The Canterlot Attack

A day has past, but it feels like so much more time. Lemon’s still in the hospital. It’s taking all my strength to focus on the the task at hand, rather than her yellow body which last I saw was being taken to the hospital.

“Orange-hey Skies!” One of the other weather team members, Bright Lights waves his hoof in front of my eyes. I was spaced out? I never lose focus on the job, it’s my favorite. Managing the weather can be fun.

“We’re breaking for lunch. You coming?” I grin, though it’s rather forced.

“Sure. Coming!” Despite my efforts, the melancholy is still audible.

I flap my wings showily as I land. I actually don’t need to flare them out as much as I do, but I like the appearance it gives to landing.

Lunch is slow. I would go to the Cozy Cafe, but I can’t go there without feeling...empty because Lemon isn’t there. It’s been rather quiet lately. The whole city is mourning and rebuilding. I’ve become less focused lately. I’m not the only one either.

All of us know someone who was injured or...worse.

I shift on the cloud I’m on. It’s the only one that hasn’t been cleared yet. What can I say? Pegasi like heights.

The second, real wedding is being prepared now. The date has been set for two weeks from now, resulting in lots of chaos. That and the city is being repaired at the same time. I don’t know what idiot thought planning all of the stuff at the same time was, but I want to smack them.

It’s hard to clear the dust made from rebuilding. The stuff is nasty, and it doesn’t work like to normal clouds. It’s too thin to buck but we have to clear it anyways. That stuff would be the thing of nightmares if I didn’t already have some.

They come every night. They’re not always the same thing, but they always share some similar themes. Changelings, that’s what those black things are called, loss of family, Lemon...dying. It’s not just nightmares, it’s also memories. The attack, Lemon’s shield, her fainting. Some nights, I just can’t sleep, for fear of nightmares.

“Orange! Come sit over here!” Another worker, Azure Sky waves. She’s naturally cheerful, but I can still she isn’t quite as happy as she ought to be. The attack’s toll is heavy.

“No change.” The world spins above me. Something feels terribly wrong.

“Nurse! Come quick! She’s waking!” The voice calls. Slowly, I peel my blue-green eyes open. I blink. The light is blinding.

Then my heart quickens and I jolt up. The attack! We were running!

“Orange!” I reach my hoof out. The nurse runs over, clearly worried. She grabs my hoof and lowers it to my bed.

“There, there, dearie. Everything is fine.” Is it?

“How-” I cough, “long have I been out? Where’s my uniform?” Indeed the familiar black vest, white shirt and black bow tie are all missing. Instead a flimsy gown covers my coat.

“You’ve been out for less than a day. As for your uniform, it’s here.” There on chair it sits.

“Thank goodness. What happened?” The door opens and a doctor steps in.

“Ah. Doctor Spirit. I’ll let you answer her question.” The pony in the doorway steps in even as the nurse steps out.

“Well, Miss Lemon, that is a good question. Those black creatures-”

“-were changelings. I know. I wasn’t asking about them.” I state “I was asking about myself. Why did I get knocked unconscious?”

“Ah. Now that is a question that requires a long answer. Due to the nature of your injury, a horn fracture due to magical stress, you suffered head trauma. Luckily, it was only moderate and is recoverable.

You’ll probably have to go through a short period of rehabilitation, but it shouldn’t be too bad. You have a good group of family and friends who will help. There is one problem though.”

“What is it?”

“Well, your horn has been put in a cast, but you can’t use it.”

“So what?”

“In other words, that means you can’t use magic, likely for a few month, even a year if you’re unlucky.”

A week has past. Sleep is...better, but not perfect. Worries still hang above me. It doesn’t help that I still haven’t seen Lemon. I visit the Cafe a lot now. I’m defiantly a reoccurring patron. It helps that they have good food always, even without Lemon. Can’t believe I don’t have a way to contact her. Seriously, how could I have been more dumb?

I told her plenty about me, but I didn’t tell her anything about how to contact me. Idiot.

“Hello! Do you need anything?” I turn, knowing all too well it’s not Lemon.

“No, I’m good.” I pause, staring out at the street where carriages and ponies move. It’s vibrant, joyful and busy, the way the original wedding should have been but wasn’t.

It’s a very old street and yet all the houses are at least partially new. This street was hit hard. A bit of dust still lingers, even with all the effort me and the other weather team members have done. Someponies have taken to carrying fans, which are “all the rage.” Only because there’s dust everywhere!

Most people are happy! There was a huge release of patients today. I know, because I watched several of them come out. Not all at once, mind you but more as a slow trickle.

Not one of them was Lemon, at least, as far as I know. I still have yet to see her. It’s nerve-wracking. I wish I knew how she was doing.

I skip into work, grinning. It’s good to be back. I was released last night. I’m not sure if that’s standard procedure, but it was good for me. Rehabilitation was fine.

Strawberry Cake, the receptionist, looks up and waves.

“Hey look who’s here! Good timing. We need more ponies for the lunch rush. Hey, can you work with that...thing on your head?”

“Yeah, I can work with the cast on my head. Don’t worry. Lunch rush you say?” I walk up next to her, “Where do you need me?”

“Can you cover Tables 10 through 15?” Patio.

“Uh, sure. Clear Water is...”

“Filly’s room.” Oh.

“Again?” Just like a giant loop...

“What?”

I grin, turning before dashing out the door, “Had to be there.” I spin and push the door open, squinted for a bit in the sun. I skid up the first patron, close my eyes, and let the familiar phrase take over.

“Hello, welcome to the Cozy Canterlot Cafe. How can I help you?”

“I’d like a-” he stops and I grin, “Lemon!”

“Just a lemon?” It’s Orange Skies. He burst out laughing.

“Well, if she’ll have me, yes.” I blush.

“Then you’ll just have wait a bit.” Not yet. I’m not ready.

“That’s fine.”