Down the Road

Showing no resistance to the slow but eventual crawl of darkness once more, for which he just as openly accepts as a fitting finale, he seems to find only comfort in knowing that he can finally move on.

"Thank you."

Of letting himself go to the numbness, does the head rattling break against Daniel's fall show it's appreciation. Feeling the burning across an ankle and underside of knee, he finds a bit of coolness inside what has become prey to the clutching of his left hand's fingers. Releasing his grip in order to do so again, his mind rushes to try and rationalize with eyes still shut tight.

Beginning to breath a bit faster, much to the traveling of his right hand over cross his chest in jerks, he continues to search for what is not there. Moving his right hand over his eyes, fingers spread open and wide, he slowly peers in expectation of life threatening red, finding instead something far more concerning but in between. Moving his hand back and forth, if only to give his eyes a bit of shade from that which bares down upon him from high above, he becomes fixated more on lack of needing to.

Moving his hand away, with growing confusion and anxiety, he lunges upright before grabbing upon the a leg, expecting once again what in reality does not comply. Patting each leg down, before slowly straightening them out from his short crumble to...

"What the hell?" Looking down, to the far cast of the horizon, does the range of mountains snap him into action to his sudden rise to his feet. Taking deep breaths, with his head swooshing back and forth upon the deep valley below, his nerves begin to fray with the etch of his feet even closer to the end once more. Creeping his head forward, if to look down to just how high up, he jumps back.

Walking back until he almost trips again, he finds solid ground only from the large boulder sticking up from the lush green laden soil below. Grabbing hold, with enough pressure to free a bit of grit, he struggles once more to understand.

"A-alright. Alright." Taking a hard swallow. "I... I was picking some potatoes and... and I found that rock. I cut my hand, and then it kills me with a propane tank. Now I'm on a mountain?" Closing his mouth with nostrils flaring. "Bullshit."

Looking once more up into the sky, he takes notice to just how large the sphere in the sky appears. Staring into it, only to find the lack of splotches from a few rapid blinks, he shakes his head with growing frustration. "I said, bullshit!"

"I've been waiting for you." The feminine voice from behind with light concern causes him to freeze.

With but another swallow, almost painful, he struggles not to look behind him. Tilting his head with the slow movement to the side, he lets out the forced breath of resisting the sudden chill spreading between his shoulder blades. Grinding his palm into the rock, harder and harder, seems not to notice the slow but gradual movements closer to bare witness to the seeping stains.

"You must stop that." The voice now just behind. "You can still feel pain here, if you will it."

"And where the hell is here?" Unable to hide the grinding tone that continues also upon his palm. "Cause it doesn't hurt!"

"It does, to me." Sighing a bit in relief as the hand becomes stationary once again. "Now, will you turn and face me?"

"No." Merely taking a guess from the crinkle of grass one word might not be enough. "Don't push me."

Hearing the movement move back in balance behind his ears, he cannot help but finally notice just how hard his heartbeat thumps inside his chest. Serving reminder, he closes his eyes just in case.

"Is she here?"

"We found only you." Adhering to boundaries still set against the stone. "You had passed in life, upon coming before me."

"Am I in a bad place?"

"You are in a safe place."

"Then why isn't she here?!" Raising his open hand only in order to smash it back down closed. "I don't even believe in none of this shit, lady!" Several times over. "Yeah, she made some mistakes, but you're telling me you refused to save her for that?!"

"We are often not given the chance, to make the choice." The voice remains soft, but with enough emotion to soothe nonetheless. "But of my own, I have only come to you now to ask that you make one for yourself. I welcome you, if you shall of me."

With sincere words meant to comfort, only to bring full turnabout with the firm grasp of a bloody hand upon her foreign bicep, her eyes widen in reflection to the one burning away any water that might stain it. Taking notice to the one now closed, seemingly struggling underneath it's twitching eyelid, she becomes distinctly aware of what is now on the verge of breaking.

"You just said my wife wasn't fucking good enough." Moving back rather than pushing against, space once more comes between them. "So neither are you. Now get out of here." Growling to the lack of action sort of reaction. "I said, go!"

