#138 The Limits of Freindship

by Sinestere

Rating: everyone
Tags: Alternate Universe, Adventure, Crossover, Human
Length: 12131

Cyberpunk 2020 character in Equestria

A single human arrives in Equestria, things tend to work out with a few misunderstandings along the way. The harmony of the crowns Equestria was easily able to handle more humans as they were being yanked from their lives on their world and found themselves on a magical one. For the first three months at an average of one a week. Its three years later and most humans who appear on Equestrian soil are immediately captured and sent to a reservation for the safety of the ponies of Equestria. Some adapt well and are offered citizenship, some are imprisoned, and on the reservation the rest who refuse exile are starting over as best they can.

Why is this happening? Is there a way home? Why is the Earth Rebecca (Med-Tech 8) hails from so much darker than the one we know today?

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2015-03-01 22:34:17 UTC

How the road begins.

Perspective: Misty

Misty ran along the forest path, her breath steamed in the autumn chilled air as her strained wing was barking at her to rival the diamond dogs that were making almost as much noise (in her own mind) as they chased her.  First that bizarre storm and then the dog’s attempts to talk her into visiting their underground home after her rough landing into this fall forest, and now they were running her down.  ‘At least it’s not the Everfree’ crossed her mind as she leapt over exposed roots.

She had heard the stories and now the filly on the cusp of mare-hood was running from the slavery the dogs offered.  ‘No’ she thought.  ‘Not running from, being herded into’.  More dogs seemed to be in on the chase, when she tried to veer from the path, another dog’s nearby barking kept her right on the crooked deer trail she was currently using to flee her pursuers.  She had to zig and zag to remain on the path, and the lack of a straight line kept her from producing any kind of real speed.  Fallen leaves had just begun to season the ground and they slowed her stride further lest she slip on them.

‘I know their trying to get me somewhere, but where?’ she pondered as sharp pains in her ribs from the running began to rival the pain in her flank where she had been grazed by a spear when she had ducked out of the proposed underground tour.  It didn’t seem to be deep, but the business end of the spear would have put a halt to any attempts to flee if she had dodged with just a little less vigor.

She saw the scrub forest give way to forest proper and a large opening between trees as absent underbrush would let her pour on the speed.  ‘And just where I would put the trap’ she thought as she shifted course for it.  As she set hoof into the forest clearing where the remaining fall canopy obscured from the sunlight the strangely-clear of debris area, she spread her wings and leapt to glide over the red and orange forest floor.

Her creamy grey wings unfurled and while she freely cried out in pain as her strained wing protested at the edge of failure, it held her aloft long enough for her to clear open ground and continue to race the path that resumed on the clearings edge.  She looked back just long enough to watch her pursuers set off the net trap she supposed they had prepared for a less nimble pony than herself, and had to slow to a canter as laughter and her winded state robbed her of remaining endurance.  The chilled air seemed to aggravate the pains in her ribs.

“It seems reading those Daring Do books paid off after all.” She chortled as she remembered that other diamond dogs were likely in pursuit and returned to her best gallop to clear the forest.

As Misty turned her gaze back to the path a trip wire she otherwise would have seen snagged her lead hoof and she crashed to the ground, her chin carving a groove in the earthen forest floor.  Her body rolled to the side and she landed on her bad wing, stars exploding in her vision as the protesting wing elevated to riot status, it caught on something and seemed to twisted in its socket.  As she struggled to regain her hooves, a road and the sweet freedom it promised being within sight a net dropped over her and she began to scream, to cry out for help as a club began to whack her over and over.  She screamed and begged to be released but it did no good.  The club was all she could see as it battered her shoulders and neck until after the fourth or fifth swing it connected to her head and her vision faded to black.

Perspective: Rebecca

The first night after she had woken up with the medical / supply cart and her own gear she had used her astro-navagator program against the pre-dawn night sky to figure out where she was in the world.  The sun had yet to rise and the stars were still out.  There was a great deal more vegetation even as the weather was still chilly enough to see as she huffed the bizarrely clean air.  All other electronic communications she had access to had come up dry.  Even short wave radio was empty of signals.  When she couldn’t find a constellation she recognized, and the children’s phone app “constellation finder… the Astro-Navagator!” had also failed, she had to cede that she might be outside the mission target area.

Her teams absence was deeply troubling.  The change in scenery was jarring.  The likely failure of her mission and the accomplishment of her goals was crushing.  A moment of consideration made the whole thing sound insane, but no team, no findable constellation in the predawn sky, and unspoiled wilderness with a dirt road suited to wagons and horses were her only clues to work off of.

She wanted to say to someone, anyone, that she had overcome worse, but this was a real puzzle.  So she started walking, pulling her cart.

She was giggly and couldn’t square that with being in a park ranger’s paradise.  At first.  The lack of bombed out buildings strewn alongside the road like crushed sea shells under a sledge hammer wasn’t it.  Nor was the lack of impact craters.  Even the geiger counter’s eerie silence couldn’t explain her giddiness.  And then she figured it out.  She was drunk on oxygen.  At least that was her hope.

The lack of diesel exhaust, carcinogens, jet trails in the sky, it all added up.  Without the pollution and contamination in the background she was suddenly the filthiest thing around.  At least that’s how she felt coming from somewhere these things were either somewhat or always present.  With every breath of fresh air she fought to minimize how much she was breathing in, to try to minimize the intoxicating rush, but it was a losing battle.  No more lung scrubs for the time being.  She became dizzy with joy at that realization alone as she tried to figure out how long it would take to adjust, if she ever would.  It was a fun kind of light headedness, as she almost danced down road as she tried to make good time in the first direction she picked that seemed to match her old one, her compass still pointing the way even if the geography had changed.

With some rational thought she was able to reign in the giddiness.  It didn’t want to throttle back without a lot of effort and she wondered just how much it was affecting her judgment.  Trying to continue the mission was the most she could do.  Staying in one place was the best thing to do when lost, but if she was caught alone by opposing forces…

After a day of pulling the cart down the dirt road she had woken up adjacent to (dubbed in her personal log as ‘yellow brick’) she had removed her combat gear and armor and stripped down to the minimum before making camp for the night.  She found a stream nearby and after sanitizing the water used a tree to hang up her shower-in-a-bag.  Getting caught while showering in a transparent bag before sunset was a large potential embarrassment but tempting Murpy’s Law so that it was her team that found her (she hoped) was a risk she was willing to take.

No-one arrived.  So she made camp and after eating one of the MRE’s she bedded down in her tent.  Reflecting on the terrain change it was more reminiscent of England than Siberia but it was more of her gut agreeing with the conclusion drawn from a sky full of alien stars that she was somehow much further from home than she had ever been before.

The next morning she decided that due to the still chilly autumn(?) weather (and weird situation) that under-thermals, armored jeans, a matching T shirt (with the Trauma Team logo), her armored long jacket and her tactical belt would be the right mix for whoever she would meet.  Enough to be not worth the trouble without looking dangerous enough to snipe from a distance.   She put her stethoscope around her neck.  It was the most universal sign of being a doctor she knew.  ‘If there are aliens here, I can only hope their peaceful’ she thought.  She layered her cloak atop the rest until she built up enough body heat to take it off.  After wrapping her scarf her mirrorshades were the finishing touch.  There was so much bright sunshine here compared to the overcast and polluted skies of home the reflective sunglasses were a sanity saver all of their own.

