m incredibly lazy. I do not, I mean Do Not trust myself behind the wheel of a motor vehicle; bad eyesight, easily distracted, and the recurring thought of accidentally killing someone all add up to one silly phobia. I am also a very lazy person, I am content to sit home and do nothing most days and going to the DMV, waiting in line, all the bureaucracy I don’t think it’s worth it; as a famous shinobi said “what a drag”.
A ten minute walk brought me to L&C Parkway and all the Shops and Stores I needed to pass the hours. If my roommates were with me I would head to the mall, but by myself...not today; too many people, too many eyes. After three or four blocks I stopped for a late lunch, well breakfast but when you work my schedule you tend to eat dinner for breakfast just about every day. It was a small ice cream place that sold shakes, malts, floats, sundaes, and slushies of all flavors. The hot dogs, oh the hot dogs, of every style and preference the selection was amazing. I settled for a Barbeque Bacon Chili dog and a banana shake, yeah healthy! I haven’t had a good meal since Thursday, I deserve this.After I paid and received my food I went and sat near the back of the outdoor seating area. It was a fairly nice sunny day with a cool breeze that blew swiftly enough to keep you cool, but strong enough to keep you weary of your paper goods. I’m not a crowd person, that’s another reason why I like it here; it’s busy enough to be popular but not so much to be crowded.
I pulled out my laptop and brought up EqD and looked at the posts while enjoying my shake and hot dog. I had just finished the season two finale. Changelings! The fic writers are going to have a field day with this! But they did seem to nerf Celestia quite a bit, either the changeling queen is alicorn tier or a thousand years of peace and quiet has left the sun princess a tad rusty, and what was Luna doing the whole time! All in all I thoroughly enjoyed the finale. After the credits ended and I closed YouTube I got the strangest feeling, turning around and there is a little girl maybe nine to eleven from the looks of it in a green dress looking to be made up from a mesh-mash of different fabrics staring at me, but not just me my laptop as well. She was currently drinking from some forty ounce something-or-another when she said with a straight face, “You know that show is for little girls, right?”
I am not a closet brony but I also don’t shout it to the world, so the best answer I could come up with was a flat, yes. She just stared at me and I stared right back at her. The staring contest went on like that for a bit, I broke the silence by defending my bronydom, “actually a majority of the fans of the show are in my age group, and I’ll have you know that in this troubled world it’s refreshing to have something innocent like this show to lean on,” I explained.
She just took another drink of her beverage then she mockingly rebuked, “Innocent, more like watching little girls. You're a dirty freak.” That got me to laugh, love and tolerate right, I’m not one to lose my temper least of all to a silly little girl, “you are going to have to try harder than that if you want to bother me, anything you say I’m sure my little sis has already gone over it,” I replied.
Her response was something I was not expecting, “You're boring, and I bet you wouldn't be much fun anyways.” The Hell’s that supposed to mean? What was this kid thanking? People nowadays, shesh. I’m not one to be goaded easily but this rude little girl was getting to me. “Oh yeah, that’s me a boring little wallflower. If I were in Equestria I’d be less noticed than the background ponies. I’m going back to my show for little girls now, why don’t you run back to your mommy or daddy?” I calmly retorted.
As I was turning back to my laptop the girl's eyes widened and seemed to grow even greener for a second, probably a trick of the light, before her even expression became very serious. Kids and their tempers, HA! “You think that ‘innocent’ magical fairyland is so great! I bet you just wish you were there don’t you! Always partying with the prancing ponies! Living in their perfect world” she yelled a tear showing in her eye as well as getting the attention of the few people near. Damn, I didn’t want to make the kid cry. I’m trying to be as polite as possible, she’s a kid a stranger at that. I don’t want to get chewed out by her parents over this.
What happened in the next few moments changed my life forever. She then dropped her drink and reached for my laptop and ran off with it. Sitting at a picnic table it took me a second to get up and give chase, I’m a bit overweight and my legs have had some problems in the past, still, I was pretty sure I could catch her. She rounded the corner of the shop shortly followed by me, but when I turned the corner a foot came out of nowhere and sent me careening towards the ground. As I was falling I got a glimpse of who tripped me, the girl! There was something was wrong with her face, but I didn’t have time to worry about it because the ground was coming up fast. The world went black.
[Note to viewers]
This being my first attempt at storytelling, the grammar Nazis will have a good time with this. Very much of this story has been inspired by Rust’s Ballad of Echo the Diamond Dog and BlackWing’s Griffin the Griffin, both authors are great at their craft you should check them out of you haven't already. I don't want it to be a clone so I am trying to be as original (well as original as a HiE story can be) as I can. My roommates are doing their best to pre-read for me but I trust them as bout as far as I can throw them, sorry for any mistakes missed. Let me know and I will get to fix ASAP. Bahumat, hear my plea and don’t let me make a fool of myself for trying this.
01- Between a Hospital and a Hard Place
General disclaimer: I do not own MLP, characters or otherwise, it belongs to Hasbro and such. Aside from the occasional original character I own nothing but the love of the show and its fanbase.
[Note to viewers] I am still working on a writing style that I can work easily with. Last chapter was in past tense for that was on earth. The style now will be in the present tense. If/when I slip up be sure to tell me so it can be changed. Now let’s do this!
The Dragon Law
01. Between A Hospital and a Hard Place
All I could see and feel was the cold and darkness, no that’s not right I also felt that bubble you get in your stomach when you drop on a roller coaster, free fall. Falling, I’m falling! I began to muster all the effort I could to move, my body felt completely unresponsive. Come on hands, arms, feet, legs, or anything move damn you! Slowly the darkness was being replaced with grays slowly shifting patterns started forming, okay eyes open!
Yep, I was falling. High as well, how did that happen? Far below me was a cityscape I had never seen before, then again I’ve never been in a plane or any higher than that time I was on some wooden roller coaster so the new perspective is a bit jarring. Now’s not the time to worry about that out I have something more important to do at the moment, PANIC! My body seemed to regain its mobility, probably because of the adrenaline rush of falling to my death! I started flailing about causing exactly the reaction that you would think would happen, nothing… well damn when my go-to card fails like that, that means I actually have to come up with a plan.
Okay, how do I survive this, I know there have been a few incidents where skydivers survived the fall when their parachute didn’t open. First flatten myself out, try to create more air resistance. Next landing on concrete or stone would be bad, need to try to find a ‘soft’ spot. Well that would be easier if I could keep my eyes open, damn wind, through my teary eyes I began to scan the area under me. Lots of tall buildings, not New York tall, maybe ten stories at most, surrounding the city are a few farms and quite a few bodies of water of various sizes. A water landing wouldn't help either; at the height I was falling the water would be as solid as anything else. Wow, the ground is getting very close now, not much time. Well if I was going to die I might as well limit the damage I would do and hit one of the lakes below, yeah if I’m going out; I’m going out with a splash!
Doing my best to angle myself and gain some control of the fall I noticed it was working, my course was slowly heading toward the nearest body of water. The large lake was still small but I seemed to be right on target. I’ve never been skydiving before, if I had a parachute this would have to be the coolest thing I have ever done. Wait, no, no, no, no, nonononononono! I’m overshooting my landing; I will miss the river completely damn, damn, damn! Too close to the ground, nothing I can do! I’m heading straight for one of the riverside buildings, three maybe four stories well damn.
As I was about the be ended thanks to gravity, physics I love you but sometimes you suck, the clichéd life flashing before my eyes happened. Very young: sliding down a snowy hill with my father, my first memory it think. About age six or seven: sliding down a flight of stairs in a box only to land head first into the wall. Age ten: getting in a fight with my sister; me throwing a shoe and she smacking me in the forehead with a branch. Age seventeen: My first and last schoolyard fight. The punk was charging me I readied myself and did the only thing my years of movies and games trained me for… SPINNING HEEL KICK! He was down with one hit. That was the proudest moment of my school career. Six months ago: In the back of a piece-of-crap car held at gunpoint being driven around downtown. Not too long ago: Chasing a crazy kid, getting tripped and falling, for a long time. What the hell! What kind of end of life memories where those?
As I was bemoaning the short life I lived I was interrupted by something which brought me back to reality, pain what else. Like a white hot iron being stabbed repeatedly into my shoulder blades. I snapped my eyes open, my fall had ended. I was maybe a dozen feet from the ground hanging in the air *tumm-twaing* then all of a sudden I felt like I was on the end of a rubber band. I was somehow sent sailing at a ninety degree angle to my previous flight, this time into not so long and not so far. *Crack* the pain in my back instantly spread to the rest of my body. Fate wasn’t done with me yet I guess, somehow not dead and barely conscious I was falling, AGAIN!, but this time something soft broke my fall, ‘bout time too. I felt myself blacking out, for good reason, but before I went completely under I just caught what sounded like voices, but I couldn’t make out anymore then that when the darkness took hold again.
--Decidet ad Ponticum--
I’m standing in darkness. The pain is gone and I'm no longer falling. I'm also confused as hell. I'm either dead or out of danger at the moment, so it seems like good time as any to think about what lead up to this point. First I woke up, went on a walk, ate food; all normal up to that point. Met crazy kid, now that I think about it she seemed off somehow. Not the normal kind of off (like the kind you see at Wal-mart at one in the morning) but like she didn't belong anywhere, it was just a feeling I had. As soon as I started thinking of the girl a cold feeling started to come over me, and not a normal chill like on a winter day but the kind of cold that seeps into your very being.
Hehehe... not here but a few minutes and you already made quite an impact wouldn't you say? A female voice that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same asked.
"Who's there? What happened to me? Where am I?" I shouted to the everywhere/nowhere woman.
That would be telling wouldn't it? You will see. Your mind, it's quite empty is it not? was the reply.
I just stood there slightly dumbfounded, okay outright stricken stupid; I finally got the gears in my head spinning, "umm... where are you?" I asked.
Look up.
Looking up, in the great darkness that surrounds me I see two giant eyes of burning emerald with slitted catlike pupils. Those eyes!
"You! I remember these eyes, you where that kid that tripped me! You did this!" I pointed a hand that I couldn't see at the eyes shouting.
Yes and no , the eyes said. I couldn't see the rest of her face but I felt the smile none the less.
"Why?" was all I could think of asking.
Well...someone needed to walk the path of Ruin, and what better than a Child of Chaos?... It seems our little chat is coming to a close, I thought Cordy would be out longer than this, aww well. Farewell till next we meet.
"Wait, What? That doesn't help at all! How do I-AAAHHHH!" I was asking then it happened, AGAIN! I was falling.
--Decidet ad Niveus--
I woke with a jerk, well I would have if not for the fact that I seemed to be restrained. I was covered over most of my body in something hot and itchy. I was hanging in the air on my stomach In what seemed to be some kind of cot or hammock; the smell of disinfectant was everywhere I must be in a hospital. I guess I hit my head harder than I thought when I tripped... unless, judging from the dull pain and soreness radiating from my my entire body, what happened after the trip wasn't a dream.
I was distracted from my thoughts when I heard the door to my room open and someone enter. *Clip-clop Clip-clop* What, was the nurse wearing wooden clogs; it was the strangest footfalls I had heard. When the the nurse had reached my cot they pulled back the curtain divider, and what I seen produced quite a few emotions at once. Being face down on the cot for some reason all I could see of the nurse was their legs, ALL FOUR OF THEM!
I definitely hit my head harder than I thought. I wanted to shake my head to clear my vision but being bound I didn’t really have that ability. The legs came closer, to within about two steps from the cot. The body the legs were attached to was doing something to the front of the bed for a couple seconds then took a step to the side, I heard mechanical sounds then the cot/ bed i was strapped to started to rotate to a more standing position.