"Please, listen to me." Firming her voice with options slowly eroding away. "You were still alive, for but a moment, when you entered my realm. You died, and we were able to bring you back. But we need you to reach out and come the rest of the way."

"Or what?" His growing defiance even bringing slight surprise upon she who continues to attempt reasoning.

Growing just a bit agitated herself, she cannot hide the tension along the bridge of her nose.

"Prove it." Raising his arms in order to cross them over his chest, giving the expression right back. "Because there are only a few things that I know for certain right now." Nodding up with keeping his eyes on her's. "That's fake, and so are you."

Looking up into the sky, she seems to struggle to find anything out of place. Looking upon all of the clouds, and especially in between for any sort of disruption or anomaly. Turning in place with her expression now out of sight, does she begin to move mountains.

"The sun? That giant object in the sky that supposed to hurt your eyes when you stare at it?"

"Why would the sun hurt you?" She turns back around with light concern in her tone to the notion. "It is to help you. To guide you, so that you may not lose your way. It would never seek to cause you pain, and neither do I."

"Then that's not my sun."

"No, it's mine." Lifting her arm, her palm now held as it to grab hold, she looks almost childish. Letting a faint smile spread across her lips, she gently moves her arm across the sky up and behind, twisting around in order to lower the sun just above the horizon. Bringing her hand back down, she meets it with the other, brought to hang relaxed against her waist.

"I used to love sunrises. The first gleam of light to brim the distant horizon, like a blanket, covering all that it may reach in it's warmth. Basking every treetop and mountainside ablaze, I could find no better poetry, no better companion. I needn't fear that one day it wouldn't greet me. I could depend upon it, to always be there for me, no matter how dark the night had become. I felt safe."

Watching as the sun takes it's final bow across the horizon, the starless sky above their only audience.

"Blinded by my selfishness, I never paid much attention to what it meant to those around me." Showing an expression she would only show to none who could see. "It took losing the only family I've ever known to show me the cost of such fallacy. To finally acknowledge, that for so long that I simply hadn't cared enough, to see that which I thought of the most could hurt those who tried to do the same."

Simply turning back around, as the farthest tips of the distant mountains glisten to the fire upon the snow, she continues to speak.

"I've always loved the sunrise, this is so very true, and it is also true that I terribly miss what I can never have again. But it wasn't until I let go, and turned around, that I found what I love most of all. I shall never give that up, and for that reason alone, I made the sun my own."

Eagerly awaiting the light to let her see, her smile evaporates with the dawning of nothing but the far view. Sighing, with eyes closing to the mutter of discontent of the choice she sought made, she seems unsure on action now best taken in the encompassing light.

"You painted a pretty picture." Daniel, speaking with his back left shoulder almost touching the back of hers with the sharp inhale of air forming a half grin on his lips, crosses his arms once again while facing the sunrise. "But that right there was just badass."

Turning to face him, she brightens to what she hopefully assumes in compliment. "Then you finally believe me?"

"No. Oh, hell no." His casual tone, with a bit of play but enough gruff to keep the tension, only brings confusion. "All you've convinced me is that you're not something that I thought you were. Which I guess makes some of what you said more believable."

Unsure of what to think of such comments, she remains silent less she loses what had just been gained.

"It hurt too much, for too long, for it to not of happened. This..." Making a wave as if swatting away a fly, "What is this?" leading his hand towards the front of her chest, but not close enough to touch. "Talk to me like you'd want to be talked to if this was happening to you. No more damn lies, or trying to lure me with candy, cause frankly I was about ready to give you the finger for that."

"I didn't want to force you awake in your condition, because we feared you wouldn't react very well. So I brought you here, so that I might earn your trust, and not see you further harm. Right now, we are both connected to make that possible."

"What the hell was in my garden, and why did it bring me to you." He makes sure to put a bit of anger into the final word, refusing even to blink. "Cause it's looking pretty bad the more it rattles around in my head."

"The stone, was a magical ward, created to protect my realm from what seeks to take advantage. One was lost, and while still anchored, it lacked the energy to reach where it could be pulled back through." Gesturing with a nod. "Until you."

"Magic?" The flicker of his brow meets with only another nod. "And my blood somehow constitutes as magic?"