Being it was a dirt road she was walking, a breathable atmosphere, recognizable trees and grass, and it felt like it was the same gravity, it made too much sense for her to still be on earth, perhaps a victim of some strange prank.  Or a very expensive VR.  Bizarre, but knowing the people she knew, not impossible.

Rebecca had walked down the strange road that was now adjacent to a forest for just over two hours before she heard distant barking.  At least barking dogs normally meant civilization unless they were feral.   It wasn’t long after that she heard the screams for help.  The words were understandable and the tone could not be mistaken.  As she reached mentally for her cell phone with the reflex to call it in when she was reminded of her out-of-service status by a lack of bars on her display.

After more barking she looked down a break in the forest scrub wall and saw a small grey horse (or maybe a pony?) with matching wings(?) and mane / tail wrapped in a net and being clubbed by upright standing dog creatures(?).  The dog-men had massive chests and backwards bent legs compared to her own.  Her trained eye saw them as either very high quality custom surgery alteration jobs, or more disturbingly, she really was on a different world and these were some of the natives.  At least they looked very primitive in wearing nasty looking leather vests as clothing.  (Strangely enough, no pants.)

Its cries for help and general screams of distress had just tapered off as one of the beasts blows had connected with the pony’s skull.

She shrugged off her backpack and locked the carts wheels before she pulled on her battle gloves and softly strode with vigor to the scene, her black cloak spreading as she strode forward adding to her appearance.  She stopped about thirty feet away and detaching an air horn and pepper spray from her belt she intended to use the air horn to announce her presence after prepping the pepper spray.

The dog creatures were so involved with the winged pony that while one of them on the far side of the pony noticed her presence and vainly tried to get the attention of the other two who were in an argument she pressed down with her thumb and the air horn caused all three of them to jump.  The two not facing her quickly turned around as their surprised expressions tried to shift to menacing but they were clearly uneasy in her presence.

The smaller of the three dog men was the quickest to speak and with a deep frown considered the figure of the new creature before it.  “These are Diamond Dog lands, stranger, and you’re trespassing.”

Rebecca pointed at the netted pony with her air horn holding hand “Is that one for sale?” as she bypassed the trespassing statement and went right for the meat of her concern.

The dog creature responded as its companions grinned.  “No, this one is just like you, part of new workforce.”

The smaller dog reached into a pouch and removed some jewelry that he then passed onto his companions.  All three put what looked like amulets around their necks; the shiny metal contrasted sharply with their dirty leather chest pieces and did nothing to alleviate the filthy dog smell.

After their jewelry was affixed, the smallest one pointed at the blue jewel that was prominently mounted to Rebecca’s forehead.  “HA!, no magic for you!  We just bought these magic proof amulets from the Great and Powerful Trixie, no one has magic strong enough to touch us now.”

Rebecca sighed with feinted weariness, “If you won’t sell me that animal than you should run before you see some real power.”  She let the supposedly ‘decorative’ large sapphire on her forehead softly illuminate as she began to charge the camera flash.  It would serve to attract their eyes away from what her hands were doing.  The slight hum of the capacitors charging was not lost on the dog men, but unless this whole scenario was bogus they would have no idea what they were hearing.

It seems a sense of the theatrical could serve a purpose here.

The two larger dog men began to approach Rebecca each bearing a calm confidence as they both towered over her by at least a half meter.  This was directly before she shouted “Oleoresin Capsicum Deploy!” and with flashes from the suddenly blinding strobe effect emanating from the sapphire she doused both of the closest dog creatures with hearty amounts of (bear strength) pepper spray.  She avoided the third as he was on the other side of the netted pony and the pony did not deserve when the two mutts were getting.  She stopped spraying and the strobe halted in sync to preserve the air of a cast spell (and to conserve the spray, it might be the rest of her life before she could buy more).

In less than a moment both diamond dogs she had doused were running for water as their faces felt like they were on fire.  As their yipping screams faded into the underbrush, she refocused her gaze on the short one still standing over the pony.   “Did you get a return policy for your trinkets?” she quipped as his expression shifted from joy at an easy victory to near panic as his brutish friends had abandoned him and his worthless purchases.  He glowered before stalking off in anger, leaving the netted pony on the ground.

After insuring the dog men had left the area she produced a knife and began to cut off the net, as she examined the pony that was out like a light and after finding a strong heart beat with her stethoscope she quickly fetched an empty syringe and took a blood sample.  It would take the computers a minute to analyze, but if the Franken pony in front of her was close enough, she had medications she could use to treat its injuries.  The pony with wings also looked more like natures design even as the wings appeared small for anything besides possibly mating displays?  And its head was large in proportion to its body and its eyes....  Stranger and stranger.

Perspective: Misty

Misty’s eyes were trying to focus as the last thing she remembered was being caught in a net.  Her body felt sore and stiff all over.  As she began to make sense of her surroundings she realized the diamond dogs were gone, the net was being cut away and a strange figure was in the process of freeing her.  It was making no move to eat her as instead it focusing its efforts on the net.  She took that as a good sign.

When she was free enough she looked into the face of her savior, she puzzled at what she beheld.  From under the hood of a cloak a short brown wavy mane that started above a strip of forehead and ended at the shoulders, a face with a nose but no muzzle presented itself.  Its eyes were concealed by some kind of glasses that perfectly mirrored Misty’s reflection back at her while the being worked to remove the net.  It had tiny ears as well.   A blue gem of some sort was mounted to its forehead but was almost flush with her light yet lightly tanned pinkish skin.   Under a black scarf a stethoscope hung around the beings neck, indicating it was a medical pony of some sort.  The beings mouth was closed in what looked like concentration as it finished the job of net cutting.

The rest of her new companion was wearing some kind of clothing that looked like a long jacket (but looked wrong on somepony only using two legs) of different dark hues and a cloak of mottled greens and browns atop that.  Her forearms were covered in some kind of chromed metal armor that hummed like the sound of distant cicadas.  Occasionally they would even chirp.  The arms ended in shiny metal covered paws that were as much tearing the net apart like flimsy cobweb as much as cutting it with the knife.  From what Misty could see the being was in a kneeling position as it worked, and its lower limbs were wearing dark metal boots that were like her gauntlets.  The boots themselves were large, almost oversized if the legs (and presumably feet) they sheathed were an indication, encasing her feet and her legs up to her knees.

Her nose said the beings mane smelled like peaches.  Misty couldn’t help but feel that she was in a fellow female presence as her savior radiated calm concern.  It was as if her own mother was tending to her as a younger foal.  She caught herself fully expecting a scolding to begin momentarily.  She wanted to bristle at the treatment but her aches reminded her of things much worse than being mothered by a stranger.

All of these observations took place in a span of moments as the net was reduced to fragments and Misty found herself entirely free of its embrace.  Aside a terrible burning stench being present that made her eyes water, her nose run and caused her to start coughing, she could see no sign of her tormentors.  No scent of blood, no visible bodies, and no other trace short of their tracks in the dirt and disturbed leaves.