Slowly the being in front of me was being revealed. It was a pony, an earth pony to be precise with a coat of lemon yellow and a mane and tail of white with red highlights running through it. The words, Candy Striper, came to mind, like the old hospital volunteers. By the rounded snout I guessed the pony was a female, and when she spoke it was confirmed.
“Okay, Mister Body Cast let’s see how you're doing today. Vitals are good, cast is holding up well, and your treatments show no sign of resistance. In a few days you should be awake.”
She was busy going over the cast and other medical stuff, she didn’t actually seem to notice I was awake. I noticed her cutie mark was a broken heart with a bandage over it.
“Umm...excuse me Nurse but I am awake. Where am I and How did I get here?”
“You're in the Maneapolis Central Hospital,” the nurse said while going over medical charts, she stopped took a second to think and looked up.
“Hello,” I smiled politely. And was greeted with warm welcome.
“AH!” My ears! “oh, you're awake. Sorry about that you startled me. You shouldn't be awake yet... but you seem stable.” She went to double check some charts by my nightstand, “oh I see your treatments are proceeding ahead of schedule because of your lower than average magic resistance caused by malnutrition.”
“Malnutrition?” I asked. I’m beyond confused at this point. Last I checked my diet wasn't the healthiest but I did not skimp out on the essentials, “my diet wasn’t that bad was it? How long was I out?”
“You were admitted a week and a half ago,” she explained, “you had over 180 broken bones, some internal trauma, and a very bad head injury but luckily there does not seem to be any brain damage. You were also lacking just about all the mineral nutrients that a growing boy such as you should have. I will have to go and inform the doctor you're awake.”
The nurse had left, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Am I crazy? In a Coma? Or against all odds could I actually be in Equestria? Either way I might as well play along and have some fun right? I mean if I am crazy or comatose there really isn't anything I can do about it now can I? If this is just some mental escape I could have definitely ended up somewhere worse. Dark Sun or the Capital Wasteland for instance, too dry for my liking. I would have liked to end up in Skyrim or Eberron but Equestria is just as good as any place. What's not to like magic, adventure, excitement, and don't forget friendship.
Stretching what little I could I found that I still felt the cast through my fingers, good I still have hands. So I wasn't made into a pony that is fine with me I prefer my bipedal, five digited self anyways. As I was thinking to myself the doctor had entered.
“Well hello my young friend,” the doctor said happily as he entered the room, “I see you have woken early. Thats a very good sign, you keep up like this and you'll be up and about in no time. I’m Doctor Gentle Relief,” Good name for a doctor I thought, “I have been overseeing your recovery.”
The doctor was as a blue-gray unicorn with a short gray mane and tail that had twin streaks of electric blue running through them, he also had a matching goatee. His cutie mark was the Caduceus, the winged rod with serpents spiraling around it, the modern symbol of medicine.
“Umm...hello doctor, the nurse said that I had broken almost all my bones, had internal problems, and have only been here less than two weeks. I have two questions: One, how am I still alive? And two, will I have permanent damage, will I be able to walk or anything again?” I mean if this is a coma dream how much would it suck if I was stuck in a bed for the rest of it...
Dr. Relief looked reassuringly at me, “from the reports I was given you fell from the sky and miraculously landed on a flagpole, which slowed you fall and flung you into an adjacent building. As for permanent injury, no you’ll make a full recovery. Although Were not Canterlot Royale we do have a very dedicated and trained staff in the Medi-Magical arts. It’s funny, if not for your malnourishment lowering your magic resistance our treatment would have been ineffective and we may have lost you. You are a very lucky dragon.”
“Okay, thanks doc I feel much better, when do you tha-WAIT, WHAT?”
[Note to viewers]
I’m still looking for a style that fits me, the best I can do is get better as I go. I am working with a mild form of dyslexia, so pointing out grammar and spelling errors is a big help. Thanks for reading, hope you come back again. -Redmage Ronaxsis
General disclaimer: I do not own MLP, characters or otherwise, it belongs to Hasbro and such. Aside from the occasional original character I own nothing but the love of the show and its fanbase.
The Dragon Law
02. Bones and Bedrest
“Ha hahahaha, that’s rich! Hehehehehe,” all I could do was laugh.
“Umm... Doctor is he alright? I know he looks a sight but for the past few minutes all he has done is laugh at his reflection,” the nurse asked.
“Heh, well everything seems normal. He has been on quite a bit of medication, magical and drug related, I’m sure its just catching up with him now that he is finally awake...” Doctor Relief replied, “but if he doesn't stop soon I may have to sedate him.”
Well Isn't that a sight? The doctor had conjured a large mirror with magic, magic is awesome by the way. In the mirror staring back at me was quite a strange sight, even more so knowing that it was me in the reflection, was a very tall figure covered head to toe in bandages and thick cast. The figure was suspended in what could barely be considered a bed, gyroscopic looking metal bars extending around it making it look more like something you would train astronauts in, designed for those in full body casts it appears. Stranger than the bed was the extra limbs sticking out of the body in the cast, two wings stretched wide and a tail four of five feet in length.
At first I didn’t believe what I saw with my own eyes. Until I realized that the eyes followed in time with mine, eyes that were very familiar to me, except for the draconic slitted pupils. I always had cool blue-grey eyes they had always seemed to change with area, melting into the ambient lighting (Steel-gray in the case of the hospital’s overhead lights). Of all the ailments I suffered lately at least something has improved, I didn’t have my glasses but I could see crystal clear. Being able to see more than just blurry colors more than a foot away was something I haven't been able to do since I was six.
The face, parts not hidden behind bandages anyways, is clearly reptilian with gray-white scales. The face’s nose and jaw juts out to form an angular, broad snout much like an alligator’s. Crossing my eyes I focused on were my nose would have been, in its place was a lump flatter and longer than I was used to. That snout in the reflection was mine! I am a dragon, awesome!...wait, crap, I can already feel everyone's eyes on me. Maybe Spike didn’t have that problem, but I’m more than two or three times his size. Not to mention that the dragons I've seen on the show have a mean disposition and the pony population would assume that I would as well. But who cares I’m a freakin DRAGON! I couldn’t stop laughing.
“I’m okay, wooh hehe, I’m fine really. Well as fine as I could be after a near fatal fall, how am I not dead again?” I asked after finally regaining my composure.
“Well in the past decade there have been marvelous breakthroughs in osteo-reconstructive spells and surgeries, many a pegasi lives have been saved and improved because of this. Actually you don’t know how lucky you are, if this had happened three or four years ago you most certainly would have been bedridden for the rest of your life. Ten years ago you would not have made it. After your next few treatments you will still need time for your body to catch up with the accelerated healing,” the doctor told me.
“Not to mention getting your bone and scale density back up to normal levels, the augmented healing has left your already malnourished body even more drained, we can only do so much with synthetic crystal,” the nurse added.
“I don’t know what to say, I want to thank you and everyone else who helped me. I don’t have any way to repay you...actually I don’t even have a way to pay for the medical bill,” I said smiling sheepishly.
“Bill? I don’t know how they run things on the borderlands but here in Equestria medical care is free, even if you're not a citizen as of yet,” the nurse said a bit harshly but then softened again, “Here when people need help it is given, because of that fact many local business’ often donate funds or services to us. While primarily funded by the Royal Treasury, the many donations we receive do help a great deal. No, you don’t have to worry about anything but getting better. OH, I just realised I never introduced myself. Nurse Maritime Gold at your service. If you need anything Just give a shout, not too loud, this is a hospital after all.”
“Speaking of introductions,” Dr. Relief started, looking at my medical chart, “we haven’t gotten your name or any other personal information such as allergies, past medical history, or anything else you might deem important enough to get you better, I believe dragons like their privacy so I won't ask for your life's story, anything that would help the healing process will be helpful.” He then sent the nurse off to gather the necessary forms.
Oh yeah, they wouldn’t have any kind of information on me would they? Well I can’t tell them the truth, sure they will still fix me up but then what? An Institution? Maybe they would think its just the aftereffects of the treatments, they already think I’m loopy. No, I will have to think of something...amnesia maybe? That could work it was a traumatic experience after all. Nah, thats boring, I’m in a new world with a new (albeit broken) body why not make a new life as well? From what I know from the show ponies don’t have much information on dragons. I guess I could just make up the rest and they would be none the wiser. Then again feeding doctors bad medical advice could end up giving me serious complications...I just stick with the basics then.
“I would fill the forms out myself but...” I looked down at myself and did my best to shrug through the heavy cast
“Oh don’t worry about it, nurse Gold and I got it covered...speak of the mare,” the doctor replies amicably as the candycaned-maned pony rushes back into view.
The medical professionals then began to question me while completing the forms.
“Name?”
Name I need a name...hmm new world, new body, new name? Bahamut, naa. Smaug hehe, no. Hehehe how ‘bout Alduin? Screw it I’ll just use my last name everyone at school did anyway, there were too many Matthews to keep track any other way.
“Law, my name is Law”
“Race, that’s an easy one, Dragon”
“Age?”
“Twenty one”
“Sex?”
“No think you I’m good,” I answered smiling, the mare just stared at like me like the fool I was while the doctor did his best to hide his smirk with a hoof covered cough. What? It was the perfect set up.
“What, it was funny. I’m Male”
“Okay,” Gold went back to the forms, “Coat coloration, gray”
“Gray, thats the best you could come up with? It’s sliver-gray, metallic gray, or Platinum even”
“Okay, shiny gray it is then,” nurse Maritime said with a smile, “Mane color, well spines actually; same shade as scales.
Between the bandages and cast I couldn't move to see so I took her word on it.
“Current address, you do have a place to stay don’t you?”
“Sure don’t,” I said with a big dopey smile, “ah goes where the wind blows. I’ve been bitten by the travel bug and have been moving ever since.” That's not completely untrue, I think when I’m released I will travel for a bit. I mean I’m Equestria for goodness-sakes I have to get out and see what this world has to offer.
“I know the feeling, when I was a filly my family went sailing all the time. One time we even traded with some of the Zebrican Isles, they have the best potions. But eventually the wanderlust wears off and all you want to do is settle down.” the goldenrod pony had that look of nostalgia in her eyes, but she was quickly brought back to the present and continued the list.
“An emergency contact and address?”
“No, I’m new to Equestria and any friend or family I have are a long way away.”
The nurse gave me a piteous look while the doctor nodded his head in understanding. I just shrugged and waited for them to continue.
“Okay now on to the medical forms. Any allergies or past medical conditions?”
“Nope, can’t say that I have ran into anything that gave me an allergic reaction, but when I was five I did have something called Guillain-Barre syndrome. Ever heard of it?” I wonder how many maladies from earth overlap here as well.
“I can’t say I have, maybe by a different name, what are the symptoms if you can remember,” the doctor and nurse look at me curiously.
“I can’t remember what causes it and I know it’s pretty rare, something causes the immune system to attack the nervous system. It started with my feet going numb and slowly spread upwards. By the time I got medical attention I was paralyzed from the waist down, I was lucky because my internal organs were going crazy. After a few weeks in care most of the symptoms passed, my legs still get tired and sore easily.” I did the best I could in remembering that time, from what I recall my mother telling me, I was in a medical book for being one of the youngest in the tri-state area to catch it in the past century.
“It sounds familiar but I would have to do some checking,” doctor Relief was saying while rubbing his chin with a hoof, “do you know how your caretakers had combat the illness?”
Crap. How do I tell them without revealing the human background?...Oh yeah, land of magical talking ponies.
“Magic,” I deadpanned with a shrug.
“Well that wasn't very helpful, but I guess it couldn’t be helped,” nurse Gold exclaimed, “you probably were focused more on getting better than how you got better.” I nodded in Agreement.
“That’s about it, anything else can be filled out by nurse Gold or I. Best leave you to your rest, like she said earlier if you need anything just holler.”