"Well, of course. Every being, no matter how small or large, is latent with magic. It is part of their very essence." Noticing her words losing far more ground than they gain. "That's why we were forced to replace, much of yours."

"Replace?" Unfolding his arms to his side. "You're not doing a bunch of strange shit to me are you?" Pointing an index finger her way. "I'll have you know I like myself exactly like I am, so if I come out of this and find a bunch of shit strange... better not."

"You're just as you were, do not worry. We were even able to save your arm." Watching as he looks upon the left forearm without hesitation. "You still have it. There may be some problems, because of how badly it was damaged, but that shall be up to you."

"I can't repair myself, lady." Narrowing his eyes as if slapped. "What's your name?"

"Prin..." Flickering her eyes away, and only faster back onto his own. "You may call me Celestia."

"Daniel, and that's all you're going to get if that's all you're gonna give." Shrugging to the put off quirk in her brow. "So I'm also going to take a wild guess that you look absolutely nothing like what you look like, right now."

"That would be correct." Etching each word out slowly, growing quite curious over a few things herself.

"That's good." Waving his hand before her chest area, once more. "Because a life sized barbie is disturbing as hell." Watching her reaction of looking down, a bit surprised herself. "Thanks for the show, and the scream in my mind when I realized it wasn't latex."

"Well I am, quite... surprised." Looking back up without even the slightest embarrassment. "Clothing is rather up to the individual. Some wear, most do not." Meeting his eyesight which bares some semblance of apprehension. "We do have rather extensive natural cover."

"Alright, I can't take it anymore. Show me."

"Show you?"

"You. The real you, damn it." Stepping back with arms going wide open out to either side. "Let's do it!"

"He's spiking!" The nurse yells, scampering between several machines in order to get towards her medical tray. Taking hold with magic several vials, and needles, she begins to prep for the doctor whatever he may need. Growing a bit worried herself, she moves the tray closer to Doctor Hoofmender who looks up towards Princess Celestia with less than supportive eyes. "Doctor?"

"I told you this was a mistake!" Rearing up as the bed shakes a bit to the convulsions of it's occupant. Using his own magic to lock the wheels of the bed while also pressing a button, he looks upon the readings with anxiety. "Terminate the link!"

"Do not dare!" Princess Luna, holding little back unlike her elder sister, moves forward with her neck craning for her eye to meet the doctor's own within inches. "If she has not severed the link, then she is still trying to control the situation."

"Seems to be a pretty horrible job of it, then!" He yells right back, caring not for consequence. "Go help her, or I will, him."

"Daniel?" Watching him almost double over onto his face. "Please, you must control yourself!"

The woman, now of all her true Alicorn glory, holds her wings arched high to the sky with her stature closer to one of genuine shock and confusion. Staring down upon which now resists upon his knees, holding his hands to the opposite side rib cage, struggling to breath. Etching closer, only to stop and hold one foreleg in the air with a hanging hoof, her emotions begin to overflow as well.

"Daniel. Do please stop this nonsense." Watching him finally catch enough breath to laugh some more, she herself becomes a bit flustered and even perhaps, offended. Stomping her hoof into the ground to no avail, she moves with a bit more force than realized with a bit of dirt kicking up on her roundabout journey to his left side. "We do not have time for..."

"I'm so damn screwed." Taking in and out several long breaths. "And we both know it."

Having been robbed of any misgivings she might of held, she unfolds and lowers the inner wing to press softly against his backside, given a jolt from what beats with dangerous intensity just below. Searching for words of comfort, she prepares herself for breaking such a short lived promise, for a lie shall have to do.

"Well, let's get on with it, then." Daniel gives his head one good shake before rising up to his feet, seemingly unaware of what still presses against his back. Stretching the left, and then right shoulder, he looks towards Celestia with an raised eyebrow. "What?"

Simply staring, fixated most on what still pulsates into her wing, she can only whisper. "Calm yourself, first."

"Kind of hard when you know how bad it's going to hurt." Closing his eyes to the hesitation, only to find sudden himself unable to open them once more, he tries to thrash against the pressure all around him as if he's drowning. Unable to push to reason, he can only struggle harder, much to the ever increasing noise that bring no comfort even if understood.