Misty tried to stand and the bipedal creature put one paw on her back to gently restrain her.  The metal gauntlets were not cold as she would have expected, but rather merely warm and the inside of the paws digits could almost be described as rubbery.  The creature was the first to speak, and its voice clarified for Misty that it was feminine and sounded full of concern.  “Are you ok?  You were taking quite the beating and I need to bandage that wound on your flank before you start to move around.  My name is Rebecca, and it seems I will be your doctor today.”  The last was said with a practiced yet reassuring smile.

Rebecca then pulled out from under her jacket a grey roll that looked like some kind of tape as well as a large packet.  Opening the packet produced a cloth she used to put pressure on the wound.  Thankfully the spear had missed any major blood vessels.  Her rescuer pulled a length off the roll and applied it as a bandage that she carefully placed on the flank cut after wiping it down to remove blood and debris.   The searing sting of disinfectant lanced as Misty winced, it almost added insult to Misty’s injuries save that it was treatment.  It didn’t smell like what the village doctor used, but it seemed to have the same burning effect.  In fact, two breaths later and the pain of the wound eased considerably.  The skin was being drawn tight around the wound under the bandage and every part of the cut was clearly present in her mind when she focused on it, but it was suddenly more manageable and could even be (nearly) ignored.

Rebecca applied pressure to the tape bandage and it felt like it was anchored into Misty’s skin as it seemed to lock into place.  Misty had no desire to try to remove it.

In the distance both could hear barking, Rebecca observed the pony’s ears pivot to track the barking.  It didn’t seem to be coming closer just yet, but it clearly brought panic to the little pony if its eyes somehow growing even wider and its whole body shaking were any indication.

Rebecca asked “Can you fly? If you can go ahead and escape, I can handle the dogs.”

“I can’t” Misty replied, her gratitude at being rescued mixed heavily with a desire for caution at the appearance of her strange rescuer.  Gratitude bubbled over, “it’s my wing, I think it’s a bad sprain.  I can still run out of here.”

“You shouldn’t move that wing and until I wrap it as running could make it worse.  Let me lift you to my cart and get you out of here.  They sound like they will be back,” as she sheathed her knife with one hand and stroked her chin with the other while wearing a sage-like look “and in greater numbers.”  She rose to her feet and scooping up a strange device she placed in a belt pouch before she jogged toward the road where Misty could see a pack and a cart.

Rebecca returned a moment later with the pack on her back and the cart in tow.  She looked at Misty, “I know you have been too dazed to give me your name, but if you don’t mind I’ll put you on this cart, and then we should really relocate...”  The barking was growing louder as Misty simply nodded her consent.

Moving the victim was so far from ideal that it hurt, but those dog creatures were likely returning, and she doubted more pepper spray would drive them off twice.  After her patient was somewhat secured she took a grey egg-shaped object and removing a pin, placed it under a rock with the cloth she had used for cleaning Misty’s wound atop the rock.  She then hitched the cart and took off running.  Misty could see that the diamond dogs couldn’t remove the cloth without disturbing the rock atop the object.

Misty looked back as her saviors legs began to put distance from the scene of her capture.  She asked, “What did you put under the rock for them to find?”  She received the cheery response, “A little something we call a flash bang.  They won’t be chasing us if they find it.”

“Will it hurt them?”

“It’s nice of you to ask considering they caught you like they intended to eat you, but no, just blind and deafen them for a while.  If you watch, it should look and sound like a lightning strike behind us but I wouldn’t recommend it.”

Before Misty could turn her head back, there was a BOOM and even out of the forest and in the open air of the road a synthetic flash of white light splashed on the edges of her vision.  It reminded her of a camera flash but the scale was difficult to imagine.

“And there it is, are they chasing us?”

“No.  Can’t you take me home?, this is the wrong way!”

“You want me to turn around?”

Misty nearly shouted “No Thank You!”

Rebecca bent her chest forward as her steps increased in length.  Misty looked down to see that she was pushing against the ground with the tips of her feet as she ran, its was like a leaping stride.  At the same time, the cart accelerated as if under its own power, maybe her savior was just trying to stay ahead of a magic cart?  “Let me run for a while and see what kind of distance I can put between us and those mutts.”

“What kind of creature are you?”  Misty inquired even as she had to close her eyes, the jostling of their increasing speed over the bumpy road was beginning to induce nausea.

“I am a human, I guess you don’t have many of my kind around?”

“You’re the first I’ve ever seen, but the ponies of my village might know more.”  A beat. “When can we wrap my wing?”

Rebecca didn’t turn around as she considered while still very much running.  “If it’s in rough shape then very soon.  I know right now it’s got to hurt like nothing else, but in another mile I’ll stop and get you splinted.  So, have you always been a winged mini-horse?”

“Pegasus, and yes… what kind of question is that?”

“Oh, just wondering.  All this is very strange to me.”

“Well I’m normal and you really stand out around here.  What is with all the clothing?”

“I don’t have a coat like you so my people tend to wear clothing to compensate.  How old are you anyway?”

“Nine, and how is it you speak the Equestrian language if you just got here?”

Equestrian, that’s funny Rebecca thought.  “I don’t know.  Its sounds like you’re speaking my language to me.”

As Misty looked back, only clear road presented itself to her.  “They’re still not chasing us; can we fix my wing now?”

“Sure.  Keep a look out.”  She did something at the base of the cart and it became stable as Rebecca walked around it to tend the wing.  “I can’t give you something for the pain, you recently suffered a blow to your head and pain medication that makes you groggy could cause other problems.  So put this in your mouth and then we can set your wing.  I have some items I can use for a splint.”

She took the proffered item, it was a stick.  She then watched with curiosity as her savior removed the arm armor revealing rolled up sleeves and bare, coatless arms and paws not unlike a monkey from a traveling show she had seen, with a few points of silvery metal adorning both the arms at matching points.  Rebecca put the armor that was more intricate and bizarre the longer Misty looked at it into a storage compartment on the backside of the cart.  Misty fought the weariness as she bit down before Rebecca calmly set her wing and splinted it.  Misty could not help but cry out and weep with the pain.  Rebecca produced a cloth for the tears that Misty was grateful to take.  The cloth felt strange on her hooves and Misty recognized it as some kind of silk.  She wondered what kind of wealth her savior had to use silk for a handkerchief.

Rebecca then produced a bottle of water that Misty nearly fumbled; it was made of a material that was as clear as glass but flexible like stiff parchment.  She could not deduce right away how to open it.  Rebecca gently took the bottle back and unscrewed the top, and smiled gently that only partially stemmed the embarrassment and blush of the little Pegasus.

The doctor marveled at how the hooves seemed nearly sticky to the bottle, she had no doubt that if she provided another bottle of water, the filly would be able to open it herself easily.  It gave weight to the filly’s story about being able to fly with those tiny wings.  While she was sure there was a lot more going on behind the scenes, she had to wonder if she should unpack other supplies.