The doctor went to leave while nurse Gold started messing with the controls of my bed rotating into a more sleep-comfortable position. Then she turned out the lights and closed the divider, but before it closed completely.
“I know what it is like to travel alone, if you need someone to talk to just ask, okay?” she said with a smile.
I replied with a nod and a smile of my own. I heard the clip-clop of hooves then the sound of a door closing. I suddenly began to feel exhausted and decided to try to go to sleep.
--Decidet ad Ponticum--
What, where am I? Looking around all I see is red and black. The ground glassy looking in some places, sharp and craggily in others reflects the light of not only the red tinted, ash filled sky but also the red hot glow of the liquid stone rivers that flow slowly by. If I didn’t know any better i would say I was in Oblivion...wait, a few minutes ago wasn't I in Equestria. Well damn. For all I could know I might just be on that damned plane. If anyone expects me to fight demons, alligatorheads, tricarathings, or those damnable spider ladies *cring* damn spiders they will be sorely mistaken. Oh but those imps, heh, I’ll punt the little bastards into the nearest lava flow if they so much as think of tossing a fireball my way. I was suddenly torn from my thoughts by a shout from behind.
“LAW NO!”
Turning I see two ponies, okay so I’m not in Oblivion thats good to know, about a dozen yards away. The ponies in question are staring down a small lava pool, I try to call out but my voice catches in my throat. I try and try again but no sound escapes, well damn. I then began to make my way over to them but every step was like moving through syrup, what the hell is wrong, why am I moving so slow? Looking back to the ponies I seem to have gotten about half way before something In the lava starts to bubble to the surface.
Climbing out of the lava was a figure about twice the size of the ponies, stands on two legs, and has a tail and wings, huh, it's a young dragon. After shaking most of the lava off he holds out what appears to be a basketball sized black rock. One of the ponies, a unicorn, lifts a pile of cloth to the dragon, cloths it seems. After donning a red jacket and matching hat the other pony, a pegasus, points with a hoof to a cave and the three began to walk in that direction.
Mr. Law your times up!
Hearing that voice I turn to see nothing but two large emerald eyes staring down at me.
--decidet ad album--
“Mr. Law? Are you okay?”
I was panting and was covered in a cold sweat. Looking around I found myself back in the hospital bed-rig-thing. The red and white maned yellow earth pony from the other day was rotating my bed into a comfortable propped-up position, nurse sea-something Gold. She gave me a concerned smile.
“I said it's time to wake up, I brought breakfast,”
The mare took a step out of my vision and came back with With a tray of food, it doesn't matter what dimension you are from hospital food is hospital food... It wasn’t that bad I guess. A bit of scrambled eggs, fruits, toast, and of course jello. How does that work, must be cornstarch or some other thickener than collagen. After getting over the humiliation of having to be spoon fed. After she picks up a spoon and start to feed me, how do you hold a spoon with a hoof?
“Are you okay, you looked a bit shaken when I came in and woke you.”
“Yeah I’m fine, I guess I had a nightmare. I can’t remember much just a bunch of fire and big green eyes.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, I’ve heard that sometimes the spells used to numb pain when used continuously can cause vivid dreams. That combined the medication you have been on the almost two weeks would most definitely cause some strange nightmares. I will see about getting that adjusted for you. Oh that reminds me when you finish your breakfast in an hour your doctors will be here to start your final rounds of treatments.”
“Thanks,” I replied between bites, “what kind of treatment have I been receiving anyway?”
“Oh well first there was a some surgery to repair some internal bleeding, then checked for nerve damage along the spine and set as many of your bones as we could. After you left the ICU we started using Spells to quicken the healing process of your vital areas ending with your extremities.”
When I finished I thanked her and she asked if I needed anything then left. I guess I have about an hour of waiting to do... at least Rainbow dash could move, this is going to be terrible.
[Noteses]
I’m sorry it took so long for me to finally get this chapter out. Between losing my job, leaving college, moving out a roommate, and finding a new job life has been busy. But that is the past, I have some fresh (not original, original is hard...) ideas I think will help make this story. I still have that problem with grammar and structure as most of you will can see. I don’t want to bug you guys to proofread or edit for me (I don't want to be a bother) but any criticism is appreciated.
-Bahamut guide you-
General disclaimer: I do not own MLP, characters or otherwise, it belongs to Hasbro and such. Aside from the occasional original character I own nothing but the love of the show and its fanbase.
The Dragon Law
03. Medicine and Magic
I got bored of waiting and between the lack of TV or radio I started listening to the ambient sounds of the room, they started to have a melody of their own. It started with me humming a tune then whistling to full blown singing , something I would never have done back on earth. I never sing not even in the shower...hmm I’ma chalk it up the the “Magic” of Equestria where everyone seems to break into song on a weekly basis.
Do you believe everything that you read
Everything that you see on the sets
You look around at your sleepy little town
And think that this is as good as it gets
Well what you're lookin’ a is heaven sent
Every day is a getaway
When all of it goes unsaid
I got a holiday, a paid holiday
I got a holiday in my head
And what you want, what you really need
Are two different things what you say
The line is thin, between fun and sin
And we’re all clockin’ in for the day
And our only care is what to wear
Every day is a getaway
When all of it goes unsaid
I got a holiday, a paid holiday
I got a holiday in my heaaaaaad
I got a job but I’ve got a problem
‘Cause I eat too much and I can’t afford to solve it
When I’m savein up for that cruise to the Caymanes
And I’m hittin’ the snooze so I can keep on dreamin’
I’m just tryin’ to realize
I’m just dyin’ to open my eyes
I’m just lookin’ for paradise in my living room
Every day is a getaway
When all of it goes unsaid
I got a holiday, a paid holiday
I got a holiday in my head
I got a holiday, a paid holiday
I got a holiday in my head
I got a holiday, a paid holiday
I got a holiday in my head
“I got a holida- OH *Ahem* sorry about that, hehe,” I stopped singing as nurse Gold, Dr. Relief, and two other medical ponies walked into the room.
“That's quite all right Mr. Law, you’ll be out of that body cast in no time. Dr. Scalpel and Dr. Beard are here to assist with the final round bone mending along your spine,” Relief gestured to the gray and red ponies standing by him.
I’m going to guess the the ash gray pegasus with the rose red mane and scalpel and forceps as a cutie mark is Dr. Scalpel. The apple red unicorn with neon green Einstein-like mane and mustache must be Dr. Beard, who funnily enough lacks any sort of facial hair relating to his moniker, has a large book labeled with a microscope as his mark. The two gave a nod in my direction as started to position themselves around me. The crimson pony started to explain what they were about to do.Using a lot of medical terms and sciencey stuff that was above my pay grade.
In layman's terms what they were doing was actually pretty uncomplicated. Shortly after they had stabilized me when I first arrived at the hospital Dr. Scalpel and several other surgeons inserted synthetic crystals along much of my skeleton. Most notably my skull and vertebrae, to try to limit permanent nerve damage, the crystals are there to act as a source of energy and mineral supplements. The crystals were designed by Dr. Beard, who has a dozen degrees in non-pony biology, to be slowly absorbed by the body of a Lithotroph; beings that can feed on gems.
Today the doctors are going to start a slow acting spell that will increase the metabolism and jump start osteogenesis. This procedure is normally done without the need for the crystals but my malnutrition required the need for outside assistance. Nurse Gold rotated my bed until I was facing the floor, my body parallel with the ceiling. The two unicorns started the spell, horns glowing. When they began enveloping me in the field of magic I felt a tingling sensation over by body; kind of like that feeling when a foot falls asleep but all over. The feeling grew until that pins-and-needles started to become very uncomfortable. When I complained the nurse did something to my IV and a numbing coolness came over me. I don’t know what was in that stuff but it was awesome. The surgeon then began instructing the two spellcasters to focus the spell on specific sections of my skeleton. This went on for while; I’m not sure how long exactly but the sun was well on its way across the sky when they were done.
When the procedure was finished the two unicorns were panting and looked as though they had ran a marathon. It seems the ‘simple procedure’ took more out of them than they thought. In their defense not all unicorns can be as OPed as Twilight Sparkle. The nurse han-hoofed, It’s going to take a while to get used to that, a glass of water to the doctors. The pegasus surgeon began rotating my bed 180 degrees so that I was facing the ceiling.
“While the doctors rest fer a bit I’ll take our patient ta get some X-rays; see how the treatment went. That okay with everypony?” the ashen pony asked. They agreed and he began wheeling my away.
“Well kid, how do ya feel?” the surgeon asked with a smile.
“Tingly, and hungry,” was my reply. It was well into the afternoon and I missed lunch.
“Yeah magic’ll do that to ya. ’m sure miss Gold will get ya somethin’ fer ya. Woo boy! You gave them stallions a run for their money with that one.”
“Oh. How so, I didn’t do much but lie there and get magiced the whole time,” I wondered aloud.
“Well them crystals Ah put in ya little more ‘n a week ago prolly soaked up a lot of the spell. From what Beardisy says those magic’d gems‘ll keep charge and slowly release the spell over time, saves ‘em from havin’ ta redo fer a month. Good thing too, they looked plum tuckered out after that,” the doctor explained.
So I have magic gems covering a good portion of my skeleton, awesome I’m the Wolverine of Equestria. Now that, that right there sounds like the beginning of a terrible fanfic...
“Won’t the crystals make it harder for my bones to make blood, or some other complication?” I asked. I’m no Oestologist...umm...bone doctor, whatever, but I did know when covered like that it causes a bunch of problems in the long run.
“Ah wouldn’t worry ‘bout it none, you ‘n the D-dogs’ bodies take to gems like fish to water. Heck replace the crystal with coral and you get the same result ‘n just about everypony else. Your body’ll break it down and use it to make more bone. The biggest problem will be ‘ta make sure there’s no deformation while bein’ absorbed, an’ magic’ll take care of that.”
Well that was reassuring, I had a roommate in college that had bone spurs; he didn’t enjoy them much. I wonder what other miracles medical magic and do.
As I was thinking about my situation I was wheeled into a white room with a few white machines. One machine was a table with a rail above it that had a box attached to it in a way so that it could slide back and forth. Another machine was a four or five foot white rectangular box on wheels that had an mechanical arm sticking out of one side; at the end of the arm was the same box the table had only smaller. Both looked a lot like the X-ray machines that I had seen the last time I was in a hospital. What ever this world lacks in other technologies it at least is very up to date with its medical facilities.
“Okay kiddo, ya’ ready to get some pictures of yer’ insides?” the pegasus asked me as he positioned my bed next to the small of the machines.
“I’m not afraid of blood or needles any, what’s a little radiation gonna do? Let’s get them photos!” I 'amicably exclaimed.
“That’s the spirit,” the rose headed surgeon said as he laid a heavy vest over me and started to move the arm into position for the first shots.
The few times I’ve had to get an X-rays I always thought the process was pretty cool, and want to to see what my new body's skeleton looks like. Not to mention that my mood, which was already pretty good, was now quite happy. Given the situation I figured I would be more upset, maybe its shock or the meds. I would like to think my good mood was due to Dr. Scalpel, the guy seemed quite friendly and to radiate an aura of calm cheerfulness. Something that I think All medical professionals should have. If more doctors were like him on earth maybe fewer people would be afraid to go to the hospital.
After a few minutes of having the arm move about me doing its job I began to wonder how the machine worked, was it electronic or magic? So I asked.
“Doctor, what powers the equipment in here? Actually what powers the whole hospital? Is it on a grid or a generator?”
“Hmm...well now ah don’t get that question a lot. Most of the equipment here is powered by magic. This piece here,” he gestured to the X-ray machine, “is powered by a Star Garnet, and the buildin’ here does have a Fire Ruby generator. Hehe this is the City of Lakes, most everything’s hooked up to the dams a few miles out of town.”
