I was once a young doctor. Fresh, fast, ready at a heartbeats notice. The top of my game with no challenge. Those days are… long gone. Flushed down a drain of age to be beaten into another young stallion or mare so they could do what I now wish I could still do. But, lest my eyes return to their former glory, and my hooves could just hold themselves still once more, I was no longer of any use but to train rookies.
Doctor Youngeblood, they would call me. Doctor, how would we go about this? How do we do that! How can this help! Pleh! That cups about as old as my young name. Oh how I wish I could go back to those days of working on patients! And they called me crazy!
‘How ever could you want to work such a job?’ They would ask. ‘ Why are these your favorite patients!’ Its in my blasted name, buckit! Don’t blame me, tell the old coots that gave me that name! Blast them! Get two pegasi together and out pops a unicorn! Wheres the sense in that! And don’t ask me, thats not my specialty.
And pop goes my door! Oh, that wasn’t me. There, in the door stood one of the new ( And more popular) nurses. The buck is she doing in my house! “ Redheart,” I growled, through gritted teeth.
She took a step back, but didn’t leave. “ Theres a foal that fell off a ledge. None of the other doctors will work with him. It’s… bad”
“ Ah buck,” I said. Theres no way I could ever turn down a foal in need. “ Let me get my bearings.” I slowly started to get to my hooves, years of wear and tear aching at my old bones.
Redheart decided I wasn't moving fast enough and wrapped one of her forehooves around mine. “ Doctor, we need to hurry!”
“ I ain’t gonna be helpen any bucking foals if I hurt myself getting up to buckin fast!” I yelled at her. She backed away, ears pressed flat against her head.
“ I’m sorry sir, i’m just… worried. He was hurt pretty bad.”
“ Ya, ya. Whatever. I’ll get there when I get there.” I don’t give a buck what you think about me.”
Finally, we were on our way to the hospital. Redheart helped me along so we made it in a relatively good time. When I saw the foal, I cringed and cried with glee on the inside. Ya, I know, sue me. It’s been a damn long time since i’ve been able to do anything.
“ What have we here,” I said. The foal had compound fractures in two of his legs. They were both popping out of his skin. He had a broken wing, distinguishable by the thin bone that was jutting out from the side. For all the lesser things, he had bruises over most of his body. One of his eyes was swollen over. Deep incisions clear on his skin though his sky blue fur. I took a seat on the chair next to the bed he was placed on. “ He on pain meds?” I asked, eying him up and down.
“ Yes sir,” Redheart responded. I was still surprised she was even around, but since she was, I oughta make good use of her.
“ X-ray results?”
She took a moment to pool together the information. “ Compound fractures. Right hind leg is shattered, left has a compound fracture. His wing is just broken, deep lacerations. Nothing else yet, but were still looking.”
I nodded my head. “ I can set the wing but you’ll have to get a pegasus doctor for the rest. Theres a lot more than just setting a wing bone in healing it. Probably best if I just ignore it.” I noticed one of his eyes popping open. “ What your name, foal?” I asked him.
He groggily responded, “ Snow day.”
I chuckled at that. “ Future weather factory worker right here. Now, what the buck were you going to get this done to ya?”
His eyes lit up and he said, “ I was trying to do a sonic Rainboom! Just like Rainbow Dash!” Ah, another one. I leaned towards him, seeing what needed to be done.
“ We already got a young filly here that basically worships the mare. I suggest you find a new occupation. I don’t think she would take to kindly to you trying to replace her.”
The little light in his eyes died down a little, but returned near instantly. “ Theres a Rainbow Dash fan club here! I can join them!”
“ Oh ya?” I said,” What makes you think you’re ready for such a big club? You don’t even know if you’ll fit in.
“ UH HUH! I’m Rainbow Dashed biggest fan! If anypony will fit in, it’ll be me!”
I made sure he saw me roll my eyes. He huffed at that. “ Her biggest fan? Thats the same thing everypony else says! What makes you her biggest fan huh?”
“ I’ve been practicing ever since I could fly! Twirls! Barrel Rolls! Dives!”
I started to laugh out loud, mocking what he said. “ You and everypony else. My mom was trying to imitate Rainbow Dash before she was even born!” I wiped away a fake tear, “ You keep trying and you’ll just keep hurting yourself!”
He boastfully puffed out his chest. “ Not when i’m a professional!
Slowly, my laughter died down. I could see he was glaring at me with anger in his eyes, so I poked him in the chest. “ Tell you what foal, You have your mom bring you back here tomorrow, and i’ll personally introduced you to the mare. Shes here once a week and i’ve worked on her more times than i’ve blinked my eyes.”
“ REALLY!” I could hear him rattling in excitement.
“ Yea, you’re good to go foal. When your mamma gets here, tell her that and i’ll see you tomorrow.” I turned to leave the room, but remembered the foal couldn’t move so I levitated him to my back. He tried to wrap his hooves around my neck, but only succeeded in nearly giving me a burn from rubbing his bandages across my fur.
We entered the waiting room, where a mare I assumed to be his mother was crying into her hooves. Two of the nurses, one of them being Red heart and another I didn’t remember the name of were trying to calm her down. They were rubbing her back, speaking comforting words into her ears, but nothing seemed to be working.
“ Mommy!” The foal cried, struggling on my back. The mare looked up at a speed that should have snapped her neck. She launched from her seat and rocketed towards me and the foal. I shot a small burst of magic into her lungs and muscles, causing her to slow to a walk. It took her a moment more, but she collapsed to the ground directly in front of her.
I think the foal had closed his eyes, because he didn’t say anything. The spell started to wear off, her breathing returning to its normal state. I held a hoof out to her and she took it in her own. Pulling herself up, she said, “ Thank you. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“ You might want to get that checked out, “ I joked, “ A mare as young as you shouldn’t have any trouble remembering thoughts from just seconds ago.” She held a hoof to her mouth as she stifled a giggle. I know my jokes aren’t that funny, but I did like that at least somepony thought they were. I moved the foal from my back to hers.
“ He won't be able to walk for a few weeks. I was able to set his wing, but it will need to be checked out my a pegasus doctor. Take good care, and he might be up and ready again in just less.” She nodded and left, her foal whispering in her ear as they walked out the door. I allowed a small smile to come to my face as I watched them leave.
“ You’re free to go, Doctor.”
I didn’t acknowledge her as I walked the front doors and back to my house. It took longer to return that it did to get to the hospital, but I wasn’t stopped by anypony. When I got home, I was surprised to find the Princess there, sipping tea out of my favorite ‘ Doctors bite’ mug.
“ Uh… Celestia?” I said, more than asked.
“ Afternoon to you too, “ she said, “ How would you like a job?”
I wide grin came to my face, one wider than most ever before. “ Depends on the job.”
She smiled back at me, “ You know just as well as I do that that wasn’t really a question.”