After the work was done Rebecca produced some long gloves of a thick material that could have been leather but did not smell anything like it.  The gloves gave off a faint odor that was more like Rebecca herself, a large assortment of strange but not unpleasant smells.  They reminded Misty of her own doctor’s office.  The gloves looked supple despite their thickness and chirped when she had them on.  Rebecca sighed in satisfaction as the gloves seemed to merge into place.  A moment later and they seemed to be as much an extension of her person as the arm armor had been.  She shouldered her backpack and took up the handles of the cart, grunting a little to start momentum with her new companion atop the load.  It was funny how much difference adrenaline made when she was trying to evacuate someone.

“You know, we haven’t been introduced yet.”

“Oh of course, my name is Misty.  My village is not far from here, we can go around the dog’s territory.”

“And that answers a few of my other questions.  As I seem to be taking you there, what kind of reception am

I likely to receive?”

“Oh, it’s mostly a Pegasus village with few of the unicorns or earth ponies around.  The dogs normally mind their own business just like we do ours so problems are rare.  If it hadn’t been for a freaky storm, I would have just flown over their lands and never run into them.”

“And to answer my question…”

“Sorry, nah, as long as you’re with me you should be ok.  I’ll tell them how you saved me.  Directly ahead there will be a fork in the road, we will stick right and hit my village on the far side.  The dogs live underground most of the time so we don’t interact very much.”

“Oh, full disclosure; I gave you some medicine while you were out.  I can already see it working on you, your wing will likely be flight capable tomorrow but another day off of it would be wise.”

Rebecca continued while Misty digested this.  “I am confused because if the dogs live near you then why were they chasing you?”

“The dogs are not above slavery and I was a lot more of a lucky catch.  I will tell the village about those traps though.  The dogs are not usually so rough to deal with.”

Rebecca made like she was going to reply but she had her attention stolen by the crossroad ahead.  There were several trees in the area and to her it reeked of potential ambush.  There were no signs per se, but there was enough cover that if someone was going to get the jump on travelers then it was an excellent point.

“Misty, how are you feeling?”

“Outside the obvious wing and hole in my flank, not to bad now that I have had some time to catch my breath.”

“I see a crossroads ahead but it’s a great point for an ambush.  Are you ready for me to run again?”

“”I really doubt there is anyone up there waiting for us.”

“My people have a saying, ‘famous last words’.  Please be ready if either of us sees something.  I will be walking until then.”

As the two approached the crossroads, Rebecca slowed down to watch the road more carefully as Misty continued to look around for trouble.  The bumps in the road were causing fresh bursts of agony from her wing, but she knew it couldn’t be helped.

The sound of hoof steps approaching the crossroads could be heard by Misty and she was surprised the human had looked in the hoof steps direction at the same time Misty had registered the sound.  Just how well could the human hear with those tiny ears?

Rebecca slowed to a stop and dropped her arms to hang over her sides as the presence creating the sounds began to clear the foliage that obscured the bend.

Misty’s eyes had begun to grow wide as Rebecca tensed.  A young lifetime of experience told Misty that those were pony made noises but Rebecca was like a snake preparing to strike.  Misty had no idea what Rebecca would do, but she had driven off the diamond dogs somehow.  She was at a loss how to disarm her new friend after the encounter she had just been rescued from.

So she simply spoke “Rebecca, those are ponies, please let me speak to them.  They must be from my village.”

As she finished speaking a pair of ponies emerged.  While they shared a majority of traits with her charge, Rebecca could not help but notice the slight variations of builds and the fact that while neither had wings, one did have a narwhale tooth growing out of its forehead, scaled down to its size with the swirl being more pronounced.  They also had marks on their flanks, like a tattoo but the marks were unique to each.  The plain pony had a dark brown coat with a mark that looked like grasslands while the unicorn looking one with the slightly lighter build had a soft yellow coat.  She could not entirely make out her mark but they both had matching black manes and tales, sibling’s perhaps?

Both ponies stopped themselves to stare at Rebecca before they registered that she was pulling a cart, let alone that a Pegasus was mounted atop it. They both circled Rebecca to approach her passenger as the pony without a horn called out to Misty in a masculine voice “Misty!, are you all right?   We were on our way to Burroville.” As the horned pony asked in feminine tones “Misty, your wing looks terrible and you’re a real mess.  Also, who’s your new friend?”

Rebecca put the kick-stand down for the cart and then stood back a few paces as the ponies conversed with Misty, her relegating the last half hours adventures.  The ponies’ expressions were surprisingly easy for Rebecca to read as she watched the interaction, her wariness undiminished even as the ponies were absorbed in their conversation.  If the dogs wanted to sneak up on the group they would find her ready.

The unicorn (certainly not a goat thought Rebecca) circled around the cart to approach the doctor directly.  Rebecca put on a professional face even as the little girl of her childhood wanted to simply gush at the additional cute creatures now in front of her.  Rebecca deduced that the bipedal dogs were likely lousy neighbors and while she had her own mission to conduct, if she was somewhere new she was not going to live like an armed street refugee and reinforce what was likely in the ponies minds, two legs bad, four legs good.

As to the unicorn herself, the garb worn by the upright being in front of her was familiar in some aspects but very alien in others.  The human itself seemed to have multiple layers of clothing for nearly every part of its body save its hooded head.  And while its mane was at least familiar (even as it seemed to covered her whole head barring its face and neck that were effectively hairless, its face clearly shared some common traits with pony kind.  Outside the strange glasses it wore that concealed its eyes, it had a mouth, two small ears and a nose.  But no muzzle, and while the filly had testified that the one who pulled her out of that situation could speak, the unicorn was at a loss as to how somepony with no muzzle could speak intelligibly, but she supposed griffons managed well enough with their beaks, so it shouldn’t be impossible.

But the blue jewel the creature was wearing on its forehead was a true delight.  It was larger than many other gems and was just a bit lower on her forehead than a unicorns horn might be.  She frowned when she realized that the gem was not being suspended by any jewelry, but seemed to be instead mounted to her head.  She mentally took a step back, and then chided herself.  We don’t know anything about humans, this could be style or even natural for their, um, species…

Perspective: Rebecca

Noticing that she was plainly staring at the fillies rescuer, the unicorn turned away blushing even as Rebecca had to suppress a smirk of her own.  Being stared at seemed to be taken as rude here, not unlike at home she mused.  The unicorn had approached her, presumably to speak to her directly, but had taken in her appearance and seemed to have become lost in thought while preparing to do so.  The male sounding pony, who was sans wings or horn but seemed to be somewhat more beefy than the two presumable females (but if that was due to breed or gender was beyond her current experience), had just finish speaking with Misty when everyone tensed as a dog howled in the distance.  Further howls answered.

The male pony spoke.  “It seems Burroville will have to wait for another day with the Diamond Dogs riled up.  I am glad you did no lasting harm any of them from what Misty is telling us, stranger, but it would be better if you returned with us to the village.”

“I would love to.  Is there any chance one of your elders could point me in the direction of home?”

Another howl, this one closer.

Rebecca focused into the distance she had just came from.  “Sounds like a half dozen.  How upset would your village be if I… disabled them?”

Two of the ponies jaws dropped while the unicorn took it as a poorly told joke.