Cool, gems used as batteries. I should have figured, it’s not that uncommon in a fantasy setting. With a city-wide hydroelectric power grid, awesome. I wonder what else gems could be used for other than jewelry, food, or batteries?
After about ten minutes of the doctor moving the device around me and rotating my bed to get different angles the other medical practitioners that I had met earlier arrived. The two unicorns were looking much better at this point.
“Great timin’ y’all. Ah’m just about done here. Nurse, would ya kindly roll the kid back ta his room and bring ‘em some chow,” at that a small grumble was heard coming from the pegasus, “hehehe, guess Ah better get somthin’ maself after ah get photos developed.”
With a dextrous wing he pulled a small dark red gem from the machine, sent a small salute toward the nurse and me and began to walk into the adjacent room. As we left the room the two unicorn doctors gave a polite nod to me and went to join the surgeon.
“Hungry are we?” nurse Gold asked kindly, I nodded.
“Well then I think I can do something about that. Anything else I can do, your cast itchy?”
“No, I’m just a bit hungry and thirsty, thanks.”
After the short trip back to my room the nice nurse left to to bring me noms, yay food! Speaking of, I wonder how they react to my diet. Eggs for breakfast was awesome, even if I had to be spoon fed...embarrassing, it’s not like I’m expecting bacon or anything but I would prefer not to eat grass or hay.
The nurse came in carrying a tray that held a cup with a bendy straw. The nurse then placed the tray on a fold out arm of my bed then began to propped me up and slid me the cup. Looking in it I spied a dark green mush, it looked entirely unpleasant. Taking a sniff what hit me was completely unexpected, fruit salad? Doing my best to shrug I took a drink.
“This is the best green mush I have ever tasted!” I exclaimed. Watermelon, apple, orange, pineapple, and other fruit is what I tasted right away. Letting it roll over my taste buds I detected spinach, carrot, beet, broccoli, and this last one I can’t be sure but seeing as it’s ponies it was probably hay. It definitely had that health food taste to it but was masked by the fruit. All in all it was pretty damn good.
“I’m glad you like it, it has everything the body needs. Well maybe not your body, I’ll go see if I can get my hooves on some gems for you later,” the earth pony stated with a smile.
“No don’t go that far out of your way for me, I’ll be fine,” I replied. I don’t know how expensive gems are, and I don’t want anybody cutting into their budget just to feed my sorry hide.
“Oh hush, at worst I will just have to ask some of the janitors if there are any cracked or tarnished gems that need replacing. It won’t be much but you do need more than those fake crystals in you now. I have to make my rounds now but I’ll be back around Eight with a proper dinner,” then nurse went to check my bed, nodded her head in satisfaction then left.
After I had finished my smoothie I had nothing to do until the nurse Gold came back for dinner, so my mind wandered. My went from thought to random thought.
Am I really in Equestria? It seems too unbelievable to not be real...no wait that's a lie. Ever since the brony thing started there have been so many fanfics about people being arriving in Equestria. In fact a great many of them start out falling out of the sky for various reasons. In most of them the human was usually caught by someone, usually Rainbow Dash, of course I was caught by a flagpole...then a building...Fate, you suck.
If I’m here then how is everyone doing back home? My parents are going to go crazy, my sister more so. My grandma may just die of fright, considering the incident with those addicts not long ago.... And Let’s not forget best friend and roommate, he’ll won’t be able to pay rent and will probably have to move back home. Of my small, close group of friends him and me were the only ones to actually move out of town; we thought we could make it on our own. We were doing pretty good for the first couple of years. Guess that won’t be happening now.
I’m not going to overly worry about it. If I can find a way home I...I don’t know what I’ll do actually...aside from a near-death experience this is a dream come true. I don’t want to leave them without a goodbye...even something as stupid as a note saying I got a good job in another country, everyone already knew I wanted to travel abroad. But when my friends and family are notified I think...no I’m sure I will stay in Equestria. Here there is magic, here I have been given a new body a powerful body, and here there is adventure.
“Yes! Here, in Equestria, I am a new man. When I get out of this cast I will do everything that I have been too afraid of in my past life! Today is the start of a new me!”
“Good for you Mr. Law. Well the new you can start with a nice and healthy dinner.”
I nearly jumped out of my cast at that. Turning the little bit i could I caught sight of my favorite, if not only, nurse Maritime Gold. She wore huge grin on her face as well as a tray of food on her back. After walking up to my bed she expertly switched tray with the old cup with the tray with my dinner, it looked pretty good. Green beans, mac n’ cheese, rice and beans, a fruit cup, and of course the hospital go-to jello. Of course I couldn’t feed myself again, oh well...
“Thanks Ms. Gold, it was good,” I said after I had finished.
“Oh, it’s no problem, but I have to ask. Do you really like hospital food?” she shot me a curious glance.
“Sure, I’ll eat anything that's not burnt, I take that back I’ll probably eat it even if it was burned.” I said with a little laugh...wait coming from a dragon that probably wasn’t the best thing to say...
Nurse gold gave a little chuckle as well and if she was frightened by the remark she hid it well. Good, the last thing I want is to have my caretakers think I would eat them.
“Oh, I almost forgot, when I was on my way to pick up your dinner I ran into Dustbucket,” let me guess one of the janitors, “one of our janitors,” nailed it (mental high five), “he had just come from the kitchen repairing one of the ovens and had this,” she pulled a small burnt-orange tinted gemstone from a pouch in her apron.
“It’s a spare garnet, it’s not much but as promised here dessert, enjoy,” she popped the stone into my mouth and went about the room doing medical stuff.
“Thanks!” came my reply. Cinnamon! That’s freakin’ awesome. At first I was going to chew it and swallow, but then I wanted it to last. I ended up treating it like a piece of hard candy, moving it around in my mouth savoring the flavor.
“Okay Mr. Law if it’s fine with you I’m going to turn out the lights and settle you in for the night, hmm?” the nurse not some much as asked but stated.
“Okay then, good night.” I nodded and went back to my rock-candy.
“Good night,” the kind pony answered as she cleared my tray, lowered my bed, sled the curtain closed, turned out the light, and trotted into the hallway.
[Notes]
Sorry I’m taking so long between updates. Wow! this chess thing is getting out of hand a bit aint it? Aww well more the merrier I guess. As always point out any grammar and spelling errors and it will be corrected. The few of you who are reading probably want a change of scenery, well too bad, Law has one more chapter of hospital stay left. I will try to move along the plot without seeming contrived or rushed. Also, spoilers! (gnimocni enamtab)
-The Platinum Dragon, Law
04- The Not so Far Future
General disclaimer: I do not own MLP, characters or otherwise, it belongs to Hasbro and such. Aside from the occasional original character I own nothing but the love of the show and its fanbase.
The Dragon Law
04. The Not so Far Future
A week has passed since I had awoken in the hospital, and being stuck in a body cast with no TV or Radio it would have driven me crazy if not for the fact that on the second day nurse Gold had brought me several books that I had asked for. I may have surprised Gold with my choice in reading material: the first Daring Do book, the basics of magic, recent history, mythology, and an atlas. I just said I was a bit of a scholar and left it at that.
Yeah, the Daring Do book read essentially like an Indiana Jones novle, without the Nazies. The book of magic was meant for unicorns and read like a psychology textbook, I prefer my magic tomes to have less ‘believe in yourself’ and more formula. The history book was from the past five hundred years, so no information about Nightmare Moon or Discord, it was mostly about politics and the building of new townships (including Ponyville), but did give me some insight into some of the technology the ponies had. The book on mythology was little more than a child's story book full of poems and legends...but this being a fantasy world there could always be a grain of truth to these stories, I’ll have to keep that in mind. Lastly the atlas, gave me a pretty detailed layout of the land of Equestria and to a lesser extent its surrounding nations...interesting.
To actually read the books they were put on one of those sheet music stands, and to turn the pages I was given a short stick (probably a conductor's baton) that i held in my mouth. The first thing I did was bite through the stick, it tasted like fresh bread, how odd, then when the nurse replaced the stick I went about reading.
A few times I had one of the doctors that helped earlier drop by. The first time Dr. Scalpel, whose first name was Rusty (Rusty Scalpel, best doctor name EVER!), and Dr. Relief came by to show me my X-rays. This world is definitely ran by cartoon physics...my bones looked literally like a jigsaw puzzle, it was damn impressive and would have been quite funny if it weren't my bones that had been rent asunder. The doctors had reassure me that I would infact make a full recovery, how in the nine hells that could happen based on the damage I seen could be only explained with one phrase, one that I most likely will find repeated in my time here... ‘magic, I ain’t gotta explain shit’.
Yesterday I had gotten more Gems from nurse Gold, I don’t know how much it cost but somehow I will repay her kindness, because I’m a gentleman dammit. Even if I have to dig up more gems to pay for what was given to me. I mean it can't be too hard can it, if Rarity did it with the help of Spike then I can as well, couldn’t I?
Oh but today is a special day, today I finally get my cast off and into a normal bed. I’ll be able to stretch my sore, stiff new body. Oh yeah, I will actually get to see what this body looks like without the mummy costume. Then I will only have another week or so of therapy so my body can relearn how to move; not to mention I don’t know what this body is capable of and physical therapy would be the best excuse to get acquainted.
I was so excited that I had hardly gotten any sleep and when I did finally nod off I had woken up early. So now I’m just sitting here playing the waiting game reading the last bit of the mythology book, it was a legend...okay a child's nursery rhyme but still it stood out.
On powdery wings of magic the ponies of old did fly
Bearing the love of their mothers they kept the land alive
The valley of dreams, where they kept hope afloat
Until chaos in the book of fate had wrote
To twist and discord the lovely guise they donned
And turn them into a form none gazed upon
...Discord. Thanking back to what little I knew of Generation one Ponies I remember Dream Valley, and home to the flutter ponies, what had Discord done? No matter, it was thousands of years ago, nothing I can do now but read about it.
As I was contemplating the rhyme the door to my room opened. Seconds later the curtain was pulled back revealing my two favorite medical professionals, Maritime Gold and Gentle Relief.
“Hey there Mr. Law, how are you doing today?” the doctor started.
“Pretty good, doc, I was just about to finish the last of the books,” I answered through the stick in my mouth.
“Today’s a big day, but you know that don’t you Mr. Law? I bet you're relieved to get out of that cast aren't you?” nurse Gold asking with all the joy of a caretaker seeing one of her patients getting well.
“Yes Ma'am, it’ll be nice to be able to move again, not that I didn’t enjoy being spoon-fed,” I said with a snicker.
“Yes, I’m glad that’s over with, now I’ll have more time to make my rounds,” the mare replies with a playful smile.
“Oh, Ms. Maritime Gold, you wound me,” I say faking shock, “and I thought you enjoyed our time together?”
“I am sorry Mr. Law, but your not my type,” Gold joked stealing half a glance at the doctor, oh ho, that again.
I had noticed throughout the week that Maritime had been there every time the doctor had visited and always tried to sneak hurried looks his way, and had a starry-eyed expression whenever she was talking about the stallion. She wasn’t the most subtle of ponies.
“Okay, now if you two are done with that silliness,” the doctor said with a smile, “let’s take you to your new room and get that cast off.”
The nurse rotated my bed into its horizontal position and began moving the contraption to the door while the good doctor grabbed my half eaten bag of gems and the books in his magic and followed us out.
On the way to my new room spotted something out of the corner of my eye it darted away before I could get a better look. I wouldn’t have let that bother me, the slightly paranoid side of me that I had lived with most of my life seen things out of the corner of my vision all the time, but it kept happening. Every time we took a turn as we past the corner a dark green blur would zoom away. When it got to the point of making me uncomfortable and bring the issue up we had arrived.