"" Princess Celestia, as close as she can get upon the struggling Daniel's left ear, just continues to whisper with a soothing tone the same word many times over. Only when his struggle begins to ease, does she pull from her limited vocabulary. ""

Struggling to open his eyes still, he puts all he has into just one, with the fluttering given small reprieve to the sudden dimming of all the lights. Finally able to find the light with but one eye, he rattles the bed when instead of pearly white, midnight blue takes all. With a few seconds of alarm, the room quiets down once more with midnight blue speaking with a bit more authority.

"He shall have to be confined to the inner halls of the castle. I have already formed several teams to watch over him. They have been briefed to ward for protection, rather than surveillance." Looking down onto the two eyes still trained on her, offering nothing expected of her from her elder sister, whom now stares at her with an encouraging smile. "I shall hold you to our expectations."

"Luna?" Celestia moves towards the other side of the hospital bed. "You know he cannot understand you."

"He doesn't need to be told what he already expects." Keeping her eyes upon her sister's. "Once Twilight Sparkle finishes her work on the translation, we can move onward from there. Until then, there is little need in coddling him as you have already."

"Coddle?" Showing but the hint of offense. "Let's not forget, if we had informed Twilight fully, she would view this in an entirely different light. Her letter earlier barely made any mention, short of acknowledgement to her pique of interest."

"Then I am pleased." Taking notice, but no reaction, to the look sent her way. "She is the Princess of Friendship, Element of Magic, and quite frankly with far too much pulling on her already. There is no need to make this anything but what it really is."

"That being?" Celestia tilts her head with the flicker of her closest ear, showing her less than pleased demeanor.

Ready to give her answer, almost in mimic posture, wayward hands reach up and takes hold of escalating situation often held behind closed doors. While not able to squeeze, four fingers rest over top Celestia muzzle with relative ease with just enough pulling pressure to dip her muzzle down a tiny bit. Staring cross eyed onto the resting hand, they widen when moving to directly across the way.

Where four lay upon the elder sister, only the outer two seem to cling with any ease onto Luna's muzzle, threatening to slip off as the hand struggles with convulsions. Refusing to look down, instead remaining fixated straight ahead, she reacts with gently lowering her head while tilting back. Speaking not another word, her eyes convey all that she wishes to.

"If you two are quite done having your little spat over top my patient, I would like to begin." Doctor Hoofmender hovers many objects in the air, among them, a little bit of water. "If my hopes are not dashed, he should be able to be moved within a couple days."

Celestia ducks and slides back in order to make room for him to start checking Daniel. Taking her leave without another word to, or from, she quickly finds herself trotting in silence alongside an equally mute midnight blue. Passing guard after stationed guard, who all seem rather unaffected by the cold display between royal sisters, they finally part ways with far too much left unfinished.

Shaking his head, back in the private medical room, the doctor and lone nurse begin to their procedures and checkups, focusing instead on what will surely become an ever tiresome night. Trying not to focus in on he whom rustles a bit under heavy cover, they instead pass glances over theatrics often best kept out of their domain. Smirking to each other, with the shake of their heads, they separate once more with the doctor going to the far corner to open an cabinet and the nurse out the door.

"If I didn't know any better, I would of sworn you actually understood what they were going on about." Doctor Hoofmender pulls out some sterilized gauze and tape, coming back to the bed now lowered to his chest level. "Between you and me, I hope they aren't just having some sort of game about all this with you. I know you're a bit of a spectacle, but it not up to them to push you into being something you're not."

Going around to the other side, he pays closer attention to the hand that has caused him such great concern.

"So similar to the Minotaur, but even then." Using his magic to press a strip of metal near the wrist. "If only you'd flex..."

As if on cue, like upon any other understood request, does the outer two fingers pull into the palm, leaving the large two and thumb barely giving any compliance. Captivated by the opportunity, he forgets reality. "Again."

To the compliance once more, does his gaze slowly drift up towards one that has held onto him for some time. Held in silent stare, as if to gauge the worth of agreement still left unsigned, does the doctor become the first to answer.

"Again."