Misty was the first to recover.  “Ah Ha, Ah Ha…. We are ponies.  We run from danger.  It will be safer inside the village walls.”

Rebecca shrugged as she quickly dipped her head in the unicorns direction, seeming to communicate agreement; it was enough of a pony like gesture to be understood even as the calm and dispassionate question about disabling was still sinking in.  “Let’s get moving then.”

The small group returned to the road.

“Do you think the dogs will give chase?” Rebecca asked to no one in particular.  Polite introductions must be in short supply in these parts she thought.

“If you have shown yourself to be too much trouble, I doubt they will attack.  And if they think you’re a danger, it’s more likely they would retreat to their holes than give chase.  You must be a great warrior if you’re not worried about a half dozen of those brutes.”  The unicorn gave her a hopeful look that Rebecca did not like at all, but carefully schooled her reaction as she chose her next words with care.

“As a doctor I don’t like combat.  It was just easier than it could have been to free Misty.  What I carry is intended for self-protection in a sometimes hostile world.  Still, I assure you it’s with the upmost reluctance for me to arbitrarily disable those of hostile intent.  But Misty is simply too cute to be someone’s lunch.”  Rebecca said the last with a smile even as she picked up her pace.

Both the plain pony and the unicorn exchanged looks Rebecca simply could not decipher as their light trot carried them further from the forest and into farmlands.  Misty herself was consumed in a confused blush as she tried to sort out what she just heard.  The dog howls had vanished so it seemed pursuit was unlikely, Rebecca internally sighed with relief.

The fields had given way to farmland and orchards, a few ponies working them as the travelers walked past.

It was another half hour before Rebecca saw any structures.  They seemed a lot like they could have been taken right out of someone’s farmhouse calendar for all their picturesque perfection.  As she got closer she could see that some of the buildings had signs of age and wear while others that seemed newer and likely as not had fresher coats of paint.  The red barn itself was the giant of the buildings while the smaller structures were less apparent as to their function, the farm house itself looked to be kept with loving care.

A female pony emerged for the front door of the farm house as the group traveled the road past it.  She had a questioning look at the group and approached, Rebecca came to a stop as the other ponies in her company halted, presumably to speak to the mare.

The mare herself had silver streaks in her otherwise black mane and tail, her coat an almost peach color and eyes with sharp black pupils that were every bit as large and expressive as the other ponies Rebecca had met so for.  She had marks on her flanks as well, in her case it looked like a wishing well you might see on a child’s postcard.

As the mare approached she slowed and Rebecca could feel her gaze as she was swept up and down.  She almost wanted to dance for the mare and caught herself, knowing the situation was going to weirding her out sooner or later, talking ponies, unicorns, pegasus and those upright dog barbarians being a bit much for first thing in the morning.  Rebecca subtly consulted a clock and realized it wasn’t yet eight in the morning.  It already was starting to feel like lunch time.

“Misty, do you know this mare?” Rebecca asked before she realized that Misty had lapsed to sleep while the medication she had given the pony was still working its magic.

“It seems that the young Pegasus has had quite the busy morning if she is so tuckered out” offered the mare as the unicorn and the plain pony shared smiles.  “I though the two of you were going to Burroville this morning, and instead you bring back Misty and…”

Rebecca caught the hint and gave a small bow at the waist.  “My name is Rebecca, and some upright walking dog types, I think Misty called them diamond dogs, had her in a net and one of them was beating her with a club like he was trying to break her bones.  I heard her cry out and rescued her after driving the dogs off.  After that I treated her injuries.  I am a doctor as my profession, but it would be better for someone more familiar with pony medicine to examine her if there is a healer in town.”

“So you met these two on the road did you?”  Rebecca nodded.  “Well, bring her inside while I send for Doctor Oakhoof.  And I bet you could do with a meal yourself.”  As the mare gave Rebecca another appraising glance, her stomach took the opportunity to make its presence known with an out of character rumble.  Rebecca looked down at her midriff in mild surprise.  Her stomach was not usually so loud.

“By the way,” the mare continued “My name is Wishing Well, and those two youngsters are Dreaming Waters and her fiancée Topsoil.  Knowing these two they never introduced themselves yet, did they?”  The mare asked with a chuckle as she escorted Rebecca and her cart bearing the sleeping Pegasus to the farmhouse.

“I hadn’t asked, I am not sure about the customs here and I wanted to avoid rudeness.”

“Oh those two both got a good scare put in them by a minotaur passing through a few days ago and likely clamed up when they saw you.  Still, my daughter and I need to have a talk about that, there was no call for a lack of introduction.  Dreaming please float Misty to my bed and make sure the shutters are closed so she can get what sleep she seems to need.  Do you know if Misty got hit on the head Rebecca?”

“Yes, it knocked her out before I could save her.  After I chased the dogs off, I treated her with some medication and as I was removing the net she woke up.  I bound her wing after we left the forest, its splinted but she should be able to use it in a day or two.  She had a wound on her flank I patched up.  It should be good by lunch.  She said they used a spear on her.”

“That’s unusual for the diamond dogs, they have been acting strangely that last few weeks.  I talk to a few of them as they might come by to trade goods, and something has them riled up.  So you think her wing is sprained, it must be light one if you think she can fly as early as tomorrow.”

“It was causing her a large amount of distress, but the medication is doing its job.  As long as she rests her wing I am sure it will be fine.  Are you Misty’s relation Wishing?”

Rebecca took that moment before she proceed inside to remove her backpack and attach it to the cart.  She plugged the two together so that the security system would watch over both.  When she slept she maintained a link to her tent, the backpack and the cart so that if any of them were molested in her sleep she would be aware.

Wishing watched Rebecca with interest.  The mare gestered with her hoof in the direction of the farmhouse.  Rebecca followed the mare indoors.  After passing thrugh the kitchen she was lead to what could be called a living room. “Nah, but I would be proud to be if I was.  The little filly is very helpful and enjoys delivering messages around the village.  Say, I did offer you some grub, what can you eat?”

“Oh, I saw some apples in the kitchen, two of those would do if you can spare them.”

“Go right ahead, but I did want to ask how you saved little Misty over there.”

“Ah that…” Rebecca chuckled to herself.  “I don’t like weapons that cause lasting harm when discouragement will often take the fire out of a situation.  So I used a can of what my people call pepper spray.”  Seeing a lack of understanding in the mares eyes, she continued.  “It’s a pressurized can of basically hot sauce powder, finely ground pepper, and a few other things that makes your eyes and nose burn if spayed with it.  It’s the same principle the skunk uses to drive off aggressors.  You do have skunks here, don’t you?”

“Well yes, but they don’t usually have a lot of need to spray folk unless you end up scaring one.  And the dogs ran from that?”

“After receiving a dose each, yes they did.”

“So you saved Misty out of the goodness of your heart and drove off the diamond dogs to do it?  That’s a lot of kindness.”

“Well, I had never seen a pony before like Misty, and her cries for help went right to my heart.  I didn’t have to think twice to know that saving her was the right thing to do.  At least Misty will recover with some rest.”  Rebecca smiled to herself with at least a little smugness.