Forgetting the blue blur for the moment I took in what was to my new home for the next week. The new room was just like any other hospital room I’ve seen, which was odd because the chairs were the proper size, as was the bed and everything else, not like the pony sized rooms I had seen in the past. I was about to ask when the doctor answered for me.
“Now that you get to sleep in a normal bed it was decided a bed that actually fit would be pertinent, this is one of the rooms to accommodate the few larger races that pass through these doors.”
“To my knowledge this is the first time a dragon has visited, its usually minotaurs, griffins, or diamond dogs. Your roughly the same size so everything should be comfortable, at least for the week,” nurse Gold chipped in.
The nurse wheeled me next to the bed and began messing with some of the screws and knobs of thing I was attached to. The doctor placed my gems and books in a neat stack on the end table then started to wrap me in his magic. A second later I was out of the rotating mass and laying on a real bed, although still in the body cast. I’ve never had a cast removed but a friend had once, while cutting it off the doctor had nicked his wrist and left a nasty scar.
“Okay, now the fun part,” says doctor Relief says with a malicious smile, and pulls from nowhere a small rotary saw chuckling to himself...wait, what?
“Bahahahaha! You should see the look on your face, I’ve been waiting for that for over two weeks!” the doctor put the saw away (where? I haven't the slightest...because, cartoon?), “oh, Rusty would have loved to see that but he's in surgery at the moment.” finished Dr. Relief.
His horn then started to glow and shot a small spark at me. The spark hit the edge of the cast and began to move along the sides. Before long the spark had done its job and a glowing thin line outlined my cast. Next the entire front of the cast was lifted off (I thought about making one of pressurized hissing noises but decided against it) and sat against the wall. Then I was lifted up and the bottom half was removed, it took slightly longer because of my new limbs, the tail and wings. The doctor then placed me under the covers of my new bed and sat the back of the cast aside.
One thing I do know about castes is they make you all kinds of sore. When trying to experiment with moving a painful pins and needles feeling erupted all over my body, so I decided to do the smart thing and lay there stiff as a board until the pain stopped.
“Well, I’m going to take this mess away,” Maritime nodded toward my old bed and cast, “I’ll be back with breakfast soon, bye.” the nurse said as she pushed the thing out of the room.
“Now, Mr. Law how do you feel?” the doctor asked.
“At least I can move, although it hurts when I do,” I shrugged, sending more pain down my shoulders and spine.
“Don’t worry I got something that can help, this spell will relax your stiff muscles and slightly dull the pain, one sec,” the doctor charged his horn and touched it to my head.
It kinda felt like being dipped in cold water, then hot water, now back to cold water. It went back and forth for a few minutes then I started to get drowsy. Before I knew it I was asleep.
--decidet ad tenebras--
I was running. It was dark, only the slight shimmer of the gems that littered the tunnel. I look behind me and see two ponies following close behind; a pegasus stallion and a unicorn mare. Both with looks of fierce determination, hell bent on what was to come. What was to come? Coming to a door, a large, rusty beast of a thing, I focus myself and charge straight at it. With all the force of a demon’s fury the door came off its hinges. The poor, hairy beasts on the other side crumpled like tissue paper before the wall of iron, scales, and fire.
Upon entering the chamber I see my quarry. Amidst a pack of the bipedal, furred canines one stood a head above the rest, she was my prize. The pack formed in front of her they could have number five or fifty; it matters not she was my target, the Beta.
Rushing past past the lowly mongols I Launch at the bitch, wings uselessly flapping behind me. One brave dog decides to get in my way a second later he’s on the floor a flaming stump where his right arm once was. Others try to impede my progress, crude swords slide easily off my grayscale skin. I bat spears away and avoid the maces and clubs, little can slow or stop me.
In less than a minute I was on the other side of the cavern, a claw around the Beta’s through, I turn and see the ponies that had followed me could hold their own. The unicorn placing barriers, casting flames, and tearing weapons out of the dogs paws only to have to embed them into their wielders. The pegasus held a dagger in his mouth, bucking, jumping, flying, and rolling from enemy to enemy kicking up whirlwinds and landing deadly blows on those that that got in his way. I turn back the my prize, with a look of malice she says, “Come on! Let me in!”
And the dream ends...
--decidet ad album--
[Notes]
Here's the new chapter. I’ve given up setting deadlines seeing how I never make them. The best I can do is promise to quicken the pace while keeping and improving my writing. I hope you liked that sneak peek of what's to come, it’s no Endgame, just a few months into the future. Law will be a invalid no more!
-Law
General disclaimer: I do not own MLP, characters or otherwise, it belongs to Hasbro and such. Aside from the occasional original character I own nothing but the love of the show and its fanbase.
The Dragon Law
04. Party Ponies
“Come on! Let me in!” a loud shout woke me from my dream.
“No Mardi! He’s asleep at the moment you can come back for lunch.” I heard the voice of nurse Gold somewhere on the other side of the divider.
“He’s done nothing but sleep ever since I found him! You know parties for coma patients are no fun, except for Mister Greenwood that stallion knew how to party even when unconscious, I just want to say hi for a few minutes and give him his welcome gift...no, now it needs to be a welcome/get well soon present...so I’m just going to be a minute or two,” a slightly accented, high-pitched voice said in rapid fire.
“Please Mardi Gras don’t make a scene in front of the patients, and the doctors,” Gold lightly begged.
“Oh never you mind about your coltfriend, Dr. Love,” the new voice said in a friendly mocking tone, “he loves my antics just as much as the ponies here, I’m just gonna st-”
I heard a small thud
“-Oof, I said NO! Come on Mardi, your not coming in until Mr. Law has had is rest. And leave Gentle out of this,” the nurse sounded a bit exasperated.
Nurse Gold was making it a point to let me sleep, but I’m up now and I’d rather not sleep the day away, New Pony had a point, I have slept quite a lot the past few days. What's more, I’m out of that stupid cast and can move again, proving the fact by sitting up. Gentle Relief’s a lifesaver, the pain was down to just minor stiffness.
“Oh you, you had to pull the earth pony ‘you shan’t pass’ card didn’t you. I know I couldn’t force m- Oh look he’s awake-,”
As the new voice was about to start a new round of arguing there was a loud snap. A moment later my room was filled with light, confetti (the good stuff), and the sound of party horns (those rolled paper noisemakers for parties), a unicorn mare popped into existence at the foot of my bed.
The mare had a forest green coat, wavy royal purple mane and tail with cherry red, lime green, and cobalt highlights running through them (kind of looked like streamers). But what caught my attention was the overly large eyes, they started red from the center and went to blue at the whites. They were staring right staring right into my soul it seemed, but at the same time they radiated great joy and happiness.
“MARDI GRAS! You can’t just poof into the patients rooms like that!” the frustrated nurse ran into the room and threw back the divider, “I’m sorry Mr. Law I’ll have her out of your scales in a sec.”
“You don’t have to trouble yourself Maritime, I’m already up and I finally have a visitor that’s not part of the staff,” I turn to the new pony, Mardi Gras apparently, hold out a hand...claw...whatever....
...Wait...I’m missing a finger. I check my other ha-claw, and the pinky is missing as well. I know plenty of cartoons that do that, give characters four fingers. At least I have digits, I’m not going to complain about a pinky. What was I doing again, oh right introductions.
“My name Is L-”
With a huge inhale the new pony spoke. “Law the dragon, I know who you are I’m the one that brought you here when you fell from the sky. You were like VROOM CREE-TWAING CRASH! I was so worried, I mean I’ve seen some Pegasi take some hits before but that put every single one to shame. When we got the the hospital you were gone for so long, but then you were in that mummy cast and were out cold for like two weeks. I just got back from a wedding out of town and a friend of mine told me the dragon in the hospital had woken up and I rushed right over and you were being moved to this room when I was going to say hi when I remembered that I forgot to remember to not forget to get you a present so I popped back home and whipped something up and when I popped back you were asleep, AGAIN, so I thought that just a few minutes wouldn’t hurt but Maritime Gold was like ‘no he needs his rest’ and I was like ‘come on’ and she was still ‘nope’ and when I tried rushing the door I forgot how strong she was but then I remember I could teleport and I seen your shadow sit up on the curtain so I went POP and here we are-*GASP*- I’m Mardi Gras, number one Party Pony in Maneapolis, only outdone by my master, Pinkie Pie,” finished Mardi.
She said the last bit while throwing her hooves in the air accompanied by confetti, streamers, and balloons. All Trixi-like but with a fun feel about it instead of arrogance. I’m sure others could have been surprised by the display, but luckily enough for me best pony is Pinkie so I prepared for this kind of assault the minute I gave in to the thought that this is actually Equestria.
She then grabbed my outstretched arm and pulled me into the hug to end all hugs. As the air was being forced from my lungs and I was sure my eyes were about to pop out of my head (cartoon physics, it could happen now) I heard my newly unbroken back start popping. I need to end this before I end up in another cast...
“Gold...help...back...hugs dangerous,” I managed to squeeze out before the positively charged party pony turned my vertebrae to dust.
“Gaa, Mardi no,” the nurse leapt toward the mare and I, “you didn't wait so impatiently for him to wake up just put him out again!” she then yanked us apart.
“I’m so, so sorry Law I just get excited and you don't give hoofshakes to friends you give hugs, and I forgot that you are in the hospital because you hurt your...well everything, I’ll try to keep the hugs to a minimum until you're not brittle like candy glass, oh to make it up to you I’ll give you your Welcome To Maneaplois slash,” (she actually said the slash) “Get Well soon present,” Mardi Gras then leapt back with her horn aglow brilliant red and shot a beam of magic at my chest.
Before I had a chance to react the bolt stopped about six inches from me and burst into a ball of light and party paraphernalia (confetti, streamers, etc. how much of that does she have anyway?) after the light faded a box floated in its place, surrounded in the faint haze of telekinesis. The box was white about the twenty-four by eighteen inches and about four inches deep decorated with a blue ribbon marked with a big STG in stylish font. Opening the box I found...
“Io’s Eye, are these Beignets? I haven’t had one in years!” I took a doughnut (or fritter for the nit-picky) and ate it in almost one bite.
The box was filled with maybe two dozen of the french treats. One half had the basic powdered sugar topping the other half had a slight tan glaze coating. Taking a glazed beignet I and popped into my salivating mouth...wow.
“That’s a maple and...some kind of whiskey glaze ain’t it, with a hint of chicory. And the filling...Orange and blueberry? Strange combination, but it love it!” I said after swallowing.
Heh...one does not get taught by a master chef of Buckingham Palace and not learn a thing or two...yeah that right, I was trained by one of the guys that cooked for the Queen. It was worth every dollar.
“Hey that’s right. The Wild Oat brew came from a mill somewhere close to Appaloosa, their fall blend a couple years ago added chicory. How did you know? And I wanted to do an apple and orange filling but I ran out of Yellow Delicious, I can’t wait till the Red Gold shipment comes in! But I’m glad you like the blueberry substitute just as well.”
“Well I’m kind of a trained chef, so I have to have a very defined palate. So I assume that you made these. You didn’t just buy them from a bakery?” She nodded excitedly at that, “Oh, thanks by the way. You know for the pastries, bringing me to the E.R. all that stuff.” I held out the box for the two mares to take one.
Mardi Gras took one of the glazes one right away, but Maritime seemed conflicted (maybe she’s on a diet). After waving the box slightly and Mardi and I giving her the pouty face, she broke down and levitated one of the powdered ones.
I took another as well and before biting into it I turned to the green party mare and asked, “so...when’s my suprise party?”
Nurse Gold coughed on her treat and sent a small cloud of confectioners sugar into the air. While Mardi got the biggest surprised look on her face I’ve ever seen and a second later disappeared it a flash of light leaving her half eaten fritter in the air; it started to fall. Before it even got halfway to the ground Mardi popped back grabbed the beignet in her mouth gave a sheepish smile and teleported away again. Maritime and I turned to face each other then started to snicker.