At that she removed her gloves and tucked them into her tactical belt.  Wishing spared a glance at the humans hands but didn’t say anything about it.  Instead she let the conversation continue.

“The town doctor will be here soon enough.  With you smiling like that, I ’ma going to guess there won’t be much for him to do, will there.”

Wishing let the statement hang, and Rebecca did what she could to resume professionalism of her features.  “Well…, if you have magic as I am told you could likely as not magic her wounds away.  At least, that’s what I am hoping for.  The medications I provided are very effective, but I would be as pleased as I could be to live in a world that could use magic like that, even if I did have to go back to school to learn it.”

“I don’t know that you could.”  Wishing began with a small amount of reluctance.  “I’ve never heard of a magic that can patch a pony up.  Doctors treat ponies best they can and medicine is a separate school compared to where unicorns get sent to learn how to wield their magic.  All the ponies have magic, but it’s the unicorns who have the razzle dazzle stuff most ponies think of.”

“I was glad to help Misty, and I will help others as I can.”  Rebecca said simply.  “I have a lot of medical supplies on me at the moment, but that relative to the population I would be treating.  If magic can replicate the supplies then they could go a lot further to help people, er, ponies.  At least as long as I am here.”

“Can you get back home on your own?”

“I don’t know how I got here, let alone how to get back.  I am grateful that we speak the same language, at least.  And my arrival was good news for Misty.  If I can get home myself I can write this whole thing off as a crazy dream.”

“What if you can’t.  What will you do then?”

“If I can find a place where I can be a doctor, then that is where I’ll be.  I would likely try to visit one of your medical schools and find out how different doctors are here compared to me.  What is most important to me, if I can’t go home is to continue being a doctor here, if I can.”

Wishing looked thoughtful.  “Our own doctor is normally up to the task here, but those who practice medicine are always in demand.  I do have to admit, you’re an enormous surprise from what I have heard of your kind.”

Rebecca blinked.  “There are others like me here?  I was getting the impression that my arrival was a singular event.  And if my kindness to the little filly is a surprise of any magnitude should I expect a poor reception if I were to continue my travels?”

Wishing responded “I don’t know to tell you the truth.  We received a letter from town hall a few months ago advising that beings who match your description were out and about causing trouble.  That some were reasonable and some were crazed.  In any event your to turn yourself into the town guard but you’ve gone a long way to convince me you’re not a monster already the way you have looked after little Misty.”

It was at that point that the distinct sound of someone clearing their throat was made as (what Rebecca assumed) an older unicorn made their presence known.  Rebecca mentally gave herself a swift kick for not noticing the presence of the unicorn.  A stallion, if her guess was accurate.  His mane and tail were hues of blue shot with grey, and what might have been a more robust figure was partially thinned with age.  A pair of glasses hung on his snout as he spared Rebecca a curious but not hostile glance before returning his attention to Wishing.

“Good morning Wishing, I was sent in by the youngsters outside.  I take it the patient is upstairs?”

“Doctor Oakhoof, you made very good time.  Yes, Misty is in my bedroom.  Should I bring her down?”

“Have Dreaming float her down to me.  As bad as my arthritis is today, I am not sure I could make the stairs.  And who is your guest?”

“This is Rebecca.  She rescued Misty from some dogs that were trying to abduct Misty, if you can believe it.  I know the dogs have been acting strangely but abducting foals is simply too far.”

“I agree.  I will talk to the mayor about speaking with the Baroness about it.  So, Rebecca is it?”

Wishing took that as her opening to leave and walked out of the living room, presumably to get the filly floated down.

“Hello sir.  I understand you’re a fellow doctor.”

“Yes, I didn’t think humans had the capacity to study medicine from what I have heard about your kind.”

Ouch.  “I have only been here a few days so I am still somewhat in shock about all things related to being here on this world.  At the same time if some of my kind were to be taken from their lives as abruptly as I have been and tossed into an alien environment I can understand their making poor or hasty decisions under such conditions.  On an unrelated note, did I overhear you correctly you suffer from arthritis?”

“So your ears do work for being so small.”  His face turned to a grin as his rear quarters eased to a sitting position across from Rebecca.   “I never met a human before today, but the stories I have heard paint your kind being savage carnivores twice as tall as well as nocturnal raiders who takes ponies as both slaves and food.  Seeing you here dressed as you are as casual as you sit there eating that apple and being told you rescued that filly Misty without any expectation of reward, I don’t quite believe you if you did tell me you were human.”

Ouch again.  “Technically were omnivores but I would like to examine a specimen of humanity that is giving your kind so much trouble before I press any claims of species kinship.  And I asked about the arthritis because if I can run a blood test and the results return as I expect they will I might have a treatment for it.”

“A treatment for old age?  And offering it to a pony?  You’re not helping your case about that humanity claim, that’s for sure.  Still, I would be greatly appreciative if you had such a treatment.  I would ask what the blood test is for and what it is you’re looking for, specifically.”

“Oh, I need to insure that the medicine I brought will me will be compatible with your species.  The testing equipment will souse out if you would have a negative reaction.  From what I have seen from Misty you should be quite compatible, but I’m not releasing any potential treatment without the best margin of safety I can manage.”

It was at that point that a floating Misty was hovered around the corner by a familiar unicorn mare and set down gently in front of the doctors.  She was awake and while she brightened to see Rebecca she also looked chagrined to see Doctor Oakhoof.

Perspective: Misty

“Ah the patient arrives.  So Misty, how are you feeling?  I don’t see bruises to match the story I heard about your adventures this morning.”

Misty looked down in humility “I know you told me to give the wing more time but the weather team tryouts are being held soon and I need to practice if I’m gonna qualify to join.  Rebecca saved me like you likely heard and she said she gave me something to fix me up.  I just don’t know what.”

Rebecca interjected.  “I can answer for that one, the medication I used to treat her injuries has already resolved the bruising that would have confirmed our stories.  Her wing should still be sore from its sprain but I while I did recommend her to take a day or two of rest before she tried to use it again, I gladly defer to your judgment in these matters as to the proper course of treatment.”  She paused to catch Misty’s eyes “I won’t scold you for flying on a wing that needs rest, I’m sure your going to be hearing about that from your parents later on.”

Misty tried to sink into the floorboards, but the wood proved to be resistant to her efforts to submerge.

“Well,” the Doctor Oakhoof began as he took the focus off the filly, “Lets talk about the treatment you supplied to the filly.  Tell me about this grey tape on her flank.  Is that treatment of yours?”

Misty’s flank in question quivered at its mention and she stretched her leg out, wincing at the tightness of her skin as the bandage maintained its seal on her coat.

“Oh yes, Misty told me it was a wound caused by a spear.  It was a jagged serration that matches the characteristics of wounds caused by primitive weapons akin to what I witnessed the dogs carrying.  I cleaned and sanitized the wound before applying that self-sealing bandage tape you see there.  It keeps the wound clean and sealed while holding the wound together for as long as it needs to be there.  It only comes off when its job is done, or when removed if removed early.”

Misty’s head looked from left to right while the two care givers discussed her treatment.  As she lay there she could feel Dr. Oakhoofs magic work its way over her body as it searched for additional damage under his careful eyes.

“So its like an ‘all in one’ field dressing and treatment?  It’s very lucky you had such magical materials on you.”

“Well… there is a lot to that.  It’s not luck when you’re a doctor and you have to make house calls now and again.  It’s a very turbulent time where I am from.  As it might look like magic, but it’s just a really advanced bandage.”

“Advanced bandage huh?”  The older unicorn gave her a steady look.  “I had the opportunity to read a report written about the humans encountered so far.  Their usually filthy, panicked, hungry, in a state of shock, sometimes hostile or even savage.  Your civilized, kind, patient, rational, reasonable, just about everything opposite I expected to encounter when I heard tell one of your kind was seen in the area.  You might claim to be a human, but all the evidence is not pointing in that direction.  How is it your so adapted if you have only just got here?”

“Oh, that’s easy.  Have you ever read a good book?”

The unicorn cocked his head to the side slightly.  “Sure, wait…, is that what you think this is, maybe some kind of fantasy?”

Rebecca looked away for a moment.  “In a word, yes.  It’s a bit to improbable that I go from one world to another, let alone one that is so close to my own in breathable atmosphere, comparable gravity, suitable temperature, even the apple I ate is an apple.  And I meet an intelligent species that speaks the same language, and lives in buildings just as my people would build them, admittedly about a hundred years ago. How is that even possible?”

Dr. Oakhoof winced at Rebecca’s changing tone.  It had started reasonably enough but the more she spoke the more that he could tell she was trying and beginning to fail at keeping a lid of what must be turbulent emotions.  Of course, the more she described it the more he shared her puzzlement on how what had transpired had come to pass.

“At least your dealing with it well my dear.” The older unicorn offered.

Rebecca returned her gaze to him with a tight smile, “You missed my small freak out when I woke up and my team was missing.  After that I put my reactions to weirdness on hold when I rescued Misty because as a doctor you know that sometimes you have to shelve what your feeling and get the job done.  Deciding to save Misty from those dogs was easy, not curling up in a ball and crying my eyes out in a corner right now is hard.  It does help that I have been trained for strange scenario’s and exposed to some bizarre situations.  But sometimes the answers come later and reacting is more important.”

Dreaming took the opportunity to speak up.  “Well, your safe in our lands.  Outside the Diamond Dogs and their occasional problems you won’t have to worry about war here.  Isn’t that a good thing?”

Rebecca shook herself for a moment before she continued.  “There is a small village of less than five hundred people that will be migrating away from where they have been living for generations in about six months when winter is over.  They will be leaving because of the war that has raged in the area.  The village used to have a population of twice as many people.  The war claimed half and took their medical team when it ravaged the land.  I had volunteered to be the medical support they need to see them thru the winter until they could cross the mountains in the spring and leave the region behind.  That cart I am hauling is mostly medical supplies for those people and their needs.  With my absence, and the absence of those supplies, their suffering will be greatly increased.”

Rebecca turned her head to address Dreaming directly.  “It’s a great thing for me to not be as worried as I have been for my personal welfare.  It’s a terrible thing for those families who are depending on me that I am here, where ever here is, compared to being with them and being what I have trained for so many years to be.  The doctor they need me to be.”

It was clear that Dreaming had nothing to say at that moment, Rebecca’s words had left her empty.  Misty took that as an opportunity to ask “then why are you here if being where you were is so important?”

Rebecca knelt down to Misty so that they were almost at eye level.  “I don’t know specifically how or why I ended up so far from my purpose.  I have deduced that someone somewhere chose to pull me and my medical supplies from our path and put us here, likely to aid them in whatever it is that they are doing.  The long and short of it is that they need us.  What is in that cart needs expertise to use properly.  Heck, most of it if used improperly could do a lot of damage to people if they just tried to fumble their way into using it.  So the cart and I are something of a set, at least until I had arrived at the village where I could set up a proper clinic and start seeing patients.”

“Misty, please understand”, Rebecca paused before she continued, “The opportunity to save you was one I am glad I was given.  But somewhere a monster decided that those families didn’t need a doctor with medicines in the coming winter.  I know the monster is wrong.  Those families would also agree with me.  So I have to find this monster and get sent back.  I can’t consider failure because too much is depending on me getting where I belong to accomplish my mission.”

The older unicorn turned to Dreaming and sighed.  “So young mare, tell me what you think of our guest here.  Is she as scary as that minotaur that gave you a fright recently?”

Dreaming, who up to that point had been watching over Misty with a protective expression while the checkup was conducted looked as if she had trouble finding an answer to the country doctors question.  After a moment she answered.  “I don’t think she is directly dangerous, from what Misty said she tricked the diamond dogs but didn’t hurt them.  I don’t understand how she did it but your right doctor; I am having my own doubts that she is a human like she says she is.  Humans are said to be selfish and greedy.  This one” she gestured with a hoof “just shamed me for being concerned about my admittedly much simpler life.  Also, humans are said to smell terrible.  But her mane smells delightfully like peaches.  My mouth has been watering since I met her, no offense.”  She turned to Rebecca with a smile as the last words were spoken and Rebecca nodded.  Rebecca was also grateful that her chosen shampoo was going over well with the natives.

Misty took the opportunity to chime in, “And she also smells like oranges, lemons, and like my mom.”  Turning to Rebecca quickly she asked with a directness children sometimes have “How many foals do you have Rebecca?”

“Foals?”  Rebecca felt her face flush as she tried to frame the question.  Of everything she expected to be asked, this was far from what she had considered, and it showed on her face.  “Oh, you mean children.  I don’t have any of my own just yet Misty.  I have been too busy to start a family just yet.”

Doctor Oakhook exchanged a knowing glance with Dreaming and tapped the side of his muzzle with a hoof.  Dreaming only grinned in reply and turned to leave.  Rebecca watched the interaction still wearing an expression of puzzlement that still somewhat heated.

Oakhoof cleared his throat, getting the attention of the foal and the ‘supposed’ human still in the sitting room.  “You did mention a treatment for my arthritis.  Please forgive me for being eager for any treatment you might offer.”

Rebecca smiled warmly.  “Of course.  Let me go retrieve my medical supplies needed for the sample taking procedure and if the blood tests come back as I expect they will we can get started in about a quarter hour after the results come in.  Be right back.”  And with that Rebecca rose to her feet and strode out of the farmhouse, presumably to her cart.

Oakhoof turned his attention back to Misty.  “Now young mare, it seemed to embarrass your friend to be asked about foals.  Some species are more sensitive about child related things.  So please try to avoid the subject even as I agree with you she smells like a mare with foals of her own.”

“But doctor, why would she smell like that if she doesn’t have foals?”  Misty queried.

The pony doctor had to look away as he responded with a grin twisting the corners of his mouth.  “I’m sure I don’t know.  Best you speak with your parents about it when they get back from weather patrol.”

Perspective: Rebecca

Rebecca found her cart just as she had left it, and after removing her long gloves and stashing them in the cart as well as her cloak.  It was warmer now that the sun was out and in the house it had been warmer still, but less than she would have called comfortable.  She suspected it was the fur coats of the inhabitants.