“Well Mr. Law,” she said wiping her face with a towelette after finishing her doughnut, “you just met one of my best friends, Mardi Gras, as you found out she’s a...”
“Ball of fun?” I interject.
“I was going to say ‘a bit out there’ but that work just as well. She works as head of the party planning and catering staff for Sweet Tooth Gourmands.”
“Kind of like Sugarcube Corner?” I ask.
“How do you...well I guess it is pretty popular. Yes, but much bigger. The Gourmands do more than desserts,” Gold answered.
“Ah, sounds nice, when I’m free I’m going to have to make a visit. Once I have the money to pay of course. Speaking of which, could you bring me a newspaper with lunch, I’d like to take a look at the classifieds.”
“Sounds like someone wants to get a job. What about traveling?” She asked with a smile.
“Well you know, I got a real good look at the city from when I was falling to my near death, and I thought ‘this is a nice city, maybe I should stay for a bit’,” I say with a smile.
After a bit of conversation she left to do...well nurse type things, while I went to finish the last of my books and start on the box of pastries.
Notes from me:
Sorry for the long wait and shorter chapter length. This chapter I broke up into two parts because...well because I could that's why, and because I think it me help me write faster actually. If not...aww well I’ll at least know it doesn't work and I’ll try something else.
Law, master enchanter
General disclaimer: I do not own MLP, characters or otherwise, it belongs to Hasbro and such. Aside from the occasional original character I own nothing but the love of the show and its fanbase.
The Dragon Law
05. Physical Therapy
The week I spent out of the cast was definitely less boring, in no small part to my new friend Mardi Gras. She came to visit almost daily, dropping by to chat and tell stories. I learned that she was Cajan (I don’t know whether to be relieved or saddened at the lack of pony pun) and had come from a large family of alligator trainers, she trained them to dance.
While on a job at Froggy Bottom Bog she had a run in with the pink party pony, she was preparing the party for the alligator specialists when Mardi was on a break. They hit it off fairly well and soon Mardi became one of Pinkies students of her “Dojo of Partyjutsu” along with another student, a white and yellow pegasus (I wonder who that could have been) and soon became very good at it.
Soon after “graduation” she moved to Maneapolis and got hired by Sweet Tooth Gourmands as a part-time caterer. Very quickly becoming a minor celebrity for her antics, jovial attitude, and ability she was promoted to the head position. But that wasn’t enough for this merry green mare, she decided to do a bunch of side jobs, pro bono. Like visiting the hospital every now and again to cheer up patients and help out the staff, or throwing parties and fundraising for the orphanage (yes she has pictures of them,and yes they're all cute). Other than the unique unicorn keeping me company every so often; this week has had other notable bits to mention. Like when I got get a good look at my new body without the cast.
Standing in front of the mirror in the physical therapy room I stood about nine feet (or a little under three meters for those that don’t measure in American). Starting with my feet, they had four small claws. My legs were very double jointed, it made it easier to walk on two or four feet. I had a tail (awesome) with a bit of thinking I got the hang of it pretty quickly, I just had to have it get stepped on about five times first.
I checked my back for spines or something nope, nothing pretty smooth up until you got to my wings. I have wings...that is the most incredible thing ever, how many people wanted to fly under their own power? And I get to...eventually, (not because I don’t have any idea how to work these things, because well I dont) during the crash nearly all the membrane between the ‘fingers’ (what are those called? Phalanges? Whatever, I studied nutritional biology not anatomy) was gone. It hurt, not just emotionally (teasing me with wings but having them useless like that) but physically as well. It felt like papercuts all over my shoulders, whenever I tried to flex my wings it looked like I had two giant skeletal hands coming out of my back. At least the doctors said that it will grow back eventually, like two to three months, lame.
My chest and arms weren't that impressive, smooth platinum scales changed to darker bluish plates that covered my chest down to my stomach. My hands (claws?) had three fingers and a thumb each ending in a small claw of about a half inch. Not very intimidating but they did cut through the gems I had (one being a bit of orange topaz, which is pretty hard stuff I’m told) carved it into a Chrysanthemum, mainly because both are my birthstone and flower.. It wasn't my best work, I could have done better with a turnip (I’m good at shaping turnips into things, don't ask it's a chef thing).
But my face, still hasn't changed from when I had the look in the mirror last week, the bandages were off so i got a better view, all the little details were visible. Same slitted gray-blue eyes, same pronounced snout, opening my mouth I found I had exactly the kind of teeth a dragon would have, sharp and pointy. I had these fringe things where my ears would be, whatever. My “hair” is just elongated, flexible scales (it’s not a mane and I have scales everywhere so Imma just call it hair), anywhere from an inch to eighteen inches. It got in my way (I never liked my hair in my eyes) so shortly after I could move I had put it into a ponytail, which Mardi got a kick out of, and had kept it that way ever since.
While I was looking myself over in the mirror doctor Beard was in a corner writing down notes and gathering resources for what we were about to do...exercise (insert Rocky Training montage here). It wasn’t that bad actually, mostly just stretches, some weight lifting, running on a treadmill both bipedal and quadrupedal (not has hard as everyone makes it out to be). This was all mostly done to test how well my bones were mending, only about a month and I seem to be perfectly healthy (from jigsaw puzzle to healthy in a month, that's definitely the work of cartoon physics).
Through all my exercising the doctor didn’t do much besides take notes and mumble to himself, I got the feeling he was studying me more than helping me, but whatever, dragons willing to undergo tests seemed to be a rare thing and if he was going to write another paper for the scientific community who was I to hold back Science! (yes I capitalized science, it's that important). After the workout I was tired and it was late so doctor Beard called it a day, and I went to bed. Just two more days till I’m released. And have yet to plan what I’m going to do when I am.
I woke up to the face of Mardi Gras (which happened on more than one occasion) less than an inch away, the first two times this happened resulted in headaches for both of us but now I just respond with a casual “Morning Mardi, what’d you get for me today?” You see after I had told her that I was a trained chef she had been sneaking me in various sweet and savory treats from work. Her “experiments” she called them, unfinished or imperfect recipes that needed a little something to make them pop, I very quickly become her number two taste tester just below herself of course. But back to the point, she came bearing a new side dish she wanted to present to Chef Sweet Tooth (I can’t be the only one thinking of a clown pony with a flaming mane now could I?)
She stepped back while I sat up and pulled the table thingy that hospital beds sometimes have into position. Mardi had taken a small bowl with a tight fitting lid out of her saddlebags along with a knife fork and spoon. As a side note people wonder why ponies, lacking graspers, would have have utensils. Well thats easy, Minotaurs, Griffons, Dragons, Diamond Dogs, and many other species do have some form of grasping digits that could use them (thats not even mentioning fine dining and the “upper crust” of pony society, it’s good manners to eat with utensils you know.)
Opening the container the aroma of carrots, celery, bell pepper, onion, and tomato was instant. Using my keen culinary eye I spotted carrot sliced a quarter inch thick. Diced onion, pepper, and celery. Small diced tomatoes in its juice with minced herbs and seasonings, likely basil and oregano, essentially tomato soup. It all was still chilled and appeared to have been marinating overnight, letting it marinate overnight had been a good way of preparation, it allowed all the ingredients’ flavor profiles to mingle. Taking the spoon I began to eat.
“So what’d you think? To be honest I just added some fresh veggies to leftover tomato soup, we always have leftover soup, I was about to blend it into gazpacho when it hit me ‘No Mardi! Cold soups are so last month, time for something new!’ so I made a salad,” the culimareian said. (heh, pun)
“Well I think it could use some minced garlic, but then again I’m biased, everything could use more garlic,” (garlic is awesome) “It’s seasoned well, texture is nice, maybe some sweet corn for color, I believe you have a winner here.” I finished with a smile, taking another bite.
Her grin was was impossibly large taking up most of her face, as well as accompanied by a squee sound, (she actually made the squee, my heart it can’t take the adawwableness) she then pulled me into a tight hug nearly spilling the food, but I caught it with my tail (I'm getting good with that thing) so everything was fine.
After the quick meal the conversation shifted from food to music, because why not. Marti, I learned, could play over a dozen instruments at almost professional level. She just shrugged it off as Rule 5 of Partyjutsu: Music is the greatest weapon against frowny-wouny faces. While speaking with the mare I realized the one instrument I could play well, my ocarina (I’m a gamer who grew up with Legend of Zelda, how could I not love the ocarina), is probably in a whole other dimension. I guess I couldn’t hide my disappointment well because she stopped part way through her explanation of the importance of one-mare-bands.
“Aww, what’s wrong Law? I know a kazoo isn’t the most accepted instrument but that's no reason to be so pouty. Come on, turn that frown around!” She says, her horn glowing. I feel the corners of my mouth being pulled up into a smile.
“It’s not that, the kazoo is fun, its that I lost the one instrument I loved to play,” was my reply.
“Well, that’s not good at all, maybe it landed close to where you fell, what kind of instrument did you play?” she asked.
“No it’s not in town, I never took it with me, but it would have been great to alleviate some of the boredom from being stuck in this stuffy hospital. I played an 12 hole tenor ocarina, sometimes called a sweetpotato flute. It kind of looked like a water drop with a little branch sticking out of it.”
“Hmm,” Mardi began to rub her chin with a hoof with a contemplative look on her face, “I don’t think I’ve heard of one of those before, but I love the flute I bet you played very well.”
“I don’t think I did really but I enjoyed it, thats what mattered isn’t it,” I said with a sad smile.
“Don’t worry, I’m sure you can find another, and when you do I want to be there and hear you play,” the foresty unicorn said giving me a pat on the back, “Oh! Look at the time," she said pointing to a watch drawn on her wrist-thing (note: learn pony anatomy) "I got to get work! Laters!”
Mardi Gras then levitated the empty bowl, lid, and utensils into her saddlebags jumped back and disappeared in a flash of light and confetti.
I had finished all the books loaned to me and had carved the remainder of my bag of gems into various small flowers and animals. They were by no means masterpieces but you definitely could tell what they were meant to be, I put as much detail into them as you would expect of something that is going to be eaten. So I was again out of things to do while I waited for breakfast to be served by Maritime Gold or one of the other nurses.
Luckily I didn’t have to wait long before a nurse had delivered: baked flounder and eggs with fresh fruit, cottage cheese, and yogurt. As usual it was good, (I don’t know who said that hospital food was terrible, but they must have been staying in the wrong one, ‘cause this is great). Even though I had nothing better to do afterwards I ate quickly and sat the tray aside waiting for Dr. Beard to take me to physical therapy.
I was entertaining myself by seeing how high I could stack animal gems (about eight inches, I could have gotten it higher but the stupid otter was too unstable) when the good doctor entered my room with the a wheelchair and asked if I was ready for some exercise.
“Sure why not, but do I need to take the chair again, I can get around just fine?” I asked.
“Yeah, you have to take the wheelchair. Patients aren't supposed to be on their hoofs, except for exercise and testing, even though we’re on the way you we’d prefer it if you didn’t walk until we get to the gym,” was the doctors reply.
I gave in and was wheeled to the gym (although about half way there i sped off leaving the doctor behind, just to spite the silly rules). When the doctor arrived a short while later I was doing wheelies in the chair.
“Quiet that, you’ll fall,” the doctor said with a bemused expression.
“Already have,” I said with a smile (I ran over my tail and fell, what of it), “so what do you got for me today?”
“Today we are just going to test your reflexes and measure your BMI. Once that is over I’ll go over the results, collaborate data, and review and revise documents. You know, the sciencey thing to do, but thats my work you’ll have the rest of the night to relax before your release tomorrow,” the medical stallion replied.
“Yeah, testing my reflexes seems normal but is my Body Mass Index really important?” I asked.
“Body mass index? Oh, BMI, that is Biological-Magical Intensity. It measures the amount of energy a living being can generate, we use it as a key factor when determining if a body is healing in a mystical sense as well as a physical one. It’s mostly used when a unicorn has an accident with their horn and their magic needs to be regulated, but in this case we will use it to track your growth,” was his answer.
What followed was me warming up with streaches and a jog around the gym, the doctor throwing medicine balls of various sizes and wights (fun fact: the core of the rubbery dodgeball-like medicine balls were a rare gems called an Earth Emeralds that can adjust weight when charged), me literally jumping through hoops for the good doctor, a small lunch break, and finally having me lay on a bed and taser looking device move up and down my body giving me a shock whenever I so much as twitched which caused me to twitch more (You can see where this is going).
Afterward the doctor wheeled me back to my room, I was in a bad mood from being tased repeatedly for what seemed like no good reason. I was ready to have dinner and go to bed. As we entered the room and the light was switched on a bunch of people jumped out at me and shouted. I did the only thing that came to mind at the time, cover my face with my right arm and throw a punch with the left. My fist connected with something soft and downy.
“Whoa there champ, OW, careful with them there claws. You're liable to take somepony’s head off,” I looked to see the gray wings of Rusty Scalpel shielding his face from my fist, “least we know how your doin’ in the reflex department.” he added shaking the soreness from them then folding them onto his back with an awkward smile.
“Oh, jeeze! I’m so sorry, I didn’t hurt you did I?” I asked, crap, I’ve been (awake) in Equestria less than two weeks and I’m punching ponies in the face. What’s wrong with me?
I was about to get out of the chair and check on him but he just shooed me back reassuring me everything is fine. After I was sure the surgeon was okay I turned to the one pony I’d bet all my scales on who set this surprise up.
“I’m sorry Mardi Gras, I ruined the surprise party, and I’m the one who brought it up” I said apologetically.
“Pfft," she said waving it off, "Rusty's okay and a reaction like that just means mission accomplished, this one time I surprised a mare so bad she bucked somepony out a window! Now turn that frowny-wowny upside down,” she said, sliding behind my chair and lifting my face into a smile pointing my head at the other ponies gathered, said ponies were smiling and waving, “see, eveypony else is happy to see you so active. I sorry it took so long to get setup but I wanted to work around everypony’s schedule, but better late than never!”
Maritime Gold, Gentle Relief, Rusty Scalpel, and now Heimlich (I know right?) Beard has strolled over to join them. Above the ponies is a banner stating GET WELL SOON, there was cake and ice cream, some balloons and streamers. I’m sure this is just a small bit of what Mardi Gras could to but this is a hospital after all, it wouldn’t be polite to cause a ruckus. Mardi wheeled me over to my bed, I got out of the chair and in bed (all on my own, ‘cause I’m not a helpless child and will not be treated as such) After getting comfortable I had completely forgotten about my bad mood and just began to enjoy myself.
The party consisted of mostly small talk, what the medical professionals’ hobbies, lives, and gossip; you know, the usual. I learned that nurse Gold had a younger cousin that works close by and could almost be mistaken for twins they looked so much alike. Dr. Beard has a few relatives that are outside Equestrian borders at the moment studying their own branches of xenobiology, his family it seems wants to catalogue all the known species into one large Encyclopedia Equestria. Doctor Scalpel and Relief are actually related, thought you couldn’t tell by looking, with both having served in the guard as per family tradition.
I told them bits and pieces of my life, careful not to give away that I haven't always been a dragon. Just things like how I was trained as a chef, the types of books I like to read (I just rolled movies and most other media into books and plays not knowing how far the technology tree is), but when asked about the places I traveled up till now I didn’t have an answer. I started to panic, tried to remember some of the names from the atlas I had read but I froze up. Seeing this Maritime came to save the day saying that it was some memory loss from the fall and not to push myself, that it would come back to me eventually.
After an anecdote doctor Scalpel told about a plump nurse by the name of Lolly Pop he had met a while back who could easily drink him under the table Mardi Gras stepped forward with a smile slightly bigger than her face should allow.
“It’s almost lights out but before we go,” the viridian mare charged her horn and sent a bit of magic a the foot of my bed, with the usual flash of light and sound three boxes in gift wrap and bows lay at my feet, “what good party is complete without presents!”
“Oh you didn’t need to do anything like that the food and company the past few days has been plenty,” I say all the while reaching for the largest box (because anyone who says they don’t like presents are either lying or extremely paranoid).
The tag on the box addressed it as from nurse Gold. In the box was cloth bag of various gems. Even with all the cake and ice cream my stomach decided to show its appreciation with a loud rumble. Gems tasted like, everything really, like those big jars of jelly beans with thirty different flavors, but like real food not just sugar and various chemicals for flavor. And they filled you up a lot more than their size gives them credit.
“Your still growing no matter your age, and this should last you till you find some way to earn your own,” she said with a smile.
I guess she could read the conflicted look on my face because she answered with, “now don’t worry about the cost. I have a pony for gems, actually” she said with a slight chuckle, “I have a pony for just about everything.”
I gave her a hug and took out a large purple gem, it tasted like grape soda even fizzed a bit (that gem I need to find the name of and get more).
Next was a flattish box that looked like it would hold a picture frame addressed from the three doctors. It in fact did hold a framed picture. Of my first x-rays actually, the one where I looked like a puzzle. “Funny,” I deadpanned to the three.
“Ah knew you’d like it,” the surgeon said.
Gentle was quietly chuckling to himself and Beard was staring elsewhere whistling innocently. I just gave a slightly bemused expression and set the picture aside. It was kinda funny.
“And last but not least, mine,” Mardi nearly throwing the present at me, she was bouncing in place with excitement.
Opening the box was a smaller box of a dark, sturdy, and polished wood likely mahogany (the grandest of all woods). With such a fancy case whatever inside has to be good, taking all the reverence in opening it as if it were the Ark of the Covenant, I couldn’t help but think of my cell phones ringtone . The music fit perfectly because what was inside caused me to slowly close the case, set it aside, scoot closer to Mardi Gras, and give her a hug that could rival the backbreaking hug she greeted me with.
General disclaimer: I do not own MLP, characters or otherwise, it belongs to Hasbro and such. Aside from the occasional original character I own nothing but the love of the show and its fanbase.
The Dragon Law
07. Whereabout Walkabout
So close, I was so close to the exit It was unbearable. I was stuck in a wheelchair of the hospital lobby doing paperwork, I wasn’t even the one doing it, Maritime Gold was filling out the forms for me. Not that I would compaine (besides bureaucrats, who likes paperwork), but seriously I could have done it myself. I’m not going back to being treated like a child (oops, that sounded like a challenge and everyone knows the universe doesn't like being challenged). I understood back when I was in the cast and couldn't write or anything, but now I’m being treated like a child again.
I’ve been living on my own for three years now, well actually with one or two roommates but the point is I don’t live in my parents house any more. I have (had) a job, paid rent on time, did the shopping, and made enough for fun every now and again. I admit that I’m incredibly naive and the universe has plenty of chances to show me how independ I really am. But I can walk myself, feed myself, and fill out my own paperwork, I’m not one of those who need looking after like a small child (wait, actually I might, who knows what kind of hell I could accidently raise wandering around alone. That was sarcasm if you couldn’t tell.) But seriously, with my luck I’m liable to burn down a city block figuring out dragon fire.
Mardi once asked me what breathing fire was like, again I was confronted with questions I couldn’t answer. I luckily got away with some BS about it being a big responsibility when in cities and when sick or injured its best not experiment. In reality I’m as much of a firebug everyone else who doesn't have pyrophobia. As soon as got to a clear area, preferably by one of the many lakes this city is known for, I was going to go through a few exercises I had thought of. First, figure out how to make fire (you’d think it would be easy, but you’d be wrong). Second, measure how long I can sustain a continuous flow. Third, find different ways to manipulate the fire; fireballs, cones, gouts, that sort of thing. And lastly, if I can find a way, measure how hot I can get the flame. I may not be the best at Science but I don’t see a reason why I shouldn't find out what this body is capable of. Although the reason this wasn’t done under dr. Beard’s care was because supposedly I’m still magically drained, whatever, Imma burn stuff!
I was brought out of my thinking by someone tapping me on the shoulder.
“Are you Okay Mr. Law? You seemed kind of out of it for a bit there,” nurse Gold asked.
“I’m fine, was just thinking. So, everything in order?” I responded.
“Yes, you're ready to go at any time, although,” she started tapping her hoof on the ground and had a mildly frustrated look about her, “Mardi Gras said that she would be here to give you a tour, seeing that this is your first time in town and traveling alone.”
“Huh, I wonder what's keeping her. If you think it best, I could wait in the lobby, I don’t really want to bother anyone.”
“It’s a waiting area for a reason, go right ahead. I’m sure she won’t be much longer.”
And with that I got up from my wheelchair, stretched, said farewell to nurse Gold, went to one of the many benches along the wall, pulled up an old magazine that waiting areas are notorious for, and began reading. Equestrian Inquirer, probably not the best source of news, but it was definitely entertaining. Not knowing where canon ended and fanon began made telling truth from fiction plenty hard, one story stated that the bearers of the Elements of Harmony were actually all the children of Princess Celestia, another that parasprites were actually aliens from another planet that crashed here on a meteor and could very well spell the end of us all (that one I’m apt to believe). Speaking of end times, the story from the front cover foretells that the escape of Discord is just the beginning of a series of catastrophes one after another gradually increasing until all of Equestria is nothing but a barren wasteland (pleasant read).
After going through the tabloid and a few other magazines almost an hour had passed and still no Mardi Gras, It probably wasn’t the best idea to leave on my own, in a town I knew nothing about, in the middle of a strange fantasy land; (I’m sure I’ve had stupider ideas) I decided to go for a walk. I left a message for nurse Gold and Mardi Gras at the receptionist, who luckily for me had a small map in her desk. I thanked her for the map and was on my way (to where you ask?), I had no idea where I was going. It was shortly after I had left the sterile confines of the hospital that I remembered why I was never the navigator when my friends went out, I took all of five steps and was lost. Seriously, I was looking at the map and walking doing my best not to bump into anyone (not hard since most everybody kept well away from me, like I was some fierce beast or something), next thing I knew I was in the middle of some street with the hospital nowhere in sight.
I did what I normally do when lost like this (was not the first, nor will it be the last) I spun around and started walking the way I came, and kept going till I was blocked, usually by a highway, but in this case where highways likely didn’t exist I stopped short of a body of water. I can work with that, I took a left and went with the flow as it were. After about a half an hour or so (though without a timepiece it was kinda hard to tell) I stopped at a bench opened the gray burlap satchel I was given to hold the few belongings I had acquired and had lunch.
While crunching on peach flavored gem I was thinking about the the architecture of the town, a lot of brick and wood, it was nice though. Most of the building in this area looked to be warehouses, that made sense seeing how this was a trade city easily accessed by land, air (they have airships, hell yeah!), and water. One thing that stood out to me was how close the buildings were to each other, I’m sure that was a fire hazard or something. Maybe it’s justified because of the proximity of numerous bodies of water? Past the warehouses were taller building, none over five or six stories, which could have been apartment buildings or businesses, it was hard to tell from here.
Turning around I looked across the river, there were docks spaced about every mile or so along the river leading to more specialized looking buildings, what I thought was a lumber mill had a few barges close by unloading the shipment of logs. What I took notice of was the diversity of the dock workers. Instead of cranes there were pegasi and griffin lifting teams transferring bundles of logs to teams of minotaurs and earth ponies and the odd diamond dog that carried the package to and fro. Unicorns assisted in keeping the packages stable or were writing on clipboards. As a whistle blew somewhere in the distance the workers finished their current task and started to head into the buildings, guess that was the lunch break. Now back to the business at hand.