After removing and tucking a few things away she leaned over to one of the carts high security access data connection.  She pulled down the rolled up sleeves of her long jacket and placed her right hand by the data access port.  Concealed by her sleeve a port in her skin at her wrist opened and one of her three ‘livewire’ data cables extended out and mated to its jack on the cart.  She synced to the carts security and after the encrypted data flowed back and forth the cart acknowledged her as a rightful user.  She extended the solar panels so the carts battery could replenish outside her pulling it along and using the motor / generator.  After that she unlocked the medical supplies needed for the blood test and primed the medical testing equipment the cart carried.

The results would be wirelessly sent to her once the sample was submitted and processed.  It was surprising just how close these creatures were to earth native ones.  The computer had cleared Misty for nearly every medicine she had in her impressive arsenal.  If the doctor also cleared, her suspicion would be confirmed.

It was clear in Rebecca’s mind that someone with the power to bring her here wanted her bad, but for what purpose she couldn’t guess.

It would stand to reason that anyone with that kind of power shouldn’t need a doctor if they could ‘magic’ away their health problems.  But maybe they couldn’t…  That country doctor in there, that unicorn was suffering arthritis of all things.  Maybe she was needed.  And providing the treatment would give her the data needed to confirm her abduction theory compared to the random chance theory she had first supposed.  This only stood up if it was a pony originated kidnapping.

So if there were three pony types, and the unicorns had magic, then it was likely a unicorn caused effect that summoned her like she was a character in some card game.  Still, she would need to get a ‘plain’ pony sample to see how they compared.  There were plenty of them around at least.

The yard where she was standing was bustling with activity as presumably laborers will doing chores and hauling wagons from the barn to the fields for whatever their daily tasks might be.  The ponies here looked at her but most seemed more focused on their tasks than looking over the stranger in the yard.  A few of them gave her nervous smiles that she returned while keeping her lips over her teeth.  It was a mix of larger males and smaller females that glanced in her direction in a friendly manor so she presumed that she did not present threateningly.

Her business concluded, she unplugged and placed her medical supplies in one of her jacket pockets as she returned into the large house.  She waved to Wishing as she strode back into the sitting room where Doctor Oakhoof concluded his examination of Misty, who visibly brightened when the filly saw her.  Rebecca pulled the medical supplies out of one pocket and a large sucker out of the other.  Handing the sucker to Misty after unwrapping it for her (Rebecca was unsure if Misty could manage it with hooves), she offered the syringe and the other associated blood sample retrieval items for Oakhoof’s inspection.

She didn’t feel anything as the unicorns magic enveloped her hand and withdrew her offered items.  He studied them as she asked “I can draw the sample if you would like, the compatibility tests will take a few minutes”.

“I’ll take care of it myself” replied the unicorn.  “I wouldn’t expect you to know where a vein is on my legs.  I did want to ask what I should expect during this procedure, if I should have any concerns.”

“All procedures have a measure of risk.  However, this is a very common treatment.  It’s also been proven for a wide variety of species.  Misty was shown to be compatible with a number of treatments, and I am thankful I could help her as I did.  While a treatment like the one I am offering is larger in scale the principles are the same.  In your case, we will be rebuilding the cartilage and adding to it.”

“What would you be adding, if I can ask?”

“Of course.  It’s a polymer that has cartilage mating properties.  A series of shots will be given at the major joints of the limbs and torso.  I will have you swallow some pills that will act as an activator and direct the medication in its task.  When the process is complete you will have  virtually all your mobility back.  You’re going to need to do some physical therapy but in your case I would simply advise some daily running.   I will need to give you a sedative because you’re going to be sleeping for the procedures duration.  I expect about four hours.  A bed would likely be the best place for you to rest while the procedure takes place.”

“You know,” as he floated the full syringe back to Rebecca and bandaged his leg, “I would feel a lot more comfortable about this if you simply called it a magic potion.  Your people really don’t have magic, do you?”

“Nope, just hard sciences, tested assumptions and lots and lots trials before it ever sees light outside the laboratories.  The risks have to be within acceptable limits or its not considered acceptable.  If it helps, I have conducted this procedure many times and I will be monitoring your vitals during the course of the procedure.  If you have any kind of negative reaction I have a halting agent that will immediately neutralize the treatment any you’ll wake up unchanged, except perhaps disappointed.  I’ve never had to use it however.”

“Now, “Rebecca continued, “I’m off to drop off your samples for testing and in a few minutes the results will be available for us to review.”

Oakhoof raised an eyebrow, “Any chance I’m going to know or understand what you’re going to be showing me?”

Rebecca smiled.  “I’m sure we won’t go one step forward without your confidence.  Of course, it would be a lot easier if you could watch some other brave soul take the first step.”

Misty took that moment to jump into the air and closely to Rebecca “you mean like me Ooof!”

Dreaming had snatched Misty’s tail in her teeth and had yanked the filly back to her pre-launch position.  Misty looked behind her and Oakhoof managed to catch her gaze.

Oakhoof took the opportunity to give Misty a long look before Misty then turned to Rebecca for solace.  Rebecca had to put her doctor / patient face back on before she knelt to match Misty’s eye level.  “I know it’s hard to stay on the ground.  But no matter how good you feel right now, you needs to rest.  And yes, you are the first person I treated since I arrived.  But this is a good deal more involved than a patch job on a flank.”

Rebecca chose at that moment again the thank God she had grown up around horses and that the terms were ready accessible to her vocabulary.

Misty nodded as Rebecca rose and departed again for the cart.  Misty, Oakhoof and Dreaming followed her out into the sunlit morning.  Rebecca could see the field laborers in the distance as she once again concealed her method of unlocking the cart and after a few moments, an access port opened that she placed the syringe into.  The port closed again as the cart made a few noises of metallic and electronic nature.

It was an assortment of muted clangs, beeps, chirps, and a few gurgles as the testing equipment carried out its numerous tasks.

Rebecca returned inside to see everyone (pony?) waiting for her.  Misty was clearly happy to see her return.  Leaving the filly behind in this town could be tricky if Misty was an efficient flyer.

“Doctor Oakhoof, it’s going to take about three quarters of an hour for these tests to run.  Do you have any other questions for me while you have me here?  When we are concluded I understand I have town guards to go see, and I’m very much in the dark what happens to me after that.”

It was at that time that the door to the house opened again and Wishing appeared.  Wishing gave Dreaming an indecipherable look as Dreaming then nodded and headed inside.

Rebecca didn’t visibly react because she had a hankering that something was afoot, but she had no idea what.  So she turned to Wishing.

“Wishing, if its alright, I’d like to refill my canteens.”

“Easy enough, you find all the water you need from the tap in the kitchen.  Please help yourself.”

Rebecca smiled in gratitude and nodded to her fellow doctor, “I’ll be right back for your questions”.

Perspective: Misty

Misty continued her strategy of being quiet while being overlooked enjoying conversations she had been sure up to this point that were usually held outside her earshot.  The fact the Rebecca was treating her less like a filly and more like a mare (outside that strange but very sweet candy) and the care that Rebecca had given her let alone Misty’s rescue told the filly everything she need to know about her new friend.  She had a lot of questions for Rebecca, but was waiting until a better time presented itself.