I got up and went back to walking along the cobblestone streets of Maneapolis, lost or not I was having a good time, not unlike the few times I had walked along Bardstown Road with my roommates while in college, except now I was alone and catching the eye of just about everyone (I’m not going to say everypony, deal with it). After about three blocks I took a left heading back into the city.
The further in I got the more crowded the streets became, it wasn't a problem for me seeing how everyone just quickly made their way to the other side of the street or turned around and went back the way they came. It didn’t take long for this to get to me. Not long after I noticed them avoiding me I started noticing the looks, they either turned their head as if pretending I wasn’t there or faces of worry or anger (worry from most of the ponies and anger from the few griffins on the ground).
Why did they have to keep staring at me? I had quickened my pace going from one street to the next, slowly becoming more lost and disoriented. The map had been forgotten, I was going on pure instinct, heading to where the crowd was thinner. I had a thought, standing on two legs I’m almost nine feet tall, maybe I started on all fours it would make me less noticeable.
It didn’t work. But being lower to the ground kept me from noticing how much attention I was actually attracting. None of the Ponies had started to panic outright, which was odd seeing how they usually did at the drop of a hat (three mares in particular), that thought did little to ease my steadily building tension.
Why am I so afraid of being the center of attention, not just here where I actually look like a monster but ever since I can remember. I had near crippling anxiety attacks when dealing with crowds. I thought I was doing well up until now. I need to do go somewhere, anywhere. Someplace where it doesn't feel like everyone is judging me (too late by the looks on everyone's faces). I turned a corner and entered the first building that had the signs of being a shop.
As I entered the shop a bell rang signaling potential customers. A wave of relief hit me, even if there were customers here there would definitely be less than out there. I needed to pull myself together.
“Welcome, welcome. I’ll be right with you In a sec,” came a soft but deep, feminine voice from somewhere behind a large pile of bolts of fabric.
I had entered a tailoring shop it had seemed. As weird as it sounded I had no problem walking around in nothing but my scales, but some clothes to look classy would be nice. And a nice hat, everyone needs a good hat.
General disclaimer: I do not own MLP, characters or otherwise, it belongs to Hasbro and such. Aside from the occasional original character I own nothing but the love of the show and its fanbase.
The Dragon Law
08. Polite Palaver
Okay, if I was going to buy some clothes I needed three things. One, a way to pay, I had no bits so I thought I’d trade some of my gems. Second, I needed to decide on what I wanted, lacking bits I wasn’t going to be picky but pockets were a necessity. Third, and probably most important, I had to not freak out the shopkeeper (you get better prices that way). Okay, after I had gotten myself under control, my heart no longer beating a mile a minute and I had stopped shaking (wasn’t lying when I said I had terrible anxiety issues). I walked up to the front desk and waited for the mare behind the pile of fabric to finish whatever she was working on.
Not a minute later the pile of cloth began to shimmer with a milky blue light. The bolts of fabric began to spiral around a in tornado of cloth, every few seconds a bit would be thrown off into a random cubbyhole in some other part of the shop. A minute or two later all but one bit of thick crimson fabric was left. It then had wound itself around a large wooden dowel rod that then floated into the awaiting hoofs of pearl gray unicorn with a pale amethyst mane that was bunched up (wait are those dreads, they are) in long dreadlocks and pulled back and tied with a dark chocolate ribbon that matched her eyes that were staring at me with some surprise and a bit of fear, but nowhere near outright panic.
“Oh, heh, I wasn’t expecting someone of your,” she stopped for a second to think about what to say (probably didn't want to offend the 'big scary dragon'), “presence, yeah that works.”
“Welcome to Threadbare Bargains,” she announced after regaining her composure, “ where you can find any clothing, apparel, and accessory under Celestia’s golden sun at half the price of the competition no less. I’m Threadbare and what can I do for you today my fine drake?” while speaking she swept her hoof in a wide arc gesturing to her little shop.
I took a moment to look around the shop wile she put away the fabric in her hoofs. There was a soft yellow glow coming from small domes on the ceiling painted a sky blue making the room seem larger than it actually was. The floor was done in a deep green carpet while nowhere near grass it still added a natural feel. Three of the four walls were covered in cubby holes filled with various cloths and fabrics from bolts of silks to large dowels of yarn. Mannequins (or is that man-equins, mane-quins? if it was a pun I didn't get it) were arranged in rows covered in various outfits, most designed for ponies, but there was at least two larger dresses probability for griffons and one very large tuxedo suit obviously designed for minotaurs in mind.
“Well to be honest I just needed to get off the city street and your boutique was the closest place around, but now that I’m here I would like some cloths. Something with big pockets and maybe a hat,” at this the mare perked up, “but unfortunately I don’t have much money,” that causing her to deflate a little.
I held up my bag of stuff and said, “everything I have to my name is in this bag,” I pulled out the smaller sack containing my lunch and dinner and handed them to her.
“I don’t have any bits but I do have some gems, being a tailor I’m sure you you could find a use for them, I am more than willing to trade for your services,” I offered with a friendly smile.
“I’m no stranger to barter and trades, in this city it’s best to take what you can get with a pleasant smile and turn what you got into something you can be proud of,” Threadbare said as she disappeared from sight under the counter and began to rummage around, “If somepony wants to trade a day's meal for some nice clothes who am I to say no.”
“Heh, especially when one’s food is another's treasure,” I added with a small laugh.
“Right you are good sir, now where is th- AHA!” the tailor exclaimed popping up from the counter holding one of those jewelers lenses in her hoof (how do they do that anyway?) she then magic’d the lens to one eye and opened the bag of gemstones.
“Let’s see what we got here, looks like a nice spread at first glance. Some nice amethyst of moderate quality. This emerald looks fine, it has a small creak but that can cut around. I’d like this cinnabar, if not for the bite taken out of it,” she reported, eyeing me with the last remark.
“Oh well, might as well finish it,” I said snatching the gem up and crunching into it, “mmm, cinnamony.” (yeah cinnabar was like eating Big Red gum it was even chewy, how that works I don’t even know)
“Right then, if there are no more half eaten jewels in the lot I’d say we could work something out with your apparel situation,” she pulled the drawstring on the bag and stashed it under the counter.
The shop owner led me to the far corner of the shop where there stood a couple of mirrors and as small work desk. She pulled open a drawer took a measuring tape, quill, and notepad. I set my bag of stuff down next to the desk we got to work taking my measurements.
“Not many dragons I know, not that I know many dragons mind you, come into the city worried about fashion. I was just wondering what would bring you to our little riverside center of trade?”
“Actually my visit was pretty unplanned, I was flying by and somehow lost control and remember waking up in the hospital a couple weeks ago. (Not a complete lie.) They fixed me up the best they could and been in physical therapy, here’s a picture of my first x-ray,” I brought out the framed picture and held it out to her.
“Sweet Celestia! It looks li-,”
“Like a jigsaw puzzle,” I cut her off, “I know right! I’m not even sure how I made it out still mostly all in one piece.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything, but the reason your poor wings look, well,” she trailed off staring at the flightless mess sticking out between my shoulder blades.
I tucked my wings closer becoming a bit (okay, a lot) self-conscious of them and just gave a small nod.
She must have noticed my discomfort because the conversation petered out after that. We spent the rest of the measuring in silence. I was thinking of ways I could earn some money. I’m no stranger to manual labor, having worked in a tobacco field a few times while on various college breaks. I thought I could try the docks I passed on the way here. It looked pretty species friendly, going by some of the reactions I’ve received thus far I’d more likely get a job working docks then in a kitchen somewhere. Shortly thereafter I decided on heading to the docks once I had my cloths. As I was thinking of how I was going to go about the rest of my day when Threadbare asked me a very important question.
“You said you were flying over the city, crashed, and woke up in the hospital?”
I nod.
“And this is your first day out in close to a month?”
“Yes,” I answered.
“Have you found a place to stay?”
I shook my head.
“That could be a problem, where will these be delivered or would you prefer to pick them up yourself?”
“You mean I won't be able to walk out with some cloths today?” I answered her last question with one of my own.
“What, no! I’m not some kind of supermare, I normally have a two day waiting period for custom orders. It wouldn’t be a problem if you were a pony or even a griffon but I don’t carry anything in your size,” She stated with a frown.
"I mean I could cobble together something out of scraps now, but I take pride in my work. Due Diligence and all that, I'm not going to have a customer trot back into my store complaining about the purchase falling to pieces."
“Hmm,” I started rubbing my chin, pondering this new circumstance, “I guess the hospital would be the most likely place, we both know where to find it (I’m not telling her I’m lost, I’m a man after all. We don’t get lost, we explore) and I have a friend there that would be sure that I got it.”
“That would be fine, but you should really find a place before then, unless you prefer sleeping outside that is,” the mare commented.
“I’m a country boy, I can rough it if I need to. Although I do love the creature comforts provided by city living,” I said with a smile.
“I thought you said you didn’t like crowds? Is that a dragon thing or something?”
I began to rub the back of my head. Yeah that is a bit of a contradiction, I’m a borderline agoraphobe, but I enjoy all the action of city life. Just because I could survive in the wilderness doesn't mean I want to, and because I have panic attacks when surrounded by people I don’t know doesn't mean I want to be a lonely hermit.
“I’m not sure about other dragons but being holed up in a cave somewhere out in the mountains doesn't sound like much fun,” I gave a shrug and half-smile, “I mean, what’s life without friends to share it with.”
“Wow, that was incredibly sappy, but didn’t really answer my question.”
“Yeah, I was trying to deflect the question but seemed to have failed. I don’t like crowds but I do get lonely and about other dragons, I’ve never met any,” I said with a shrug.
Threadbare had began to roll up her measuring tape and clear away her supplies but stopped when she heard my answer. She looked at me with her head cocked to the side and asked another personal question.
“No other dragons? But what about your parents?”
“They weren't dragons, it’s as simple as that,” I said quickly trying to look like the question bothered me then it really did, I’d rather not have to keep track of a lot of lies.
“Oh, well then, I guess that could explain why you act so much differently than I had expected your average dragon to act.”
After a short pause to take a look at the list of measurements she turned to me with a smile and continued to lead me back to the register.
“You may not be able to walk out of here with a nice suite, but I’m not about to let you leave empty-hooved, well empty clawed anyway.”
Her horn had started to glow with magic accompanied by that little twinkling sound, and the next thing I knew was there was something pushed onto my head obscuring my view. After adjusting it with her telekinesis and my vision was clear again a small mirror was floating in front of me. On top of my head rested a wide brimmed fedora of deep wine red, probably burgundy, I was never really good with color palettes.The hat had a white band and white feather to add some contrast. It looked familiar, in fact it looked like the one Spike got from Cheerilee on his birthday but with a color change. (Lazy Animators.)
After taking a minute to look at my self in the mirror I turned to Threadbare and with a smile said, “I’ll take it.”
With a smile of her own she hoofed me a receipt and order form and reminded me of when to expect my order.
“It’ll be done by Thursday morning, you can pick it up anytime between eight and four. If you haven’t made it here by then I will have it delivered to Maneaplois Central. Is there anything else you need?”
“No thank you Ms. Threadbare, I’m happy with this and hope to see you again soon, adieu !”
I gave the shopkeeper a polite bow and turned to leave, when I made it to the door I heard her call from behind.
“Hey wait! I never got your name, I suppose I could just put Mr. Dragon on the form but that's so informal.”
“Right, how silly of me, guess I was too nervous to remember to introduce myself, sorry about that. Law, my name is Matthew Law, it was a pleasure to meet you Ms. Threadbare," and with that I left.
Making my way from the little tailor's shop I was heading back to what I hope was the riverside, feeling a thousand times better and thinking that so far today has been pretty good and it could only get better.